2A • May 4, 2018 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
County manager strikes back
over commissioner comments
County marijuana sales
tax referred to voters
A potential 3
percent tax on
retail sales
New examples
of infighting
revealed
By Jack Heffernan
The Daily Astorian
By Jack Heffernan
The Daily Astorian
Clatsop County Manager
Cameron Moore will not at-
tend Board of Commissioners
meetings, citing repeated pub-
lic criticism from Commis-
sioners Lianne Thompson and
Kathleen Sullivan.
The county manager has
also threatened legal action,
according to sources familiar
with the issue.
Moore was not at the April
25 meeting. Commissioner
Scott Lee, the board’s chair-
man, read aloud correspon-
dence between Moore and
commissioners in which the
county manager said he would
not attend “for the foreseeable
future.”
“As we discussed last
Thursday I unfortunately find
myself in the position of hav-
ing to take steps to protect
myself from the abusive and
hostile work environment be-
ing imposed upon me by Com-
missioners Thompson and
Sullivan. One of the primary
weapons that they use against
me is to make me their verbal
punching bag at board of coun-
ty commissioner meetings,”
the email sent Wednesday,
Cameron Moore
Lianne Thompson
Kathleen Sullivan
April 25, and addressed to Lee
and other county officials read.
“It is extremely unfortunate
that this is the situation that
I find myself in but based on
our discussion I know that you
understand my need to take
whatever actions are necessary
to protect myself from further
damage.”
Moore could not be reached
for comment. Other county of-
ficials did not publicly confirm
if or why the county manager
threatened legal action.
Sullivan declined to com-
ment, while Thompson offered
a statement via email.
“I’ve seen better setups in a
Law & Order rerun than during
this week’s board meeting. To
hurl a bucket of allegations at
me and a fellow commission-
er, without any prior notice
or opportunity for discussion,
was the height of irresponsi-
bility and unprofessionalism,”
Thompson wrote. “I welcome
finding better ways to work
with the county administrators
and my fellow commissioners,
but turning board meetings
into publicity stunts is not the
way to do it.”
In early April, a county em-
ployee — whom Lee declined
to identify — sent an email to
Moore regarding a “confusing
and also concerning” phone
call with Thompson. Moore
forwarded the email to Lee,
who read it aloud Wednesday.
The employee claims Thomp-
son, after asking that her name
not be said out loud, warned
her to be careful about making
certain public comments.
“Nothing was said by ei-
ther of us that would cause
question or concern. When I
asked her where this was going
she proceeded to say that she
received threatening emails
from county management and
that it will end up in court and
doesn’t want me to have to
be in court as she is sure this
is my livelihood and even if I
was not in this position that I
would need a good reference
from this job,” the email read.
“At that point, I was not only
completely confused but also
a bit upset by what was said.”
Lee said the encounter with
Thompson violated a chain of
command outlined in the coun-
ty charter and board policy and
that the action could expose
the county to legal liability. He
threatened to remove Thomp-
son from any liaison assign-
ments that would require her to
interact with county staff who
are not in management.
“You cannot threaten em-
ployees,” Lee said, adding he
has not seen any threatening
emails from county manage-
ment to Thompson. “This is
unacceptable behavior, and I
want it to stop.”
Thompson responded to
the allegations in part of her
written statement to the news-
paper. “The suggestion that I
am threatening is laughable
— I am 73 years old and 135
pounds soaking wet. It is clear
they are threatened because
I believe the manager is ac-
countable to the commission-
ers that were elected to oversee
his work.”
Wednesday’s revelations
are the latest in a string of pri-
vate and public clashes involv-
ing commissioners and county
management in the past year.
Clatsop County voters will
decide in November whether
to place a tax on retail mari-
juana sales.
County commissioners
voted unanimously Wednes-
day, April 25, to refer the 3
percent tax to the general
election ballot. Revenue from
the handful of dispensaries
outside city limits would
be about $50,000 annually,
county staff estimates.
The state ballot measure in
2014 that legalized marijuana
sales gave cities and counties
the ability to impose a tax of
up to 3 percent if approved by
voters in a general election.
No recreational dispensaries
existed outside city limits in
2016, the most recent gener-
al election. The tax would be
effective 30 days after voter
approval.
In other business Wednes-
day, commissioners:
• Continued a public hear-
ing on updated flood-hazard
maps and revisions to land use
rules, including requirements
for property owners to pay
for a permit when developing
their land or seek approval be-
fore altering structures.
The Federal Emergency
Management Agency has re-
quired the revisions in order
for the roughly 700 affected
property owners in unincor-
porated, flood-prone areas of
the county to be eligible for
the National Flood Insurance
Program. Residents expressed
their opposition to the chang-
es both at a county Planning
Commission meeting in
March and to commissioners
Wednesday. Despite the coun-
ty’s efforts since the Planning
Commission meeting, the fed-
eral agency has not budged on
any of its requirements, Com-
munity Development Direc-
tor Gail Henrikson said.
Commissioners are sched-
uled to hold another hearing
in May, when they may vote
to adopt an ordinance. The
federal agency has mandated
that the county implement the
revisions by June 20 in order
for residents to remain eligi-
ble for the insurance.
• Appointed Robert Strick-
lin to the county Planning
Commission. Stricklin has
served on the commission
before as well as the county
Charter Review Committee
and various other boards.
The commission makes
decisions on land use issues
and recommendations to the
Board of Commissioners.
Jacque Presley stepped down
in February after four months
in the position to focus more
time on Angels for Sara Sanc-
tuary — her nonprofit dog
rescue organization.
CANNON BEACH POLICE LOG
April 13
9:44 a.m., Highway 101 MP 29:
Police respond to a report of
a tree down in the roadway.
Police assist the Cannon Beach
Fire Department with traffic
control.
5:26 p.m. 600 block Larch:
Police respond to a report of
bullying and threats.
6:19 p.m., 3800 block S. Hem-
lock: Police receive multiple
reports from a seemingly in-
toxicated female complaining
about incessant barking of a
neighbor’s dog. Neighbor is
contacted and says the woman
is a frequent complainer about
their dog and other dogs. Res-
ident said she will keep her
dogs quiet.
April 14
10:32 a.m., S. Hemlock: Caller
says that while they were hav-
ing breakfast inside an dining
establishment their car was
scratched by a sharp object.
April 15
12:59 a.m., 3600 block W.
Chinook: Police assist on a
medical call.
6:35 p.m., 300 block Antler:
A Jack Russell terrier reported
missing is spotted near the Fir
Street Bridge. The dog was un-
able to be located.
8:29 p.m., 400 block Fir
Street: A business owner re-
ports a man who attempted
to use a check without proper
identification. Caller says the
person had only one piece of
identification on them be-
sides a hospital wristband.
Caller said the check may
belong to the subject’s father.
Subject was gone on police
arrival and police were unable
to locate.
April 16
April 18
2:45 p.m., 100 block E. Fifth: Of-
ficer secured an open residence
door. Premises were searched
and nothing appeared amiss.
11:15 a.m., 100 block E. Wash-
ington: Police respond to a re-
port of a person going through
garbage cans but are unable
to locate.
April 17
1:30 p.m., 2100 block Pacific:
Police responding to a report
of illegal tree cutting discov-
er a person legally trimming
branches.
3:15 p.m., Elliot Way: An im-
pounded dog was returned
to its owner.
April 19
8:22 p.m., 1100 block Spruce
75’ WIDE
LOT
Court: Police respond to a re-
port of a dog bite in the past.
The suspect and the dog are
known but police were unable
to locate. The bitten person did
not request or seek medical
treatment. Police will follow
up with the dog owner.
April 20
10:43 p.m., Sewer Ponds:
Subjects are warned against
unlawful lodging.
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