A4 • Friday, October 16, 2020 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
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A tough year at libraries, but positive changes too
BETWEEN
THE COVERS
ESTHER
MOBERG
While it has been a very tough
year for us all due to COVID-
19, some small positive changes
have also happened this year.
The brand-new Library Ser-
vices Northwest Library Coop-
erative is a program that shares
library collections between the
Seaside Public Library, Asto-
ria Public Library, and Warren-
ton Community Library. It is
designed to deliver more ser-
vices and materials than ever
before.
On July 1, the public libraries
of Astoria, Seaside, and Warren-
ton started sharing their materi-
als this way for their library card
holders. What this means for you
is if you have a library card in
good standing at one of these
libraries, you can use it at the
other two libraries as well.
Library users in the three cit-
ies of Astoria, Seaside, and War-
renton now have access to well
over 100,000 items across the
three collections. Each library
is still individual and unique but
the three library directors and
cities have worked hard to pull
together a system that works for
our library patrons and offers
more. You can request books
from any of the three librar-
ies and have it delivered to the
library of your choice for pickup,
or you can walk into the library
and select the books yourself. If
you do owe fines, don’t worry,
just go to the library you set up
your card at to take care of that
first.
Each of these libraries is
unique, with their own special
collections reflecting the com-
munities they serve. The Sea-
side Public Library has a Library
of Things with items including
a metal detector, birdwatching
kit, sewing machine, Roku, and
more. The Warrenton Commu-
nity Library’s “library of things”
collection includes a guitar a
drum you can check out. Each
of these items must be checked
out and returned at the library it
comes from since they will not
fit in our courier.
Current library hours for the
three libraries are as follows and
may change so please give us a
call before stopping by if you
want to confirm hours for sure.
Seaside Public Library: Tues-
day through Thursday, 9 a.m. to
6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday,
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 503-738-6742
Astoria
Public
Library:
Wednesday and Thursday 1 to
5 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. to
1 p.m.; 503-325-7323
Warrenton
Community
Library: Monday, Wednesday,
Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.; 503-861-8156.
All three libraries are adding
new books each month as well.
Some titles this month include
“Snow” by John Banville, a mys-
tery thriller set in 1950s Ireland;
“The Return of Captain John
Emmett,” by Elizabeth Speller, a
story about an accidental detec-
tive who looks into the death of
an old friend and gets more than
he bargained for; and the latest
book by Nicholas Sparks, “The
Return.” Coming home with
injuries from war-torn Afghan-
istan the protagonist isn’t pre-
pared to do anything but nurse
his wounds and recover but two
mysterious women help him heal
and one may even win his heart.
The Seaside Library is offer-
ing in October some virtual pro-
gramming including virtual Sto-
rytime through Zoom, a virtual
pumpkin carving contest for
kids, and a virtual costume con-
test for teens.
In
person
trick-or-treat-
ing with social distancing will
be offered on Halloween from
noon to 4 p.m. The library is also
bringing back a very limited in
person trivia night. Sign-up is
required and will be limited to
nine attendees. Call the library or
check out www.Seasidelibrary.
org for more information.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Cockrum endorses
Fackerell
I endorse Reita Fack-
erell for Gearhart City
Council. I worked with
Reita many years ago at
the local hospital and have
worked with Reita now for
two years on the council.
I always fi nd her per-
spective to be helpful in
our deliberations and deci-
sion-making. My expe-
rience is that she is lev-
el-headed, forthright and
honest. She has helped
us to maintain an abil-
ity to work through com-
plex issues and still is able
to successfully govern
through consensus.
Her experience as the
Seaside library direc-
tor, with fi nance and bud-
geting experience, has
helped us to bring greater
transparency to city work
processes.
Paulina Cockrum
Gearhart City Council
President
Posalski will bring
effective change
While many politicians
spend their time on infi nite
committees, task forces and
focus groups, Ward 4 can-
didate David Posalski has
a way of cutting through
all of that to hone in on a
problem and to solve that
problem.
Rather than wait for
someone else to come
up with a response to the
impact of the COVID-
19 crisis on our commu-
nity, David took the neces-
sary steps to immediately
develop a network of our
downtown business owners.
David is the adminis-
trator of this network, now
called the Seaside Busi-
ness Community Facebook
Group.
The network is dedicated
to turning grassroots solu-
tions into policy. This is the
smart way to bring real and
effective change that has
real and lasting impact on
our recovery, because solu-
tions are generated by the
very people affected by the
problem. These are real
solutions. Not solutions
handed down from afar by
people who have no knowl-
edge of what it will take to
provide relief to our local
economy.
David has endured and
survived this crisis. David is
the only candidate running
for Ward 4 that knows what
it will take to help other
businesses do the same.
Danielle Greear
Warrenton
Build Gearhart up,
don’t tear it down
Making the choice to
represent your city as a
mayor or city councilor
is an incredible commit-
ment. These are not paid
positions. They require an
extraordinary amount of
time from those who serve.
Monthly and special
issue meetings, county
meetings; even changing
travel plans can come into
play. Each month there is
an enormous amount of
reading.
One must be informed
and current about ordi-
nances, local and state law.
All of our current city offi -
cials deserve our respect
and recognition.
I endorse Paulina Cock-
rum for Gearhart mayor,
and Reita Fackerell and
Dan Jesse for Gearhart city
councilors because all three
bring to the table knowl-
edge and experience.
All three believe in serv-
ing our community. All
three have demonstrated
the ability to work with
our present mayor, Matt
Brown and councilor, Kerry
Smith. Paulina and Dan
have long been involved
with the community emer-
gency response team,
CERT, helping to prepare
our community for disas-
ter. Dan formerly served
on the Gearhart Planning
Commission. Reita serves
on the South County Food
Bank board and has written
numerous grants for local
organizations.
Why do I support these
three? They represent you,
not themselves. Do they
always agree? Not on your
life and you wouldn’t want
them to. Do they always
get their own way? Never!
They do their best to repre-
sent you through compro-
mise. They agonize over
important decisions which
will affect our town. These
three are about building
Gearhart up, not tearing it
down.
Susan Edy
Gearhart
Vineeta Lower
endorses Weber
In 2018, state Rep.
Tiffi ny Mitchell won by
less than 5% and just a
few short months later it
was apparent that she did
not represent the people of
House District 32.
Rather, she represented
the big unions and special
interest groups that paid her
way to the legislative seat.
She voted the way she was
told to vote, even going
against promises she made
to her previous coworkers
and friends.
Don’t make that mistake
again!
A vote for anyone other
than Suzanne Weber is a
vote to continue to raise our
taxes and implement ridic-
ulous fees taking money
from the vulnerable popula-
tion on a fi xed income, sin-
gle parents, and families
already struggling to make
ends meet.
It would be a vote to
continue with legislative
representatives aligned
with big unions and special
interest groups; and that
candidate doesn’t have to
be told how to vote because
she is a card-carrying mem-
ber of those groups who
pull the strings of legisla-
tors like Rep. Mitchell.
Suzanne Weber has the
interests of only the citi-
zens of House District 32
and the support of those
from all parties.
Vote Suzanne Weber for
House District 32!
Vineeta Lower
Seaside
House District 32
Constituent
Boothe-Schmidt
attack ads unfair
State House District 32
candidate Debbie Boothe-
Schmidt engages in untrue
attack ads against Mayor
Suzanne Weber.
Recent letters to the edi-
tor lament the fact that
this local season, rife with
manipulation and attack ads,
is run by out-of-town con-
sultants. I couldn’t agree
more.
Let’s set the record
straight using facts instead
of emotions.
Mayor Suzanne Weber
runs a true grassroots cam-
paign, led by people who
were born and raised in Clat-
sop and Tillamook counties.
Boothe-Schmidt is man-
aged by Portland handlers
that run a manufactured
campaign. It appears that
FuturePac posted an Indeed
ad, recruiting her campaign
manager, from Texas, who
has been in Oregon only
since April 2020.
DBS is backed by INCO,
a radical organization that is
highly organized and funded
by outside dark money
groups.
Of DBS’s last week’s
total contributions, 90%
were from outside the
district.
DBS runs campaign ads
that grossly distort truths
about Suzanne Weber.
Scratch “distort.” Substitute
“falsify.”
One ad, declaring that
Weber wants to take “bil-
lions” from schools is a
shocking statement.
Never mind the fact that
Weber taught public school
for 30 years and was her
union’s representative and
negotiator.
This ad features a
woman, not a teacher, yet
implies that she possesses
incisive insight into Oregon
Education and what moti-
vates Mayor Weber. Could it
be that she is a recent trans-
plant that has never taught
in Oregon and is instead
a manufactured political
operative?
Other examples abound.
In the end, this level of
dishonesty is shameful.
Shame on Debbie Boothe-
Schmidt. Shame on her
campaign.
Stephen Malkowski
Seaside
Vote for experience
in Gearhart
Dan Jesse and Reita
Fackerell both have years
of experience in serving the
city of Gearhart. They have
served with accountability
and integrity with the goal
of unifying the community.
You won’t be hearing about
conspiracy theories or read-
ing long Facebook rants.
Since helping to protect
vacation rental limits, Gear-
hart has experienced a surge
of contributing full time
residents. Dan and Reita
will continue to respect the
intent of the comprehensive
plan preserving the Gear-
hart we all know and love.
A vote for them is a vote
for Gearhart’s future.
Deborah Albrecht
Gearhart
Vote for Kathy
Kleczek
As a successful business-
woman and proud resident
of Seaside, Kathy Kleczek
deserves your vote for Sea-
side City Council. Since the
early 1990s, she has had
a record of leadership and
service.
As a resident of neigh-
boring Cannon Beach, a
hostess at Mo’s Restau-
rant in Cannon Beach, and
a former teacher in Asto-
ria and Seaside, I have
respected Kathy Kleczek’s
commitment to make her
Seaside community livable
for its residents and invit-
ing to its visitors.
Kathy has always
impressed me with her
ability to communicate
and collaborate with res-
idents of other Clatsop
County communities. She
listens to all sides, speaks
clearly, problem solves,
and promotes opportuni-
ties for Seaside and the
North Coast. One major
focus of Kathy’s is to
reduce traffi c impacts by
promoting alternatives like
bicycling and walking.
When Kathy owned and
operated La Luna clothing
shop in Cannon Beach, she
also made time to serve on
the Sunset Empire Trans-
portation District. She
always listened to trans-
portation needs of my col-
leagues and Clatsop Com-
munity College students
who depended on the
SETD bus to get to work
or class on time. Kathy
worked tirelessly to make
the bus schedule work for
them. She valued the input
of all North Coast resi-
dents, regardless of age or
ethnicity. Kathy, who is
bilingual, is a very inclu-
sive human being, respect-
ful of diversity.
Please vote for Kathy
Kleczek. She will be a
competent connector and
leader for Seaside’s res-
idents, shop owners, and
visitors. Kathy will accept
the responsibility and
challenges that Seaside
faces.
Jeanie McLaughlin
Cannon Beach
Boothe-Schmidt
for working
families
Originally Timber Unity
was made up of log truck
drivers concerned about
fuel prices and climate
change issues.
Now hijacked by big
corporations, Timber
Unity is a powerful and
rich political action com-
mittee. They are a wolf
in sheep’s clothing. They
pour big dollar support
to very right-wing candi-
dates, including the Repub-
lican candidate for Ore-
gon House District 32, who
appears very reluctant to
call herself a Republican!
Take a look at who Tim-
ber Unity’s endorsed can-
didates are, though they
disingenuously claim they
are “for” working fami-
lies. They support Suzanne
Weber who has no proof
of standing up for work-
ing people. Additionally, a
number of Weber’s other
donors are big corporations
including multiple out of
state corporations. These
corporations have never
supported the interests of
working people and will
continue to cut jobs as they
automate their industries.
In contrast, Debbie
Boothe-Schmidt has a track
record of fi ghting for work-
ing families and has over a
dozen union endorsements.
Remember, unions helped
build America’s mid-
dle class. Debbie is sup-
ported by teachers, nurses,
and social workers as well
as small business owners.
She has broad, small dollar
support and will truly rep-
resent all the folks in our
Oregon House District 32.
Learn how your vote
will work for your inter-
ests. Don’t believe the
false messaging by Weber
that is being bought
and paid for by obscene
amounts of money, try-
ing to infl uence this elec-
tion. Study the voter pam-
phlet to be an informed
voter, then vote for Deb-
bie Boothe-Schmidt for
Oregon House District 32
representative.
Aletha S. Westerberg
Astoria
Vote for Adam
Wood in Ward 4
I would like to reach
out today to show my
support for candidate
Adam Wood for Seaside
City Council.
I truly believe that
Adam will represent the
citizens of our commu-
nity exceptionally well,
with the upmost dignity
and respect for the city
of Seaside. Adam will
bring a fresh perspective,
as well as commonsense
decision-making to the
council.
Andrew Hura
Seaside
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Contact local agencies for latest
meeting information and atten-
dance guidelines.
Sunset Empire Park and Rec-
reation District Board of Direc-
tors, 5:15 p.m., 1225 Avenue A.
Committee, 3 p.m., City Hall, 989
Broadway.
Community Center, 1225
Avenue A.
MONDAY, Oct. 26
TUESDAY, Oct. 20
Seaside School District, 6 p.m.,
www.seaside.k12.or.us/meet-
ings.
Seaside City Council, 7 p.m.,
989 Broadway.
Seaside Library Board,
4:30 p.m., Seaside Public Library,
1131 Broadway.
Union Health District of
Clatsop County Board of
Directors, 8 a.m., Seaside Civic
and Convention Center, 4:15 First
Ave., Seaside.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 21
Seaside Tourism Advisory
CIRCULATION
MANAGER
Jeremy Feldman
ADVERTISING
SALES MANAGER
Sarah Silver-
Tecza
PUBLISHER
EDITOR
Kari Borgen
R.J. Marx
Seaside Improvement Com-
mission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 989
Broadway.
Gearhart City Council, 7 p.m.,
698 Pacifi c Way.
TUESDAY, Nov. 3
Seaside Planning Commission,
6 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway.
Community Center Commis-
sion, 10 a.m., Bob Chisholm
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4
PRODUCTION
MANAGER
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
John D. Bruijn
Skyler Archibald
Darren Gooch
Joshua Heineman
Rain Jordan
Katherine Lacaze
Esther Moberg
SYSTEMS
MANAGER
Carl Earl
THURSDAY, Nov. 5
Seaside Parks Advisory
Committee, 7 p.m., City Hall,
989 Broadway.
MONDAY, Nov. 9
Seaside City Council, 7 p.m.,
989 Broadway.
THURSDAY, Nov. 12
Convention Center Commis-
sion, 5 p.m., Seaside Civic and
Convention Center, 415 First Ave.
Seaside Signal
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