Category: Announcements

Voters are being asked to support $10.25 million in once-in-a-generation upgrades to local health and senior care, including construction of a state-of-the-art Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy and renovation and modernization of the region’s only skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility for seniors, the Nehalem Valley Care Center.

Here are some facts about health and senior care in our community.

Did You Know?

• The existing and future Nehalem Bay Health Center and Pharmacy is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and as such maintains a policy of treating anyone regardless of ability to pay.

• The Health Center also offers a sliding fee scale based on individual ability to pay for health care services.

• The Health Center accepts many forms of health insurance, including Blue Cross-Blue Shield, as well as Medicare and Medicaid.

• The architectural design of the proposed new Health Center includes a dental suite and facilities for specialty care services (such as pediatrics and cardiology) not now available in the community.

• The current Nehalem Bay Health Center & Pharmacy last year had a total of 5,663 individual clinic visits and filled over 30,000 prescriptions.

• A much expanded pharmacy in a new, modern facility will be able to supply more over the counter products as well as prescriptions.

• Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden support construction of the new Health Center and Pharmacy and secured a $3 million federal appropriation for the project. The appropriation was included in congressional legislation passed in December 2022.

• The city councils and mayors of Wheeler, Nehalem and Manzanita unanimously endorsed a YES vote on the bond measure.

• Between the existing Nehalem Bay Health Center and the Care Center nearly 80 people are employed in health care in north Tillamook County, making the two facilities the largest employers in the area.

• The Nehalem Valley Care Center in Wheeler is the only skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility on the Oregon coast between Astoria and Newport.

• Tillamook County has one of the fasting growing senior populations in Oregon.

• In 2022, according to the federal Center for Medicare and Medicare Services more than 130 nursing homes closed in the United States, many in rural areas including three long term care facilities in Tillamook County.

• Renovation and modernization of the Nehalem Valley Care Center, allowing the long-established facility to offer better services and safety for seniors, as well as better working conditions for caregivers, will help ensure that skilled nursing and rehabilitation care is available in the future in our community.

• Passage of the Health District bond measure will provide resources to repurpose a portion of the Care Center to expand senior services, including memory care.

• Workforce housing in our community is, to say the least, scarce. Housing for health care and other essential workers presents a challenge the Health District is attempting to address.

• Repurposing the site of the old Wheeler hospital – also supported by the bond measure – is a critical step in developing health care and essential worker housing.

• You can find more information on the bond measure and the Health District’s proposal at: www.nehalemhealthcare.com

Follow the campaign on Facebook at Yes for Local Health Care www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090438080823.

Testimonials, community support including individuals, local government and businesses continue to grow.

See our website for more information about the bond measure and lists of testimonials and health district voters supporting a YES vote.

Testimonials: www.nehalemhealthcare.com/testimonials
Supporters: www.nehalemhealthcare.com/supporters

If you would like your name added to the list of supporters, email us your first and last name along with the request to be added to the supporters section: nehalemhealthcare@gmail.com

Follow the campaign on Facebook at Yes for Local Health Care www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090438080823.

My cute little spot across from Buttercup (Salon Lucia) was super sweet, but I got the opportunity to move down the street to the J. Marie Salon, and I’m super excited about it! What a beautiful space!

As of May 1st Lucy Wild Hair Design is officially in action and my books are back open!!

Call the salon, or call/text me to set up your next appointment for all things Hair, Teeth Whitening & Tooth Gems!

I’m in the salon Tue/Wed & Fri/Sat! Call or text to book your next appointment!

Salon: 503-858-0554
Lucy: 360-643-1888

Come by and take a look. furniture, collectables, misc…

Enjoy the nice weather :-).

We’ll help load.

Lynn Mudd.

Constance befriended me early on in my move to the area. I will always remember her infectious enthusiasm for the community I was tip-toeing around and her encouragement that I get involved. Anyone who knows her will not find this surprising.

From the get-go, I found Constance’s passion for a number of local organizations – in particular, NCRD – quite infectious. Does anyone else remember that epic ’empty-your-closet’ fundraiser in the gym? At the time, given her involvement in all things NCRD, I was quite surprised to discover she was neither on staff nor on the Board.

Well enough of that. It’s high time Constance held an elected position where her commitment to NCRD can further enliven programs & policy and engage a wider audience beyond her friends and fans.

Vote for Constance!

We will need to unload the U-Haul an re-store the items into the containers that will have been moved to Champ Ball Field around 1pm- 4pm. Thursday.

Please contact Jeff Slamal, jslamal@gmail.com
if you are able to help.

Thank you!

This is a revised invitation for tomorrow nights meet & greet event at the North Coast Pinball beginning at 5pm.

THERE WILL BE NO TOKENS FOR GAMES PROVIDED BY ME……

Based on the work completed, we have opened the newly constructed Z-wall area for
use. Yard debris is now accepted in the new area.

We have reopened the contractor trash lane and expanded the area in which
contractors (and others with large loads, like trailers) can park to empty their loads. This
translates into additional space for the public to dispose of their smaller loads of
materials.

This current, new configuration is surely not the end, but rather a step in the right
direction. We appreciate your patience as we make additional modifications in the
upcoming weeks – all intended to better accommodate the traffic flow with incoming
materials.

We are again able to accept large quantities of rubble (clean fill, sand, concrete, bricks,
etc.). Please contact staff for directions.

We would like to thank the community for the patience shown during the past few
months of construction activities. Thanks to your cooperation and vigilance, there were
no events involving personal injuries during this construction project!

If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to contact our office for
more information.

Thank you,

David McCall
Solid Waste Program Manager

Justin Weiss
Transfer Station Supervisor

The Cannon Beach Arts Association is looking for Artists & Instructors who would like to teach at our 21s Annual Summer Art Camp.

Camp takes place July 17 – 21, 2023. Instructors can choose to teach a morning class from 10 – 12pm, or afternoon class 1 – 3pm. Curriculum and Age group is up to you! $28 / per hour, offering a bonus to the instructor who wants to teach ages 4, 5, 6.

Deadline for this opportunity is Tuesday April 25, 2023. Contact Summer Art Camp director Summer Peterson at info@cannonbeacharts.org to inquire about an application. Phone: 972-363-6340.

More information about the program can be found here: www.cannonbeacharts.org/20th-annual-summer-art-camp

Since building a home in Manzanita twenty years ago, I’ve seen inflation increase by 65%and Tillamook County property taxes increase by 76%. Property tax levies, both local and countywide for special interests such as Library, Tillamook County Bonds, School Bonds, Tillamook County Community College, North County Recreation District (Pool) account for some of the increase.
Meanwhile Manzanita City staff has increased 89% from 9 to 17 positions.
Property tax increases will continue with deferred needs for streets, water, storm sewer, water tower repair, health building.
Meanwhile Manzanita’s resident population has remained about the same at 600 permanent residents and short term rentals(STR) have increased dramatically. STR revenues accounting for about 65% of the city budget. Past City Councils bent the rules to add more STRs to further expand revenues. No one has identified how much of the city budget and increases are traced to the growth of STRs.
The higher ups say property tax increases are restricted and STR funds have therefore become a primary source of funding the City.
To the permanent resident, it seems like the tail is wagging the dog. All the increased revenues support short term renters adversely affecting neighborhoods while the atmosphere of our once pleasant village.
City higher ups wanted a new City Hall building. The first overly large and expensive plan was voted down by voters by a 68% margin. And the City of Manzanita has been raiding the water fund to pay for consultants and loan debt to purchase the Underhill property for years.
Basically, our City Council has not been financially prudent. They are volunteers. They are well meaning. Fortunately, for us, they have to balance a budget. But they don’t seem to care where the money comes from or the opportunity cost of what is sacrificed in the process. Their decisions unwittingly are causing future tax increases by
– Transferring water funds through a cherry picked consultant process to apply water funds to current uses in the General Fund. This virtually guarantees future water sewer rate hikes and other new monthly utility fees.

– City Council encouraged development by not making developers carry the full weight of the costs of their developments. System development charges were not regularly increased for years. The effects of short term rentals on parking, neighbors, police , trash were ignored.

– Taking on a largely unnecessary City Hall project, the City didn’t keep the Lenada Street City Hall building from leaking and mold developed. The higher ups decided it was better to indebt the City $10 million or more than properly maintain the old City Hall. The plan was justified as a move out of the tsunami zone. Actually the old City Hall site was already out of the tsunami zone. Frankly, I think we should have maintained the building properly and saved the millions of dollars they spent for true infrastructure needs for the citizens.

Like many public projects, somebody gets an idea and then finds ways to justify it. The Underhill site, for example, was originally pitched to renovate the existing building as City Hall. But once owned, the building was deemed unusable and a new dream for a new building was hatched. The fact that few need to go to City Hall, especially at a commercially useful (kept on property rolls)and visible Underhill site is never debated. Meanwhile, the higher ups overpay for Underhill, raid every source of funds to pay principle and interest, handcuff City financing and virtually guarantee future tax increases and new fees for services.
So when I read “Why is The Water System Building Our City Hall” I saw a fellow canary in a coal mine. The author will be criticized by some and ignored by the higher ups. The City calls him dangerous. But he is correct in his reporting of improper transfer of water funds. By the time taxpayers realize what has been going on, it will be too late.
I suspect many City Council members and City Managers, have a self-serving view of city revenues and expenses. Projects are approved on an ad hoc basis and any source of other people’s money will do. Reductions in City staff or expenses to save for future needs? Well that just doesn’t happen. But one day the chickens will come home to roost and property owners will be forced to pay the bill. Meanwhile, the higher ups will congratulate each other for slipping another $191,000 in water funds or $500,000 in timber sales past the public for their pet projects.
Bottom line is we will probably get a City Hall we didn’t need and most won’t use, the City coffers will be depleted and City Council will seek higher taxes and fees for the necessary storm sewer and water projects they did not reserve revenues to fund. Sad to see this happen in Manzanita.
Will Stone
Manzanita

audenestitches.company.site Will take you right to the store.

Remember I offer gift cards which allow you to choose how much you would like to gift and goes immediately to your recipient!

Thank you for supporting a local business!

Nehalem Bay Health District’s
regular meeting with the Wheeler Care Center LLC
will be held at 5:30 PM, Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Location: Zoom Remote Video Conferencing

This Meeting is open to the public.
The Zoom link is below for members of the public who wish to attend
us02web.zoom.us/j/88112248618
Direct your questions to:
nbhdistrict@gmail.com

Agenda

I. Call to order

II. Consent Agenda
A. Approval of March 22nd regular meeting minutes
B. March 2023 Financials

III. Public comment

IV. New Business
A. Care Center administrator report
B. Financial
i. Resolution regarding April write-offs
ii. Policy discussion – Bank Accounts

V. Old Business
A. Strategic Plan implementation update

Adjournment

NOTE: Regular Wheeler Care Center LLC board meetings are normally scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of each month at 5:30 PM.

Since building a home in Manzanita twenty years ago, I’ve seen inflation increase 65%and an increase in Tillamook County property taxes of 76%. Some of the increase is the result of property tax levies both local and county wide for special interests such as Library, Tillamook County Bonds, School Bonds, Tillamook County Community College, North County Recreation District (Pool).
Meanwhile Manzanita City staff has increased 78% from 9 to 17.
There’s more property tax increases on the way with growing needs for streets, water, storm sewer, water tower repair, heath building.
Meanwhile resident population has remained about the same and short term rentals(STR) have increased dramatically, accounting for up to 65% of the city budget. Past City Councils did not use STR qualification rules strictly in order to add more STRs to further expand revenues.
The higher ups say property tax increases are restricted and STR funds have therefore become a primary source of funding the City.
As a regular resident citizen, it seems like the tail is wagging the dog. All the increased revenues support short term renters while the atmosphere of a nice village is being ignored.
City higher ups wanted a new City Hall building. The first overly large and expensive plan was voted down by voters by a 68% margin. And the City of Manzanita has been raiding the water fund to pay for consultants and loan debt to purchase the Underhill property.
Basically, our City Council has not been financially prudent. They are volunteers. They are well meaning. Fortunately, in a narrow sense, they have to balance a budget. But they don’t seem to care where the money comes from or the opportunity cost of what is sacrificed in the process. Their decisions unwittingly are inflating future taxes by
– Transferring water funds through a manufactured consultant process to apply water funds to current uses. This virtually guarantees future water sewer rate hikes and other new monthly utility fees.

– They’ve encouraged development while not making developers carry the full weight of the costs of their developments. System development charges were not regularly increased for years and the effects of short term rentals on parking, neighbors, police , trash were ignored.

– Taking on largely unnecessary City Hall project, the City didn’t keep the building from leaking so mold developed. So the higher ups decided it was better to indebt the City $10 million or more than properly maintain a city building. The plan was justified as a move out of the tsunami zone when construction at the old City Hall site was already out of the tsunami zone. Frankly, I think we should have maintained the building and saved money for true infrastructure needs for the citizens.

Like many public projects, somebody gets an idea and then manipulates parties to justify it. The Underhill site was originally pitched to renovate the existing building as City Hall. Once owned, the building was deemed unusable and a new dream for a new building was hatched. That few need to go to City Hall, especially at a commercially useful visible site is never debated. Meanwhile, the higher ups overpay for Underhill, raid every source of funds, handcuff City financing and virtually guarantee future tax increases and new fees for services.
So when I read “Why is The Water System Building Our City Hall” I thought I found a fellow canary in a coal mine. The author will be criticized by some and ignored by the higher ups. The City calls him dangerous. But he is correct and when taxpayers realize what has been going on, it will be too late.
Fact is, I suspect, many City Council members and City Managers, have an selfserving view of city revenues and expenses. Projects are approved on an ad hoc basis and any source of money will do. Reductions in City staff or expenses to save for future needs? Well that just doesn’t happen. One day the chickens will come home to roost. Meanwhile, the higher ups will congratulate each other on slipping another $191,000 in water funds or $500,000 in timber sales past the public.
Bottom line is we will probably get a City Hall we didn’t need , the City coffers will be depleted and City Council will seek higher taxes and fees for the projects they did not reserve revenues to fund. Sorry to see this happen in our nice little village.
Will Stone
Manzanita