The Umpqua Post
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McCollum files papers to be new mayor Reedsport will have a new mayor and a new city councilor after the Nov. 4 general election. Councilor Linda McCollum is the only person to file for mayor by the Thursday deadline. Councilor Kathi Wall-Meyer has decided against running for a second term. Eddie R. O’Carroll and Rich Patten have filed to run for WallMeyer’s Position 5 seat. Diane K. Essig is unopposed for another term in the Position 4 seat, while Debby Turner is running unopposed in the Position 6 seat, to which she was appointed in July 2013. McCollum, who has been on
the council for only half a term, said she’s up to it. “I’m looking forward to it,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a challenge. “When I was getting my petition signed a lot of people said, ‘Well, you know we need a change.’ I don’t Linda McCollum know that, with me as mayor, it would be that big of a change, but there will be a different outlook on things. I’m hoping to enjoy it and achieve our goals. I have no doubt
the City Council will keep working together, as we have been.” McCollum said she has lived in Reedsport for 20 years and is retired as a personnel manager for Sears. She said she was surprised Keith Tymchuk decided against a seventh term as mayor. “I know he likes doing it,” she said. “He enjoys the job. But, I can understand you have other responsibilities. I was surprised that he wasn’t running.” Tymchuk endorsed McCollum in his letter to The Umpqua Post saying he would not run for reelection.
“Councilor McCollum will be a fine mayor for Reedsport,” Tymchuk wrote in Aug.17 letter. “ I believe she will continue with the good work we have long done. She deserves your vote.” McCollum doesn’t expect the city will lose Tymchuk’s expertise and influence in regional issues and economic development. He also remains a commission for the Port of Umpqua. “Keith had the background to do all that,” she said, “and knows so many people. I think we can count on him to keep helping with this. He’s not going to leave us. He’s still going to be here and I
don’t think he can hold himself back from being involved. He cares about what happens and he’ll stay involved.” McCollum said there have been challenges in the past two years and expects more in the next two years. That didn’t dissuade her from running for the city’s top post. “It really didn’t,” she said. “It’s actually a challenge. I think that we work together. The council that we have works very well together. I can’t see that being any different. We’re all passionate about this.
SEE MAYOR, PAGE A7
Art By the Bay this weekend The festival season in Winchester Bay will wrap up this weekend with Art By the Bay. It will run Aug. 30 and 31 on Beach Boulevard. The featured artist will be Tomas Vrba, who is a woodcarving an sculpting artist. The event will also feature Plein air artists, more art, kids’ art, live music, food vendors, wineries and there will also be lighthouse tours during the vent. Artists will demonstrate how their art is made. The event is held under two big tents and will happen rain or shine. Art By the Bay is sponsored by the Winchester Bay Merchants Association and the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce. For more information visit http://winchesterbay.org or call 541297-6073.
Contributed photo
The winner of this year’s Kool Coastal Nights “Best of Show” winner is Rocky Wagner from Reno for his 1940 Willys coupe. Local owners Bob del Re won “Ladies Choice,” Gary Buehler won “1960’s Modified Car” and John Hedges won “Best Foreign Car.”
Oh, so Kool Car show highlights summer event THE UMPQUA POST It was a steady stream of onlookers that came to Winchester Bay over the weekend for a sunny edition of Kool Coastal Nights. The two-day event featured the return of “burnouts” at a specially built lane at the end of Ork Rock Road, classic music, food, vendors and, of course, hundreds of classic cars. Those who brought cars were impressed with crowds and the crowds were impressed with the cars. Ed Hill, of Walterville brought his black 1965 Mustang fastback to the show. “I’ve owned it since ’76,” he said. “I restored it in ’05.” He bought the car and said he’s done a total restoration on it. He enjoys shows like Kool Coastal Nights. “It’s just fun in the sun,” he laughed. He said he likes the people who show up, the cleanliness of the venue and says it’s a great place to come. “Cool,” he said.
Hill has no plans to sell his car. Another car was for sale. Brian Leach, from Camas, Wash. brought a ’41 Willys. He loves to talk specs. “It’s got a blown 598 Dart with 871 BDS fuel injection all-electronic fuel injection,” He rattled off. “Four-wheel disc brakes, Spinneybeck Italian leather interior, all after-market tube frame. It’s all airbagged, so it’s got a self-leveling airbag system on it. The chassis is rated for an eight-second car for the quarter mile. I’ve never run it on the track.” He said he bought the car out of Oklahoma and did a lot of changes. “It’s a lot of fun,” he said. Leach said he’s heard about Kool Coastal Nights for years and decided this was the year to come. Dwayne Rollings, from Sacramento, brought his 1928 AA longbed, a very rare truck. “It has a little 4.3, fuel-injected V-6,” he said. He said he takes the classic to car shows all over the country.
By Steve Lindsley, The Umpqua Post
Kathi Wall-Meyer talks with a customer at the downtown Reedsport Farmers Market. Wall-Meyer has decided not to run for another term on the City Council and, instead, focus on the market.
Wall-Meyer won’t return to council BY STEVE LINDSLEY The Umpqua Post
After one term as a Reedsport city councilor Kathi Wall-Meyer has decided to focus on other SEE KOOL, PAGE A6 activities. She did not file for reelection for her Position 5 seat this November. Two candidates have filed for the seat. “I’m pretty involved with the (Reedsport Farmers) Market,” she Challenges and Opportunities,” said. “My goal right now is to really Elicker said that, when viewed grow the market and it takes a lot among the top economic indusof time. “I feel I’ve done my servtries, fisheries and tourism rule on ice for the city, as far as being on the coast. city council.” “That’s how big (fisheries) are,” She is also instrumental in the he continued. “It’s one of the top Old Towne Reedsport Merchant two economic drivers of this area Association and in helping to crewe refer to as the Oregon coast. It ate the hanging baskets in the downtown area. provides, perhaps, 15,000 to “There’s a lot to being a coun20,000 jobs. Now, that’s a total cilor,” she said from her information statewide.” booth at the farmers market, “more He said, as expected, most of than most people know. I can’t even those fishing jobs are on the imagine being the mayor.” Oregon coast, and there are also Wall-Meyer said a new mayor related industries. won’t change the dynamic of the SEE ELICKER, PAGE A7 city.
Fisheries drive the coastal economy BY STEVE LINDSLEY The Umpqua Post
The state’s wildlife chief says fisheries are one of the top economic drivers on the Oregon Coast. “One of the most key things that make the Oregon coast the Oregon coast are fisheries,” Roy Elicker, director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife told a group gathered for an economic conference in Florence last week. “The ocean fishery and recreational fishery both ... you can look at them individually and together. In the coastal counties up
to 20 percent of the total net earnings in those counties come from fisheries ... commercial fisheries, in particular.” Elicker made his remarks during the Oregon Coast Economic Summit Wednesday and Thursday at the Three Rivers Casino Event Center in Florence. U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden participated in panel discussions, and members of Congress Peter DeFazio, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici spoke both days. During a panel discussion called “Ocean and Natural Resource Policy Implementation:
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“I don’t think it’ll change it much,” she said, “because the people on the council get along really well and the people that I know that are running are going to blend right into that. I think it’s going to go pretty smoothly.” She is also confident that Linda McCollum will make a good mayor. “Linda’s really smart,” WallMeyer said. “She’s easy to get along with and she’s really dedicated. I don’t think it’s going to affect (the city) negatively at all. I think it’ll just be a little different.” She was asked if she might have considered running for mayor if she knew that Keith Tymchuk would not run for a seventh term. “No,” she said. “We talked about it, before. Two years ago when he ran again I was a little concerned about ... if he didn’t step forward and run again ... if someone else would run.
SEE COUNCIL, PAGE A7