Tng 11 16 16

Page 1

Restoration Pow-wow

Craps class completed

PAGE A8

PAGE A12

www.thenewsguard.com

LINCOLN CITY, OREGON Your weekly community Newspaper since 1927

NOVEMBER 16, 2016 | $1.00

INSIDE: Opinion A4 • Police Blotter A5 • Calendar A8 • Classififieds A9-A11

Poppe Report to be released On second vote, council reverses direction; mayor votes with majority CASSIE RUUD cruud@countrymedia.net

The Lincoln City City Council voted Monday night to release the Poppe Report, a report written by outside counsel as part of an ethics investigation involving the mayor and the city council. The News Guard has requested a copy of the report and will post it online as soon as it is received. But as of press time on Tuesday, the report had not been released. The mayor and the council have wrangled over the ethics investigation for more than a year, and at various times, requests to release the report have been turned down.

Noreikis

Williams

During Monday’s first public comment period, several citizens asked for release of the report, and Laura Joki reported that the petition she started that calls to release the report had totaled more than 170 signatures. Following that comment period, councilor Chester Noreikis moved to release the report, but that motion failed on a 3-3 vote. Councilors Dick Anderson, Kip Ward and

Noreikis voted for the motion, while voting no were councilors Wes Ryan and Susan Wahlke and Mayor Don Williams. However, later in the meeting, Mayor Williams indicated that if the motion were raised again, he would change his prior ‘no’ vote to ‘yes’ to release the report. Williams said that he had not been prepared for the previous motion to release the report. “I thought it was a dead deal,� Williams said. “I just want to make sure the proper procedure is followed, but having said that, if anyone would like to reintroduce that motion I will change my vote.� Ultimately, Noreikis renewed his motion to release the report, and the council voted 5-1 to approve. Wahlke was the lone no vote. In other business, the council also: Approved the rezoning of the Beach Club Event Center, owned by Mike and Lila Bradley, from residential to commercial and

directed staff to return with findings. Heard from Mac Smith, who stated that a petition to recall Williams exists and is in the signature-gathering phase. Approved the first reading of Ordinance 2016-14 regarding Vacation Rental Dwelling licensing, with a section regarding occupancy removed from the ordinance. Second reading and occupancy will be discussed on Nov. 28. Reopened the record in regards to Ordinance 2016-20 to include the 2006 buildable lands inventory. The record will remain open until Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. Approved first and second reading of Ordinance 2015-25, amending the Lincoln City comprehensive plan map to change the designation of P Park to R5 single family residential. Awarded a contract for the Schooner Creek boring project to K&E Excavating and awarded a contract to Devils Lake Rock to replace the Regatta playground wall.

Visitor access improving at Siletz refuge Small craft boat launch part of update GRETCHEN AMMERMAN gammerman@countrymedia.net

A variety of new signs have popped up along Highway 101 at the Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge this month, but the most important ones right now say “Road Closed.� Contractor timing caused a bit of a cart before the horse situation for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, (USF&WS) according to Wildlife Biologist Dawn Harris. “We are doing some great things to improve visitor access to the refuge that wasn’t available before, including a new road into a small part of the refuge that connects to a new loop trail,� she said. “Unfortunately, it won’t be open to the public until at least January. But the contractors that were hired for the very eye-catching new refuge sign had a small window of time when they could construct it, so it went up way before the work we are doing will be finished.� Since the sign went up, staff at the refuge headquarters in Newport have been fielding a spike in calls about the construction,

which, in addition to the new trail and parking areas, also will include a small boat put-in for canoes and kayaks. The 568-acre refuge is one of six national wildlife refuges that make up the Oregon Coast National Wildlfe Refuge Complex. The construction area is affecting just a small part of the refuge, located just east of the highway. Dubbed “Alder Island� by USF&WS staff, it is bordered by the Siletz River and its tributaries, and Millport Slough. The construction is a restoration to bring natural tidal activity to a part of the refuge that was significantly altered by construction of the Siletz Keys across the highway. “They used the marshes here to dump the dredge spoil,� Harris said. “That blocked the tidal flow and significantly changed the plant and animal life; we are restoring that.� Large machinery was used to breach two dykes, and two culverts were installed, allowing the tidal flow to return to the marshes. “Over the next few years you will see the vegetation change,� Harris said. “Especially with a growth in marsh plants. We’ve already had fish in here, which is wonderful.� A loop trail about three quarters of a mile long will soon allow visitors to explore the

NEWS GUARD PHOTOS/GRETCHEN AMMERMAN

A crew from the Northwest Youth Corps is helping to restore native plants a part of the Siletz See REFUGE, Page A2 Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Wayward auto causes ooding in Taft

VOL. 89 | NO. 45

to South 48th Street. The flow of water threatened buildings along A vehicle crash resulting in a this area and forced traffic to detour broken streetlamp and a busted fire onto side streets. Some residents in hydrant in the Taft area brought the the affected building were asked to Lincoln City Police Department run- evacuate until safety assessments ning last Wednesday. could be made. A grey 2003 Volkswagen Jetta was Robert Bennett of Neotsu witnorthbound on Highway 101 when nessed the accident as he and his it drove onto the sidewalk along the wife were driving north on 101. east side of the highway. “We were northbound and this “The vehicle struck a street lamp, guy in front of us went into the right breaking it off at the base, then lane, then onto the sidewalk,� Bencareened north on the sidewalk nett said. “He took out that street and glanced off of the front of the lamp and finally stopped when he Family Promise day care center,� Lt. hit the fire hydrant. He nearly rolled Jerry Palmer said in a press release. the car. All of that water flooded the “There were children and adults in whole side of the street.� the day care center at the time of the The driver of the Volkswagen, crash.� Jared Dunmire age 28, of Toledo was After striking the building, the the lone occupant of the vehicle. vehicle continued north along the Dunmire was checked by Pacific sidewalk area until it struck a fire West medical staff at the scene hydrant near the Ace Hardware and released with minor injuries. building. Dunmire was taken into custody The impact broke the hydrant at the scene by LCPD Sgt. Randy from the water main, causing a Weaver and transported to the significant uncontrolled flow of Lincoln City Police Department water into the ground beneath where he was cited and released. the sidewalk at that location. The Dunmire has been cited for Reckless COURTESY PHOTO/ROBERT BENNETT water initially flooded Highway Driving, three counts of Recklessly Water from a broken fire hydrant flooded Highway 101 across both north101 across both northbound lanes See CRASH, Page A2 bound lanes from just north of South 51st street to South 48th street. from just north of South 51st Street THE NEWS GUARD

Open 8a-7p Mon-Fri, 8a-6p Sat

541.994.4556

2010 2011NISSAN FORD MUSTANG ALTIMA

2009 2012HYUNDAI HONDA CIVIC SI ELANTRA

$22,443.00 $12,644.00

$16,995.00 $4,995.00

Over 800 cars online: www.powerford.com

P91042 P2108

P93310A P91005A

P93243A P91010

P90975B P93349

We find the right car for you and have it delivered to Lincoln City We Buy Cars!

$OO SULFHV DQG ÂżQDQFLQJ RQ DSSURYHG FUHGLW 2 $ & $OO YHKLFOHV VXEMHFW WR SULRU VDOH 3ULFHV GR QRW LQFOXGH WLWOH OLFHQVH WD[HV 3KRWRV IRU LOOXVWUDWLRQ SXUSRVHV RQO\

2008 TOYOTA 2008 JEEP FJWRANGLER CRUISER

2011 VOLKSWAGON 2012 SUBARU LEGACY GTI

1940 NE Hwy 101 Lincoln City, Oregon

$24,995.00 $18,995.00

$20,995.00 $15,630.00

L61613 L60894

For local news, photos and events log onto www.thenewsguard.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.