At the Wednesday evening meeting of the Clatsop County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Marie Richards was presented with a plaque honoring her commitment to volunteering in Clatsop County, in front of a packed house. “I’m sort of nervous with this many people!” she whispered before the presentation was made. At 81 years of age Richards said it was her joy to be able to serve those who needed help and she intends to continue helping out whenever and wherever she can. This past year Richards was coordinator and coach of the local chapter of Special Olympics and was named Oregon’s Volunteer of the Year.
During public comment period Reba Owens asked that county take a look at public access to Falcon Cove being blocked. After a brief debate as to whether or not that was Clatsop County or Tillamook County the board directed staff to look into the matter for Owens and to get back to the board on the issue.
In other BOCC business
The board decided to sign with The Greg Pothman Company, to handle the executive search for a county manager. County has used Pothman in the past with good results. While the League of Cities would not be as expensive as a private firm it would take longer and require much more staff time. Pothman handles more and recommends only those that they feel are ideally suited, although the county would have the opportunity to look at all applications for the manager’s position. In the interim, the board decided to go with Harold “Andy” Anderson as county manager. Staff estimates that it will take about three to four months for the executive search to be completed. Anderson’s duties will officially start October 13th.
An Intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the Clatsop County Housing Authority concerning the Carlyle Apartments was signed. In December of 2006 the county was awarded the Carlyle Apartments by Circuit Court judgment and in January of 2007 the county entered into an agreement with the Housing Authority for the sale of the property. A down payment of $832,183.79 was made at that time but the sale was not finished pending an appeal of the court decision. The down payment was returned to the Housing Authority and the new IGA stipulated conditions that would reduce the price of the property if the current owner does not maintain the property or if he does return pre-paid deposits as well as options on terminating the agreement to purchase the property and a timeline for payments to be made if the property was purchased.
Commissioner’s Comments
Commissioner Sam Patrick said that he had been contacted regarding Aldridge Point Docks being in a dangerous state. Board asked assistant manager Nicole Williams to look into the situation and get back to the commissioner on it. Patrick also asked for an update on the Wauna/Westport water districts joining together given that the county had agreed to pay for paperwork to help get this done. County Manager Scott Derickson said that Vicki Goodman, with Oregon Economic & Community Development Department, who had previously been updated on the matter, was retiring however Derickson said that the paperwork should be worked out soon. Patrick also gave an update on Plympton Creek in Westport, stating that it was 6 feet deeper and that the work being done on it should be completed in the next week or two.
Commissioner Ann Samuelson reported that while in Washington, DC, her and Commissioner Jeff Hazen were able to meet with Representative Wu very briefly in a hallway and it wasn’t a very productive meeting. Samuelson and Hazen wanted to show Wu the amount of work that had gone into the process with Bradwood Landing but Samuelson didn’t feel Wu was really listening to them. Their meeting with Senator Smith’s senior assistant was the most productive and Samuelson felt that she listened to what they had to say regarding not only the process with Bradwood Landing, but also their concern with the fact that 230 students enrolling in school this year are homeless, a population that never existed before in Clatsop Country, according to the Educational Services District. They also discussed the fishing industries concerns with marine reserves, fishing laws, and their desire to go to the quota system. They discussed that fact that there is often a disconnect between what the state is doing to conserve areas and what the feds are doing, often leaving a very small area for the private citizen to be able to earn a living yet neither the state nor federal government cognizant of the fact.
Commissioner Jeff Hazen reminded the audience that the board had voted unanimously to send him and Commissioner Samuelson to the FERC hearing in Washington, DC, on the decision for certification for the Bradwood Landing LNG Terminal. He said that in order to best represent the local constituency the board of commissioners must have a greater presence in both Washington and Salem so that the legislators know where Clatsop County is, who the citizens are and what their concerns and needs are. Hazen asked for worked sessions on a regular, quarterly, basis with the senators and representatives of our area so that they can understand what the local government is attempting to do, what local citizens want done, and how they can help in legislature.
Commissioner John Raichl reported that someone had been injured in a boating incident due to a fallen tree over one of the navigable streams and wondered whose responsibility that was? Manager Derickson said he would look into it and get back to Raichl.
Chairman Patricia Roberts stated that she had been asked to join the Oregon Community Foundation. Foundation is beginning a state wide initiative to help counties address chronic or long standing problems. She is asking people to email her with ideas on what they think are Clatsop County’s “chronic” problems.
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