Friday, May 7, 2021 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com • A3
College board races
focus on challenges
By KATIE FRANKOWICZ
The Astorian
Enrollment is at the heart of the May
election for the Clatsop Community College
Board of Education.
The three candidates vying to unseat
incumbents believe concrete plans and
on-the-ground outreach are needed to
rebuild student numbers and the communi-
ty’s trust in a world severely altered by the
coronavirus pandemic. All three said they
were asked to run by people in the commu-
nity, including college board member Tim
Lyman.
But the incumbents argue that institu-
tional knowledge and proven experience
working with the college’s president, fac-
ulty, staff and programs are needed more
than ever as the college fi gures out what role
it will play in a post-pandemic landscape.
Clatsop Community College lost more
than half of its student population last fall,
according to state data. Across Oregon,
community colleges saw similar declines.
Clatsop lost a number of students because of
pandemic-related restrictions and decisions
by outside agencies and groups and expects
to see many of these students return.
But opinions are mixed among college
board members and board hopefuls about
how dire the enrollment situation is and
what is needed to address it.
At a recent meeting, the college board dis-
cussed the drop in enrollment and the pan-
demic’s role. Chris Breitmeyer, the college
president, intends to bring a plan to increase
enrollment before the board this spring. The
college also plans to ramp up marketing and
outreach to attract more students.
Lyman and the candidates he recruited for
the May 18 ballot believe more is needed.
Meanwhile, Robert Duehmig and other
board members have said in meetings this
year that though they are concerned about
the drop in enrollment, it isn’t something
that causes them to panic. They believe the
college continues to provide attractive off er-
ings and is moving in the right direction to
encourage students to return.
“Our job is not to fi gure out how to
do things,” said Dave Zunkel, who was
appointed to the college board in 2019 and
is running for election against a former col-
lege employee, Suzanne Iverson.
“Our job,” Zunkel said, “is to hold the
president, our only employee, accountable
for what happens at the college, to support
him in his role and what he does, but to hold
him accountable.”
Robert Duehmig
worked as a real estate broker, in corporate
strategy for PepsiCo and as a management
consultant.
Van Dusen Citovic, who speaks Spanish
and has volunteered as a bilingual resource
at Astor Elementary School, also sees an
opportunity for more outreach and pro-
gramming aimed at Hispanic communities,
as well as increased collaboration with the
organizations that serve them.
Sara Meyer
Meyer vs. Preston
In the Zone 2, Position 2 race, incum-
bent Sara Meyer faces challenger Patrick
Preston for a four-year term.
Meyer, who is retired, worked with job
corps and community action in New Jer-
sey and Astoria and co-owned The Com-
pleat Photographer in Astoria. She pre-
viously served on the Astoria School
District board and, in the late 1990s, sat
on the college board during a time of tran-
sition at the institution.
The digital world was becoming more
and more of a reality and the board was
being asked to approve signifi cant soft-
ware purchases that soon became out-
dated. She feels the college is more inten-
tional now about where it puts its money.
Still, she called the college’s Campus-
Nexus a “two-year nightmare.”
Preston has worked with the college
and its programs in several capacities. He
volunteered to teach the transitional assis-
tance program for the U.S. Coast Guard
at the college for four years and was the
local veterans employment representative
in Astoria. He worked with state senators
and representatives to provide services
to veterans and helped build the veterans
center at the college.
His top priorities if elected are to help
the college better understand the physical
constraints post-pandemic.
“Our environment has changed and
how are we working to meet those needs
as well as the needs of our students?” he
said.
Trudy Van Dusen Citovic
Duehmig vs. Van Dusen Citovic
David Zunkel
Suzanne Iverson
Zunkel vs. Iverson
For the Zone 3, Position 6 seat, incum-
bent David Zunkel is running against
challenger Suzanne Iverson for a two-
year unexpired term.
Zunkel, a retired physician, has served
on the board since 2019. When he was
appointed, he made a commitment to run
for election to complete the two years
remaining on the term.
“I just think community college is a
great place to put my time to help students
of all levels achieve the sort of education
they wish to achieve,” he said. “So any-
thing I can do to assist in that process and
make it more available or aff ordable, eas-
ier, I’m all for doing it.”
“As a board, we have to hold the pres-
ident accountable and the president needs
to hold the vendor accountable for mak-
ing the improvement that they know have
to be made to get us working well,” he
said.
Iverson worked at the college for 18
years in the community education and
workforce training department. During
her time, she saw the rise in the use of
computers and the expansion of the col-
lege facilities on the hill.
Her two daughters both obtained asso-
ciate degrees from the college.
“I guess my heart has always
been at the community college,” Iverson
said.
Helen Alison Gronquist
Seaside
Jan. 18, 1947 — April 19, 2021
Helen Alison Gronquist
was the daughter of Cana-
dian immigrants, Archibald
and Elsie Whiteford, and
grew up in Gresham.
After graduating from
Gresham High School, she
attended the University of
Puget Sound, where she was
a member of the Delta Delta
Delta sorority.
After
receiving
her
degree from the Univer-
sity of Oregon, she moved
to Wisconsin. Later return-
ing to Oregon, she became a
successful benefi ts insurance
broker in the greater Port-
land area.
Upon retirement, she and
her husband, Roy, moved to
Gearhart, then settled in Sea-
side. Loving travel, she and
Roy toured 15 countries.
Their Wisconsin trips to visit
her two sons and their fami-
lies were her favorite.
Helen’s most rewarding
Scottsville, Virginia
June 20, 1960 — April 22, 2021
“I saw the end of the road
ahead / Yet I did not stop to
tarry more / But steadfastly
continued the chartered
course, / Knowing soon I’d
set off for another shore.”
Terrie’s course was laid
before her long ago, and
rather than vary that direction,
she marched forward toward
an inevitable outcome. Yet it
wasn’t with solemn grief she
persevered.
Instead, she was a light in
the life of many loved ones,
and a selfl ess rescuer of those
in need. Each has a chapter to
tell in her story written over
time.
From her early days
of childhood challenges,
she showed her nurturing
nature by looking out for her
younger sister and brother
during times of need. When
another sister came along she
was there to help as well.
Trauma was never far
away, as life placed some
unsavory and abusive people
in her path. Despite her own
pain, she always did for oth-
ers instead of herself, and she
was able to endure the dif-
fi culties with consummate
resolve until able to break
away.
Terrie’s light was seen
one day by John Chesnut,
and both their stories became
intertwined. The love they
shared led to the joys of their
lives, David and Timmi, and
later to the next generation,
Chase, Paige, Paityn and Pax-
ton — Nana’s best friends.
For years, they enjoyed
fun in many forms, from clam
digging to camping, but fun
wasn’t always limited to out-
door activities. Terrie was a
prankster at heart, leading to
many moments of laughter.
She was an avid cupcake
baker, sharing her love of
sweets with all those around.
Trained as a massage ther-
apist, her delicate, healing
touch was a comfort and gift.
Along her journey, Ter-
rie would continue to show
her compassion, not only for
people but for unfortunate
animals, as well. It was not
uncommon for her to rescue a
dog or cat in need.
One such example was
when driving with her sister
and brother, she told her sis-
ter to stop the car when she
saw a dog cross the road. She
insisted they try and rescue
it, only leading to her brother
being bitten in the attempt, as
the dog continued along its
way.
Another time, she con-
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and Donna Esser and Mor-
gan and Jamie Esser; and
Roy’s daughters, Melissa
Grey and Amy Baker, and
their families.
Helen cherished her
beloved
grandchildren,
Maddy, Grant, Brooklyn,
Noah, Eli, Simon, Betsy,
Graham and Sophie. She
was also a proud aunt to her
nieces and nephews.
Her positive outlook,
steadfastness, infectious gig-
gle and her smile just for you
will be missed by all who
knew her.
Terrie Chesnut
Please vote for the current Board
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Gearhart • Seaside • Cannon Beach • Arch Cape
community involvement was
her participation as a foun-
dation board member of the
Seaside branch of the Amer-
ican Association of Univer-
sity Women. Her role was
interviewing and interacting
with prospective scholarship
recipients, and the highlight,
for her, was then witnessing
them being rewarded.
An avid reader, Helen
also enjoyed the camarade-
rie, luncheons and discus-
sions with her local book
club.
Helen’s family was
important to her beyond
measure. She was loving and
caring to all.
She is survived by her
devoted husband of 21 years,
Roy Gronquist; her sisters
and “partners in crime,”
Heather McDonald, of Gear-
hart, and Ann Lucia, of Port-
land; her sons and their fam-
ilies in Wisconsin, Brandon
Seaside residents Ron Graham and Pam Bierly
vinced her other sister to
come all the way to Oregon to
pick up a cat she had “gotten”
her for her birthday. It was
Terrie’s nature to rescue.
Yet her internal struggles
with life took her along a road
leading to many diffi culties,
which would ultimately bring
her to an unfortunate shorten-
ing of her story.
But even reaching that
end, she continued to write
more of her story. Her recent
move to Scottsville, Virginia,
brought her some fi nal peace.
Surrounded by her fam-
ily, Terrie’s last days were
full of love and laughter, cul-
minating in a fi tting fi nal
champagne toast and send
off with the mayor of Scotts-
ville on April 22. It was as if
honors deserved were fi nally
bestowed on this wonder-
ful woman, who touched the
lives of so many.
Now Terrie’s story, start-
ing on June 20, 1960, will
continue through the memo-
ries of her loved ones and the
courses she has helped chart.
To those who are part of her
story, may you continue to
write Terrie’s legacy.
Goodbye,
sweetheart,
and don’t let your journey to
heaven be sidetracked by a
stray dog.
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E
RIL Y’
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The college board is a policy board. Its
main role is budgetary and to hire or fi re the
president, noted Duehmig, who is running
for reelection to a four-year term in his Zone
2, Position 3 seat against challenger Trudy
Van Dusen Citovic, the co-owner of Van
Dusen Beverages and the daughter of for-
mer Astoria Mayor Willis Van Dusen.
Duehmig is the interim director for the
Oregon Offi ce of Rural Health. Going for-
ward, he said the college needs to better
look at how it can meet students where they
are. The college recently opened a commu-
nity food bank on campus, but the pandemic
highlighted numerous social inequities, as
well as the challenges many students face
when it comes to aff ording school, fi nding
child care or balancing work and family life
with college courses.
Now, with colleges across the country
off ering even more fl exibility and online
options, Clatsop must fi nd ways to remain
competitive.
“We have to be able to adapt to what (stu-
dents) are looking for,” Duehmig said.
Van Dusen Citovic is the owner of Fire
Station Yoga and co-owner of The Rose-
briar, both in Astoria.
She has served on the Friends of the Asto-
ria Column board and Astoria’s traffi c safety
committee. In addition to her own business
undertakings, she works for the family busi-
ness, Van Dusen Beverages, and previously
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