»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
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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