North Coast Oregon

First Commissioner on Recall Committee's Hit List Vows to Fight

by Staff

I’ve spent my life in Clatsop County as a dairy farmer, small businessman and community volunteer. I believe in public service, which is why I ran for the Clatsop County Commission and have been proud to serve the community I love as commissioner.

One of the risks of public service is that you won’t please everyone, but I stand by my record which I believe represents the majority view of County residents.

The [recall] group says other commissioners should take no comfort from the fact that only Richard Lee was the subject of today’s action.

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Rumors and Gossip

by Tryan Hartill

Nothing I can substantiate, just gut feelings and whispers.

Birdies are telling me:

• Richard Lee will fight the recall and the “Anti-Recall” Committee Members will be from District 3 only.

• There is more dirt to come from the CCfog group.

• The Richard Lee Oregon DOJ Investigation is over something that happened months ago and has nothing to do with land-use.

• Helen Westbrook is a major player involved with the investigation.

Gut Feelings:

• Things are going to get ugly out in Jewell (School Board)

• The Marine Reserves Meetings are going to get rowdy.

• If Richard Lee is recalled, Peter Huhtula will be pushed as a replacement by CCFog, Daily A, Josh Marquis etc. etc…

• There will be a partial moon eclipse soon.

UPDATE

Almost Forgot….

This is also the Official “Religious Discussion Thread”.

If anyone wants to debate one religion versus the other…please post them here.

(Also I distinctly remember Patrick saying lots of good things about Bahai’s when he had the ACJ Forum…even going as far as saying it was his second favorite…of course this was before him and CB had the various “issues”)

Daily Astorian LTE Rejection

by Tryan Hartill

Was sent to me as a rejected letter. If anyone else has something they would like to post, please send them in.

UNFAIR & PERSONAL

I was listening to Tom Freel on the radio when he told Mr. Rocka that what he was doing was wrong and Roger said and I quote, “I don’t care, this is a democracy.”

Is it democratic to attack Mr. Lee because his opinion is different from yours? There are five commissioners and they all agreed on L.N.G. with the exception of one.

Is Mr. Lee just the first one? Why doesn’t Mr. Rocka tell you what his agenda is instead of trying to dig up dirt to try discredit Mr. Lee? It’s all about perception, be it the truth or not.

There is not one contractor, architect, developer or home builder that hasn’t been frustrated by the planning department. My opinion of the planners is they throw common sense out the window and try to run rules and regs by the book and each one has a different interpretation of the book. I know horror stories to numerous to mention.

It seems like the last few years we have been inundated with new people. Roger Rocka, Helen Westbrook, Carolyn Eady to name a few. I don’t belong to the “Coffee Klatch” downtown, but you would have to live under a rock to not notice that they all are very vocal and want to take over and run things. Mr. Rocka has an agenda, to start with in a open forum letter he was telling us how prosperous and how great things are. He has never seen great in Astoria, but I have seen much better times. The Plywood Mill was running, several canneries were going, the Can Co. was running, Crown Zellerbach was here making many jobs and I have watched all of these things go. If it wasn’t for Warrenton being so progressive and the bridge over the Columbia, things would be much worse. Can you imagine if the Wauna Mill was trying to site their plant here now? I can tell you with some certainty it would be quite a chore. They have helped Astoria, Svenson, Knappa and all the way to Longview. They made jobs and paid taxes. You really can’t measure the benefits!

Mr. Rocka doesn’t want L.N.G. which means more jobs and helps our infrastructure, helps our schools and helps all of us pay for ever growing government. Where is he and his cronies coming from? When he starts calling our Commissioner the worst of the bunch, I have to take issue with that. The worst of the bunch we all know is the guy with the Thuggish behavior, Mr. Sam Patrick, the fly in the ointment. Is it because they wouldn’t let him mind the store? He should do all of us a favor and resign.

As for my commissioners, Richard Lee, Pat Roberts, Jeff Hazen and Ann Samuelson, they are doing a good job and I believe have the best interest of the County at heart. They are dedicated individuals doing a thankless job.

So Mr. Rocka, do your recall and we will vote to retain them and you may have to eat a little crow. Does this sound a little personal? You made it that way when you called my public servant the worst of the bunch. I have lived in Astoria 52 years, have experienced many ups and downs and this is a hatchet job if I have ever seen one.

I am asking all my friends, associates and Clatsop County voters to see this for what it is.

Bill Cunningham

Coming to a phone near you

by Tryan Hartill

Research Data Design (RDD), of Portland Oregon (503-412-3352) is conducting a phone poll in the Clatsop County area. Questions they are asking:

Do you recognize the names of these people, and if you do what is your feeling about them?

Yes/No Positive/Negative

Ann Samuelson

Patricia Roberts

Jeff Hazen

Sam Patrick

Richard Lee

Gordon Smith

Ron Wyden

Ted Kulongoski

Are you aware of a recall effort against a commissioner in your county?

Are you for or against this recall effort?

What do you feel about the information you are getting regarding the recall effort?

What is your main source of information regarding the recall?

Is the commissioner being recalled in your district?

Do you think any other commissioners are in danger of being recalled or should be recalled?

Do you think someone in public office should be recalled for things they do in their private life or should the recall be directly related to what they are doing in their elected position?

After being asked all these questions one of the persons contacted by RDD said they asked them who they were, RDD replied, “A research firm.” When asked who they were hired by they replied they weren’t allowed to give out that information. The RDD interviewer addressed the person they were surveying by name and did say that they got their name and phone number from the person’s voter registration.

Donkey Basketball Saturday Feb 16th Warrenton HS 7pm

by Tryan Hartill

It’s finally here!

The Donkeys are on their way to the North Coast….

This Saturday the Kiwanis Club of Astoria-Warrenton is presenting Donkey Basketball. 2 teams will square off and play a game of hoops…except they must ride donkeys to play. Should be a fun night for the whole family.

Tip off is 7pm at the Warrenton High School…and if some players don’t show, you will probably see me on one of those donkeys…

Tickets can be bought at the door or by calling Swede at 338-7400. They are also giving them away on KCRX.

All proceeds go to those in need throughout the community.

On that Redacted Lee Memo on Grass Roots People

by Tryan Hartill

Andrea Kennett says that it was redacted and that Patrick used software to publish the whole thing.

Patrick McGee was provided the redacted version of the legal memo. The same PDF document is attached so you can see that it is the redacted version. This document was provided in good faith, and I was not aware that McGee might use software to restore the redacted text.

Is this true Patrick?

Some Facts Behind Developer's Accusation Of Clatsop Co Planning Division

by Staff

Wednesday, February 12th, at their morning work session the Clatsop County Board of County Commissioners discussed the over 100 approved Measure 37 claims that were invalidated with the passage of Measure 49. At the end of the work session a letter from Jim Neikes was given to the BOCC from Commissioner Lee. Neikes is one of Lee’s constituents.

Based on the accusations made in the letter the NCO staff researched the open records available, Planning Division documentation, and interviewed as many of those involved as chose to talk about the issue. The following was ascertained:

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Focus on 49: BOCC work session grapples with difficult legislature

by Staff

With the passage of Measure 49 rendering approved Measure 37 waivers invalid on December 14, 2007, over one hundred people in Clatsop County were left wondering what their next step in the process would be.

Clatsop County counsel, Andy Jordan, proposed that the Board appoint the Director of Community Development to be the final say in granting “vested” rights based on staff reports and documentation provided by the applicant.

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Clatsop County News: Rohne Files, Axmen, Marine Reserves, Dead Zone

by Tryan Hartill

UPDATE

• Ted Kulongoski does a 180 on LNG and now tells FERC to stop everything.

• The Clatskanie Chief has a informative write-up about the new paper towel machine at Wauna.

• Brian Lister, a former Seaside cop, shot and killed a armed gunman in Clackamas.

• Dirk Rohne has officially filed to run for District 4.

• Axmen will be appearing on the History Channel on March 9th. It features a “Deadliest Catch” type show, but films local loggers instead. Browning Logging, Gustafson Logging, Pihl Logging and Stump Branch Logging will be featured.

• NW Natural Gas has a strong 2007.

• Brent Foster of Columbia Riverkeepers and Henry Morse of Polamar debate LNG.

• Lots of studies just released about the worlds Oceans including the Dead Zone off the Oregon Coast.

• Vernonia Residents found out the hard way that the flood maps were wrong.

• Sea Grant will be giving a Marine Reserve Presentation at the Warrenton Community Center February 29th at 6:30.

More News Under the Fold….

Jim Neikes Letter to the Clatsop Commission

by Tryan Hartill

At Tuesday’s Board Meeting Jim Neikes gave a letter to the Clatsop County Commissioners. In it he accuses the Planning Dept. of breaking the rules for a fellow co-worker and then trying to cover it up.

Letter under the fold….

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