Former City Manager files suit against City of Garibaldi
Will Chappell ReporterAlawsuit seeking $1 million was filed against the City of Garibaldi in Tillamook County Circuit Court on February 16, by former City Manager Juliet Hyams.
The suit alleges that Hyams was subjected to retaliation for whistleblowing and was the target of a public campaign by former Mayor and City Councilor Judy Riggs that led her to resign as city manager in July 2022.
The city had received a letter of intent to sue in October of last year, as well as a demand letter seeking $300,000 in late November.
Hyams began working for the City of Garibaldi in June 2021 and became aware of issues with the city’s financial reporting from the tenure of her predecessor, Geoff Wullschlager. At the time, Garibaldi was out of date on financial audits by two years, with 2019 being the last completed audit.
The suit alleges that when Hyams began trying to address the financial issues, she met with stiff resistance and hostility from Riggs. Riggs had been mayor between 2019 and the beginning of 2021 when the financial issues arose and was a city councilor during Hyams’s tenure.
Riggs began attacking Hyams’s job performance starting in December 2021, falsely accusing her of making unauthorized purchases, exceeding her spending authority and failing to complete financial reports, according to the suit.
The suit says this treatment by Riggs continued through the first half of 2022, as she repeatedly made comments about Hyams’s performance at meetings where it was not on the agenda.
These actions by Riggs are described in the suit as “a coordinated effort with others to undermine the plaintiff’s credibility and authority,” which led to Hyams’s resignation in July 2022.
Hyams claims that the city is liable for the actions of Riggs as she served on the council and other members declined to push back against the false statements made by Riggs.
Current Garibaldi Mayor Tim Hall declined to comment on the pending litigation, as did interim City Manager Jay Marugg.
Hyams is seeking $500,000 in economic damages to compensate for lost wages and a further $500,000 for “humiliation, emotional distress and the
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Nehalem Bay Health Dist. refers proposed bond measure to voters
Nehalem Bay Health District
Neah-Kah-Nie School Board names finalists for district superintendent
Aftercompleting a multi-state search, the Neah-Kah-Nie school board of directors is pleased to announce that three finalists have been selected for further consideration to be the next superintendent for the Neah-Kah-Nie School District. The three selected finalists are: Kristi Mills, Martín Macías, and Tyler Reed.
Kristi Mills
Ms. Mills has been with the Neah-Kah-Nie school district since 2002. She currently is the principal of Nehalem Elementary School and has served as principal at NeahKah-Nie High School. Prior to that she was a 6th grade teacher and took special assignment in behavior management at the Tigard-Tualain School District for six years. Ms. Mills earned both her Master’s Degree in Education Administration and her administrative credentials from Portland State University.
Martín Macías
Mr. Macías has been the superintendent of Golden Plains School District since 2015. Prior to that he was the Director of English Learner Support at the Stanislaus County Office of Education. Mr. Macías earned his master’s degree in Edu-
cation with Bilingual Cross-cultural Emphasis from California State University, Chico and his administrative credentials from Chapman University.
Tyler Reed
Dr. Reed has been the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment with the Tillamook School District since 2022. Prior to that he was a middle school principal with the Beebe School District in Arkansas. Dr. Reed earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in Education Leadership Arkansas Tech University.
The school board will begin background and reference checks for the finalists over the next week. Each finalist will be invited for a “day in the district” on March 10th in Neah-Kah-Nie School District. At that time, staff and members of the community will have an opportunity to meet the candidates. The staff and community “meet and greets” will be held in the afternoon and evening, the time and location will be announced soon. Comment cards will be provided for participants to share thoughts with the school board after the event.
Meet the Candidates
The superintendent candidate community forum meetings will be held on Friday, March 10, in the new board room at the district office, 504 N. Third Avenue, Rockaway Beach. The entrance is located across from the playground on the west side of the district office property. Staff and community members will be given a 3x5 index card on which to write their question along with a rating sheet. The questions will be given to Vince Adams, Search Consultant with Oregon School Boards Association. Mr. Adams will facilitate the question and answer session. At the end of the question and answer period the rating sheets will be returned to Mr. Adams.
The time of these community forum meetings are as follows:
• Martin Macias, 5:40 p.m.6:20 p.m.
• Tyler Reed, 6:20 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
• Kristi Mills, 7:00 p.m. – 7:40 p.m.
These community forum meeting are in person only meetings.
Commissioners requesting federal funds for county projects
Will Chappell Reporter
Tillamook’s Board of County Commissioners got the ball rolling on federal funding requests for a wide variety of projects across the county at their meeting on March 1, 2023.
They also declared February “Problem Gambling Awareness Month” in Tillamook County and approved health contracts to support county residents.
Janeane Krongos, Tillamook
Family Counseling Center’s Prevention Specialist, told commissioners that according to the Oregon Health Authority around 84,000 Oregonians struggle with problem gambling.
Problem gambling is defined as any gambling that disrupts or damages a person’s life, whether it be
their own mental health, interpersonal relationships with family and friends, or professional pursuits.
Krongos said that the problem receives less attention than addiction to substances but that the repercussions of problem gambling could be just as severe.
Commissioners approved two contracts for outside companies to provide supplemental service to the work done by the county’s health department.
InSight Medical Group will be providing a licensed clinical social worker to the county at a rate of $100 an hour for 24 hours a week.
The worker will provide services via telehealth and is contracted for a year. Synergy Health will be facilitating the services of a nutritionist who will help women, infants and children in the county for around 10
hours every week.
Health and Human Services Administrator Marlene Putman said that the outside help was necessary due to staffing challenges faced by the county.
The bulk of the meeting was concerned with approving nine requests for congressionally directed funding. This annual process identifies projects around the country for which local communities would like to see federal funding.
County Commissioners identified four projects in the county’s purview for federal funding, requesting $2.3 million for the Shiloh Levee Project, $3 million in conjunction with the City of Tillamook for wastewater collection and treatment upgrades, $3 million for Kiwanda Corridor projects and $3.5
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Refers
Proposed Bond Measure for Health and Senior Services
Tillamook County Ballot Measure #29-175
The Nehalem Bay Health District is implementing a comprehensive plan aimed at improving health and senior care and supporting health care and other essential workers.
Plan implementation includes a proposed bond measure to be placed on the May 16, 2023 ballot that would partly finance:
• Construction of a new, modern health center and pharmacy large enough to offer specialty and dental care
• Major renovations and modernizations to the Nehalem Valley Care Center, one of the few skilled nursing facilities on the Oregon coast
• Site preparation as a critical step in developing workforce housing, primarily geared for health care workers and other essential workers in our community
The overall cost of these projects is estimated to be $15.5 million.
If passed, the bond measure would raise $10.25 million.
Thanks to Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden the health district has already secured $3 million toward the construction cost of the new health center and pharmacy. An additional $500,000 federal grant has been awarded to the Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy that can be applied to the construction cost. The District is actively seeking state government support, as well as foundation and private contributions to complete the full funding package.
If the measure passes, bonds would mature in 26 years or less from the date of issuance and may be issued in one or more series. The annual average tax rate is estimated to be $0.37 per $1,000 of taxable assessed property value. For illustration, a property with an assessed value of $300,000, and an annual average tax rate of $0.37 per $1000 of assessed value, may experience an increased tax of $170.00 annually, or approximately $0.46 per day. Actual rates may vary based upon interest rates incurred and changes in taxable assessed value. The projected tax cost for the measure is an estimate only, based on the best information available from the county assessor at the time of the estimate. Depending upon the success of foundation and other funding opportunities, the District may not need to levy the full amount requested in the bond measure.
More detail on the plan
• The proposed project would help preserve 75 to 80 current local health care related jobs at the Care Center and current clinic
• If the bond measure passes, the new health center and pharmacy facility would be located on a 1.3 acre site in Wheeler, adjacent to Highway 101 and Hospital Road.
County Housing Commission briefed on state government’s new production strategies
Will Chappell ReporterTillamook County’s Housing Commission met on March 2, 2023, and was briefed on different strategies that the state government recommends to increase housing.
No decisions were made at the meeting, but commissioners were asked to investigate the strategies further and begin thinking about which would be appropriate for
Tillamook. Tillamook County’s Housing Coordinator Thomas Fiorelli went through five different potential strategies that the state has identified for increasing housing stock. The first was ensuring that land zoned for high density use is used for high-density housing rather than singlefamily homes by enacting minimum density standards. This approach would take time to see the conversion of lower density housing
stock, but as buildings went through updates or rebuilds it would help to increase capacity.
The second option Fiorelli discussed was updating the code of ordinances to allow for a wider variety of housing in the county. County Commissioners’ recent decision to allow accessory dwelling units in the county is a good example of this type of change, as would be allowances for micro-units, manufactured housing, mul-
tifamily housing or single room occupancy. Changing the code to allow for the redevelopment of large single-family homes into multiunit buildings was the third strategy detailed by Fiorelli. The final two strategies were ones to financially incentivize development. The first was providing financial incentives and resources directly to developers to induce development, while the final strategy was working
with employers to help build accommodation for their employees.
Fiorelli asked commissioners to further consider the strategies ahead of their next meeting so that they can choose which to begin working towards.
Commissioners also had a brief discussion on the possibility of expanding county support to the development of single-family homes. Currently, the county offers grants to developers of multi-
family housing units, funded by short-term rental license operator fees.
Commissioners agreed that it was a good idea to promote a wider range of development types. They generally favored grants to developers rather than home buyers as a more effective way to stimulate new building.
Please send any comments to headlightreporter@countrymedia.net.
Tillamook PUD announces College Work Program
Tillamook PUD is currently accepting applications for the 2023 College Work Program. This program is an opportunity for full-time college students to work at Tillamook PUD during their school breaks, a minimum of 14 weeks per year.
Students begin the program by assisting tree trimming and line crews in the field. Students may have an opportunity to work in the Tillamook PUD office later in the program as well. The program is open to high school senior students graduating in the 2023
ATTENTION ALL NEAH-KAH-NIE GRADUATES ATTENTION ALL NEAH-KAH-NIE GRADUATES
The Neah-Kah-Nie District #56 Graduate Scholarship Committee will be awarding up to $20,000 in scholarships this coming May.
Any graduate of Neah-Kah-Nie High School from 1954 forward who wishes to pursue advanced academic, vocational or technical education can apply.
Application deadline is April 1st, 2023
academic year. Applications are available on the Tillamook PUD website. The completed application, with all requested information, must be submitted via the Tillamook PUD website by 5:30 p.m., Monday, April 3, 2023.
The Tillamook PUD Board of Directors will interview students in midApril. Applicants are evaluated on academic achievement, educational and career goals, employment experience, extra-curricular
activities, and leadership qualities. For more information and to apply visit www.tpud.org/ about
Tillamook PUD
Lineworker Program Scholarship
The Tillamook PUD Electrical Lineworker Program Scholarship is now open for interested senior students to apply. The Tillamook PUD
Lineworker Program Scholarship was initially developed in 2021 to support local youth interested in pursuing a career in linework and to help highlight the diverse professional opportunities within the electric utility industry.
This year Tillamook PUD is offering two $10,000 scholarship opportunities to local high school senior students residing in Tillamook County. Students interested in applying must submit their completed Lineworker
Program Scholarship application to Tillamook PUD by 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, 2023. Scholarship applications and information are available at the Tillamook PUD main office, at local high schools, or online at www.tpud.org/news-community/electrical-line-worker-program-scholarship/.
For more information contact Human Resources Manager, Shane Stuart, at 503-842-2535 or email sstuart@tpud.org.
AAUW announces scholarship opportunities
It is scholarship season and we are pleased to assist in educational expenses for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Scholarships are available to residents of Tillamook County who are currently attending a university or college, must be a full-time student, and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Preference will be given to candidates pursuing STEM
fields. Scholarship applications can be accessed through https:// tillamook-or.aauw.net/about/ scholarship. All completed applications must be received electronically by April 3, 2023.
Any further questions can be directed to: AAUW Tillamook Scholarship Committee aauwtillamookscholar@ gmail.com
Tillamook County Solid Waste
For more information about recycling or hazardous waste disposal:
We were surprised by the quantity of snow we woke up to on Thursday, which led to very icy roads for a couple days following. Impassable roads also meant that boxes of stuff couldn’t be delivered to homes for a few days, but I am confident that only resulted in a short delay, and all those boxes will be back! Fortunately we have multiple locations where those boxes can be recycled, and turned into new boxes!
Last month I shared information about an upcoming opportunity to increase and improve
our local recycling system. A group of about 30 people from throughout the county participated in in our meeting, and we will be following up with further opportunities to determine the
best recycling system for our residents. If you missed the meeting, you can now view a recording of it on tctvonline. com
In April we plan on holding a Master Re-
cycler class, which is an opportunity to gain insights into how our waste materials are handled today, why we handle them that way, and what we can do to improve our system
moving forward. Keep your eyes open for more information, as we solidify dates and locations. This class offers a unique opportunity to see our system from “behind the curtains,” so that you can
share your newfound understanding with friends and neighbors. Reach out to my office for more information!
David McCall Solid Waste Program Managern Bond Continued from Page 1
The site is owned by the Nehalem Bay Health District, and the property is zoned to permit construction of the new facility and will provide the parking required by the city. The site is outside the tsunami inundation zone
• If the bond measure passes, revenue from the proposed bond measure would support extensive renovation and modernization of the 40-year old building housing the Care Center, a licensed 50-bed skilled nursing facility, one of the few facilities of its kind on the Oregon coast. Planned renovations include updates of patient rooms, common areas, fire/safety and mechanical systems, as well as kitchen modernization.
The district is also exploring reconfiguration of a portion of the facility to offer memory care services not now available in the community.
• If passed, The District’s plan is to utilize a portion of the bond revenue to undertake site preparation work related to the old Wheeler hospital, a necessary step toward redeveloping District property for worker housing, particularly housing for health care workers. The District intends, once site preparation is complete, to partner with a private or non-profit housing developer to undertake the housing component of the overall plan.
Without the financial support provided by the proposed bond measure, the District does not possess the financial resources to pursue construction of a new health center
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million for continuing work upgrading fiber broadband connectivity in the south of the county.
Commissioners also approved a request for state funding to the Shiloh Levee Project, which will cost a total of $4.6 million and could be completed by the end of 2024 should funding from both sources materialize.
They also signed letters of support for a further five projects that are in the county or connected to it but which are being administered by other
and pharmacy or a comprehensive renovation and mod-
ernization of the Care Center. If the bond measure does not pass, the proposed projects would not be completed, and property taxes would not be increased.
More information about the plan and funding is available at the health district website.
Frequently asked questions
If the bond measure passes what is the Nehalem Bay Health District proposing to do?
The District’s strategy has three objectives, fundamentally aimed at enhancing the well-being of the overall community by improving health and senior care and supporting health care workers. To better fulfill that mission, the District is proposing to:
• Construct a new, modern health center and pharmacy, replacing an outdated building with one large enough to offer specialty and dental care
• Make major renovations and modernizations to the 40-year old Nehalem Valley Care Center, one of the few skilled nursing facilities on the Oregon coast
• Demolish the old hospital building and associated environmental cleanup. This site preparation is a critical step in developing workforce housing, on District land, primarily geared for health care workers and other essential workers in our community
Why is the District proposing a new health center and pharmacy?
If the measure passes, a new, larger, modern facility would provide more health care services and options
loss of enjoyment of life, and damage to her reputation,” caused by the situation.
Hyams is also asking that her attorney fees be covered.
Hyams is being represented by attorney Timothy Volpert.
Riggs lost a mayoral
organizations.
The Salmon Superhighway project that aims to increase salmon passage in the Tillamook and Nestucca Bay watersheds is requesting funds to aid in that effort.
Tillamook’s Community Action Resource Enterprises is applying for funds to build a new homeless services navigation center in their lobby in Tillamook.
Tillamook’s YMCA would like to purchase the Tillamook Bowling Lanes, with the goal of converting half of the center into a free, after-school youth center. The other half of the center would be left as-is with lanes for local rollers.
The Salmonberry Trail Foundation is requesting funds for two separate proj-
close to home and available to everyone.
The current Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy (formally the Rinehart Clinic) has outgrown its current building. The existing clinic was constructed in the early 1980s. Exam rooms and staff space are limited. Pharmacy space is cramped.
A new health center and pharmacy would double the size of the existing facility, create more exam rooms, expand the pharmacy, and creating the space necessary to offer additional medical care like dental, pediatric, geriatrics medicine and other specialty health care services.
And the new health center will be in a more visible and convenient location along Highway101 and more accessible to the community.
What is planned for the existing skilled nursing facility, the Nehalem Valley Care Center?
If passed revenue from the proposed bond measure would support extensive renovation and modernization of the 40-year old building housing the Nehalem Valley Care Center, a licensed 50bed skilled nursing facility. Planned renovations include updates of patient rooms, common areas, fire/safety and mechanical systems, as well as kitchen modernization. The district is also exploring reconfiguration of a portion of the facility to offer memory care services currently not available in the community. Is worker housing part of the plan?’
If the measure passes, The District’s strategy is to use a portion of the bond revenue to undertake site preparation work related to the old hospital building, a necessary step
bid in the November 2022 election before resigning her council seat in January of this year with two years remaining in her term.
Please send any comments to headlightreporter@ countrymedia.net.
ects, a trailhead at Williams Creek and another at Cochran Pond, both in Washington County. Commissioners noted that the trail would connect Tillamook and Washington Counties and that the disused status of rail lines in Washington County made projects more practicable there.
Commissioners lent their support to all these funding requests unanimously.
Finally, they approved a letter of intent for the sale of a small lot in Manzanita for $168,750, after it failed to meet its minimum bid at the county’s real property auction on February 13.
Please send any comments to headlightreporter@countrymedia.net.
toward repurposing property for workforce housing, particularly housing for health care workers. Any housing will reflect community values, including zoning and density requirements. The District intends, once site preparation is complete, to partner with a private or non-profit housing developer to undertake the housing component of the overall plan.
If passed, what would be the overall price tag of the projects?
Construction/site development
• Construction of the health center/pharmacy, including soft costs (permitting, design, construction management and contingency) is estimated at $12.2 million
• Renovation and modernization of the Care Center at an estimated cost of $2.3 million
• Demolition of the old hospital and related site preparation is estimated at $1 million
Pre-development costs (already paid by the District)
• Land purchase cost: $266,000 (completed in 2021)
• Environmental studies, archeological evaluation, surveys, site planning and schematic design: $106,000 (approximately $45,000 of this total was paid through CARES Tillamook and Business Oregon grants).
• Total: $15.8 million
If the measure passes, how will the project be paid for?
The District secured $3 million in federal funding supported by the Oregon congressional delegation (thanks to Senators Merkley and Wyden), as well as a $512,000 federal grant from Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
to the Nehalem Bay Health Center that will help support construction and equipment needs. Voters will have the opportunity to vote on the measure in May 2023 which includes a $10.25 million general obligation bond. At the same time, the District is actively seeking additional state of Oregon, foundation and private funding for the projects, as well.
If passed, how would this project affect my property taxes?
If voters pass the bond measure to finance a portion of the project costs, bonds would mature in 26 years or less from the date of issuance and may be issued in one or more series. The annual average tax rate is estimated to be $0.37 per $1,000 of taxable assessed property value. For illustration, a property with an assessed value of $300,000, and an annual average tax rate of $0.37 per $1000 of assessed value, may experience an increased tax of $170.00 annually, or approximately $0.46 per day. Actual rates may vary based upon interest rates incurred and changes in assessed value. The projected tax cost for the measure is an estimate only, based on the best information available from the county assessor at the time of the estimate. Depending upon state, foundation and other funding opportunities, the District may not need to issue the full $10.25 million amount requested in the bond measure.
If passed, what would be the economic impacts for the community?
The proposed project would help preserve 75 to 80 current local health care related jobs at the Care Center
and current clinic. Expanded and improved facilities can also lead to additional employment opportunities, a situation aided by the recent development of a nursing education program at Tillamook Bay Community College. The Care Center is also developing onsite training for certified nursing assistants.
How do we know local residents would use the new facility?
We know that many north county residents travel, sometimes substantial distances, for health care services. A modern, expanded health center able to offer more services and accommodate more patients will, at a minimum, give local residents more health care options.
In a survey the health district commissioned in 2019 community members were asked: “Would you consider accessing more of your health care services [through a health district location] if additional services were available to you?”
Eighty-three percent of respondents said either “yes” or “maybe” and only 11 percent said “no.” If passed, where would the new health center and pharmacy be located?
The health center and pharmacy would be located on a 1.3 acre site in Wheeler, adjacent to Highway 101 and Hospital Road. The site is owned by the Nehalem Bay Health District. The property is zoned to permit the construction of the new facility and will provide the parking required by the city. The site is outside the tsunami inundation zone.
If passed, how would the
It’s time to live your best life
Research shows that higher levels of physical activity is linked to lower risk of several types of cancer, including breast, bladder and colon. If you are thinking about adding new physical activity to your life, you may want to ask your primary health care provider (PCP) for advice. Getting regular health care, which includes cancer screenings, can help you continue to be healthy for a lifetime. Our PCPs are experts in your health care, through all ages and stages of your life.
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College
Work Program
Tillamook County athletes honored for basketball excellence
Tillamook, Nestucca and Neah-Kah-NIe High Schools have all wrapped up their basketball seasons, with multiple boys and girls from each school selected for allleague honors.
Nestucca’s girls’ team had the best record on the season, going 19-7 and winning the Northwest League, the program’s first league title in 21 years. The Bobcats bowed out of the state tournament in the first round with a close road loss against Colton.
Makayla Webber was named defensive player of the year, in addition to being selected to the second team all-league, while Hailee Knight was named to the first team. Kyla and Lyndie Hurliman were both selected to third team and Chloe
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Love received Honorable mention.
Nestucca’s Head Coach Tevin Gianella was named Coach of the Year in the league.
Neah-Kah-Nie’s boys’ team also advanced to the state tournament, finishing 14-10 on the season and losing at home to Sisters in the first round of the tournament. Anthony Allen was selected to the second team all-league in the Coastal Range League, while both Eddie Loza and Espen White received honorable mention.
The Neah-Kah-Nie girls finished their season with a 13-9 record, with Kennedy Fletcher earning a nod on the second team, while Ashlynn Nelson Lawrence received honorable mention.
Nestucca’s boys’ team
construction and renovation?
Much as they have operated for many years. The District would continue to own the facilities and would partner with the non-profit
Bilingual Certified Peer Support/Recovery Mentor (English/Spanish)
F.T. 40-Hours/week Position
Tillamook Family Counseling Center is currently looking to add a bilingual peer specialist to our Prime+ program. The mission of the Prime+ program is to prevent acute life-threatening outcomes of substance use which include reducing overdose morbidity and mortality by providing harm reduction centered overdose prevention education and facilitating access to Naloxone. We also strive to reduce injection-related infections by providing harm reduction centered infection prevention education and facilitating access to safer use supplies. The Prime+ program supports linkage to care, diagnosis and treatment of substance use related conditions and substance us related infections.
This position includes training that leads to state certification according to OAR 410-180-0305 (12) and (13).
As a certified Peer Specialist, you will be a living example and role model of recovery life. As a peer you will be a provider of the life wisdom gained through your own lived experience of recovery as well as a change agent for hope.
Benefits:
Dental Vision and Medical-prescription coverage. HSA and FSA plans. 9 paid holidays a year, paid sick leave and vacation time. Vacation starts out at 8 hours a month with increases over time. Generous retirement program: non-contributory 403(b), we put in 9% of your salary and you are vested after 6 months.
To see our complete job description and to apply go to http://tfcc.bamboohr.com/jobs. Be sure to submit an online application and upload your resume. Any questions, please visit us online at http://tfcc.org or contact us at jobs@tfcc.org
facilities be operated after
went 8-16 on the season and saw Nolen Hurlimann and Adonai Velasquez named to the third team all-league.
Tillamook’s boys struggled through a 4-17 campaign in the Cowapa league, but Trevor Leonnig was named to the first team all-league, while both Tanner Hoskins and Judah Werner earned honorable mention.
The Lady Cheesemakers went 1-20 on the season.
Freshman Vivian Vogel stood out for the squad and made the all-league first team and Gabi Garcia and Aubrey Hilton were mentioned honorably.
Please send any comments to headlightreporter@countrymedia.net.
Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy, a federally qualified health center that operates the clinic and currently leases the building from the District. The District envisions either a lease or a management agreement with a qualified nursing home manager to operate the Care Center.
What happens if the bond measure does not pass?
The proposed projects would not be completed, and property taxes would not be increased.
What is the history of the Health District?
The District, defined under Oregon law as a “special district” was created many years ago and over time came to own the old Wheeler hospital, the Care Center senior nursing facility and the clinic building. All the buildings sit on the District’s approximately 5 acre property in Wheeler. In 2021, the District purchased, using reserve funds, a 1.3 acre lot in Wheeler as the proposed site of the new health center. Under Oregon law, health districts have broad authority to offer services that address public health needs. The District is governed by a five person elected board and has a parttime employee who serves as the District’s CEO.
Why doesn’t the District pay for this project proposal from its own funds?
The Nehalem Bay District is the smallest health district in Oregon (in population
and budget) and is funded by approximately $45,000 in annual property tax support, approximately $10,000 in timber tax revenue, approximately $160,000 in lease and rental income, and modest interest income totaling approximately $215,000 annually. This budget covers administrative, maintenance, insurance and capital costs. The District does not have financial resources or reserves to fund the project. The District has not received property tax funding beyond its annual levy since the early 1980s. What type of work has been done to prepare for the projects?
The District, with the help of a team from Portland State University and after considerable public outreach and engagement, created a fiveyear strategic plan that was approved by the board in 2019. The plan is available at the District’s website.
Essentially the plan positions the District as a collaborator/partner with direct providers of health care and related services. The plan also called for the development of strategies to strengthen local primary health care, strengthen existing program (such as the Care Center) and devise approaches to address the chronic and increasing critical storage of available housing, particularly for health care workers.
As a result of the strategic plan, the District partnered with CARE Tillamook –CARE provided a $40,000 grant to the District – to do site evaluation and preliminary planning, including
analysis of the property on Highway 101 in Wheeler. The District next employed an architecture firm to do next level site planning, scoping work for a new health center/pharmacy and assessment of housing options. Geotechnical and environmental assessments were undertaken at the proposed health center site, as well as an archeological assessment supervised by the state of Oregon. All these studies indicated the site was suitable for construction of a new health center, and the District purchased the property.
Architects next produced a site plan and parking layout, and in late 2022 completed a detailed schematic design of the health center and pharmacy. The architect firm next commissioned detailed construction cost estimates.
Early in 2022, the District applied through the office of Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, for Congressionally Directed Funding, in the amount of $3 million to support construction of the health center/ pharmacy. That request was included in the omnibus spending bill that passed Congress and was signed by the president in December 2022.
Also, during 2022, a detailed capital budget and maintenance plan was developed for the Care Center, and preliminary site planning for housing was undertaken.
If the measure passes, what would happen to the North County Food Bank?
The North County Food Bank has been housed for some time in the old hospital building. The District and the
Job Recruitment Services
non-profit Food Bank board are discussing how best to continue providing Food Bank services. If passed, is there an estimate as to when construction and renovation could begin?
Assuming the bond measure passes in May and bond issuance occurs in late summer, construction on the health center/pharmacy could begin in the second quarter of 2024. Care Center renovations could commence once bonds have been sold. Who has advised the District on bonding, construction, etc.?
The District retained as bond counsel the law firm Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe, the firm’s Portland office has vast experience in public financing, including extensive experience with health care facilities and housing.
The District is also working with David Ulbricht, the director of advisory services for the Special District Association of Oregon, who is generally regarded as a pre-eminent Oregon expert on municipal financing. The District has also utilized the experience of Eileen Eakins, it’s general counsel, who is a top advisor to many Oregon special districts.
Site planning for the health center and pharmacy, as well as schematic design and construction cost estimates have been developed by the architectural firm of Scott Edwards in Portland, also a firm that has extensive health care and housing experience.
Riverbend Players recall its humble beginnings and launch 2023
By Ellis E. ConklinSometimes it is judicious to look back on something, ponder its modest roots, and celebrate the upward journey, before moving forward.
Riverbend Players Community Theater began over scones and coffee some 20 years ago at Jane Knapp’s dining-room table in Wheeler and next month will spread its wings when the curtain rises at the North County Recreation District’s Performing Arts Center for Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs.
As the iconic marketing message for Virginia Slims cigarettes once enthused: “You’ve come a long way, baby!”
“I remember long ago that Ron Cohen, a fitness club member, asked if we couldn’t do a play or have a reading group – anything,” recounts Knapp, who, for the past 17 years has served as activities director at NCRD.
The name Riverbend Players, adds Knapp, came courtesy of Phyllis Sanderson, a New York actress and a one-time mainstay at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, who had moved to the area to teach.
The very first performances, remembers Linda Makohon, a Friends of NCRD and Riverbend Players board member, were held inside the current Fireside Room, previously known as the Riverbend Room.
In essence, Riverbend Players began as Readers Theater, where a rag-tag assemblage of actors performed without props or costumes, often sans stage or set!
The very first show, Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters, was a collection of short free-verse poems, many composed in 1915, that shatter the myth that small-town America is a vast depository of virtue.
Spoon River’s director was Ms. Sanderson, and Jane Knapp, her memories of early Riverbend Players lore deeply engraved, can still recall the wondrous Readers Theater performances of actress Jaye O’Neal, a ginger-haired spitfire.
Knapp says 40 chairs were arranged in the Fireside Room to accommodate the earliest
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theatergoers. Sometimes the room was crammed with as many as 75 to 80 chairs. “We were over fire code at times,” she says with a chuckle. “We did Robert Service poems, Dorothy Parker readings, and Mr. Barry’s Etchings.” THE PRESENT-DAY 193seat theater, marvels Knapp, once served as the old auditorium for the rambunctious kids at Nehalem Elementary School. “When we started [Riverbend Players] it was still a theater, but it had become a junk room. Truck after truck had to come to remove the stuff. We borrowed lights from Coaster Theatre, and the curtain was a hand-medown.”
It was Tom Cocklin, current board president of Riverbend Players, who in 2016 “encouraged us to organize ourselves as a non-profit,” says Makohon.
After nearly $200,000 worth of work: new lighting, padded seats, railing and a remodeled stage, the theater now has a classic, regal feel. “It went from a really uncomfortable place to becoming a fantastic venue,” says Cocklin.
Riverbend Players’ inaugural production at the revamped theater, in 2016, was Neil Simon’s comedic classic, The Odd Couple.
With nearly a decade of stage productions under its belt and a fully remodeled facility at the recreation center in Nehalem, Riverbend Players has hit its stride.
Through 2022, the community theater group has staged 48 productions, with 17 different directors, and this past year broke many attendance records including last December with the Frank Squillodirected It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play.
Its original base of volunteers has surged from five to nearly 40. The group also has a contract with NCRD to house its theater troupe, and patrons now have the ability to purchase tickets and select their seats online at their website.
Without question, Riverbend Players is taking the Tillamook County community theater scene by storm and is proud to announce its performance lineup for 2023.
BRIGHTON BEACH
MEMOIRS (March 18 –
April 2) By Neil Simon
Directed by Vicki Haker
Set in the Brighton Beach section of Brooklyn, New York in September 1937 during The Great Depression, this coming-of-age comedy focuses on Eugene Morris Jerome, a Polish-Jewish American teenager who experiences puberty, sexual awakening, and a search for identity as he tries to deal with his family, including his older brother Stanley, his parents Kate and Jack, Kate’s sister Blanche, and her two daughters.
Brighton Beach Memoirs, the first play in Neil Simon’s autobiographical series, portrays an extended family crowded together by circumstances that still exist today. Unemployment, war, and prejudice depress the adults, while the young people dream about their futures.
12 ANGRY JURORS (June 2 – June 18) By Reginald Rose
Directed by Frank Squillo
12 Angry Jurors is a courtroom drama based in New York City that gives the
audience an inside look at how jury deliberations take place during a murder trial.
12 Angry Men was initially broadcast as a television play in 1954 and proved so popular that it was adapted for the stage. The acclaimed Hollywood director Sidney Lumet later directed a screen adaptation of 12 Angry Men starring Henry Fonda in 1957.
A 19-year-old man has just stood trial for the fatal stabbing of his father. “He doesn’t stand a chance,” mutters the guard as the 12 jurors are taken into the bleak jury room. It looks like an open-and-shut case – until one of the jurors begins opening the others’ eyes to the facts. Tempers flare, arguments grow heated, and the jurors become 12 angry jurors!
The juror’s final verdict and how they reach it, in tense scenes that electrify audiences and keep them on the edge of their seats, add up to a fine, mature piece of dramatic literature.
FRANKENSTEIN: THE RADIO PLAY (October 21 – 29)
Adapted by Philip Grecian
Directed by Julee Ward Remember the good old days of radio when people had to use their imagination? When the mind was a stage? Those days are back – only better!
This smart and well-crafted adaptation remains very true to Mary Shelley’s classic novel.
Captain Walton is on an Arctic expedition when he finds and rescues Victor Frankenstein from the harsh terrain. Frankenstein had been pursuing the “Creature,” he created and brought to life. Having told the captain his travails before dying, it is now up to Walton to narrate the tale of the monster’s inception and the resulting mayhem as the story comes alive onstage.
This thrilling stage adaptation by award-winning playwright Philip Grecian retains all the dread, anguish, and heart of the original.
A CHRISTMAS STORY (December 1 – 17)
Philip GrecianBy
Director: TBD
Humorist Jean Shepherd’s memoir of growing up in the Midwest in the 1940s follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas.
Ralphie pleads his case before his mother, his teacher, and even Santa Claus himself at Higbee’s Department Store. The consistent response: You’ll shoot your eye out!”
All the elements from the beloved motion picture are here, including the family’s temperamental exploding furnace; Scut Farkas, the school bully; the boys experiment with a wet tongue on a cold lamppost; the Little Orphan Annie decoder pin; Ralphie’s father winning a lamp shaped like a woman’s leg in a net stocking; Ralphie’s fantasy scenarios, and more! All shows will be held at the NCRD Performing Arts Center located at 36155 9th St. in Nehalem, OR Theater patrons can purchase reserved seating for $20 or $25.
Tickets also available at the door, along with special $5 tickets for K-12 students. For tickets and details visit riverbendplayers.org.
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