4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 2018
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
Publisher
JIM VAN NOSTRAND
Editor
Founded in 1873
JEREMY FELDMAN
Circulation Manager
DEBRA BLOOM
Business Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN
Production Manager
CARL EARL
Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
Issues looming for
the Columbia-Pacific
area in the new year
E
ach year, countless Americans and businesses make resolutions for the com-
ing year, everything from individuals wanting to lose weight and join a gym
to businesses wanting to be more productive and profitable.
At The Daily Astorian ours are centered on readers, website visitors and our adver-
tisers, rather than ourselves. We will strive to serve each reader, visitor and customer
better than we have before to meet increasing expectations in print and online, pro-
vide excellent customer service in all aspects and remain faithful to our core values.
urrection of those two street fronts will
For the coming year we’ve resolved
make an enormous difference in the vis-
to be even more of an active and rep-
itor’s introduction to Astoria.
resentative regional voice and a more
Elsewhere in the region, 2017 saw
inclusive advocate for those who live
the completion of the town of Chinook’s
and work throughout this dynamic
remarkable effort to restore its beauti-
Columbia-Pacific area.
ful 1920s school complex, which now
We will also continue to pay spe-
serves as a venue for south Pacific
cial attention to a variety of local and
state topics. Some have been with us for
County events and houses a new branch
years — in some cases moving toward
office of the Long Beach Peninsula
resolution, while others show only scant
Visitors Bureau.
signs of progress. Few things worth
A number of environmental/regula-
doing are ever susceptible to perma-
tory issues remain very much on our
region’s agenda. In some cases, vital
nent fixes. Sometimes the only way to
industries are at the whim of state agen-
achieve anything is making certain they
cies, as is the case for Willapa Bay’s
remain a visible and active item on our
oyster growers, who await approval
“to-do” list.
to stem loss of tidelands to burrow-
Top of the ‘to-do’ list
ing shrimp. Also in Washington, rural
One of these important ongoing
homebuilding remains at a near-stand-
issues is the housing crunch. It can
still due to court-imposed restrictions
be said that some genuine progress
on well drilling, which await legislative
was made during 2017 in making cer-
action.
tain everyone finds safe and afford-
Other issues that remain in need of
able places to live. But much remains
attention
continue to include local and
to be done in 2018 and for many years
state political dysfunction and the use of
beyond.
scarce tax dollars, children’s well-being
Awareness of the problem has
in all matters, emergency preparedness,
spurred private investments in hous-
planning and prepara-
ing — perhaps most
tion
that can save lives,
notably in Warrenton
environmental
issues
— while local gov-
We
hope
like climate change,
ernments and housing
mental health treatment
advocates are making
our local
and the need for greater
at least some progress
governments
standards of care, and
in addressing the need
homelessness and the
resolve to work
for innovative solu-
need for strategies to
tions. In Long Beach,
together more
help those who need it.
Washington, for exam-
diligently
to
Readers — includ-
ple, construction will
soon start on new sub-
develop solutions ing political leaders —
can expect much addi-
sidized apartments.
for
common
tional coverage and
Much more will need
comment on all these
problems
to be done to maintain
matters during the com-
a healthy mix of hous-
like housing,
ing year.
ing for different income
economic
categories, especially
‘Resolve to solve’
as our region gains in
development
We hope those in
terms of positive pub-
and
emergency
state
and local politi-
licity and resulting
preparedness on a cal leadership make a
in-migration.
few and keep them too.
Also relating to
regional
basis.
They include:
housing — as well as
• For all state and
commercial and gov-
local
leaders to adopt a
ernment buildings —
simple
motto
for
themselves
to “resolve
the issue of historic preservation has for
to solve” problems.
more than a decade been a value pro-
• For Gov. Kate Brown to resolve to
moted on this page. In 2017 two devel-
become a more visible, problem-solv-
opments, sought for decades, took root.
ing leader for all Oregonians, as she
They are the Flavel properties on either
was elected to be. With the next legis-
side of the 900 block of Commercial
lative session only weeks away, Brown
Street. In 2018 we anticipate more visi-
needs to step up and be at the fore-
ble progress on those projects. The res-
Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian
Workers renovate housing units at the Alder Court Apartments complex in Warrenton.
Affordable housing remains one of the region’s top issues.
Danny Miller/The Daily Astorian
The Waldorf Hotel building adjacent to Astoria City Hall will likely become about 40
units of low-income housing.
front of finding and advocating solu-
tions for longstanding issues. These
continue to include reforms of the enor-
mously underfunded Public Employees
Retirement System, state taxation and
revenue generation, sustainable funding
for education, transportation and infra-
structure improvements, and raising the
bar for the leadership in key state agen-
cies to solve performance, personnel
and functionality problems that have
been highlighted in recent state audits.
Brown has an enormous career oppor-
tunity that many in the political arena
aspire to have but haven’t achieved.
Unless she steps up her performance,
she should certainly face serious com-
petition in her 2018 election race.
• For Oregon state representatives
and senators, who like the governor,
need to resolve to put their partisanship
aside during the upcoming session and
seek solutions. Voters in the last elec-
tion made it abundantly clear they’re
tired of seeing politicians kick the can
down the road for others to solve some-
time in the future while they continue
to push their own personal agendas in
the present.
Closer to home
• We hope our local governments
resolve to work together more dili-
gently to develop solutions for com-
mon problems like housing, economic
development and emergency prepared-
ness on a regional basis. Individually
and collectively, they need to think
strategically and compare notes to
get results that can raise the quality
of life throughout the region. We also
hope that in-fighting and grandstand-
ing between members of some of those
entities — and between some of the
entities themselves — comes to an end.
They need to stop wasting the pub-
lic’s time and to show far more profes-
sionalism and civility in their interac-
tions with each other. They also need to
remember that their duty is to serve the
public rather than themselves. When
interests conflict, individual members
of some of those boards resort to lob-
bing insults at each other or at staff
rather than working together. Some of
those entities would rather use scarce
tax dollars and human resources to pur-
sue litigation against each other than
negotiate settlements. None of that is in
anybody’s best interest.
• And finally, for taxpayers to resolve
to hold our leaders at all levels more
accountable, and to mandate that they
put performance above partisanship
when making decisions on the issues
that impact each of our lives. Voters
must hold ourselves accountable for
electing the best public-spirited lead-
ers available in 2018 to help guide our
nation and region through perilous and
confrontational times. The still-unfold-
ing consequences of the 2016 election
vividly demonstrate the importance of
electing qualified leaders at every level.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Best wishes
W
e would like to take
this opportunity to wish
all of our customers, volun-
teers and those who train from
Tongue Point Job Corps, a
very Merry Christmas and a
hope that the New Year will
see the fulfillment of all your
wishes and hopes.
On Jan. 8, we hope that all
those who wish to learn more
about their brain diseases
(what people call mental ill-
nesses) will take the opportu-
nity to attend a meeting of the
Depression and Bipolar Sup-
port Alliance (DBSA). Meet-
ings are generally held on the
first Monday of each month at
Columbia Memorial Hospital,
Conference Room A, from 7
to 9 p.m.
This could be a great start
to your New Year. We need
to take this new year to raise
awareness of the mental health
problems within the commu-
nity, and spread the news of
what we are doing to provide
help to those with this illness.
We would also like to take
this opportunity to thank all of
our many customers at Pen-
nyWise Thrift Store for their
continuing support in this past
year, and look forward to pro-
viding your needs in the com-
ing year. And, not to be for-
gotten, Elleda Wilson of The
Daily Astorian for her assis-
tance in putting our letters
to the community into that
publication.
For those customers who
have been diagnosed with dis-
eases (cancer, heart problems,
etc.) know that our prayers
are with you, and we will con-
tinue to be here to support you
in any way we can.
PETER and PATRICIA
FESSLER
Facilitators, DBSA of
North Oregon and South
Washington Coast
Astoria