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Make sure your ballot counts! We are now encouraging Elsie-Vinemaple RFPD voters to drop their ballot off at one of our two drop box locations: Jewell School or Clatsop County Elections, 820 Exchange St., Astoria.

The reason we’re making this recommendation is because US Postal Service changes require that all mail outside the Portland area must be sent to the Main Portland Post Office to be postmarked.

Depending on when you drop off your ballot in the mailbox, when it gets delivered to Portland and processed, the postmark could reflect a day after election day. In that situation, your vote would not count.

The Primary Election voter registration deadline is Tuesday, April 30.

To check your registration and/or update your party affiliation for the Primary election, please go to www.OregonVotes.gov. 

Ballots will be sent out for the Primary election beginning May 1.

State Voters’ Pamphlets will begin being delivered to every household this week. The County Voters’ Pamphlet will be in the ballot packets for Commissioner District 2 and 4.

On April 16, FEMA staff presented information on the draft flood risk maps developed for areas along the Columbia River between Hammond and Tongue Point. 

This work began in 2009, culminating in the latest draft maps. Per information from FEMA, a total of 38 structures within unincorporated Clatsop County will be added to the Special Flood Hazard Area and 34 structures will be removed, resulting in a net addition of four structures to the SFHA. 

The City of Warrenton will be significantly impacted, with a net total of 1,026 structures being added into the SFHA.

The public may apply for openings on Clatsop County commissions and committees. Application forms are available at the Clatsop County website and at the County Manager’s Office at 800 Exchange St., Suite 410 in Astoria.

Clatsop County has been collecting your stories for our Clatsop County Voices campaign. 

It was a pleasure to chat with Jane Donnelly about retiring in Clatsop County and experiencing the Great Coastal Gale of 2007 that had wind speeds up to 140 m.p.h. 

Listen too Jane and PJ's conversation, and more. 

We invite residents to send stories and photos of family memories that have been passed through generations or a personal recollection of a major event that happened in Clatsop County.

Share your story four ways:

1. Call 503-325-7870 and record your story
2. Record a conversation with a family member and upload the audio file
3. Email communications@clatsopcounty.gov to request an interview
4. Write up your story and send it to: Clatsop County; 800 Exchange St., Suite 410; Astoria, OR 97103 or communications@clatsopcounty.gov



Stories will be posted through June 30 at the Clatsop County Voices webpage. After that the County will donate them to the Clatsop County Historical Society.

For more information, visit ClatsopCounty.gov.

Septic Issues? Join 7 Clatsop County Homeowners Getting Help

Seven Clatsop County homeowners are now benefiting from the Northwest Oregon Septic Repair and Replacement program.

Clatsop County homeowners who need to repair or replace septic systems that are damaged, non-working or have failed are encouraged to look into a new program.

Financial assistance to help with the costs can be provided to individuals and homeowners. Depending upon eligibility they could receive a:



• Grant which does not have to be paid back
• No-interest, no payment loan, with a 30-year term or due when the title changes  

This program will serve up to 105 participants, both homes and small businesses. To be eligible, household income must be at 120% of area median income or less, and the septic system must be on private property in Columbia, Clatsop or Tillamook counties.

Call 503-410-5833 for an easy over-the-phone screening or fill out and mail in the form found in the link below. Staff is available to answer your questions and guide you through the process.

Application Form

You are invited to vote on youth-created videos showing the dangers of vaping.

Ten finalist videos will be posted at Clatsop County’s Escape the Vape web page Wednesday, April 17 through Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Individuals only may vote once.

The five videos with the highest vote count in each age category will win cash prizes for the youth and their school. 

Read more.

Clatsop County is seeking public comment on its amended Property Management Policy. The deadline to receive comments is May 5, 2024.

Read more.

Clatsop County Fair is accepting vendor applications for the 2024 Clatsop County Fair. The vendor application must be completed online. The deadline is Monday, July 1, 2024 or until capacity is reached.

Read more.

Crews will be:

• Grading Saddle Mountain Road
• Replacing culverts on Saddle Mountain Road and Wireless Road Wireless Road will be closed to through traffic during this operation
• Repaving on Youngs River Road at MP 6, weather permitting. Expect delays
• Applying herbicide Countywide, weather permitting

Traffic Impacts – County Roads | Week of April 29

• Youngs River Road, MP 6: Watch for loose gravel and reduce speed due to recent road repairs.

• Clatsop County recently completed installation of warning lights delineating the School Zone at Lewis & Clark School. The lights will notify motorists of the speed change through the School Zone during times when children can be dropped off and picked up. When the lights are flashing, speeds are limited to 20 mph. When not flashing, the speed through the School Zone is 35 m.p.h. Please be mindful of the congestion in the area which occurs during pickup times in the afternoon.

• Due to recent vandalism and theft of private logging operations alongside Pipeline Road, Lewis and Clark Timber will close the Pipeline Road gate from 12 p.m. Friday afternoons to 7:00 a.m. Monday mornings for the rest of the month of April. While vehicle traffic will be prohibited during the timeframe, public access is still available. Please report anything suspicious to the Sheriff’s Department.

Recording Hours Change

Recording office hours have changed to 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Recording information

We have developed a way for you to search for free for a document that has been recorded in Clatsop County without coming in or calling our office. 

Once you find the document you are looking for, you can request an email copy without paying a research fee.  

Just go to our website under Recording Information – Records Research, click on Locate a Document.

Passports

An appointment is required prior to coming in for new passport processing.

Routine service can take 6-8 weeks; Expedite service can take 2-3 weeks. Forms are available at www.travel.state.gov  

Clerk and Elections will not be processing passports on April 30. We will resume on May 1. See www.clatsopcounty.gov/clerk/page/passports for alternate acceptance agents.

Weddings

County Clerk will not be available to perform wedding ceremonies until June due to Primary Election processing.

Appointment Scheduling Saves You Time

Please go to our webpage and schedule an appointment for passports, park passes, marriage licenses, dog licenses, and recordings with us. 

If you do not have an appointment, you may be asked to wait if we are with someone that has scheduled an appointment.

Clatsop County is a great place to work. Find out about current Clatsop County career opportunities where you can make a difference every day.

• Control Room Technician. Closes 5/1/2024
• Electrical Inspector. Open until filled
• Environmental Health Specialist I/II. Closes 4/26/24
• Seasonal Road Worker - Flagger. Open until filled

If you have questions, concerns, feedback, or need assistance, please contact Human Resources. We’re happy to help!

Clatsop County is committed to being transparent and providing the information you need, when you need it.

Our new subscriptions webpage has a variety of email update topics and gives you the option of signing up or unsubscribing.