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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 2016)
9A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2016 Measure: Chief petitioner pushes back on concerns Continued from Page 1A Commissioner concerns In May, the commis- sion passed the Fair Voting Ordinance, which ensures that measures requiring supermajority or double-ma- jority voter approval to change city law or take gov- ernment action fi rst have to win voter support by the same margin. “That way, you don’t have 20 percent of voters requir- ing 80 percent of voters in the future to do something,” Com- missioner Henry Balensifer said. The City Commission argued that disposing of city assets is an important part of the city’s job, and that the mea- sure could hinder the process. “We’re elected to be repre- sentatives, and I think that these are some of the things we’re elected to do,” Mayor Mark Kujala said, “and I think this would be hamstringing us.” Commissioner Tom Dyer said, “I don’t think it’s the right move for the city, personally.” Noting that the city would need to bring the large -asset disposals before voters, Bal- ensifer said after the meeting, “Not only is it expensive to run elections, but you have to time it to those elections.” Balensifer said he appreci- ates that the Property Protec- tion Committee is exercising its right to put a measure on the ballot. “I think, if they get enough signatures, it deserves a vote. It’s up to the citizens,” he said. “But, from a policy or opera- tional perspective, this makes no sense to me at all.” Commissioner Rick New- ton said he hopes the current commission has earned enough trust from the public “that they don’t think that we’re going to throw things away.” Kujala agreed to write a let- ter of opposition on behalf of the commission and submit it to local media. Commissioner Pam Ackley was absent. Committee counterpoints Ken Yuill, the chief petitioner who leads the committee, has pushed back on the commission’s objec- tions, saying in a written state- ment that some of them are “false and misleading.” The measure would not affect the day-to-day operations of the city, he said, nor restrict the city from replacing parts for the water system. “This is handled through the city’s budget process. Please remember this only has to do with selling, not buying,” according to the pamphlet’s argument in favor. The measure would “not restrict the sale of surplus equip- ment,” Yuill wrote, adding that, normally, when large pieces of equipment, like fi re trucks and garbage trucks, reach the end Port: System simplifi es stormwater monitoring Continued from Page 1A shaft, surrounded by metal sheet piling, to install a man- hole . Conway Construction has been punching in another at the southwestern foot of Pier 2. Pumps will force storm run- off to the Port’s new treatment system . Gokcora said the new system will eliminate most locations where the Port’s run- off can enter the Columbia River, simplifying the Port’s stormwater monitoring. At the foot of Pier 3 is a large earthen hill, the collec- tion of sediment dug out of the pier’s western edge to create 2 acres of ponds, ringed by gravel access roads. Stormwater from throughout the Port will fl ow into in initial reservoir. Once the water level reaches high enough, it next travels through pipes into a settling pond, during which suspended sol- ids can settle, and contaminants leached out of the water by soil and native vegetation. The water from the settling pond will be distributed via a fl ow-spreader into a series of parallel, vegetated biofi ltra- tion swales, using native vege- tation to leach out silt and pol- lutants from oil and grease to wood and other objects. Envi- ronmental engineer Ada Ban- asik said the vegetation in the system will be a mix of estua- rine plants, including blue wild rye, red fescue, tufted hairgrass, western mannagrass and Amer- ican slough grass. Also in the swales are gabion cages fi lled with oyster shells. The shells contain large amounts of calcium carbonate, which can capture and solidify heavy metals such as copper. Gokcora estimates the shells will need replacing depending on how much stormwater they handle. Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian Civil engineer Cem Gokcora from environmental consultant Maul Foster Alongi checks progress on the Port of Astoria’s new stormwater treatment system. The system, located next to Astoria Forest Products’ log-processing yard, uses gabion cages filled with oyster shells to filter copper and other met- als out of storm runoff before it enters the Columbia River. Gokcora said the entire sys- tem is built to handle more than 3 inches of rainfall in a day. Banasik said the swales will be able to treat 6,800 gallons of stormwater per minute. The treated water comes out of a drain on the west edge of Pier 3 into the Columbia. Past due The stormwater treatment system is technically more than three months past due. The state Department of Envi- ronmental Protection sent the Port notice in August 2014 that by the end of June, they would have to make the system oper- ational to prevent an inordinate amount of copper from enter- ing the river. Copper can stunt the navi- gation skills and olfactory sys- tem of salmon and other marine life. By not building stormwater treatment, the Port could lose its federal stormwater permit and its ability to conduct busi- ness. But Jim Knight, the Port’s executive director, said the state has held off on any enforce- ment as long as the Port shows satisfactory progress. The Port Commission recently authorized the agency to borrow up to $1.6 million to pay for the project . Staff have been working on a plan to split the cost with tenants based on how much land each entity owns in the area where storm- water will be treated. Federal aid Knight said he is waiting to approach tenants with exact fi gures on the cost of the treat- ment system, because the Fed- eral Emergency Management Agency could pay for the col- lection of stormwater off of Pier 2, which is not currently a part of the project. “FEMA has entered the pic- ture because of the storm dam- age in the area,” Knight said. The Port experienced heavy damage throughout the cen- tral waterfront during storms in December. Since then, the Port and other local agen- cies have been taking steps to secure funding from the fed- eral agency, which can pay up to 75 percent of the cost of repairs. Knight said the agency might be willing to pay for rerouting of stormwater off Pier 2 to the new treatment system. He said it will likely take a couple of months to get a project proposal to the fed- eral agency’s desk, and another couple of months before the project might be approved. But Knight said he still expects the stormwater treat- ment project to wrap up by the end of November. From the Astoria Riveralk on Pier 3, the public will get a full view of the entire system. As part of the ability to rent the land for the system for $750 a year from the state, the Port is required to build an inter- pretive display along the walk showing how the entire system works. of their useful life, “the value is only a few thousand dollars.” The measure, he said, would also not restrict the commission from listening to or bargain- ing with sellers, or having open meetings on the sale of city- owned tangible assets. “The Commission would still need to vote on these mat- ters to send the question to the voters for their approval,” he wrote. “This would be similar to what the Commission does when they want to present to the voters a bond measure request. This would make the whole process more transparent.” Firefighter David Norris and Can- non Beach Police Officer Matthew Nunnally along with firefighter Shaunna White work to sta- bilize surfer Joseph Tanner after he was attacked by a shark. Cannon Beach Fire and Rescue Shark: There have been 20 attacks off the Oregon Coast in the past 25 years Continued from Page 1A Emanuel Medical Cen- ter in Portland with serious injuries. Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District Chief Matt Benedict said it looked like the shark had sunk its teeth in. “You have some big arter- ies in your leg so if you cut one, you could lose a lot of blood,” Benedict said. In the aftermath of Mon- day’s attack, Indian Beach within Ecola State Park remains open, but advisory signs warn of shark danger. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department rec- ommended that people using the ocean offshore, especially surfers, consult fellow surf- ers and experts with organi- zations such as the Surfrider Foundation. In past years, surfers at the Seaside Cove, Oswald West State Park, Tillamook Head and Short Sand Beach have reported shark inju- ries, according to the Shark Research Institute. The last reported shark incident at Indian Beach occurred in 1988. In 1979, a surfer reported being injured by a shark at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. The online Global Shark Attack File database shows there have been 20 attacks off the Oregon coast during the past 25 years, all involv- ing surfers who survived. The most recent happened three years ago, off Gleneden Beach in Lincoln County. Investigators have yet to determine what type of shark bit Tanner. The Associated Press con- tributed to this report. s m a r g o m m Ma ! s e v i l save Dam: Water district doesn’t have title to dam Continued from Page 1A The water district has oper- ated the dam since it was built with the help of the federal government in 1963. The fed- eral government said in 2014 that the water district was the owner and could freely operate or decommission the structure, which had reached its 50-year useful life. But the water district does not have title to the dam. The district obtained an easement from the city in 1962 to operate the structure. Blitz has argued that the water district has forfeited the city easement by removing the tide gates. The attorney has said the city should take control of the dam and determine whether it should be operated for fl ood control. The city could also hold the dam as an asset and remove it later as wetlands mitigation for a development project. Francis has previously said the water district should consider shifting the dam to the city for $1 to avoid any liability. Dawn McIntosh rejoins Campbell & Popkin Judge-elect Dawn McIntosh has rejoined Campbell & Popkin to work closely with Chris Palmer, in whom she has great conidence. Dawn and Chris are both well-known for skillfully representing clients in di- vorce, seperation, custody and other family law mat- ters. Campbell & Popkin also provides services in business law, litigation, real estate, estate planning and probate. Dawn and Chris are both taking new clients. CMH Imaging Services at 503-338-7525 to schedule your next mammogram. Saving lives, One person at a time. 5 Things To Tell a Friend October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Dawn McIntosh www.campbellpopkin.com Chris Palmer 503-738-8400 • 1580 N. Roosevelt Drive, Seaside Stephen H ou ghtaling, DDS Fam ily Dental is proud to welcome Dr. Aaron Sm ith Located at 1785 Exchange Street, Astoria Weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday 7 a.m. appointments To schedu le an appointm ent call 503-325-1470 1. Your two greatest risk factors for breast cancer are being a woman and getting older. 2. Get screened. Finding breast cancer early and receiving treatment will increase your chance of surviving breast cancer. • 20-40 years old: Get a clinical breast exam every three years from your doctor. Talk to your doctor about self exams. • 40 years and older: Get a mammogram and a clinical breast exam from your doctor every year. 3. Practice self care. You can reduce your risk of cancer by getting regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and limiting your alcohol intake. 4. Be proactive. hrough early detection and better treatment, more women are surviving breast cancer. 5. Talk about it. Tell any woman you care about to get a mammogram. You could save her life. 2111 Exchange Street, Astoria • 503-325-4321 www.columbiamemorial.org • A Planetree-Designated Hospital
