Astoria City Council Regular Meeting - October 20, 2025
Astoria City Council Regular Meeting - October 20, 2025
The Astoria City Council met on Monday, October 20, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers. The meeting covered several key items including a loan amendment for sewage lift station rehabilitation, adoption of the Housing Initiative Program and Community Resiliency Program, updates to library fees, and a process to fill a Ward 4 vacancy. All motions passed unanimously 5-0.
Consent Calendar
- Approved by a 5-0 vote, adopting the following items: Astoria City Council Work Session Draft Meeting Minutes (July 28, 2025 and August 4, 2025), Library Advisory Board Draft Meeting Minutes (August 5 and September 9, 2025), Maritime Memorial Committee Draft Meeting Minutes (October 6, 2025), Additional Services Request #7 for the Astoria Public Library Renovation Project ($18,500), and Department Status Update.
Public Comments & Testimony
- On 7.b (Housing Initiative Program): Lisa Morley (Alderbrook Neighborhood) expressed concerns about enforcement of workforce housing restrictions, citing the waterfront apartments behind Safeway that now rent at market rates. She urged the council to focus on permitting barriers and renovation of existing housing. Maryland Tito (Alderbrook Neighborhood) echoed support for rehabilitating older properties rather than new developments that may obstruct views or fail affordability goals.
- On 7.c (Library Fees): Rick Newton (Warrenton, OR) spoke in support of libraries as community hubs and encouraged Astoria to continue strengthening library programming and access.
- On 7.d (Vacancy): Maryland Tito favored an election to fill the vacancy. Colin Cummings (Ward 4) asked about representation during the vacancy period and tie-breaking procedures. Lisa Morley raised a question about the term length for an appointment.
- Non-Agenda Public Comments: Rick Newton presented a concept for small-scale workforce housing using 22 container units (320 sq ft each) with $600/month rent. Daniel Hubner (1846 4th Street, Astoria) expressed frustration over renewed discussion of the exclusion ordinance and cautioned against governing by email volume or partisan accusations.
Discussion Items
- 7.a - Sewage Lift Station Rehabilitation Loan Amendment: City Manager Scott Spence explained the three lift stations (built in the mid-1970s) convey between 1 million and 18 million gallons per day during storms. The total project cost is approximately $3.6 million, with a loan amendment of $3,204,028 from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. About half of the loan is forgivable, reducing the ratepayer burden. Councilor Adams recognized Assistant City Engineer Cindy Moore for her work. No public comment. Motion to authorize passed 5-0.
- 7.b - Adoption of Housing Initiative Program (HIP) and Community Resiliency Program: The HIP sets aside $500,000 for low-interest loans (typically $100,000 per project) for middle housing (duplexes, triplexes, cottage clusters, multifamily) and workforce housing. The Community Resiliency Program allocates $100,000 for grants ($20,000 each) with a 1:1 match for nonprofit and community partner economic resilience. Councilor Lump praised the flexibility in project characteristics. Councilor Davis expressed hope to incentivize new projects. Councilor Adams suggested a one-year evaluation timeline. City Manager Spence explained that deed restrictions can be applied to ensure workforce housing commitments. Motion to adopt and rename Fund #140 passed 5-0.
- 7.c - Library Fee Resolution (Schedule E): Following council feedback, the Library Advisory Board revised fees: free Flag Room use for Astoria nonprofits and community groups, $50/hour for commercial entities; elimination of overdue fines; card replacement fee reduced from $6 to $3; damage fees aligned with neighboring libraries. Councilor Adams thanked staff for maintaining the library as a “third space.” Public comment from Rick Newton in support. Motion to approve passed 5-0.
- 7.d - City Council Vacancy (Ward 4): Councilor Lump announced his resignation effective November 1, 2025. Council discussed two options: appointment within 60 days or a special election (estimated cost $6,000–$8,000, with election in March 2026). Councilors cited concerns about a five-month vacancy with an election. After public comment, the council voted 5-0 to fill the vacancy by appointment and hold a special meeting to establish the process. The special meeting was set for Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at 6:00 PM.
Key Outcomes
- 7.a: Motion authorized the DEQ CWSRF Loan Agreement Amendment for $3,204,028 for the Sewage Lift Stations Rehabilitation Project. Passed 5-0.
- 7.b: Motion adopted the Housing Initiative Program and Community Resiliency Program, and directed staff to bring a resolution to rename Fund #140. Passed 5-0.
- 7.c: Motion approved the updated Library Fee Schedule E. Passed 5-0.
- 7.d: Motion to fill the Ward 4 vacancy by appointment and hold a special meeting on October 22, 2025, to establish a timeline and process. Passed 5-0.
- Special Meeting: A special meeting was scheduled for Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at 6:00 PM to discuss the appointment process for the Ward 4 vacancy. The meeting adjourned at 7:29 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Well, good evening and welcome to the Monday, October 20th, 2025 meeting of the Australia City Council. Mr. Spence, if you could leave us in the pledge, please. We would ask that you rise if you are willing and able. One nation under God, individual with liberty just. Thank you, Mr. Spence. If we could have a roll call, please. Councilor Davis. Here. Counselor Mazzarola. Here. Counselor Adams. Here. Counselor Lump. Here. Mayor Fitzpatrick. Here. So we'll start with reports of counselors. And this evening we start with Councilor Lump. Thank you, Mayor. Just a quick question. Are we not doing the proclamations that are on the agenda? Or this is the old agenda. Sorry. Anyway, uh so I've talked to a lot of people about my uh resignation and people who are interested to know uh what the process will be. So I'm glad we're gonna be talking about it tonight and hopefully sorting that out. Um and uh been really appreciative of anyone who's expressed that they have been happy with my service. Uh I know a lot of people have expressed they haven't, so uh I guess I appreciate those comments too. Um and I'm excited for the uh library to be reopening on Saturday. Um I'm really excited to see that uh all finished and built up. Um it's been a really kind of a long time coming, it feels like. Um, so uh happy that's coming up. Yeah, that's all I got. Great. Thank you, Counselor Lump. Counselor Adams. Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, everyone. I'll be quick. Um Andrea or Counselor Moserella and I had an opportunity to host uh Girl Scouts here at City Council working on their democracy badge, and that was a really fun opportunity to do something that was fun and carefree and um a great experience to share with the Girl Scouts, the things that we do on City Council. I think there was about 15 of them. I also attended the senior center uh membership meeting where I held a listening session on the City City Council Work Priorities, covered the new utility assistance program uh and the qualifications, and then also just listened to a lot of the concerns that the seniors were having. There was about 45, 46 people at that membership meeting, some who've never attended before. So I felt very grateful that they attended just to come and share their concerns with the counselor. Also met with some local downtown business owners, Brian Medford at the Rusty Cup uh and some other folks. Lots of emails still coming through about uh livability and unhoused um situations and concerns. I met with Tom Bronson this morning about the hundredth year column anniversary and also just uh touching base about the library uh and his excitement for that. I met with some local veterans that the mayor had also met with about the veterans' suicide documentary that's gonna be coming out on Veterans Day, um, particularly focusing on rural veteran suicide and mental health issues at a LOAC meeting and then housing task force this Wednesday, and I'm gonna meet with Representative Javity, um taking some uh talking points from the city manager to talk with him. That's all I have to report.
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