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HEALTH ADVISORY ISSUED FOR OCEAN WATERS IN CANNON BEACH PAGE 2A FALL SPORTS PREVIEWS FOR KNAPPA, JEWELL DailyAstorian.com // WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018 146TH YEAR, NO. 43 PAGES 9A-10A ONE DOLLAR ELECTION 2018 Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Astoria City Councilor Bruce Jones, left, talks with Chuck Bollong as he teach- es a class at the Columbia River Maritime Museum. Dulcye Taylor, president of the Astoria Downtown Historic District Association, arranges cards in her downtown frame shop. Housing, homelessness and the economy shape mayor’s race Three contenders in November By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian W orkforce housing, homelessness and economic diversity will be dominant issues in the Astoria mayor’s race in November, as voters get a chance to set the direction at City Hall. Three contenders emerged after Mayor Arline LaMear chose not to run for re-election and City Councilor Cindy Price withdrew her campaign. City Councilor Bruce Jones, Dul- cye Taylor, the president of the Asto- ria Downtown Historic District Associa- tion, and Michael Miller, an activist, want to replace LaMear, and leadership ability will likely be a subtext of the election. While the city manager runs day-to- day operations, the mayor has an import- ant role in setting the policy agenda for the City Council, making appointments to boards and commissions and often serv- ing as the voice of the city. Jones, a retired Coast Guard com- mander, was elected to represent the east side on the City Council in 2016 and works as deputy director of the Columbia River Maritime Museum. He believes in the goals city councilors adopted earlier this year, which focus on projects ranging from economic development and hous- ing to disaster preparedness and the pub- lic library renovation. “I really feel that the goals the council established collaboratively are the right goals for the community,” Jones said. Still, Jones would like a greater emphasis on an overall vision for the city so that Astoria retains its “authentic feel” and economy amid many changes. He would also like to see public safety and other important city facilities placed out- side the tsunami inundation zone, echoing a request by former Fire Chief Ted Ames. Taylor supports a number of ongoing city initiatives, including an effort to final- ize the Urban Core, the downtown por- tion of the city’s Riverfront Vision Plan that guides future development along the Columbia River. But she believes the city could do more to create housing. She would like zoning loosened in cer- tain areas to free up vacant buildings that could be modified for housing. She points to the dilapidated Waldorf Hotel next to City Hall, which the Portland-based non- profit Innovative Housing purchased and plans to turn into affordable apartments. See MAYORAL RACE, Page 3A Katie Frankowicz/The Daily Astorian Michael Miller, an activist, wants As- toria to do more to address home- lessness and mental health. Former chamber director to run for City Council Rocka seeks west side seat MORE INSIDE Hammond man to run for Warrenton mayor By KATIE FRANKOWICZ The Daily Astorian Roger Rocka will run for the west side seat on the Astoria City Council. When he heard Astoria City Councilor Zetty Nemlowill had officially decided not to run for re-election, Roger Rocka hurried to turn in his paperwork. Rocka, the former director of the Asto- ria-Warrenton Area Chamber of Com- merce, will face hairdresser David Drafall in November for the Ward 1 seat covering the west side. Though Rocka has been involved in many aspects of the city’s development Page 4A since moving here more than 20 years ago, this will be his first time running for public office. City Councilor Cindy Price’s announcement this month that she was going to withdraw from the mayor’s race also influenced Rocka’s decision. “Between the two of them, it was just not wanting to lose that voice on the coun- cil,” Rocka said. “I just wanted to make sure some of the values they have that I share continue to be expressed on the council.” He describes these values as “making sure that Astoria is what the people who live in Astoria want it be and we don’t get pulled sideways by outside interests, by people other than the people who live here.” His other priorities if elected include finding housing solutions, working to help the homeless and alleviating summer traf- fic issues. “We’ve had too much of a good thing at this point,” he said of tourism. Rocka also wants to ensure a level playing field when it comes to businesses See COUNCIL SEAT, Page 4A County outlines plan to promote jail bond One of several bonds voters will see on the ballot By JACK HEFFERNAN The Daily Astorian Election season has begun in Clatsop County. Nearly 20 races have been solidified after Tuesday’s fil- ing deadline. With 10 weeks left before the Nov. 6 election, an influx of campaign signs, adver- tisements and stump speeches are coming. “In the summer, your vot- ers check out. They’re just not invested in information that MORE INSIDE A list of top races and ballot measures for upcoming election Page 4A much compared to what they’re going to be come, you know, the fall,” Justin Stranzl, a senior associate at Portland-based architecture firm DLR Group, told Clatsop County commis- sioners at a work session last spring. Stranzl discussed how to best promote a $20 million bond to move the county jail from Astoria to the former North Coast Youth Correctional Facility in Warren- ton. DLR Group has designed the potential new jail, and Stranzl has advised several local govern- ments on bond measures. Stranzl spoke about the need to expose voters to the jail, pro- vide accessible and digestible information, highlight why it is needed and the consequences of failure, hold regular community discussions, expand outside of cities and begin campaigning in late August or early September. One key component he stressed several times was that elected county officials must drive the bond. “This is your bond measure. Ultimately, the story has to be yours,” Stranzl said. See JAIL BOND, Page 4A Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Clatsop County wants to relocate the jail from Astoria to the former North Coast Youth Correctional Facility in Warrenton.