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About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2016)
2A • January 1, 2016 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com Fire district minutes delivered after records request By R.J. Marx Cannon Beach Gazette Meeting minutes from the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District Board shed little light on the ¿ring of MiNe Bal]er as ¿re chief “This is strictly business, not personal,” Director Gar- ry Smith said at the board’s 2ctober meeting After reasons for the chief’s dismissal were not immediately released and the board minutes were withheld, the ¿ring resulted in outrage from those who felt the announcement was “in poor taste” After the Cannon Beach Gazette submitted a state public records request, all 2015 meeting minutes were deliYered last weeN According to the 2ct 12 meeting minutes, in an- nouncing the dismissal of the chief, Smith said, “There was an expectation that (Bal- zer) would learn the job and improve and follow through in working with the board as a partner, not a manager” Members voted 4-1 to terminate Balzer’s employ- ment as of that night, based on his “lack of improved performance for his job over the last three years” President Sharon Clyde said there “has been fric- tion” between Balzer and ¿re¿ghters Board members Linda Beck-Sweeney, Mark Mek- enas, Smith and Clyde voted for the dismissal In voting to maintain Balzer, board member Bob Cerelli said “he has not seen” any problems with Balzer and the other ¿re¿ghters Board members asked Balzer to return his keys and the ¿re district’s phone once he retrieved information he needed from it The next morning, Balzer was locked out of his of¿ce At the board’s November meeting, members of the public took the board to task for Balzer’s ¿ring Community member Erik Meyer said the board should have placed Balzer on administrative leave for transparency and given him a chance “to save face” “He has been a respected member of this ¿re depart- ment for more years than any of us can remember,” community member Alaina Giguiere said “And, truly, for you guys to terminate him in the manner that you did is disgusting and disre- spectful and reprehensible And I think you owe him and all of us a complete apology” Smith said Balzer was given the chance to resign or retire The board gave Balzer multiple opportuni- ties and presented him with a time frame in June, “so he wasn’t just suddenly ousted out of the ¿re department,” Smith said Assistant Chief Frank Swedenborg was initially appointed interim chief, but Swedenborg, who is ready to retire, stepped aside for an outside interim appointee, Jim Stearns Stearns, of Hermiston, spent 31 years — 20 as chief — with Hermiston Fire and Emergency Services The district board is scheduled to meet Monday, Jan 11, at pm, 1 : 2nd Second St in Cannon Beach sisted Cannon Beach Fire Rescue with medical call at the Stephanie Inn. Patient was transported to Providence Seaside Hospital. 4:32 p.m. 200 Block North Hem- lock: Property found. Found key fob on beach turned in. Owner located and item returned to owner.VM CANNON BEACH POLICE LOG Dec. 13 12:31 a.m. Wayside Tolovana: Camping within city limits. Sub- jects warned for unlawful lodging. 1:40 a.m. Second Street Re- strooms: Camping within city limits. Subjects warned for un- lawful lodging. 1:17 p.m. 700 Block North Hem- lock: Domestic argument deter- mined to be civil in nature. 1:42 p.m. 1300 Block Hemlock: Assistance rendered. Cable cord was disconnected from a power polie. The cable company was contacted and a cone was placed by the cable. Dec. 15 12:08 a.m. Block East Jackson St.: Assist other agency. Officers responded to a medic alert signal with a request for police response. Call ultimately determined to be medical and EMS was dispatched. Senior Services and CBH will be notified due to officer’s concern. 1:07 a.m. Hills Lane: Welfare check. Report of male lying in the grass next to the roadway. Male was gone before arrival. Unable to locate. 12:56 p.m. Hemlock: Welfare check. Report of an elderly lady wandering on Hemlock, reporting party was unsure if she was lost. Officers unable to locate. Dec. 16 2:58 p.m. 100 Block East Gower: Property found. 3:26 p.m. Silver Point, Property found: Found wallet turned in to police department. Returned to owner, Dec. 18 4:45 p.m. 200 Block N Spruce: Property found. Found prescrip- tion glasses. 5:20 p.m. North entrance: Mo- tor vehicle accident. Report of a one-vehicle collision, vehicle rolled off roadway and down in to ravine. Found vehicle and directed fire department and Medix per- sonnel to vehicle then provided traffic control. 5:35 p.m. Highway/viewpoint: Suspicious circumstances.Re- ceived a report of suspicious activity, truck parked next to spray paint on guard rail. De- layed response due to priority call. Checked area, spray paint was not new. 9:31 p.m., Highway 101 N. En- trance: Assist other agent.Backed up Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office with traffic stop. Unsure why case was given. Dec. 17 12:48 a.m. 5000 Block Underhill Road: Suspicious circumstances. EMS Call- Reported heavily intoxi- cated male with erratic breathing. Arrived and found Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office already on scene, home owner advised this was be- coming a trespass issue. Deputy advised. 8:25 a.m., Block Beach St. Missing CUSTOM HOMES | REMODELING | person. Report of missing person, later located by family. 1:55 p.m., 1400 Block South Spruce St.: Assist other agent. Officer checked the residence, no answer. 2:32 p.m. East Sunset Blvd Exit: Traffic complaint. Report of septic truck in wrong lane of traffic on the exit towards Elk Creek Road, near encounter with a bus, no accident, officer unable to locate offending vehicle. 6:23 p.m. Pacific/Hemlock. Assis- tance rendered. Report of water coming up from under roadway. Checked area and found that due to heavy rain, excessive rain water was bubbling up from man hole cover. 8:51 p.m. Sunset /Hemlock: Sus- picious circumstances. 10:08 p.m. 100 Block East Gow- er:Property found. During patrol returned to Cannon Beach Police Department to find a key ring hanging on door. Returned to owner. Dec. 18 an employee. Dec. 19 12:25 a.m. 500 Block Lea Way: As- sist other agent. Assisted Seaside Police Department and Seaside Fire and Rescue with house fire. 2:09 p.m. 1600 Block S Spruce St.: Assistance rendered. Assisted citizen with entry to residence. 2:39 a.m. 2700 Block Pacific: Emergency medical response. As- 5:51 p.m. Ecola State Park: As- sist other agent. Officer located and gave a courtesy ride to a lost citizen. P urcha s e this unexpected gift fo r the fa m ily a nd m a ke yo ur bea ch ho us e w is hes co m e true! H oliday Special! 4241 S H e m lo ck C a n n o n Be a ch From the m in u te you open the fron t d oor you ’ll see this isn ’t you r typica l b ea ch hou se. W a rm a n d in vitin g, this 2 b ed room , 2 b a th hom e is ju st on e b lock to the b ea ch. Am en ities in clu d e: G a s firepla ce, solid w ood b ea m s, ced a r throu ghou t, 5 0 yr. m eta l roof, 19 ft. ceilin gs, ga s hook u p on d eck, ca rpet in b ed room s / loft, a ll a pplia n ces & gen era tor hook- u p. Let’s go to the b ea ch! $ 49 9 ,0 0 0 12:58 p.m. Highway 101: Assist other agency. Assisted Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office on traffic stop with warrant arrest. K9 sniff. No alert. 1:48 p.m. 900 Block South Hem- lock Suspicious circumstances. Offi- cer saw open door on a business and checked premises. It was C h ris C h ildress Prin cipal Brok er D u an e Joh n son Real Estate 1-800-453-3167 ch ris@ du an ejoh n son .com D U A N E J O H N SO N R E A L E ST A T E 296 N . 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