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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (April 23, 2021)
The Columbia Press April 23, 2021 Refinance scheme too optimistic The Port of Astoria’s loan refinancing arrangement proved just a little too good to be true. When port commissioners approved a refinance plan for the Pier One Building on April 6, it was estimated the agency would save more than half a million dollars. On Tuesday, they learned the news wasn’t quite that good. The proposal from Kit- sap Bank was contingent on the building qualifying for tax-exempt status. But be- cause port headquarters no longer are in the building and much of it is leased to tenants it’s actually a port money-making venture. It means the new loan’s in- terest rate will be 2.75 per- cent instead of what initially was thought to be 1.95 per- cent. “The good news is that there’s still substantial sav- ings and benefits to the port,” consultant David Ul- bricht told commissioners on Tuesday. The port’s lawyer who specializes in bonds made the discovery while going through the documents, Ulbricht said. “Due to the nature of the private use of the facility and not having a lot of port use, bond counsel was not in a position to give a tax-exempt opinion. … It’s a tax-code issue.” The bank went back to its board and revised the offer, which was approved by port commissioners Tuesday. Terms on the previous loan with Lewis & Clark Bank would have required the port to pay $1.65 mil- lion with a balloon pay- ment of $1.05 million due in June 2025. The Kitsap Bank loan is estimated to save the port $35,000 per year. Warrenton police union agrees to contract with 2% pay increase Warrenton City Commis- sion approved a three-year contract last week with the Warrenton Public Safety As- sociation. The union represents War- renton Police Department’s 10 duty officers and the po- lice clerk. Prior to 2020, offi- cers had been represented by Warrenton Police Employ- ees Local 2746 AFL-CIO. The agreement includes a 2 percent pay raise and the chance to reopen negotia- tions in January for a po- tential cost of living wage increase the following year. Also in the contract, the city will pay 90 percent of employees’ health insurance and will set up a $750 health savings account for single employees and a $1,500 account for those with de- pendents. The contract also provides retirement through the Public Employees Re- tirement System, 12 paid holidays, and eight hours of sick leave for every calendar month served. The agreement is retroac- tive to July 1, 2020, and runs through June 30, 2023. Also last week, commis- sioners approved purchase of a 2021 Ford F-150 4x4 police responder pickup for $36,280. The purchase gives the de- partment a vehicle better suited for towing and haul- ing large items, as is some- times necessary in a rural coastal town. The pickup replaces the chief’s 2014 Dodge Charger. 3 County returns to COVID high-risk category 325-8500. Those who’ve tak- en the survey are contacted about how and when they can receive the vaccine. The Columbia Press Clatsop County is once again considered a high-risk county for the spread of COVID-19. The declaration begins Fri- day, April 23, and runs until at least May 7. During the two-week moni- toring period that ended April 17, the county had 49 cases, equal to a 5.4 percent posi- tivity rate, the Oregon Health Authority declared. While in the high-risk cat- egory, restaurants, gyms, churches and theaters can op- erate at no more than 25 per- cent capacity. As of Wednesday, Clatsop County has had 902 cases, 16 of them in the past seven days. All of them were young- er than 70. There have been eight deaths and 22 hospital- izations in the county since the pandemic began. Statewide, daily cases of COVID-19 have more than doubled in the past month, according to the health au- thority. The largest increase has been among people in their 20s, followed by people in their 30s. Those statistics hold true locally. As the virus continues to mutate, hospitals around the country are seeing more peo- ple in their 30s and 40s with severe cases of the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control. “Today, we find ourselves at another inflection point,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, OHA di- rector. “Our actions over the next few weeks will determine when and whether we are able to escape the pandemic. … We have stayed home – moved celebrations online, missed mourning with our families, some have lost jobs – and all have made tremendous sacri- fices.” Vaccines All Oregonians 16 and older Safety violations John Hughel/Oregon Military Dept. Oregon National Guard Airman Yvette Rascon vac- cinates a woman at a clinic Monday in Portland. are now eligible to be vacci- nated. However, the Moderna vaccine is not yet approved for people younger than 18 and that’s the vaccine rural coun- ties are receiving. Clatsop County is develop- ing a plan to vaccinate teen- agers 16 to 17 once the county receives the Pfizer vaccine. About 25,000 vaccine dos- es have been administered in Clatsop County and about 8,500 residents are fully vac- cinated. The Vaccine Task Force is accepting appointments for everyone 18 and older. To sign up for a vaccine appoint- ment, visit the county’s web- site, co.clatsop.or.us, to take the COVID survey or call 503- Oregon’s Occupational Safe- ty and Health Agency has fined Lowe’s Home Improve- ment stores in Redmond and Albany for violating standards designed to protect workers from coronavirus. The store failed to ensure customers inside the store are wearing masks or face cover- ings, according to the agency. Inspections were initiated in response to multiple com- plaints. Inspectors interviewed the employer and employees and examined store records. They determined supervisors were fully aware of the state re- quirement for facial coverings yet decided not to carry out their responsibilities, accord- ing to OSHA. The citations totaled $35,600 in fines. “It is not enough to leave the protection of employees in the hands of cooperative custom- ers,” OSHA Administrator Michael Wood said. “As most employers recognize, they must take appropriate steps to ensure that the rules in place are actually followed.” Celebration of Life On Dec. 3, 2020, Kyle E. Cox passed away. Kyle was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He served 18 years with honor and courage. Kyle left three boys and a daughter. The boys are Matthew, Samuel, and Nathaniel. The boys are residing with their grand- mother, Linda Cox. The daughter, Rebecca, is married and living in Vancouver, Wash. Linda Cox and the children plan a Celebration of Life at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 25, in the covered area at Camp Kiwanilong in Warrenton. Linda has said she will be planning food, such as hamburgers and hotdogs after the celebration. Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Fort Stevens Post 10580, will attend as well as the Veterans Speaker Bureau within Clatsop County. Both organizations will honor Kyle with a tribute. Those wishing to attend the celebration and help honor Mr. Cox, we thank you. Any questions, call VFW Quartermaster Bert Little at 503-739- 1071 or Mel Jasmin at 503-861-2030.
