<p>Lianne Thompson</p>

Clatsop County commissioners will wait to make a decision on who takes over the District 5 commissioner seat until the boards next regular meeting March 12.

Chairman Scott Lee and Commissioners Sarah Nebeker, Peter Huhtala and Dirk Rohne unanimously agreed Wednesday to hold off on their decision after discussing whether the process to fill the seat had been rushed.

During a work session before the meeting, the board interviewed the three candidates who applied for the vacancy: Dale Barrett, Matt Samuelson and Lianne Thompson.

The selection will be made the day after the filing deadline for the May 20 election to the position. So far, Thompson is the only one who has filed.

The appointed person would serve out the balance of the year. The person who is elected would take office Jan. 1.

The board agreed that each applicant would be a good choice, but chose to deliberate further and allow more public comment.

The seat was formally vacated by the board Feb. 5 after former Commissioner Debra Birkby resigned from the position in late January. Birkby expressed that she wished to spend more time with her father.

The District 5 seat covers a large swathe of South Clatsop County, including Cannon Beach, Hamlet, Jewell, Arch Cape, Elsie and parts of Seaside. The remainder of Birkbys term lasts through December. The county seat on the May 20 primary election ballot is for a four-year term that would last through 2018.

Barrett, a 31-year resident of Clatsop County, expressed to commissioners that his background as a professional land surveyor would be beneficial to the county if he were to serve on the board.

The Seaside resident stated that he at one time co-owned an engineering and surveying firm that did work in the region. Barrett sold the business in 2006 to Otak Inc., another engineering and surveying firm, and now works at the companys Gearhart office.

Barret said he has dealt with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a local consultant for regional agencies and spoken with Warrenton residents as they deal with the new federal flood maps.

I think Im at that time toward the end of my career that I can start providing for the community and sharing what I know and helping, said Barrett, adding that he enjoys the resources and the recreation the county has to offer.

I think we can have a great place to live and still have some commerce  but have a livable place, he said.

Samuelson, who lives in the Nehalem Valley east of Seaside, told commissioners he would like to be a part of steering the county, especially when considering his 13-year-old sons future.

I plan on my future being in Clatsop County and I would like it if my sons future is in Clatsop County, he said.

Samuelson served on the Jewell School Board and resigned from the board chairman position in May 2012. He is the nephew of former Clatsop County Commissioner Ann Samuelson, who was recalled from the District 5 seat in October 2009.

I would like to see a growth in industry that provides family-wage jobs, Samuelson said. I would like to see a planning commission that would allow for growth for family home sites.

I want this to be a county that we can all be proud of, he said, at the same time, I realize we have fiscal constraints that we work within.

Thompson is vice chairwoman of the Clatsop County Planning Commission. The resident of Falcon Cove gave commissioners her credentials as a community organizer and her career in public service. She has also been a leader and trainer with Community Emergency Response Team.

What Im interested in is teamwork, said Thompson. Im interested in teamwork for the whole board.

Thompson added that she is interested in teamwork with County Manager Scott Somers and the entire county staff.

She said she has worked for county government in Michigan and managed federal Head Start monies in Alaska.

Thompson said she wanted to also acknowledge the good work that was done by Birkby during her time on the board and her representation of South Clatsop County.

Comments can be submitted by email to commissioners@co.clatsop.or.us, by fax at (503) 325-8325 or mailed to Clatsop County Board of Commissioners, 800 Exchange St., Suite 410, Astoria, OR 97103. Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. March 10.

In other news:

The board voted 3-1 to allow county voters to make a decision on an ordinance that would ban bullhooks, electric prods and whips on elephants, primates and felines. The ordinance will be on the May 20 election ballot. Proponents of the ordinance showed a video of the cruelty from use of the devices. Commissioner Nebeker voted against the motion that brought the decision to voters, stating she thought the board should make a decision on the matter.

The board opened a public hearing on the Onsite Wastewater Program, which will allow the county to conduct on-site inpsections for residents, but will be overseen by the Department of Environmental Quality. The public hearing is for start-up funds and to hire an environmental health specialist. Fees will not be collected during the 2013-14 fiscal year.

Commissioners closed a public hearing on a franchise ordinance for Charter Communications, but held off on adopting it because county staff is still working with the company to create a cable franchise agreement that would provide service to unincorporated areas. The ordinance would be decided on only if an agreement cant be reached.

The board also approved an agreement to hire a firm to create a stormwater plan and biological assessment for the North Coast Business Park, as well as a contract to hire a firm to create a compensatory wetland mitigation plan for the business park.

Matt Samuelsons photo was not available