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NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM

DECEMBER 28, 2023

$1.50 VOLUME 30, NO. 26

Work progresses on NCRD pool building WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

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fter beginning construction in May, work on the building that will house the North County Recreation District’s new pool is on track to be complete by March of April of 2024.

Cost escalations during the coronavirus pandemic have left the project short of funding to complete the actual pool however, and the district is working to raise funds to complete that phase of the project.

Once completed, the pool will replace the current, fourlane pool built in 1930, with a state-of-the-art, six lane pool with smaller therapy pools adjacent. The current pool’s age has been an issue since at least 1997, when the North County Recreation District (NCRD) was formed to take over the pool and adjoining building and facilities from the Neah-Kah-Nie School District, with a large motivating factor being the preservation of the pool.

As soon as the district was formed, the board began saving funds to pay for a new pool facility at a future date.

Work to identify the new facility’s siting on the property began in 2012, and by 2019, the district had saved

Work in progress on the building that will house NCRD’s new pool. PHOTO BY WILL CHAPPELL

SEE NCRD POOL PAGE A2

Board of Forestry and FTLAC discuss forest management plan WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

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he Oregon Board of Forestry and members of the Forest Trust Lands Advisory Committee met on December 14 to discuss recently released modeling results and their impacts on the counties that rely on state forest revenues and the department of forestry.

Members of both groups quickly homed in on excess habitat protections for the northern spotted owl as an area of concern and signaled their intention to work together to dampen the economic impacts of the new plans.

The meeting began with an address from Oregon Board of Forestry Chair Jim Kelly who discussed the next steps that would happen following the joint meeting.

Kelly said that throughout the process of developing a new habitat conservation plan (HCP) and forest management plan (FMP) for the state forests, the board had received well over 4,000 pieces of written testimony and heard more than 700 public commenters.

Kelly said that while the board wanted to honor the public process, the voluminous correspondence risked bogging down the rest of their agenda. He said that two hours of public testimony on the matter would be included at the board’s January meeting and that department staff would schedule three listening

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sessions to allow for more feedback in the new year.

The meeting then moved into a presentation by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) staffers on the new modeling that largely mirrored the one given the week before to the FTLAC. The presentation showed that across all state forests revenue would drop somewhere between $21 and $28 million dollars annually and that the department had taken a conservative approach to species protection, with different planned scenarios protecting between 15% and 30% excess acreage of northern spotted owl habitat.

Board of Forestry members were then allowed to ask questions about the presentation and quickly focused in on the excess protected habitat.

Board Member Joe Justice was the first to chime in and asked for clarification about the decision to remove between 55% and 70% of possible northern spotted owl habitat from harvest when the HCP process only called for protection of 40%.

Department staff responded that the decision was made to account for unforeseen occurrences like wildfires or climate change destroying some of the habitat without putting the plans’ compliance with federal law in jeopardy.

Board Member Ben Deumling said that he was concerned that the latest modeled numbers did not include allowances for climate change, fires or other disasters. Deumling said that the lack of such consideration made him doubt that even the already-worrisome harvest projections would be fulfilled and that he felt the model was looking through “rosecolored goggles.”

State Forests Division Chief Mike Wilson said that accounting for such exigent events in long-term modeling was not possible. Wilson said that the department generally included those considerations in implementation plans, which have a 10-year period versus the FMP’s 70.

Board Member Karla Chambers chimed in that by not including those factors, the proposed HCP and FMP were failing at their main goals increasing certainty of harvest outcomes and reducing risk of revenue loss for the trust land counties and ODF. The meeting then moved into a discussion between the board and members of the FTLAC, mediated by Sylvia Civorowski from Kearns and West.

Civorowski had a group of questions to promote dialogue that she had shared with the FTLAC prior to the meeting, allowing the group to coordinate its replies and designate members to respond to each.

Columbia County Commissioner Margaret Magruder kicked off the discussion, saying that the FTLAC commissioners had come up with an extensive list of questions for Wilson, which he had answered in 15 written pages. Magruder said that the group would probably have more questions going forward but appreciated Wilson’s responsiveness as well as the opportunity to have a conversation with the board.

Linn County Commissioner William Tucker said that one of the biggest concerns for FTLAC members was that the newly modeled harvest numbers would not bear out in more specific implementation plans. Tucker pointed to the number of disclaimers

and caveats offered by staff during the presentation, as well as the lack of consideration for exigent circumstanes, as the reason for this concern.

Tucker also brought up the question of excess conservation acreage being dedicated to the northern spotted owl. He suggested that some of the area outside of habitat conservation areas being dedicated to the purpose could be harvested to decrease revenue cuts for the counties and ODF. Wilson said again that the habitat conservation commitments had been crafted to account for uncertainty but that adjustments could be made to increase harvests at the direction of the board.

Tillamook County Commissioner Erin Skaar turned the focus to the impacts that revenue cuts would have, asking how ODF was planning to maintain operations when its revenues from state forests fell by 30%.

Justice said that the Board of Forestry did not control the purse strings of ODF and that it would be the purview of Salem legislators to cover any shortfall with additional appropriations.

Wilson said that the department was already in a situation where its revenues did not match its budget and that the agency was undertaking austerity measures, such as leaving vacancies unfilled and prioritizing more profitable timber sales. Wilson said that the department was used to revenue shortfalls, although they did lead to service gaps.

Skaar wondered if the projected revenue cuts caused by the HCP would prevent the effective SEE FOREST MANAGEMENT PAGE A2

Rockaway Beach City Manager receives raise WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

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ockaway Beach’s City Council approved an 8% raise for City Manager Luke Shepard at their December 14 meeting, following a positive performance review and to bring his compensation in line with other coastal city managers.

The council also awarded two additional community grants to the Friends of the Rockaway Beach Library and Fulcrum Community Resources for the benefit of North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection.

Shepard’s raise came in conjunction with his performance review, which was conducted in executive session before general feedback was shared in public session.

Mayor Charles McNeilly said that he and the other councilors had completed a form ranking Shepard’s performance in 50 traits, across ten categories, on a five-point scale and offering written responses to four categories.

McNeilly said that Shepard had exceeded the performance standard in seven of the ten categories and met the performance standard in the remaining three, averaging a 4.1 on the five-point scale across all 50 traits.

Shepard, who has served as city manager since 2019, had been making about $10,000 less annually than the average salary of 16 city managers in comparable cities on the coast, according to a compensation study undertaken by McNeilly.

McNeilly said that he believed Shepard’s strong performance, especially in the recruitment and retention of highly qualified staff in a strained labor market, war-

ranted bringing his salary in line with his fellow managers. Councilors heartily agreed and those who had served on previous councils noted that they should have adjusted Shepard’s salary sooner.

The council also approved a 6% annual cost-of-living adjustment for Shepard, which Shepard said was a standard feature in city manager contracts.

With the cost-of-living adjustment, which went into effect immediately, Shepard’s salary jumped to $120,840, and the 8% adjustment will bring it to $130,503 on January 1. Shepard also receives an annual 5% retention bonus in January.

Fulcrum Community Resources applied for and was awarded a $4,567.50 grant for the benefit of North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection. The group will use those funds to host a three-part speaker series on safeguarding and restoring drinking watersheds that will take place from January through March at St. Mary’s by the Sea Catholic Church.

Funding for the community grants comes from the city’s transient room tax.

An application for $1,000 from Tillamook County Developmental Disability Program requesting funding for a summer picnic, scheduled for June 27, was also approved.

The Friends of Rockaway Beach Library were asked to split their application for $5,577.50 into two separate applications for review at the January meeting. The friends of the library are seeking to fund a mailing campaign to increase patronage, as well as SEE ROCKAWAY BEACH CITY MANAGER PAGE A2

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December 28, 2023

NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM | NORTH COAST CITIZEN

NCRD POOL CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

The existing, four-lane pool at NCRD that was built in 1930 and has been used to teach more than 12,000 kids to swim.

PHOTO BY WILL CHAPPELL

$12 million for the project from bond donations, grants, savings from the district’s operating levy and other fundraising efforts.

At that point, the budget for the new facility was $10

million, leaving NCRD with a $2 million cushion for construction cost overruns.

But then the Coronavirus pandemic happened, sending construction prices spiraling upward and delaying the start

of construction.

By the time the project was ready to commence earlier this year, the new budget projected a total cost of $15.1 million, with the building costing $12 million and the pools $3 million.

NCRD’s board made the decision at that point to begin construction on the building, for which they had sufficient funding. Thomas Fiorelli, of Fiorelli Consulting, who is helping with fundraising efforts for the pool portion of the project, said that this decision was made to avoid further cost inflation that would have happened had they prioritized funding the entire project at once.

A series of fundraising events has been scheduled to help bridge the funding gap, with the first being held on December 16, hosted by the Tillamook County Creamery Association. That event featured Nehalem historian Mark Beach discussing the history of the NCRD’s buildings and University of Oregon Professor Judith Sheine presenting on mass timber products, like those being used in the project.

Fiorelli said that the district is planning quarterly celebrations throughout 2024,

with the next being a Leap into the New Pool event that will be held on February 29.

The end goal of the new project is to provide a facility that will help to continue the legacy of the old pool, which was built in 1930 following the drowning deaths of two local teens to help every child in the area learn how to swim. In its almost century of service, the old pool has been used to teach more than 12,000 local kids how to swim, while also providing recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to the area.

According to NCRD’s Executive Director Barbara McCann, the pool is hugely popular with the local community and has attracted crowds that outstrip its capacity for at least 20 years. In addition to regular swimming lessons in conjunction with local elementary schools, the pool also offers therapeutic and exercise classes and has open swim in summertime afternoons.

The existing pool has remained open during the construction process, as drowning remains the leading cause of death in children and the NCRD did not want to suspend its life-saving efforts.

FOREST MANAGEMENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1 implementation of the HCP. Wilson said that was a concern and that department staff were investigating the potential for federal funding to make up the shortfall.

Clatsop County Commissioner Courtney Bangs asked the board to direct staff to reduce the excess habitat protections for northern spotted owls to dampen the economic impacts of an HCP. Bangs

said that she and the other FTLAC commissioners appreciated the need for an HCP and pointed out that the plan could be altered to account for future changes on the landscape.

Bangs also said that she was dubious that northern spotted owls could make strong returns in Oregon forests, citing the decades of protection they have received on federal lands with limited success at growing their population. She asked the board to weigh the economic viability of her county against that poor record.

Coos County Commissioner and FTLAC Chair John Sweet implored the board to continue working with the FTLAC on the plans’ development going forward, saying that communication was key to success. Sweet said he felt the relationship between

the board and FTLAC had improved over time and he wanted to make sure that trend continued.

Justice and Chambers thanked the FTLAC members for participating in the conversation and said that they valued their input and wanted to continue building the relationship going forward.

Oregon State Forester Cal Mukumoto said that his staff would begin looking at decreasing the protections for northern spotted owl habitat in response the consensus voiced at the meeting.

Skaar offered a final comment on behalf of the FTLAC, again thanking the board for their time at the meeting and saying that communication as the process moved forward would be key to maintaining trust. Skaar said that the new HCP, even with potential

modifications, was likely to force the counties and department to go to the legislature to seek funding and that presenting a unified front in Salem would be critical.

Skaar continued that minimizing the economic impacts of the HCP to make sure that any funding ask was as low as possible was key.

She said that she believed it would be possible with a good message to convince Oregonians outside the forest trust land counties to support an alternate funding model.

Mukumoto finished the meeting by saying that the department would schedule three listening sessions, two in-person and one virtual, with dates hopefully to be determined in January. He gat also said that the department at t needed to reach out to the Cr sovereign nations affected by De the plan to gather their input. ret Co Ya ser

ROCKAWAY BEACH CITY MANAGER

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

REGISTER FOR WINTER TERM Art for the Heart: Call to Artists

Classes start January 8

Adventist Health Tillamook announces a call to artists of all ages for a non-juried art exhibition, Feb. 1–29, 2024 at North County Recreation District (NCRD).

Let your heart speak out. Artists of all ages on the Oregon coast can submit up to five entries. There are no fees for creative submissions. Submitted artwork will remain at NCRD through the entire show.

View details about accepted mediums and awards: AdventistHealthTillamook.org/ArtForTheHeart.

Artwork submission deadline: Sunday, January 28, 2024 Drop off display-ready artwork, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

North County Recreation District 36155 9th St., Nehalem

Forestry Welding Phlebotomy Biology & More

Questions? McLainAL@ah.org

Contact us: 503-842-8222 tillamookbaycc.edu/apply

ref cre funding for the purchase and Ya installation of a new flagpole som fro for the library.

Shepard also shared that the city had received a sur- ear prise community assistance cou visit from the Federal Emer- in A gency Management Agency enj bef (FEMA), essentially an audit of the city’s floodplain po management program. The wa visiting officials recommend- Ya ed updates to several portionsof wi of the city code and the establishment of an outreach the program, which Shepard said had already been initiated. com no Overall, however, they found that the city’s program the had greatly improved since Ya their last visit. Shepard said Co that he planned to apply to Tu community rating systems, a Co division of FEMA that rates Ma municipalities’ flood plain Co management for insurance Wi purposes, for a reassessment of Rockaway Beach’s rating Ya and the expected a 10-15% ma reduction in flood insurance of Lin rates to result.

Shepard also shared that def dec Verizon installed a new, temporary generator at their tw cellular tower site in Rocka- big way Beach on November 10, bu restoring cell service during foc power outages for the com- in munity after an old generator cas was rendered inoperable late Lin in 2022. of of Subscribe to the thi North Coast Citizen and have access Or in print and online. and his and cou Go to www.northcoastcitizen.com or call 1-800-275-7799

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December 28, 2023

NORTH COAST CITIZEN | NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM

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NCRD celebrates building’s centennial WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

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group of more than 50 north county residents gathered at the North County Recreation District’s Performing Arts Center on December 16, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the construction of the building that now houses the district.

Local historian Mark Beach and University of Oregon Professor Judith Sheine both gave talks at the event, with Beach detailing the history of the building, while Sheine discussed mass timber products.

The event was hosted by the Tillamook County Creamery Association and served as the kickoff for a fundraising campaign to fund

the construction of a new pool for the district. Several lucky attendees received prizes, including aged cheese, from the creamery association in a raffle.

The North Coast Recreation District’s (NCRD) Executive Director Barbara McCann kicked off the event by welcoming guests and thanking them for being there. She noted that the event would be the first of quarterly events over the next year dedicated to fundraising for the new pool. See the story about the pool for more information about that effort and future events.

Beach then detailed the history that had led to the formation of NCRD, starting with the formation of the first schools in north county

around the turn of the 20th century. A booming population around that time led to repeated construction of new buildings to accommodate the growing population.

The building that now houses the NCRD was built in the early 1920s as Nehalem Elementary School, serving students from Nehalem and Mohler. Continuing population growth quickly outpaced the new school’s capacity and by 1929, the district’s board had decided to expand the school with new classrooms.

At that point, the board also decided to build a natatorium while undertaking the expansion, and by December 1930, both the pool and new classrooms were open.

The school continued op-

erating until the early 1990s, when it was closed, leading residents to begin exploring options to repurpose the school as a community center, with voters approving the formation of the NCRD and a property tax to support it in 1996.

Today, the district offers a wide variety of programming opportunities, ranging from swim lessons for children to exercise classes and facilities, and a theater program run by the Riverbend Players.

After Beach finished his presentation on the district’s history, Sheine began her talk on mass timber products. Mass timber products are timber products that have been engineered and manufactured to provide more structural support than

traditional timber products.

They consist of thin pieces, chips or strands of wood compressed into panels or other forms.

These products have the ecological advantages of timber, namely carbon sequestration, while also significantly lowering the size and weight of projects when compared to projects using concrete and steel.

Sheine said that mass timber buildings were 75% lighter than their concrete counterparts and reduced the time of construction and needed on-site labor.

Sheine said that while the use of mass timber products was still relatively rare and expertise with them was not widespread, the last decade has seen steady advances

in the field. Before the last several years, code restrictions had limited the height of mass timber structures to under ten stories, but recently those restrictions have begun to loosen and one project in Milwaukie has a total height of 25 stories, with a six-story, concrete base.

The pacific northwest has the highest concentration of mass timber structures in the country, according to Sheine, and the use of the products is continuing to expand. The NCRD’s new pool building is being constructed incorporating mass timber, as is the new main terminal expansion project at Portland International Airport.

ODOT to maintain winter service levels with funds from legislature WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

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orecast cuts to the Oregon Department of Transportation’s winter services will not be necessary after Salem legislators approved $19 million in additional funding in early December.

The funding will be distributed across the department’s statewide operation according to need, but resi-

dents of Tillamook County can expect a normal level of winter services on their roads.

“All those areas are going to get a better eye and better use of overtime funds to allow us to make those roads safer,” said Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOTT) Public information Officer Mindy McCartt.

In November, ODOT officials began alerting local governments and residents

across the state that due to a funding shortfall caused by increasingly efficient vehicles, the agency would not have the funding necessary to offer its regular winter services.

A pamphlet from ODOT published in November said that ongoing maintenance work and striping projects would be suspended and that measures to prevent ice buildup on roads would be curtailed through the winter

season.

But, on December 4, Governor Tina Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner and House Speaker Dan Rayfield announced that the legislature had committed $19 million to restore full-service levels.

McCartt said that the $19 million will allow ODOT to resume standard service across the state and restart the procurement process for new snowplows, which had

also been put on hold amid the funding shortfall. $8 million of the funding will be used to pay for overtime to allow staff to maintain roads, $7 million is set aside for road maintenance work and the remaining $4 million will be used for the new snowplows.

Tillamook residents can expect winter road maintenance at the same level as in past years and for maintenance projects to continue,

according to McCartt.

McCartt also said that the legislature’s decision to step in to bridge the gap in funding had been appreciated

by ODOT staff and given them hope that the legislature would address their falling funding levels in the next legislative session.

Yamamoto celebrated at retirement soiree WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

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riends, family and colleagues gathered at the Red Barn at the Tillamook County Creamery Association on December 13, to celebrate retiring Tillamook County Commissioner David Yamamoto’s career in public service.

After enjoying light refreshments courtesy of the creamery, attendees gave Yamamoto gifts and shared some of their favorite stories from working with him.

Yamamoto announced his early retirement from the county commissionership in August, citing a desire to enjoy retirement and travel before age precluded those possibilities. Doug Olson was selected to replace Yamamoto for the final year of his term in October and will assume the position at the beginning of 2024.

A group of county commissioners from around northwest Oregon made the trip to Tillamook to fete Yamamoto, included Linn County Commissioner Will Tucker, Columbia County Commissioner Margaret Magruder and Washington County Commissioner Jerry Wiley.

Tucker told the crowd that Yamamoto had a knack for marketing, telling the story of three lawsuits in which Linn County has been the defendant during the past decade. Tucker said that two of the suits ended up in big wins for Linn County but noted that coverage had focused on Tillamook’s role in the cases, while in the final case, a loss, all credit went to Linn County.

Magruder told the story of giving Yamamoto a wig of dreadlocks to wear at this year’s Association of Oregon Counties meeting and said that she would miss his leadership on timber and other issues facing the counties.

Staffers and partners from across Tillamook

County also came out to share their well wishes, with both Commissioners Erin Skaar and Mary Faith Bell attending, as well as Sheriff Josh Brown, Tillamook County Chief of Staff Rachel Hagerty, Tillamook County Director of Community Development Sarah Absher, Tillamook County Treasurer Shawn Blanchard, Port of Tillamook Bay General Manager Michele Bradley and State Senator Suzanne

Weber.

Eric Swanson, director of Adventist Health Tillamook, presented Yamamoto with an award for all his efforts to promote public wellness in the county during his career and said that Yamamoto had always kept him on his toes during weekly community briefing calls.

“I love what I do, I am going to miss this so much,” Yamamoto told the crowd.

“There are 27,000 people

in Tillamook Bounty but the things that we get done in Tillamook County are amazing.”

Yamamoto was first elected to the board of county commissioners in 2017 and has prided himself on his work supporting the natural-resource based economy of Tillamook County. One of Yamamoto’s favorite things to say as commissioner was that when it comes to modern forestry,

dairy and fishing practices, nobody does it better than Tillamook County, and he worked tirelessly to increase awareness around that message across the state and nation.

The day of the party marked one of Yamamoto’s last days working in-person, as he plans to attend the final two commissioners’ meetings of the year remotely.

Yamamoto and his wife, Terry, will reside in

Commissioner Yamamoto opening gifts at his retirement reception at the Tillamook Creamery Association.

Henderson, Nevada, where they have owned a home since 2020, and the couple plans to travel extensively in their retirement. Yamamoto said that the couple have already planned their first trip to Cancun and that while relinquishing the commissionership was the hardest decision of his life, he loved his wife more than his job.

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December 28, 2023

NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM | NORTH COAST CITIZEN

Tillamook Bay Community College Foundation Hosts Second-Annual North Coast Throwdown Cornhole Tournament January 27 Event at Tillamook Fairgrounds Supports Career-to-Career Scholarship Program

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ILLAMOOK, OR — The TBCC Foundation is thrilled to announce the return of the North Coast Throwdown Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, January 27, at the Tillamook County Fairgrounds. From 11 AM to 5 PM, teams will compete in a round-robin style tournament for ultimate cornhole glory, all in the spirit of fun

and to support an important cause.

All proceeds from the tournament go toward the TBCC Career-to-Career Scholarship program. Last year’s Throwdown was a great success; with over 35 teams competing and a great spectator turnout, the Foundation raised over $3,000 for the scholarship. The Careerto-Career scholarship is dedicated to Tillamook County residents who completed their high school diploma or GED at least five years ago, and it covers tuition until they earn their degree. This is an excellent opportunity for those returning to education

Citizen North Coast

to change their careers or improve their job skills.

Britta Lawrence, Executive Director of the TBCC Foundation commented about the amazing support the event has from the community, “We have so many generous sponsors. City Sanitary Service, Viridian Architecture, Inc., Grocery Outlet, Umpqua Bank, Greg’s Marine Service, Les Schwab, and Barbur Law LLC. Bobby Poppe, a giving community member, is nice enough to set the tournament up through Scoreholio [a cornhole scoring app] on tablets. Pelican Brewing has donated beer and non-alco-

holic drinks. It’s amazing to see all the support from local businesses and individuals.

Support like theirs helps students achieve their dreams, reenter the workforce, and earn a family-living wage.”

The North Coast Throwdown is more than just a tournament; it’s a celebration of community, education, and opportunity. Join us on January 27 to make a difference in the lives of Tillamook County residents and support the pursuit of higher education.

Join the Fun: Whether you’re a participant or spectator, the North Coast Throwdown offers a day

filled with excitement. Enjoy drinks, live music, an airmail game with cash prizes, and food offered by the Rendezvous. Team spots are still available for those interested in competing. A team of two can enter for just $50. Secure your team entry and spectator tickets on Eventbrite.com by searching “North Coast Throwdown” or by visiting our Facebook page. All ages are welcome to take part in the festivities.

Sponsorship Opportunities: Become a vital part of Tillamook’s only annual cornhole tournament by becoming a sponsor. For sponsorship inquiries, please

email brittalawrence@tillamookbaycc.edu. All sponsorship levels include at least one team entry.

About TBCC Career-toCareer Scholarship: The Career-to-Career Scholarship program is available to any Tillamook County Resident who has earned a high school diploma or GED five years prior. The scholarship covers tuition for two years or until the student has completed their degree. For more information about this scholarship email rhodahanson@ tillamookbaycc.edu.

PUZZLES

Serving North Tillamook County since 1996

Deadline Noon Mondays for Advertising, News, Classifieds, Legals/Public Notices, Obituaries Editor Will Chappell, email headlighteditor@countrymedia.net Advertising Katherine Mace, email headlightads@countrymedia.net Classifieds & Legals/Public Notices Due by Noon on Mondays the week of publication.

Send notice to classifieds@orcoastnews.com or call 503-842-7535 for more information.

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Periodicals Postage paid at Tillamook, OR. POSTMASTER Send address changes to P.O. Box 444, Tillamook, OR 97141 Member Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association (ONPA) © 2023 by the North Coast Citizen. All rights reserved.

LETTER POLICY The Citizen welcomes letters that express readers’ opinions on current topics. Letters may be submitted by email only, no longer than 300 words, and must be signed and include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number for verification of the writer’s identity. We will print the writer’s name and town of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published.

Letters are published in the order received and may be edited for length, grammar, spelling, punctuation or clarity. We do not publish group emails, open letters, form letters, third-party letters, letters attacking private individuals or businesses, or letters containing advertising.

Deadline for letters is noon Thursdays.

The date of publication will depend on space.

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• Basic Obituary: Includes the person’s name, age, town of residency, and information about any funeral services. No cost.

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December 28, 2023

NORTH COAST CITIZEN | NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM

CLASSIFIEDS

Nehalem

Church Services by the Sea

Cannon Beach to Nehalem

Nehalem Bay United Methodist Church 36050 10th Street, Nehalem, OR (503) 368-5612 Pastor Celeste Deveney + Sunday service 11 a.m.

Food Pantry Open Friday, Saturday & Monday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wednesday

March - October 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

November - February noon to 4 p.m.

Nehalem Senior Lunches Tuesday & Thursday served at noon email: nbumcnsl2020@gmail.com

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OBITUARIES Eugene Leavens Mersereau

Miscellaneous Services

1947 ~ 2023

If you care about someone who drinks too much Al-Anon can help. 503-842-5094

To feature your spiritual organization on this panel:

G

ene Mersereau died Thursday, November 30, 2023, when he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the Nehalem River.

Gene was the second son of Jane Howard Mersereau and Charles Parker Mersereau. He was born July 19th, 1947 in Portland, Oregon. He attended Catlin Gable School and Lincoln High School. He went on to

Contact Katherine at (503) 842-7535, headlightads@countrymedia.net.

COMICS

study art at Cornish and University of Oregon. Drafted in 1966, Gene was deployed to Korea from 1967 to 1969.

After serving in the conflict overseas, Gene returned to Portland where he would earn a living doing construction. That trade would eventually lead him to the Oregon Coast where he built fine homes for nearly four decades.

While building a lodge at the confluence of the Nehalem and Salmonberry Rivers, Gene found a property with a cabin just upriver from his job site.

The property was purchased

and not a moment too soon, as he would soon be thrice divorced and looking to get up “out of dodge “. Living off grid for the better part of 30 years was a point of pride for Gene and he loved being in the woods with his dogs.

Gene is survived by his sons Parker and Devon and daughter Anne, grandchildren Tanner and Madison and Brody and Kalani and by his dogs Duchess and Pepper and cat Stella.

Memorial services and Celebration of Life will be held 12pm to 4pm, February 3rd at the White Clover Grange.

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A6

December 28, 2023

NORTHCOASTCITIZEN.COM | NORTH COAST CITIZEN

Tides of Change Gift Market spreads holiday spirit

Tides of Change staff set up an impressive selection of donated toys in their Second Street office for their fourth annual holiday gift market.

PHOTOS BY WILL CHAPPELL

From your head to your toes, we care for all of you!

Wellness exams* for ages 3 and up • NO COST to you (insurance will be billed) • $25 Gift card for ages 7 and up (mailed after visit) • $15 Gift card for ages 3 to 6 (mailed after visit) Offer good from Aug. 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2023

You are eligible if you have not had a wellness exam in the last 12 months

The wellness exam may include: • Physical exam • Immunizations • In clinic lab testing (as needed) • Dental, hearing, nutritional and vision screening *A wellness exam meets all of the requirements for a sports physical

To schedule your appointment

503-842-3938 • 800-528-2938 • TTY 711 Se habla español

801 Pacific Avenue • Tillamook

www.tillamookchc.org

WILL CHAPPELL Citizen Editor

T

ides of Change hosted its fourth annual Holiday Gift Market for clients in the week preceding Christmas, helping more than 35 families bring seasonal joy to more than 80 kids.

The gift market connects those who have accessed the agency’s support services for those experiencing gender-related violence with toys donated by the Fox 12 Les Schwab Tire Centers Toy Drive, the Tillamook Creamery Association, Attis Trading Company and individual supporters.

“It’s just nice to be able to look at the work that we do, working with people who are experiencing trauma and so are their children, to be able to get to do something that’s fun,” said Tides of Change Executive Director Valerie Bundy.

The idea for the gift market originated four years ago after previous efforts to coordinate more ad hoc support for clients during the holiday season proved frustrating.

Bundy decided that a formal holiday gift

market would be a more effective way to channel the generosity of community members to support more clients, and the market was born.

While businesses donate a significant amount through their toy drives, the support of individuals who visit Tides of Change’s Amazon wish list and order toys for the market is a critical element that continues throughout the year, according to Bundy.

“We’ve just been super grateful that everybody’s continued in our community to contribute to the store,” Bundy said.

Starting the Monday before Christmas, parents were able to come into the market, which had been set up by the center’s staff the week before, at a pre-selected time. Each parent was given 30 minutes to browse the market and select three large toys and as many stocking stuffers as they wanted for each of their kids. Tides of Change also provided wrapping paper and tape.

On Monday morning, the market was jam packed with toys of all types, although there were significantly more girls’ toys than boys’. Staff

said that this was not unusual and encouraged future donors to consider donating boys’ or teenage geared presents, with gift cards being the top option.

At the beginning of the week 35 families with 78 kids had been signed up for the market, according to Bundy, but by Tuesday that number had grown by several families and she hoped more would still sign up. Any toys that are not selected in this year’s market will be saved for next year’s market or for clients who need children’s birthday presents in the interim.

In addition to being an invaluable aid to the families who take advantage of the market’s offerings, the entire process is restorative for staff and helps to make the holidays their favorite time of year.

“It replenishes us as an agency and our staff talk about this being their favorite time of year because we get to do something that’s exciting and really good,” Bundy said. “People come in happy and leave even happier.”