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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 12, 2017)
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017 Micromanagement wanted to pass along a concept that might be helpful in some way. There has been a lot of talk about “micromanagement” in this election, with one side arguing that it is a bad thing and the other side arguing that it is protecting the pub- lic and its tax dollars. The way most boards and com- missions work is that the board hires an executive to run the day- to-day operations according to pol- icies and goals set by the board. The executive is the board’s only employee. All the other workers report to the executive rather than the board. The board essentially tells the executive what to do as a group and by majority vote. The board can fire the executive if he or she is not doing a job that is acceptable to the majority. Micromanagement is when a board member sees him/herself as a sort of super-executive who can tell the executive what to do, sep- arate and apart from official board actions. It simply doesn’t work when different board members are individually demanding different and often contradictory things from the executive. A board member’s role is to argue his/her case at public board meetings and seek agreement from a majority of board members. ROGER ROCKA Astoria I Informative voting he recent candidates forum was informative. Clatsop County voters can be grateful that so many good people are willing to volun- teer in the democratic practice of government. Mindy Stokes is my choice to serve on the Clatsop County Health District Board. I had to make a choice between a friend, Pat O’Grady, and Frank Spence for a seat on the Port Commission. I visited with Pat, and he shared more of his reasons, and I did the same with Frank. My choice is Frank Spence, because he will bring both the knowledge base of man- agement and extensive workplace experience. Voting is our right and obliga- tion. Please do it. SARA MEYER Astoria T Businessmen for Port irk Rohne is a small business- man, and knows what it is to maintain a balanced budget and keeping his business functioning. As a Clatsop County commissioner, he also demonstrated his business acumen in the budgeting process. This strength, budgeting, appears to be a needed skill on the Port Commission. Vote Dirk Rohne for Port Commissioner and bring a strong budgeting voice to the Port Commission. Also, vote for Pat O’Grady for Port Commissioner. Pat is a very successful private business owner, and will bring this knowledge to help the Port out of its current fail- ings. He is intelligent, knows how to deal with people and issues, and will help put the Port back into a successful operation. SAM PATRICK Astoria D Vote for Rohne lease join me in voting for Dirk Rohne for Commissioner, Port of Astoria, Position 2. The eight years he served on our Clatsop County Board of Commissioners demonstrate his independent thinking and voting for what is best for our county. His ability to work with people will help stabilize the Port, and restore the public’s trust in Port operations. He will help bring the Port back to where it should be. MYRNA PATRICK Astoria P Asking tough questions ough questions must be asked. Ask yourself do you want a Port commissioner who does not play the “old boy” politics, but rather one that is committed to the mission of the Port, and not afraid of asking tough questions? Do you want a commissioner who thoroughly researches the issues, expects complete analy- sis, and whenever possible, is will- ing to follow up with the solution? How about an independent thinker, focused on the long-term position of the community and the Port, not swayed or aligned with the airport special interest group? We should expect open-minded decisions based on a complete review of all the options prior to asking the community to pay for the airport bond. Whether you are a T FRIDAY EXCHANGE staunch supporter, or dislike the airport bond issue, let’s elect a commissioner who truly looks out for all the taxpayers of Clatsop County. Commission Stephen Fulton demonstrated his commitment to open and transparent government when he stepped up to question the process regarding the airport bond. I want someone who is looking out for my tax dollars and how they are spent. This is why I am voting for Ste- phen C. Fulton for Port commis- sioner, the best candidate for Posi- tion 1. MATT SOPKO Warrenton Fulton watches taxes oing the right thing isn’t always easy. It is all right to question authority. Stephen Fulton wants to do right for the taxpayers of Clatsop County. He is passion- ate that the taxes collected for the Port of Astoria be spent in the most cost-effective way possible. All expenditures should be credible, and accounted for. Stephen Fulton is willing to put in the time and effort to keep up with the many government rules and regulations the are necessary for the operation of all the Port properties. He is a good person who wants to do good work for the taxpayers of Clatsop County. He is my brother, and I am proud of him. I hope you will vote for him. SARA FULTON ORR Astoria D Time for change s a private citizen, I have con- cerns over the controversy in the financial management of the Port of Astoria. It seems we are constantly hearing that there has been mismanagement of their finances, and most recently the fines that were not shared with the board at their April meeting when the the Port staff knew full well the fines were being imposed according to local news. Whatever the reason for a fine, the board of commissioners should be well aware of it before it finds its way to public scrutiny. I, along with others, believe it is time for some change at the Port, and while most voters may have already completed their ballots, I would support the election of Dick Hellberg for his years of experience with the Warrenton City Commis- sion, Pat O’Grady for his knowl- edge and experience running a business as well as being a member of the Warrenton Business Associa- tion and subcommittees, and Steve Fulton for his tenacity in fighting for a fiscally responsible Port of Astoria. PAM ACKLEY Warrenton A Aho for health district latsop County special elec- tion ballots are due Tuesday, May 16. Please vote for Michael Aho for Clatsop Care Health Dis- trict Position 3. Last summer, I was appointed to fill the vacant Position 3. The CCHD is facing challenges we are working very hard to over- come, and I look forward to con- tinuing my participation in the pro- cess. I will work to keep the Care District and all of its facilities and entities solvent, and able to accom- modate our current residents/cli- ents and all of those to come in the future … maybe even me. Thank you in advance for your consideration. MICHAEL AHO Warrenton C Stokes is committed atching the flourishing of local democratic engage- ment has been one of the highlights of this long, wet winter. There are so many good people committing to public service toward our com- munity’s healthy future. And Mindy Stokes, for Clatsop Care Center Health District director, is one of my favorite new faces on the ballot. We first met through her work with the Lives in Transitions pro- gram at Clatsop Community Col- lege, and I’ve known Stokes and her wonderful family as valued neighbors and co-parents for nine years now. Mindy is a true social justice advocate, with impeccable personal integrity and outstanding communication skills. As a volunteer who regularly brings students to the Clatsop Care Center, I witnessed Mindy’s com- mitment, caring and grace with elders and co-workers during her tenure at the 16th Street facility. It was inspiring to then watch her plan the patient-centered environ- ment at the beautiful new Clatsop W Care Memory Community. Mindy is never afraid to speak up against injustice, yet she is a true mediator. She will fight for fair wage jobs for this community, and most importantly, she will advocate from her heart and experience for our local elders. I’m stoked to see Mindy Stokes on this year’s ballot. She’s got my vote. NANCY COOK Astoria Conflict of interest? ’m really wondering if Stephen Fulton gets along with anyone at the Port. His latest beef is with the airport manager, who he says has a conflict of interest because the air- port manager supports the bond measure for the airport. My definition of “conflict of interest” is longshoremen on the Port Commission. How does that work? PRESTON DEVEREAUX Gearhart I Time for change? efore we vote, we should ask just how well our Port has per- formed over the last many years. Undeniably, the Port’s situation is getting worse and worse. Do not be surprised if the new water treatment system, required by the Department of Environmen- tal Quality order and fine, brings the Port to its financial knees. It is costing millions of dollars, the cost overruns are real, and the system still is not complete or operating. If the current design fails, the Port will be forced to redesign and reconstruct the system at huge additional expense. It appears the Port is in no financial condition to tolerate any of this expense, since it borrowed money to build it in the first place. There are all the nasty problems with the huge debt the Port took on over the last 15 years: the release of $600,000 in collateral, the rot- ting piers, historic underground oil contamination, silted in boat basins and an extremely uncertain future for log exports because of too-shal- low/short piers. Yes, the Port’s situation is dete- riorating. The Port needs a new commission, ready to run the Port like the business it is. Let’s not return a commissioner to Posi- tion 1 (James Campbell) who first joined the commission in 1965 and already has been on the commis- sion for 16 years. His focus on the airport does not provide a long- term financial solution to the Port’s problems. Vote in favor of renewed energy, a genuine enthusiasm for accomplishing something at the Port, and a commitment to finally bring new freight terminals to Astoria. I ask the voters to elect Stephen Fulton, Dick Hellberg and Pat O’Grady for a better future for the Port and Clatsop County. BRANDEN GORR Warrenton B Speculative bond inety-eight percent of us in Clatsop County do not own or fly private planes, or live along- side the Astoria Airport. So what will we (the 98 percent) get out of the proposed $1.96 million airport bond? As of today’s date, eight of the Port’s existing aircraft hangars are vacant. A significant part of the $1.96 million will be devoted to the highly-speculative devel- opment of three new hangar pads (completely unrelated to Life Flight) and seven commercial lots. Not a single potential tenant has committed to occupy any of the speculative hangars or lots. That is not an appropriate use of public bond monies. I want to thank Port Commis- sioner Stephen Fulton for stating the airport bond measure is not in the best interest of taxpayers. Life Flight is already located at the air- port and transporting people in need. I appreciate that someone on the Port Commission is watching out for the 98 percent of us who will not benefit from the specula- tion at the airport. Please vote for Steve Fulton, N Dick Hellberg And Pat O’Grady for the Port Commission, as they want to stop waste and inappropri- ate use of taxpayer funds. JOHN HREHA Astoria ‘Fake news’ is here ake news” is a buzzword these days, and I see that it’s alive and well in Astoria. On Nov. 8, 2016, Hillary barely won the popular vote in Clatsop County — 8,899 to 7,794 — i.e. a 14 percent margin of victory. Of the 36 Ore- gon counties, Hillary was the win- ner in only seven. Nationwide, Trump won more than 98 percent of all counties Polls at the 100-day mark were very remarkable: 1) If the vote were held again today among those who voted, Trump would win by 3 percent; 2) Among those who voted for Trump, more than 97 per- cent said they would vote for him again. These polls indicate to me that the current president is doing an outstanding job. In The Daily Astorian May 1 issue, there were 28 published responses to “Your 100 Words on Trump’s First 100 Days,” 24 opposed and four in favor of our new president. This is an anti-Trump response of 6-1, i.e. a 600 percent margin. Comparing 600 percent with 14 percent, this is a 42.9 times exaggeration of the true repre- sentation of those who voted in Clatsop County. Sadly, “fake news” is very much alive and well in Astoria. DAN NEBERT Tillamook ‘F Vote for A-Team im Campbell is a gentleman, a successful business owner and a dedicated, fair and honest Port commissioner who only wants the Port of Astoria to be the best it can possibly be. The Port staff and the citizens of Clatsop County deserve and need to have a top quality, smooth running board of commissioners who will work together as a team to move the Port forward in the next decade. Please join me in voting for Jim Campbell, Dirk Rohne and Frank Spence, “The A-Team in 2017.” LYNNE JOHNSON Astoria J Fulton comes prepared s Warrenton mayor and a War- renton city commissioner, I had the opportunity to work with Steve Fulton on some of the unique issues facing our region. The issues of levee accreditation, flood plain mapping and flood insurance have significant economic impacts to coastal and waterfront communities. I was always impressed with Fulton’s knowledge of the sub- ject matter and his preparation for meetings. The issues of flood pro- tection and insurance are very complex, and require both a tech- nical and political savvy. Steve Fulton successfully bridged those worlds in an attempt to find solu- tions for Warrenton, and I appreci- ated that. MARK KUJALA Hammond A Campbell’s integrity im Campbell is a longtime res- ident and active member of our community. We have been able to see firsthand that he is an intel- ligent man of integrity. I have known and admired him for over 30 years as a good person, with- out any hint of participating in a scandal or using his public author- ity for anything but all the public’s benefit. We expect people in a position of public authority to look out for the public’s well-being, and not for themselves, friends or relatives. I believe Jim Campbell has carried out his responsibilities and duties as a Port commissioner with integ- rity and competence by acting in the public’s best interest. I hope you will join me to vote for Jim Campbell for Port commissioner. LOU LARSON Astoria J Support for Life Flight am writing to support the pass- ing of a local bond measure for providing Life Flight Network ade- quate hangar and support services to maintain a constant presence Astoria and Northwest Oregon. Columbia Memorial Hospi- tal, over the years, continues to increase its commitment to pro- vide more sophisticated medical and emergency services for trauma, strokes, heart attacks and cancer abetted by close links to tertiary care providers in Portland. Life I 5A Flight’s presence in Astoria helps to make optimal patient care a real- ity. This project merits funding for not only the local community, but also tourists. This connectedness between CMH and tertiary medical cen- ters in Portland will help attract new medical and surgical special- ists to practice and live in the Asto- ria community, thereby decreasing the number of unnecessary patient transfers to Portland. Astoria can become a model for how rural medicine is integrated with urban care. I urge the commu- nity to support this project. WILLIAM LONG, M.D. Former Life Flight medical director Portland Repeal education act admire our local high school stu- dent who wrote a letter to the editor about the excessive testing he is experiencing, and the teach- ing directed only toward those tests (“Drop standardized tests,” The Daily Astorian, April 21). When I went to junior high and high school, it was exciting. We need vibrant, inspiring education. To do that we must repeal George W. Bush’s “Leave No Child Behind Act” of 2002, also known as the testing ad nauseum act, or the leave every child behind act. It is a disas- ter. Our national and international ratings are low. Funny Molly Ivins, and serious political investigator Lou Dubose, exposed the history of President Bush Jr.’s “Leave No Child Behind Act.” The two authors explain the events in their book “Bushwacked, Life in George W. Bush’s Amer- ica.” Bush promised to give the Educational Department our tax- payer money, if Sen. Ted Kennedy and the other Democrats would pass this bill. They passed the bill, which would require all new books and expenses to implement. President Bush reneged on over one-third of the payment, and cut $400 million from the after-school budget. But Bush’s budget did include $5 bil- lion for experimental vouchers for private schools. President Bush did not give the promised money. Pres- ident Bush did not honor his nego- tiation promise. So, not only did the educational system not receive the money promised, they also incurred the expenses of implementing this new, tedious system of testing. This was a recent double economic blow to the educational system as a whole. It is a triple blow, because the stu- dents, our children and grandchil- dren, suffer and are suppressed under this new archaic system. The only people to gain big time were the publishers. Education is the future. Edu- cation is the economy. Education is the greatness of America. Our development of the microchip, the technology, won the Cold War. Education is for mankind. We must repeal the “Leave No Child Behind Act,” so our children can go on to create, invent, inspire and lead to make America, and the world, a great place. MONICA TAYLOR Astoria I Subhuman savages he subhuman savages in many of the nation’s big cities, most recently Portland and Seattle, con- tinue their insane destructive riot- ing under the pretense of dis- playing their hatred of President Trump. To the average law-abiding cit- izen, these actions are simply the abdication of authority, result- ing in anarchy. To these riot-hun- gry morons, it’s either just plain fun, or giving them the opportu- nity to destroy private property and to loot. The police, apparently under orders, continue to mishandle these animals. Arresting them and whisk- ing them off to jail for a few hours, or days, in comfy cells and eat- ing off the long-suffering taxpay- ers, is exactly what they enjoy (not to mention the loot they can steal). They become martyrs and heroes among their tribes. I believe that an effective method to handle these criminals is for police to use their clubs on these creatures, but not below the neck. Cracked skulls (although they’re undoubtedly hard and thick), broken jaws, smashed cheekbones and noses will prob- ably give these thugs second thoughts when they get the next “call to action,” assuming those mind-numbed Neanderthals are capable of any semblance of ratio- nal reasoning. Then again, maybe I’m assum- ing too much. E. ROBERT NASSIKAS Astoria T
