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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 14, 2019)
A7 THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019 Dispute: The two ports are on amicable terms Continued from Page A1 “Fortunately, from the Port of Astoria’s perspec- tive, we only agreed to pay for what was actually dredged,” Knight said. The two sides, differ- ing in their opinions over who was at fault , brought in a mediator to negoti- ate a settlement. Port com- missioners from both sides also reached out to each other. The Port had prepaid Ilwaco around $130,000 to help cover the dredging costs, according to Knight, and Ilwaco eventually reim- bursed more than $50,000. The two port commissions fi nalized a settlement late last year. “It just didn’t quite get to the expectations,” said Port of Ilwaco Commissioner Butch Smith, who spoke with Port of Astoria Com- mission President Frank Spence and Commissioner Dirk Rohne seeking a solu- tion. “Both ports left satis- fi ed and in a good working relationship.” Despite the failure of the partnership, Knight and Glenn both said the two ports are on amicable terms. Astoria’s dredge, the Felkins, is often beset by its own mechanical issues, while dredging in-house leaves the agency’s limited maintenance staff stretched thin each winter and less able to work on land. The Port is going out within the next two months for bids on dredging its cen- tral waterfront and the West Mooring Basin . “When that pricing comes back, that will give us some clarity on whether to do it in-house or use third-party contractors, ” Knight said. Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian More than a decade of no dredging has left many slips unusable at the Port of Astoria’s West Mooring Basin. Chairwoman: Morrow was aware of the criticism Baker: ‘We are capable Continued from Page A1 The resignations capped two weeks of public scru- tiny and internal unrest after the board placed Amy Baker, the executive director, on administrative leave in late December. Several manag- ers and directors on the men- tal health agency’s leader- ship team were startled by how the board handled the situation, and county leaders complained about a lack of transparency. Morrow was aware of the criticism, which was mostly directed at her role, but she said it did not infl uence her decision to resign. “It is never easy as a board member to make decisions like this, especially when we believe so much in the mis- sion of this agency, and we believe in the work, and we believe in the staff,” she said. “And, most importantly, it is such a needed service for our community. Both Greg and I remain hugely committed to the agency.” But, she added, when “how an agency is perform- ing, how a board is perform- ing, doesn’t align with your core principles, your core values, your morals, your ethics, your integrity. That is when, as a board member, you have to make that diffi - cult decision.” Morrow is the executive offi cer of the Clatsop Asso- ciation of Realtors and the chairwoman of the War- renton-Hammond School Board. She has been active in a range of education and social service issues on the North Coast. Monica Steele, the interim county manager, said the board resigna- tions were concerning. The county has long contracted with Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare for mental health treatment, a critical respon- sibility, but county leaders have often been exasperated by the agency’s management diffi culties. “To me, it’s just more concerning in the sense that we just want to make sure that continuity of services are being provided,” Steele said. With the board chair- woman resigning, there is a question about leadership stability. Lt. Kristen Han- thorn, who leads the Clat- sop County Sheriff’s Offi ce Parole and Probation Divi- sion, is the acting board chairwoman. “I just want to make sure that everybody is able to do their work and that we can see things kind of resolve themselves in a positive manner,” Steele said. Investigation complete The reason behind Bak- er’s leave has not been pub- licly disclosed, but the board did order an investigation. Steele also asked the Ore- gon Health Authority to look into an incident that happened at the crisis respite center in Warrenton in December after the mental health agen- cy’s board declined to pro- vide the county with infor- mation. The agency operates the respite center. Hanthorn and the board told agency staff in a mes- sage Friday night that the board had concluded its investigation. Baker returned as executive director today. “The current board is actively committed and engaged in extensive dis- cussion about next steps for moving forward in an inclu- sive and positive manner,” the message said. “We value and appreciate your commit- ment to the agency and the clients you serve.” Several of the agency’s top managers and directors had sent a letter to the board expressing their strong con- cern with how Baker’s leave was handled, along with a follow-up letter that raised questions about the process and the potential impact on the agency’s standing. Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare, a private non- profi t, has made strides toward improving its reputa- tion after three top adminis- trators resigned in 2016 amid management turmoil and legal problems. A statement circulated among key staff, forwarded to The Daily Astorian, said Morrow’s actions were the reason for the agency’s instability. “The staff at CBH have spent the last three years working to repair commu- nity relationships and rein- stall faith in our ability to provide quality, organized and responsible care to our consumers,” the staff letter to the board said. “This dis- regard for the organizational structure and the lack of clear communication has resulted in fear within our staff, reig- nited community skepticism and created overall instabil- ity within the agency.” tracts with the county expire in June. The county has announced that it will seek bids for men- tal health and addiction treat- ment and for developmental disabilities. The partnership behind the crisis respite cen- ter may also put the contract to operate the facility up for bid. Ben Paz, the agency’s cri- sis services manager, who was interim executive direc- tor in Baker’s absence, tried to reassure agency staff about the county’s decision to hear proposals from other providers. “We’ve been doing the work. We know our strengths and the areas in which we have found great success,” he said in an email to staff last week. “Additionally, we are aware of the challenges faced by our organization and can address them with fi rsthand knowledge and boots-on-the-ground experi- ence in our community. “We can address strate- gies that have worked as well as those that have not found success. Our experiences can give an honest assessment of what needs to happen in our RFP submission, which is an approach that I have found to be successful.” of doing great things’ Continued from Page A1 any details. The episode caused unrest among management and staff at the agency and prompted the board chair- woman and another board member to resign. “My board of direc- tors has asked me to return to work,” Baker said in a statement. “I love this community, I love this organization, I love the privilege of watching our clients succeed. I am grate- ful for the outpouring of support. I look forward to continuing to build part- nerships, developing pro- grams and improving this organization. We are not perfect, nor are we likely to ever be. “As long as I am the executive director, we will strive to meet the needs of the community. For now, I want to publicly acknowl- edge my staff, who have worked under enormous pressure and uncertainty during the last two weeks. I am confi dent that with this staff and this community, we are capable of doing great things.” The disruption has revived doubts in Clat- sop County about Clatsop Behavioral Healthcare’s management capability and board oversight. The county contracts with the agency to provide mental health and addiction treat- ment and care for peo- ple with developmental disabilities. The agency’s contracts expire in June, and the county plans to go out for bids to see if other provid- ers are interested in com- peting for the work. The agency’s board said in a statement today that Baker has been exonerated. “The circumstances which led to her being placed on administrative leave have been investigated thor- oughly and Baker has been exonerated. The board is dedicated to ensuring more transparency in our deci- sion-making from here forward. “CBH staff have expe- rienced considerable tur- moil. We respect the lead- ership and staff of our agency and appreciate their steadfastness during this situation.” Contracts expire The timing of the board shake-up and management uncertainty is potentially damaging to Clatsop Behav- ioral Healthcare’s long-term future. The agency’s con- We invite you to join us for Holland America Line’s exciting RSVP Today! On Stage Alaska performance Saturday, January 19 at 10:30 a.m. featuring stunning film footage AAA NORTH COAST SERVICE CENTER and useful planning advice for travel to this awe-inspiring 153 S. Highway 101, Warrenton RSVP: 503.861.3118 | NORTHCOAST@AAAOREGON.COM wilderness. Exclusive travel benefits are available to those who attend. All events are open to the public and free to attend, but space is limited. Please RSVP. Cutest Baby PHOTO CONTEST Babies born between 1/1/18 - 12/31/18 Submit a Photo By email: classifieds@dailyastorian.com In person: Drop by our Astoria office and we’ll scan the photo for you. Dea to e dline n Fri., Jan. ter @ 5 p 25 th m