Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 7, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2017 Council OKs loan for bridge project Absence of matching funds would force ‘hard decisions’ By ERICK BENGEL The Daily Astorian The Astoria City Council on Monday night authorized staff to apply for a loan to pay for a portion of the Waterfront Bridges Replacement Project. Aging wooden bridges that connect the ends of Sixth through 11th streets to overwa- ter piers, and provide pedes- trian and vehicular access to waterfront businesses and sites, can no longer safely bear heavy loads and need to be replaced. In 2014, the city entered into an intergovernmen- tal agreement with the state Department of Transporta- tion for the design phase. The department is funding 90 per- cent of the bridge replacement project; Astoria is responsible for a 10 percent match. As the design comes together, the city has discov- ered two additional costs, according to City Sup- port Engineer Cindy Moore, co-manager of the project with City Engineer Jeff Harrington. One, the city will need to relocate utilities — water and sewer — in the area. Two, the city needs to improve the “11th Street extension” — wood plank- ing that extends from the 11th Street bridge east of the road- way (in front of Wet Dog Cafe & Brewery). The work would ensure the extension can also handle highway loads when the project is finished. With the council’s approval, city staff will apply for a 25-year loan, with a 3.5-per- cent interest rate, through the state Infrastructure Finance Authority. The city will lever- age its Surface Transportation Program funds; future STP funds will be used to pay back the loan, Moore said. ‘There’s a possibility of using other funds, but this is a 25-year loan that we’re lookintg at.’ Cindy Moore city support engineer These expenses are cur- rently estimated at $337,000, and the entire cost must be paid solely by the city, according to a staff report. The project’s total estimated cost to the city is $1.6 million. So far, the city has contributed $242,987 from Surface Trans- portation Program funds, fed- eral fuel tax money used by states and localities for trans- portation projects. That leaves about $1.4 mil- lion of the remaining match amount for the city to raise. Staff asked ODOT for a fund- ing increase a few months ago, and the request was denied, pri- marily because the department wanted to see the design devel- oped a little further, Moore said. Mayor Arline LaMear asked Moore at Monday’s meeting what will happen if the bridge replacement project becomes more expensive than is cur- rently estimated and Astoria can’t pay for the 10-percent match. “Then we will be making some hard decisions,” Moore said, including “the possibil- ity of eliminating one of the bridges from the project.” “We really will be lever- aged as much as we can with STP funds. There’s a possibil- ity of using other funds, but this is a 25-year loan that we’re looking at,” Moore continued. “We would have to look at more drastic alternatives.” In other business: • LaMear said the City Council would send a note of sympathy to the widow of Frank Preusser, the conser- vation scientist who led the 1995 restoration of the Astoria Column. John Goodenberger, a local historian who worked under Preusser for that project, announced during public com- ments that Preusser died last month. “Many of you may not know of Frank Preusser, but you’ve benefited from his work,” he said. Goodenberger, who served as site manager for the col- umn’s 2015 restoration, said, “Without Frank’s guidance and expertise 21 years ago, we would not have had the base to work from when we restored the column a year and a half ago. The 2015 restoration was raised to a new level because Frank laid the groundwork for our approach.” A conservationist of world antiquities, Preusser worked on the Dead Sea Scrolls, Queen Nefertari’s tomb and the Sphinx, Goodenberger said. LaMear had heard the recent restoration team speak of Preusser fondly and often. “He was just sort of the godfa- ther of the Column,” LaMear said. • The council adopted an ordinance increasing the city manager’s spending authority from $10,000 to $50,000. Brown accepts putting records advocate under secretary of state Associated Press PORTLAND — Gov. Kate Brown is open to hous- ing a public records advocate in the Secretary of State’s Office, rather than under her control. The Oregonian reported that Brown, who ran on a platform of ethics reform, has proposed creating a records advocate but has repeat- edly wavered on who should direct the new position. On Monday, Brown’s counsel on government accountability Emily Matasar said the posi- tion would be under the sec- retary of state. A bill in the Legisla- ture filed at the request of Brown would create a public records advocate. The advo- cate would serve as a medi- ator between journalists, citi- zens and public agencies. Matasar said Monday in a Legislative hearing that Brown is in talks to put the position under the Secretary of State’s Office, where the state archives are housed. Republicans had criticized W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber N orth w es t H a rdw oods • Lon gview , W A Brown for wanting the advo- cate under her control. Secre- tary of State Dennis Richard- son is the first Republican to hold the office in 30 years. Port wants lawsuit over hotel thrown out Fallout from Smithart’s rocky tenure By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian The Port of Astoria has asked a judge to throw out the case brought by Portland-area hotel operators Param Hotel Group over operation of the Astoria Riverwalk Inn. The Port’s lawyers filed a motion for summary judg- ment last week against Param, arguing that “the undisputed facts confirm that there was never an enforce- able contract.” Param originally filed suit in November 2015, claim- ing the Port had breached an agreement to re-assign the company a lease on the Riv- erwalk Inn from heavily indebted hotelier Brad Smi- thart and his company Hospi- tality Masters. The Port Com- mission had approved of such a transfer at a June 2015 meet- ing, but the two sides never finalized the transfer. The Port claims Smithart, who operated the hotel from March 2012 to September 2015, went behind the back of the agency and Param try- ing to find a better deal as he ended his tenure. “Upon learning of this behavior, the Port declined to risk further reliance on Smi- thart and exercised its right to terminate the lease between the Port and Hospitality Masters so it could negoti- ate a new lease directly with other potential operators,” the Port’s lawyers argued. The Port heard several proposals to run the hotel, and in September 2015 chose Astoria Hospitality Ventures. Param included Hospitality Ventures in its lawsuit, claim- ing the Port showed favorit- ism toward the chosen oper- ator, whose co-owner is a brother-in-law of a Port com- missioner. Hospitality Ven- tures was eventually removed from the lawsuit, after a judge ruled there was nothing wrong with company’s lob- bying of the Port Commission for the hotel’s operation. Debt mounting As the Port seeks to have Param’s case against it dis- missed, the agency continues a lawsuit against Smithart. The Port is seeking more than $400,000 in past- due rent and revenue-shar- ing from Smithart, who has denied most of the allega- tions. A trial was set for July. The same month the Port filed suit, a Clatsop County Circuit Court judge levied a $118,331 judgment against Smithart for past-due room taxes owed to the city of Astoria. Last month, the Ore- gon Department of Reve- nue issued a distraint war- rant against Smithart for more than $55,000 in unpaid income tax, allowing the state to garnish his wages and bank accounts. The warrant can become a judgment and lien on any property controlled by Smithart until the debt is paid in full. Smithart still operates the Arc Arcade in downtown Astoria. i B r t y h p da y p a H Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 G o n e , B u t N e v e r F o r g o t t e n Heaven ’ s Honor Roll Heaven ’ s Honor Roll October of 2 01 6 November of 2 01 6 4 Gladys Elnora Mathes 105 5 Jeffrey Lynn Mihajlov 53 6 William Larry Gregory 65 7 John Edwin Lindstrom 64 9 Eric Duane Propst 47 16 Donald Melvin Brunner 91 19 Dorothy Christine Winton 78 23 David Raymond Pedersen 62 7 Gerold Martin Solum Sr. 77 8 Robert Gerald Small 87 11 Dale Sterling Amsberry 89 14 Betty Pauline Nixon 80 17 Lana J.Golik 75 22 Marvel Jane Burnard 69 27 Floyd Clayton Coons 87 28 Ruth Lager 101 30 Will Dustin Carlson 30 Heaven ’ s Honor Roll December of 2 01 6 1 Mildred Smith 95 2 Cathy Belle Keller 63 7 Mildred Grace Wright 96 11 Mary Louise Montgomery 99 12 Larry Armand Wayrynen 72 15 Harold Albin Snow 75 15 Mamie Lucile Phillips 89 17 Thomas Nicola Trotta 89 20 Michael William Foster 76 24 Christopher Mykael Jones 41 24 Minerva Eileen Jones 96 24 Nancy Miranda Mignon Crocker 63 25 Kenneth Loren Hoagland 85 27 Daniel Patrick Laughman 69 O U R A I L A B L E 2 4 H O U R S A S T A F F A V D A Y , R 8 0 Y E A R S E X P E R I E N C E E V O & Compassion and respect matter to you and your loved ones... Your choice in funeral homes should matter as well. Don’t settle for anything but the best. Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary CO M PASSIO NATE, SINCERE AND DEPENDABLE Providing quality funeral service nation wide since 1925. Please stop in or call and ask for a price comparison. We would love to compare any policy you currently have, in an effort to save you money. RENEE CALDWELL Owner & Licensed Funeral Director CALDWELL’S LUCE-LAYTON MORTUARY & NORTH COAST CREMATORY 1165 Franklin Ave. • Astoria • 325-1811 Office hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday • Sat & Sun by appt. CALDWELL’S FUNERAL & CREMATION ARRANGEMENT CENTER 113 N. Holladay • Seaside • (503) 738-9936 Office hours: 9am-5pm Monday-Friday • Sat & Sun by appt. Sarah Lu !
