There are quite a few government entities around here who depend on the dollars that come out of the Clatsop State Forest through timber sales. The County is first in line for those dollars. Several years ago after a hard fought battle the County Commission developed policies to ensure that these dollars would end up in capital improvement projects and not in backfilling programs that lose State grant funding. While the operation of County government is not dependent on timber revenues at present because of these wise policies we must recognize that we have new players on the commission who have already begun taking things apart. In the upcoming fiscal year they are planning to double the amount of donations to non-profit organizations. They have accepted an increase in their own monthly stipends and approved a whopping increase for the stipend paid to the District Attorney going from 13,500 to 21,500. The County budget for 2011-12 is around $55 million with the general fund portion around $19 million. The Commission is on track to increase your property tax bill again this year by 3.5%. Not because they necessarily need the money but because the law says they can do it. So they do. That's been going on for years.
For many years the Clatsop State Forest was managed primarily for timber production. This meant that when timber was cut it was replaced, which is the responsible thing to do, but the forest began to look like a tree farm instead of a naturally occurring forest. You can see the result with stands of trees planted close together and all about the same height. Clear cuts really aren't a bad thing. Wildlife needs meadow as well as forest. Timber companies are required to leave woody debris in streams these days for salmon habitat. A few years ago, under pressure to deliver some diversity ODF came up with a forest plan that was to encourage varied tree heights to more closely resemble a forest instead of a tree farm. The argument began about things like identifying the highest priority use. Are we growing trees to provide lumber, or habitat? Should productivity outweigh species protections? To what degree can you accomplish protection and production?
The Oregon Department of Forestry has many masters to please.
With all these issues to deal with it becomes important to hear all the voices. Have productive, meaningful discussions. Unfortunately the political machine in Clatsop County has become more important than debate and reasonable problem solving. Read the emails that follow and then ask yourself why it's necessary to focus on one person in this discussion to be singled out and targeted in this fashion.
If, as Commissioner Hutala says, the "People" have taken back their government does that mean just certain people or all the people?
----- Original Message -----
From: Laurie Caplan
To: Astoria Neighbors
Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2011 9:31 AM
Subject: [astoria-neighbors] ALERT: Key Clatsop State Forest Decision Wednesday-- Clatsop
It's important for Clatsop County Commissioners to know the public wants smart, strategic forestry plans. Commissioner Patricia Roberts is once again backing short-sighted, short-term profits at the expense of long-term, sustainable development. Our forests are key to salmon habitat and environmental harmony.
I hear that advocates for clear-cutting will be out in force. Please attend this important meeting.
Clatsop County Commissioners
Weds, May 11 at 6 pm
Judge Guy Boyington Bldg - 857 Commercial, Astoria - -enter on 9th.
Please forward this email.
Laurie
From: Bob Van Dyk
It's important for Clatsop County Commissioners to know the public
wants smart, strategic forestry plans. Commissioner Patricia Roberts
is once again backing short-sighted, short-term profits at the expense
of long-term, sustainable development. Our forests are key to salmon
habitat and environmental harmony.
I hear that advocates for clear-cutting will be out in force. Please
attend this important meeting.
Clatsop County Commissioners
Weds, May 11 at 6 pm
Judge Guy Boyington Bldg - 857 Commercial, Astoria - -enter on 9th.
Please forward this email.
Laurie
From: Bob Van Dyk
How long till forest harvesting will cease to exist under these so called advocates. They do not speak for me and do not represent the masses. The Port of Astoria better watch out because once they lock up the forests your deep draft port will cease to exist. (Public and Private) They are loose cannons with unknown sources of black powder. Who is funding their socialist maneuvers??? Anyone willing to make a guess??? They cannot keep doing what they are doing without this backing. Shorebank?? Marc??Gov funds??
ReplyDeleteNo LNG, stop Wal-Mart, halt logging, burn the big box stores! What is it that these people want? All they want to do is increase taxes to give money to the ones they deem worthy. Who is supposed to pay these taxes? Jobs are leaving and property values are in the toilet and all these people want to do is increase tourism and make us shop in downtown Astoria for things we don’t need and can’t afford.
ReplyDeleteWe need jobs! We need to throw all of our support behind the few employers we still have and make our selves available to possible employers in the future; we should be on our knees begging companies to build here including the timber industry.
This group that has taken control, including Chairman Rohne will not provide any of their visions of the future, where is the county headed financially and how are we getting there. Even in Chairman Rhone’s own community he has only been anti-everything, what does he support for East County? It is time for full disclosure, where are we headed and who will step up to lead us there.
My audio reception was lacking at best during the live feed from the meeting, but whoever "they" are, they sure sent the first string Carnival Of Clowns in to make statements in support of Huhtala & Co....thank goodness for Pat Roberts and her good sense. I mean, those so called anti logging/timber sale folks arent even locals--they move here and dont have to make a living in the county. All they have to do with their lives is attempt to hurt the local enconomy and the families that have depended on it for generations. To heck with them!
ReplyDeleteHOME RULE NEEDS TO GO! WE NEED REAL COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE VOTED ON COUNTY WIDE! THE IGNORANCE OF THE COMMISSION WITH THE EXCEPTION OF COMMISSIONER ROBERTS HAS HIT A HIGH NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN THIS COUNTY! PARDON THE PUN ON THE "HIGH" PART...I'M SURE MOST OF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M REFERRING TO......
ReplyDeleteI appreciated the "people" that showed up for this bocc meeting, unfortunately it seems the elected people minus Commissioner Roberts did not hear them, only patronized them. Face it folks, this club of four just doesn't get it, and they had no idea of the millions of dollars sitting in that room, and the hardworking people that were going to get up in 3 hours to go to work in the woods. Lee's comment "This is democracy and he appreciated all the comments except the irresponsible rhetoric" just made me sick. The embarressment they have already caused us, let alone the dollars they are costing us now and in future is not something that we can tolerate for 4 years.
ReplyDelete