OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Astoria City Council Regular Meeting — February 24, 2026

City Council & Commissions — Tuesday, February 24, 2026
BodyAstoria, Oregon
SessionCity Council & Commissions
DateTuesday, February 24, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 10:58

Transcript — Verbatim
0:38

Good evening and welcome to the Monday, February 23rd meeting of 2026 meeting of the Australia City Council.

0:47

For the record, the time is 6 p.m.

0:49

Mr.

0:49

Spence, if we could have a roll call, please.

0:53

Councilor Davis.

0:54

Here.

0:54

Counselor Adams.

0:55

Counselor Conklin.

0:56

Here.

0:57

Mayor Fitzpatrick.

0:58

Here.

0:59

We have one item on the regular agenda this evening.

1:03

We have nothing on the consent calendar.

1:08

If if the council is in agreement, I would say that we dispense with the usual formalities of the pledge and reports and go straight to the regular agenda item.

1:19

Are we all good with that?

1:21

Looks like we've got thumbs up all the way around.

1:23

So 7A is I should note that all agenda items will be open for public comment following deliberation by the city council.

1:33

And rather than asking for public comment after each agenda item, I ask that audience members raise their hands if they want to speak to the item and they will be recognized.

1:42

And in order to respect everyone's time, comments will be limited to three minutes.

1:46

7A is a reconsideration of publishing a request for proposal for a technical update of the downtown parking study.

1:55

Mr.

1:55

Spence, if you could introduce this item, please.

2:37

Questions for staff.

2:44

Discussion from council.

2:48

Would anyone in the audience like to address us this evening regarding item 7A?

2:54

Lisa Morley.

3:19

And then you went into work session and you talked about it for another hour.

3:24

And then everybody had their say.

4:44

Would anybody else like to address the council this evening on this item?

4:49

I don't see any hands raised in chambers.

4:52

Mr.

4:52

Quigley, do we have any hands raised online?

4:55

We do not.

4:56

Further discussion.

5:00

Would someone like to make a motion?

5:10

I mean, I'm I'm happy to make a motion, Mayor, but uh given that I voted against it before.

5:14

I don't know if I don't feel like I'm really the appropriate person to do that.

5:19

So I move that the Astoria City Council uh withdraw the RFP related to the technical analysis and update the 2019 downtown parking study.

5:34

Do we have a second?

5:39

Oh, sure, I'll second.

5:41

Okay, so moved by Councillor Conklin, second by Councillor Davis.

5:45

Uh Mr.

5:46

Spence, I'm gonna ask for a roll call here, even though it's not required.

5:49

Counselor Davis.

5:50

Yes.

5:51

Counselor Adams.

5:52

Counselor Conklin.

5:53

Hi.

5:53

Mayor Fitzpatrick.

5:54

Aye.

5:57

Okay, that brings us to new business, miscellaneous public comments for non-agenda items.

6:02

So non-agenda items will soon be open for public comment, and the Zoom audience may use the raise hand feature on your screen if you want to speak now.

6:10

You'll be asked to unmute to speak, and in order to respect everyone's time, comments will be limited to three minutes.

6:16

We would ask that you please clearly state your name and address for the record.

6:20

If you're inside chambers, please raise your hand.

6:22

And when called upon, please approach the lectern and state your name and address.

6:26

You would have three minutes to make your comments.

6:28

Is there anyone that wanted to address the council this evening on anything that's a non-agenda item?

6:34

And I am going to consider our work session an agenda item.

6:39

I don't see any hands raised in the audio.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
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Miscellaneous██████████████████████████████████34%
Disability Rights███████████████████████23%
Summary of Proceedings

Astoria City Council Regular Meeting — February 24, 2026

The Astoria City Council met for a brief regular meeting. The Council dispensed with the pledge and reports, had no consent calendar items, and considered one regular agenda item: reconsideration of the previously approved request for proposals (RFP) for a technical update of the 2019 Downtown Parking Study. After staff explanation and public comment, the Council voted 4-0 to withdraw the RFP. The meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m., followed by a planned work session.

Note: The agenda, minutes, and transcript identify the meeting as Monday, February 23, 2026, 6:00 PM; the supplied timestamp of February 24, 2026 14:00 UTC is used for this summary.

Attendance

  • Present: Mayor Sean Fitzpatrick; Councilors Andy Davis, Elisabeth Adams, Joshua Conklin.
  • Absent: Councilor Andrea Mazzarella.
  • Staff present: City Manager Scott Spence, Public Works Director Jeff Harrington, Finance & Administrative Services Director Hilary Norton, Police Chief Stacy Kelly, Fire Chief Dan Crutchfield, Parks & Recreation Director Jonah Dart-McLean, Assistant to the City Manager Ryan Quigley, City Attorney Blair Henningsgaard.

Consent Calendar

  • No items were on the consent calendar.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Lisa Morley (4908 Cedar Street) expressed concern about reconsidering the previously approved RFP. She said the Council had already fully discussed and voted on the item at the prior meeting, described the reconsideration as confusing and unusual from a public perspective, and suggested it appeared some members were pressured into revisiting the decision.
  • Mary Eng / Mary Ng (PO Box 12; the minutes list the surname as Eng, while the transcript says Ng) gave a personal tribute to her late mother, a veterans' nurse, and reflected on her family's history of helping people experiencing homelessness. She encouraged the Council to prioritize compassion, accessibility, and disability awareness, and urged the city to ensure sidewalks, shelters, facilities, and libraries are disability-friendly.

Discussion Items

  • City Manager Scott Spence explained that the Council had approved issuing an RFP for a technical update to the 2019 downtown parking study at the February 17, 2026 Council meeting. He noted that after further discussion during a work session, Council members expressed interest in a broader approach to parking, including development of a more comprehensive citywide parking master plan. Staff recommended withdrawing the approved RFP to allow time for a more holistic discussion and direction on long-term parking strategy before proceeding with consultant work.
  • The Council had no questions or discussion after the staff presentation.
  • Councilor Joshua Conklin, after noting he had voted against the item previously, moved to withdraw the RFP related to the technical analysis and update of the 2019 Downtown Parking Study. Councilor Andy Davis seconded the motion.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to withdraw the RFP for the technical update of the 2019 Downtown Parking Study passed 4-0.
    • Voting for: Mayor Sean Fitzpatrick, Councilor Elisabeth Adams, Councilor Andy Davis, Councilor Joshua Conklin.
    • Voting against: None.
  • No other business was conducted.
  • The meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.; the Mayor stated the Council would take a seven-minute break, then begin a work session, with another break at 7 p.m., aiming to finish by 8 p.m.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and welcome to the Monday, February 23rd meeting of 2026 meeting of the Australia City Council. For the record, the time is 6 p.m. Mr. Spence, if we could have a roll call, please. Councilor Davis. Here. Counselor Adams. Counselor Conklin. Here. Mayor Fitzpatrick. Here. We have one item on the regular agenda this evening. We have nothing on the consent calendar. If if the council is in agreement, I would say that we dispense with the usual formalities of the pledge and reports and go straight to the regular agenda item. Are we all good with that? Looks like we've got thumbs up all the way around. So 7A is I should note that all agenda items will be open for public comment following deliberation by the city council. And rather than asking for public comment after each agenda item, I ask that audience members raise their hands if they want to speak to the item and they will be recognized. And in order to respect everyone's time, comments will be limited to three minutes. 7A is a reconsideration of publishing a request for proposal for a technical update of the downtown parking study. Mr. Spence, if you could introduce this item, please. Questions for staff. Discussion from council. Would anyone in the audience like to address us this evening regarding item 7A? Lisa Morley. And then you went into work session and you talked about it for another hour. And then everybody had their say. Would anybody else like to address the council this evening on this item? I don't see any hands raised in chambers. Mr. Quigley, do we have any hands raised online? We do not. Further discussion. Would someone like to make a motion? I mean, I'm I'm happy to make a motion, Mayor, but uh given that I voted against it before. I don't know if I don't feel like I'm really the appropriate person to do that. So I move that the Astoria City Council uh withdraw the RFP related to the technical analysis and update the 2019 downtown parking study. Do we have a second? Oh, sure, I'll second. Okay, so moved by Councillor Conklin, second by Councillor Davis. Uh Mr. Spence, I'm gonna ask for a roll call here, even though it's not required. Counselor Davis. Yes. Counselor Adams. Counselor Conklin. Hi. Mayor Fitzpatrick. Aye.

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