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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-
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