OUR 115th Year
August 5, 2022 $1.00
SEASIDESIGNAL.COM
Mill Ponds
campsite
considered
temporary
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
The city met with representatives of
the Oregon Watershed Enhancement
Board in late July to determine the future
of the Mill Ponds Natural History Park
parking lot area. Since the passage of the
city’s homeless camping ordinance, the
site has been used for tent camping and
RV parking.
City Councilor Steve Wright, who
attended the remote meeting with Mayor
Jay Barber, said the Mill Ponds site off
of Alder Mill Avenue has never been
regarded as permanent.
“We made that clear,” Wright said.
“We also have been able to clean up most
of the illegal campsites, removing large
amounts of hazardous material. Overall,
the site is in the best condition in recent
years.”
The state and city staff decided to reg-
ularly have conversations about future
plans, he added.
See Mill Ponds, Page A3
R.J. Marx
Violet Hanna, from Palm Springs, California, participates in the chalk art contest.
Ready, Set, Draw!
VACATION RENTALS
Appeal denied
as neighbors
decry changing
neighborhood
Chalk art contest in Seaside adds color,
competition and more fun to the Prom
Seaside Signal
T
hose were the instructions Saturday
morning as contestants in the Sunset
Empire Park and Recreation District
Chalk Art Contest put chalk to pave-
ment and began their work.
For a $35 fee, participants received boxes of
pastel chalk — two sizes— paint sponges, can-
dies, snacks and water.
“They provide knee pads for you, they have
wipes, they have fi nger cots, everything you
need to do art on the Prom,” said Robin Mon-
tero, who participated with her granddaughter,
Eliza Hamilton.
See Chalk art, Page A5
Property on 14th Avenue
meets city conditions
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
Frank “Corey” Buck didn’t succeed in
his appeal of the decision to permit a vaca-
tion rental dwelling, but he did assemble
community members to the City Council
meeting to share their concerns about the
disappearing sense of neighborhood in
Seaside.
Buck went to the council seeking to
overturn a Planning Commission condi-
tional approval of a vacation rental dwell-
ing at 430 N. 14th Ave., next to his home.
The property is a one-bedroom rental
with a maximum occupancy of fi ve peo-
ple. The building compliance inspection
remains to be completed.
R.J. Marx
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District
LEFT: ‘Koi Pond,’ by Nicole Perez, won ‘Best Kids Entry’
and the ‘People’s Choice Award’ at the chalk art contest.
ABOVE: Eliza Hamilton at the chalk art contest.
See Appeal, Page A3
Park district receives
grants for infant care
By R.J. MARX
Seaside Signal
The Sunset Empire Park
and Recreation District will
use $50,000 in grants to cre-
ate nine infant and toddler
care slots.
“I’m all on board,
because there’s a signifi -
cant need in this commu-
nity,” board president Kath-
arine Parker said at the July
26 park district meeting.
“This is something positive
for our community to be
able to say we’re support-
ing families working in our
community.”
The park district received
$30,000 from the Round-
house Community Founda-
Moberg leaves a legacy
at Seaside Library
tion and $20,000 from the
Northwest Regional Edu-
cation Service District’s
Early Learning Hub, Sky-
ler Archibald, the park dis-
trict’s executive director,
said.
“We recognize that the
community need for this
program is far greater than
this,” Archibald said, esti-
mating that there are 350 to
400 children in the district
in the program’s age group.
The grants come amid a
national conversation about
the importance of child
care, a shortage of care pro-
viders and an acute need in
Clatsop County.
During the past 18
months, there has been a
closure or discontinua-
tion of services of other
Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District
See Infant care, Page A3
Young artist at a Sunset Empire Park and
Recreation District day care program.
which she advocated for the state’s
public and school libraries.
As library director, Moberg
focused on nonprofi t funding, cre-
ating the Seaside Library Foun-
dation and an endowment for the
By R.J. MARX
library’s reading outreach program.
Seaside Signal
“We’re in such great shape
here,” Moberg said. “I have such
amazing staff that I actually feel
Following an executive ses- OK about moving on, in a big
sion on July 29, the Warrenton sense. It’s in good hands. After 10
City Commission voted
years I don’t think it hurts
unanimously to off er the
to have someone new
city manager position to
come in and add some
Esther Moberg, the Sea-
value to what I’ve already
done.”
side library director. The
In May, members of
off er is pending contract
the Seaside City Council
negotiations.
announced that Moberg
Moberg has nearly a
decade of of local govern- Esther Moberg was one of three fi nalists
for city manager to replace
ment management expe-
rience, both as library director Winstanley. Spencer Kyle ulti-
and public information offi cer. In mately won the job.
2017, she was named president of
See Moberg, Page A3
the Oregon Library Association, in
Library director to take
new role as Warrenton
city manager