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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (May 19, 2022)
»INSIDE THURSDAY MAY 19 2022 SPRING POETRY MARKET SEASON BE GINS PAGE 4 ‘DIVERSITY WITH MUSIC’ PAGE 6 EXPLORING WILLAPA BAY ASTORIA SUNDAY MARKET OPENS PAGE 13 PAGE 8 149TH YEAR, NO. 138 DailyAstorian.com // THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022 $1.50 City outlines homeless camping Locations likely to come later By NICOLE BALES The Astorian Lydia Ely/The Astorian A sign against Measure 4-213 was posted along Pacifi c Way. Voters reject Gearhart fi rehouse bond measure The $14.5 million request was backed by city leaders By R.J. MARX The Astorian G EARHART — Voters rejected a $14.5 million bond measure for a new fi rehouse on Tuesday, a sting- ing message to city leaders who had argued that the project was critical to replace the aging fi re station on Pacifi c Way. Measure 4-213 was failing 66% to 34% . The new fi rehouse , at 13,000 square feet, would have been off Highlands Lane along U.S. Highway 101 . Jack Zimmerman, a critic of the project whose unsuccessful legal challenge kept the bond measure off last November’s ballot, said city leaders ignored questions and concerns from residents . “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.” The vote came after months of fi erce campaigning, social media blazes and neighbor-versus-neighbor duels in the small, beach community . The cost and size of the new fi rehouse and the dis- tance from the city center , among other concerns, rallied opponents . V olunteers in 1958 donated their time and eff orts to build a cinder block fi re station on Pacifi c Way. In the decades that followed, the fi re station served the community through fi res, medical emergencies and the Great Coastal Gale of 2007. Wev, Thompson hold advantage Commissioners for Astoria, South County By ERICK BENGEL The Astorian Incumbents held the advantage Tuesday night in campaigns for the Clatsop Pamela Lianne County Board of Commis- Wev Thompson sioners, maintaining an ideo- logical balance on a board that has grown more conser- mechanic from Astoria, 61% vative after recent elections. to 38% in Astoria’s District 3. Commissioner Pamela Wev led Nathan Pinkstaff , a deck See County commission, Page A6 ELECTION RESULTS Follow the latest election results from the Oregon Secretary of State’s Offi ce at: bit.ly/3PpdnaW Javadi leads in state House GOP primary The dentist describes himself as moderate kanie down through Tilla- mook County. Logan Laity, a Cyrus Javadi, a community organizer Tillamook dentist, and small-business led Glenn Gaither, owner in Tillamook, a retired corrections was unopposed in the offi cer in Seaside, in Democratic primary. the Republican pri- Following Betsy Cyrus mary on Tuesday Johnson’s decision to Javadi night for state House run for governor as District 32. an independent, s tate Javadi was up 59% to Rep. Suzanne Weber chose 40% for the GOP nomina- not to run for reelection in tion in the North Coast open See State House, Page A3 seat that extends from Clats- By ETHAN MYERS The Astorian Voters sign off on Knappa’s $3.6 million fi re tax levy By ERICK BENGEL The Astorian Voters approved a $3.6 million tax levy on Tuesday to beef up emer- gency response within the Knap- pa-Svensen-Burnside Rural Fire Protec- tion District. Measure 4-214 was leading 57% to 43% . The money would be used to bring on a second full-time employee to work with Fire Chief Kurt Donaldson, who manages a crew of about 20 volunteers. Longer process The city proposed allowing people to set up temporary camps overnight from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. People will be allowed to have bedrolls, sleeping bags and tents, but will have to take down the shelters and leave by 7 a.m. See Ordinance, Page A6 See Firehouse bond, Page A6 COUNTY COMMISSION The Astoria City Council expects to move forward with a homeless camping ordinance in the coming weeks that would outline the time and manner for when someone can sleep on public property. A separate resolution would detail places within city limits peo- ple can camp. The ordinance is in response to federal court rulings and state leg- islation that prohibit police from enforcing illegal camping on pub- lic property unless there are ade- quate shelter spaces available for people to sleep. Jurisdictions without adequate shelter space, like Astoria, can detail the time, place and manner someone can sleep outdoors. During a City Council meeting Monday night, former Police Chief Geoff Spalding, who is completing projects for the police department on a temporary basis, detailed the proposed time and manner elements. He also presented an approach to identifying places. Donaldson said the additional staff er — a priority that emerged from a vision- ing process the fi re district undertook a few years ago — may oversee recruiting, training and retaining fi refi ghters. See Knappa levy, Page A6 City to name interim manager Benoit previously held the city’s top job By NICOLE BALES The Astorian The City Council is expected to appoint Paul Benoit, a former city manager, as Astoria’s interim city manager. City Manager Brett Estes announced last week that he will step down on July 4 after accepting a job with the state. Estes, a former community devel- opment director and assistant city manager, replaced Benoit in 2014. During a City Paul Benoit Council meeting Monday night, city councilors unanimously voted to pursue employment and contract negotiations with Benoit. The city plans to present an employment agreement for review and approval during a special City Council meeting on Friday. Mayor Bruce Jones said Benoit lives in Astoria and has agreed to serve as interim until a permanent replacement is selected. See Benoit, Page A6
