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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (July 12, 2018)
7A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018 Tax: Second hearing will Drones: Right now, it is up to park managers be held later this month developing.” Continued from Page 1A Continued from Page 1A Lodging Association, asked commissioners to delay a decision to give county offi- cials time to consult the association, chambers of commerce and other tour- ism-based businesses. “If an industry tax increase is of interest to lodging operators, the meet- ings could help serve as a helpful catalyst in identify- ing strategic tourism invest- ments that could result in more tourism tax revenue and thus more unrestricted dollars for investments in jail operations,” Brandt wrote. The local business owners mirrored that request. A num- ber of them also lamented what they described as a ten- dency for local governments to use the 30 percent of rev- enue from lodging taxes for projects at the expense of the tourism industry. “I’m opposed to the tax because taxing authorities seem to come to the hotels for money because they see it as an easy way. The people who are taxed don’t really have a say,” said Don West, general manager of the Can- nery Pier Hotel and owner of the Astoria Crest Motel. Bergin said the lodg- ing tax would add $1 to a $100 room rental. “If we were at 3 or 4 percent ask- ing, I could understand that, but that’s why we said 1 per- cent, you know, is more than fair,” Bergin said. “It’s kind of this, you know, this hyper- sensitivity to additional tax.” While some conceded the proposed tax was not large, lodging operators said other tax hikes — including one passed by the Astoria City Council last year to help fund city parks — are add- ing up. “That extra 1 percent isn’t going to make much of a difference for us, but it’s just sad that this is pretty much the only place you guys always turn to,” said Robert Jacob, owner of the Cannery Pier Hotel. Joshua Bessex/ The Daily Astorian The county wants to relo- cate the county jail from Astoria to the former North Coast Youth Correctional Facility in Warrenton. Business owners were skeptical about precisely how the 70 percent of rev- enue would be used for tourism promotion, a dis- trust that has caused ten- sion throughout the state. The lodging association, for example, won a Deschutes County lawsuit in May in which it claimed Bend used money for road repairs rather than tourism. The city is appealing. Commissioners will hold a second hearing — during which they may debate and vote on the new tax — later this month. The tax would take effect in January if passed. Commissioners would have the option of with- drawing the tax if voters do not approve the Novem- ber bond. While Bergin said he would prefer to keep the tax in place even if the bond doesn’t pass, business own- ers asked that it be repealed. Looking out at the audi- ence at one point in the meeting, the sheriff jok- ingly offered one conces- sion to those unhappy about the potential tax: “Just so you know, I’ll be in the dunk tank Friday at the (Clatsop County) Fair.” “Whenever we approach someone who has violated a rule, it’s not like they’re a crim- inal,” she said. “It’s really just a lack of knowledge. We totally understand this technology has grown so rapidly but the educa- tion hasn’t kept up.” New signs on the beach explain that drones must stay 2,000 feet from Haystack Rock. The awareness program has also provided guidance to staff on how to handle drone encoun- ters, and has taken to social media and newsletters to remind people of proper drone use. Still, the effort doesn’t seem to be enough. Apps for drones don’t list Haystack Rock as a national wildlife ref- uge, although they do mark other no-fly zones like airports. Awareness program staff only work at the rock during low tide, leaving much of the day without anyone to manage drones. Keyser hopes drone apps will eventually include wild- life refuges. Greater knowl- edge of the possibility of fines Hannah Sievert/The Daily Astorian Signs posted at Haystack Rock indicate the drone policy. could help prevent wildlife disturbances. “(The fines) would deter a lot of people, but they don’t even have that knowledge,” Key- ser said. “It’s still totally insuf- ficient even with the people we talk to and the messages we put out. It’s still not enough.” The state Parks and Recre- ation Department has also had to develop new policies. Drones are generally legal to use in most state parks, except in areas where flights could endanger wildlife or pose risks to people or property. A drone policy development group is working on an umbrella policy for all recreational drone use that will be easy for park visitors to understand. Katie Gauthier, the legisla- tive and policy coordinator for state parks, who serves on the drone policy group, said the policy will be flexible enough to meet the unique needs of each park. “We wouldn’t have drones in every park for sure based on the park’s conditions,” she said. “But it’s those condi- tions that we’re still looking at A draft policy should be completed this fall, with the goal of having the policy in place by 2019. Right now, it is up to park managers to decide whether drones are allowed. Nehalem Bay State Park was ruled a drone no-fly zone because of the nearby airport and the nesting birds in the area. Ben Cox, park manager for the Nehalem Bay Manage- ment Unit, may rule Short Sand Beach in Oswald West State Park a no-fly zone because of the high concentration of people who visit. Still, Cox tries to make drone use happen safely when possible. “I try to figure out how to make this happen for the per- son so they can have an expe- rience and not be bound up in regulations,” he said. “Often- times there’s a misconception that the government looks to limit or hinder. I look to allow unless I can’t. I want to make sure I’m not saying ‘no’ for no good reason.” Library: A move to closed stacks concerns some Continued from Page 1A In the medium scenario, the basement is for staff use only. In the second design scenario — the “large” scenario — many of the improvements to the first floor proposed in the medium scenario remain, but major changes occur in the basement that raise the cost by about $1.6 million. The large scenario would involve a hole cut in the first floor with a staircase leading into the basement. The base- ment would contain, in addi- tion to staff areas, storage and the closed stacks, more meeting and study areas, multipurpose rooms, the Flag Room, seat- ing, artwork and a supplemen- tal kitchen that could be used for classes. Under both scenarios, a mez- zanine above the library’s cur- rent reading area will go away and the library will address Hennebery Eddy Architects A conceptual rendering shows a renovated Astoria Library. long-deferred maintenance issues such as aging plumbing and electrical systems, a roof in need of repair and lighting. The city doesn’t have to charge headlong into the large scenario, Wark noted. The medium scenario is set up so the changes presented in the large scenario can be added later. People who attended the work session Wednesday were, overall, enthusiastic about the renovation options, but were concerned about how the move to closed stacks might limit browsing, a concern also raised by Jones and other city leaders. “I think people need to be able to walk into the library and discover things,” Jones said. Closed stacks, where mate- rials are searchable in a library’s catalog and can be retrieved for people to use and check out, are both a throwback to how librar- ies operated in years past but also the way many plan to oper- ate in the future, said Wark and Astoria Library Director Jimmy Pearson. Ruth Metz, who led a 2013 study of the library and is a consultant on the renovation project, said there are ways to allow people to browse closed stacks. “Books are not going away, books will never go away,” Pear- son assured. He noted that much of the collection, which totals around 52,000 items, is already in the basement. He says the first floor of the library would display mostly new and popular items after the renovation, while the young adult and children’s col- lections would remain entirely available on the first floor. Overall, City Councilor Zetty Nemlowill said, the design options seem “like a great balance of preservation and progress.” “I wish we had the money to just implement this whole plan right now,” she said. Newfoundlands: Event celebrates Newfoundland who accompanied Lewis and Clark Continued from Page 1A Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian A Newfoundland named Happy enjoys the attention during the day’s festivities. Owners acknowledge some drawbacks, like cleaning hair and drool and training the gen- tle giants not to pull on leashes or playfully jump on people and knock them over. Some hotels don’t allow dogs that size to stay in hotel rooms with owners. And normal dog waste bags available in parks usually aren’t big enough. Ed Simstone, from Den- ver, has leaned into the histor- ical component of the breed. In 2011, Simstone hiked up to Lewis and Clark Pass in Mon- tana wearing elk skin mocca- sins with his Newfoundland, Seaman. On his way back this year, Simstone plans on hiking the trail with Seaman again, bringing his two other New- foundlands along this time, too. Even with all the mainte- nance, many Newfoundland owners can’t imagine them- selves with another breed. “If you want a dog that’s loyal and loving and friendly, you can’t go wrong,” said Jack Chapman, from Warrenton. “If you value a clean and immac- ulate house, wrong animal for you.” Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Seaman’s Day celebrates the Newfoundland who accompa- nied Lewis and Clark on their journey through the region. CL ASSIF IE D M ARK ETPL A CE P lace classified ad s o n lin e at w w w .d ailyasto rian .co m o r call 503-325-3211 107 Public Notices 184 Personals Occasionally other companies make telemarketing calls off classified ads. These companies are not affiliated with The Daily Astorian and customers are under no obligation to participate. If you would like to contact the attorney general or be put on the do not call list, here are the links to both of them Complaint form link: http://www.doj.state.or.us/ finfraud/ BILL BAILEY WON’T YOU Go. Do. coastweekend.com 634 Wanted to Rent PLEASE Bryan (503)407-9035 Retired senior woman seeks rental housing in non-smoking non-pet environment. 204 Automobiles PUBLISHER’S NOTICE 2002 Pontiac Grand Am Runs great, looks great. Well main- tained $2,500 Seaside, OR. 503-440-8638 Non-smoker/drugs Good housekeeper. Phone numbers corrected 7/9 Iris - 541-272-9089 or 503-755-2014 435 W Marine Drive Astoria Beautiful View All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise “Any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians; pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD at 1(800)669-9777. The toll free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1(800)927-9275. $180,000 360-772-1606 www.DailyAstorian.com Classified Ads work hard for you! 504 Homes for Sale House For Sale By Owner Beautiful house with a million dollar view. Equipped with solar panels. Price Reduced: $475,000 Call (503)440-8918 Check today’s classified ads for excellent buys on the items you need! 1910 Historic Commercial/Residential Property 651 Help Wanted Farm hand Wanted COME HOME 2bd/1ba w/basement Looking for a new place to live? The classified ads offer a complete section of homes, apartments, and mobile homes to fit your needs. Check daily for new listings! 504 Homes for Sale Tagg Ranch Pioneer Farm Road Warrenton, OR 360-747-4748 I am looking for room to rent in nice home $300-$400/month Glad to do chores for discount. Solid income, references, former firefighter. Small, quiet, well-behaved dog. (me too!) 643 Business Sales Opportunities Coastal Hybrid Real Estate Investor is looking for local contractor or experienced flipper to form a capital part- nership, LLP. Real estate attorney to verify funds. Chanterelle2017@gmail.com www.hybridcapitalassets. com Part-Time Employment Rare opportunity. Weekend retail position. Will train. Sub- mit resumé to 240 14th St. Astoria, OR. 503-338-6721 petworksastoria@gmail.com Have an item that you would like to sell for under $1,000? List it in our Budget Ads! $9 for 3 days in print and online. Call 503-325-3211 Full or part-time Driver needed. Wages DOE, CDL required, North West Ready Mix. 950 Olney Avenue nwready@pacifier.com 503-325-3562 Peter Pan market has an opening for a permanent full-time Deli/Cashier position. Schedule includes evenings and weekends. Food handling, customer skills, and multi-tasking experience a must. Starting wage $12/hour. Apply in person. 651 Help Wanted The City of Cannon Beach is seeking qualified applicants for the Planning Administrative Assistant position. Full details at ci.cannon-beach.or.us/jobs Part-Time Employment Part time customer service position in fast paced tourist frequented store in downtown Astoria. Please send resumes to: 175 14th St #110 Astoria, OR 97103 WORD PROCESSOR/ PERSONAL ASST, PT. Excellent Grammar/ Writing Skills/Computer/Legal Experience Beneficial and/or interested in the enirvonment. Pay based on Demonstrated Ability 360-244-1865 Clatsop CASA Program is seeking a new Executive Director. For qualifications, a complete job description and details about how to apply, contact WorkSource Oregon, Employment Division, 503-325-4821. First review of applications July 31.
