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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2017)
July 7, 2017 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 3A Gearhart hunts for the perfect firehouse location Public sour on park site Mylar balloons remain outage threat Firefighters see greater risk in fireworks, illegal parking By R.J. Marx By R.J. Marx Seaside Signal SUBMITTED PHOTO Seaside Signal The city is looking for al- ternatives to a new firehouse on public parkland, a proposal that met with strong pushback at a public forum in May. With some willing property owners, conversations about potential sites are underway. The current firehouse con- sists of a cinder-block build- ing at 670 Pacific Way, built in 1958, and is considered out- dated and vulnerable to earth- quake and tsunami. While built “fairly stoutly,” accord- ing to geologist Tom Horning, who has served as a consultant for the city and is a Seaside city councilor, the property is likely to flood even in a mod- erate tsunami, prompting dis- cussion of a new location. Gearhart has two and pos- sibly three potential sites for acquisition, Mayor Matt Brown said Tuesday, June 27, and talks with property own- ers have begun. Brown said he hopes to present the new locations, along with cost breakdowns, to the public this fall. “The park can be an option, but I believe we need to pres- ent three options to the general public in a town hall meeting later this year,” Brown said. Limited options After a two-year study of nine locations, the fire- house committee narrowed the choices down to three: Gearhart Park at the corner of South Marion and Pacific Way; the current firehouse on Pacific Way; and Trail’s End, directly across from the fire station on the south side of Pa- cific Way. “Unfortunately the current location of the fire station would not be approved by R.J. MARX/SEASIDE SIGNAL Of the sites considered by the city for a new firehouse, Gearhart Park remains the only one still under consideration. DOGAMI (Oregon Depart- ment of Geology and Mineral Industries) to build there, and the current condition of the building there is not good,” Brown said. The Trail’s End site was eliminated because of low el- evation, poor soil quality and public opposition. Locations to the east are vulnerable to flooding from the Neacoxie. Now, the city is left with only the park site. But at a May public forum, many res- idents expressed their discon- tent with the park even being considered as an option. De- spite the park’s 48-foot eleva- tion — the fire station proper- ty stands at an elevation of 27 feet — the proposal met stiff resistance. Many of those who spoke said they considered the park a part of the “character of the town.” Is park best choice? Some city councilors and fire committee members still consider the park location the most optimal for a new fire- house. City Councilor Sue Lorain, a member of the firehouse committee, said misconcep- tions arose over the park site in terms of its size, location and elevation. The park is higher than the current fire sta- tion, she said at a City Council discussion in early June, and the location is far more secure in an earthquake or tsunami. “I would recommend we go ahead with the park, and get rid of misconceptions, and have another town hall meet- ing at the end of September,” Lorain said. “If nothing comes up, I think we go with the park.” Lorain asked councilors to extend the search process until September, and eliminate the current firehouse as a potential location. “I feel it’s important to keep this ball rolling,” City Councilor Dan Jesse said at that meeting. “At some point a large earthquake is going to happen. I don’t know when that’s going to be. But we should keeping propelling this forward. At some point we will have to decide, ‘This site is the best we’re going to get,’ and be willing to move for- ward, even if we lose.” What’s ahead At the City Council’s June meeting, councilors agreed to continue the location search. One privately owned site under consideration reach- es an elevation of 75 feet, Gilligan graduates from Coast Guard Academy On May 17, Carrie Gilligan graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, sixth in her class with high honors. Gilligan graduated valedic- torian from Seaside High School in 2011. Carrie Gilli- gan accepts congratulations from President Donald Trump at her grad- uation from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in May. SUBMITTED PHOTO Brown said. The property is close to the condos on North Marion and across from the golf course, Brown said, and conversations with the owner have begun. “We’re starting another conversation with another property owner on North Mar- ion,” City Administrator Chad Sweet said Tuesday. “We want to make sure everyone’s com- fortable with the deal before making it public.” Once new locations are determined, the City Council intends to provide $5,000 to conduct studies of alterna- tive properties. Money would come from the hazard mitiga- tion or building reserve funds, Sweet said. That money could be spent on an architectural rendering, geotechnical studies, deter- mining basic costs or toward an estimator to take a look at the building, location and type of ground to determine what costs would be, Sweet said. “I would be happy if we could find another spot that was not the park, because I understand all of our attach- ments to that park,” Sweet said. “I’m anxious to see if one of these other real estate dealings and locations could be worked out.” The city’s 2015 July Fourth celebration saw plenty of fireworks, but one piece of pyrotechnics went awry. Then Pacific Power spokeswoman Sheila Hold- en called it “Mylargate.” When a metal-coated bal- loon made contact with a Pacific Power substation, sparks flew and the South County went dark for hours, disrupting celebrations, pic- nics and parades. More than 8,000 custom- ers were affected by a metal- lic-skinned helium balloon that got away, according to Pacific Power. Crews found “unmistakable red, white and blue Mylar shreds” when doing repairs, Pacific Power reported at the time. The balloon from a near- by celebration caused a main substation transformer to short circuit near Seaside Factory Outlet Center. Other equipment was also dam- aged on nearby poles. Seaside, Gearhart and parts of Warrenton were without power from about 4:40 to 10:20 p.m. as Pacif- ic Power crews replaced the damaged equipment. Pacific Power wants In- dependence Day events this year to be Mylar-free. So far in 2017, Pacific Power has recorded 13 instances where balloons have caused outag- es somewhere in the three states — Oregon, Washing- ton and California — the company serves. In 2016, there were 26 such outages. “Mylar is particularly bad as it is a conductive ma- terial,” Regional Business Manager Alisa Dunlap said Friday. “However, all items that can get tangled in our lines can cause problems.” Mylar balloons can pose a threat to transformers. The 2015 Seaside Fourth of July outage was an “un- avoidable fluke,” Dunlap said. Nevertheless, precau- tions must be taken. “We always try to com- municate with the commu- nity at large that balloons, kites and drones don’t mix well with power lines,” she added. “We have done our best to education.” In issuing a list of safe- ty tips, the power company advises residents to keep the balloons indoors where they can’t rise into overhead power lines or drift into contact with transformers or substations. Make sure the string for each balloon is securely attached and short enough to control its direction, power company officials recommend attach- ing a weight to the balloon’s string. Never intentionally release metallic balloons, they warn. In 2015, as soon as the power went out, the Sea- side Fire Department called the substation to respond to the incident. While there was smoke coming from the failed transformer, there were no flames. While Seaside Fire Chief Joey Daniels has not com- pletely discounted the pos- sibility of another Mylar incident, he and department members are focused on oth- er safety measures. “That’s the first time any of us had ever heard of something like that,” Daniels said Friday. “It’s such a fluke. We have more issues with people let- ting off illegal fireworks and illegal parking.” Top Brands. Factory-Direct Prices. Free Coupon Book at Wine & Beer Haus or online, www.seasideoutlets.com RV accident on Highway 26 EO Media Group An accident Wednesday involving a rolled over motor home complicated traffic on U.S. Highway 26 south of Saddle Mountain. Reports of an accident in the area trick- led in to Astoria 911 just after 10:15 a.m. Initially, several vehicles were thought to be involved. Drivers, many of whom are traveling after the Fourth of July holiday, were warned to expect delays. Horning, Stacey leave Sunset Empire board Long-time board Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District members Tom Horning and George Stacey passed the torch to incoming board mem- bers Jeremy Mills and Veroni- ca Russell during the district’s regular board meeting this past Tuesday night. Mills and Rus- sell won the seats during a spe- cial election this past May. Horning, a board members since July of 2009 was voted in as a Seaside City Council member during the general election last fall. Stacey, who has been serving since he was appointed to fill a board vacan- cy in July of 2010, was also an original SEPRD board member during its early formation. FREE In-home Consultation | FREE Cordless “The difference between DIY and do-it-for me? Basically, everything.” Oregon Coast 503-738-5242 Lincoln City 541-994-9954 SW Washington 503-738-5242 www.budgetblinds.com *Applies to selected Signature Series window treatments. Restrictions may apply, ask for details. 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