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Board favors reappointing long-serving member to recreational lands committee, asks staff to review bylaws for potential expansion
Summary
Clatsop County staff reported two applicants for one vacancy on the Recreational Lands Planning and Advisory Committee. The board agreed to move forward with reappointing Michael Hinton (District 5) at the next meeting and asked staff to examine committee bylaws for options to add members so the city applicant could participate in future work.
The Clatsop County Board discussed two applicants for a single vacancy on the Recreational Lands Planning and Advisory Committee and directed staff to forward the incumbent's name for action at the next board meeting while reviewing the committee's bylaws to assess options for additional appointments.
Natural Resources Manager Steve Meschke told the board that committee member Michael Hinton — whose term expired — applied to be reappointed, and that Tyler Lingstad, who works for the City of Astoria Parks, also submitted an application. Meschke said Hinton has served for roughly 15 years and was part of the parks master-plan work in 2006; he described both applicants as qualified.
Commissioners raised geographic-representation considerations: the board noted Hinton represents District 5 and Lingstad is in District 3, and commissioners expressed reluctance to replace a district incumbent with a candidate from another district if the seat is intended to be district-based. "We do have somebody from District 5, an experienced willing member. So I would be opposed to replacing a District 5 Representative with another from District 3," Commissioner Thompson said.
Commissioner Webb supported retaining Hinton for continuity and public-works knowledge tied to Seaside Parks & Rec but also pursued options to include the Astoria applicant. "It would be wonderful to have somebody with the city of Astoria's experience," Webb said, and asked staff to consider expanding membership or using an ad hoc task force or master-plan task force to bring in city expertise during future master-plan work.
What was decided: The board instructed staff to forward Michael Hinton's reappointment as the recommendation at the next board meeting and to review committee bylaws to determine whether membership expansion or an ad hoc working group is required to include additional applicants. Staff said it would return with any needed bylaw amendments and, if appropriate, a second appointment at a subsequent meeting.
Provenance: The committee-appointment discussion began when the county introduced the applicants to the board and concluded with board direction to forward the incumbent and examine options for additional participation.
