THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, APRIL 7, 2017
FRIDAY EXCHANGE
5A
A balanced board
Losing green space
n response to “Experienced
nurse” (The Daily Astorian,
March 31): My opponent for
Position 3 on the Clatsop Care
Health District Board is abso-
lutely correct that I have “no
healthcare background.” I have
never received a dime from
working in that field. In fact,
I have zero formal education
past high school.
What I do bring to CCHD
board is a current perspec-
tive from the other side of the
fence. For the last 4 1/2 years
one or both of my parents has
been a client or resident of the
health district. I have dispersed
their life savings and the pro-
ceeds from their home to
CCHD for their excellent care.
I am aware of the workings of
in-home care, assisted living,
memory care (not the district’s,
it wasn’t open yet) and long-
term, skilled nursing. My par-
ents have used them all. I have
maintained a good relationship
with their caregivers.
I also bring 25 years of
small business ownership to
the board. I pride myself on
being a “numbers” man. The
long-term viability of the
district needs “eyes on the
books.” I believe a balanced
board of directors includes
members with diverse back-
grounds coming together for a
common mission.
I applaud my opponent
for her interest in the future
of quality care for the resi-
dents and clients of CCHD.
My interest began six months
before being appointed to a
board vacancy. During those
six board meetings, I was the
only member of the public in
attendance.
MICHAEL AHO
Warrenton
A
I
Vote DeVaney
ecently, the public was
informed that the manage-
ment of the Clatsop County
Health District had been turned
over to a private, for-profit
company, for a fee of over $1
million, for the next two years
above what management has
been costing we, the taxpayers
of this county.
I find this privatizing of the
health district — a national
trend, now extending into our
local area — very disturbing.
To make the best of a bad sit-
uation, I think we will need
smart, experienced people on
the district board to make sure
the patients are not put at risk
or receive sub-par care.
One candidate I know fits
this description: Jacqueline
DeVaney. As a nurse with six
years’ experience, first as a
home health nurse and then in
a management function of a
clinical coordinator program.
The nurses in these roles pro-
vide services to patients in
their homes that are not only
better for the patients i.e. more
comfortable, fewer need-
less readmissions, less hos-
pital-acquired infections, but
also help the facility to oper-
ate more efficiently. We need
people who clearly understand
the value of outreach to the
community.
I hope you will consider
voting for her in the upcoming
election. Ballots will be mailed
later this month with a dead-
line of May 18. Since you will
not receive a voter pamphlets
for this election, please mark
your calendars with DeVaney
for Health District 3.
CAROLYN EADY
Astoria
R
Basketball joy
e would like to thank the
many, many people who
helped make our season one to
cherish and remember. From
the very beginning of the sea-
son, through the Holiday Clas-
sic, on into the league season,
and throughout our journey to
state, the Seaside girls basket-
ball team had so much support
from so many different peo-
ple, and we’d like to express
our gratitude. The kindnesses
we received from parents,
community members and fans
was something we shall never
forget.
We can’t begin to explain
the wonder and joy it meant
to go to on the road to Banks,
or Tillamook, or Molalla, or
play at the state tournament,
and have it feel like a home
game. With such support, both
at home and on the road, we
couldn’t help but give it our all.
We have truly been given a les-
son in what the idea of com-
W
munity means, and how special
it was to have been the recipi-
ent of such support.
Finally, we would like to
give a big, loud and wonder-
ful congratulation to our boys.
Way to bring home the first
state championship for basket-
ball in our school history. We
could not be more proud of
our boys and their coaches and
supporters.
Thank you Seaside, thank
you to all who helped make our
season such a memorable one.
MICHAEL HAWES,
HEAD COACH
Seaside High School girls
basketball team and coaches
Bottle return issues
ith the refund doubled
from 5 to 10 cents this
month in Oregon I, had to
speak out. I like the basic rea-
son for the Bottle Bill, our
deposits being an incentive to
keep empty bottles and cans
from becoming litter. But when
it comes to getting our money
back, I can’t make sense of it.
Last fall I told my wife
instead of simply recycling
them, I was going to return our
bottles and cans and use the
money to buy her a Christmas
present. However, time and
again I found the few machines
available overworked, peo-
ple often with heaping carts
full of empties waiting in line.
Not infrequently, when there
was no line, it was because
the machine was out of order.
Needless to say, my wife got
a smaller gift than either of us
expected.
Somehow Oregonians
cashed in more than 1 bil-
lion bottles and cans in 2015.
But living in the Astoria area,
with seemingly few places
to get refunds, I wonder how
this could happen, and how
many more might have been
redeemed were there to be a
more efficient way to return
them.
Deposits are made in trust,
and while I am not suggest-
ing foul play, I question how
reasonable it is to think we
can actually get our money
back. Moreover, can we trust
the money we don’t get back
will be used to improve ways
for refunding, or at least go to
advancing our state’s overall
recycling efforts?
Bottled up no more …
JERRY R. O’NEILL
Hammond
W
Rohne is committed
am writing in support of
Dirk Rohne, who is a candi-
date for commissioner for the
Port of Astoria. Dirk is a dairy
farmer in Brownsmead, who
has been involved in various
boards and commissions.
He ran as an anti-LNG can-
didate for the Clatsop County
Commission in 2008, and
served until retiring in 2016.
In addition, he served for six
years as a director on the Clat-
sop County Community Col-
lege Board. I got to know
Dirk when we both served on
the Clatsop Economic Devel-
opment Resources (CEDR)
board, and was impressed
by his knowledge and com-
mitment to the needs of our
county.
The Port of Astoria needs
more board members like Dirk,
who understand commission-
I
ers have to know how to work
together as a cohesive and
respectful group to accomplish
their goals. Please vote for
Dirk Rohne for commissioner
for the Port of Astoria. He will
bring much needed maturity
and common sense to the Port.
DIANNE WIDDOP
Gearhart
Water bill woes
urge you to vote for Dirk
Rohne for Port Commis-
sioner. The Port of Astoria is
currently dysfunctional. Rohne
has demonstrated very effec-
tive leadership skills when
encountering such circum-
stances (think Clatsop County
Commission and LNG). He is
highly respected throughout
Clatsop County for tackling
difficult issues head on, and
seeing them through to a solu-
tion that works for all county
residents.
As a dairyman, he under-
stands hard work and the
need for relentless dedica-
tion. Dairymen understand
environmental issues, as well.
The milk you sell as your sole
source of income is in greater
abundance and of higher qual-
ity if you tend carefully and
responsibly to the resources
that contribute to your farm.
Short-sighted exploitation for
short-term profits does not
work in the long run.
He respects the pub-
lic process and will “be his
own man” when the vote is
taken. We need people in pub-
lic office who demonstrate a
balanced view of the county.
Dirk Rohne will represent you
nobly, demonstrating his tol-
erance and consideration for
all viewpoints on the conten-
tious issues of today — and
tomorrow.
The Port of Astoria is a
valuable resource. Electing
Dirk Rohne Port Commis-
sioner will go a long way in
helping the port achieve its
potential.
MIKE TIEDEMAN
Astoria
rom my perspective, the
monthly water bill in Asto-
ria has officially gotten out
of hand. It seems that the city
council thought that it would
be a good idea for users to
pay for all the improvements
that they have, and are, mak-
ing — including parts and
labor. I know that some of
those improvements are expen-
sive, and the city cannot afford
to bear them alone, however,
when water we consume, as
residents, is costing us more
than any municipality in the
area, things are a little out of
hand.
I decided that I would put
a big cistern in my garage and
capture all the water that ran
off the roof so that I could
economize by using that cap-
tured water to wash my car
or water my lawn, or perhaps
even filter it for use in laun-
dry and other such things. I
thought this would not only
save me money, but would per-
haps aid the city in the event
of a drought, where water is
scarce.
I relayed my plan to the city
of Astoria who said: “not so
fast bucko!” Apparently, it is
illegal to capture the water that
falls from the sky, over your
own property, for personal use.
I guess the city of Astoria feels
that it is far more worthwhile
for the runoff to plug sewer
lines, thereby giving the city
crews something to do, hav-
ing to pump out the overflow
and such.
Don’t tell anyone that I
brought this to your atten-
tion, because my dog has been
drinking from open buckets
that fill up with rain water in
my yard for years, and I am
afraid that the city will vio-
late me and add a surcharge
to my water bill to cover his
indiscretions.
The whole thing seems
ridiculous to me; but as
always, I could be wrong.
DAVID GRAVES
Astoria
Vote for Spence
The way we vote
rank Spence is running for
Port commissioner, and
we’re glad he is. This year
three of the five Port of Astoria
commission positions are open.
This could be a ground-break-
ing year for the Port of Asto-
ria. We have an opportunity to
get some fresh ideas, forward
thinking and move into the
light — or slide farther back
into the quarrelsome, self-serv-
ing darkness of the past.
Frank Spence is currently
serving on the Port Budget
Committee, and has done so
for two years. He chose to run
for the commission, know-
ing full well how the port cur-
rently functions, and having a
good handle on the finances of
a complex organization.
As former city manger and
county administrator for over
45 years, Spence has experi-
ence serving the taxpayers. He
understands the importance
of having positive and close
working relationships with the
cities and ports in our region.
The Port of Astoria will
be well served by Frank’s
intelligence, integrity and
experience.
CHERYL JOHNSON
Astoria
O
Port needs Rohne
I
F
F
n Wednesday March
14, an article (“Bill
would award electoral votes
to national popular winner,”
The Daily Astorian), and then
again on March 24, a letter to
the editor (“Support NPV,”
The Daily Astorian) in sup-
port of changing to the popu-
Featuring boys and girls
high school teams
from throughout the
Columbia-Pacifi c region
lar vote appeared again in our
local newspaper. I screamed,
“Give me a break from all this
nonsense!”
Correct me if I am wrong,
but didn’t our forefathers fight
the only revolutionary war in
the history of the world that the
people won? Did they not live
under the tyranny of the Brit-
ish king, and did we not defeat
that king, so we could all enjoy
freedom from oppression?
Did they not make the 12th
Amendment of the Constitu-
tion to protect us from those
who want to have power and
control over our nation and us
as individuals? So, please tell
me why we are even listen-
ing to people whose ideology
and social politics are totally
against how this nation was
founded.
But, to their embarrass-
ment, the majority did win. To
make my point clear, please
turn your TV to the Tucker
Carlson Show on Fox News
at 6 p.m., and look at the map
displayed on his show. Notice
the amount of Red, compared
to the amount of Blue, which
clearly shows how most of
the population voted (popu-
lar votes) in each state. For
another example, his map indi-
cates the eastern regions of
Oregon, Washington and Cal-
ifornia voted Red, just one of
the many reasons they want
to become their own states,
and should. But, when it came
to the electoral votes of these
eastern regions their votes
didn’t matter, because most of
the population in those states
voted Blue. But, in comparison
to the map, does that appear
fair?
From the appearance,
shouldn’t their electoral votes
have been counted Red? This
issue is as sensitive to me, as
it is to you, but there is no rea-
son to change what has made
America great. Americans
have gone from riding in mule
drawn wagons to flying in 737
jets, and the way our Consti-
tution is, and the way we vote,
has never hindered our ability
to prosper or grow as a nation.
Our Constitution in this
nation is still as alive and well
today as it has been for the last
230 years. The outcome of this
last election demonstrates just
how fair, and how perfectly the
constitutional process contin-
ues to work in this nation. God
bless America!
RAY GARDNER
Warrenton
storia is beautiful
because it has many nat-
ural areas left to enjoy. My
neighborhood has one of
these green spaces, adding to
its value. This special place,
just outside my back door, is
a small park with trees and
bird songs that connect us to
the seasons.
To my amazement I see
deer, mountain beaver, rac-
coons, squirrels, snakes and
amphibians. An entire hab-
itat is represented in this
small natural area. Some of
these animals have always
been there; others have been
squeezed out from nearby
developed land.
This small oasis of nature
was significant when choos-
ing my home 13 years ago.
But times are changing.
With a “housing shortage”
the city is encouraging infill
in our already tight neigh-
borhoods. More cars on the
street; walking will be differ-
ent as we maneuver around
them. Crowding permitted,
and less value placed on nat-
ural undeveloped land.
I was recently reminded
of this when my neighbor
informed us of his decision
to cut down the trees outside
my back door to allow space
for a duplex. He wants more
developed space and neigh-
bors. So our neighborhood
will be changed forever. He
has a legal right, of course.
The trees are mostly on his
property, but didn’t we all
benefit with this green
buffer from the busy street
above?
My well-meaning neigh-
bor, when sharing his plan
with great enthusiasm, stated
“this is the way of the world
now.” Perhaps this is the one
thing we agree on, but his
proactive approach will bring
it on more quickly.
Undeveloped land pro-
vides human values lost as
cities develop that later we
try to restore, but often it is
too late. “An unimagined lack
of space — Not a tree, not
a green thing in the place”
— Faust.
LYNNE FARRAR
Astoria
Kudos to equal pay
s a member of Seaside
Branch of the Ameri-
can Association of Univer-
sity Women (AAUW), I
would like to thank eight of
our local businesses for par-
ticipating in our Equal Pay
Day activity on April 4.
Sleepy Monk Coffee, Sea
Level Bakery and Coffee,
Divine Grounds, Caffe Latte
Espresso and Gifts, Seaside
Coffee House, Java Reef,
By the Way and Me Latte all
offered discounted prices for
women on that day to help
raise awareness to the issue
of pay equity.
Equal Pay Day is the
symbolic day on which
women’s earnings finally
catch up to what men made
in the previous year. In the
U.S., there is currently an
approximate 20 percent gen-
der pay gap between women
and men — and that percent
is even worse for women of
color and moms. This takes
its toll over the years for
women and their families.
The pay gap is closing, but at
such a slow pace it will not
reach equal pay until 2152.
Kudos to the previously men-
tioned businesses for bring-
ing attention to this import-
ant issue.
NANCY KRUGER
Warrenton
A
29
D
th
ANNUAL
AILY
A STORIAN
INVITATIONAL
10:00 a.m.
Saturday, April 8 th
Seaside High School
Track
Meet