OUR 114th Year
December 10, 2021
SEASIDESIGNAL.COM
$1.00
Gearhart
advances
ZIP code
Process will involve
customer feedback
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
Photos by R.J. Marx
Salute after the laying of the wreath by World War II veteran John Sefren.
When it comes to mail, Gearhart doesn’t
get any respect.
Sharing the 97138 ZIP code with Sea-
side, mail is misrouted, packages are unde-
livered or delayed. The lack of an individ-
ual ZIP could even make a difference when
buying a home or receiving prescriptions.
Last week, the city took the first step
toward a federal government request for a
new ZIP code with a proclamation endors-
ing the process.
Some of the more economical insur-
ance companies use a ZIP code as part
of their underwriting process, City Coun-
cilor Brent Warren wrote in a report to the
City Council. Some homeowners have
See ZIP code, Page A3
PEARL HARBOR DAY
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
S
easide remembered Pearl Harbor
at the Seaside Civic and Conven-
tion Center on Tuesday.
The Day of Remembrance recalled
the event on Dec. 7, 1941, that killed
more than 2,400 U.S. personnel and
plunged the United States into a state
of war with Japan.
“Today we’re here because we
have not forgotten,” guest speaker
Mayor Jay Barber said. “We live in a
world made more free. A world made
more just and more peaceful by those
who will answer the roll call no more,
those who will report for muster never
again. We do remember Pearl Harbor.”
Gloria Linkey, author and former
president of the Seaside Museum and
Historical Society, recalled hearing the
news while in church. “The reverend
told us what happened,” she said. “We
ran home and everybody was crowded
around the old Philco radio. All we
knew was that there was an attack. The
casualties did not come in for quite
some time, probably around seven or
eight o’clock at night. Our only source
of news was the radio.”
See Pearl Harbor, Page A3
Seaside eyes
moratorium on
vacation rentals
City concerned rentals
drive up housing costs
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
A moratorium on vacation rental per-
mits could be ahead in Seaside, with the
aim to study their impact on affordable
housing and city infrastructure.
“One of the discussion items that
we’ve been having is, do we have too
many vacation rentals?” Mayor Jay Bar-
ber said. “Do we need to consider putting
a cap on them or do we need to consider a
moratorium on them?”
The City Council and Planning Com-
mission met last Monday to discuss city
zoning policies regarding vacation rent-
als and updating the city’s comprehen-
sive plan.
Seaside has 316 vacation rental busi-
ness licenses and 28 vacation rental appli-
cations pending approval, code enforce-
ment officer Jeff Flory said.
John Sefren and Mayor Jay Barber with the Day of Remembrance wreath.
See Vacation rentals, Page A3
School district
suspends
classes after
violence threat
City Council
looks to future
goals in Gearhart
Roads, water and
housing at top of list
Seaside Signal
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
School administrators suspended all
classes in the Seaside School District on
Tuesday after a possible threat was sent to
a Seaside High School student over social
media. Police later determined it was not a
credible, localized threat.
A student received screenshots of a
conversation and a possible threat to Sea-
side High School at about 8:40 p.m. on
Monday in a message via Instagram, Sea-
side police said.
Police confirmed an account was cre-
ated one hour prior to the messages being
sent and immediately deleted following
the incident.
With the assistance of the FBI, Jus-
tin Gagnon, the school resource officer,
determined the source of the messages
had no local affiliation to Seaside.
See Threat, Page A2
whether that’s here or in larger departments.
When I was away, this was the one place I
missed the most. I kind of believe I have Gear-
hart Fire running through my veins.”
The City Council and a panel from the com-
munity conducted an interview for the posi-
tion at a special council meeting last month.
The city received 15 applications before
narrowing the pool to the five top candidates.
Of the five, four dropped out; one withdrew,
one relocated and the remaining two took
other positions. The position pays between
Gearhart City Council looked to the
future last Tuesday night. In a special
workshop, the council considered the
bond measure for a new firehouse, trans-
portation upgrades along U.S. Highway
101, zoning changes, systems develop-
ment charges, water meter replacement,
sidewalks and other issues.
It is a working list, City Administrator
Chad Sweet, developed on a spreadsheet
to prioritize issues and track progress.
For a proposed firehouse bond, the city
will begin making presentations to the
city council and public in months to come,
with the goal of a May vote. Officials are
preparing to bring land into the urban
growth boundary for a new police and fire
station off of Highlands Lane. “This proj-
ect is going to take more and more band-
width within the next six months in order
for us to accommodate,” Sweet said.
See Como, Page A2
See Council, Page A2
James Hutchinson
Josh Como is the new fire chief in Gearhart.
Como named fire chief in Gearhart
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
Josh Como is Gearhart’s new fire chief.
Last Wednesday, the City Council unani-
mously voted to name Como chief, replacing
Bill Eddy, who retired earlier this year. Como,
a second-generation Gearhart firefighter, has
served as interim chief.
“I honestly feel that everything I’ve done
my whole life has led me to this point,” Como
said. “I was raised here. This is my home-
town. I’ve been in the fire service for 25 years,