The Major Issues

It's been a while since we talked about Astoria so today just a few thoughts on what's going on and what might need some attention.

Every time I round 8th to Commercial I'm struck by the appeal of the Courthouse, Post Office building and the Boyington building. It's easy to see the real effort that's been put into the Shipyard and Astoria Events Center to make that building a plus. After the tragic Thanksgiving fire a few years ago, the building that once housed Bank of America has been transformed into an attractive storefront that fits right in.

In between all that investment and forward thinking we have the old men's clothing store (it's been empty so long yet another generation is growing up thinking it was always a giant pigeon coop) then the former Sears across the street, the former Benjamin Franklin branch in a building that is visibly sagging makes one wonder about whether the town has any condemnation laws at all.

There has to be a way to deal with this now decades-long issue.

There has always been talk about parking downtown. That's only been an issue on a busy
Friday night and all day Saturday for most people. It has been studied and then studied again.

I think all we really need is some peak-time parking. Maybe when the old Benjamin Franklin building crumbles we can park on the rubble on a busy weekend.

The City is a little behind technologically. I say "a little" because there is limited downtown wifi. The city has a wifi broadcast that covers a block or two and the rest comes from coffee shops who are generous enough to have unsecured wifi connections. Bravo for them! We need citywide broadband Internet connectivity.

There is no true overnight delivery service. "Overnight" here usually means three days..if the wind is blowing the right way. Lacking this service holds us back in many ways from a business standpoint. People who do business out of their homes must find this less than convenient and we do have a lot of that here.

Some things have improved. With the opening of the Loft at the Red Building we now have a right-sized venue for many events. The establishment of the Astoria Events Center helps with this. The Liberty Theater continues to find creative ways to entertain. Astoria will soon be home to the only film museum in the state celebrating movies made here and throughout Oregon. We have some of the best restaurants anywhere. Our riverwalk has been a hit from day one and who doesn't love the Astoria Trolley? I am concerned that the drive to expand the riverwalk isn't necessarily something the public cares about while more pressing matters wait.

If I were asked to prioritize those things that are important it would look like this:

1) Fix all the streets

2) Condemn those derelict buildings on Commercial

3) Sell the yacht club building and property.

4) Make a long term plan for the old Safeway block and execute it.

5) Provide covered outdoor playgrounds at the grade schools

6) Finish the Chinese Cultural Park project

7) Build a citywide broadband wifi network

8) Build a new public library and archives

9) Fix the streets again

10) Build a tribal cultural park and move the wooden Indian head away from the entrance to town. It is not emblematic of Astoria.


What kind of list would you make?

OLNG Suit Moving Right Along

Before we get into this latest ruling on Oregon LNG and the Port I'd like to direct your attention to the "Critical Links" list on this page. The first link takes you to a detailed document from Oregon DEQ on a meeting dealing with Bradwood LNG coming up at Knappa High in March. You'll need to use adobe acrobat to open the link.

Moving forward....

To paraphrase Judge John Jelderks, unless the Port Of Astoria commission immediately takes steps with DSL to enter into the 30 year lease for the Skipanon property it risks public confidence, it risks payment of steep damages, it shakes the foundation of trust that must exist between those who enter into contracts with public agencies and those who let those contracts.

This judgement is not the final word but suggests the final outcome.

The Judge is recommending that an injunction against the Port be issued that would have the effect of the courts over-riding the Port Commission. It's a little sad that it's coming to this.

People need to have confidence in the decisions made by elected officials. Elected officials need to bolster that confidence with demonstrations of clear thinking, a desire to prove leadership. No government body should be a plaything risking public money and public trust.

These are not high ideals. They are the basic commitment one makes in accepting office. If one is not capable, lacks the understanding or the true desire to fulfill these simple requirements then that person needs to resign.

Immediately.

Judges Agree Port In Breach

A U.S. District Judge has now agreed that the Port of Astoria is in breach on it's sublease with Oregon LNG.

This follows on a Federal Magistrate's opinion in the same matter.

Almost six years ago the Port of Astoria entered into an agreement with Calpine where the Port acts as an enabling agency between the Division of State Lands and the energy company to secure property on the Skipanon peninsula. At the heart of that agreement is an arrangement where the Port holds a master lease for the property with the state. The terms of that lease were to be mirrored in a sublease agreement with Calpine. The affect gives the energy company control of the property for an initial term of five years to be followed by two renewals of thirty years each.

Last year as the first five year term was coming to a close Oregon LNG gave legal notice that it would enter into the first of two successive thirty year terms. The the Port did something odd.

The commissioners voted to re-negotiate that first five year term with the state for an extension. They did not accept the first thirty year option. The company that took over Calpine's assets filed suit after finding that while they had a legally binding sublease for thirty years with an option for another thirty year term the Port does not have a lease with the State for those terms.

When asked by reporters why the Port has taken this unusual turn Executive Director Jack Crider said that he does not believe Oregon LNG will be able to gain all the permits to build the storage and regassification facility. He said the commission is concerned that by entering into the thirty year term the Port will be left holding the bag if OLNG fails. Meantime, there was an effort underway to prove that the Port and not the State owns the property as a grandfathered right of ownership. The city of Astoria has similar rights to submerged and submersible lands so the Port's arguments may have merit.

There is something else about this situation that is curious. The lawyer representing the Port in this matter is Thane Tienson. He is a member of the board for River Keepers a very strong opponent of LNG projects in Oregon. It turns out that Mr. Tienson was also the attorney representing two other organizations battling the Palomar natural gas pipeline project.

About 20 months ago it was Mr. Tienson who lost a suit filed on behalf of OCAP (Oregon Citizens Against The Pipeline) and NWPRC (Northwest Property Rights Coalition) and some individuals who were seeking relief from the companies involved in the pipeline project. It was claimed that employees of the companies had trespassed on posted property to do survey work for the new line. After reading the claims it was clear that in some cases there may have been no trespass and those where there may have been it could not be proven. The most interesting opinion was that OCAP and NWPRC were found to have no standing because the judge ruled that organizations such as these can not defend the constitutional rights of people who may be members. They may only defend against the organizations own rights.

The questions here are why would the Port Of Astoria choose to be represented by a lawyer with such obvious ties to anti-industry groups? Why would an organization with a stated goal of providing economic development take an anti-development approach in the first place?

The Port commission's approach is wrong-headed. I've been pointing this out for months and now two judges agree on every single point.

Judge Mossman also answers another question posed by some of you faithful readers. He says there are any number of creative ways the Port can meet it's obligation to the OLNG sublease the least of which is to renotiate with the state.

Let's do that.

Help For Haiti

Today we will take a departure from our normal programming to join our stations together in a local effort to raise funds for efforts in Haiti.

The Radiothon will run from 10am to 5pm today. We'll be talking with representatives of the Red Cross for the latest information in aid efforts going on in Haiti following the devastating earthquake there.

All funds raised today will be be applied to the Red Cross international response fund where 91 cents of every dollar is directly applied to Haitian relief efforts.

To make your donation by credit card you may call in beginning at 10am to 503-861-6638. If you would like to make a cash donation you can do that at our studios located in Warrenton at 285 SW Main Court suite 200.