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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2016)
12A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016 Herzig: Councilor’s last meeting will be Tuesday night Continued from Page 1A that otherwise would just be passed over,” he said. “It depends on whether you liked me or didn’t like me, I guess,” he added with laugh. Dificult topics Herzig, who led the Lower Columbia Diver- sity Project, advocated for tolerance and confront- ing homophobia, transpho- bia and racism — topics that many small towns don’t pub- licly address. Two years ago, Herzig worked to convince the coun- cil to expand the city’s non- discrimination policy to pre- vent exclusion of any person based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. “Clatsop County has been fairly rural, fairly isolated, and extremely homogeneous for a long, long period of time, and so they aren’t used to thinking in terms of diversity,” Herzig said. But shifting social and eco- nomic demographics are alter- ing the identity of the region, he said. “Things are changing, peo- ple are fearful, and we need to talk about it so that we can be afraid of the correct things, and in the correct way, rather than start to scapegoat,” he said. That same year, he per- suaded the city to inancially support the warming cen- ter during its irst season. The center operated in the Astoria Senior Center, which was then under renovation. Last year, the shelter moved into the First United Methodist Church Get involved Alex Pajunas/The Daily Astorian Astoria City Councilor Drew Herzig, in red, who is also the chairman of the Lower Columbia Diversity Project, leads a candlelight march in January 2014 through downtown Astoria in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. basement and expanded services. City Councilor Russ Warr, a more conservative voice on the council who frequently clashed with Herzig, said the warming center is his col- league’s hallmark accomplish- ment and called it a very good public service. “By any measure, that was a good thing to do,” Warr said, “and it took a lot of work and effort on his part.” Criticism Warr, who chose not to run for re-election this year after three terms, is less approv- ing of Herzig’s conduct on the council. “He monopolized the con- versation. He spent a lot of time talking about things that weren’t really city business during his reports of council- ors, and I think primarily that just wasted the time of the busi- ness of the city,” Warr said. He added that Herzig’s refusal to act as a team player on occasions when the coun- cil could only move forward through consensus could be disruptive. However, Warr said he believes Herzig “felt that he was doing the work of the city, or at least representing his constituency, and I think he worked very hard. “He was always extremely well prepared, in that he spent hours reading and think- ing about information that he got in the packet — prob- ably more than any other councilor.” Herzig suspects his out- sider status led critics to hold him to a higher standard than his fellow councilors. “A number of people who were not opposed to me have often thanked me for asking those questions … for examin- ing things at council meetings Herzig said he often asked many questions, and extended council meetings, to keep the process transparent. “Democracy is doing pub- lic business in public, and that’s what City Council meet- ings are supposed to be: that the public comes and watches us do their business and explain what we’re doing,” he said. Herzig’s last council meet- ing will be Tuesday night. He and Schweigert have sold their South Slope home and plan to leave town the follow- ing week. Tom Brownson, a retired contractor, is the only candidate for the Ward 2 seat in November. City politics can be frustrat- ing, Herzig said, and many of his constituents have given up. “I’ve talked to so many people who say, ‘I just don’t bother anymore. They’re going to do what they’re going to do regardless of what we want,’” he said. But he argues that local pol- itics is ground zero for creat- ing positive change, and Her- zig wishes more folks would get involved. “If people keep walking away from democracy,” he said, “we’re not going to have it anymore.” RV park: Company installing new bottomless sand ilter Continued from Page 1A Gary Artman, an inspector with the state, said the com- pany has been staying under the limits by pumping about 800 gallons of sewage a day. Meanwhile, the company has been installing a new bottom- less sand ilter, which Artman said will likely be complete within the state’s deadline. Case settled In 2013, the county sued Hick to enforce a compliance order from 2011 limiting the park to 43 residential spaces, Sunset Lake Resort & RV Park south of War- renton has reached a settlement with the county regarding its occupancy, and is meeting the state’s re- quirement to replace a failing septic system. including 18 mobile homes, 25 RVs and an additional 38 spaces for visitors. “The parties now agree that (Hick and Resources North- west) are in substantial com- pliance with the terms of the settlement,” Matyas wrote in a judgment issued last month. The Daily Astorian File Photo Sept 1 st - Sept 11 th Fal l planting S a le OUR BIGGEST SALE OF THE YEAR IS HERE! Submitted Photo Aerial view of 532 N. Laurel St. in Cannon Beach. Housing plan: Appeals board denied all arguments Continued from Page 1A Commission, then tentatively approved by City Council in 2015 and afirmed in a previ- ous state decision. In January, planning com- missioners said the development plan lacked details, including when and how the new houses would be built, landscaping and protections for neighbors during construction. Friends of Cannon Beach said the approval set an unwanted precedent for future development, since the City Council’s tentative approval came after a threatened lawsuit by the developer. “LUBA conirmed over- whelmingly that the appeal was completely without any merit whatsoever,” Nicholson said in a statement The 70-member Friends of Cannon Beach raised about $25,000 to ight the decision. “Once again, LUBA did not afirm this was a good decision, but rather that the City Council had the right to make it,” Har- rison said in a statement. “For Cannon Beach, this most unfor- tunate action shrugs at our ordi- nances and is in no way good for our town.” Board denied all arguments The appeals board denied arguments that the inal plan lacked suficient detail, veered from the approved preliminary plan and lacked a development schedule. Harrison and others argued that the inal plan was incom- plete and failed to “indicate fully the ultimate operation and appearance of the devel- opment,” including what the constructed homes would look like, the inal opinion stated. The city’s lawyers and Nich- olson described the detailed building plan, grading plan and landscaping measures. Petitioners also unsuccess- fully argued the City Coun- cil lacked jurisdiction to make a inal decision on Nicholson’s application, since the Plan- ning Commission denied the application. The appeals board afirmed the council had authority to make a inal decision after hold- ing a hearing on the application. The .57-acre property where Nicholson intends to rebuild the existing house and construct new homes, located at 532 N. Laurel St., has been for sale since April. Nicholson, who said he agreed to about 18 different conditions during the approval process, plans to build the drive- way soon, then rebuild the old home. The timeline is uncer- tain due to costs from lawsuits against the city, he said. Join us on Sat. Aug. 3rd from 10am-2pm for: Dennis’ 7 Dees Design Day @ all Dennis’ 7 Dees Garden Center locations Bring in pictues of your trouble area for free professional design guidance from Dennis’ 7 Dees landscape designers.
