Citizen of the Year announced Page 2
Serving North Tillamook County since 1996
North Coast
Citizen July 16, 2020
northcoastcitizen.com
$1 Volume 26, No. 13
County at 19 confirmed COVID-19 cases Hilary Dorsey
T
Staff Writer
he 19th COVID-19 case in Tillamook County was announced by the Oregon Health Authority around noon on Tuesday,ΩΩ July 15. “OSHA reported yesterday that over the July 4 weekend, they had 750 complaints and those were primarily through retailers and restaurants,” said Gordon McCraw, incident command. McCraw said OSHA will be assessing all of the complaints and doing spot checks. McCraw also addressed concerns of
contact tracing. He said public health authorities do the contact tracing. Contact tracing involves that public health authority calling people who may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and giving them guidance as a result. Here in Tillamook County, there are public health tracers, as well as other tracers standing by if the case load gets too high. “It helps reduce the spread,” McCraw said. “They talk to you about how to prevent the spread of the virus, including staying home – which is also known as quarantining – providing health information on how to
protect yourself and others, and they share resources that are available to you.” This information is private and protected by HIPPA. HIPPA laws protect patient privacy, which is why there is not a lot of information about the cases in the county, McCraw said. Commissioner Mary Faith Bell said the county is not talking about shutting down again at this time. They cannot promise that it will not happen, however. The virus is spread in the air, so everyone should keep wearing
n See CASES, Page 2
Candidate forum
Randy Kugler runs for Manzanita City Council Hilary Dorsey
R
Staff Writer
andy Kugler announced on June 12 his intent to run for a seat on the Manzanita City Council for this November’s general election. Kugler had been city manager most of his career. Kugler has experience working as city planner, court clerk and building official. His roots in Tillamook County go back to 1979. He was the city manager of Manzanita from 1988 to 1996. Kugler retired from the city manager position in Philomath, after 18 years, in 2014. “He is a person of integrity,” City of Philomath Finance Director Joan Swanson said. Swanson said Kugler strives to do what is right and would consider different
options. He was a working on that good reader and and noticing city manager, she up close some added. things on how “I’ve been on the city was the other side of operating and the organization,” some informaKugler said of tion the commitwatching city tees were getting council meetings in regards to in Manzanita. that project, it “During those just occurred to Randy Kugler years, I’ve had me that things the opportunity to weren’t making observe what the other side sense,” Kugler said. looks like and based on that, If elected, Kugler wants to I’m well aware of what the focus on accountability and to challenges are and how I can create a friendly environment. best use my skills.” He also would like to engage Kugler said he did not look in some creative problem for the city council position, solving. As one councilor, he but that it found him. From understands the limitations of 2014 to 2017, he did not atbeing one voice. tend city council meetings. In “I think that dialogue and 2017, he got involved in the discussion is a healthy indicaUnderhill Project. tor of the political life of the “After a couple months city,” Kugler said.
Kugler said he is all about consensus building. He and Scott Galvin, who is running for mayor of Manzanita in the election, worked together on the Underhill project. “We are a small community,” Kugler said. “Folks on the council are known by other people who have interacted with them.” In 2014, Kugler was awarded the Herman Kehrli Award for career accomplishment and achievement. The award is given to a city employee who has provided lasting benefits to their community through exceptional contributions to city government. Kugler said it is the MVP’s of city managers and was honored to receive it. Send comments to: headlightreporter@countrymedia. net
Jerry Spegman runs for seat on Manzanita City Council Hilary Dorsey
J
Staff Writer
erry Spegman announced on June 19 his candidacy for a seat on the Manzanita City Council in this November’s election. Spegman worked 20 years as a public health policy analyst and advocate and retired to Manzanita in 2018. As a public health policy advocate, Spegman worked for organizations such as the American Cancer Society. “In general, I’m familiar with the policy-making process,” Spegman said. He has done a lot of work with coalitions across the country working on issues like childhood obesity. Before he was a public health policy advocate, Spegman was a legal aid lawyer. He said he has a wide variety of exposure to day-to-day problems and processes. He worked with the federal government for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Spegman and his wife moved to Oregon in 1995 and lived in Portland for 12 years, making regular visits to Manzanita. They always knew they would retire in Oregon. The couple bought a house in Manzanita in 2016. Spegman said although he is a newcomer to Manzanita, he has Oregon roots.
He added that it funding mechacan be helpful to nism was a 50have a different cent tax increase perspective in the per $1,000 of mix. assessed prop“One of the erty value. The reasons why I’m project includes interested in runconstruction of a ning in Manzacity emergency nita is we do have hub, police office, a situation where administrative and it appears there is workspaces, multi a bit of a disconJerry Spegman -purpose room and nect between the a kitchenette with current city council and a lot storage spaces. The site seof the citizens here on some lected for the project was the pretty fundamental issues,” Underhill property, featuring Spegman said. “What got me a former school building that really interested in running sits out of the tsunami inundawas the city hall expansion, tion zone, unlike the current relocation or rebuilding.” city hall. City council was very “As we talked about the enthusiastic of their vision of process of trying to defeat a new city hall. He said it was the bond, I just became more startling what a disconnect familiar with certain individthere was between what city uals that had more history council proposed and what than I with the city and city the citizens wanted. government,” Spegman said The vote on Bond Measure of Randy Kugler, who is also 29-159 was just 31.5-percent running for a seat on city in favor, 131 ‘yes’ to 284 council, and Scott Galvin, ‘no’ with nearly 78-percent who is running for mayor. turnout, according to unoffi“They’re very supportive of cial election results updated in me running.” November. Spegman was part Spegman said he would not of the group that opposed the be in the race if it were not for bond measure to fund the $6.5 their support and encouragemillion project. ment. “My sense is that there Spegman has lived in were good reasons to vote Manzanita for three years. yes,” Spegman said. “The He said he would bring a plan itself, proposed by city fresh perspective to the city council, had some merit.” council and that it takes a mix The proposed bond’s of skills and perspectives to
make sure all voices are being heard. There is more that can be done to make sure elected leadership is paying attention to its citizens, he added. Spegman said Manzanita citizens are generous with their time and willing to contribute. The city hall issue was a big topic everyone was paying attention to. “Using probably the city hall issue, since it’s still on the front burner, using that as a starting point, but using all issues, we hope to create a culture where its easier for people to not only stand up and offer their opinion, but really feel powered to have an impact on city hall,” Spegman said. In general, as he becomes more aware of city government, he said it seems to him that there is more than can be done to make sure elected leadership is paying close attention to its citizens. Spegman said he knows small towns very well. He has worked in 30-35 different states and has had the opportunity to travel and visit people in different communities. Manzanita citizens have time, perspectives and histories that are valuable. “There’s a lot of talent to this town,” Spegman said. This is the first time Spegman has run for public office. Send comments to: headlightreporter@countrymedia.
Tillamook County discusses inclusion Hilary Dorsey
T
Staff Writer
illamook County Leadership discussed at a meeting Monday, July 6, county employee culture of inclusion. Tillamook County Human Resources (HR) Director Naomi Roundtree said with everything going on in the country, creating a positive culture and focusing on inclusion is what human resources and the county would like to promote. “People are excited to work in the county,” Roundtree said. “People are excited to say they live in the county.” Whether you are an employee or community member, we want you to feel welcome, Roundtree said. She wanted to get feedback from department heads about what they think inclusion is and how that can be implemented. County Clerk Tassi O’Neal said the more communication there is, the better people can feel included. “Originally what we were talking about are the things that are happening right now that, for example, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the commissioners’ statements about it, the health department’s statement about it, the sheriff’s office statement about it,” Commissioner Mary Faith Bell said. “We were thinking about how as an organization we want to lead with the values of inclusion.” Bell said everyone is looking to the county to role model those values. The same principles apply for mask-wearing. They want to start the conversation here because they are the leaders of the county. “We just want to start the conversation here and say these are values that we’re carrying forward as an organization,” Bell said. “The value of inclusion includes uplifting diversity, uplifting inclusion, and that’s what we need to do as a group.” Commissioner Bill Baertlein said on different boards, they have had some inclusion trainings. He suggested the idea of creating an inclusion committee that would work with department heads. “We know we have some morale issues in the county,” Baertlein said. Tillamook County Community Health Centers Administrator Marlene Putman said they would be having their inclusion training Wednesday, July 8, and have done these trainings in the past. “We’ll be working a couple of months on implicit bias, inclusion, and cultural confidence in the workplace and policy development,” Putman said. Send comments to: headlightreporter@countrymedia.net
County discusses mask-wearing in courthouse, public indoor spaces Hilary Dorsey 7
29467 70001 8
T
Staff Writer
he Tillamook County Board of Commissioners discussed at a meeting Gov. Kate Brown’s statewide guidance for mask-wearing in public, indoor spaces. The commissioners also continued a local state of emergency in the
county to Sept. 4. Yamamoto said he sees COVID-19 numbers going up drastically. By mid-July, projections are 900 to 1,000 cases per day in Oregon. “We’re just over the 200 per day mark now,” Yamamoto said.
n See COUNTY, Page 2
Tillamook County Courthouse.