Sneaker Wave Study
Legislative Update Page 4
Page 6
VOL. 47, ISSUE 4
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CANNONBEACHGAZETTE.COM
February 17, 2023
Cannon Beach Medical Reserve Corps receives $50,000 grant T
Deb Atiyeh
For the Gazette
he Cannon Beach Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). The MRC is a national network of volunteers, organized locally to improve the health and safety of their communities. NACCHO represents the nation’s nearly 3,000 local government health departments. These city, county, metropolitan, district and tribal departments work every day to protect and promote the health and the well-being of people in their communities. The Cannon Beach MRC team was established in 2015, with Lila Wickham, RN as the coordinator, and Bob Wayne, MD as the co-coordinator. The MRC has 31 members consisting of doctors, registered nurses, social workers, a pharmacist, and a veterinarian. About 15 members are very active. In 2021, the MRC team volunteered over 1,400 hours administering vaccines, testing, and contact tracing, at a calculated value of over $100,000 to the Clatsop County Health Department. The MRC team also provides First-Aid support at community events. The MRC has quarterly training drills, during which MRC team members determine how to treat individuals in different medical scenarios, while identifying supplies needed for each treatment plan. If a particular item is not available, it goes on a “needs” list for a future grant application. MRC coordinator Lila Wick-
ham has 5 years of experience at a hospital Intensive Care Unit, 18 years directing an 8-County Health Department in Idaho, 4 years at the Oregon Health Authority overseeing local health departments performing public health programs, and 15 years as the Environmental Health Director for Multnomah County overseeing health inspections, emergency management, multiple programs and grants. After permanently moving to Cannon Beach in 2015, Lila and husband Rock believed that creating an MRC would significantly improve the preparedness potential for our small community that will be isolated in an emergency. The local MRC was created with strategic planning and incorporation into the state and national organizations. Since 2015, almost $70,000 in grants have been acquired to purchase 15 public service radios, two repeaters along with generators, medical supplies, pediatric supplies, tents, pet supplies, and more. Retired veterinary neurologist Bob Kroll established the Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) and oversees the needs of pets in case of a disaster. Each team member has a “Go Kit” with emergency medical supplies. The recent $50,000 NACCHO grant is for three primary projects: 1 - Surge capacity for Clatsop County Health Department for emerging infections. 2 - Implementation of a decedent plan; how to identify, manage and support reunification of deceased with their families in the event of a major catastrophic event, and 3 - Implementation of a Mass Care Plan, to
Council updates food tax to exempt temporary restaurants In this Cannon Beach Gazette file photo, Cannon Beach Medical Reserve Corps volunteers display emergency preparedness items. include training on the plan and acquisition of supplies. The MRC will also be able to purchase four large shelter tents, three hand wash stations, three showers, and other associated supplies. Cannon Beach is small town with a population of around 1,500 full-time residents. The town is very busy during the summer tourist season, with over one million annual visitors. Cannon Beach lacks a hospital; the only medical support is a local health clinic along with Fire District personnel. In case of a disaster or emergency,
such as a major windstorm, flood, wildfire, earthquake or tsunami, the roads leading to Cannon Beach could be impassable. With no road access to the nearest hospital in Seaside, the ability of this local medical team to respond is crucial. In March, the Cannon Beach Gazette will be featuring an article on preparing your individual Go Bag, in coordination with Cannon Beach Emergency Manager Rick Hudson, and the CERT, MRC, and DART teams, so that residents can be prepared in case of a natural disaster.
The Waves Motel: Family owned and operated for three generations Deb Atiyeh
T
For the Gazette
he Waves Motel has a mesmerizing view of Ecola Creek as it meets the sea, along with an amazing view of Chapman Point, Ecola Point, and Tillamook Head to the north. Children can walk the short distance to the creek to play as the parents enjoy the view; watching sea birds come and go while listening to the sound of the ever-changing ocean. Happiness comes in waves as they slowly drift back to their room to watch the sunset after their amazing day at the beach. It is why people return year after year to The Waves. Located on the corner of 2nd and Larch, The Waves Motel is tucked away between the ocean and downtown Cannon Beach. The story of The Waves goes back to late 1972 when Gavin Young, a WWII Marine Veteran and recently retired mining engineer, purchased the property with his wife Marion. The small property was known as The Waves Cottages, which consisted of 7 cottages and 3 duplexes; most of
A bank.
which were built directly on the sand with failing plumbing and electrical, and leaky everything. After a few years Gavin and Marion realized that running a “retirement project” on the Oregon coast was going to be more work than they anticipated, so they reached out to their adult children with an opportunity. In 1975, daughter Valerie Swedenborg, along with husband Frank and their 3 children, relocated from Salt Lake City to Cannon Beach, changing careers to become hoteliers with no experience. Over the first decade Frank and Valerie set out An aerial view of the Waves Motel in Cannon Beach shows that to fix up the 13 units to guests will enjoy ocean views and is close to shopping and dining. keep them rented in the Courtesy photo short summer season, in the local cottage feel with cedar During this time of growth and hopes of having time and shingles and dormer roof lines. change, Frank and Valerie learned money in the winter to do much The next couple of decades saw how difficult it was to attract and needed repairs and upgrades. continued growth and change at retain employees, and understood By the mid 1980’s, more of the The Waves; reflecting the same that without their employees, The original cottages gave way to new trends of the surrounding Cannon buildings which increased the Beach community. number of rooms, while retaining
n See WAVES, Page 3
A neighbor.
A friend.
Opening in your neighborhood February 27 www.fsbwa.com Member FDIC
“If you’re a small business owner looking for the best local customer service, go see the friendly faces at 1st Security.” —Kenny Fredrickson, Owner, Olympic Electric
Will Chappell
C
Gazette Reporter
annon Beach’s City Council updated the prepared food tax that was passed by voters in 2021 at their monthly meeting on February 7. The update clarified the definition of “temporary” restaurants operated by non-profit organizations and social clubs for purposes of exemption from the tax. City councilmembers had discussed the issue at a work session in January. They had noted that while the exemption was good for organizations that infrequently distributed food, others that regularly raised funds through the sale of prepared food ought to pay. They settled on defining temporary as operations that occurred four or less times annually and unanimously voted to update the ordinance to reflect that. Funds from the prepared food tax are earmarked for the development of Cannon Beach’s new city hall. Cannon Beach Police Officer Rashad Gipson was awarded a letter of commendation at the beginning of the meeting for his actions on January 6, 2023. On that day, Gipson responded to a call for a welfare check at a local hotel. There he found a distraught and intoxicated man who was alone. Gipson talked to the man for more than four hours until his family could arrive and help to deescalate the situation. “I literally was driving to work thinking about great you were in a time of crisis,” a letter from the man’s wife said. The letter said that the man was now in treatment and on the road to recovery. Council also approved acceptance of a grant from the National Association of County and City Health Officials. The Cannon Beach Medical Reserve Corp partnered with the city to apply for the grant and will oversee its application. The grant will help to fund surge capacity for the Clatsop County Health Department, a decedent notification program and implementation of a mass care plan, including the purchase of four tents, three hand wash stations and three showers. The grant award of $50,000 required council approval to make room in the budget. Councilmembers approved $21,000 to fund repairs for the generator at the Pacific pump station. The previous generator failed in March 2022 and the public works department had been renting a replacement unit for $3,000 monthly. Finally, the council gave approval for a 5.7% increase in system development charges for water and parks. The approval is required annually by the city’s code but needed council approval since the increase was greater than 5% since the last adjustment in September 2021. The charges for new dwelling units will now be $2,034 for water, $4,849 for wastewater, $424 for stormwater and $1,116 for parks. Please send any comments to headlightreporter@countrymedia. net.