10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2017 Mushen: Meeting was littered with arguments, accusations Continued from Page 1A about whether individual com- missioners should have con- tact with the agency’s attor- ney, Mushen tried to vote but began making unintelligible statements. “I’m sorry. I’m not feeling well,” Mushen said , struggling to speak. Discussion on whether to vote continued until Port Exec- utive Director Jim Knight called a short recess and took Mushen out into the hall. “Commissioners, we need to adjourn,” Knight said after coming back into the room. “For the health and well-be- ing of Commissioner Mushen, let’s please adjourn this meeting. ” The meeting ended as Mushen, able to speak clearly again, sat down and waited for paramedics to come to the Port’s Pier 1 offi ces. Mushen was stretchered to a wait- ing ambulance and taken to Columbia Memorial Hospital. Stress-induced Knight visited Mushen in the hospital this morning. “They’re still running more tests, but they’re keeping him until they can get his blood pressure under control,” he said. “That was about as bad a commission (meeting) as I’ve seen in my 2 1/2 years,” Knight said. He said Mushen told him Tuesday’s meeting, which was approaching three hours when it was cut short, was one of the most stressful he has ever pre- sided over. The meeting was littered with arguments and accusations, largely driven by C ommissioners Bill Hunsinger and Stephen Fulton, as Mushen attempted to maintain order. Knight said there is a direct connection between the stress of the meeting and Mushen’s condition. “I hope this is a wake-up call to Commissioners Fulton and Hunsinger to act in a calm, professional manner,” Knight said. He said the next step is to see whether to still hold a Bud- get Committee meeting sched- uled for April 12 , which was called after accusations by Hunsinger and Fulton against the Port’s fi nancial staff over cost overruns on the Port’s Pier 3 stormwater system. Hunsinger said today he agreed that the meeting was stressful. “I think that attorney kind of contributed by telling people she was the smartest woman in the room,” Hunsinger said of Eakins. During a series of votes on the Port’s bylaws, Hunsinger had attempted to adjourn the meeting. He and Fulton argued that Eakins had not provided a full copy of what the Port’s bylaws used to say, compared to the changes she was proposing. Eakins, who represents about 70 spe- cial districts throughout Oregon, including sev- eral ports, had argued that the changes were minor and meant to create legal, effi cient bylaws. Man Cave: Bales obtains permits from Oregon Liquor Control Commission Continued from Page 1A hangar, owned by retired den- tist and aviator Philip Bales, an “unlicensed speakeasy” and called on the Port to fi nd out where its insurance carrier stands on the issue. Port Executive Director Jim Knight and Port c ounsel Eileen Eakins cautioned the Port Commission not to speak specifi cally about Bales’ han- gar. Knight recently asked the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Offi ce to investigate Fulton’s allegations against Bales’ club. Jensen said he spoke with staff at WHA Insurance and Special Districts Insurance Services — the Port’s brokers — and found no exclusion of coverage because of alcohol. “Well that’s 100 percent contrary to what Jake Stone and Nathan Cortez (from WHA) told me, that we have no coverage for drinking at the airport,” Fulton said. “Do you not require … the people who are leasing from you to pay liability cover- age, as well?” Eakins asked, to which Jensen responded “absolutely.” Eakins said that if the Port was sued because of an alco- hol-related event, the Port’s insurer would go after the tenant . “So, in fact, you’re doubly covered ” she said. Although Knight has said Bales’ lease is not violated by the Man Cave, Fulton and Hunsinger have continually argued the permitted use is clearly for airplane storage only. Hunsinger has said other tenants were kicked out for lesser violations. “We know that on Port properties, or private busi- nesses, (people) host par- ties, holiday parties that serve alcohol,” said Commissioner John Raichl, a former Clat- sop County s heriff and an avi- ator at the airport along with Campbell. “We know that almost, probably a third of the vessels on our properties … that moor here have alcohol on board. Why is it selective to this one property? Why not all of the activities throughout the Port? I’m not understand- ing what your agenda is here.” Fulton said he heard there was more than casual use at the Man Cave, in which Bales has two taps supplied from a kegerator. On a previous tour, Bales showed The Daily Asto- rian the permits he obtains from the Oregon Liquor Con- trol Commission for the kegs. Gearhart: One-time application period ended in December Continued from Page 1A “If you deprive people who have bought their homes or owned their homes for a very long time, the ability to rent there, you are causing great fi nancial harm to their offspring, No. 1,” Gearhart homeowner and petition advocate David Townsend said today. “You’re hurting existing homeowners, existing residents, and it’s done in a very spiteful way by a few people, the former mayor and council members because they really want to get rid of vaca- tion rentals in Gearhart.” The result, he said, will be “a huge economic hit.” “If you shut down vacation rentals in Gearhart, people don’t come there,” Townsend said. “If people don’t come there, they don’t frequent and use the busi- nesses that exist in Gearhart. So all of the businesses are hurt in Gearhart.” To apply for a permit, res- idents faced a requirement to establish grandfather status by requiring proof that lodging taxes were paid on the vaca- tion rental property prior to the end of the 60-day registration period. The 60-day, one-time application period ended in mid-December. Applicants — 84 to date, according to City Administrator Chad Sweet — have until June 14 to complete the registration process. Homeowners who did not apply for a permit and continue to rent are considered in viola- tion of the ordinance and sub- ject to a $500 fi ne for each day of offense. The initiative petition seeks to undo major aspects of the rules, which are also being chal- lenged at the state’s Land Use Board of Appeals. “We’re trying to take things back where the same thing applies to everybody,” Townsend said. “The big thing is allowing people when they sell their homes to allow peo- ple to pass along their rental Featuring boys and girls high school teams from throughout the Columbia-Pacifi c region The Daily Astorian/File Photo Gearhart City Administrator Chad Sweet reviews applica- tions for short-term rental permits in December. permits, as long as they comply with all the rules.” Repeal and replace The repeal would remove the limitation on the number of vacation rentals. Permits could be transferred to new dwell- ing unit owners, a change from rules which call for elimination of short-term rental licenses through attrition. Maximum occupancy, cur- rently at two people over the age of 2 per bedroom, would change to two people over the age of 12 per bedroom, plus three additional people over the age of 12 per dwelling unit, with no limit on children under 12. The petition seeks to elimi- nate requirements for off-street parking, residential appearance, and garbage services, as well as eliminate septic sewer capac- ity inspections and cesspool prohibitions. The initiative would repeal 30-minute response time from rental property representatives, a condition Townsend called “ludicrous.” “If it’s a problem where nobody needs to be there until the next day, why does somebody need to be there?” Townsend said. “It’s a death of 1,000 cuts.” Signatures needed If the draft ballot title is not appealed within seven days, Sweet said, petitioners will then need 175 signatures to put the 29 D th measure on the November bal- lot, a number representing 15 percent of registered voters at the time of the fi ling date. Signatures must be submit- ted by July 8 and verifi ed by Aug. 10. If verifi ed signatures are not obtained by that date, petition- ers could continue their signa- ture drive and fi le for an elec- tion within a two-year period, Sweet said. In the meantime, the city’s short-term rental rules will con- tinue to be enforced. As of March 30, Gearhart has taken in about $64,000 in rental fees and “closer to $90,000 ” in lodging room tax, Sweet said. Taxes and fees are depos- ited in the city’s general fund before being split into different departments. The fi rst year, revenue is designated for code enforce- ment and legal fees, Sweet said. In the future, funds may be split between police, fi refi ght- ers, code enforcement, parks and maintenance associated with tourism, he said. Other parties — or the city — could provide competing initiatives. “Once we’ve gotten to the point where they’ve got enough signatures, this initiative will go to the council and the coun- cil will decide whether to go to the November ballot, accept the initiative as it is, or fi le a count- er-initiative,” Sweet said. Sigler said the proposed repeal “is reasonable and is tak- ing into consideration freedom, fairness and reason.” “My children can’t even apply the way the ordinance is written right now,” Sigler said. “I fi nd that very offensive. I want them to have as many options as possible so they can keep this home and enjoy it.” Fulton continued his argu- ment Tuesday that insur- ers told him the Port is at risk because of alcohol-related lia- bility. “They specifi cally told me something different than what Mr. Jensen’s reporting, and I think we should get to the bottom of that.” Jensen reiterated that con- tact with insurers should be from Port staff, and Eakins agreed. “That’s part of the problem Consult a Professional Q: I bent over and my back went out! A : ANNUAL AILY A STORIAN Now you can’t get upright. The pain is horrible. First, put ice on the back for 15 minutes; repeat hourly — NO heat! Reduce inflammation with ice. After that, the fastest way to get back on your feet is with chiropractic care. Manipulation and therapies (ultrasound, laser EMS) speed up healing and reduce swelling. The next time your back is aching call 503-325-3311. 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