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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2016
Fee hikes for hunting, fishing licenses could stall
Task force
could look at
other options
By CLAIRE
WITHYCOMBE
Capital Bureau
SALEM — A task force
charged with finding sus-
tainable funding for the Ore-
gon Department of Fish and
Wildlife is considering hold-
ing off on scheduled license
fee increases if the Legisla-
ture approves either an income
tax surcharge or a surcharge
on beverage containers to fund
the department.
The department’s bien-
nial budget is about $370
million. One-third comes
from the federal government,
another third from hunting
and fishing licenses, and the
remainder from state funding
sources.
Last year, the Secretary of
State’s Office found that the
department had persistent cash
flow problems, noting that fee
increases had not in the past
been able to address the under-
lying causes of the budget
shortfalls.
Either the proposed bev-
erage container or income tax
surcharge would be calculated
to bring in what the task force
has estimated is an additional
$86 million in needed reve-
nue for the department — an
Audit: Some ‘problem
spots’ remain at
geology department
By CLAIRE
WITHYCOMBE
Capital Bureau
SALEM — Since its finan-
cial woes came under scrutiny
in early 2015, the state’s geol-
ogy department has improved
its financial controls, according
to a state audit report released
Wednesday.
But the Secretary of State’s
Office recommended the
Department of Geology and
Mineral Industries continue
to update how it reports and
records federal money.
The department, for its
part, says all the recommended
changes have been made or are
in progress.
The department, which
maps the state’s geology and
natural hazards and regulates
mining and resource explo-
ration, gets a decent chunk of
its revenue every budget cycle
from federal agencies such as
the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency and the U.S.
Geological Survey.
The department anticipates
receiving $6.8 million in fed-
eral funding in the current bien-
nium, which ends in June. Its
total estimated revenue in that
period is about $18.6 million,
though the department expects
that total will ultimately be
higher due to unanticipated
grant awards.
Auditors focused on finan-
cial controls pertaining to the
department’s federal revenues
in fiscal years 2015 and 2016.
According to the secre-
tary of state’s audit report, the
department didn’t manage
grants it received from the fed-
eral government properly.
Among other red flags,
auditors took issue with the
department’s practice of draw-
ing down federal funds before
spending any money on the
attendant project to help its cash
flow, a practice the department
has since ceased, according to
department director Brad Avy.
Avy has been at the helm
of the agency since December
2015.
Auditors also found the
department
inaccurately
reported federal expenditures,
which is also being addressed,
according to a response Avy
wrote to auditors that was also
released Wednesday.
Auditors found that some
of the department’s “minor”
expenditures may have been
inappropriately charged to fed-
eral programs.
The department is now
tracking federal expenditures
in alignment with state policy,
recording the indirect costs of
projects and has developed a
system for organizing contracts.
The department is still for-
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The
department
recently
underwent
review by
FEMA.
malizing policies and proce-
dures for reporting federal reve-
nue and expenditures, a process
it expects to be complete by the
end of the year, according to
Avy’s letter.
The department is also
working on updating its pay-
roll practices; it stopped using
paper time sheets earlier this
year and now uses the Depart-
ment of Administrative Ser-
vices’ e-payroll system.
In a statement Wednesday,
the secretary of state’s office
said that “significant turnover”
in leadership and fiscal staff at
the department created “critical”
financial challenges. New man-
agement, including Avy, who
requested the audit, has helped
make needed improvements, the
secretary of state said.
The department recently
underwent review by FEMA.
According to the audit report,
FEMA did not issue any find-
ings pertinent to eight FEMA
grants that the department
received and managed. FEMA
routinely audits agencies whose
activities its funds support.
The Capital Bureau is a col-
laboration between EO Media
Group and Pamplin Media
Group.
increase the task force recom-
mended Tuesday from an ear-
lier $79.9 million estimate.
The higher number takes into
account the proposed rollback
of fee increases.
There are two scheduled
license fee increases — one
in 2018 and another in 2020.
In future years, the task force
has proposed, the license fees
would be indexed to inflation.
Part of the task force’s work
was to recognize the contribu-
tions hunters and anglers make
to the department’s conserva-
tion work. An exemption to
the income tax surcharge for
licenseholders was previously
floated as a way to meet that
goal.
Holding the line on fees
was determined to be more
feasible.
The next meeting of
the task force is scheduled
for Nov. 28, when mem-
bers will review a final
draft of the report they will
present to the Legislature
during an interim session in
mid-December.
The group also wants to
get input from the beverage
industry.
Either surcharge proposal
has to incorporated into leg-
islation or approved by voters
via a ballot measure in order to
go into effect.
The Capital Bureau is a
collaboration between EO
Media Group and Pamplin
Media Group.
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Rick Swart fishes for coho on the Clackamas River in this
file photo. A task force looking for ways to increase the
state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s budget is consid-
ering rolling back license fees if the Legislature passes
either an income tax or beverage container surcharge.
Gearhart’s RV rules to get an overhaul
pull off to the side of the road.
We’re not a Walmart parking
lot,” he said.
Regulation of RVs parked
on private property is even
more difficult.
“I’m not going to walk onto
private property at 2 o’clock
in the morning and knock on
a motor home like I would
if they’re parked on the city
right-of-way,” Bowman said.
Councilors
seek to put
teeth in rules
By R.J. MARX
The Daily Astorian
GEARHART — Police
respond to reports of RVs
and trailers parking illegally
overnight on city streets and
by the highway.
Gearhart’s zoning code
states sleeping in trailers
is only allowed in licensed
RV parks. But without
changes to give teeth to the
rules, enforcement is all but
impossible.
“Even if they’re in their
sleeping bag, they’re not
going to get arrested,” City
Attorney Peter Watts said at
Wednesday night’s Gearhart
City Council meeting.
Unless an RV owner ver-
bally admits to sleeping in
his vehicle, complaints lack
force of law.
“Right now I walk up to
them and ask, ‘Are you using
your RV for eating or sleep
accommodations?’ And they
say ‘no,’” Gearhart Police
Chief Jeff Bowman said.
“The violator can simply say
‘Layered’ discussion
R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian
Gearhart Police Chief
Jeff Bowman describes a
growing problem of ille-
gally parked trailers and
RVs.
he isn’t sleeping or eating in
the RV.”
The problem is growing,
Bowman said, with trailers
parking on city streets and
along U.S. Highway 101.
“They leave Seattle late at
night, they get tired, they
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problems.”
- Dr. Bobek
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After a public hearing
this summer, the City Coun-
cil asked the Planning Com-
mission to consider zoning
changes to allow “limited flex-
ibility” in overnight use of
RVs. The Planning Commis-
sion opted not to make a rec-
ommendation, City Admin-
istrator Chad Sweet said, and
passed it back to the City
Council without explanation.
The city’s draft rules would
allow Gearhart property own-
ers to obtain permits allowing
RV occupancy twice a year for
up to 96 hours at a time. RVs
would not be allowed to park
in the public right-of-way and
permits could be revoked by
the police chief.
A future council work ses-
sion should determine “layers”
of the discussion, and include
public testimony, Councilor
Paulina Cockrum said.
Future drafts will likely
consider storage, parking and
camping rules separately.
“One ordinance is not going
to fit all in the box,” Cockrum
said.
Councilors
discussed
options to provide flexibility
to RV owners, a matter of con-
cern for two residents.
“I believe if you have a
spot on your property for an
RV, you should be able to use
it,” Jim Schultz said. “We need
to come to an agreement what
to do with the trailers and what
we can and can’t do.”
“I understand the code
needs to have a bite so it
holds up in court for a few
people who have lived in
their trailer,” Tom Thies said.
“But at what cost to the rest
of the people who only use
their trailer for camping and
traveling?”
Holiday
Items
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Giveaw
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Warrenton United Methodist Church
679 S. Main Street, Warrenton
EPIC Book Signing
F all B azaar & H o l iday Sal e
Craft Item s • Gifts • Baked Goods
H oliday D ecorations & m uch m ore!
NOVEM BER 4th & 5th 9 AM -4 PM
CLATSOP CARE CENTER
646 16th St., Astoria
Proceeds from the sale will be used to support a variety of resident activities
David Green, a highly regarded salesperson with Englund Marine & Industrial
Supply will retire after 13.5 years in the marine sales business. His last day will be
Friday November 4, so please come in and say your farewells.
David, a lifelong Astoria resident, joined Englund Marine in
2003 after he spent thirty fi ve years as a shipwright. One of
many of the boats he helped build was the Sailing Gillnetter
which is now displayed at the Maritime Museum. David was
also involved with the Astoria Column restoration project
in 1995 as he did the wood work and built both doors. His
many contributions to the industry include remarkable
knowledge and understanding of marine products,
electronics, paints, and solvents.
Englund Marine, his coworkers, and customers
have appreciated David’s hard work, dedication,
and expertise at Englund Marine. We wish
him luck and good health as he moves on to
enjoy greater and more leisurely pursuits.
ENGLUND MARINE &
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY
Friday, November 4th
3:00-5:00
Kenneth M. Ames
Robert T. Boyd
Margo Greeve
Michael E. Haglund
Rebecca Harrison
Tony Johnson
Carol Carruthers Lambert
Arline LaMear
Andrea Larson Perez
Karen Leedom
Gloria Stiger Linkey
Nancy Lloyd
Irene Martin
Nate “The Great” Sandel
Jeffrey Smith
Rex Ziak
Special guest artist –
Bill W. Dodge
Special guest musicians –
Brownsmead Flats
Columbia River
Maritime Museum
Did we mention it’s Free? You’re Welcome.