A4 • Friday, May 14, 2021 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
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Faith leaders focus on homeless
SEEN FROM SEASIDE
R.J. MARX
Faith leaders came together last week at
the Seaside Civic and Convention Center to
discuss Seaside’s rise in homelessness.
“We need to learn about what’s going
on in our town. We need to learn from each
other,” said City Councilor Tita Montero, an
organizer of the event. “And we need to perk
up the ideas, because what might work in
one town may not work in Seaside. But we
aren’t going to know that if we haven’t had
the chance to bat that around a little bit.”
The conversation, the fi rst of several meet-
ings happening on Thursdays through May
20 and on June 3 and on July 1, comes as the
consequences of homelessness have come to
the fore in Seaside. Montero, Mayor Jay Bar-
ber and others proposed a series of forums
last year before being delayed because of the
coronavirus pandemic.
At a City Council goal-setting session in
January, homelessness, addiction and mental
health issues were listed among the city’s top
priorities. In the months since, the topic has
widened into a regional conversation.
Daniel Baker, of Lighthouse Christian
Church, said he saw the forum as “a great
opportunity for us to take a lead and lead in
an area that needs us. And we want our com-
munities to know that we are here as a part of
the community.”
Baker recommended conversations with
the homeless.
“If we have a real conversation with peo-
ple, I think we might be able to get to the root
that will actually help them understand that
there’s a way out,” he said. “A lot of these
folks have lost their purpose. It’s easier to just
live on the street because they don’t really
have anything they’re looking for. How do
we help them have purpose? Again, it goes
back to the individual person.”
Baker advocated for programs, but also
sought accountability. “We’ve got to continue
to have programs,” he said. “But I believe
that there has to be some accountability, and
not making it so easy to live on the street.”
Pastor Michael Avila serves at both the
First United Methodist Church in Astoria and
Seaside United Methodist Church. In Asto-
ria, the church also hosts the Astoria Warm-
ing Center. As of April, it was off ering free
showers three days a week.
“The warming center is there for anybody
and everybody,” Avila said. “It’s not one of
Martin Letourneau addresses faith leaders at the fi rst Seaside homelessness forum.
those places where you have to be in recovery
before they let you spend the night. You can
be whatever condition you’re in. ... There’s
nothing in the Scriptures or in these sacred
texts that judges someone for being poor.”
Martin Letourneau, of the organization
Love on the Streets, said his group was inter-
ested in immediate remedies.
“Right now, we’re in the business of
Band-Aids,” Letourneau said. “What we’re
doing is we’re going out to where the home-
less people are. And we’ll go to a variety of
places. We go to the south entrance of Safe-
way, we go to the Mill Ponds, we go down to
the Turnaround, we go up by 12th and Neca-
nicum. And we try to fi nd as many people as
we can. And we ask, what do they need?”
Letourneau said his dream for Sea-
side was an all-year shelter, drop-in center
and a resource center. “We need a system
that’s going to meet needs and provide the
resources,” he said.
Barber said he is “proud to be the mayor
of a city that cares about all people, not just
some people, but all people. It’s so easy to
talk about this problem. But that doesn’t
solve anything. ... As the mayor of the city,
I need to learn more about what it is that we
can do together to deal with these situations
of people who are homeless or houseless.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
You can’t be reelected
if you weren’t elected
in the fi rst place
I keep seeing election posters saying,
“Reelect Su Coddington; Celeste Bodner;
Erika Marshall-Hamer; Katherine Parker;
and Mike Hinton, to the Sunset Empire
Park and Recreation District Board of
Directors.”
What a joke! The only member of the
board that could be reelected is Mike Hin-
ton. You can’t be reelected if you weren’t
elected in the fi rst place and it just so
happens that the remaining four board
members were all appointed to their posi-
tions to complete the terms of those board
members who had been systematically
eliminated by Skyler Archibald, the dis-
trict’s general manager.
Speaking of jokes, in a chat box during
last Thursday’s forum, Archibald’s wife,
Chelsea, said if Skyler leaves the dis-
trict, staff would too. I doubt that those
individuals would leave their well-pay-
ing jobs in a show of loyalty to Archibald,
especially in light of the pandemic we’re
facing right now!
I ask voters to cast their votes for the
following candidates to fi ll those board
positions: Al Hernandez, Steve Morri-
son, Jackie Evans, Patrick Duhachek and
John Huismann. These candidates will do
a much better job of protecting our tax
dollars.
Marti Wajc
Seaside
Think again before sticking
with status quo in SEPRD
As a resident of Seaside, the current
election is of great concern to me.
After reading from the paper, Face-
book and hearing about the current posi-
tions on the ballot, I was eager to accept
an invitation to Tuesday night’s Sunset
Empire Park and Recreation District can-
didate forum at the Astoria Country Club.
Of particular interest to me is the
reelection, or more accurately the election
of the current SEPRD board or choosing
to elect a new board. I was looking for-
ward to hearing how the current board
would justify their unilateral decision to
purchase the Broadway Middle School.
I was confused by the purchase of a
school in a tsunami zone with mold, lead-
based paint and asbestos being used for
day care after the recent completion of
the new middle school built to remove
our children from those hazardous and
unhealthy surroundings.
Well, what I heard was they got a good
price for it and only half of it really is
aff ected by the unhealthy environs, so it
was a wise and sound investment. Buy-
ing something because you were able to
negotiate a good price doesn’t make it a
good investment. One incumbent took
pride in saying she brought decorum to
the board.
I heard this while sitting across from
two of the women incumbents as they
snickered, sneered and rolled their eyes
when the candidates spoke. Perhaps the
decorum doesn’t extend beyond their
meetings.
I encourage you to think again before
you go with the status quo and vote for a
clean skate and the fi ve candidates with
the experience to take care of the future
of SEPRD and the safety and health of
our children.
Debra Holmes
Seaside
It’s time for a change in
Sunset Empire Park and
Recreation District
Expenses are rapidly accumulating for
the Sunset Empire Park and Rec District’s
recent acquisition of Broadway Middle
School, now renamed the Sunset Recre-
ation Center.
The district falsely claimed the debt
payments would nearly equal the previ-
ous loan utilized for the warm water ther-
apy pool addition. The proposed budget
indicates debt payments for Sunset Recre-
ation Center exceeding the previous loan
of $112,000 per year by 56%, at $175,000
per year.
The district also expects to pay
$75,000 in contracted services this year
in a desperate search for revenue sources.
Utility costs, insurance and maintenance
for the recreation center are proposed at
nearly $140,000 this year.
The center’s expenses far outweigh its
revenue.
It’s time for a change.
Patrick Duhachek
Warrenton
Transparency revisited
in Sunset Empire Park
and Recreation District
Since fall, sunsetempire.com has had
a dedicated tab on their website: Sun-
set Recreation Center/Broadway Middle
School. You can listen to three December
webinar topics: the fi nancial plan, com-
munity input process and the strategic
plan, supplemented with written infor-
mation and responses to questions. The
building inspection report (due diligence)
and a community input category is there
also.
The community needs assessment
survey, conducted over 10 weeks, was
posted in the Signal, on Sunset Park and
Recreation District sites and discussed
with community organizations. The sur-
vey results’ slides represent feedback
from everyone who responded to the sur-
vey, and is not limited to counting only
those respondents who made additional
comments. Comments help us under-
stand reasons for a survey response but
not everyone chooses to make additional
comments: their vote counts too.
Patrick Duhachek’s posted response,
on Transparency for SEPRD Taxpay-
ers, to the question of what process he
would use to approach a major purchase
in respect to taxpayers: “I understand that
some taxpayers may not agree with the
ultimate decision, but I will be sure they
have the opportunity to weigh in.”
We are not at the mercy of that
approach. The quality of the incumbents’
stewardship has been recognized by the
survey sample of the community, who
support: Purchase of Broadway Middle
School (65%), expansion of youth pro-
grams in support of working families
(66%), expansion of indoor recreation
options for all (68%) and drive economic
growth by scaling up sports tourism
(61%). Pease vote to keep our winning
team — Progress for SEPRD.
Diane Somers
Seaside
Build for the future
at SEPRD
In real estate, you must move quickly
if an opportunity presents itself, espe-
cially if other buyers have off ers in hand.
The Sunset Empire Park and Recre-
ation District Board of Directors used
the Special District Association of Ore-
gon’s low-interest loan program for the
purchase of Broadway Middle School.
SEPRD has used these loans twice
before for structural improvements. With
approval of the loan by the board, the dis-
trict followed all legal steps to fund the
purchase through SDAO, not taxpayers.
One of the challengers said at the can-
didates’ forum that the building’s issues
can be overcome. “Honestly, the group
(incumbents) has a good start on it.”
Board members also clarifi ed that the
childcare program is in the portion built
in 1994, after Oregon had banned asbes-
tos and lead paint. With asbestos areas
encapsulated, keeping our children safe
from exposure, consultants are now
advising for best uses of the entire space
for future patrons.
Four incumbents were appointed in
the last nine months. They have trans-
formed meetings from chaos into consen-
sus building. The cohesive team has ded-
icated, long-term residents with broad
skills: grant writing, international human
resources, banking, nursing and a national
youth foster club.
The board’s vision, with community
input, is for a hub of community pre-
school/child care, summer camps, senior
social activities, well-being through exer-
cise and of economic growth through
scaled-up sports tourism. Transparency is
there if you look at the district website.
Elect the incumbents to make our com-
munity richer through good health … let’s
build for the future!
Victoria Daggatt Fuller
Seaside
Does the current board have
your best interest at heart?
On May 4, “Citizens of Clatsop
County Political Forum” sponsored
an event permitting the candidates the
opportunity to state their views.
During the questions and answer
period a panelist asked the board if taxes
would increase due to the purchase of
Broadway Middle School. Celeste Bod-
ner’s response was no.
Keep in mind that we are already at the
maximum tax rate permitted by law and
the taxpayer eventually ends up paying
one way or another.
For example, they can increase the fees
for programs, reduce the level of services
or discontinue programs to save costs,
(i.e., decrease pool hours, or drop some
services).
Be watchful of budget decreases in the
pool budget as this may be used to fund
these costs. They can pass the property to
the county and let the county increase the
tax to pay for this potential debt.
Alternatively, the board could investi-
gate lowering the taxes we are currently
paying or reduce the fees the district
charges to the public. The current board
consistently states “they love their com-
munity,” so why not show it. Let’s look
at the actual cost to the taxpayer. The dis-
trict fi nished paying the warm water pool
loan in December 2019, at an annual cost
of about $120,000.
The new loan will cost approximately
$175,000 annually, plus any costs of
repairs and mitigation. Together this is
about $295,000 per year of lost opportu-
nity cost (benefi t by choosing and alterna-
tive option) to give back to the taxpayer.
Does the current board have your best
interest in mind by allowing tax dollars to
increase every year, yet seniors on fi xed
incomes fall behind due to infl ation?
It’s time for change! Vote for Al Her-
nandez, Patrick Duhachek, Jackie Evans,
John Huismann and Stephen Morrison for
SEPRD board.
Al Hernandez
Seaside
Reelect our SEPRD
Board of Directors
I am asking you to please join me in
voting for the reelection of the current
board members of the Sunset Empire Park
and Recreation District: Su Coddington,
Celeste Tuhy Bodner, Mike Hinton, Erika
Marshall Hamer and Katharine Parker.
Having had the privilege of serving as
the general manager of the district from
1984-2012 and the pleasure of swimming
almost everyday for the past 37 years,
I know the critical importance of good
leadership. This group of qualifi ed direc-
tors brings with them deep connections
to our community through decades of
See Letters, Page A5
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Contact local agencies for latest meeting informa-
tion and attendance guidelines.
Seaside School District, 6 p.m., www.seaside.k12.
or.us/meetings.
TUESDAY, MAY 18
Gearhart Small Business Committee, 6 p.m., cityof-
gearhart.com.
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Board
of Directors, 5:15 p.m., 1225 Avenue A.
Town Forum with Open Mic, 6 p.m., Seaside Civic
CIRCULATION
MANAGER
Jeremy Feldman
ADVERTISING
SALES MANAGER
Sarah Silver-
Tecza
PUBLISHER
EDITOR
Kari Borgen
R.J. Marx
PRODUCTION
MANAGER
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
John D. Bruijn
Skyler Archibald
Darren Gooch
Joshua Heineman
Rain Jordan
Katherine Lacaze
Esther Moberg
SYSTEMS
MANAGER
Carl Earl
and Convention Center, 6 p.m.
Gearhart Parks Master Plan Citizens Advisory Com-
mittee, 5:30 p.m., work session, cityofgearhart.com.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 19
Seaside Tourism Advisory Committee, 3 p.m., 989
Broadway St.
Seaside Tree Board, 4 p.m., 989 Broadway St.
THURSDAY, MAY 20
Seaside Transportation Advisory Commission,
6 p.m., 989 Broadway St.
Seaside Signal
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