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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 25, 2016)
OPINION 6A THE DAILY ASTORIAN FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016 At the PAC, for the PAC W riter’s N otebook By DENISE REED For The Daily Astorian T he PAC refers to the Clatsop Community College Performing Arts Center on the corner of 16th and Franklin in Astoria. So what is our — the PAC partners — goal The building was once a church, then the for the center? When we came together origi- college bought it and converted it to a per- nally our goals were set out clearly: to preserve forming arts center, housing classes in music, the PAC for rehearsals for all of the volunteer dance and drama, as well as rehearsals and members of the community who played, sang, performances. acted and danced there, and to offer affordable For years, it was not used for this purpose entertaining concerts for the community. when the college eliminated its performing Our long range goals included the offer- arts department. Several community groups ing of music, dance, and drama instruction have continued to meet and rehearse in the LQVRPHIRUP¿OOLQJWKHYRLGOHIWE\WKHFRO- facility. lege. Not only the partners, but many scholarly For a period of time, it has also been used authorities, believe that education in the disci- by other college programs and department plines of the performing arts is essential for the RI¿FHV )RU WKH ODVW IRXU WR ¿YH \HDUV YRLFH development of members of a discerning and and piano courses have been taught there, and empathetic society. students receive college credit for these les- We want the PAC to be more than a “com- sons and for participation in the chorale and munity center” but a place where the commu- orchestra. nity can come together and practice, listen to, Many new residents of the community are and perform together. That is the key, not just unaware of the PAC’s present usage and its discussion of problems that may arise in all history as a vibrant facility associated with our communities, but working, singing, playing, college. and performing together. This is what makes The center’s partners have revised the a community. facility to be used for what the col- Through the years since com- lege initially bought it for. ing to Astoria in 2007, I have heard “Bach Around the Clock,” an many stories relating happy mem- all-night event the showcased com- ories of happenings at the PAC. munity performing arts, was the Organ lessons and student dance ¿UVWHYHQWDLPHGDWUDLVLQJIXQGVWR recitals are just a few. maintain the facility. The wife of the former organist This event came after a ruling at Trinity Lutheran Church, which the PAC would no longer be an purchased the organ long before entity of the college with college the college bought the church and programs since there was no lon- turned it into a performing arts cen- ger a performing arts department. ter, related to me that on Christ- Denise We were urged to come together mas Eve, the church had to hold Reed to decide if we wanted to continue three services to accommodate our programs (rehearsals and concerts). At all of the community members who came to one time the college received funds from the this event. Other community members spoke government for members of the community about bringing their children, who are now in who participated in community groups that their 50s, to brown bag concerts. Many stories met at the PAC. This was stopped, I believe abound about those who performed and prac- when federal and state funds began to dry ticed at the facility as well. Maybe you have a up. story to tell about your experiences. I would “Bach Around the Clock” was followed love to hear about them and perhaps compile by a revival of the musical “Hitching,” by a book of events through the years at the PAC. local Brownsmead Flats. Even before these The PAC partners are accessed a fee by special events, the North Oregon Coast Con- the college to practice and perform at the cen- cert Band, the North Coast Chorale, and the ter, consequently each month we are counting North Oregon Coast Symphony continued to beans to make sure this community facility rehearse at the center weekly and held several stays above ground. Many of us volunteer in concerts a year. There were other local com- the areas of maintenance and custodial clean munity members who also maintained regu- up. lar concert programing at the PAC, before the It is the perfect space for the community college became interested in divesting itself events that occur there, and we would like from this facility. When this happened, the to keep it as a community venue, just as it group of regular users of the facility stepped is but with necessary upgrades. We need the up to the plate and was intent on saving the help of the community for this to happen. center for rehearsals of community organi- Please support our efforts by attending con- zations and for affordable concerts for the certs, plays, lectures and other events that are community. there. Become a sponsor. The PAC building is Since then, there have been several drama a part of the community, let’s keep it for the productions, individuals from inside and out- community. side the community have performed here in Denise Reed is the director of the North support of keeping the doors open. Coast Chorale, an adjunct instructor at Clat- This brings us to the fact that the size of the sop Community College, sits on the board of PAC is perfect for small community events, the Oregon Humanities and is a special con- speakers, singers and instrumentalists. tributor to The Daily Astorian. Denise Reed/For The Daily Astorian The stage at the Performing Arts Center. It is the perfect space for the community events that occur there, and we would like to keep it as a community venue, just as it is but with necessary upgrades. Open forum Support recall expressing their support for Balzer. A number n recent newspaper articles and letters to the of similar letters from community members editor, the board of directors of the Cannon were also given to the board. Beach Rural Fire Protection District has repeat- 7KH PDLOHU KLJKOLJKWV ¿UH GLVWULFW DFFRP- HGO\GHIHQGHGWKH¿ULQJRIWKHFKLHIDVDPDWWHU plishments over the past 20 years, all of them RIWKHLU¿GXFLDU\UHVSRQVLELOLW\WRWKHFRPPX- FRPSOHWHGGXULQJ%DO]HU¶VWHQXUHDV¿UH¿JKWHU nity. Fiduciary responsibility is taking care of and chief, while ignoring his contributions. The another’s matters, in this case our public safety. mailer states that the recall will only appease a It requires trust, honesty and good faith. small group of people not associated with the 7KHERDUGKDVYLRODWHGLWV¿GXFLDU\UHVSRQVL- ¿UHGLVWULFW,DPKRQRUHGWRVWDQGZLWKPRUH ELOLW\WR0LNH%DO]HUE\¿ULQJKLPZLWKRXWDGH- than 150 Cannon Beach residents who signed quate cause. In doing so, they’ve also violated the recall petitions. As Cannon Beach residents WKHLU ¿GXFLDO UHVSRQVLELOLW\ WR WKH FRPPXQLW\ and taxpayers, we are all associated with our by exposing it to thousands of dollars of extra ¿UH¿JKWHUV expense and a wrongful termination lawsuit. $V D IRUPHU ¿UVW UHVSRQGHU , DP PRVW Board members continue to dodge their respon- SURXG RI RXU YROXQWHHU ¿UH¿JKWHUV DQG WKHLU sibility by continuing their assault on Balzer and service, leaving their families and putting their his supporters in print and social media. own lives at risk to protect our community. It Many of the letters and articles are based on is well past time for a change in the Cannon misinformation, mistruths and plain untruths. Beach RFPD board of directors. Please vote Over the past years, Cannon Beach residents “yes” to support the recall. have all observed Balzer doing what he was ERIC REITER hired for, to protect our community, even as he Tolovana Park was being assigned a myriad of extra tasks by board members, without the necessary support to complete them. It is an interesting side note *et ÀuorLGe out that the board, in its March meeting, voted to aving the courage to stand up for your fund a matching grant from the Special Dis- beliefs is something we all strive for. Hav- tricts Association of Oregon (SDAO) to hire ing the science to support your convictions is an intern to assist the chief with his adminis- HTXDOO\ LPSRUWDQW WRR :KHQ WKH SUR ÀXR- trative duties. ride editorial appeared on March 14, I was left Cannon Beach voters recently received wondering how a sensible dialogue regarding a mailer signed by the three members facing WKHSUHVHQWVWDWHRIZDWHUÀXRULGDWLRQLQ$VWR- recall. In it, they claim to have received only ria could continue (“Thank you LaMear, Price VL[ OHWWHUV IURP ¿UH¿JKWHUV VXSSRUWLQJ FKLHI and Warr,” The Daily Astorian). %DO]HU$W WKH ERDUG PHHWLQJ RI 1RY ¿UH- , GLGQ¶W VHH DQ\ UHVHDUFK RQ ZDWHU ÀXRUL- ¿JKWHU(ULN0H\HUSUHVHQWHGDSDFNHWFRQWDLQ- dation in the article. Since being diagnosed LQJ OHWWHUV VLJQHG E\ &DQQRQ %HDFK ¿UH- with hypothyroidism in the mid-1990s, I try ¿JKWHUV TXHVWLRQLQJ WKH ERDUG¶V DFWLRQV DQG DQGDYRLGLQJHVWLRQRIÀXRULGHFRPSRXQGVLQ I H such things as water, toothpaste, foodstuffs, etc. One of the latest and largest epidemiolog- ical studies in England showed “higher levels RIÀXRULGHLQGULQNLQJZDWHUSURYLGHDXVHIXO contribution for predicting the prevalence of hypothyroidism.” :KDWHOVHGRZHNQRZDERXWLQJHVWLQJÀX- oride? Plenty. The Department of Health and Human Services lowered the recommended OHYHORIÀXRULGHLQZDWHUWRPJSHUOLWHU+DV Astoria done this? Since the typical target of ZDWHUÀXRULGDWLRQLVFKLOGUHQZK\DUHZHWU\- ing to publicly medicate a small group with absolutely no controls in place? 6WLFN ZLWK WRRWKSDVWH ÀXRULGH WUHDWPHQWV and get it out of our water supply. Councilor Zetty Nemlowill was right in bringing this to the table. THOMAS OWEN Astoria No thanks T he news that the grocery store we fre- quent is being replaced by a brew pub? That is the last thing we need, and will change the fabric of this small but close-knit commu- nity. I must say that I am in shock that this has been passed (“Brew pub plan gets conditional go-ahead,” The Daily Astorian, March 14). It ZLOOEHOLNHKDYLQJWKH¿UHPHQ¶VEDOO It is not in the best interest of the peo- ple who live in Gearhart. My husband and I strongly object to this ridiculous approval by members of the Planning Commission. There are more places to get a beer than one can count, so leave Gearhart out. LIZ AND ED MEANEY Gearhart Vote no recall P lease vote no on the recall of three Cannon Beach fire board directors. I support the Cannon Beach Fire District Board of Directors, as do the majority of the fire district officers at our last officers’ meeting. In the 10 years I have been a volun- teer for the fire department, this board has always been there for us and the district taxpayers. They are very supportive of the fire fighters, and have always made the effort to give us the best equipment and training available. Recalling three of these directors, and turning control of our district over to the Clatsop County Commissioners, will not benefit the fire department, or the taxpayers of our district. Again, please vote no. BRIAN SMITH Lieutenant, Cannon Beach Fire & Rescue *ooG neZs" T he news of the great number of vis- itors to Astoria from cruise ships is quite exciting, and what a great boost for our merchants — however, I wonder if Ore- gon LNG sets up shop, will the cruise ships still visit us, or just go on by? It is possible they will cross us off their list of ports to visit, and we will lose that added boost to our economy. Do we really need that big bomb sitting there in our yard, just waiting for a mishap to cause ignition? I wonder if it’s really the right thing for us. DON V. JOHNSON Astoria STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher • LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager • CARL EARL, Systems Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager • DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager Founded in 1873
