Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Cannon Beach gazette. (Cannon Beach, Or.) 1977-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 2018)
VOL. 42, ISSUE 3 WWW.CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM FEBRUARY 9, 2018 Cannon Beach votes to raise water rates 16 percent Revenue to finance repairs By Brenna Visser Cannon Beach Gazette R.J. MARX/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE City aims for goal posts Affordable housing, acquiring Cannon Beach Elementary School among council priorities By Brenna Visser Cannon Beach residents will see their water rates go up 16 percent in March. The Cannon Beach City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve raising water and wastewater rates to help fund repairs to an aging system. The average residential water bill will go from about $47.81 to $55.68 – about an $8 increase a month. The increase will raise about $434,000 in revenue for capital projects next year. The decision comes nearly a year after former Public Works Director Dan Grassick proposed a 40 percent rate increase to fund half of all of the projects listed in the water and wastewater master plans – documents that recom- mend capital projects the city should address for the next 20 years. Between residents taking issue with the sudden increase, and members of the public works committee raising con- cerns with certain aspects of the master plans, the city decided to table the rate increases. The public works commit- tee spent six months reevaluat- ing different rate structures and phase-in options. The committee ultimately recommended financ- ing only half of all projects. The pay structure would have in- creased rates by 50 percent over five years and generated $2.1 million and $1.6 million for im- provements to sewer lines, water storage tanks and other infra- structure. See Water, Page 6A The dorymen Cannon Beach author Peter Lindsey presents manuscript-in-progress about the dorymen Cannon Beach Gazette During an annual goal setting retreat, Cannon Beach city councilors discussed project priorities for the upcoming year, including affordable housing, developing the South Wind evacuation site, renovating city hall and purchasing the former Cannon Beach Elementary School site. Over the course of six hours, council- ors parried between various topics, rang- ing from long-term financing options, priority capital proj- ‘It’d be ects like the afford- a shame able RV park homes proposed last year, to have to even smaller top- a small ics like considering earthquake public Wi-Fi or town signage changes. and lose Issues surround- our water ing emergency system.’ preparedness were a common theme City Manager throughout the meet- ing — a topic of par- Bruce St. Denis ticular significance for new City Man- ager Bruce St. De- ‘How do nis. He encouraged you provide councilors to ac- celerate emergency long-term preparedness efforts when as large as moving short-term forward with South Wind design plans rental is to specific projects the profit?’ like replacing water tanks with ones that Mayor Sam Steidel are seismically rated by current standards. “(These tanks) were built in a time where (seismic stan- dards) weren’t taken as seriously. It’d be a shame to have a small earthquake and lose our water system,” said St. Denis. The city council also discussed the im- portance pursuing solutions to create more affordable housing. In the citizen survey, the topic again was rated as a top issue, and the strategic plan still calls for 25 units to be provided by the end of 2018. While plans are still in the works to in- troduce park model homes in the RV Park sometime this year, Mayor Sam Steidel and others on the council felt addressing By Brenna Visser Cannon Beach Gazette B efore Ecola Square became home to ar- tisanal shops and condominiums, local author Peter Lindsey remembers that lot filled with dozens of dory boats. Lindsey also remembers the “colorful characters” who operated these flat-bot- tomed boats. Some of these memories are set a few miles from the shore, with crews braving rough seas by the Tillamook Rock Light- house (aka Terrible Tilly). Others memories are set at the community’s former annual fish fry, with kegs of beer and a stockpile of fish caught just a few hours before. Lindsey has been writing down his memories and the stories of his fellow fish- ermen for his new manuscript, “Just Movin’ The Water Around.” The book is a collec- tion of tales about the Cannon Beach dory fleet from the 1960s to ’80s. ‘IF YOU WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO FISH FROM A DORY, YOU WATCHED AND LEARNED. IT’S NOT DISSIMILAR TO LOGGING. IT WAS A SUBCULTURAL GROUP OF A TIME GONE BY.’ See Dorymen, Page 10A — Peter Lindsey COLIN MURPHEY PHOTO Peter Lindsey, right, and his brother, Tim, prepare to launch Lindsey’s boat, the Schmedlow, in this decades-old photo. COURTESY PETER LINDSEY PAID PERMIT NO. 97 ASTORIA, OR PRSRT STD US POSTAGE See Goals, Page 6A GOING FROM CHEMICAL SALESMAN TO GALLERY OWNER After 34 years at Ohio chemical company, Joe Clayton takes on Bronze Coast Gallery in Cannon Beach By Brenna Visser Cannon Beach Gazette There’s a surprising amount of crossover between operating a chemical compa- ny and owning an art gallery in Cannon Beach. That’s how Joe Clayton, the new managing director of Bronze Coast Gallery, sees it anyway. At the end of last year, Clayton retired after 34 years at the Sea-Land Chem- ical Company in Westlake, Ohio, to pursue his other pas- sion in life: art. “They actually have pret- ty similar business models,” Clayton said. Clayton took over the gallery in January following the retirement of Kim Barnett, who has owned and operated Bronze Coast Gallery for 25 years. Clayton has spent the majority of his career selling water treatment chemicals like industrial lu- bricants, but said he has had a love and appreciation for the arts for most of his life. He remembers touring numerous museums while he studied abroad in Switzer- land. He and his wife Marilyn are ardent art collectors, keep- ing collections from every re- gion in which they have lived. When possible, the two try to support local artists by com- missioning pieces. “I can’t do anything artis- tic myself. But I appreciate the skill. I’m fascinated by it,” he said. “My love of art al- ways balanced out my career in the business world. Sure, you need creativity in busi- ness, but where do you draw that creativity from? Art was my way to balance my life.” As he prepared to retire, Clayton stayed on the lookout for available galleries to man- age. Clayton and his wife were also looking at the Oregon Coast for a summer home. At the same time, Bronze Coast Gallery became available, and the opportunity to manage a gallery by the water lined up. See Clayton, Page 10A BRENNA VISSER/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE Joe Clayton took over as managing director for Bronze Coast Gallery in January. ‘SURE, YOU NEED CREATIVITY IN BUSINESS, BUT WHERE DO YOU DRAW THAT CREATIVITY FROM? ART WAS MY WAY TO BALANCE MY LIFE.’ — Joe Clayton
