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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 2018)
6A • October 26, 2018 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com Local voters weigh in on bonds, competitive races Election from Page 1A Seaside City Council Jail bond Candidate Steve Wright moved from Gresham to Sea- side in 2014 with Patty, my wife of 41 years. He worked 35 years for an internation- al grain exporter, retiring as chief financial officer in 2013. Wright served on the Seaside Planning Commission and now serves serving on the Seaside City Council Ward 1, the Budget Committee, the Improvement Commission and the Transportation Advi- sory Commission. Wright said he will contin- ue to work with the mayor and other councilors to achieve the goals we set in early 2017. “I will work to keep Sea- side a great place to visit and an even better place for those of us fortunate enough to live here,” Wright said. In 2006, Montero lost in her first council bid by only one vote to Dave Moore. She was elected in 2010 after the death of Moore and again ran uncontested in 2014. “It has been an honor to serve the residents of Seaside as a City Councilor since Sep- tember 2010,” Montero said. “Our City Council has accom- plished some good work and there is still more to do.” Montero listed workforce housing, transportation, emer- gency preparedness and urban growth boundaries as key challenges in years to come. “I am proud of our city and proud to represent Seaside in the county and the state.” Dana Phillips, who was elected in 2010 and 2014, said she was proud of oppor- tunities to assist local citizens when they have had issues and raised concerns, citing her advocacy for those seek- ing available parking access for people with disabilities. “Running for my third term of office I still have the same The proposed project is developing a new 148-bed county jail at the former Ore- gon Youth Authority juvenile facility, increasing capacity from the 60 beds available in the existing Astoria jail, reducing early releases of of- fenders, and providing sep- arate space to hold inmates with behavioral issues and contagious illnesses. The project would utilize the existing youth facility for staff offices, intake space, food service and 20 inmate beds, while placing 128 beds in a new adjoining section with a more efficient, and safer, layout. Construction costs for the proposed proj- ect are $23.8 million, to be financed by a $20 million, 20-year bond. It’s estimated the actual cost to homeown- ers would be about $53 a year for a $250,000 proper- ty. $3.8 million would come from surplus state timber revenue. Operating costs are figured at about $5.2 mil- lion a year, resulting in a $685,000 net increase to the annual sheriff’s office cor- rections budget. A proposed countywide room tax to raise $420,000 a year would cover a portion of the increase. Rec bond If approved, voters in the Sunset Park and Rec District would fund construction of a recreation center featuring an indoor gym space, indoor walking track, group fitness, weight room and cardiovas- cular rooms. The funds would expand preschool and youth pro- gram space. The measure address- es construction of family Steve Wright answers a question during a candi- date forum in Seaside. Dana Phillips at the candi- date forum in Seaside. Seaside mayoral candidate Jay Barber. Seaside mayoral candidate John Chapman. Seaside City Council candi- date Tita Montero. Gearhart’s Kerry Smith at a September candidate forum. Jack Zimmerman, a can- didate for Gearhart City Council. Paulina Cockrum is running unopposed for her position on the Gearhart City Council. PHOTOS BY COLIN MURPHEY changing rooms, redevel- oping current district space, parking an site improve- ments. The estimated tax rate for the bonds is 70 cents per $1,000 property value, or $140 annually for a home with an assessed value of $200,000. Construction could start in late 2019 or early 2020, with about a year-and-a-half building period, With a 20-year payoff period and an $18 million expansion scenario, the tax impact to the owner of a $200,000 property would be about $126 per year. The im- pact for a $400,000 property would be about double that. Gearhart marijuana tax Gearhart will decide whether to adopt a 3 percent local sales tax on marijuana. The city’s first dispensary, County to hold Housing from Page 1A The goal of the study is to help policy-makers and offi- cials understand the type, size, location and price of housing needed now and in the future, and market forces, regulations and local barriers that impact housing development. Leahy serves as the busi- ness representative for the county’s Housing Technical Advisory Committee. Using the benchmark that housing costs should not ex- ceed 30 percent of a family’s income, he said. “If someone makes $36,000 a year and their annual salary is $3,000 a month, they can afford $900 a month for their rent or for their mortgage,” Le- ahy said. Families with an income of $48,000 annually can af- ford $1,200 a month, he said. If they make $60,000, afford- ability is considered $1,500 a month. According to the study, Seaside shows a projected need for more than 500 house- holds in the next 30 years, sec- ond only to Warrenton in the county, which shows a hous- ing need of almost 900. Asto- ria will require 303 homes to meet forecasts. Sweet Relief, opened in July on U.S. Highway 101. Gear- hart was among a few cities to vote in a tax prior to the legalization of recreational cannabis. In 2014, shortly before the state’s voters ap- proved Measure 91, the city passed an ordinance requiring a 10 percent tax on the sale of recreational marijuana and a 5 percent tax for a medical mar- ijuana registry cardholder. After legalization, the state established a 17 percent tax on marijuana and limited lo- cal taxes to 3 percent. Cities may not tax medical marijua- na sales. With a 10 percent tax already in place, Gearhart city councilors had the option of defending the tax in court or asking voters to approve a 3 percent tax. Gearhart City Council Kerry Smith and Jack Zimmerman are vying for Position 1 in the city’s coun- cil race. Paulina Cockrum is running unopposed for Posi- tion 3. Candidate for Gearhart City Council, Position 3. Cockrum, a Gearhart res- ident since 1976, served on the Planning Commission before her appointment to the council in 2015. Gear- hart City Council 2015 to present, by appointment. Her goal is to “practice stew- ardship and work to make Gearhart a better place when I leave than when I started. Smith is a local, inde- pendent contractor and have lived in Gearhart for 33 years. He started his own business 26 years ago and primarily has done home remodels in Gearhart and Seaside. Smith has served as Gearhart city councilor since 2014. He is a certified emergency response team — National CERT program member. “I will endeavor Seaside City Council candidate Tita Mon- tero. Seaside shows a capacity of 235 vacant residential land parcels, considered “very, very low” compared to other cities, Leahy said. Strategies for meeting housing needs include fee waivers or deferments for de- velopers; public-private part- nerships, a regional housing bond and a construction excise tax, among others, he said. Employer-assisted housing could meet the needs of local businesses directly. “You have to address everything,” Leahy said. A final report will not be delivered until after a public to preserve the residential and small-town feel of Gear- hart,” he said. “And, I will strive to assist the commu- nity and our governing of- ficials in a responsible and well-thought-out way.” Zimmerman has held po- sitions in field operations, administration and upper management with energy exploration and pipeline companies. Until recently, he conducted a small-scale land development effort in rural Colorado. He has vis- ited Gearhart for more than 28 years. “It’s clear to me that Gearhart represents a class of fast-disappearing cities possessing a special sense of peace; a historical culture along with a pristine and di- verse habitat,” he said. “The imperative is to honor and protect such uniqueness. ts to transfer the cost of growth to the taxpayer for the bene- fit of the few.” housing study comment period, he said. Consultants will discuss preliminary findings, recom- mendations and priorities for each community at an open house presentation on the Clatsop County Comprehen- sive Housing Study, Thursday, Nov. 1, in Astoria, at Judge Boyington Building, 857 Commercial St.; and on Tues- day, Nov. 13, at City Hall in Seaside. “You can go off in 10 dif- ferent directions,” Mayor Jay Barber said. “A coordinat- ed, planned effort is what is required. This will result in progress and resolution.” Program wins support At Monday’s City Council meeting, Kevin Leahy, executive director of Clatsop Economic Development Resources, asked the city of Seaside for a continua- tion of city funding for the Clatsop Economic De- velopment Resources program, which supports and provides training for small businesses in the county, a program supported by the city of Seaside as well as county communities Gearhart, Cannon Beach, Warrenton and Astoria. Councilors unanimously approved a contribution of $10,000 for the program, which provides support and training for small businesses in the county. He followed the funding request with an update on the county’s housing study. LETTERS Letters from Page 5A membership which in my case is $500 to gain access — se- nior discount for two. A lot of money for a retired couple to get a dip in the pool, in addi- tion to the above. The SEPRD has had flat revenue over the last four years at $2.1 million per year and in- creased expenses of $800,000 in the same time period; 78 percent of this revenue or $1.6 million is tax dollars. Only 22 percent comes from programs. The executive director has a compensation package of over $100,000 and is not a resident of Seaside, hence will not be paying the above tax. With flat revenues and $800,000 expense increase, it shakes my confidence in the SEPRD leadership and its de- cision-making on a $20 mil- lion bond issue. Vote no on the SEPRD bond. John Morrison Seaside Cost is excessive Vote no on Sunset Em- pire Recreation District bond Measure 4-196. Property taxes were re- cently raised 15 percent for the $100 million school bond measure. This bond measure would nearly double (75 percent in- crease) your property tax levy for Sunset Empire Park and Recreation. Renters would also feel the effect. Properties in the Sunset Empire District are already heavily burdened with a tax levy that Gearhart and Can- non Beach are unencumbered by. The bond would make our park district tax levy the fourth highest in the entire State of Oregon. It would take $58 million in tax dollars out of our community over the next 20 years. The project has not been vetted by the City of Seaside or the Seaside School District with regard to additional land required for parking require- ments. We cannot afford anoth- er drain on our tax dollars for a $20 million gym. The Sunset Empire Park District is the 15th largest park and recreation district in the state, but is funded as the seventh largest. Sunset Empire is al- ready grossly overfunded for a community of our size. Patrick Duhachek Warrenton Fix the pool before expansion I am very concerned about the condition of our pool, locker rooms and showers at the Seaside Park and Recre- ation center.After spending a huge amount of money to fix these facilities, I see little improvement. The lap pool water temperature is too cold to enjoy. Also, we desper- ately need a new boiler. The locker rooms and showers are not kept clean. The swimsuit spinner has broken down four times in the past few months. We need a new one. Now, they plan to build a new building and leave the old one in disre- pair. First things first. We must fix the old pool area before we request a bond to build a new recreational center. Carol Lierman Gearhart Retired sheriff urges yes vote Clatsop County’s capacity to house inmates has experi- enced critical shortages for decades. This has negatively impacted your public safety and suppressed the effective- ness of every law enforcement agency in our area. Weather you live in one of the Coun- ty’s five cities or in the unin- corporated areas, you equal- ly share the resulting risk as there is only one County Jail. When the State of Ore- gon built the Oregon Youth Authority Youth Detention Center, considerable invest- ment was made by local tax- payers to prepare and build the supporting roads and in- frastructure necessary to site this facility. It has now been mothballed and dormant for several years. The plan to re-purpose the facility into a County Jail/Corrections cen- ter is the most sensible and best possible use for the ex- isting buildings and our local investment. The proposal will greatly increase the jail capac- ity, provide for inmate reform program areas and alternative sanction programs. The re- development of this site will meet Clatsop County’s needs for many decades to come. I would strongly encour- age you to would “yes” on Ballot Measure 4-195. John P. Raichl, Sheriff Retired Astoria Barber for Seaside mayor We have had a family house in Seaside for 33 years and feel very strongly that Jay Barber is the best person to continue to be the Mayor of this wonderful city. When in town a month ago, we asked to have dinner with the major and his wife Jan. The con- versation was about what was best for the long-term future of the city and the area. Jay had a grasp on so many of the issues. He is a very well educated, intel- ligent, focused, rational and vi- sionary man. He and Jan really care about the people of Seaside and surrounding areas. They both have volunteered for many civic and nonprofit events that show they care. There is no hid- den agenda, they only want to make the city better for all cur- rent residents and visitors. Vote for Jay Barber, an honest choice. Mary Herche Seattle, Washington Seaside American Legion Seaside Kids Inc. Annual Pancake Feed & sausage Tuesday, October 30 th 5 pm -7 pm Seaside Civic & Convention Center 415 1st Ave • Seaside Adults: $7 Sr. Citizens/Kids under 12: $5 Family: $20 1315 Broadway • Seaside • Oregon Saturday October 27 th Halloween Dance and Costume Party Prizes for best Halloween costume! “THUNDER ROAD BAND” SALEM’S FINEST R&R/COUNTRY BAND • STARTS 8PM DINNER FROM 5-8PM “HALLOWEEN SPECIAL” PRIME RIB OR SALMON DINNER W/ BAKED POTATOE, GARDEN SALAD & DINNER ROLLS Funds support Free Athletic Opportunites for the Local Children. ONLY $19 A Fundraising “Public Welcome” event to support military vertrans welfare & community. Call us @ 503-738-5111
