A6
THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 2022
Firehouse: Opponents say new site is too far from downtown
Continued from Page A1
In 2018, after considering nine loca-
tions, the fi re station committee recom-
mended three concepts and locations
to guide the decision-making process.
When a public survey eliminated the
committee’s fi rst choice at Gearhart
Park, the city pursued High Point, a
location on N. Marion Avenue near the
Palisades.
That site was dropped after potential
right-of-way confl icts with neighboring
homeowners and the high cost of the
land purchase.
With the possibility of the land
swap and negotiations with The Cot-
tages at Gearhart LLC, the City Council
approved bringing the Highlands Lane
site to voters.
The bond measure was headed to bal-
lot last November, but was postponed
after a legal challenge that was later
rejected by a Circuit Court judge.
Jack Zimmerman, a resident who was
involved with the unsuccessful legal
challenge, said the Highlands Lane site
is too far from downtown to meet city
needs. He said facilities at Camp Rilea
already meet fi re department training
needs.
“Gearhart will build a new fi re station
when they know their money will be well
spent, and not wasted on something that
they do not want, need or understand,”
he said. “The taxpayers who will have
to tighten their belts to fund this project
in this shaky economy deserve consider-
ation, transparency and respect.”
Mayor Paulina Cockrum said the
bond measure is an important way of
showing respect for fi refi ghters and vol-
unteers while protecting the community.
“As a caregiver for the past 45 years,
I can attest that people who work to
Photos by Lydia Ely/The Astorian
The new fi rehouse would be off Highlands Lane. Opponents have questioned the cost of the project.
serve others, like our police, fi refi ght-
ers, nurses, doctors, waitstaff are subject
to harassment and bullying,” the mayor
said. “No matter which side of the fi re/
police station bond you are on, while a
protected right, this type of discourse is
still bullying, downright uncivil behav-
ior and I cannot condone it.
“This is so unfortunate for our
community.”
Timber baron: Johnson is seeking to become the fi rst
non-Democrat elected governor since Atiyeh in 1982
Continued from Page A1
The magazine’s w in-
ter issue reported Emmer-
son topped the list of the
largest landowners in the
United States. He moved
up from third place follow-
ing the October purchase of
Eugene-based Seneca Saw-
mill Co. The deal included
175,000 acres of timber-
lands in southwestern Ore-
gon, the magazine reported.
The magazine’s cover
featured a picture of
Emmerson with the head-
line “America’s Largest
Landowner.” The article
said Emmerson’s company
also owns 18 sawmills
and eight renewable bio-
mass energy cogeneration
facilities.
Born in Grand Ronde,
Emmerson went to high
school in Omak in e astern
Washington before mov-
ing to California and work-
ing in the timber and saw-
mill industry, eventually
joining his late father, Curly
Emmerson, to found Sierra
Pacifi c in 1949.
State campaign fi nance
records show that Sierra
Pacifi c began making con-
tributions in February with
a donation to the Bring Bal-
ance to Salem PAC. John-
son’s campaign for governor
received the second-largest
amount — $200,000 — on
April 4.
Both campaigns aim at
BOTH CAMPAIGNS AIM AT
CURTAILING DEMOCRATIC
POLITICAL DOMINANCE IN
OREGON STATE GOVERNMENT.
curtailing Democratic polit-
ical dominance in Oregon
state government.
Democrats control the
governorship, both cham-
bers of the Legislature, sec-
retary of state, treasurer,
attorney general, both U.S.
senators and four of fi ve
seats in Oregon’s delegation
to the U.S. House.
Johnson is seeking to
become the fi rst non-Dem-
ocrat elected governor since
Vic Atiyeh in 1982.
Bring Balance to Salem
has only spent just over
$15,000 so far — with
$10,000 going to Hood
River-based Walden Con-
sulting. The fi rm is listed
in December as being run
by Walden and his wife,
Mylene
Simons-Walden,
according
to
business
records fi led with the Ore-
gon Secretary of State’s
Offi ce.
The former congress-
man’s sister-in-law, Marta
Simons, also of Hood River,
is listed as the group’s trea-
surer. She earlier served as
treasurer for Walden’s Vic-
tory Fund PAC during his
time in Congress.
The PAC lists its address
in Portland. The address is
for Postal Annex+, an out-
let of the commercial mail
drop chain.
Sierra Pacifi c is mov-
ing into its third genera-
tion of family ownership.
According to Federal Elec-
tion Commission records,
Red Emmerson is now the
chairman emeritus. His
sons, George and Mark,
serve as company president
and chairman/chief fi nan-
cial offi cer .
Emmerson’s daughter,
Carolyn Dietz, is president
of the company’s philan-
thropic Sierra Pacifi c Foun-
dation, according to the
foundation’s website.
Red, George and Mark
Emmerson have all given
frequently to Republican,
timber industry and other
political action committees,
according to the FEC. Red
Emmerson gave to the suc-
cessful presidential cam-
paigns of George W. Bush
in 2000 and 2004. He also
gave to John McCain and
Mitt Romney, the Republi-
can nominees in 2008 and
2012, who both lost to Pres-
ident Barack Obama.
All three contributed to
Donald Trump, the Republi-
can who won the presidency
in 2016 and lost to President
Joe Biden in 2020.
Mark
and
George
Emmerson have contributed
to campaigns of U.S. Rep.
Kurt Schrader, D-Canby.
Both have contributed
to Schrader’s re election,
where he is facing a pri-
mary challenge from Jaime
McLeod-Skinner, of Ter-
rebonne. Schrader has also
received contributions from
Andrea Howell, Sierra
Pacifi c’s corporate aff airs
director.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz,
R-Ontario, has received
$4,000 in the past two
elections.
The company’s PAC has
also contributed $15,000
to Eugene-based Commu-
nity Action Network PAC,
which backs conservative
candidates. Its treasurer is
former Oregon Republi-
can Party Treasurer Dennis
Morgan.
Sierra Pacifi c also gave
$2,500 each to the cam-
paigns of Tim Freeman and
Tom Kress, who are run-
ning for diff erent seats on
the non partisan Douglas
County Board of Commis-
sioners . Eugene C ity C oun-
cil candidate Jennifer Solo-
man received $1,500.
The Oregon Capital
Bureau is a collaboration
between EO Media Group
and Pamplin Media Group.
Johnson: You can become
a member on their website
Continued from Page A1
The nonprofi t selected
will have to wait three
years before it can be
nominated again. The
organization will also be
asked to come back and
present how the money
was used.
The fi rst meeting will
be held over lunch at the
Astoria Golf & Coun-
try Club on May 2, where
Johnson said members
will have the opportunity
to suggest local arts and
culture nonprofi ts.
People can visit 100
Women Who Care Clat-
sop County’s website to
become a member.