Current Listing

For the past five years, Randy Kugler, who was a city manager here 30 years ago, has persistently pushed his personal agenda on the Council and city administration because of what he calls “inept” public officials and a “complacent citizenry.” In 2018 and 2019, he pestered city staff to advance his budget and city hall proposals. Though unappointed and unelected, he pressured the Hoffman Center for the Arts Board to sell its property as part of an unauthorized city hall scheme. He issued imperious demands to the city manager if his requests were not answered quickly enough. Even now he continues a campaign of harassment of the current city manager. Mr. Kugler’s contempt for our entire community is best illustrated by his dismissal of “80-year-old EVC volunteers” as participants in a scheme to promote Manzanita as a “disaster destination.”

When he came in dead last in his 2020 bid for election to the Council, Mr. Kugler settled the next year on a new tactic—what he termed the “Simmons project.” As part of that project, Mr. Kugler joined forces with Bill Simmons, a similarly disgruntled resident. They chose Deb Simmons, Bill’s wife, as someone with the necessary “star power” to be the spokesperson for their positions on local issues. Mayor Mike Scott’s unexpected withdrawal from the 2022 mayoral race on June 2 presented the opportunity to put Deb forward as a candidate for mayor, which she announced three days after Scott withdrew.

After her uncontested election, Mr. Kugler began coaching Mayor Simmons for the role of mayor and dispensed advice to her and Councilors Brad Mayerle and Jerry Spegman as a self-appointed “trusted advisor.” He also prepped Mayor Simmons before Council meetings. Describing their campaign of disruption as a “war” in a March 9 email to Ms. Simmons, Mr. Kugler congratulated her on getting “Lelia [sic] to say some dumb things that I will further investigate.” He urged Mayor Simmons to be content with winning some “skirmishes” before moving on to “a battle here and there.” He encouraged her by saying, “You are getting better with each meeting. We’ll do some practice for next month.”

Did Manzanita voters elect Mr. Kugler as Mayor? Or did we elect Ms. Simmons? It appears from these public records that Mr. Kugler is pulling the strings behind the curtain. We do not object to the Mayor seeking advice from a trusted advisor, but Mr. Kugler has been an obsessive faultfinder for many years. He has consistently shown disdain for any opinions other than his own—on a new city hall, allocation of overhead costs, and short-term rentals.

We urge Mayor Simmons to sever her relationship with a man who has harassed our city managers and sought to tear this city apart rather than to bring people together as the Mayor has said she wants to do. We also urge the City Council to support the City’s employees and protect them from harassment.

Deb Tinnin
Judy Sugg
Doug Sparks
Kim Rosenberg
Ben Rosenberg
Connie Burton
Bruce Burton
Linda Kuestner
Mark Kuestner
Cindy Kenne
Jack Kenne
Paula Peek
William Peek
Brad Hart
Christopher Mullins
Lee Hamilton
Laura Bailey
Jenny Greenleaf
Mary Marken
Toni Greening
Richard Neuman
Thomas Aschenbrener
Trevor Eastman

Public records request link
This link provides access to 478 pages of records dating back to 2018 provided by the City of Manzanita in response to a public records request.

Sources for this document
Paragraph 2: February 13, 2018, Kugler email to Alamillo and Scott; August 26, 2019, Kugler email to Alamillo; August 2, 2021, Kugler email to Aman; February 16, 2023, Kugler email to Simmons, Spegman, and Mayerle; April 29, 2023, Tillamook County Pioneer op-ed

Paragraph 3: August 28, 2021, Spegman email to Kugler; November 11, 2021, Kugler email to Spegman; June 6, 2022, BBQ post

Paragraph 4: Kugler emails dated January 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 22, 23, 25, 2023; February 16, 19, 2023; March 6, 9, 14, 21, 2023; February 26 and March 9, 2023, Simmons emails to Kugler)

I’ve known Constance for twenty years as a fellow learner, a client, a neighbor, and a friend. In our community, there are few people who bring so much energy and thoughtfulness as a volunteer to SO MANY efforts. I may not always agree with her but she has my confidence and respect.

Other supporters have written at length about her experience and efforts in the community and how they believe she’ll deal with NCRD’s challenges. In reading her own statements, here are a couple of items that really stood out for me:

1. About being a cancer survivor Constance wrote:

“I say welcome the diagnosis, we can only impact that which we are aware of.”

This kind of steely resolve can bring some dynamism to a board that’s had a few stumbles recently and will also be invaluable in hiring a new executive director who has the background, skill & courage to bring transformative change.

2. Constance made a specific point of talking about her hands-on participation in fundraising, not just for NCRD but for many other community causes. In fact, she seems to like doing it! This is reassuring to me when I think about the new pool project because we’re breaking ground without sufficient funds to finish. It will take a person like Constance, unafraid to make powerful requests, to succeed.

Please vote for Constance!

Transparency and Compensation

When I taught Writing as Critical Inquiry at PSU, I always told my students to go to the primary source material before writing that 5,000 word final paper on whatever subject they chose related to our text—a behemoth of a book titled American Earth. They could have any opinion they wanted, of course, but an opinion without source material cited in their bibliography wasn’t ever going to cut it for me. Oh, and 5,000 words means 5,000 words and they better be spellchecked, honey.

There’s been some talk about a raise or a bonus for the City Manager. It’s on the agenda for the next council meeting Wednesday May 3, at 6pm. I was recently with some folks and the subject of a raise for the City Manager came up. People chimed in with their opinions but it struck me that it would be a good idea to have more information—some kind of source material and not just beach gossip or coffee talk between friends, in order to form an opinion.

The City Manager’s performance review was completed a few weeks ago in an executive session. The public couldn’t attend the meeting or read the materials presented so there’s no information about why a raise is justified now or what kind of work she’s been doing.

Performance reviews are usually completed every year to identify the areas you excel in as an employee and the areas in which you don’t. You make career goals as an employee and have a discussion with your boss to help you reach those goals. If your job involves oversight of other staff, there’s input from that staff to see what kind of leader you are.

In a private company all that information goes into your personnel file where it hangs out in a drawer until the next year. Nobody sees it except you, your boss and HR until it’s hauled out again to see how you’re doing. Raises in compensation above the cost of living increases that I sincerely hope you always get or got are tied to your performance. If you do your job well, the company can reward you with a raise or a bonus or like at the mobile home factory where I worked for one sad year–a frozen turkey at Christmas.

As Council President, Kozlowski has traditionally taken the lead on performance reviews. She also has a long career and experience in human resources. She’s one of two councilors who have worked with the current city manager since she was hired. Plus, Kozlowski’s worked with a number of the previous city managers during her time on council. She put together the review form for staff and the council to submit. Three of the five on council are new and have only worked with the city manager for a few months.

Kozlowski summarized the performance review for the public at last month’s council meeting, but because the review itself took place behind closed doors justification for a raise isn’t clear to the public and neither is how well she does her job or what challenges and obstacles she’s faced in performing her job.

Performance reviews can be done in public sessions and review materials can be made public after the fact, if the employee agrees. The city manager gave permission to share the documents with the public.

You can read Aman’s performance review materials including staff and council’s input and community comments on the city’s website by clicking the City Manager Employment Agreement link. The review materials begin on page 7.

Four of five councilors feel Aman has exceeded her role as City Manager. Staff input shows Aman to be a “transformational manager.” These are the people who work with and for her every day—staff and council. I trust their opinions.

The only way to let the light in is to open the curtains. As they say in the 12 step groups, we are only as sick as our secrets.

Kim Rosenberg loretta.kim.rosenberg@gmail.com

City Manager Contract and Performance Review (pages 7-15)
ci.manzanita.or.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Council-Packet-Additional-Materials-RS-Item-H-05032023.pdf

TREAT’s endorsed candidates (below) bring a variety of skills that will keep the positive momentum going at TBCC. They understand state and district curriculum policies and budget issues and have communication skills that will ensure that board business is conducted in a collaborative and cooperative manner. They also have extensive experience in finance, business, and building construction. Above all, their highest priority is providing a strong foundation for all students, whether that be preparing to transfer to a four-year college or preparing for a career in the trades through the many TBCC certificate and apprenticeship programs.

In addition to the three TBCC candidates below, TREAT supports the election of candidates Andrea Goss and Shannon Hoff who are running unopposed. They need your support, too.

For information about each endorsed TBCC board candidate, visit the TREAT website at: www.tillamookretiredteachers.org. When you reach the website, be sure to sign up for the TREAT mailing list so you receive the latest election updates.

TREAT is also on Facebook at tillamookretiredteachers.

Your VOTE matters!