OCTOBER 21, 2016 • VOL. 40, ISSUE 22
WWW.CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM
COMPLIMENTARY COPY
City candidates fi nd common ground
Candidates fi eld
questions on
community issues
By Lyra Fontaine
Cannon Beach Gazette
The three Cannon Beach City
Council candidates talked housing,
parking, vacation rentals, tourism,
preserving the town’s village feel
among administrative change and
other community concerns at an Oct.
12 forum.
Each agreed maintaining the
small-town character of Cannon
Beach would require study, commu-
nity involvement and creative use of
limited resources.
Brandon Ogilvie, Herb Florer
and Nancy McCarthy are vying for
two spots on the council. While can-
didates found common ground on
issues like the elementary school
property and marijuana shops, they
expressed some differing views on
For a long-term perspective
on the City Council election,
see ‘Cannon Shots’, page 4A
housing and tourism.
The forum, held at the Coast-
er Theatre, was organized by Vote
Smart Cannon Beach, a nonpartisan
and nonprofi t group of residents.
Candidates responded to the same
questions by moderators Andrew
Tonry and Barb Knop and audience
members.
A 24-year resident, Ogilvie is a
contractor and affordable housing
task force member who previously
served on the Planning Commission,
partly as chairman . He views tsuna-
mi awareness, short-term rentals and
affordable housing as important is-
sues affecting the city.
Florer, a 12-year resident, is an
emergency preparedness committee
member and former Port of Astoria
deputy director, budget committee
THE STORM OF ‘16
Cleanup in the
WAKE OF A TORNADO
member and planning commission-
er. He said the town’s sustainability,
emergency preparation and infra-
structure should be addressed.
McCarthy, a 15-year homeown-
er and 10-year permanent resident,
was a reporter and editor for the
Cannon Beach Gazette and is now
a freelance writer. The “infl ux of
people,” affordable housing and
emergency planning are signifi cant
issues to her.
See Candidates, Page 7A
Cannon
Beach
Academy
wins board
approval
Charter school
could open next fall
By Katherine Lacaze
For EO Media Group
Mark Brennan at work
in front of his Manzanita
Avenue home.
‘It surprises me there
wasn’t more damage’
By R.J. Marx
Cannon Beach Gazette
M
ANZANITA — Manzanita Avenue homeowner
Mark Brennan was in Tigard when he saw his house
on TV. “I was watching Channel 6 and I saw my
house in the background,” he said Sunday. “There
were four trees on it.”
The tornado that tore through Manzanita Friday morning
sliced through town, past the main street of Laneda Avenue and
across Fourth and Fifth streets to Manzanita Avenue. The fun-
nel left damage in its wake and on Sunday, contractors, utili-
ty crews, and home- and business-owners were equipped with
chain saws and chippers clearing out debris from the storm.
See Tornado, Page 6A
Damage along Laneda Avenue.
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PHOTOS R.J. MARX/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
The Cannon Beach Academy saw
its goal of opening for the 2017-18
school become more attainable Tues-
day night when the Seaside School
District Board of Directors approved
the organization’s charter application
without conditions.
Nearly four years after a group of
residents initiated an effort to create
a charter school in Cannon Beach,
the organization reached a signifi cant
milestone with the approval of its
charter. With that piece resolved, the
academy’s board can move forward
and begin fi nalizing fi nancial details,
apply for grants, plan for enrollment,
prepare the school building and start
hiring staff, according to board presi-
dent Kellye Dewey and board member
Barb Knop.
In October 2015, the district’s
board approved the charter school’s
application with a set of conditions,
such as the school would serve at
least 44 kindergarten and fi rst-grade
students in its fi rst year. In March, the
district withdrew conditional approv-
al, stating the academy fell short on
funding, enrollment and a state-ap-
proved English Language Develop-
ment program for English language
learners.
“The bulk of their application was
very well done and thorough, but there
were a few things that needed to be ad-
dressed,” Superintendent Sheila Roley
said.
Roley, her staff, the district’s attor-
ney and the academy’s board members
worked during the past six months to
address the issues that led to the condi-
tional approval being revoked.
The academy’s board met with the
district’s Finance Committee before
See Academy, Page 5A
Fire district seeks captain to fi ll key role
Selection committee looks at talent in ranks
By Lyra Fontaine
Cannon Beach Gazette
The Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection
District is searching for a full-time employee to
replace former Capt. Matt Gardner.
A selection committee has been created and
the district is considering internal applicants
before expanding the search, if needed. The
district is looking for a qualifi ed, teachable in-
dividual that can eventually be brought up to
Gardner’s level, Fire Chief Matt Benedict said.
Gardner left the district in April and works
as plant operator for the Arch Cape Water and
Sanitary District.
The district’s selection process will assess
applications based on their skills and how they
will work well with the organization. Job duties
will depend on the applicant and their interests,
whether it’s training, EMS, public presenta-
tions, inspections or other skills, Benedict said.
“My feeling is if they don’t get excited and
like what they’re doing, they’re not going to
excel in it,” he said. “Right now, I’m kind of
doing everything, so I just need someone who
can take some of the pressure off.”
The district expects to hire someone before
the end of 2016.
Ham dinner
Volunteers prepared a ham dinner and
worked the kitchen to put on the 69th annual
volunteer fi refi ghters benefi t on Oct. 8.
“Those kids did a phenomenal job,” fi re dis-
trict board member Mark Mekenas said of the
volunteers.
Board director Sharon Clyde said people
came as far as Lynden, Washington to attend
the event.
Proceeds from the dinner will help purchase
equipment that could save lives of individuals
experiencing cardiac arrest. Cannon Beach
Academy supporters helped with the event to
raise funds for the school.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
TJ White, Mike Johnson and Steven Moon served up ham
at the annual volunteer fi refi ghters benefi t dinner on Sat-
urday, Oct. 8.