CCP1018 by C.M.I.

In with the old Historical museum celebrated Page 12

SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946

www.currypilot.com

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2023

Brookings, Oregon

Recall petitions validated, election clock ticking ELLIOT SCHWARZ Country Media, Inc.

special recall election.” The clock now ticks down to Nov. 7, the mandated date to hold that election. Mayor Ron Hedenskog, Councilor Michelle Morosky and Council Ed Schreiber was required to submit either a letter of resignation or a statement of justification. They have decided to stay

City Manager Janell Howard, in her role as city recorder, has informed all three chief petitioners in the effort to recall — two Brookings city councilors and the mayor — that there are “sufficient… signatures… to warrant a

Ron Hedenskog

Janell Howard

in place pending the results of the special election.

Ed Schrieber

Michelle Morosky

Hedenskog states, in part, “[as] the longest

serving elected official in Brookings’ history with many controversial decisions under my belt, I have voted my conscience after studying both sides of the story.” He claims that those aligned against himself and Schreiber and Morosky have been “uncivil, disrupting, threatening”

‘We are opposed to this project’

— Brookings City Council

City issues formal opposition to ocean wind farm proposal ELLIOT SCHWARZ Country Media, Inc. As pressure mounts in opposition to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposals for the installation of wind turbines off the coast of Curry and Coos County, the BOEM has released little reaction about the surge of local concerns. In a statement the federal agency told The Pilot that BOEM representatives will “… work closely with the State of Oregon on next steps in the offshore wind leasing and planning process. BOEM’s first order of business is to continue collecting the public comments on the Draft Wind Energy Areas (WEA).” The public comment period was set to end Oct. 16. BOEM expects to review the comments that were collected during the public sessions in Gold Beach, Coos Bay and Brookings, where several residents presented opposition to the project. The Brookings City Council issued a letter last week to the BOEM stating the city’s opposition and concerns following meetings and correspondence from stakeholders regarding the offshore wind energy proposal. “We are opposed to this project,” the

Courtesy photo from the BOEM

Offshore wind energy installation. city council’s letter states. The Curry County Board of Commissioners (BOC) also issued a statement at their most recent meeting drafted by Commissioner Jay Trost, stating, “The Curry County Board of Commissions adamantly opposes the harvesting of wind energy off the coast of Curry

County. This opposition is found to be unanimous among the Curry County Board of Commissioners representing the citizens of Curry County.” Trost was appointed by the BOC as a liaison to the BOEM. He said he intends to meet with state officials about the matter after fully investigating BOEM

engagement with the state. All members of the commission expressed their uniform opposition, describing themselves as “hard no[s]” on the WEAs. It was unclear at press time when a formal decision would be issued about the wind farms proposed for the southern Oregon Coast.

using “bullying tactics used by organized groups [to] vilify officials. They exaggerate rumors and lie attempting to try an official in the court of public opinion.” He justified his vote in favor of retaining Howard as city manager by virtue See ELECTION, Page 5

CITY COUNCIL CONCERNS • Impact to the commercial fishing industry and displacing fishermen. Recreational anglers, who play a major role in the tourism economy of Curry County and Brookings, also oppose any restrictions on transiting waters to the offshore albacore tuna grounds. Impact on tourism; wind farms are aesthetically unpleasing and will ruin the Oregon Coast ocean view. • Placement of the giant turbines and anchors and the overall impacts to the environment, wildlife habitat, endangered marine species and irreparable harm caused to seabirds, marine mammals, fisheries management. • Windmills to be leased to out-of-state, out-ofcountry entities who will make the most profit at southern Oregon taxpayer expense and livelihood. Those profits will not benefit us but be funneled overseas. • The cost of maintenance and dismantling, if needed, when the windmills fall into disrepair and are abandoned with no one removing them. • Noise constantly generated could affect behavior of fish, whales, and birds. • E l e c t ro - m a g n e t i c fields impac t fish/ whale navigation, predator detection, and communication.

$2.5M wind energy study to gain coastal community reaction

MOLLY ROSBACH Pilot Guest Article

energy development and the benefits they could gain from those projects. The funding will be administered by the Pacific Marine Energy Center, a consortium of universities led by OSU that works closely with coastal communities, ocean users, government agencies and

The U.S. Department of Energy has selected a team of researchers led by Oregon State University to receive up to $2.5 million to study what coastal communities think of potential offshore wind

technology developers for the responsible development of marine renewable energy. The federal government is in the early stages of leasing areas off the coasts of Oregon, California and Maine for floating offshore wind energy projects. In lieu of requiring companies

to pay the full lease cost to the federal treasury, the government may allow developers to establish agreements with coastal communities about specific community benefits the companies would provide. Researchers will interview and survey coastal residents in an effort to

understand the preferences, concerns and values of local communities where offshore wind development has been proposed, said lead researcher Hilary Boudet, an associate professor of sociology in OSU’s College of Liberal Arts. Based on existing projects in Europe, Boudet

said, community benefits offered by developers could include apprenticeships or traineeships for local residents to be employed in the offshore wind energy sector; funds for services such as child care, health care or education See STUDY, Page 5

$5.61B Oregon surplus ‘largest in state history’ JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media, Inc.

be returned to taxpayers through a credit on their 2023 state personal income tax returns filed in 2024. According to the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis, the median, or typical Oregonian is expected to receive a $980 credit. The kicker tax credit goes into effect when the actual state revenue exceeds the

The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis (OEA) has confirmed a more than $5.61 billion revenue surplus in the 2021-2023 biennium, triggering a tax surplus credit, or “kicker,” for the 2023 tax year. The surplus—the largest in state history—will

INDEX

forecasted revenue by at least 2%. An amount is then returned to the taxpayers through a credit on their tax returns. The credit is based on tax liability for the 2022 tax year. Taxpayers who have not yet filed a 2022 tax return, should file now so they can claim their kicker credit when they file their 2023 tax return.

To calculate the amount of their credit, taxpayers can multiply their 2022 tax liability before any credits—line 22 on the 2022 Form OR-40—by 44.28 percent. This percentage is determined and certified by OEA. Taxpayers who claimed a credit for tax paid to another state would need to subtract the credit amount from their liability

before calculating the credit. Personal income taxpayers can also determine the amount of their kicker using a What’s My Kicker? Calculator available on Revenue Online. To use the calculator, taxpayers will need to enter their name, Social Security Number, and filing status for 2022

and 2023. Taxpayers are eligible to claim the kicker if they filed a 2022 tax return and had tax due before credits. Even taxpayers who don’t have a filing obligation for 2023, still must file a 2023 tax return to claim their credit. The 2023 Oregon personal income tax return

See MONEY, Page 5

Phone Number: 541-813-1717 • Address: 519 Chetco Ave, Ste 7, Brookings, 97415 • Email: Circulation@CountryMedia.net

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