Project2:Layout 1
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
2/21/12
3:24 PM
SWIMMING: St. Helens girls move to 6-0 with Senior Night win
TODAY’S WEATHER Sunny, Cold Highs to 28 Page A15 Lows to 14
Page 1
The Chronicle
$1.00 Vol. 132, No. 6 16 Pages
www.thechronicleonline.com
Fire district considers $15 million bond measure BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com
District officials from Columbia River Fire & Rescue are considering placing a $15 million 20-year bond measure on the upcoming May ballot to fund long-term equipment needs. “We had a citizen’s focus group meeting on Thursday night [Jan. 30]. We just wanted to hear some feedback and some opinions on whether that group thought it was prudent to be looking at something like that in this environment,” said Fire Chief Jay Tappan. According to the chief, the focus group gave the district the thumbs up on the plan. But a final decision to move ahead won’t come until the fire district’s board of directors and the public has had an opportunity to weigh in on the issue. The bond measure will come before the board during a special meeting to be held Feb. 11. The meeting will include an extended public comment period to allow those interested in the bond to voice their opinions. If passed, the bond mea-
sure would add around 30 cents per $1,000 of assessed value to annual property tax bills for property owners in the fire district boundary. “We had a two-hour critical discussion and they asked some hard questions,” said Division Chief Ron Youngberg. “We asked some hard questions, too to get them thinking about it,” added Tappan. The bond measure is an idea that has been in the works for quite some time. Since the economic downtown in 2007 and 2008, the district has slowly but steadily making cuts to offset rising expenses. Then in 2009, the district formed a finance committee to look at ways to reduce costs while maintaining staffing. And in 2012, a sustainability committee was founded to consider what needed to be done to sustain service levels. District officials said the outcome of those committees was essentially the same, that maintaining service to the level the community expects must be given top priority. “Our ability to replace See BOND, Page A8
Capital improvements cited in possible bid for funding
SHARI PHIEL / The Chronicle
Firefighter Jim Pulito washes one of Columbia River Fire & Rescue’s fire engines. The district is considering a bond measure to fund replacing this and other equipment over the next 20 years.
Local Democrats call for end to oil train shipments BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com
SHARI PHIEL / The Chronicle Columbia Pacific Bio-refinery, which is owned and operated by Global Partners, received approval to increase its monthly rail shipments of crude oil to the Port Westward facility. Local Democrats want the rail traffic halted until safety concerns can be addresses by the county, port and state.
INSIDE Classified Ads . . . A10-11 Legal Notices . . . . A11-12 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . A13-16 TV Guide . . . . . . . . . . . A9 Weather . . . . . . . . . . . A15
The Columbia County Democrats have signed a resolution calling for the Port of St. Helens, Columbia County and the State of Oregon to “demand the immediate cessation of rail deliveries to Port Westward of volatile Bakken shale crude oil.” Rainier resident Darrel Whipple presented the resolution to the county commissioners during its regular board meeting on Jan. 29. “Last night the precinct committee persons from around the county passed the resolution… it’s a resolution that’s more than the title suggests. It could be more properly described as a resolution against the unsafe oil transport through Columbia
Appeal of port rezoning in the works BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com
Now that the county commissioners have officially approved the Port of St. Helens rezoning application for Port Westward, opponents to the rezoning are moving forward with an appeal. Local farmer Mike Seely and Columbia Riverkeeper are working together to file an appeal within the 21-day window provided by the state Land Use Board of Appeals. Seely, who owns and operates Seely Mint Farm at Port Westward, says he has real concerns about the types of businesses and industries the port is recruiting to the area. “It’s like they haven’t vetted any of these potential clients,” Seely said. As an example, Seely said at least some of the proposed developments – such as Northwest Innovation Works’ methanol refinery project – would have to be built on the port’s existing inventory of land. Some of that land, Seely said, is below flood plain levels and would have to be built up and filled in to make usable. “Depending on where they park it, you’re talking nearly 90 acres that they
have to fill roughly 15 feet deep with sand. Where in the heck are they going to come up with that?” Seely added. Despite those concerns, Seely said he’s still working to resolve his differences with the port so he can keep his operation moving ahead. “If the port would do what they promised and get involved with us and Global [Partners], we would have our problems resolved. But the port is not following through with what they promised,” he added. The Clatskanie farmer certainly isn’t the only one worried about Port Westward’s future. Environmental watchdog Columbia Riverkeeper is working with Seely and the Crag Law Firm handling the appeal. “This rezone paves the way for dirty and dangerous oil and coal trains,” said Brett VandenHeuvel, executive director for Columbia Riverkeeper. “Our river, salmon and farmland are too valuable to sacrifice for exporting oil and coal.” The commissioners gave tentative approval for the rezoning application – although with some changes – this past December but formally signed off at the commissioners’ Jan. 29 regular meeting. The application included 957 acres to be rezoned from agricultural to rural industrial use.
That number was reduced by 119 acres after the commissioners denied approval for two riverfront lots in the application. While the remaining 837 acres was approved to be changed from agricultural zoning to Resource Industrial – Planned Development (RIPD), the commissioners did include conditions such as requiring a traffic study to be prepared for each proposed development, controls for site run-off and dust mitigation, and a final condition that the storage, loading and unloading of coal was specifically not justified and would not be allowed on the property without a separately approved exception. The full ordinance is available online with this story at TheChronicleOnline.com. Seely and Riverkeeper’s appeal challenges the removal of zoning restrictions they say protects Oregon’s productive agricultural land. The acreage approved today for industrial use is adjacent to the Seely Mint Farm where high value mint is grown, manufactured and sold nationally in chocolates and teas and natural oil products. Seely Mint Farms recently announced it had signed a contract with Whole Foods grocery stores to put its mint patties and other products in stores
nationwide. “We’ve created a successful rural industry in Columbia County but the commission is choosing oil trains over local business. We’re fighting for our company and the jobs that we provide. We’d be wiped out if this rezone proceeds,” said Seely. Opponents to the rezoning point out that even the county’s own planning commission voted against the rezoning application because the change violated local farmland protections. “The county’s decision will support more dangerous crude oil trains rolling through the Columbia River Gorge, neighborhoods in North Portland, and communities along Highway 30,” said VandenHeuvel. “It’s a stunning decision that deserves a broader public discussion.” “I have to protect our invested stakeholders – which is my family and my employees,” said Seely. Seely has already received offers from other areas to move his operations, one of those offers coming from another Oregon city and two others coming from cities in Washington. “Sometimes, when I look at all of the headaches I have here I think why don’t I just say forget it,” Seely said.
County,” said Whipple. The resolution came about after several oil train derailments occurred in 2013, one in Canada that resulted in the loss of 47 lives. “There are other issues involved, including the unsafe nature of the crude oil that is coming from North Dakota and has been implicated in the explosive disasters in Canada, Alabama and North Dakota. On top of that, we also have the inadequate condition of our rail infrastructure,” Whipple added. Currently, crude oil is shipped through Columbia County as it heads to Columbia Pacific Bio-refinery at Port Westward. Although the facility was originally built to function as an ethanol refinery, that changed over the See OIL TRAINS, Page A8
Marijuana dispensary possible in wake of new state law BY SHARI PHIEL news@thechronicleonline.com
SCAPPOOSE — Warren resident Samuel Vickery thinks it may be time for a medical marijuana dispensary in the county. Vickery was at the Feb. 3 Scappoose City Council meeting with the intent to ask the council what kind of obstacles he might run into if he pursued opening a dispensary in that city. “I have plans to open a medical marijuana dispensary out this way. Through the process of elimination, I have a couple of places in mind. I know landlords here are concerned with how you guys feel about it,” said Vickery. In less than a month, the state’s medical marijuana dispensary law will go into effect and Oregon Health Authority will begin accepting applications from individuals who wish to register and operate a medical marijuana dispensary in Oregon. Vickery wants to be ready for that March 3 deadline. See MARIJUANA, Page A8