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About The Columbia press. (Astoria, Or.) 1949-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 27, 2021)
The Columbia Press August 27, 2021 Senior Moments with Emma Edwards 7 Mayor’s Message by Henry Balensifer III A good time to clear closets Turning neighborhoods into campgrounds A few years ago, there was an article about hoarding in one of the home improve- ment magazines. Regardless of the mess, a hoarder is al- ways unorganized. After reading the article, I was able to determine that I am not a hoarder. Messy sometimes, yes. Disorga- nized, yes. But, to my credit, I try. There is a reality show on television called “Hoarders.” Few of us would qualify for that program, although we might be thankful if we did. Perhaps they pay partici- pants (I did not read that; I imagined it). Anyway, how did I get on this subject? I guess my mind has been on my own home. I’ve begun what may turn into a good plan. With COVID-19 restric- tions, I am spending a great deal more time at home. I am both messy and defi- nitely disorganized at times, but I have invented a way to better organize my home. I am thankful I don’t have a pantry, as experts tell us that’s often the messiest room in the home. I did have the satisfac- tion of unloading four long shelves in my hall closet where I have canned food and nonperishable items. I call it my mini pantry. My goodness, it was en- lightening finding items I’d forgotten I had and those I’d bought two or three times thinking I had run out. I must say, it looks lovely now. OK, I said I had a plan. You know we seniors need plans and a good one is to take one place in the house at a time and organize it. What a great sense of achievement, which results in a good feeling. Believe it or not, in my small home I have three large closets or storage ar- eas, two junk drawers and cupboards under and over both the sinks. I will be busy until Christ- mas if I tackle one area each day. Today I’m tackling the linen closet. I do lots of praying and thinking during my feeble at- tempts, but it’s a sure way of realigning my life. Some peo- ple sing and maybe there’s a song I could write. I could call it “Bless This Mess.” Another area I don’t dare look at yet are my six book- cases. So many knickknacks have found their way into and between my many books in- cluding pieces of my ladybug collection here, there, and ev- erywhere. A dear friend who is with the Lord now used to call my home a “happy house” when she came over to play Pinochle. I miss her positive attitude. And for the record, I am not a slob. I just need to learn prioritization daily and not just once a year. A deterrent to being messy sometimes crosses my mind, “What if I died and my kids did an estate sale and let ev- eryone thumb through my disorganization?” I will keep you posted on my mundane efforts and, maybe, once this pandemic says goodbye (and means it), I will invite you over. Warrenton has the most to offer when it comes to camp- ing on the North Oregon Coast. However, the steadily grow- ing free-for-all, with lawns becoming crowded camp- sites instead of neighborhood green spaces, has agitated many residents. The issue is not residents owning RVs and storing or prepping them at their hous- es. The issue is the transfor- mation of residential neigh- borhoods into RV parks. Usually, there are a few trailers here and there, scat- tered about our city’s lawns during Buoy 10 season or during the occasional family visit. We have a permit process for that. Admittedly it’s not the best, but we are working on that. When COVID hit, we ini- tially evicted short-term campers and visitors. However, it went from won- dering if visitors would come back, to having an influx of visitors, restless from state mandates/restrictions. Now, some neighborhood streets -- already cramped with the homeowners’ cars and trailers -- are having to fit visitor cars and trailers, exacerbating the issue. Locals have complained about having their neighbor- hoods turn into campgrounds and all that entails: illegal fires (that includes burning of trash), increased litter, raucous and loud behavior late at night, and — worst of all — people dumping their trailer septic into ditches or wetlands, which are both a health and safety issue and aggravating for everyone who has to live next to it. In some cases, people aban- don their trailer or RV in town, the proper disposal of which costs the public thou- sands. While the bulk of com- plaints have to do with rec- reational visitors, recent leg- islation regarding houseless individuals is also being con- sidered in how this issue is approached in our city. The City Commission con- ducted a work session on this issue in June and reviewed a proposed framework for reg- ulation this week. As I see it, the issue at hand is not a question of how do we allow RV camping in neigh- borhoods. The question is what kind of city do we want to live in? Should residents be able to live in a neighborhood, or a de facto RV Park? The question is broad, and we will be tasking the Plan- ning Commission to delve into the issue, and then the City and Planning commis- sions will have a joint ses- sion to finalize the proposal, which will go forward for public hearings. I do not anticipate most of this work to be moving for- ward for votes until the end of this year, or early next year, but I think it’s important to note this is being approached with careful and frequent de- liberation.