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Revenue Diversification Community Conversations

At the end of the Special Session Council Meeting on November 8, council discussed how best to engage and prepare the community for different strategies of revenue diversification.

Councilor Spegman spoke a little about the work he and Council President Kozlowski have been doing to start the ball rolling by meeting with what Spegman called a focus group. The mayor and a few folks in the audience had questions about the formation of the group, how people were chosen and who was asked to participate. The group is not an ad hoc committee or a committee of any kind.

I emailed Councilor Spegman to get some answers. When I don’t know the facts about something it’s easy for me to build a story that backs up whatever my perceptions are. Sometimes those are misperceptions. In a vacuum without facts, that’s exactly how conspiracy theories arise.

Jerry Spegman was appointed by a consensus of the last council to take the lead on revenue diversification. Linda Kozlowski took the lead as Council President on the “Conversations With Councilors” community discussions. The first topic of those conversations was city hall, the second was short term rentals. The mayor was asked to participate in these meetings with her colleagues but chose not to, which explains why she didn’t know about this.

After the conversations about short term rentals, Councilor Kozlowski suggested that revenue diversification should be the next topic.

In his email to me Spegman wrote, “it seemed like a no brainer, except more complex than str’s because it involved multiple strategies with overlapping timelines and different approval and enforcement mechanisms.
“We immediately realized that we needed to roll out these conversations sequentially, over an extended timeframe, and with more aggressive outreach to gain public buy-in (or not), given how difficult it can be to raise taxes/fees
“In order to design the conversations properly, we agreed to consult on the front end with a mix of community members – I may be missing someone, but I believe the list is Brian Postle, Judy Suggs, Sue McGrath, Deb Galardi, Connie Burton, Doug Sparks, John Gufstufson, Brad Hart (out now), Joy Nord, and Gerald Wineinger.
“…I see this group as sort of a planning committee to get the conversations right, and somewhat akin to the focus group Linda and I practiced our city hall conversation with at the Cottages up on Classic.”

So, it’s not a standing, policy-setting committee requiring applications and appointments. City Manager Aman called it a “stakeholder’s group” with two councilors collaborating to tap into a range of community insights about how best to engage the community on revenue diversification.

When I looked at the list of community members who were tapped, I see a broad cross section of people with a variety of perspectives. Two of those folks won’t be part of the group—Brad Hart, who is now on council, and Gerald Wineinger, who sadly passed away. I trust Councilors Spegman and Kozlowski to choose whether or not, they need to fill those spots.

Any of the strategies for revenue diversification will mean some change for members of the community, but it will also mean mo’ money from mo’ sources and less dependence on short term vacation rentals. That’s a good thing.

Kim Rosenberg loretta.kim.rosenberg@gmail.com

Members — Join us Tuesday November 21 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm for Bingo at The Pine Grove Community House, located in Manzanita.

Become a new member at the door. Come share food, drink, community and Bingo!!

(The body of this letter was previously emailed to the City of Manzanita, Mayor Deb Simmons, Council Members, and the City Manager Leila Aman.)

I am very embarrassed by the behavior shown at the City Council meeting on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, continuing a behavior not appropriate.

What happened to Roberts Rules of Order, decorum, common courtesy, and politeness?

Mr. Spegman’s behavior toward Mayor Simmons was despicable, bullying and aggressing and reprimanding her, while she was speaking, showed all of us how out of line you are. You and the other councilors and the city manager are a microcosm of the national lack of civility the last few years.

Mayor Simmons has been endlessly polite and has tried to operate as a professional with integrity, following the rules of the city charter and the city.
For example, learning that Mr. Spegman and Ms. Kozlowski had formed an “ad hoc” committee against the city’s rules, didn’t cause her to yell at the two of you. But, her pointing out your thwarting of the rules was too much for you.

Mr. Spegman used to be an attorney, so he should know better!

Why did no one step up to defend Mayor Simmons, and try to control Mr. Spegman? His anger and hate and frustration were so excessive and inappropriate.

A number of citizens, some months ago, during public comments, called out the behavior of the entire council and city manager toward Mayor Simmons. So, you are aware how the citizens feel about your collective behavior.

“Residency” does not specify ownership of home or renting, etc.
“Residency” does not deny one’s ability to leave the city limits for whatever reason the person chooses.
“Residency” does not demand that you need permission to visit or go shopping or whatever you want or need to do. If it does, none of us are residents.

Instead of applauding Mayor Simmons’ dedication to our community, you attacked her.

Two of the council members are brand new, filling positions open by resignation, and APPOINTED by THREE people. Mayor Simmons was ELECTED to her position, receiving 356 votes from the community, more than the two councilors elected the same day: Mr. Mayerle, 307 votes and Ms. Kozlowski, 294 votes.
Mayor Simmons probably had even more supporters, since many do not vote for a person running unopposed.

Many of us are upset by the continued behavior of the councilors and city manager, including trying to contaminate Mayor Simmons by extensive public opinion pieces.

The results of the “complaint” and “resolution” should be made available to the public. Too much has been kept from the community, even though many have asked for financial and other details. The community is paying the bills!

What are you hiding from the public? How are we supposed to trust you?

If you want the support of the entire community, you need to act as responsible adults and apologize, and change your behavior, and start treating the citizens and the mayor and your fellow councilors honorably.

Our entire world is in chaos, and our community should be better than this!

Sandy Wood
11-11-2023

P.S. If you would like to view the video of the incident being referenced above, the video is posted on the City of Manzanita’s website, at the end of the regular session meeting on 11-08-2023 at the 1:38:38 timestamp mark.