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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2018)
October 26, 2018 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 5A Vote ‘yes’ for Sunset Empire pool expansion plan W e are so fortunate to live in a truly special and beautiful pocket of this country, which provides each of us with an opportunity to contribute civically and contribute to the democratic process. By now, many of you have already received and perhaps cast your ballots for the upcoming Nov. 6 election. This election features a string of important decisions for voters throughout our community as they cast their ballots for their preferred candidates for mayor, city coun- cilors, county commissioner and governor. There are also several important measures both locally and throughout our state. Regardless of your political party or leanings, it’s the opportunity to participate in a truly equitable system that is most amazing. As you probably know, the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District strives to serve our entire commu- nity throughout South County with high-quality recreation programs and facilities. The motivations for issuing the request to our residents to support bond Measure 4-196 are many, and I GUEST COLUMN SKYLER ARCHIBALD would like to highlight our rationale below. • The expansion, if approved by voters, would include the building components most sought after and most necessary for our community — indoor walking track, gymnasium space, fitness space and expanded youth program space. • The expansion would also allow SEPRD to discontinue renting space for current programs, bringing the entire program offering in-house and offer more robust opportunities for a greater audience. • We need more spaces in our community to play, particularly when it is wet, windy, cold or dark. Our county features some of the most beautiful places in the world, but it also features double the precipitation and a higher obesity rate than the state or national averages. Where do people go to get their exercise, particularly in the winter months? SUNSET EMPIRE PARK AND RECREATION DISTRICT Rendering of the proposed aquatic center expansion. • The children in our community need safe spaces to grow, exercise and flourish. It’s not just adults who are heavier than ever before. It’s also our children — who, because of chronic diseases associated with obe- sity, will have a shorter life expectan- cy than their parents. • Park and Recreation facilities, just like other public spaces, improve the quality of life for all residents and make the community more livable and viable. Facilities also increase property value, serving as a good investment for a community to make. • The building would also allow the district to host more programs which are economically beneficial and produce more revenue, which would make SEPRD more self-sus- taining. • The district explored the possibility of acquiring the soon- to-be-vacated Broadway Middle School property, but the acquisition and remodel costs of that project far exceeded the $20 million project contained in Measure 4-196. There- fore, the district is moving forward with this route, the more economical of the options. • The Sunset Pool would be almost completely untouched in this expansion. The expansion would, however, provide dryland fitness opportunities to complement the pool offerings. • The district would be able to add multiple additional family changing rooms to accommodate the large number of families served, as well as meeting important inclusive needs for all of our users. • If approved, the expansion would increase the average property taxes of district residents by less than $10 a month. The bond would expire in 20 years and construction would be completed by 2021 or 2022. SEPRD will host its final commu- nity forum on at 5 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Bob Chisholm Community Center. I encourage you to come and find out more information about this project, which could transform this commu- nity and our overall health. Skyler Archibald is executive director of the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District. LETTERS Letters from Page 4A ask any new arrival where they are living and watch for the reaction! From As- toria to Brookings, nurses, first responders, fisherman, shop keepers, teachers, office workers, and trades people are no longer able to afford local neighborhoods. As representatives for nearly half our coastline, we hear the impact that housing affordability has on families, seniors, workers, and the lo- cal businesses that need those workers. We joined our col- leagues in the Legislature in voting nearly unanimously to refer to voters a measure that will make it easier and more efficient to build affordable housing: Measure 102. Measure 102 will remove an outdated restriction that prevents affordable housing bond dollars from being used in partnership with nonprofits and affordable housing devel- opers. This will give a boost to smaller cities and towns who otherwise might not have the ability to carry out an afford- able housing bond. This measure includes added safeguards, requiring local governments to com- plete annual audits and to publicly report spending of bond funds. If Measure 102 is approved, bond funds will be treated just like other funds for affordable housing, within a strong system of account- ability that ensures residents with low incomes are being properly served. Not only is taxpayer in- vestment protected, but Mea- sure 102 will make your tax dollars go further, by allowing access to new funding sourc- es. Please join us in voting yes on Measure 102. Rep. David Gomberg Rep. Deborah Boone Representative David Gomberg represents the Central Coast and Repre- sentative Deborah Boone represents the North Coast in the Oregon State Legis- lature. Gearhart lucky to have Kerry Smith Dear Gearhart Voters, You are the lucky ones! Your vote counts!! I have owned a home in Gearhart for close to 25 years but because I vote in Minne- sota, sadly, I will not get the chance to vote for Kerry Smith for another term on our City Council. I spend long stretches of time in Gearhart and like to attend the city council meet- ings. Often these meetings get heated, full of divergent, pas- sionate opinions. Democracy in action, at its best. Kerry Smith is as fair mind- ed and smart as anyone I’ve known. As a council member he asks important questions that have been critical to un- derstanding the many difficult issue facing a small town. In his first term it has been clear he’s a listener, always open to hearing divergent opinions on an issue. At the meetings his thoughts show he’s done his research. He digs down deep to get the full story with- out prejudgment. And, after weighing the ins and outs of an issue, Kerry can be depended upon to be a voice and a vote for the community good. We need Kerry on the Gearhart council. Thank you, Vickie Abrahamson Gearhart Fix what’s broken before new bond To the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District board members. Before SEPRD is ready for growth and expan- sion, the patrons would desire that the board take an earnest, active interest in becoming in- volved in the aquatic center’s workings and the needs of the center’s patrons. Patrons have not seen members of the board visiting or using the aquatic facility. How would they know what is really going on? In the past there were two petitions: one in 2015 and one in 2016, ex- pressing concerns. Both peti- tions fell on deaf ears with no responses. The aquatic facility has slowly gone downhill and a number of adults have just quit coming, for various rea- sons — it is too cold — the water temperature has been lowered, as well as an in- termittently working boiler which makes the locker rooms cold (55 degrees). A once well-managed, well-main- tained and sparkling facility has turned into an unorga- nized, dirty facility with no effort to correct the import- ant issues, of which there are many. It would seem that the $60,000 paid for reports on the old Broadway school could have better been put to use on a working boiler. I believe that the existing aquatic facility needs to be take care of properly rather than pour $20 million into an unnecessary expansion. Donna Sunell Gearhart Vote ‘no’ on rec bond Vote no on Sunset Empire $20 million bond. For a town with a population of 6,000, not all of who are homeown- ers, this bond would create yet another burden on taxpayers. Remember, the Sunset Empire already receives a portion of your house taxes every year, and this in no way gives you access to the pool or any of its amenities without member- ship or a purchased entry fee. Right now, after its recent remodeling which had it closed for five or more weeks, it has, in my opinion, a limited num- ber of pool classes, frequent breakdown of the hot tub, cold temperatures in the changing room, showers that are never warm enough, intentionally, a large paid staff, and could use some improvement in the wa- ter classes. It would be an im- provement just to get these mat- ters addressed and that would not cost $20 million. Vote no and have them make improve- ments now with what is there. Susan Romersa Seaside Seaside doesn’t need new facility The Sunset Park and Rec- reation District bond is a want or need decision. The SEPRD bond is a no vote from this se- nior citizen who lives on a fixed income in the City of Seaside. It’s not that I don’t want im- proved facilities, it’s that we as a community cannot afford such a luxury at this time. The SEPRD currently costs its citizens 92 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. That is an ongoing as- sessment without a stop date. The SEPRD bond issue before the voters would add an addi- tional tax of approximately 70 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for the next 20 years bringing the total to $1.62 per $1,000 of assessed val- ue. The last 55 homes sold in Seaside were at an average of $335,000. That means the tax hit for SEPRD alone is $542 a year each year. But each prop- erty owner can do their own math for themselves. This tax assessment does not allow you to use the pool or other programs, however. You have to buy a SEPRD See Letters, Page 6A Vote yes on state measures There is a lot for our com- munity to say yes to on this year’s November ballot. Yes on Measure 105 protects fam- ilies, Oregon jobs and our state’s economy. Yes on Mea- sure 104 limits the power of Oregon government to raise taxes and allows families to keep more of their hard-earned money. Yes on Measure 106 gives Oregonians the choice of how their own tax dollars are spent. Yes on Measure 103 prevents local governments from taxing groceries. A es vote on these mea- sures and ayes vote on 4-195, Clatsop County’s jail bond measure, supports local law enforcement who protect our families and communities, upholds our most important values and keeps power in the hands of the people. Oregon wins with yes. Christine Bridgens Warrenton After serving on city council, Jay Barber was appointed in 2016 to the unexpired term of long time Mayor Don Larson. How fortunate for Seaside someone with Jay’s qualifications stood ready to guide the city. Numerous projects initiated under Don Larson continue on track under Jay Barber’s stewardship. These include: The new school district campus and supporting infrastructure; Convention center expansion; Workforce and homeless housing issues; and tsunami preparedness. Possibly most significant at this time is the city’s commitment to civility. Serving as chair of the board for Helping Hands Re-entry Program, Jay is also doing something tangible about our homeless situation. Jay Barber came well prepared to the mayor’s office. An ordained minister, his experience includes 12 years as president of Warner Pacific University in Portland; 10 years as director of the OHSU Foundation; City council and 2 terms as mayor of Red Bluff, California; 2 years as chair of Mercy Corps Board of Directors based in Portland. When Jay and wife Jan moved to Seaside in 2006, they enthusiastically got involved and both continue to lend their talents to move the city forward to an even brighter future. PLEASE exercise your rights as an American Citizen. VOTE. It only makes sense we keep our mayor. To all of us Seasiders in support of our mayor, Jay Barber: Lois K. Larson Steve Wright Rep. Deborah Boone Wayne Poole Tom & Mary Hershe Skyler Archibald Marty & Judy Larson Leslie K. Tracy Emily Yee Richard Finzer Mary Blake Coral Cook Steve & Dana Phillips We’re dedicated to helping you and your neighbors be healthier. Creating health together. colpachealth.org M @columbiapacificcco A CareOregon Company Dr. & Mrs. Walt McDonald Lynette Scribner Raven Brown Jorjett Strumme Rebecca Read Lynn M. Ottem Bill & Janis Carpenter James Walker William Basiliko Marcus Lundell Susan Deshon Chris & Cheryl Hunter Seaside Vacation Homes Denise Fairweather Barb Bradshaw Alan Evans Cindy Daly Paul & Lana Jane Brent Mike and Adelita Hinton Dan & Sherrie Chojnacki Carl & Shirley Yates Les & Margery McNary Colleen Chandler Jimmy & Piper O’Brien David & Michelle White Bill & Robin Montero Michael & Diane Somers Roger & Marcia Schultz Trina Vorderbrueggen Terry Williams Avery L. Loschen Tita Montero Bob & Honey Perkel Margot Nye Scott Owen Gayle Spear Ted Smith Neil Everett Coleen Chandler
