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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2016)
6A • December 9, 2016 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com Seaside mayoral suitors step up Barber, Johnson show interest in top spot By R.J. Marx Seaside Signal City councilors met Mon- day, Nov. 28, to consider a re- placement for former Mayor Don Larson. Larson stepped down from his post in No- vember due to ill health after serving as mayor since 2002. By the session’s conclu- sion, two contenders emerged for the position, councilors Don Johnson and Jay Barber. By the end of the night’s reg- ular City Council meeting, a third name, that of Council- or-elect Tom Horning, was added to the mix. Councilors considered three options: select someone on the council to fi ll the may- or’s two-year unexpired term; appoint a former elected offi - cial; or choose someone out- side of the council from the Seaside electorate. According to city code, the mayoral vacancy must be fi lled by a council majority vote. The appointee would serve immediately and continue un- til the January following the next general city election in 2018. R.J. MARX/SEASIDE SIGNAL R.J. MARX/SEASIDE SIGNAL Councilors Don Johnson and Jay Barber at Monday’s workshop in Seaside. intended to step down at the end of the term. “I feel 16 years on the council and two years as mayor — that’s more than plenty.” Barber, a retired college president, foundation director and ordained minister, served as a councilor and two-term mayor in Red Bluff, Califor- nia, a position which, he said, gave him experience dealing with the public. He and his wife Jan have lived full-time in Seaside since 2006. Barber was selected in 2009 to fi ll the unexpired council term of the late Gary Should Johnson be ap- pointed mayor, “I’m not sure what we’re saying to your constituents that voted some- body else in to fi ll your posi- tion,” Phillips said. New name surfaces At the council’s regular meeting, Horning’s name was added to the mix. John Dunzer, a perennial candidate for county and Sea- side offi ces, including Seaside mayor, chided councilors for failing to look outside their ranks. Horning’s election to the council was not a “repudia- THE CONTENDERS Within the ranks Johnson, council presi- dent and representative of the city’s Ward 3, indicated his willingness to serve the un- expired term. A councilor since 2002, Johnson was upset in the No- vember election to Horning, a geologist who ran on the issue of emergency prepared- ness. “Having lost the election, I still feel I am qualifi ed to be mayor,” Johnson said at the workshop. Johnson pointed to his own 12 years experience on the Planning Commission and 16 years on the City Council. “I feel I’ve got a strong re- lationship with the city staff and with the councilors,” Johnson said. “Every time I’ve been asked as council president to run the meeting, I’ve always brought everyone into the fold, and always lis- tened to what they’ve had to say. I think I’ve worked well, I think I’ve been a good lead- er and I love this city.” If appointed, he said he Diebolt. Barber won election for Ward 1 in 2010 and again in 2014. His “good working rela- tionship” with the city man- ager would be an asset as mayor, Barber said. “That cannot be overstated in terms of its value. If the mayor and city manager don’t have a positive working relation- ship, nothing ever gets done in a progressive way.” Councilor Dana Phillips said she “highly respected” Johnson, but in the aftermath of Johnson’s election defeat, she urged the selection of Barber for the city’s top spot. Jay Barber Tom Horning at the Avenue A bridge in Seaside. tion” of Johnson, but a pub- lic endorsement of Horning’s message of emergency pre- paredness, Dunzer said Horning received 58 per- cent of the vote to Johnson’s 41 percent. “I look at all the people up here and all of you were running on the Don Johnson ticket and not on the on the platform of Mr. Horning,” Dunzer said. “It would be my hope you would all get behind Mr. Horning, who has some- what of a mandate from the people of Seaside of what the hell they want to have hap- pen. “I don’t really care who you select or what you do,” Dunzer added. “I just want you to get behind this man- date to get things moving on emergency prep. If we would just put our heads together, there are a lot of things we can do to save people’s lives.” A mayoral appointment could be made by a council motion at the Dec. 12 meet- ing, Winstanley said. DINING on the NORTH COAST Great Restaurants in: GEARHART SEASIDE CANNON BEACH Don Johnson Quote Quote ‘If the mayor and city manager don’t have a positive working relationship, nothing ever gets done in a progressive way.’ ‘Having lost the election, I still feel I am qualifi ed to be mayor.… I’ve got a strong relationship with the city staff and with the councilors.’ Qualifi cations Qualifi cations Seaside resident since 2006; councilor since 2009; won elec- tion for Ward 1 in 2010 and again in 2014 Lifelong Seaside resident, coun- cilor since 2002, current presi- dent of City Council NATIONALLY FAMOUS CLAM CHOWDER • FRESH OREGON SEAFOOD R E STAU R A N T S CANNON BEACH 503-436-1111 Ocean Front at Tolovana Park www.moschowder.com Discover Seaside, state will team to collect pot tax Patty’s Wicker Cafe on the Beautiful Necanicum River Intergovernmental agreement endorsed by City Council BREAKFAST & LUNCH MONDAY thru FRIDAY 6AM to 2PM By R.J. Marx Great Atmosphere • Great Food • Great Prices Seaside Signal Like other cities in Ore- gon which have licensed the retail sale of cannabis, coun- cilors endorsed an agreement with the state’s Department of Revenue for collection of the city’s 3 percent retail sales tax. “If a local jurisdiction has a tax on marijuana, they are willing to collect the tax on the city’s behalf,” City Man- ager Mark Winstanley said at the Nov. 28 City Council meeting. “They’ll simply pass that money on to us while charging us a small fee, in this case, 4 percent of the to- tal amount of revenue, which is a very reasonable amount for their services to collect. We believe it would be ad- vantageous for us to enter this agreement.” On Election Day, Seaside voters approved a resolution imposing the 3 percent tax. Local sales taxes on can- nabis passed in more than 100 Oregon communities, in addi- tion to the state’s 17 percent tax. Sellers are required to pay tax quarterly specifying total sales and the amount of tax fi led. Failure to pay draws a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the tax, in addition to the amount owed. For their service, the de- partment withholds 4 percent of local taxes collected. The agreement can be ter- 600 Broadway Suite 7 & 8 • 503.717.1272 Excellence in family dining found from a family that has been serving the North Coast for the past 52 years Homemade Great Great Great Clam Breakfast, lunch and pasta, steaks & Chowder, but that’s dinner menu,too! seafood! Salads! not all... Seaside • 323 Broadway • 738-7234 (Open 7 Days) Cannon Beach • 223 S. Hemlock 436-2851 (7am-3pm Daily) Astoria • 146 W. Bond • 325-3144 FILE PHOTO Local cannabis taxes will be collected by the state. minated by either the city or the state with 90 days notice. “We currently receive li- quor revenue, we receive cigarette tax and the state performs that function for us in those circumstances,” Win- stanley said. “In the case of a marijuana tax, it would be much easier for the state to go ahead and collect this tax at the same time they’re collect- ing their tax.” The intergovernmental agreement clarifi es collec- tions, distributions and ap- peals. If necessary, the state would conduct audits and en- forcement. “It’s a good deal,” City At- torney Dan Van Thiel added. “I think it adds some muscle to the collection of it.” By October, the state had collected more than $40 mil- lion on cannabis sales of $160 million. After administrative costs, 40 percent of state canna- bis taxes are designated for schools. The remaining por- tions go for law enforcement, mental health and substance abuse prevention and educa- tion. Seaside councilors unani- mously supported the agree- ment, which goes into effect at the new year. ROBERT CAIN LD, 45 Years of Experience TWO LOCATIONS SEASIDE & HILLSBORO 740 Ave H • Ste 2 • Seaside 232 NE Lincoln • Ste B • Hillsboro FREE CONSULTATION • Dentures for all ages, New, Partials and Custom Dentures • Dentures for implants • Relines & Repairs • Denture repairs done same day! • Personal service and attention to detail Open Wednesday and Friday • 9-4:30 • 503-738-7710 WANNA KNOW WHERE THE LOCALS GO? • Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner BEST BREAKFAST IN TOWN! • Lighter appetite menu • Junior Something for Everyone menu Fish ‘n Chips • Burgers • Seafood & Steak Friday & Saturday - Prime Rib Lounge Open Daily 9-Midnight All Oregon Lottery products available 1104 S Holladay • 503-738-9701 • Open Daily at 8am MAZATLAN M E X I C A N R E S TA U R A N T Phone 503-738-9678 1445 S. Roosevelt Drive • Seaside