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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
Risley, Benefield prevail in Bonamici cruises to victory
Cannon Beach council race Democrat will
Voters approve
new fire levy
By BRENNA VISSER
The Daily Astorian
CANNON BEACH —
Real estate agent Robin Risley
and Cannon Beach City Coun-
cilor Mike Benefield overtook
hotelier Greg Swedenborg for
the two open seats on the City
Council.
With most of the votes
counted, Risley had the lead
with 37.1 percent, and Bene-
field held off Swedenborg 32
percent to 29.2 percent.
Mayor Sam Steidel, who
ran unopposed, won a second
four-year term.
While amicable, the City
Council race was notably more
aggressive compared to recent
years, with candidates buck-
ing the trend of keeping local
advertising and yard signs out
of the campaign.
Much of the campaign
was defined by the candi-
dates shared goals of address-
ing workforce housing and
financing large capital proj-
ects like City Hall and South
Wind development, as well as
the evergreen task of managing
a tourism industry with local
quality of life.
Benefield, who is return-
ing for a second term, said
he would focus on creating
workforce housing, redirect-
ing lodging tax dollars to go
toward investing more in pub-
lic art and developing an event
center at the old Cannon Beach
Elementary School.
“I’m very happy to see the
majority of our voters seem
to appreciate the vision that
I have and also Robin has …
We’re very similar in that
way,” Benefield said. “I think it
ought to be a good council to
work with.”
Risley, a longtime resident
and real estate agent, is joining
the council after three decades
of public service on planning
commissions, parks boards and
the Cannon Beach Chamber
of Commerce board. Risley’s
campaign largely focused on
developing the Cannon Beach
Elementary School property,
housing, rebuilding City Hall,
bolstering the arts and “pre-
serving the character of Can-
non Beach.”
“I’m very excited and
thrilled for the support,” Ris-
ley said. “I can’t thank every-
one enough. I’m looking for-
ward to making a difference.”
A Cannon Beach native
and co-owner of The Waves
Oceanfront Lodging, Sweden-
borg ran to act as a voice for
the business community and
working families. In his first
bid for public office, Sweden-
borg’s campaign mainly cen-
tered around creating work-
force housing, sustainable
tourism and supporting paid
parking initiatives, as well
as a food and beverage tax to
address congestion and infra-
structure repairs.
“I strongly believe that in
the voting population there are
a ton of people who moved
here in 1999, 2000 — choose
the year — and don’t want it
to change. Then I come with a
platform about changing things
— the food and beverage
tax, parking … that’s a lot of
change they don’t want to see,”
he said. “You’ve heard of ‘Can-
not Beach’ before? I think that
motto holds true, and I don’t
think we’re going to see a lot of
change.”
Swedenborg said overall his
first bid for public office was
positive and congratulated his
opponents.
He intends to run again and
Risley and Benefield should
expect him to be “a usual sus-
pect” at City Council meetings,
he said.
Sixty percent of Cannon
Beach voters also approved
a five-year renewal of the fire
levy Tuesday night, which pays
for the fire chief’s salary, vehi-
cles, administrative costs and
supplies. The levy will raise the
tax rate to $0.19 per thousand
of assessed property value, up
from an average $0.14 voted
in five years ago. The measure
initially failed during a Sep-
tember special election due to
low voter turnout.
“I am extremely happy the
citizens of the fire district went
out and voted to support hav-
ing a fire chief for the next five
years,” Fire Chief Matt Bene-
dict said. “The district needs a
fire chief.”
Balensifer elected Warrenton mayor
Prevails over
Washington
By KATIE
FRANKOWICZ
The Daily Astorian
WARRENTON — Mayor
Henry Balensifer handily
defeated challenger and Ham-
mond resident John Washing-
ton on Tuesday.
Balensifer,
communica-
tions manager for Lektro Inc.,
has served on the Planning
Commission and was elected
to the City Commission in
2012. He was appointed
as mayor last year to serve
out the remainder of former
Mayor Mark Kujala’s term
after Kujala stepped down. He
promised to run for election to
the post this year.
Washington, a retired auto-
motive technician and com-
mercial truck driver, ran a
door-to-door campaign with
an emphasis on increased gov-
ernment transparency and a
renewed focus on Hammond.
“I take this election to be a
vote of confidence in the (City
Commission’s) direction and
the goals it has set as well as
affirmation of the good work
we’ve begun in the last two
years since I took on the role of
mayor,” Balensifer said after
earning 74 percent of the vote
to Washington’s 25.2 percent.
“It’s been full steam ahead
since I took over as mayor,” he
added. “And I don’t expect the
pace to stop.”
The race was the first time
Washington had pursued a
public office and said it will
likely be his last. He has no
plans to be involved in city
government now that the cam-
paign is over.
“The people have spoken,
and congratulations to him,”
Washington said. “Next time I
see him, I’ll shake his hand.”
Housing, livability and eco-
nomic development emerged
as dominant themes during the
campaign.
Washington was firm in
his belief that the city could
do more to promote the build-
ing of affordable and work-
force housing, while Balen-
sifer pointed often to steps the
city has been taking to better
understand its housing mar-
ket. Balensifer chaired a com-
mittee for a countywide hous-
ing study.
Balensifer cited his proven
track record within city gov-
ernment and his ability to
cooperate with other commis-
sioners. He has helped to push
forward city ownership of the
Hammond Marina, as well
as revisit long-term planning
documents to help guide future
development. He has also held
a number of town halls and
community meetings to meet
with citizens and discuss city
issues and projects.
Washington, too, noted that
the mayor is just one person
on a five-member commission
and cooperation with other
members is key. He clashed
with City Commissioner
Rick Newton at a meeting in
October, however, follow-
ing an incident where New-
ton crashed a meet-and-greet
Washington was hosting.
Newton disputed Wash-
ington’s claims that the city
wasn’t doing enough to inform
citizens or deal with ongo-
ing issues like the elk herds
that roam Warrenton and
Hammond.
Newton, who was unop-
posed, won re-election to
a second four-year term on
Tuesday.
serve in the
majority
By EDWARD
STRATTON
The Daily Astorian
U.S.
Rep.
Suzanne
Bonamici cruised to vic-
tory Tuesday over Republi-
can challenger John Verbeek
and Libertarian Drew Layda
in the state’s 1st Congressio-
nal District.
The district covers Clat-
sop, Columbia, Washington
and Yamhill counties, along
with a northwestern portion
of Multnomah County. Dem-
ocrats heavily outnumber
Republicans and have long
dominated.
“Now that the election is
over, my hope is that mem-
bers of Congress can work
together to improve the
lives of all Oregonians and
Americans,” the congress-
woman said in a statement
after winning 63.5 percent
of the vote. “I will continue
to champion quality pub-
lic education because edu-
cating our future leaders
is a good investment. I’ll
continue to work to make
higher education, housing
and health care more acces-
sible and affordable. I’ll
fight for a robust investment
in infrastructure to boost our
economy and create good
jobs. And I will persist in
my fight to protect the envi-
ronment, preserve our natu-
ral resources, and safeguard
public health.”
Bonamici, a consumer
protection attorney, has not
faced a serious challenge
since the Democrat defeated
Republican Rob Cornilles
in a 2012 special election to
replace former Democratic
Rep. David Wu. She will
get her first chance to serve
in the majority after Demo-
crats captured the House on
Tuesday.
Her campaign committee
has raised nearly $1 million
over the past two years. Nei-
ther Verbeek nor Layda have
campaign committees.
Verbeek, a financial
adviser, has previously run
for the state Legislature and
Metro regional government
in Portland. Layda, who
owns a diving equipment
company in Portland, was
backed by the Libertarian
and Pacific Green parties.
Before
Congress,
Bonamici served two years
each in the state House
and Senate. Her committee
assignments include Educa-
tion and the Workforce and
Science, Space and Tech-
nology. She is the co-chair-
woman of caucuses around
education, ocean health,
estuaries and nursing.
Smith takes Gearhart council race
Voters also
OK pot taxes
By R.J. MARX
The Daily Astorian
GEARHART — City
Councilor Kerry Smith won
re-election on Tuesday night
to Position 1, defeating chal-
lenger Jack Zimmerman.
“I would like to thank the
voters of Gearhart for giving
me the opportunity to repre-
sent them again,” Smith said
after winning 69.4 percent
of the vote to Zimmerman’s
29.3 percent. “I appreciate
their faith in my work and
what I have accomplished in
the last four years. … As we
move forward, I renew my
commitment to listening to
my constituents and direct-
ing Gearhart in a positive
direction.”
Smith is an independent
contractor and has lived in
Gearhart for 33 years. He
started his own business
26 years ago and primar-
ily has done home remodels
in Gearhart and Seaside. He
has served as a city councilor
since 2014.
Smith has called a new
fire station the city’s most
important concern. The exist-
ing fire station, built in 1958
and liable to collapse and
flood during a Cascadia Sub-
duction Zone earthquake and
tsunami, is the topic of years
of conversation.
City Councilor Paulina
Cockrum, who was unop-
posed, won re-election to
Position 3.
Cockrum, a Gearhart res-
ident since 1976, served on
the Planning Commission
before her appointment to the
council in 2015. Her goal is
to “practice stewardship and
work to make Gearhart a bet-
ter place when I leave than
when I started.”
Pot taxes
Gearhart voters approved
a 3 percent tax on marijuana
sales.
Gearhart was among a few
cities to vote in a tax prior to
the legalization of recreational
cannabis. In 2014, shortly
before state voters approved
Measure 91, the city passed
an ordinance requiring a 10
percent tax on the sale of rec-
reational marijuana and a 5
percent tax for a medical mar-
ijuana registry cardholder.
The city sought to reduce
the tax to keep it line with
other cities on the North
Coast.
County voters on Tuesday
also approved a 3 percent tax
on marijuana sales.
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2018-19 | 29TH SEASON
COLUMBIAFORUM
November 13, 2018 • 6 p.m.
What Just Happened?
A look at the November 6, 2018 general Election.
John Horvick
Vice President and Political Directory
at DHM Research
Barber keeps role as Seaside mayor
Rec expansion
bond defeated
By R.J. MARX
The Daily Astorian
SEASIDE — “Let Sea-
side Keep Its Mayor,” read
the lawn signs throughout the
city. Voters heard the request,
as Mayor Jay Barber on Tues-
day defeated challenger John
Chapman, owner and operator
of KSWB Productions LLC/
Radio Clatsop.
Barber, a former city coun-
cilor who filled the vacant seat
of the late former Mayor Don
Larson in 2016, has lived in
Seaside for 11 years. The for-
mer president of Warner Pacific
University and pastor of a com-
munity church in Red Bluff,
California, Barber and his wife,
Jan, have four grown children
and five grandsons.
With all members of the
City Council returning next
year, Barber seeks continuity to
pursue projects already under-
way, including a $15 million
Seaside Civic and Convention
Center remodel, urban renewal
and providing city infrastruc-
ture to relocate schools outside
the tsunami inundation zone.
“I really appreciate the faith
the voters have expressed by
voting for me,” Barber said
after taking 60.1 percent of the
vote to Chapman’s 37.8 per-
cent. “I look forward to work-
ing with our council, which
stays intact as well for the next
four years. We live in a great
city, and we’ve got a future
ahead. I’m honored to be able
to serve.”
City Council
City Councilors Steve
Wright, Tita Montero and Dana
Phillips each ran unopposed in
Ward 1, Ward 2, and Ward 3
and 4.
Montero, a councilor since
2010, touted council accom-
plishments during the cam-
paign, and cited the need for
continued work on workforce
housing, homelessness, city
infrastructure, emergency pre-
paredness and quality of life.
Phillips, elected in 2010,
said she was proud of opportu-
nities to assist residents when
they have had issues and raised
concerns, citing her advo-
cacy for those seeking park-
ing access for people with
disabilities.
Wright
moved
from
Gresham to Seaside in 2014.
He worked 35 years for an
international grain exporter,
retiring as chief financial offi-
cer in 2013.
Rec bond defeated
Sixty-six percent of Sunset
Empire Park and Recreation
District voters gave a thumbs
down to a $20 million bond to
expand the Broadway aquatic
facility. The measure would
have funded the expansion of
district facilities and provided
indoor recreation space at the
Sunset Pool, opened in 1977.
The tax rate for the bonds was
70 cents per $1,000 in property
value, or $140 annually for a
home with an assessed value of
$200,000.
On Tuesday night, Sky-
ler Archibald, the rec dis-
trict’s executive director, said
the organization has strived to
meet the needs of residents and
guests by providing high-qual-
ity recreation programs and
facilities.
“While the results of Mea-
sure 4-196 are not what we
were hoping for, we’ll continue
to work to meet those needs,”
Archibald said. “Throughout
our process, we have repeat-
edly heard from our residents
of the need for more indoor rec-
reation space to increase com-
munity health and wellness.
The district will be proactive
in seeking out opportunities to
provide that space both for the
interim and for the perpetual
future.”
John regularly presents to the public
officials, boards of directors, nonprofit
groups and regional and national
conferences, including Portland Business
Alliance, Pacific Northwest Waterways
Association, and Oregon Society of
American Foresters. John’s insights and
commentary for DHM, can often be
found in local media such as OPB, the
Pamplin Media Group, the Oregonian,
the Willamette Week, as well as in
various national publications.
Columbia Forum Sponsors:
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COLUMBIAFORUM 2018-19
Next: OSU Marine Mammal Science • February 20, 2019
For reservations, to become a
member or be added to contact list:
Contact Holly Larkins
at 503-325-3211x227
or forum@dailyastorian.com
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Chef Chris Holen’s NEKST EVENT
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at the foot of 12th St.
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RSVP by November 11, 2018
Members: Dinner & Lecture $25 each; Lecture only free.
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