Fly Into Fun PAGE A2
Headlight Herald
TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2023
VOL. 135, NO. 21 • $1.50
TILLAMOOK, OREGON • WWW.TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM
Tillamook receives Moda Assist grant WILL CHAPPELL Headlight Editor
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illamook has received a grant of more than $35,000 from the Moda Assist Program that the city will use to add accessible playground equipment to Coatsville Park. The city plans to use the grant, awarded in conjunction with the Portland Trail Blazers, as a launchpad to apply for other grants that will help install a complete playground at the park.
“The city is very thankful for Moda Health and the Blazers and their partnership on this,” said Tillamook City Executive Assistant Madelyn Orton. “We can’t wait to work together with our state partners and the community to make the parks of Tillamook, starting with Coatsville, accessible to all children.” Through the Moda Assist, each Blazers assist during the NBA season adds $20 to the grant fund, before the total sum is donated at the end of the season to an Oregon city to help purchase Americans with
Disability Act (ADA) compliant playground equipment. The program has donated $245,000 to 10 cities across the state cumulatively. In past years, cities had applied for the grant, but this year the selection process changed, with the Blazers and Moda selecting a community without receiving applications. Tillamook came to the fore after hosting a Rip City rally last September, at which Blazers and Moda representatives were impressed by the city. “I just want the city of Tillamook and the people of Tillamook to know
how wonderful Tillamook is,” Orton said. “The city made a wonderful impression on them so they just chose Tillamook.” Several city staff attended a Trail Blazers game in April to receive an oversized novelty check for $35,360 at halftime. The award total will be adjusted to reflect the end of season assist total. Now, staff will begin working to find further funding to facilitate a larger project at the park. According to Orton, many pieces of ADA compliant playground equipment cost
around $30,000 individually, making further funding a priority. “Either way, we’re going to do the best we can with what we have but right now we’re hoping that we can expand that budget so we can do more,” Orton said. She plans to reach out to the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation to inquire about potential funding, before approaching other agencies and foundations. A plan for the project will be developed once a final funding package is in place.
Tillamook City Staff pose with the check awarded by the Moda Assist Program at Coatsville Park where new ADA compliant playground equipment will be installed.
County clerk releases second round of election results T
he Tillamook County Clerk released an updated vote count for May 16 special district elections on Thursday, showing that several races had been swayed by the 1,002 votes counted since election day. In the Tillamook School District, Matthew Petty overcame what looked to be a narrow defeat to pull ahead of challenger Danell Boggs. In the Nestucca Valley School District, the update showed that Diane Boisa had weathered a challenge from Greg Woods after she had appeared on track to lose on election night and that Zachary Best’s margin of victory over Russ Sanders had been shaved to a single vote. Not in doubt is the fate of the proposed bond for the Nehalem Bay Health District’s new health clinic and pharmacy, which remained on track to pass by a wide margin, having received 70% of votes tallied. The $10.25 million bond will be used in conjunction with federal funding to build a $12.2 million health center and pharmacy in Wheeler, complete a $2.3 million upgrade to the district’s senior
care facility and demolish the Old Wheeler Hospital to make way for workforce housing. On election night, the closest race was for Tillamook School Board Position 1, where challenger Boggs held a 5-vote lead over incumbent Petty after the initial vote count. However, votes tallied after election day broke hard for Petty and the updated results showed him with a 109-vote advantage. The race for position 3 on Nestucca Valley’s School Board also had a reversal from election night, when Woods had possessed a 10-percentage point margin over incumber Boisa. The update showed Boisa prevailing by 17 votes. Justin Aufdermauer remained poised to win his election for Tillamook’s
School Board against Heidi Rieger with 57% of the vote, retaining the seat to which he was appointed earlier this year. Incumbents Kris Lachenmeier and Kurt Mizee look ready to retain their seats, having received 59% and 57% of the votes counted in their races, respectively. In elections for the Neah-Kah-Nie School Board, Marisa Bayouth-Real was still on track to unseat Landon Myers, having received 55% of the vote, Michele Aeder held a large lead in the race to keep her seat against a challenge from Katie Wilkinson, and in a crowded race for Zone 7’s seat, Joseph Carr looked to have secured the victory with a 44% plurality of the vote in the four-way race. SEE ELECTIONS PAGE A7
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o the citizens of Tillamook Fire District: The last 17 months, there has been much contention at Tillamook Fire District regarding an incident of unauthorized video recordings of fire department personnel released without consent and distributed publicly. A criminal investigation and a private 3rd party investigation, concluded in the dismissal of 2 personnel, and 2 lawsuits against the Fire District. The Tillamook Volunteer Firefighters Association stands behind the Tillamook Fire District’s fire chief and board of directors’ decision. These incidences have cost the taxpayers over $50,000 in attorney fees to date, that could have been better spent on public safety. The Tillamook Volunteer Firefighters
Association does not tolerate that type of behavior. Our firefighters’ sole mission is to save lives, protect property and tend to any other emergencies that may arise. Our volunteers focus on professionalism during training and on emergency calls. This has disgraced and embarrassed our organization and community, which ultimately led to the resignation of Chief Bement. In 3 and a half years, Chief Bement has accomplished a lot for the Tillamook Fire District volunteers and citizens. We thank him for his dedication and service to the citizens of Tillamook Fire District. Chief Bement’s accomplishments include: • Seismic upgrade grant approved ($2.5 Million). • Oregon State Fire Marshal’s water tender grant
($300K - $400K). • Acceptance of $100K from the Estate of Joe Martin (long time Board member). • Assisted with procurement of the grant for the Zoll Cardiac Monitors ($96K). • Assisted with an extrication tool grant from the NW Farm Credit Bureau ($40K+). • Oregon State Fire Marshal staffing grant ($35K). • Exhaust removal system grant in the apparatus bay ($35K). • Pending grant submitted for FEMA for radio communications ($400K). Respectfully, The Tillamook Volunteer Firefighters Association Unanimously approved May 17, 2023
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