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A4 • Friday, March 11, 2022 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com SignalViewpoints Enjoy some books that will stir your emotions as a book ever made you cry, laugh, or stirred you in some way emotionally? If it did, do you remember just the book, the setting, or even an audi- tory and sensory experience as well. Many people who read a H BETWEEN THE COVERS ESTHER MOBERG book that creates a tangible emo- tional experience in their mem- ory often tie that book to the expe- rience as well. Not only do they remember where they were in life but crystal-clear details about it. For example, I still remember sit- ting sideways in my parent’s Dan- ish modern chair from the 60’s while reading books. In my mem- ory, it feels like I was constantly surrounded by sunshine or warmth next to the fi re. I would often read 3 books a day until my mom would kick me outside to get some exercise. Many of us had a favorite child- hood book that you either read yourself or had your parents read to you until the book wore out, a few of my favorites were a Disney Cinderella book, “How Fletcher was Hatched,” by Wende Devlin, and “Chameleon was a Spy,” by Diane Redfi eld Massie. If you had a favorite childhood book, did you read it many times or just once. For me, I read books repeatedly. On the theme of books that inspire me or just fl at out make A selection of emotion-stirring books includes (from left) “Old Yeller,” “How Fletcher was Hatched,” “Once Upon a Wardrobe,” “Taste: My Life Through Food” and “Garfi eld.” me hungry, Lately I’ve been read- ing the adult version of comfort books, Food memoirs are often memories connected to food that can also stir up emotions in a very strong way. People often con- nect food to feelings of comfort or memories. Remembering your favorite meal and who you shared it with can be a very poignant moment. I can still remember the smell of the salsa a waitress acci- dentally threw all over my dress while I was celebrating my grad- uation from college at a Mexican restaurant. Ruth Reichl is a great food memoir writer. If you haven’t read any of her books, start with “Ten- der at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table.” As a former food magazine editor, her journey through food makes you want to immediately want to drop everything and enroll in some sort of cooking school. Or become a food critic, or maybe even both. I just fi nished Stanley Tuc- ci’s food memoir “Taste: My life Through Food.” For the gentle reader, he does swear quite a bit, but reading through the diff erent Italian recipes and a very Italian childhood in New York, one gets the urge to pull out and eat copious amounts of bread, pasta, or every- thing carbs in the very near future if not immediately. On the theme of books that make me sad, I’m not always a big fan of books that make me cry but here are a few I would still recom- mend. One I read just recently is called “Once Upon a Wardrobe,” by Patti Callahan Henry. This one I would defi nitely read again. The story is about a young boy who is dying but he wants his older sister LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Gearhart fi refi ghters deserve station appropriate for needs Most of us don’t give much thought to how quickly a good day can turn into a bad day. If our house catches on fi re or someone in our family has a medical emergency, we rely on our fi rst responders to help us on one of the worst days of our lives. When the call comes, Gearhart vol- unteer fi refi ghters drop whatever they are doing, show up quickly and pro- fessionally help us in our time of need. Firefi ghters miss birthday parties, dance recitals, soccer games and fam- ily dinners to help us. Firefi ghters vol- unteer to serve and train every week so that they can help us. Our volunteer fi refi ghters are mem- bers of our Gearhart community — they are our friends and neighbors. They deserve our thanks and respect. And they deserve a fi re station that is appropriate for their needs. How can we be satisfi ed with the small, inadequate, 64-year-old badly aging fi re station that is currently used for the Gearhart fi re department? There are no decontamination areas or showers to allow fi refi ghters to remove the toxins and soot from fi ght- ing fi res. There isn’t adequate space for training. The building is literally crumbling. It’s time we show up for Gearhart fi refi ghters as they have been showing up for us. We have the opportunity to come together and vote yes on Measure 4-213 for a new fi re/ police station in Gearhart. Bebe Michel Gearhart Gearhart voters beware Gearhart voters BEWARE! This is what Gearhart city government doesn’t want you to know: Bond 4-213, if passed, will add an addi- tional $1.213 per assessed $1,000 of your home’s assessed market value. They leave out the following: Currently, Gearhart has two out- standing bonds for their water treat- ment plant, one being retired in March 2025, the other in September 2031. Bond 4-213, if passed, will be added to these two outstanding bonds, making the rate you pay on your assessed market value $2.28 in year one per assessed $1,000 until March 2025, at which time the assessed rate will be $2.19. The rate will then drop to $1.56 until September 2031 when the second water bond is retired. Using the current 2021-2022 assessed market value on a $450,000 home, an owner would have an addi- PUBLISHER EDITOR Kari Borgen R.J. Marx tional property tax burden of $545.85 for the fi re and police station, with an annual total of $1,028 when including the two water bonds. When the fi rst water bond reaches maturity in 2025, the second water bond and the fi re/ police bond would remain, making your burden $702 per year combined, or $1.56 per assessed $1,000. Only after the second water bond is retired will the fi re/police bond of $1.213 per assessed $1,000 remain. Bond 4-213 is scheduled to go for 20 years, unless it’s refi nanced. Remem- ber, this is only if your assessed mar- ket value doesn’t change and no new bonds are added. If the assessed mar- ket value goes up, your tax burden will also increase. We need a new fi re station, but at what expense to taxpayers? Let’s be realistic about what we can actually aff ord! VOTE NO. Jane Gable Gearhart Fire station plan doesn’t make sense As a 27-year resident of Gearhart I understand and appreciate the respon- sibilities the paid and volunteer fi re- fi ghters are willing to assume. I think the need for a fi re station with more space that is better constructed is obvious. The police chief and offi cers must as well. I have two diffi culties with the ambitious plan proposed. First, in most communities an eff ort is made to place equipment and staff in a cen- tral location for quick response time. Annexing land to the north and locating fi refi ghters, police offi cers and their equipment there seems like a bad idea to me. Rebuilding the current fi re station, perhaps expanding it and relocating city hall seems to be more sensible. In addition, the resilience part of the relocation proposes that the building provide for emergency response when needed with the focus being on the tsunami that might come tomorrow or might come in 800 years. Camp Rilea is a short distance north and a regional center for emer- gency response. I have no doubt that with their training, the Gearhart fi re department will respond as well as it can in a disaster. It can’t replace Camp Rilea: their fi rst responsibility will be saving their families and helping their neigh- bors. They might not be able to get to the station in any case. It will be some distance from most of Gear- hart. Whatever the cost which is con- siderable it doesn’t make much sense to me Jim Casterline Gearhart CIRCULATION MANAGER Shannon Arlint ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Sarah Silver- Tecza ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Haley Werst ast fall, I suggested that Gearhart will build a new fi re station when the taxpayers who fund this project know their money will be well spent, and not wasted on some- thing that they do not want, need, or understand. Now that fi ve months have passed, what is the pulse of our community? L GUEST COLUMN JACK ZIMMERMAN Sadly, the answer is that we are as disaff ected as ever, with city hall ignoring the anger and frustration of its constituents to forge ahead with a planned May vote for the largest bond levy in the history of the city, that would usher in the most radical change in the culture, economy, and livability of this city in its 104 years of existence. Meanwhile the questions and concerns of Gearhart citi- zens remain ignored by those elected to serve them. Let’s review. • City hall says we need this station to rescue Gearhart in case of a catastrophic earth- quake and tsunami. But the sta- tion would be useless in the aftermath of a large tsunami. Camp Rilea, the U.S. Coast Guard and Clatsop County in contrast, are poised to spring into action with 10 times the personnel and equipment. • City hall and the fi rehouse committee already in 2018 con- cluded that the Highlands loca- tion would be isolated and impotent after a tsunami, with access in and out blocked by two fl anking lakes. Moreover, there is no guarantee the station would even survive the feared mega-earthquake, perched as it would be on top of a steep sand dune. Have the councilors and the mayor forgotten their vote in 2018, and the expert advice from the state of Oregon that informed it? • The mayor and council- ors also rejected the Highlands location because it is too far away from the center of Gear- hart, and would leave emer- gency victims downtown at risk of death while waiting for responders to arrive. Plus the distance exceeds the maximum allowed for many homeowner insurance plans. Why suddenly are these facts forgotten? • The mayor and council- ors also rejected the Highlands location because it is too close to the satellite Hertig station, which already serves northern Gearhart and Warrenton, and is outside the tsunami hazard zone. Not only is the proposed new location inside the zone useless in the aftermath of an extra-large tsunami, it’s too far away from Gearhart and dupli- cates the service of the Hertig station. It is redundant. Have the councilors also forgotten these truths? • Citizens still fi nd the pro- posed size of the new station unfathomable. Why does Gear- hart, a small rural city of sleepy retirees and struggling working class families, need the one of the largest stations per taxpayer, in the entire county? Maybe in the entire state of Oregon? There are already two fi re sta- tions within a couple miles of the town’s city limits, at both ends. If a third is needed, it is needed at the center of town, not beyond city limits out near the Hertig station. Gearhart has been waiting for an answer to these questions every day for the last several years. • The city has been reassur- ing Gearhart for three years that the lion’s share of the cost will be covered by dona- tions and grants. But here we are, with no more knowl- edge than before. What are the granting agencies? Where are the grants? What are their requirements and restrictions? Instead city hall is inexplica- bly planning a bond levy for 100% of the cost of the proj- ect. If it passes there will be no grants given, because grant- ing agencies will assume that Gearhart is willing and able to shoulder the entire cost. If we are serious about asking for grants, our bond levy should ask for no more than 30% of the total cost, to demonstrate to granting agencies that we are both in need (as we cer- tainly are), but also willing and able to match funds. Who in city hall has any experience writing $15 million federal grant proposals? • I and others have attempted, in good faith, to fi nd answers to these questions in social media and at coff ee with the mayor. The responses have been a combination of weak defl ec- tion, insults and shaming at our impertinence for even asking the questions. I repeat: Gearhart will build a new fi re station when they know their money will be well spent, and not wasted on some- thing that they do not want, need or understand. The tax- payers who will have to tighten their belts to fund this project in this shaky economy deserve consideration, transparency and respect. PUBLIC MEETINGS Contact local agencies for latest meeting information and attendance guidelines. Seaside Tree Board, 4 p.m., 989 Broadway. MONDAY, March 14 Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., 989 Broadway. Transportation Advisory Commission, 7 p.m., 989 Broadway. TUESDAY, March 15 MONDAY, March 28 Community Emergency Response Team, 5 p.m., 989 Broadway. Seaside City Council, 7 p.m., 989 Broadway. THURSDAY, March 17 TUESDAY, March 29 Seaside School District, 6 p.m., https://www.seaside. k12.or.us/. Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Board of Directors, 5:15 p.m., 1225 Ave. A. Planning Commission, work session 6 p.m., 989 Broadway. Seaside Airport Advisory Committee, 6 p.m., 989 Broadway. WEDNESDAY, March 16 Gearhart City Council work session, 6 p.m., www. cityofgearhart.com. Tourism Advisory Committee, 4 p.m., 989 Broadway. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS John D. Bruijn Skyler Archibald Joshua Heineman Katherine Lacaze Esther Moberg Carl Earl springing to your mind. Finally, on the theme of books that lighten your mood, or make you laugh. I was a huge fan of comic books and comic book col- lections growing up. Garfi eld, Cal- vin and Hobbes, the Far Side col- lections all made me laugh. Just as music can shift your mood, so also books are a form of escapism that can lift you out of a mood or current situation and change how you feel overall not just about your situation but life. “The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be,” by Farley Mowat or “The Egg and I” by Betty Mac- Donald are all funny stories of ani- mals not quite behaving how you would expect them to. So, the next time you read a book, think about how it might both pull you out of where you are, but also that it just might be creat- ing a memory as well. $14.5 million fi re bond divides Gearhart PRODUCTION MANAGER SYSTEMS MANAGER to fi nd out from C.S. Lewis where Narnia came from and if it is a real place. The author does a beautiful job of merging the story of the boy and his terminal illness with the story of the girl’s interactions with Clive Lewis and his brother. Another book that made me cry is “Charlotte’s Web,” by E. B. White. If you aren’t familiar with it, read it. Perhaps that book is the reason I became interested in hobby farming. I don’t know why but a lot of author’s wrote sad kids books when I was grow- ing up. “Old Yeller,” by Fred Gip- son is another one. “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott when Beth dies. Or “Les Misérables” by Vic- tor Hugo. As I write this, I won- der if I should include descriptions of the sad scenes, or, if you have already read these books, whether immediately certain scenes are CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Jeff TerHar Seaside Signal Letter policy Subscriptions The Seaside Signal is published weekly by EO Media Group, 503-738-5561 seasidesignal.com Copyright © 2022 Seaside Signal. 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