A3 • Friday, March 22, 2019 | Cannon Beach Gazette | CannonBeachGazette.com
Fire truck funding in question
OBITUARIES
Elaine Marie Strite Kiefer
Fire district nixes
operations levy
Seaside
July 9, 1957 — March 13, 2019
By CARA MICO
For Cannon Beach Gazette
Fire Chief Matt Ben-
edict wants the Cannon
Beach Rural Fire Protec-
tion District to be one of
the premier districts on the
Oregon Coast. To that end,
a major roof repair, replac-
ing unsafe response trucks
and the 25-year-old fi re
engine are all on the dis-
trict’s wish list.
One way to bring those
to Cannon Beach, Ben-
edict said at the Mon-
day, March 11, fi re district
board of directors meet-
ing, could be an operations
levy.
Adapted from a 2003
strategic plan, a new levy
could bring the district’s
tax rate more in line with
other, similar-sized dis-
tricts and pay for new
equipment.
Cannon Beach pays a
lower rate than any district
in the county, even when
looking at property values,
Benedict said.
District residents cur-
rently pay around $.50 per
$1,000 of assessed prop-
erty value.
By comparison, Clats-
kanie Rural Fire Protection
District rates are closer
Cara Mico
Team in front of nearly 30-year-old fi re engine. Brian Smith,
Cannon Beach Fire Fighters Association; Mark Mekenas, fi re
district board; Shaunna White, training offi cer; and Chief
Matt Benedict.
to $3 per $1,000 with the
permanent rate almost fi ve
times greater than Cannon
Beach.
Benedict wants to
upgrade the current fl eet
of incident response trucks
to diesel Ford F250s over
the next few years, partly
to make the district fl eet
more uniform and partly
because the district already
owns a diesel fuel tank
which can run the trucks
in case of an emergency,
reducing the strain on the
single gas station in town.
With potential reve-
nues from annexation of
Cape Falcon in Tillamook
County at the request of
the residents still years
away, Benedict said an
operations levy would
meet immediate needs.
Board members asked
Benedict to look at other
funding sources, includ-
ing billing insurance com-
panies for traffi c incidents
from nondistrict visitors,
or relying on the Cannon
Beach Fire and Rescue
Association.
The association recently
purchased over $15,000
in new equipment for the
district including a new
extractor and carbon mon-
oxide detectors to replace
the outdated equipment.
The association raises
almost $40,000 annually
on behalf of the district
through its ham dinner and
other fundraisers.
Elaine Marie Strite Kiefer Seaside July 9, Sunday school and vacation Bible school.
1957 — March 13, 2019
Elaine’s faith was her strength. One of her
Elaine Marie Strite Kiefer of Seaside, favorite bible verses was Jeremiah 29:11,
Oregon, passed away on Wednesday, March “For I know the plans I have for you, says
13, 2019, in Portland, Oregon. She was born the Lord.”
Family and friends will never
on July 9, 1957, in Portland, to Don
forget Elaine’s sparkle and smile.
and Marion Grothe.
Elaine found, and appreciated, the
Elaine grew up in Portland and
best in everyone. She went out of
graduated from Concordia High
her way to make people happy, and
School. She attended the Univer-
if she could add a touch of glitter
sity of Portland and earned a degree
along the way … she did.
in education. She spent the major-
Elaine was preceded in death by
ity of her career at Seaside Heights
her fi rst husband Bill (2006); her
Elementary School. Elaine was a
son Donny (2009); and her mother
devoted, caring and loving teacher.
and father, Marion and Don Grothe.
Every one of her students was val-
ued and respected. She loved each Elaine Strite Kiefer Elaine is survived by her hus-
band, Pete, of Portland, Oregon;
child unconditionally.
Elaine married Bill Strite on Jan. 9, 1982, her daughter, Sara Weber, son-in-law Mike
in Portland. They remained married until and grandsons Wesley and William of War-
Bill’s passing in March 2006. Through a renton, Oregon; her sister, Anne Grothe of
family member, Elaine became reacquainted Portland, Oregon; her brother, Don (Car-
with Pete Kiefer, a classmate from elemen- ole) Grothe of Portland; her sister, Mary
tary school. Pete and Elaine were married in Grothe of Texas; as well as nieces, nephews
and cousins. Elaine is also survived by three
August 2015.
Elaine and Bill had two children, Sara stepchildren, Jessie (Oli) Kiefer-Layman of
and Donny. Above all else, Elaine loved Detroit, Oregon, Natalie Kiefer of Portland,
being a mom. She cherished the time she and Paul (Erin Gilbert) Kiefer of Portland.
A memorial service will be held at Our
spent with her children. She always sup-
ported Sara and her passion to dance, and Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 320 First Ave.,
Donny and his love of basketball. In August Seaside, Oregon, at 11 a.m. on Saturday,
2014, Elaine became a grandma to Wesley, March 30, 2019. Following the service, a
and three years later her second grandson, reception will be held in the church fel-
Will, was born. Elaine’s grandchildren were lowship hall. In lieu of fl owers, the family
requests memorial donations be made to the
the light of her life.
Elaine was strongly rooted in her faith. Donny Strite Memorial Scholarship Fund, in
She was devoted to her personal worship care of Seaside High School, 1901 N. Holla-
and growth. Elaine enjoyed attending many day Drive, Seaside, OR 97138.
Funeral arrangements are being handled
churches throughout her life. Once again
the love of children was evident in her will- by Crown Memorial Mortuary of Portland,
ingness and eagerness to teach children in Oregon.
CANNON BEACH POLICE LOG
Feb. 28
15:57 p.m., N. Hemlock: A
found cell phone is turned in.
missing; caller said subject had
not returned to a bus tour on
time. Contact was later made
that subject was safely re-
turned home.
Lane: Cannon Beach police as-
sist Gearhart police.
March 3
March 5
14:14 p.m., 200 block N. Hem-
lock: Criminal mischief in the
third degree is reported at the
Christian Conference Center.
Graffi ti is reported.
10:07 a.m., N. Elm: A person is
assisted with a lock out.
March 1
2:01 a.m., 2400 block S. Hem-
lock: Police assist fi re and med-
ics with an intoxicated male fall
subject. Subject refused trans-
port to hospital.
March 2
12:42 a.m., Holladay Drive:
Cannon Beach police assist
Seaside police.
4:47 a.m., 2500 block S. Roo-
sevelt: Cannon Beach police
assist Seaside police with a sus-
picious male subject reported
walking around in an assisted
living facility. Subject was un-
able to be located.
16:05 p.m., E. Washington and
Hemlock: Police respond to a
report of a person said to be
22:30 p.m., Hemlock and E.
Jeff erson: Police respond to a
report of a possible runaway
in the area. It is determined the
person is not in the area.
23:35 p.m., 100 block Broad-
way: Cannon Beach police as-
sist Seaside police searching
for a male subject. Unable to
be located.
March 4
1:02 a.m., 1300 block Park
14:43 p.m., Beach: A dog bite is
reported.
March 13
8:23 a.m., 300 Elk Creek Road:
A fugitive is taken into custody.
5:52 a.m., 7900 Ocean Point
Road: Police assist other agen-
cy with an elderly woman fall
patient yelling for help. She
was transported to Seaside
Providence Hospital by Medix.
3:08 p.m., Second Street Park-
ing: A cat that escaped from
a car was wrangled and safely
returned to its owner.
March 10
March 7
13:14 p.m., 1300 block S. Hem-
lock: A code violation is report-
ed.
March 8
8:07 a.m., 1100 Spruce Court:
The owner of a dog being com-
plained about is given options.
8:47 p.m., Highway 101: Police
assist Seaside police in pursuit
of a suspect vehicle that ended
in a single vehicle motor vehicle
accident in Hamlet; suspect was
transported to OHSU by medics.
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3:26 p.m., Beach: A dog bite is
reported.
March 12
11:43 p.m., Sunset: A person is
cited and released for driving
with a suspended misdemeanor.
3:11 p.m., E. Monroe: Police
remove a sprung, found trap
uncovered by a homeowner
while raking. Homeowner did
not know who set the trap
and was concerned for pets
and grandchildren
6:23 p.m., Christian Confer-
ence Center: Police respond
to a report of a belligerent
male who refused to leave.
The subject was gone on po-
lice arrival. He was later locat-
ed in Seaside and informed
he was trespassed from the
Center.
March 14
1:10 p.m., Police headquar-
ters: A woman came to the
station to report a civil issue
arising from work commis-
sioned but not completed by
a contractor. She requested
additional patrols at the site
of a house she is building and
her own residence.
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