While it's certainly good news that Astoria has endorsed a grant agreement to have a new fire boat built for waterfront fire protection there is another issue surrounding this story that has yet to be fully communicated by the city.
The question here? Was the city's initial decision not to sign on to the grant the result of a simple case of bad communication, as the Mayor has told KAST news, or was that decision deliberately made with full knowledge of the issue among staff and not sent on to the council to decide leaving the Mayor in the position he found himself in forcing him to turn down the virtually free fire boat?
At Tuesday's Port Commission meeting Executive Director Jack Crider told his commission that when he saw that the city had not signed on the grant after a fact finding process and a $340,000 consultants study regarding a demonstrated need, he then forwarded the application to the city asking them if they had worked out whatever issue was holding them up. He says he then talked with City Manager Paul Benoit saying that it had been up to the city to complete it's process and sign the agreement. Crider said after further review the Mayor, City Manager and the Police Chief who is acting as Fire Chief decided that the city would prefer to pursue a ladder truck and were not prepared to operate or maintain a fire boat. It should be pointed out that the city apparently did not pay into the consultant fee and that the lengthy process involved four fire departments including Astoria.
In a text message to me this morning the Mayor says he did not actually talk to Crider until after he had talked to me following the Tuesday Astoria City Council meeting this week. He does not comment on whether he was part of the review Crider mentioned but during
a news interview with KAST Tuesday night he said it was his decision not to sign off on the grant because he said there wasn't another scheduled city council meeting before the deadline cited by manger Benoit. He said there was no information for the council to consider if an emergency meeting were called. Benoit stated that he first learned that the deadline was 48 hours away when he received a call from the Vancouver, Washington fire department. The timing involved between that call and Crider saying he made contact with Benoit on receiving copies of the grant documents doesn't seem to mesh.
The decision changed at some point between Tuesday and Thursday when the Mayor hand-delivered a copy of the grant endorsement letter to KAST news. The Mayor credits coverage by KAST and a phone call by Senator Betsy Johnson for the turnaround. The Mayor said that the information needed to make a decision was available but didn't make it from staff to the council. He termed it poor communication between departments.
Here's the other concern: If the City does get a new fire boat will they be able to use it properly?
I think the city needs some serious help at this point and a conversation between the Port Commission and the City Council might be a very good idea. Sooner than later and in public.
