Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2017)
COAST WEEKEND: BEWARE THE BANDAGE MAN, PART I INSIDE DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2017 145TH YEAR, NO. 84 ONE DOLLAR Lee calls for Thompson’s resignation for Commissioner Lianne Thomp- son’s resignation Wednesday after a meeting in which she was criticized for her conduct and spending. One topic included Thompson’s interaction with a county staff mem- ber in June, which led to an indepen- dent internal investigation that found she “crossed the boundary of accept- able decorum.” Though the county does not intend to take disciplinary action, commissioners chided her for the incident, as well as her response to Chairman cites commissioner’s lost confi dence of staff , others By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian Clatsop County Board of Com- missioners Chairman Scott Lee called Lianne Thompson Scott Lee the investigation. She also was criticized for claiming thousands of dollars in travel and edu- cation expenses in the fi rst quarter of this fi scal year, an ongoing issue since she became a commissioner in 2015. “I think she should resign,” Lee said. “She’s lost confi dence of staff and other commissioners.” The chairman’s statement rep- resents the latest escalation in ten- sions between Thompson and Lee — along with other commissioners and County Manager Cameron Moore — that has been building for months. Thompson said she does not intend to resign and will respond to the addi- tional accusations at the board’s Nov. 8 meeting. “This whole exercise was designed to coerce me into resigning, which I refuse to do,” Thompson said. Spending limit A fi nancial report presented at the meeting revealed that Thompson has accumulated $3,640 in expenses See THOMPSON, Page 7A CASTOFF CONUNDRUM Warrenton Marina puts derelict boats on notice AP Photo/Molly Riley A visitor touches a name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Memories stirred by Vietnam War documentary About 13 million watched fi rst episode By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian Sitting at his desk in a small Alder- brook home, Phil Hertel peered through his three pages of handwritten notes as a “A Bright Shining Lie” — a Pulitzer Prize-win- ning book in which author Neil Sheehan takes Vietnam-era policy makers to task — lay on a dinner table just a few feet behind him. Hertel, an Army veteran of the Viet- nam War, was explaining — using the notes — his thoughts on Ken Burns’ recently released television documentary about the confl ict. The fi lm refl ected a negative perspective of the war that has only strengthened with time, Hertel said. “I knew we didn’t belong there, but I couldn’t articulate it at the time like I can now,” he said. “It confi rmed and detailed and provided one or two facts that I had not already gained from the study from the rest of my life or the mild interest in the Vietnam experience.” Hertel has become increasingly disil- lusioned with the U.S. military over the course of his life. Since moving to Astoria 10 years ago, though, he has connected with other local veterans and helped connect them with career resources. He and a fellow vet- eran spend 4 to 5 hours each Saturday night “saving the world” by discussing hot-button issues. Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Dixie Lee lies derelict on Tuesday at the Warrenton Marina. The commercial fishing vessel Master Chris is the largest ship in the Warrenton Marina on a list of derelict property . A notice posted on a boat in the Warrenton Marina indicates the vessel is in danger of sinking. Owners of derelict property at the Warrenton Marina have been asked to claim and remove their property. Find more photos of the marina online at DailyAstorian.com By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian W ARRENTON — It happened at night — these things usually do. The boat showed up in the War- renton Marina, its fi shing permits already sold. Someone else bought it from the previous owners for next to nothing. They took what they wanted off it and left it sitting in a boat slip. It’s still there. Last month, marina staff issued seizure notices to the owners of seven derelict or abandoned boats in the Warrenton Marina, most of them older, wooden commercial vessels and ranging in size from a 26-foot recreational boat to the 62-foot wooden fi sh- ing vessel Master Chris. Often such boats end up abandoned in the marina because the owners get sick, or there’s a death and the question of who has ownership is muddied. Others realize they’ve taken on a bigger project than they can afford or have the knowledge to tackle. “I think life just happens to a lot of these people,” said Har- bormaster Jane Sweet. All of the owners owe the marina several thousand dollars in salvage, towing, storage and disposal costs and could owe even more if the marina ends up needing to demolish the vessels. If an unattended vessel ends up sinking — like the abandoned 44-foot Western Skies did this summer — the costs increase along with the hassle to marina staff. A state fund created over a dozen years ago to help offset the cost of dealing with derelict or abandoned recreational boats is fed in part by the cost of title registrations of recreational boats. See MARINA, Page 5A See VIETNAM WAR, Page 3A Local developer looks to add on to Astoria portfolio Medical, money services to be offered at site By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Medical and fi nancial services buildings are in the works for the vacant lot at the corner of Sixth Street and Marine Drive. Local developer Chester Trabucco plans to submit a conditional use per- mit to the Astoria Planning Commis- sion next month for a 7,200-square- foot medical building at the corner of Sixth Street and the Astoria Riverwalk. The corner of the lot is owned by No. 10 Sixth Street, a company includ- ing Trabucco, local accountant Stephen Allen and the late Randal Bowe, a local real estate agent. A conditional-use permit is required because the land is zoned for tourist-oriented businesses. A separate 3,400-square-foot fi nan- cial services building is not a part of Trabucco’s conditional-use applica- tion, but is part of his eventual devel- opment of the lot . “We’re doing what’s known in the industry as a build-to-suit,” Trabucco said of the buildings, adding that nei- ther of their intended tenants is com- mitted until he can get the permit to build. The fi nancial services building would be on the southwest corner of the lot owned by the Bechtolt family. Cary Bechtolt said Trabucco has a pur- chase and sale agreement to buy out the family after getting the permit to build. The family has owned the lot since the 1950s, he said, when his grandfa- ther was a local fuel distributor. The last brick-and-mortar store on the site was a gas station that closed down in the late 1990s. “All we’ve really done is try to sell it,” Bechtolt said of the site, which has briefl y played host to food carts, a wood -carver, a street fair and other vendors and events. Trabucco said the buildings will help fi x a blighted portion of Astoria and complete a node of development including the Fisher Bros. Building and Buoy Beer Co. “Having some activity there and some low-profi le structures, it’s a win for everybody,” Trabucco said. Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian Local developer Chester Trabucco is planning a medical and financial services buildings in a vacant lot at the corner of Sixth Street and Ma- rine Drive.
