Clatsop County Board of Commissioners Meeting Highlights for Wednesday January 25

Utility district discussed

The board held a work session on the potential for establishing a people’s utility district in the county. Representatives from Bonneville Power Administration, PacifiCorp, the Citizens Utility Board and regional PUDs answered questions from commissioners about utility districts, power sources and related issues.

The county’s draft Strategic Plan, due to go before the board at a future date, includes a people’s utility district as a proposed long-term project for the county to pursue.

Manager search approved

The board authorized staff to seek a consultant to assist with the search for a new county manager to replace Duane Cole, who announced earlier this month that he is retiring June 1. A tentative schedule calls for soliciting county manager applicants in March and early April, conducting interviews in May and making a selection by the end of May.

Other Business

In other business the board:

-Approved a letter to the regional office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency seeking a further extension of the agency’s deadline for ruling on the proposed listing of Astoria Marine Construction Company on the federal Superfund pollution clean-up list. The letter refers to recent correspondence from the Progressive insurance company stating it would cover the expenses of Astoria Marine’s defense.

-Approved its 2012-13 budget policies, which guide the drafting of the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The policies follow those of previous years in calling for no new staff or programs without specific board approval, no increase in materials and services spending, budget savings not be spent in other areas, and no “back-filling” of cuts in state or federal funding for local programs. The policies also contain a Resource Reduction Strategy that priorities spending areas as: 1-Public Safety and Justice; 2-Health and Human Services; 3-General Government Direct Services; 4-Community Development, Land Use, Transportation and Housing; 5-Culture and Recreation.

-Made appointments to the Southwest Coastal Citizens Advisory Committee, the design-review land-use panel for the community of Arch Cape. All seven positions on the committee were opened after the board approved new bylaws for the panel in September. Appointees are: Virginia Birkby, Richard Donofrio, Bill George, Tod Lundy, Michael Manzulli, John Mersereau and Dan Seifer.

-Were presented with the audited financial statements from the county’s auditor, Boldt, Carlisle and Smith, for the 2010-11 fiscal year for the county, 4-H and Extension Service District, Road District 1, Rural Law Enforcement District and Westport Sewer Service District. The statements received an unqualified opinion from the auditor, indicating they present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the county in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.

-Approved the vacation of two undeveloped roads near Labiske Lane south of Astoria.

-Awarded a plaque to Glenn Ahrens, Oregon State University Extension Service Staff Chair, in recognition of his more than 10 years of service with the agency’s Clatsop County office.