6A • March 6, 2015 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com Statements made by petitioners, mayor The following statements were filed with the Clatsop County Elections Office The reason given for demanding the recall of Diane Widdop, as filed in the recall petition: Mayor Dianne Wid- dop’s separate re- sponse to the recall petition: Oct. 17, 2014 Mayor Widdop asked a Gear- hart business owner to remove a lawfully posted campaign sign, abusing her position as an elected official and misrepresenting Gear- hart ordinances. Further, she abused her office by acting as an ordinanc- es enforcement officer, violating the rights of free speech and by en- cumbering a candidate’s right to campaign for public office. Oct. 29, 2014 a con- versation between Mayor Widdop and a citizen was recorded on a hidden device during “Coffee with the May- or” without the citizen’s knowledge or authoriza- tion. Mayor Widdop then attempted to distribute this recording, contrary to Fourth Amendment privacy rights, contrary to City Council rules and against Oregon Law. Mayor Widdop has consistently misrepre- sented her opinion as that of the City Coun- cil using the term “WE” without the knowledge or approval of the City Council. Nov. 5, 2014 Mayor Widdop publicly de- nounced a candidate’s ability to serve in public office citing his “alleged” temper. March 15, 2013 (Daily Astorian) Widdop admitted to her own “temper” thus disqualify- ing herself as fit to serve in public office. Because of her abuse of leadership, lack of transparency and strong personal bias, vote YES to recall Mayor Widdop. Restore honesty and trust to Gearhart’s gov- ernment. In almost 20 years as a city councilor and mayor, I have consis- tently made decisions that reflect the values of the city’s comprehen- sive plan. My goal has always been to preserve and enhance the livabil- ity of our community. As mayor, my focus has been to increase the transparency and acces- sibility of the city gov- ernment. The city’s web- site has been improved to provide more infor- mation. Residents now can access the same information packet pro- vided to city councilors. The city blog allows cit- izens to receive notices and information auto- matically. I’m at City Hall ev- ery Wednesday, giving anyone the opportuni- ty to ask questions, ex- press concerns, or just chat. I attend Gearhart Homeowners Associa- tion meetings to answer questions on city affairs for their membership. I have worked to increase Gearhart’s presence be- yond purely city affairs, working with Senator Merkley and Represen- tative Bonamici to hold well attended town hall meetings in Gearhart, inviting representatives of the Port of Astoria and the Community Col- lege to speak at council meetings, attending League of Oregon Cities and Mayors Association meetings, and maintain- ing working relation- ships with other area mayors, state represen- tatives. I do this as a vol- unteer unpaid elected official. I ask you for your vote of support. pow ered b y m u s ic firs t March MOVE IN Madness The earlier you move in the more you save! March 1-10th Your Cost $250 March 11-20th Your Cost $500 March 21-31st Your Cost $750 excludes services Call for details and a tour 503-738-0307 101 F OREST D RIVE S EASIDE WWW . SUZANNE - ELISE . COM Guest Column DIANNE WIDDOP Take some time to ask questions Ballots will be mailed to Gearhart voters on March 6 re- garding the question of wheth- er I should be recalled from RI¿FH The ballot will contain a statement from the petitioners, DQGRQHIURPPH The petitioner’s statement makes some ominous sound- ing allegations including one that states “October 29, 2014, a conversation between May- or Widdop and a citizen was recorded on a hidden device during ‘Coffee with the Mayor’ without the citizen’s knowl- HGJH RU DXWKRUL]DWLRQ 0D\RU Widdop then attempted to dis- tribute this recording, contrary to Fourth Amendment privacy rights, contrary to City Council UXOHVDQGDJDLQVW2UHJRQODZ´ Joy Sigler elaborated on this FKDUJH DW WKH 'HF FRXQFLO meeting, saying “Our commu- nity does not need any interpre- tation for an act of an elected RI¿FLDO WR VHFUHWO\ UHFRUG D citizen during coffee with the PD\RU 1RU GR ZH QHHG DQ\ further investigation when we OHDUQ WKDW DQ HOHFWHG RI¿FLDO attempted to then distribute the recording that was secretly ob- WDLQHG7KLVFRPPXQLW\YDOXHV WUDQVSDUHQF\,OOHJDORUQRWZH know that any secret recording is not consistent with any code of conduct elected or otherwise $FRPSOHWHUHSRUWRIWKLVLQ- cident was reported to the Clat- sop County District Attorney’s RI¿FH´ Before deciding on the sig- QL¿FDQFHRIWKLVFKDUJHDIHZ DGGLWLRQDOIDFWVPD\EHKHOSIXO 7KH ³FLWL]HQ´ LQ TXHVWLRQ ZDV WKHQ&LW\&RXQFLORU-R\6LJOHU She asked to record the con- YHUVDWLRQDQG,GLGQRWREMHFW I did not record the conversa- WLRQQRUFDXVHLWWREHUHFRUGHG Roughly a minute into her rant, the city administrator, who was also present, turned on his cell- phone in the belief that it was in the city’s interest to have its RZQUHFRUG While I was given a copy of the city’s recording and told the remaining council members of its existence, I did not attempt to distribute the recording to DQ\RQH , ZDV LQIRUPHG ODWHU that both the city attorney and the Clatsop County district at- torney had determined that the city’s recording was perfectly legal and could be distributed WRDQ\RQH At the time I had won- DIANNE WIDDOP dered why a second record- ing seemed so threatening to Sigler, especially given the fact that all council proceedings are UHFRUGHG , EHOLHYH , UHFHLYHG the answer when she posted her recording on the Restore 7UXVW*HDUKDUWZHEVLWH+HUUH- FRUGLQJUXQVURXJKO\¿YHPLQ- XWHV7KHFLW\¶VUHFRUGLQJUXQV DOPRVWPLQXWHV I agree with Sigler com- pletely on one point — our community values and de- serves transparency in the con- GXFWRIWKHSXEOLFEXVLQHVV7R me, transparency involves sev- HUDO FRQFHSWV$W D YHU\ EDVLF level, it means that the public has access to accurate informa- tion in as simple a manner as SRVVLEOH Over the last two years, I have worked to increase the amount of information avail- able on the city website, in- cluding the complete informa- tion packet council members UHFHLYHIRUPHHWLQJV:HKDYH also set up a blog that allows anyone to receive announce- ments and information auto- PDWLFDOO\ E\ HPDLO 7KHUH LV more to do in both areas, but ZHKDYHVWDUWHGWKHSURFHVV Transparency also involves DFFHVVWRSXEOLFRI¿FLDOV,DP DW&LW\+DOOHYHU\:HGQHVGD\ PRUQLQJ $Q\RQH FDQ FRPH in to ask a question, voice an opinion, or just chat about WKLQJVLQWKHFLW\1RWHYHU\RQH LVVDWLV¿HGZLWKDQDQVZHUEXW they have had the opportunity WREHKHDUG At a higher level, transparen- cy means that the public can see the process by which the coun- cil, planning commission, or city administration reaches a deci- sion on individual cases and can have confidence that decisions are as consistent as possible with laws, ordinances or other estab- OLVKHGSROLFLHV7KHUHPD\EHVLW- uations where it may be a good LGHDWRFKDQJHWKHODZ,IVRWKH Phone and Internet Discounts Available to CenturyLink Customers The Oregon Public Utility Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $12.80- $14.80 per month and business services are $26.00-$30.50 per PRQWK6SHFL¿FUDWHVZLOOEHSURYLGHGXSRQUHTXHVW &HQWXU\/LQN SDUWLFLSDWHV LQ D JRYHUQPHQW EHQH¿W SURJUDP (Lifeline) to make residential telephone service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible FXVWRPHUVDUHWKRVHWKDWPHHWHOLJLELOLW\VWDQGDUGVDVGH¿QHG by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on IHGHUDOO\UHFRJQL]HG7ULEDO/DQGVPD\TXDOLI\IRUDGGLWLRQDO 7ULEDOEHQH¿WVLIWKH\SDUWLFLSDWHLQFHUWDLQDGGLWLRQDOIHGHUDO eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone per household, which can be either a wireline or ZLUHOHVVWHOHSKRQH$KRXVHKROGLVGH¿QHGIRUWKHSXUSRVHVRI the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain Lifeline WHOHSKRQHVHUYLFHFDQEHSXQLVKHGE\¿QHRULPSULVRQPHQWDQG can be barred from the program. solution is to follow the process to change the law, but don’t just LJQRUHWKHODZ At the highest level, trans- parency involves the debate of SXEOLF LVVXHV ,W LQYROYHV ERWK the council or planning com- mission and the public giv- LQJ WKHLU RSLQLRQ ,W LQYROYHV making arguments that seek to increase clarity rather than con- IXVLRQ,WLQYROYHVIRFXVLQJRQ IDFWV UDWKHU WKDQ SHUVRQDOLWLHV ,W LQYROYHV QRW RQO\ RI¿FLDOV showing respect to the public, but also the public showing UHVSHFWIRUHOHFWHGRI¿FLDOVHV- pecially at the local level where DOOHOHFWHGDQGDSSRLQWHGRI¿- FLDOVDUHXQSDLGYROXQWHHUV The use of rumors, innu- endos and vague unsubstanti- DWHG FODLPV RI ³UHWULEXWLRQ´ LV DJUDYHWKUHDWWRWUDQVSDUHQF\ The recall petitioners have made claims that I have turned Gearhart into a place where people need to be in fear of something or someone, but don’t really say what to fear, other than that I have single- handedly undermined the Con- VWLWXWLRQLQ*HDUKDUW As anyone who has attend- ed City Council meetings over the past 10 months can attest, constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech is thriving LQ*HDUKDUW7KH)LUVW$PHQG- ment says that people can say pretty much anything they want to say, and those attending have FHUWDLQO\H[HUFLVHGWKDWULJKW A recent commentary in The Daily Astorian described recent meetings as “nearly un- EHDUDEOH´ ³7KH GDUN VLGH RI *HDUKDUW´-DQ$VWKHPDLQ target of most of the speech, I FDQFHUWDLQO\DJUHH7KHUHLVD difference, however, between the right to say something and whether listeners should take LWVHULRXVO\7KLVLVWKHNH\WR the recall issue that voters will GHFLGH 'R WKHLU DFFXVDWLRQV sound plausible? Do they have any relation to one’s perception of life in Gearhart? I hope you will take some time to ask questions if you have any, and then make an in- IRUPHGGHFLVLRQ Dianne Widdop is the may- or of Gearhart and faces a re- call election March 26. BUSINESS DIRECTORY F LOORING 2/3 of Showroom ALWAYS ON SALE! Window Treatments, Fabric, Wallpaper, Flooring and Interior Design 2311 N. Roosevelt Dr., Seaside, OR 97138 • 503-738-5729 rlflooring@yahoo.com • www.RandallLeesFlooring.com Randall Lee’s Flooring Outlet • 3579 Hwy 101 Gearhart • 503-738-6756 Warehouse pricing • Open to the Public • Hundreds of instock rolls & remnants • In House Binding L ANDSCAPING Laurelwood Compost • Mulch • Planting MacMix Soil Amendments YARD DEBRIS DROP-OFF (no Scotch Broom) 503-717-1454 34154 HIGHWAY 26 SEASIDE, OR C ONSTRUCTION B OB M C E W AN C ONSTRUCTION , INC . 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