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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 29, 2018)
DailyAstorian.com // TUESDAY, MAY 29, 2018 145TH YEAR, NO. 236 ONE DOLLAR Port budget shrinks with less grant funding A WAY TO REMEMBER Grants make up a large portion of budget By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian Photos by Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Gold Star family members lay roses on a representation of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Ocean View Cemetery. Local ceremonies commemorate 150th anniversary of Memorial Day Shrinking grant money is causing the Port of Astoria to further tighten its purse strings for the coming fiscal year starting in July. Port staff on Thursday proposed a nearly $11.5 million operating budget for the next fiscal year, more than $2.4 million smaller than the agency’s current operating budget and more than $4 million smaller than the fiscal year prior. Will Isom, finance director for the Port, said the smaller budget is largely a matter of timing. “We’re in between years, as far as con- struction goes out at the airport,” he said, adding grant revenue will likely be higher with grant-funded construction projects in the 2019-20 budget. Multimillion-dollar Federal Aviation Administration grants fund much of the con- struction at the Astoria Regional Airport and can often make up a large portion of the Port’s budget. Jim Knight, the Port’s executive direc- tor, has said that uncertainty in grant funding, combined with failing infrastruc- ture, limited cash reserves and high debt load, has made creating a balanced budget a challenge. The Port often uses state ConnectOregon infrastructure grants to fund improvements and act as local matches on federal monies. Knight has called the state grants a lifeline for improving properties like the airport. See PORT, Page 7A By BRENNA VISSER The Daily Astorian Rents climb higher at Emerald Heights I n memory of the doughboys. In memory of Pearl Harbor. In memory of veterans’ families. One by one, each of these phrases were said as members of the American Legion and other veterans groups pre- sented wreaths as part of a Memorial Day ceremony at Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton. Dozens gathered on a blustery Mon- day morning to remember those who lost their lives in the line of duty. A Coast Guard helicopter flyover spritzed the crowd with mist from Cemetery Lake as it dropped a wreath in remembrance to those who lost their lives at sea. This year marks the 150th anniver- sary of the holiday, which was originally called Decoration Day, Scott Parker reminded the crowd during his presenta- tion. Parker spoke as the great nephew of Freeman Parker, a Clatsop County vet- eran who died during World War I. “Today we pay tribute to those who bravely rose above and fought for some- Apartments still below market rate Dozens of people attended the event Monday at Ocean View Cemetery. thing greater than themselves,” he said. Parker emphasized the best way for society to pay its debt to those whose lives were lost was through education about the holiday’s purpose. “Please don’t wish me a happy Memorial Day. There’s nothing happy about it,” he said. See MEMORIAL DAY, Page 7A ‘TODAY WE PAY TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO BRAVELY ROSE ABOVE AND FOUGHT FOR SOMETHING GREATER THAN THEMSELVES.’ Scott Parker | great nephew of Freeman Parker, a Clatsop County veteran who died during World War I By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian The rent for some Emerald Heights Apart- ments is going up, but the prices remain just below market rate at one of Astoria’s few remaining sources of affordable housing. Deed restrictions that preserved 60 units of the 300-unit complex for low-income ten- ants expired in October. Under the restric- tions, rent also had to include the cost of pro- viding utilities. With the restrictions out of the picture, everyone is paying their own heating bills and property owner Edita Smith is charging more for units she remodels after tenants move away. See RENT, Page 4A Warrenton grapples with blighted buildings City is dealing with some growing pains By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian WARRENTON — Warren- ton declared three local prop- erties nuisances recently, more than City Manager Linda Eng- bretson can recall happening in the last two decades. The city is grappling with a major growth spurt and some growing pains along the way. City staffing levels remain rel- atively unchanged even as calls for service increase. Large busi- nesses have moved to town — Costco is well-established, while Walmart and Pacific Sea- food plan to open facilities this summer — and a number of housing developments are in the works. The North Coast as a whole is a much busier place than it used to be, the tourist sea- son no longer bound to sum- mer months. City commission- ers are asking how to encourage this growth, answer shifting needs and ensure Warrenton remains a place people want to live. One of the City Commis- sion’s goals has been to improve Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian The city of Warrenton is dealing with three nuisance properties. the appearance and livability of downtown, paving the way for a city that suits the present and is ready to meet the future. Deal- ing with nuisance properties is one small step, but the city’s ordinance can only go so far. Astoria has also had to deal with its share of run-down, abandoned and nuisance prop- erties over the years. In 2010, the city began examining another tool for dealing with a particular kind of neighborhood blight: the derelict building ordi- nance. Using this ordinance, the city was able to gain access to the neglected Flavel home and applied it to a home in Alder- brook last year. The Alderbrook property has dropped in and out of compliance multiple times over the years. City Attorney Blair Henningsgaard says the property owner remains out of compliance now. See BUILDINGS, Page 4A
