4A • March 6, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
Letters to the Editor
We need honest,
kind leaders
store. Dianne, per transcripts on
record with the city, has stated
that she told the business owner
To the editor,
“…it’s a bad idea to put out cam-
Democracy is an ongoing re- paign signs at shops in Gearhart
sponsibility. Whether you are and that none of the merchants
voting in a general election or put out signs as it is a no-win sit-
being asked to sign a recall pe- uation.“
tition, it is a voter’s democratic
The business owner said that
responsibility to gather and eval- Craig Weston, her landlord, had
uate as much information as pos- said the same thing, but that she
sible and take action according to could put up a sign if she want-
your values and morals.
ed to. Dianne stated (per tran-
We believe, based on obser- scripts) she never told the busi-
vation and experiencing retal- ness owner she had to take down
LDWLRQ ¿UVW KDQG WKDW WKLV UHFDOO the sign. The business owner did
is necessary so our local govern- leave up the sign for Kevin Wil-
ment will, in fact, represent the lett. On Nov. 5, at a City Council
collective standards and values meeting, the new business owner
of Gearhart residents. On the FRQ¿UPHGWKDW'LDQQHQHYHUWROG
west and east sides of the high- her to take the sign down. This
way reside residents that believe can be fact-checked by Gearhart
Gearhart government should be City Council meeting minutes.
transparent, fair, compassionate,
So what is the issue? Do you
honest and supportive of eco- Gearhart voters think that Di-
nomic development and racial anne Widdop violated the busi-
diversity.
ness owner’s freedom of speech?
We deeply appreciate that If not, then why is she being ac-
communities to the north and cused of doing so?
south of Gearhart are privileged
At some point after Dianne
to have intelligent and profes- talked to the new business own-
sional representation that serve er about the Kevin Willett sign,
their voting populace with hu- the new business owner appar-
mility and honesty. We can have ently talked to a few Gearhart
the same if we ask for it and set- residents and business owners
tle for nothing less than excel- about her conversation with Di-
lence in the governance of our anne. These people included Joy
community.
Sigler, a past city councilor and
We believe that this recall has the owner of a shop in Gearhart.
the potential to bring our com- It is Joy and about seven other
munity together and to collec- people who went after Dianne
tively agree that we need leaders Widdop by misstating what she
that truly have a passion to serve said. Note that Joy has been the
all residents of Gearhart to the most vocal.
best of their ability with honesty
It is these eight people who
and kindness.
asked for the recall petition using
Many residents were afraid their emotionally charged free-
to sign the petition for fear of dom of speech violation claim
retaliation. Based on our own to get signatures. They seem to
experience that is a legitimate be angry people who see Dianne
fear. However, there is power Widdop and anyone who does
in numbers and our community not agree with them as their ene-
government can be different if my. They have been very aggres-
we desire it.
sive and inappropriate and bull-
Democracy requires facts and ish at City Council meetings. It is
courage. The freedoms estab- unclear why they are angry, but
lished in the U.S. Constitution some part of their angst is tied to
must be nurtured and preserved. Gearhart’s historic barn.
The goal of Oregon’s newly
The transcripts of all Gearhart
appointed governor and the ma- City Council meetings are public
jority of Gearhart residents is the record.
same: Restore trust.
The historic barn on Pacif-
Brian Sigler ic Way is home to an issue that
Joy Sigler has been going on for several
years, starting when the barn
was bought as a venue for wed-
To the editor,
dings and large parties. The barn
I am writing this letter to elim- was not in compliance regarding
inate confusion and highlight the safety issues as determined by
truth regarding the effort to re- WKH ¿UH GHSDUWPHQW FLW\ LQVSHF-
move Gearhart’s mayor, Dianne tor and county electrical inspec-
:LGGRS IURP RI¿FH 7KH JRDO WRU¶V RI¿FH 7KH RZQHU WR GDWH
of this letter to the editor is to be has not accomplished what the
as factual as possible, and I will city has asked her to do. The
state when facts can be checked Gearhart city manager and Gear-
and where to fact-check them.
KDUWEXLOGLQJRI¿FLDODUHUHVSRQ-
As some of you may know, a sible for making sure these com-
petition was circulated, mostly pliance issues are taken care of.
door to door, by approximately
Several of the eight people
eight people in Gearhart, asking who are going after Dianne Wid-
for signatures to recall our may- GRSZRXOGEHQH¿WIURPWKHEDUQ
or.
having a wedding business. They
The gist of the reasoning to have fought back saying the
remove Dianne Widdop was that compliance requirements are not
she violated a Gearhart busi- fair, and all eight of these people
ness owner’s right to freedom of have been very hostile towards
speech. Note: 108 people signed Dianne, the mayor and the city
the petition. If you want to know manager. Keep in mind that all
everything the petition stated, it businesses have to be in compli-
LV SXEOLF UHFRUG DW WKH RI¿FH RI ance on safety issues…it is one
the Gearhart city manager.
of the costs of doing business.
Dianne Widdop has served Note also that the barn owner has
Gearhart for almost 20 years as sued the city and that we as tax-
a city councilor and mayor. She payers are paying thousands of
has worked very hard all these dollars for the city to defend it-
years to keep Gearhart a great self…we will also spend around
place for all of us to live…she $7,000 for this recall election.
does this without pay. She, at the
Everything regarding the his-
very least for all she has accom- toric barn’s compliance issues
plished, deserves a basic level and the lawsuit against the city is
of respect and due process by public record.
the voters. She is being accused
This is what has happened and
of violating a business owner’s why we are where we are now.
freedom of speech, which is a The struggle to defame and re-
terrible thing to do.
move the mayor has cost us all
But did she really do that? It money, time and energy. This has
is our responsibility as voters to EHHQJRLQJRQIRU¿YHPRQWKVD
ferret out the truth before casting period of time where the people
our ballots and not allow our- that we all elected could have
selves to be swayed by a small been getting other things done
group of people that I feel strong- besides talking about making the
ly, in this case, are aggressively historic barn safe and what Di-
tainting the truth to further their anne Widdop said about a sign.
needs, whatever those needs may
Eight people in our town have
be.
an aggressive agenda to go after
Gearhart business owners in and depose anyone in the Gear-
the past have not put out cam- hart City Council that does not
paign signs. The sentiment has agree with their agenda. That’s
been that business owners do not just toxic, it is not right, it’s a
want to politicize their business. waste of time and it is not what
A new business owner, however, Gearhart is all about. And now
did put up a sign for a candidate we need to take the time to deal
named Kevin Willett. Kevin Wil- with their claim of a freedom of
lett is not the issue here.
speech violation by a mayor who
Dianne Widdop used to work has worked hard for us for al-
in the store location which the most 20 years.
new business owner now occu-
Suggesting that someone take
pies. Dianne reached out to the down a sign as a matter of busi-
business owner with advice as ness protocol, but not saying they
she was opening her new store had to, does not mean legally or
earlier in the spring of 2014. Di- logically that a person’s freedom
anne thought of her as a friend. of speech was taken away. But
On Oct. 17, Dianne talked to this in this case, unless we all un-
business owner friend about the derstand and react to the truth,
campaign sign in front of her it could unfairly affect all the
Know the facts
good that Dianne Widdop’s long
public legacy has been about and
send the message that the voters
of Gearhart can easily be de-
ceived and bullied.
Wilson Mark
Gearhart
It’s about trust
To the editor,
Gearhart Mayor Dianne Wid-
dop, in her informal interview
for a Feb. 20, 2015, Daily As-
torian article called me out by
alluding that she is “facing the
same situation” as I when a re-
call was attempted to remove me
from the Clatsop County Com-
mission. That recall failed, and I
was not removed from my elect-
ed position.
The motivation behind that
recall was one issue, LNG, and
not, as in our mayor’s case, a
continuous pattern of question-
able behavior, leadership and
judgment.
The recall of Gearhart May-
or Dianne Widdop is about the
loss of trust in her judgment and
ability to govern by the commu-
nity. It is a grassroots movement
of citizens and involves many,
who, in their experience during
the two years Dianne Widdop
has been Gearhart’s mayor, have
EHHQ VLQJOHG RXW FLWHG ¿QHG
regulated or unreasonably de-
nied use of their property. It is
not about Mayor Widdop’s stat-
ed “good intentions” to uphold
the comprehensive plan as given
LQKHUEDOORWVWDWHPHQWDVMXVWL¿-
cation to not be recalled.
Read her ballot statement ex-
plaining why she should not be
recalled. She does not refute the
stated reasons for her recall but
construes a list of accomplish-
PHQWV DV UHÀHFWLYH RI KHU SRV-
itive contributions during her
DOPRVW\HDUVLQSXEOLFRI¿FH
Fact: She twice walked into a
Gearhart business and requested
the removal of a legally posted
political sign from in front of the
business. The second time she
brought her husband. Is this ap-
propriate behavior?
In yet another instance, she
sent her husband to knock on the
door of a homeowner’s residence
to request he come to City Hall
to talk to the mayor about his RV
parked at his home. Wouldn’t a
letter from the city requesting a
meeting have been a more ap-
propriate approach?
The list goes on and on be-
cause the fact is Dianne prides
herself in this hard, direct
confrontational style without
thought to the impact of her
word, actions and style on oth-
ers. Each time the mayor inserts
herself directly into a situation,
she riles some, intimidates oth-
ers, but each time she establishes
an antagonistic interaction from
the start.
The second and even more
troubling revelation reveals a
darker side to how this mayor
conducts city business when out
of the public eye.
Fact: In October of 2014, an-
other resident forwarded a string
of personal emails to the may-
or and city manager. The sub-
ject of the emails was a private
discussion among homeowners
who had attended a city meeting
about short-term rentals. These
emails were not addressed to
the city, nor had they been sent
by the authors to the city, yet
Mayor Widdop chose to forward
them to selected City Council
members and one City Coun-
cil candidate. Nothing could be
more divisive. By communicat-
ing with only some members of
the City Council and only one of
the three candidates running for
the City Council, a hierarchy of
“favored” group of those “in the
know” verses those who are ex-
cluded was created.
7KLV GLYLGHV QRW XQL¿HV QRW
only the council but also the
community into camps of “us
against them.” Mayor Widdop’s
forwarding effectively allowed
her to communicate informa-
tion to those she wished while
not disclosing it to the public.
Worse, the next time these prop-
erty owners appear before the
City Council, a majority of the
council members will already
have formed an opinion thanks
to the forwarded emails by May-
or Widdop.
Worst of all, these private
conversations became innuen-
dos, oblique references, gossipy
topics and cliques… a private
language. The mayor set the
tone, and I believe, helped create
an environment in which some-
one could think it acceptable to
send an anonymous Christmas
card to one of the homeowners
who spoke at the city meeting
on short-term rentals and was
among those whose email was
forwarded by the mayor. The
greeting in this card included
a passage “incessant bleating
ramblings” and ended in the
threatening tone of “changes are
a coming.” Was the forwarding
of those emails by the mayor
the catalyst for the card sender?
This is not the Gearhart I know
or want.
,KDYHORVWFRQ¿GHQFHLQ0D\-
or Widdop’s judgment, leader-
ship and ability to be impartial
and fair. Please join me in voting
yes for her recall.
Patricia Roberts
Gearhart
Campaign suffers
credibility
To the editor,
While not diminishing citi-
]HQV¶ULJKWVWRUHFDOOHOHFWHGRI¿-
cials, I believe that the campaign
to remove Gearhart’s Mayor
Dianne Widdop suffers serious
credibility.
The reasons for my low regard
include: 1) petitioners’ apparent
disinterest in conciliating their
dispute prior to launching a di-
visive crusade; 2) their focus on
highly disputable accusations at
WKHH[SHQVHRIUHOHYDQWFRQ¿UPHG
facts; 3) their senseless deroga-
tions of character and warnings
of political intimidation; and 4)
their disinclination to give the
mayor even a modicum of credit
IRUKHU\HDUUHFRUGRIVHOÀHVV
work to preserve, enhance and
protect our little city by the sea.
John Dudley
Gearhart
er Necanicum, Seamist, Sea-
side, Riverview, Seahorse and
Haystack rooms.
However, a group of 500
would not be able to assemble as
one large body in multiple rooms
(and thereby allow for an imme-
diate transition from, say, a meet-
ing space to a meal space).
The bottom line is that there
are numerous scenarios and ca-
veats that affect the size capaci-
WLHV RI D VSHFL¿F JURXS$ FRP-
plete list of room capacities and
sizes can be found at seasidecon-
vention.com.
Russ Vandenberg, CFE
General Manager
Seaside Civic and Conven-
tion Center/Seaside Visitors
Bureau
Use other spaces
To the editor,
As a local Seaside homeown-
er, I have seen and witnessed a
lot, and around town, the initial
knee-jerk reaction was to oppose
the expansion of the convention
FHQWHU ,W XVHV WKH FODVVLF ³¿HOG
of dreams” logic: “If you build
it they will come.” We should be
prepared by reinvesting not only
in the downtown core but utiliz-
ing existing spaces.
The facility is ready — maybe
even due — for an expansion, but
it should stop and rethink its mar-
keting and sales strategy to the
community and public at large.
Websites matter, and our local
sites reek of fragmentation and
cumbersome event calendars.
A sales tax is likely beyond
just a poor idea, and frankly
un-Oregonian. Local small busi-
nesses already struggle enough,
especially in the rainy season,
MXVWWR¿QGVWDIIOHWDORQHDQRWK-
er barrier to a sale. Tax increment
To the editor,
¿QDQFLQJLVDSRVVLELOLW\EXWUH-
My reasoning for this letter alistically, lodging and parking
to the editor is to add unknown fees are more practical.
information regarding the com-
We also need to raise prices
plaints against Mayor Widdop by on the services our patrons use
those who petitioned her recall.
the most. The corporation of
These complaints did not stop Worldmark should pay way more
with the mayor, but went beyond in taxes. Every timeshare bought
to include myself as the city’s and sold in our town should be
EXLOGLQJ RI¿FLDO 2QH RI WKH taxed. The conventions and
players attempted my replace- events themselves need to pay
ment with a seven-page com- more.
We need to raise the cover
plaint letter to the Oregon State
Building Codes Agency request- charge the city of Seaside charges
ing that I be replaced immediate- WR ¿QLVK KHUH +RRG 7R &RDVW
ly. They stated that I was being needs to settle and pay up its
unprofessional, along with other huge bar tab. H2C is a self-con-
misleading statements because I tained party at the beach. H2C
wouldn’t compromise the health literally uses, abuses and pukes
and welfare of the general pub- XSRQRXUFRPPXQLW\<HVLW¿OOV
lic. But because I did what was up the hotels, but at what cost? It
right by following the rules the ¿OOV WKH WRZQ ZLWK XQVXSSRUWLYH
and intoxicated guests who have
complaint was to no avail!
Another player made a state- violated minimum stays and oc-
ment that there was a certain cupancy requirements.
Their self-contained party
amount of fear of Mayor Wid-
dop and those within City Hall. supports its corporate sponsors,
In my 40 years in this profession, not the local community. It leaves
30 in Clatsop County, I can say a whole town with a hangover,
this for the city of Gearhart: The leaving a bad taste in everyone’s
entire city staff, Mayor Widdop mouth from locals to those who
included, have made this one of drank too much. Tax the events
the most people-friendly cities and tourists more and not the lo-
I have ever worked for. Myself, cal community. A county-wide
along with Mayor Widdop, are lodging tax increase makes the
for what’s right. I promise you PRVW¿QDQFLDOVHQVH
The convention center cannot
those who follow the rules for the
best of this community should stand on its own nor should the
never fear retaliation from this local small businesses. We need
to galvanize Clatsop County,
city.
Jim Brien utilizing our small local spaces
Seaside better from the Cannon Beach
boardrooms and to the Seaside
schools’ gyms and churches, all
To the editor,
the way north to the Astoria cof-
Several questions have been fee shops and all the restaurants
asked of the Seaside Civic and in between.
Convention Center since the re-
Our community goal should
lease of a financial feasibility be to foster better, smaller mi-
study for the possible expan- cro-conventions that make use
sion of the center. In response to of our already existing localized
a couple of items that appeared spaces and even vacant spaces
in story on Feb. 16 in The Dai- amongst the community. Lease
ly Astorian and Feb. 20 in the out and pay to use underutilized
Seaside Signal (“Seaside busi- spaces as mini-convention space
nesses object to proposed sales downtown and literally spread
tax”), we felt it was important out the community reach dollars
and cars.
to clarify accordingly.
Until the numbers come back
Although the article stated
that the center “can handle only and the City Council votes, it’s
200 people,” this is not 100 per- to be determined, but as citizens
cent accurate, and there are actu- of the Seaside community, we
ally many scenarios that impact should plan for a better town and
total volumes much larger than EH ZLOOLQJ WR EH ÀH[LEOH WR IXQG
that. A theater style use of the the growing future. So expansion
3DFL¿F DQG 1HFDQLFXP 5RRPV of the convention center maybe,
(main level rooms at the center) but only time will tell. Continue
could hold up to 1,200 people. to cast the vision Seaside, we are
Those same rooms, set with 80 the stakeholders.
Sean William McKendry
“rounds of 10” tables could hold
Seaside
800 for a plated dinner.
What’s typical of one event
may be unrealistic for another.
To the editor,
Does a group require break-
To the mayor, City Council,
out sessions (where a large
group splits into several small- and Chamber of Commerce: As
er groups)? Perhaps a group if we aren’t taxed enough as it is!
I will make this short and to
will not be using the center
for meals, choosing, instead, the point. If the city of Seaside
to only host its meetings and goes ahead with a city sales tax,
tradeshow functions inside the I PROMISE I will never spend
facility. A group of 500 could another PENNY in your commu-
meet together in the large Pa- nity!
Bruce A. Forster
cific room and then split into
Warrenton
breakout sessions, in the small-
Support Gearhart
mayor
Center capacity
A promise