SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2018 | 7A
AGREEMENT from page 1A
long-term risks to human life
and property from the effects
of natural and manmade haz-
ards of all types and sources,
and to enhance capabilities to
prepare, respond and recov-
er from such incidents.’ We’re
working to prepare, respond
and recover from large-scale
disasters.”
WLEOG formed through
an IGA in 2007 under ORS
190.010, “which allows govern-
ment entities to come togeth-
er to work for a common goal
and share resources to do that,”
Messmer said.
It has eight main partner
agencies: The City of Florence,
the City of Dunes City, Siuslaw
Valley Fire and Rescue District,
Western Lane Ambulance Dis-
trict, the Port of Siuslaw, the
Mapleton Fire Department,
the Confederated Tribes of
the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and
Siuslaw Indians Police Depart-
ment and PeaceHealth Peace
Harbor Medical Center.
“We have associate members
as well that participate — basi-
cally any group that we see that
would help respond to a disas-
ter or help us plan to respond,”
Messmer said. “Our general
purpose is to coordinate our
emergency preparedness re-
sponse and recovery. We know
that all our agencies will play a
role in this, so we come togeth-
er to work on that.”
WLEOG provides training,
drills and education to the
community. Messmer listed
some of the group’s successes
and ongoing programs, includ-
ing the Be Ready! Preparedness
Expo, preparedness events with
Dunes City and Greentrees,
ALICE trainings with Florence
Police Department at schools
and businesses, amateur radio
drills with ARES/RACES vol-
unteers and printed and radio
information.
“We also do a lot of train-
ing,” Messmer said. “Over the
past few years, we’ve partici-
pated in the Cascadia Rising
Tabletop exercise, several ac-
tive threat drills and mass ca-
sualty drills. A lot of the mass
casualty drills that we do start
from the requirements that the
hospital has. They have to have
an influx of patients coming in,
and they have to train on that
annually. We’ve built off those
requirements that they have to
have it more of a community
drill, so we can put all of our
response agencies to the test to
make sure we’re prepared.”
These drills also allow the
WLEOG partner agencies to
practice the command struc-
ture used during an actual in-
cident.
“In the event of a natural di-
saster, or any disaster, and re-
sponse, we follow the incident
command system. Our com-
mand structure would be based
on the type of event. In general,
for most events we would have
a unified command, which
would include the fire chief,
the police chief and the ambu-
lance director,” Messmer said.
For day-to-day activities, the
WLEOG board and Messmer
as chair handle those duties.
During its update progress,
WLEOG decided on several
changes. The board approved
those on Oct. 25, as well as its
mission and rules of procedure.
“As the group has approved
an update to their IGA, it needs
to be ratified by each member
agency’s board, so in this case
the Florence City Council,”
Messmer said.
The council voted to approve
Resolution No. 19, Series 2018,
authorizing Mayor Joe Henry
to sign the IGA with WLEOG.
The other partner agencies
will be ratifying the updated
IGA over the next month.
For more information, visit
wleog.org.
COMMUNITY from page 1A
“I ask,” asked Tomeny, “were
any candidates harassed when
they declined to participant
at the recent events at the Elks
Club?”
This was in reference to a
candidate forum recently held
at the Elks Lodge, which coun-
cil candidate Maureen Milten-
berger declined to attend. (This
will be covered more fully later
in this article.)
“I’m not going to mention
names, you know who are, you
should be ashamed of your-
selves,” Tomeny added. “You
owe both Geraldine and the
community a public apology
and you should seriously con-
sider resigning.”
After the audience applauded
Tomeny’s statement, Carmela
West addressed the council.
“I am an Hispanic female,
proud citizen here in Florence.
I’ve been for the last year and a
half. … I am also very proud to
see that we do have a qualified
non-partisan female, Hispanic
female, running for city council.
Our country has truly turned
and advanced in many ways for
women entrepreneurs, and I
was very disheartened by some
of the events that happened,”
she said.
When describing the inter-
actions between Lucio, Greene
and Lacer, West said, “This kind
of passive-aggressive, hostile
and incredulous behavior, I feel,
is very unethical and immoral
to any candidate, much less a
female candidate of ethnicity.
And this type of bullying behav-
ior truly sets us back by decades
if this is who we want to be.”
West described the city as
thriving and ever-changing,
asking the council members
not to take their seats for grant-
ed.
“We expect grace to keep
you grounded; humility, so you
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Friday Evenings – 7 p.m. SINGSPIRATION
You are invited to come and sing your favorite Ole Time Gospel songs.
Come and enjoy a time of fellowship & refreshments before we sing.
Bay Berry Square is 1.5 miles north of Fred Meyers’ Store
88906 Highway 101 N, Florence, OR (milepost 185N)
For Info: Jack - 541-999-8278 + Ron - mccrary9483@gmail.com
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
Located at Munsel Lake Road and North Fork Road
Worship Services 10:00 AM Sunday
All are welcome! 541-997-7268
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH
4590 Hwy. 101, Across from Fred Meyer –- 997-7418
Sunday School, 9:30a.m. – Worship, 10:45
Wed. Prayer - 6:00 p.m. –Wed. Ministries 1-8 Grade 7 p.m.
CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD
Corner of 10th & Maple –997-3533
Wednesday, 7 p.m. - Family Connections
Adult Bible Class, 9:30am on Sundays.
Sunday Services, 9am and 10:45am.
fl orencecrossroad.org • offi ce@fl orencecrossroadag.org
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH - SBC
1935 25th St. – 997-7660 • Pastor, Ron Allen
Series “People of the Bible.” on Wednesdays 6 p.m.
A friendly place to worship, vacationers welcome.
Sun.; 11am & 6pm, Sunday school 9:45am.
FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
2nd & Ivy – 997-2961 –Non-Denominational
Worship Service: 9:00 am & 10:30 am
Middle School and High School youth groups meet on
Wednesday.
FLORENCE CHURCH OF CHRIST
Pre-Denominational (Romans 16:16)
1833 Tamarack Street (2 blocks east of Hwy. 101 on 18th St.)
Bible Study: Sunday 10 a.m.; Worship: Sunday 11 a.m.
www.churchofchristfl orence.org
FLORENCE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE
12th and Nopal –997-9020
Worship Service 10:30 a.m.
Saturdays, Mens’ Breakfast @ 8 a.m.
Online Worship Service@ www.fl orencenaz.com
FLORENCE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST
4445 Hwy 101 (South of Fred Meyer) – 997-3951
Worship on Saturday 10:30 A.M.
Adult/Children’s Sabbath School 9:15 A.M.
FLORENCE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
87738 Hwy 101 at Heceta Beach Road
RUAUU? All are welcome to explore the answer.
Sunday Worship Service ~ 10:00 a.m.
www.FlorenceUUF.org - (541) 997.2840
FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Worship Services 10:00 a.m. Sunday
Adult Classes at 9am; Children’s Sunday School at 10:30m
Coff ee Fellowship Following Service
2nd & Kingwood • (541) 997-6025
FOURSQUARE CHURCH
1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337
Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family.
Sun. Services: 10:45 a.m., Wed. Bible Study 7 p.m.
Website:fl orence4square.com
NEW LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH, E.L.C.A.
21st & Spruce Street – 997-8113
Adult Forum 9 a.m. – Sunday School 10:30 a.m.
Worship services; Sun. 10:30am & Mon. 5:00 pm
Welcome to all!
www.lutheranchurchfl orence.com
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF THE SIUSLAW
Traditional Worship Service 10:00 a.m. , Reverend Greg Wood
Sunday School and Nursery – Organ and Choir
All Welcome. Come as you are.
3996 N Hwy 101 997-7136
don’t forget who put you in
those positions; and the grit so
you always remember to keep
‘Florence First,’” West finished.
“Florence First” is Lucio’s
campaign slogan.
After the audience applaud-
ed West, Lucio supporter
Jacquie Beveridge addressed
the council, and was the first
speaker to name Greene and
Lacer specifically.
“Intimidating a candidate
in their place of business and
sending an email to that can-
didate encouraging them to
withdraw from the race is not
ethical or acceptable behavior.
Your actions have violated your
oath of office, and the ethics
you have sworn to uphold,”
Beveridge read from her state-
ment. “As elected public offi-
cials, you’ve sworn to observe
the requirements of state ethics
laws. … You are required to ad-
here to the laws of Oregon stat-
utes, especially 260.665, which
applies to undue influence to
affect candidacy, and states in
part ‘… a person either acting
alone, with or through, or any
other person, may not directly
or indirectly subject any per-
son to undue influence with
the intent to induce the person
to be, or refrain from or cease
being, a candidate.”
While the state statute Beve-
ridge referenced does prohibit
such behavior, it defines “un-
due influence” as “force, vio-
lence, restraint or the threat
of it, inflicting injury, damage,
harm, loss of employment or
other loss or the threat of it,
or giving or promising to give
money, employment or other
thing of value.”
None of these threats oc-
curred in the Lacer email, and
the only on-record account of
Greene’s meeting with Lucio,
from Greene himself, does not
support the state standard. City
of Florence staff looked into
legal concerns regarding the
email and found that no laws
were broken.
A complaint was registered
to the Oregon Office of the Sec-
retary of State against Greene
regarding the incident, but per
a letter addressed to Greene by
the organization, “Our office
reviewed the complaint and
closed the matter.”
However, Beveridge stated in
the meeting, “Your actions do
not represent me or any others
in this community, and I hope
that you will answer to the
proper authorities.”
The audience applauded, and
Greene and Lacer, having been
specifically named in the pub-
lic accusations, were allotted
time to speak by Henry.
“This is always going to
seem like a ‘he said, she said’
thing, so I will apologize first
and foremost in front of all of
you if I have caused any undue
pain or sorrow for you Geral-
dine,” said Greene, who went
on to share his account of the
event, and his explanation for
it (found in Part I, published
Oct. 24). “I am excited in hav-
ing young people in politics. So
please understand, in no way
was it my purpose to scare you
or intimidate you. And as you
remember, I said, ‘Be honest
about your position,’ and I gave
you a hug. We were happy. That
was never the intention, and it
was never what my words were.
But I do feel, from the other
side of the coin, that you should
be more prepared for position.
There’s truth in that, because of
what it requires.”
One person applauded, fol-
lowed by loud groans and jeers
from the audience.
Then Lacer spoke, thanking
the speakers.
“I know that it’s not easy to
come speak to our body, so I
appreciate you taking the time
to do that,” she said. “I’ve al-
ready apologized to Geraldine,
and I will do so publicly again,
and to the rest of the commu-
nity. I, in no way, intended to
harass or intimidate her. As I’ve
said before–”
“Oh, come on, we read your
email!” someone yelled in in-
terruption.
Lacer continued, “I have also
indicated to Geraldine, I, 100
percent, supported her when
she chose to run. I went and
collected signatures on her be-
half and was thrilled she was
running for council.”
Public comment ended at the
point and the usual city busi-
ness resumed. Towards the end
of the meeting, however, Coun-
cilor Ron Preisler discussed his
view of the public comments.
“I found the audience partic-
ipation extremely politicized,”
he said. “The group of people
were on one side of the fence,
and it was an organized activi-
ty in my mind. And the attack
on my fellow councilors I think
was totally inappropriate.”
The Siuslaw News cannot
confirm if the public speak-
ers were organized, though
Tomeny, who spoke with the
Siuslaw News, stated that his
participation wasn’t — he was
just furious about Lacer’s email
and offered to speak up. How-
ever, he can’t speak to the other
commentators, and saw how
the night could be seen as or-
chestrated.
“Actually when I left, the
speakers come up to me and
said, ‘Well that worked great,’”
Tomeny recalled.
It wouldn’t be the first time
that politics for this election
have entered the arena. That
would be January, when Henry
first met current council candi-
date Miltenberger.
See COMMUNITY page 9A
RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)
“War is still not the answer.” FCNL
We worship in homes at 11am Sundays
Call 997-4237 or 902-9511 for locations.
RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH,
L.C.M.S.
Every Sun., Bible Class 9 a.m., Worship Service 10 a.m.
85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038
DVD of Weekly worship service available.
Pastor Randy Benscoter
ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
2135 19th St. –- 997-6600
8:30am, Tuesdays, Morning Prayer
Sunday Services: 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. - Wed, 11 a.m.
Everyone Welcome – Come walk our Labyrinth.
SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE
DUNES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
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To be included in this directory contact
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information at 148 Maple St., Old Town, Florence.
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2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence
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