Lump, Morley in close race for Astoria City Council
Vance Lump, the owner of Astoria Wood Windows who made "housing first" the centerpiece of his campaign, was narrowly leading in Ward 4 for the Astoria City Council on Tuesday night, with Lisa Morley, a retired behavioral science consultant, close behind.
With most of the vote counted, Lump led Morley 45% to 42%. Mimi Rose, the owner of a commercial building downtown, was trailing at 12%.
"I am beyond thankful that the voters in Ward 4 are on track to show that they trust me to bring a fresh perspective and new energy to City Council," Lump wrote in a text to The Astorian. "There are still some votes to count so we will see where it eventually lands, but I'm confident I will have the most votes. I would like to thank the other candidates for running and I hope that they continue to be involved in the community.
"I'm ready to get to work on Astoria's housing crisis and I'm excited to be doing that with the new Council that I'll be working with in January."
Morley said she remains hopeful. "While the current numbers are close, I remain hopeful that once every mail-in vote is counted, the final result may yet turn in our favor," she said in an email. "I'm committed to representing Ward 4 and preserving the values that make Astoria the place we all love. Thank you again for your trust, support, and belief in our shared vision."
City Councilor Tom Hilton chose not to run for reelection, creating an open seat. The election to represent the eastern side of the city — covering Uppertown, Alderbrook and Emerald Heights — was largely concentrated on housing.
Lump, the vice president of the Astoria Housing Alliance, an advocacy group, framed his campaign around a message of more workforce and affordable housing.
Morley and Rose took different approaches.
Morley, who ran for the seat in 2020 and lost to Hilton by one vote, has opposed constructing new housing due to infrastructure concerns. She emphasized safety and traffic issues, advocating for the installation of a stoplight on U.S. Highway 30 near Emerald Heights.
Rose opposed developing new housing downtown due to concerns about parking. She was a vocal opponent of a workforce housing project at Heritage Square and has been active with Friends of Heritage Square, a group of residents that wants to create a public gathering place at the downtown block.
Rose made safety a priority, with particular emphasis on completing the installation of lights on the east side of the Astoria Riverwalk.
Andrea Mazzarella, a real estate agent, was unopposed in Ward 2, which covers the South Slope and parts of Uniontown. City Councilor Tom Brownson opted not to run for a third term representing the ward.
City Council pay
A ballot measure that would alter the city's policy on compensation for the mayor and City Council was on track to pass 71% to 29% on Tuesday night.
The measure amends the portion of the city's charter that allows for city councilors to receive a set amount of $60 a month and the mayor to receive $100 a month. Under the ballot measure, the responsibility for deciding compensation levels would shift to the nonelected members of the city's budget committee.
