THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2017
FRIDAY EXCHANGE
Utility reserves?
he minimum Cannon Beach util-
ity bill 20 years ago was $20.28.
Today it is $46.42, a 129 percent
increase. Had utility rates risen along
with inflation, it would be $29.
In 1991 the city passed Ordinance
91-8, raising the lodging tax from
5 percent to 6 percent, with all pro-
ceeds earmarked for water and sewer
reserves. I estimate that the city col-
lected roughly $6 million over the last
25 years under this ordinance.
In the mid-1990s, the city built a
water filtration plant. It was funded
by a bond. In the last 10 years, the
city upgraded the wastewater system.
It was also funded by a bond. I can
only think of three major water/sewer
projects funded from these reserves:
replacement of the pump station in
the Stephanie Inn parking lot (roughly
$750,000); cost overruns on the waste
water plant (about $1 million); and
the north end water tank (maybe
$500,000).
If the city claims these reserves
no longer exist, it would suggest a
diversion of funds or an embezzle-
ment. A safer explanation would be
that these funds are just invested in
unusual investments, such as an RV
Park ($3 million), 58 acres of clearcut
($500,000), chicken and egg sculp-
tures, etc.
If these proposed improvements
are actually needed — which I ques-
tion — then the discussion should be
about which investments will be sold,
not how to raise more money.
KEN QUARLES
Cannon Beach
T
Voting for Cottle
aving been a former teacher of 5-
to 21-year-old students, and hav-
ing served on civic boards for many
years, Mary Beth Cottle would be an
asset to the Clatsop Community Col-
lege Board. Her experience, as well as
her willing attitude to work with oth-
ers, is a plus.
I have found Mary Beth willing to
go the extra mile to solve a problem,
and bring her information and exper-
tise to the table in such a way that
we all benefit from her knowledge. I
know I will vote for Mary Beth.
MARLENE LAWS
Cannon Beach
H
Stokes is leader
am excited to support Mindy
Stokes for the Clatsop Care Health
District Board, Position 1, in the spe-
cial election May 16. She is uniquely
qualified to serve in this public
office.
For four years she served as their
social services director and then as
their care memory community admin-
istrator. She is well known for her
community activism and effective
outreach, building new collaborative
partnerships.
She has strong convictions with
leadership skills that support social
justice values and positive quality
of life issues that benefit all commu-
nity members. She has proven experi-
ence in advocating for the elderly, and
those who are most vulnerable.
Clatsop Care Health District and
our entire community will be well
served with Mindy in Position 1. She
is ready, willing and able to serve in
this most important position. Please
cast your vote for this uniquely quali-
fied, proven community leader.
MARY BLAKE
Seaside
I
Integrity, smarts for Port
obs. The local economy. Our kids
and their future. These are just
some of the issues at stake in the May
16 Clatsop County election. That’s
when we voters get to elect the pol-
icy-makers for the Port of Astoria,
Clatsop Community College, local
school boards, and the Clatsop Care
Health District.
I’m supporting Frank Spence to
be commissioner of the Port of Asto-
ria. The Port benefits the entire county
and is partly supported by county tax-
payers. The Port deals with all kinds
of challenges, including pollution
from upriver, safety requirements,
industry demands, increased automa-
tion and federal rules regarding over-
sight, safety and trade.
Frank has served on the Port’s
budget committee for two years and
knows what it takes to keep the Port
running effectively and within bud-
get. His career was as a city man-
ager and county administrator. He has
the skills, experience, and integrity to
keep our port running well and wisely.
I’m especially glad Frank is run-
ning because it’s more important than
ever to have commissioners look-
ing out for the welfare of the entire
county. Frank doesn’t create dramatic
headlines. Instead, he wants to do the
right thing — and make the best deci-
sions — for all of us.
I’m voting for Frank Spence and
hope you will, too. Ballots are due by
8 p.m. Tuesday, May 16. Postmarks
don’t count.
LAURIE CAPLAN
Astoria
J
Flugelball should be an Olympic sport
if someone kicks you, or if you
flugelball seriously. So you
am eighth-grade student at
trip and fall on your face.
know how good it feels to win,
I Flugelball
Broadway Middle School.
Finally, flugelball is like
right? And it is easy to win in
should be a summer
Olympic sport. There are five
reasons flugelball should be a
summer Olympic sport.
First, it’s fun. It is fun
because it has a funny name.
It’s completely random, because
if you kick a ball into radishes,
you look ridiculous because you
are inside air-filled balls. You
get to bump each other around
like a bunch of bouncy balls.
Second, it’s a national sport.
Pretty much all schools play
flugelball. A lot of people take
Lum for school board
t is my pleasure to write this let-
ter of support for Lori Lum for
the board of directors of the Sea-
side School District. Many commu-
nity members invest extensive time
and effort into their local schools. Lori
has taken this to a different level. She
is personally invested in each of our
schools as a positive force in support
of our local children.
For many years, Lori has served
as a classroom volunteer, an offi-
cer in the Parent-Teacher Organiza-
tion (PTO), and most recently, she
co-chaired two successful ballot mea-
sures. Lori was co-chairwoman of
our 2015 Local Option Levy to con-
tinue Seaside School District to offer
programs and services they otherwise
could not provide for the schools.
Immediately following the pas-
sage of the Local Option Levy, Lori
co-chaired the 2016 School Reloca-
tion Bond that will provide for relo-
cating the three deteriorating schools
that are in the tsunami inundation
zone. This bond passed by the great-
est margin of any school district in
Oregon.
Lori Lum will make an outstand-
ing member of Seaside School Dis-
trict’s Board of Directors. She is the
General Manager of Lum’s Auto Cen-
ter, and her extensive business and
finance background will be a great
asset.
She also regularly communicates
with parents and community mem-
bers, consistently finding ways to col-
laborate and encourage adults to play
an active role in students’ education.
Lori has a wealth of energy, insight
and skills.
She is a master at juggling many
tasks and is able to clarify and priori-
tize issues. I highly recommend Lori
Lum for the board of directors of the
Seaside School District.
DOUGLAS C. DOUGHERTY
Superintendent-emeritus, Seaside
School District
I
Restore order at Port
n May 16 we have a very
important choice to make. That
choice is, what kind of Port Commis-
sion we want to have. There are three
positions up for election. This ballot-
ing is for the entire county. In other
words, the three positions up for elec-
tion can be voted on by all voters.
There are no boundaries, or districts.
The commissioners represent all the
citizens of Clatsop County, so you
may for for all of the positions.
There are three candidates who
should get your vote. They can help
restore credibility and bring much-
needed civility and common sense
back to the Port: Jim Campbell, Frank
Spence and Dirk Rohne. These men
all bring experience to the job.
Jim Campbell has been on the
Port Commission. He has shown the
ability to work with the others on
the commission, and to be a calm-
ing force. Frank Spence has years of
experience in finance working as a
city manager and county administra-
tor. Dirk Rohne served as a county
commissioner and on the Clat-
sop Community College Board. He
understands how to get things done.
The present situation at the Port
is, to put it mildly, unacceptable. It
seems that daily we read about some-
thing, be it costly mistakes that cost
the Port money, outbursts at a meet-
ing or commissioners making accu-
sations of other commissioners. This
is no way to operate a port. By vot-
ing for Jim Campbell, Frank Spence
and Dirk Rohne, you will help restore
order, continuity and just plain sanity
to the Port of Astoria.
So join me and many others and
vote for Jim Campbell, Frank Spence
and Dirk Rohne on May 16.
BOB LENNON
Warrenton
O
Dirk, Jim and Frank
for Port Commission
magine the economic engine that
the Port of Astoria’s marinas and
airport could be. Marine and air facil-
ities that promote sustainable eco-
I
flugelball — so if people play
flugelball, they will win.
Third, it is an extreme work-
out. You run across a football
field. You push against other
people. And you kick a ball into
a goal of radishes.
Fourth, you don’t get hurt.
You are on a big old soft mat.
You are wearing a big bulky
helmet. You are inside, and I
mean literally inside, a big air-
filled ball. I mean, the only
way you can get hurt is either
other sports. You kick a ball just
like in soccer. You run just like
in track or cross-country. You
bump people like in hockey.
And you get treated like you are
in football.
So as you can see, flugelball
should be an Olympic sport.
It is fun, it’s a national sport,
it is an extreme work out, you
don’t get hurt and it’s like other
sports.
HAYDEN SPRATT
Gearhart
nomic growth, and that provide com-
munity and visitor access to services.
A Port that protects and advances
our maritime heritage through respon-
sible stewardship of resources. A Port
Commission that works together with
Port staff and for the benefit not of
narrow personal interests, but for all
of Clatsop County and the communi-
ties at the mouth of the magnificent
Columbia River.
This year we have the opportunity
to elect Port Commission leadership
that will work with sanity, civility and
reason to help create a thriving Port of
Astoria.
Got Dirk? We have known Dirk
Rohne and his family for many
years. The challenge Dirk took on to
become a county commissioner eight
years ago, during another time of dis-
cord and disrepute, shows his ability
to redeem honor. Dirk is a fundamen-
tally decent guy. Like the best parts
of Clatsop County, he’s authentic. We
know that he will be a good, thought-
ful, and innovative steward.
We have followed the work of
Frank Spence and Jim Campbell for
many years, too. We know them to
be men of integrity who will ensure
transparency and responsibility.
Dirk, Jim and Frank are not run-
ning as a slate. They came to their
decisions to run separately, and have
separate campaigns. They may not
agree on all issues. They are men of
independent thought and action, who
have a proven ability to consider-
ately deliberate and arrive at a wise
decision.
We urge you to vote for Dirk, Jim
and Frank for Port commissioners.
CINDY PRICE and JOSH
MARQUIS
Astoria
to snow or have hurricane winds? In
tornado country, there are cellphone
alerts if there is a tornado approach-
ing your location. Would you want
that alert?
According to the late top U.S. mil-
itary intelligence officer Charles Jef-
ferson, it was the development of the
microchip which won the Cold War
against Russia, not all the military and
weapons development. Ignorance and
denial are nowhere. Education and
science are so important.
All of these developments are
based on the scientific method:
observing, measuring and testing
what works and how it works, making
a hypothesis and retesting. Observ-
ing: I noticed that Glacier Park’s 250
very large glaciers had melted down
to 50 much smaller glaciers when I
visited four years ago. Why? Measur-
ing: Just how big were those glaciers
and how big are they now? Compare
aerial views etc. What is happening
in other parts of the world? Is there a
trend, etc.?
Don’t give up on the scientific
method now. Decisions still need to
be made, however: Is this can opener
worthwhile? Is nuclear energy com-
patible with life as we know it? (No.)
Was something useful and economical
before, but now becoming incompati-
ble with life as we know it? What new
developments do we need to replace
it? Can we further develop solar and
wind energy (North Dakota is thriv-
ing economically on wind energy and
Vermont is on solar energy), etc.?
Don’t give up on the method of
discovery.
MONICA TAYLOR
Astoria
Cottle for college board
A
he reasons I am voting for Mary
Beth Cottle for a board mem-
ber of the Clatsop Community Col-
lege are her experience, her vision and
optimism to meet the challenges of
the 21st century.
As an educator in English liter-
acy development and technology for
23 years for ages 5 through 21, she
has also evaluated and developed cur-
riculum for those same ages. As a
member of an active weekly Can-
non Beach committee called “Voices
in Action,” Mary Beth is an excellent
listener and team player dedicated to
improve our democracy.
As a technology board member for
the Cannon Beach Community Cho-
rus, she is enhancing communica-
tion for busy members via Facebook.
You can rest assured that Mary Beth
will work tirelessly to advocate for the
arts, vocational training and technol-
ogy for both the main campus and sat-
ellite centers.
JEANIE McLAUGHLIN
Cannon Beach
T
Three for Port
ecause of the importance of the
Port of Astoria’s impact on all of
Clatsop County, I ask folks here to
join me in supporting Dirk Rohne,
Frank Spence and Jim Campbell in
the coming election. There is so much
potential, the creation of an asset that
few cities can cite. We are so fortunate
to have this here.
SANDY REA
Seaside
B
Science at work
cience is being questioned. Sci-
ence is in the news. For those who
are being led to question the scientific
method: Do you like your refrigerator,
your washing machine, your cook-
ing and heating stoves, your canned,
bottled and frozen foods, your tele-
phone and cellphone, your TV and
computer?
Do you like your automobile and
paved roadways, and cement walk-
ways and basements? Do you like
your indoor plumbing, electricity
and gas, and your house/shelter? Do
you take an occasional aspirin, or put
Neosporin on a cut? Have you taken
an antibiotic for your pneumonia? Do
you wear glasses or a hearing aid?
Do you like to know if it is going
S
Let’s all protest
Declaration for a National Day of
Protest: When in the course of a
human life it becomes necessary for
even the passivists among us to pro-
test, a decent respect for the tranquil-
ity and comfort of our fellow citi-
zens requires that we do so on a single
day. We thus declare the fourth day of
March of every year to be a National
Day of Protest.
We hold this truth to be self-ev-
ident, that all persons, during the
course of a lifetime, are irked by some
of the actions of our fellow man, and
“the slings and arrows of outrageous
fortune.” It is unjust that the “activ-
ists” only march hither and yon, get
the headlines, get their pictures in the
newspapers, “go viral,” and are inter-
viewed on television.
Passivists of the world, hold a
march, hold hands, carry signs bear-
ing inane slogans, buy a bumper
sticker, protest. Your team blew a
25-point lead in the Super Bowl? Pro-
test. Your husband ran off with the
nanny? Protest. You ordered a corned
beef sandwich and got pastrami? Pro-
test. Your cat has a hernia? Protest.
Come out of the shadows of quiet
restraint. Passivists of the world, pro-
test! You have nothing to lose but
your anonymity. On March fourth,
march forth!
LOUIS SARGENT
Gearhart
Spence, Campbell, Rohne
s you open your ballot for the
May 16 local elections, please
remember these three names: Frank
Spence, Dirk Rohne, Jim Camp-
bell. These are three honest, indepen-
dent, knowledgeable men who you
can count on to lead the Port of Asto-
ria out of its ugly present to a success-
ful future.
There has been a blizzard of balo-
ney in the past several weeks from the
very worst Port commissioners, try-
ing to blame everyone but themselves
for the mess they have made. The
interests they represent are different
from the interests of the Port, Clatsop
County and our citizens.
Frank Spence, Dirk Rohne and
Jim Campbell are free of that bag-
gage. They are running to work with
a good professional staff to build a
port that is an economic engine for
the entire county; a port that is clean,
aboveboard, effective and environ-
mentally sound.
Please vote for all three for the
A
5A
Port of Astoria. Frank Spence, Dirk
Rohne, Jim Campbell.
To be sure your votes are counted,
mail ballots only until May 12. After
that, drop off ballots in person before
8 p.m. on Election Day May 16.
ROGER ROCKA
Astoria
Vote Campbell,
Rohne and Spence
s a former Port of Astoria com-
missioner, I was appalled, but not
surprised, to read the article emailed
me by a friend, “Memo alleges threats
against Port’s Knight” (The Daily
Astorian, April 21).
I served almost two years as a fel-
low Port commissioner with Bill
Hunsinger. From my own experience,
I well understand Jim Knight’s predic-
ament and frustration. During one of
our public workshop meetings, I had
to get up and leave due to what I felt
were Commissioner Hunsinger’s bul-
lying tactics. I returned later that eve-
ning for our regular meeting to vote
on agenda issues.
The article about Port Commission
President Robert Mushen having a
medical emergency because of stress,
“Mushen stricken at Port meeting”
(The Daily Astorian, April 5) simply
highlights the seriousness of the dys-
functionality of the Port Commission.
In my opinion, for the Port Com-
mission to operate at a functional
level two things need to happen:
Hunsinger needs to be recalled; and
Jim Campbell, Dirk Rohne and Frank
Spence need to be elected next month
so Hunsinger will not have any allies
on the Port Commission. When I was
on the commission it took two com-
missioners to get an item put on the
agenda.
I would also hope that the sitting
commissioners would forgo the tradi-
tion of simply rotating the offices, as
it will be Hunsinger’s turn to be com-
mission president beginning July 1, if
I am correct in my calculations.
The Port Commission president,
while not wielding any more actual
power than any other commissioner,
is the one who runs the commission
meetings, oversees the agendas and
attends various meetings as the Port’s
representative. He or she has to work
closely with the executive director in
putting the agenda together for each
meeting, and coordinating any special
meetings that need to be called.
While we no longer live in Asto-
ria, we still own a house there and pay
property taxes, part of which goes to
support the Port. Please perform your
due diligence by voting. I encour-
age all of you to vote for Campbell,
Rohne and Spence in the Port Com-
mission races.
KATHY F. SANDERS
Staunton, Virginia
A
Civility needed at Port
latsop County needs Port com-
missioners who can get along,
be civil and solve problems in a
respectful and professional manner.
People who can work together for
the Port of Astoria and the people of
Clatsop County.
That is why I am going to vote for
Frank Spence, James Campbell and
Dirk Rohne.
DIANE FINUCANE
Astoria
C
Lum serves greater good
am writing in support of Lori Lum’s
candidacy to the Seaside School
District Board of Directors. The Lum
family is well known in the commu-
nity for their altruism and support of a
diverse array of community interests,
and Lori is no exception to this trait.
I have known Lori for a number
of years, and in the recent past, I had
the opportunity to work alongside her
to pass two important bond measures
for Seaside schools. Her dedication
to improving the quality of educa-
tion in our area is unparalleled. She is
an active participant in parent teacher
organizations at all three schools in
the district and serves as co-presi-
dent of the PTO at Broadway Middle
School.
She was co-chairwoman of the
committee to renew a Local Levy
Option in 2015, which provides over
$1 million per year in operational
funding for the Seaside district. In
2016, she served as co-chair of the
Vote Yes for Our Local Schools cam-
paign committee, a year-long proj-
ect that resulted in passage of a bond
to fund relocation and construction of
new schools in Seaside.
She is the general manager of
Lum’s Auto Center, a mother of four,
and yet, she makes time to serve in
the name of the greater good. She is
seemingly tireless in her ability to
attend meetings, garner support and
find the resources necessary to propel
a vision of improved education for our
community. I don’t think we can find
a more knowledgeable, capable can-
didate for this position. Please join me
in casting your ballot for Lori Lum.
MARY BESS GLORIA
Seaside
I