Friday, April 22, 2022 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com • A3
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
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Vehicle, elk crash
Pivot Architecture
Drawing of proposed Gearhart police and fi re station in the Highlands.
Bond: Voters to consider $14.5M fi rehouse levy
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If the bond measure is
approved, the money would
be used for capital construc-
tion costs to build, equip and
furnish the 13,000-square-
foot station. While fi nanc-
ing scenarios have not been
decided, the city estimates
the bonds would cost prop-
erty owners $1.213 per
$1,000 assessed value per
year for up to 20 years. On
a home with an assessed
value of $100,000, the levy
for the fi re and police sta-
tion would be $121 a per
year. On a property with an
assessed value of $388,000,
the levy would be $470 per
year; with an assessed value
of $500,000, slightly more
than $600 per year.
City Councilor Brent
Warren said he is confi dent
the majority of residents
appreciate the dedication of
emergency responders and
their families. “We cannot
aff ord any further delays in
providing them with a mod-
ern and safe fi re/police sta-
tion,” he said. “The lon-
ger we delay, the more it is
going to cost all of us.”
Opponents say the loca-
tion is wrong, the site is
oversized and, in any case,
would fail to protect against
the largest tsunamis.
Joy Sigler, a resident and
business owner, asked resi-
dents to prioritize commu-
nity needs.
“Voting ‘no’ will alert
this council and city man-
Site overview of the proposed new fi re and police station.
ager that they are squander-
ing an excellent opportunity
to be a self-suffi cient city,”
she said. “They must do bet-
ter for its citizens and we
must be deliberate in edu-
cating them to have a vision
that creates community for
both sides of the highway
while enabling the Gearhart
Volunteer Fire Department
to perform effi ciently.”
The city’s fi re department
has two full-time employ-
ees, one intern and 27 vol-
unteer fi refi ghters. The
fi rehouse on Pacifi c Way,
constructed in 1958 and
expanded in 1966, is consid-
ered at risk in a signifi cant
earthquake and tsunami. The
new station, which would
be on land considered more
resilient in a tsunami, would
include storage, a day room,
kitchen, restrooms, showers
and an offi ce for the police
department.
The vote will come after
a protracted debate in the
community.
Voters rejected a mea-
sure to fund a new fi rehouse
and City Hall in 2006. Since
then, city staff , fi refi ghters
and residents have continued
to recognize the urgency.
In 2018, after consider-
ing nine locations, the fi re
station committee recom-
mended three concepts and
locations to guide the deci-
sion-making process. When
a public survey eliminated
the committee’s fi rst choice
at Gearhart Park, the city
pursued High Point, a loca-
tion on N. Marion Avenue
near the Palisades.
That site was dropped
after potential right-of-way
confl icts with neighboring
homeowners and the high
cost of the land purchase.
With the possibility of the
land swap and negotiations
with The Cottages at Gear-
hart LLC, the City Council
approved bringing the High-
lands Lane site to voters.
The bond measure was
headed to ballot last Novem-
ber, but was postponed after
a legal challenge that was
energytrust.org
later rejected by a Circuit
Court judge.
Jack Zimmerman, a res-
ident who was involved
with the unsuccessful legal
challenge, said the High-
lands Lane site is too far
from downtown to meet
city needs. He said facili-
ties at Camp Rilea already
meet fi re department train-
ing needs.
“Gearhart will build a
new fi re station when they
know their money will be
well spent, and not wasted
on something that they do
not want, need or under-
stand,” he said. “The taxpay-
ers who will have to tighten
their belts to fund this proj-
ect in this shaky economy
deserve consideration, trans-
parency and respect.”
Mayor Paulina Cockrum
said the bond measure is an
important way of showing
respect for fi refi ghters and
volunteers while protecting
the community.
“As a caregiver for the
past 45 years, I can attest
that people who work to
serve others, like our police,
fi refi ghters, nurses, doc-
tors, waitstaff are subject to
harassment and bullying,”
the mayor said. “No mat-
ter which side of the fi re/
police station bond you are
on, while a protected right,
this type of discourse is still
bullying, downright uncivil
behavior and I cannot con-
done it.
“This is so unfortunate
for our community.”
Troopers responded to a
crash April 10 at 11:32 a.m.
on U.S. Highway 101 near
milepost 17. A Toyota Scion
operated by a 30-year-old
Seaside man struck an elk on
the roadway. The northbound
lane was blocked until ODOT
cleared the road. Gearhart po-
lice and fi refi ghters were on
scene. A 36-year-old female
passenger, also from Seaside,
was transported by Medix to
the hospital. Tow was coordi-
nated by the driver.
Avenue F and Lincoln, charged
with driving while under the
infl uence and reckless driving.
He was originally pulled over
for a safety check. He refused
all tests and was transported
to Seaside police headquarters
for processing. A woman with
him was given a courtesy ride
to a hotel by another trooper.
The car was parked on Lincoln
and secured. No court date
was given.
GEARHART
FIRE DEPT.
FIRE LOG
Smashed window at
state park
A Portland woman reported
theft from her vehicle April
10 at 3:10 p.m., while it was
parked at the Indian Beach
parking lot within Ecola State
Park. She said she and her
friends were hiking and when
they returned both passenger
side windows were smashed
and items were taken. Police
reported two other locations
in the area had similar inci-
dents that day.
Rollover crash
A rollover crash was reported
April 12 at 8:16 a.m. on U.S.
Highway 26 at milepost 14.5.
A blue Subaru Outback hit a
patch of snow and ice, left the
roadway and rolled down an
embankment. Hamlet, Sea-
side and Cannon Beach fi rst
responders were on scene
to assist the driver up the
embankment. She was trans-
ported to Seaside Providence
Hospital by Medix and Gary’s
Towing removed the vehicle
which was damaged.
March 16
7:37 p.m., medical assist,
assist EMS crew,, U.S. Highway
101, Warrenton.
8:26 p.m., medical assist,
assist EMS crew, U.S. Highway
101, Warrenton.
9:41 p.m., hazardous condi-
tion, Dellmoor, Warrenton.
March 20
12:09 a.m., medical assist,
assist EMS crew, Malarkey,
Warrenton.
March 21
12:34 p.m., smoke detective
activation, no fi re, uninten-
tional, G Street.
March 23
10:42 a.m., medical assist,
assist EMS crew, Par, Sunset
Beach.
4:40 p.m., motor vehicle
accident with injuries, Lewis
and Clark, Astoria.
March 24
Driving under the
infl uence
2:42 p.m., medical assist,
assist EMS crew, Sandy Ridge.
Brandon Alan Clippinger, 34,
from Lake Tapps, Washing-
ton, was arrested April 14 at
6:27 p.m., on U.S. Highway
101 at milepost 18 charged
with driving while under the
infl uence. He refused fi eld
sobriety tests at fi rst but then
later submitted. He and his
dog were taken to Seaside
police headquarters for pro-
cessing. After providing breath
samples and given tickets for
DWI and reckless driving, he
was released with his dog. He
returns to court June 7.
9:59 p.m., medical assist, as-
sist EMS crew, North Marion.
Driving charge
Timothy Joseph Anderton,
78, of Hunterville, North
Carolina, was arrested April
16 at 9:46 p.m. in Seaside at
March 27
2:51 a.m., carbon monoxide
incident, Creekside.
7:36 p,.m., medical assist,
assist EMS crew, U.S. Highway
101, Warrenton.
March 28
1:14 p.m., medical assist,
assist EMS crew, N. Marion.
March 29
11:11 a.m., motor vehicle
accident with no injuries, U.S.
Highway 101.
March 30
9:12 a.m., medical assist,
assist EMS crew, Park.