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Wednesday, May 21, 2014
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Page 1
The Chronicle
$1.00 Vol. 132, No. 21 16 Pages
www.thechronicleonline.com
PUD warns customers about scams COLUMBIA COUNTY — It’s probably one of the most panic-inducing calls a shop owner can receive: The power to your business is about to be shut off. That was a recent phone call Mike Roso received that caused a brief moment of panic followed by suspicion. Roso, the general manager at Johnny’s Tavern in St. Helens, said an employee answered a call from a man who asked to speak with the person in charge of billing. “When I got on the phone, this gentleman said that our account with the PUD was in arrears $489,” Roso recalls. “He said our account had been red flagged — they used that word, ‘red flagged’. And that it had been turned over to him and that it was set up to automatically shut our power off at 5:30, so that we needed to pay this bill before then. The call came in about 4 or 4:15, so I had an hour, hour and a half. They made time of the essence. … Here we are Friday at 4 o’clock in the afternoon and I have a business to run for the weekend.” The man said he needed automatic payment via
Assessment gives St. Helens good marks BY DON PATTERSON dpatterson@countrymedia.net
A firm hired by the City of St. Helens to evaluate the city’s organization is proposing some big changes to the way the city is structured, but gave it good marks. The study found city employees value integrity, honesty and pride in customer service. City employees also gave generally good marks to the current city administrator, John Walsh, Mayor Randy Peterson and the city council. Erik Jensen, Principal
of Jensen Strategies LLC, conducted the assessment and presented his findings to the St. Helens City Council on May 8. Jensen said he was impressed by the positive, can-do attitude of the city employees in the face of budget cuts and reduced staffing. “I kind of got the impression he was surprised by it,” said Peterson. “The commitment and dedication of City employees, has helped the City maintain stability during an unprecedented financial downturn,” Jensen told the
city council. Jensen’s report did criticize the City for a lack of long-term effective planning and its internal communications. It also found the current organizational structure limits management and decision-making. In the report, Jensen recommended the city change to a city manager style of government. The Mayor-Council/commissioner form of government creates a “silo” working environment where decisions are inconsistent and can be slowed by the fact that the
councilors are part-time, he said. “If the city council continues to operate with the current form of government, it is recommended steps be taken to increase cross-departmental management, consistency and coordination,” the report said. Such a change would require amending the city charter and Peterson hasn’t forgotten a failed attempt several years ago to change to a city manager form of government. “It resounding went down,” he remembers. Jensen recommended
Race to help Amani Center keep up the pace
Taking the reins in Scapppoose
BY AMANDA FRINK news@thechronicleonline.com
“H
e said our account had been red flagged — they used that word, ‘red flagged’.” - Mike Roso, owner of Johnny’s Tavern
wire transfer in order for his computer system to reverse the scheduled shutoff. Roso said he knew the bills had been paid, but thought maybe there had been a billing mix-up with Johnny’s corporate office. When Roso asked the man if the company had sent any warning notices about the overdue account, the man said that notices had been sent to the bar’s physical address, not the billing address Roso generally uses. Roso, erring on the side of caution, said he would
See SCAM, Page A2
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the City reduce the number of boards and commissions by consolidation and the creation of a nonprofit entity. “The number of boards and commissions are difficult to support due to limited staff and lack of role definition,” the report stated. The Historic Landmarks Committee and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission should be discontinued and their core responsibilities included in the Planning Commission. He also recommended the Arts and Cultural Commis See GOOD MARKS, Page A3
AMANDA FRINK / The Chronicle
Scappoose acting police chief, Lieutenant Norm Miller, greets the city’s new manager, Larry Lehman, after he was officially hired at the Scappoose City Council meeting Monday night.
Scappoose hires new city manager BY AMANDA FRINK news@thechronicleonline.com
SCAPPOOSE — The search was over in the city of Scappoose Monday night after the city council approved a contract with Prothman Company to hire Larry Lehman as the new city manager.
Lehman comes to Scappoose from Pendleton, where he was the city manager for 18 years before retiring in 2011. During that time, he managed numerous city services and 131 full-time employees, as well as oversaw numerous projects, including the Solarize Pendleton project, a sidewalk rehabilitation
program, new parks, and other new facilities, such as the city hall, library, youth center, aquatic center, water plant and waste water treatment plant. Prior to Pendleton, he was the city manager in Seaside for 11 years, and the city manager in Kearny, Ariz., for five years. Lehman earned a bach
elor’s degree from Central Michigan University in 1972 and Master of Public Administration from University of Arizona in 1976. Some of his awards and accomplishments include serving on the Seaside Chamber of Commerce See MANAGER, Page A3
ST. HELENS — Participants of all ages are invited to lace up their running shoes and become part of the strides being made to stomp out child abuse in Columbia County. On Saturday, June 7, the Race Against Child Abuse will host a one-mile family walk, and 5k, 10k and halfmarathon races at Columbia View Park to benefit the Amani Center, a non-profit organization that advocates for children’s health and safety. The half-marathon starts at 8 a.m., followed by the 10k at 9 a.m., the 5k at 9:15 a.m., and the one-mile at 9:30 a.m. Registration fees and other information is available at www.amanicenter.org. The run is one of a couple fundraisers held throughout the year to support Amani’s mission to “minimize trauma to child abuse victims through professional medical diagnosis and treatment in a secure and child-friendly environment with the goal of preventing child abuse in all forms.” Information provided by Amani Center states that there are close to 70,000 reports of abuse and neglect each year in Oregon — almost half of those victims are under the age of 6. One in three girls and one in five boys will be sexually abused by the time they are 18 years old. See AMANI, Page A3
Fire causes extensive damage to St. Helens home An alert neighbor warned the occupant of a burning house in St. Helens, saving her from injury and possibly saving her life. Crews from Columbia River Fire & Rescue and Scappoose Fire responded to a report of a fire on 354 N. 8th Street in St. Helens at May 15. Crews arrived to find a single-story residence with heavy flames showing in the rear of the home and extending into the structure. The crews were able to stop the spread of the fire and protect the adjacent homes. Orville Wise, the homeowner, was at work when the fire broke out. His son, Christopher, was also away at school and the sole occupant at the time of the fire was Tammy Meyers. According to CRF&R Fire Chief Jay Tappan, Meyers said she was watching television when the Fire did heavy damage to this St. Helens home. No one was injured, but three pet cats perished. doorbell rang and a vigilant neighbor told her about a fire on the back deck of the house. fire was declared under conmented the quick actions of under investigation. DamShe evacuated the home trol after 30 minutes, but fire the neighbors in alerting Wise age is estimated to be about while another neighbor called personnel remained on-scene and reporting this fire, saying $150,000 to the home and 9-1-1 for help. for several more hours to they may have prevented another $75,000 for the Chief Tappan said Meyers ensure all the hot spots were serious injury or even a loss contents. was uninjured; however, three extinguished. of life. CRF&R and Scappoose pet cats died in the blaze. The Chief Tappan compliThe cause of the fire is Fire responded with four fire
DON PATTERSON / The Chronicle
engines and several support vehicles. A total of 25 fire personnel were on scene with no reported injuries. The American Red Cross was also called for emergency assistance.