4A • March 25, 2016 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com
Views from the Rock
I ask you — Can any man
really control his spouse?
Wildlife Center
of the North
Coast needs your
funding support
A
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curious detour in the Mike Balzer
civil rights lawsuit is Mrs. Balzer.
Mike Balzer is the former
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missed from his job in October
for alleged poor job performance and friction
with the board.
Balzer was dismissed from his role, direc-
tors said, because of poor evaluations and a
lack of improvement from the chief.
A
May
2015 evalua-
tion provides CANNON
these comments
regarding Bal- SHOTS
zer’s quality of R.J. MARX
work:
“Crab
Feed: Thorough-
ness was inadequate. Too many people were left
off the invitation list and feelings were hurt.”
“2014-15 Budget: The budget was poorly
executed and presented by the chief.”
Balzer is described as having “anger and
poor attitude.”
Final comments from the directors urge
Balzer to “develop/rebuild working relation-
ships with all associates,” “seek training and
build a network of resources,” and “learn to
love the job.”
And there was one more reason commis-
sioners wanted Balzer out.
They didn’t like his wife’s postings on
Facebook.
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“some discussion” about Mrs. Balzer’s social
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district’s board of directors.”
According to the civil rights lawsuit Bal-
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Clyde, Linda Beck-Sweeney and Garry Smith
chastised Balzer for “allowing his spouse to
express her criticism of board members on
social media websites and in her speech.”
Recall vote ahead
Good people disagree over Balzer’s per-
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have shown support both for the former chief
and for Clyde, Beck-Sweeney and Smith.
“Under Chief Balzer’s direction, the dis-
trict opened a new station in Arch Cape, ac-
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Reiter of Tolovana Park wrote in a letter this
week. “Chief Balzer’s management of the
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much of the downtown business district.”
Reiter was referring to the 2012 blaze
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structures.
Subsequent letters from supporters have
reiterated those comments.
Others question the motives of the recall
petition.
“I don’t care if you resent it or not,” Eve
replied, adding, “You’re full of baloney,”
only in more savory language. Eve can be
pretty impressive when riled. In reality she’s
about as dangerous as Granny Clampett, but
she can sure scare off the uninitiated.
Mr. R. paled. He looked at me and sput-
tered: “Can’t you control your wife?”
I knew Mrs. R. and Austin were in the
kitchen cowering as this blow-hard sput-
tered excuses on behalf of his guilty son.
“No, I can’t control my wife,” I admitted.
And never would try, I thought.
Message delivered.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Former chief Mike Balzer has been praised
for his eff orts extinguishing a blaze at the
Bistro restaurant in July 2012.
In a letter urging support for Clyde,
Smith and Beck-Sweeney, Assistant Chief
Frank Swedenborg writes: “Each member
of this board, not just the ones selected in
this recall, have and will continue to provide
hours of their time to do the job they were
elected to do, which is provide this commu-
nity a safe and protected place to live.”
Many others share that support.
‘Can’t you control your wife?’
I suppose in the old days somebody’s
gabbing away on the telephone would not
have caused a stir.
Our last home was on a narrow lane in
a small suburb. The street was really too
narrow for two cars to pass, so gentlemanly
drivers would pull to the side to let the other
guy pass. This worked very well but some-
times people went a little too fast, especially
kids who just got their driver’s license. They
inevitably took the turns too fast.
Such was the case one day as my wife
and I were walking our Lhasa Apsos Ba-
sil and Gigi along the lane. The kid came
barreling down the road. Instead of slow-
ing down, he sped up. My wife Eve yelled,
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ger. He then pulled in to his family house
on the hill.
“I’m going to talk to his parents,” Eve
said.
With Basil and Gigi in tow, we walked up
the driveway and rang the bell.
Mr. R. answered.
“Hi,” Eve said. “Your son almost ran us
over. You’ve got to tell him to slow down on
this street.”
“I’m sure Austin would never do any-
thing like that,” Mr. R. replied piously.
We could see Austin skulking in the
kitchen behind him before slinking out of
view. His mom Roseanne could be seen
comforting him.
“And I resent what you’re saying about
my son,” Mr. R. said.
Vote for the firefighters
But back to Mrs. Balzer.
Whatever she typed on Facebook that
day, it must have been a doozie. She is right
at the center of this lawsuit.
Balzer, in his civil rights lawsuit before
Clatsop County Court, seeks a jury trial. He
says his rights were violated because his
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and breached the employment agreement.
Balzer’s counsel writes: “By reprimand-
ing plaintiff in his job performance report
as fire chief for allowing his spouse to ex-
ercise her right to express her opinions,
defendants directed plaintiff to restrain his
spouse’s constitutional rights to freely ex-
press her opinions, in violation of the Con-
stitution of Oregon and the Constitution of
the United States.”
Claims that three fi re district directors vi-
olated Mike Balzer’s civil rights.
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commissioners attempted to force him to
muzzle his wife’s freedom of speech.
I must say, I give Mike Balzer credit.
When it comes to wives, let them have
their say. The days of ownership of wives
and censoring their opinions should be long
over. Women got the right to vote in 1918 and
that’s OK by me.
“We are all absolutely dependent on a
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missioner Lianne Thompson said when I
asked her about the situation. “If you don’t
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the creek with out a paddle. We’ve all got to
hope they solve it. This isn’t about just the
people involved. Everybody’s impacted by
this.”
e are at it again! Raising money for the
Wildlife Center of the North Coast! Did
you know that the center is run on dona-
tions alone? They receive no federal funding, only
grants and donations from good people like all of
us! This is a massive operation that requires lots of
people, mostly
volunteers, but
there are bills BIRD NOTES
to pay too! Re- SUSAN BOAC
habbing more
than
2,000
birds
every
year requires a facility with a lab, hospital, outdoor
pens, food, electricity and water — lots of water!
A wonderful excuse to bird all day and make
much needed money for the Wildlife Center of the
North Coast! That’s how I got the idea to start a
birdathon, the connection was easy! The center
rehabs birds (and lots of other wildlife too) and I
love to bird! To make it successful, I would need
to get others involved in the birding part and then
raise awareness for the need. It has worked pretty
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Last year we had 13 people out birding and
raised $4,000. Overall we have raised about
$10,000 for the center and they appreciate it so
much!
Over the years this column has well document-
ed the adventures of Team Eagles. Remember the
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and the delicious sandwiches my husband made us
when we stopped by the house to warm up! Then
the second year when it was warmer and sunny
and Mitzi took a nap in the dunes! And of course
last year when the old birder van gave out with an
hour left on the clock!
This year the boundaries are open to the Plan-
et Earth and I hope this encourages more people
to raise money for the center. And we have new
categories to win prizes! Most bird species seen in
your yard, youngest birder and participating from
the furthest away (from Cannon Beach).
Don’t want to get involved in the shenanigans
of the pledging but want to contribute? Please go to
CoastWildlife.org to donate online or mail directly
to WCNC P.O. Box 1232, Astoria, OR 97103.
Join the growing group for birding adventures
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day of the month at the Lagoon Trail parking lot
on Second Street at 9 a.m. As a group, we decide
where the best birding is and bird until about 11.
Bring binoculars and wear appropriate clothing.
Everyone is welcome! Get warmed up for the bir-
dathon on April 3 . Join us!
So please mark your calendars for April 9 for
the fourth annual North Oregon Coast Birdathon,
an event inspired by Cannon Beach’s 12 Days of
Earth Day, April 11-22. Together we will raise
much needed funds for the rehabbing birds and
wildlife at the Wildlife Center of the North Coast.
Information on the Birdathon can be found on the
12 Days of Earth Day website at TwelveDayso-
fEarthDay.com.
Susan has spent her life enjoying the great
outdoors.
Remembering a much simpler time in Cannon Beach
T
he early 20th century was an
uncomplicated time for Cannon
Beach. It was an era for families,
friends, and the simple life. Families
who, at this time, traveled by stage-
coach, wagon, or by foot. Long-time
resident and author of “Comin’ in Over
the Rock,” Peter Lindsey compares
the journey from Seaside to Cannon
Beach as “the Bataan Death March.”
The road, barely more than a trail, was
a muddy mess for most of the year. De-
spite the sad state of the roads, travelers
paid the toll fees and made their way
to the Elk Creek and Cannon Beach
areas.
In 1903 a few intrepid business-
men founded the Elk Creek and Can-
non Beach Land Company and quick-
ly platted the area from Elk Creek to
Haystack Rock — just west of the
present-day Coaster Theater. The de-
velopers offered plots that were 50-by-
100-feet for a mere $100 in hopes that
they might encourage reticent travel-
ers to come to the Cannon Beach area.
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ed in the plat would have their $100
returned to them.
During this budding real estate
market there was another area under-
going similar development, referred
to as Brooklyn Camp, located origi-
nally between Van Buren and Monroe
streets. In Terrence O’Donnell’s book
“Cannon Beach: A Place by the Sea,”
he suggests that Brooklyn Camp re-
ceived its name because many of the
families that owned cottages in the
area “were from the Brooklyn neigh-
borhood in Portland.” O’Donnell goes
Publisher
Steve Forrester
Editor
R.J. Marx
Reporter
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SUBMITTED PHOTO
Alger Family tent camp, circa 1910-1912.
REFLECTIONS
ELAINE TRUCKE
on to say that this was Cannon Beach’s
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The Brooklyn Camp area was in
use prior to the 1900s by families in
tent camps. The area was just north of
Monroe Street, and as families returned
year after year they eventually began to
build houses, of sorts. Certainly not
what we would consider a house by to-
day’s standards. Tent camps continued
to be a summer get away well into the
1930s.
Cannon Beach families that can
trace their roots back to this early time
recall wooden homes constructed from
driftwood, ship debris that washed
ashore, held together with whatever
supplies they could make or that was
brought from the city (meaning Port-
land.) The homes were not constructed
with the expertise of today, but surpris-
ingly, still survived many Oregon coast
storms.
Sadly, many of these historic cottag-
es have been lost to wood rot, or expan-
sion. Their quizzical charm and coastal
daring lost for future generations that
will see homes not as cottage pieced to-
gether with love and determination, but
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Don’t despair! There are still precious
few cottages in Cannon Beach that per-
sist, lovingly cared for by those who
just can’t help to love them.
The town, too, has grown from
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drive from Portland or Seattle. Hotels
have replaced cottages, restaurants
have come and gone, but the bubble
that is Cannon Beach remains.
LETTER POLICY
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1555 N. Roosevelt, Seaside, Oregon
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Web: www.cannonbeachgazette.com
off at 1555 N. Roosevelt Drive or fax to 503-738-
Email: editor@cannonbeachgazette.com 9285, or email rmarx@seasidesignal.com
CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
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SUBMITTED PHOTO
Th e Ecola Road, circa 1907.
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