Current Listing

Submitted By: dixiegainer@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

I am submitting a link to a film that is very helpful in understanding the very strange things that are present in our society today. I have been puzzled by things like allowing riots in the cities, without any real arrests, the destruction of private property – the destruction of statues depicting our past founders – all this was allowed to go on. The riots were the introduction to this “new reality”. Some things seem unconstitutional and probablely are, one example -the current president saying that parents that protest or question their school boards are “terrorists” This is ludicrous. All the transgender things, in schools and elsewhere practically shoved in peoples faces, Letting people rob 999.99 worth of stuff before it becomes a crime. Not prosecuting criminals – letting violent criminals out of prison, a wide open border, etc. A lot of the time I just don’t get it – it makes no sense to me. It is insane really. California offering billions of dollars to descendants of persons who may have been slaves. And of course California is broke and doesn’t have the money anyway. It is nuts. It is truly nuts – So what is happening? What is causing this? This 3 hour film will help you understand. It has a lot of history in it and it is very interesting. So if you want to get a good look at WHY – This will help a lot to explain. Of course it is very long but we do watch movies on TV don’t we? And you can watch this in segments……many ways to deal with the length of it. I found it very helpful. plandemicseries.com/watch-the-great-awakening-movie/

Submitted By: pattyrinehart@nehalemtel.net – Click to email about this post

Friends of North County Recreation District will be selling flower bouquets at the Manzanita Grocery & Deli in downtown Manzanita. Friday and Saturday we will have bouquets there at 9 AM. Friends Mission is to promote and support NCRD by raising funds for scholarships, programs, and projects.

Funds raised by the Friends of NCRD provide scholarships and support programs offered by the Youth, Fitness, and Aquatic Departments. How about some matching t-shirts for the baseball teams? Yes, you can help with the shirts and equipment. And yes, your neighbor needs a bouquet.

If you can’t make it to Manzanita, you could make a donation by sending a check to Friends of NCRD, PO Box 511, Nehalem, Oregon 97130. Website is
friendsofncrd.org. Tax ID: 501(3)(c) #26-3325407

Thanks very much!

Submitted By: ben.killen.rosenberg@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

Posting on behalf of Loretta Kim Rosenberg loretta.kim.rosenberg@gmail.com

The Cheese Stands Alone

When you were a kid, did you ever play with somebody who didn’t follow the directions on the side of the box? Some kid who made up the rules so they could win? The one who invented words for Scrabble or wouldn’t be out when they were tagged?

What’s it like to play with someone who doesn’t think the rules apply to them, that other people are always the problem; that they’re always right and others are always wrong? They say sorry when they have to, but don’t mean it.

Good players on the playground of life learn to cooperate and collaborate so the play is fun for everybody and can be sustained for a long time.

Some of my best memories of being a kid were the extended stories me and my best friend, Karen and her brothers Will and Fred would act out over the weeks of summer vacation in the weedy back lots of our houses. We played an awful lot of ‘war’ with our Barbies and GI Joes thanks to growing up watching the war in Vietnam on TV’s nightly news. And when we took a break from that game, we’d play Sorry or Clue or Operation or Twister with the rules on the box that we all agreed to.

The rules are the thing that help people playing a game know how to work together, even while competing to win. When everybody plays by the same rules, it’s fun. You can be creative inside the game and if you come to a consensus with the other players, you can change the rules.

City government is a lot like a board game. You can be creative inside the game, when you learn how (and agree to) play by the rules.

I watched the Special Session of the Budget Committee and want to encourage people to watch it.

The Mayor of Manzanita has written a couple of op/eds. There are rules about writing public statements as an elected official in the City’s Rules of Procedure. You may only state the official position of the city, as approved by a majority of the Council or if it’s your personal opinion, you have to make that clear before stating it. Oh, and it helps not to include your elected position title in your by-line, as in the Mayor of Manzanita.

The first op/ed the Mayor wrote is a response to an article I wrote about the City Manager’s review information that was available to the public on the City’s website. That was never a violation of executive session rules because it was public.

In her Tillamook County Pioneer, May 16, 2023 op/ed, Response: Transparency and Compensation, the Mayor wrote, “…the recent evaluation of the City Manager was made public. In that light, the process should also be public.” She then goes on to write in detail about the performance review.

Hold up. The executive session rules aren’t suggestions, and those present at a closed meeting don’t get to choose which information is protected or when it “should” be released.

If that were true, I would’ve saved myself the stress of the last few months and just spilled the beans on the two executive sessions I attended. The place for a discussion of the process of review would be at a Council workshop.

The Mayor’s most recent op/ed is about the reasons for her lone no vote to pass the ’23/24 Budget.

Voting no isn’t the deal. It’s the pattern of behavior that’s bad news.

During three budget workshops the Mayor didn’t raise questions, didn’t ask for information she wanted or comment to voice her opinions. She didn’t talk with other colleagues on council or members of the Budget Committee and she didn’t ask staff to get her the information she wanted.

Maybe she called Waldport or Toledo.

Information is available to council and the mayor. If they have questions, there are other members of council to talk with about process. There’s the City Manager.

We have operators standing by, but you’ve got to pick up the phone…and not dial long distance.

It’s not that there can’t be outside sources and advisors. There can and should be. New ideas and solutions come from cross-pollination. But it shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.

Instead of talking with other councilors or staff, here’s what the mayor did do; she wrote a memo to Council and the Budget Committee and then published an op/ed. As the Mayor of Manzanita.

A few minutes into the Budget Committee’s special meeting it was clear that the Mayor was concerned. Except that none of her concerns really had to do with the budget for ’23/24, they had to do with policy, which is Council’s deal not the Budget Committee’s.

She commented a couple of times that the Budget Committee should “push” Council, like they’re adversaries and not colleagues working toward the benefit of the city as a whole.

Council and members of the Budget Committee said that some of her ideas were worth pursuing but she clearly had no idea how the process of implementing policy works…like you have to talk with your colleagues and sometimes actually meet up with them. We need new ideas and solutions for old problems but you have to work within the rules to accomplish them. Otherwise nothing will get done no matter how good your ideas are.

In the statement the Council President made at the end of the meeting, she said that the Mayor hadn’t met or talked with any of the councilors, unless she had to in required meetings. For months.

Equally troubling is that when the Mayor and Council President last had an agreed upon meeting to hear a presentation by the Mayor’s husband, the Mayor wasn’t there. Only her husband and one of her advisors were.

The Mayor’s husband and the advisor weren’t elected to office. The Mayor’s husband and advisor can’t implement policy with council. The Mayor can do that, if she works with members of council but apparently she doesn’t and hasn’t for the months she’s been in office.

The Mayor acknowledged that it has been a “bumpy start.” She said that the way things are now isn’t good for the city, the council or her and that she’s been saying so since February. Then why didn’t she respond to offers to meet and talk? Why didn’t she pick up the phone? February was five months ago.

The rest of council play well together. I know all four of them. They don’t always agree about everything but they work together. They talk. The mayor says she wants to be a “fixer of problems,” but six months into her term she’s isolated herself from the only people who can help her do that.

Remember that game, the Farmer in the Dell? At the end, it’s the cheese standing alone.

In my last op/ed for the Pioneer I wrote that ‘all will be revealed’. That wasn’t a threat or some political strategy, just a true fact. It’s been my experience that whenever you try to hide something, you are always revealed. What you won’t own, will own you instead. Whatever your secret is, it’s coming for you.

Instant karma, John Lennon called it. I love that guy.

Kim Rosenberg loretta.kim.rosenberg@gmail.com

Link to Friday June 2, 2023 Manzanita Budget Committee Meeting

https://youtu.be/R3WAO8vKQhI

Submitted By: rkinor@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

Mayor and City Council,

I had requested that this proposal be placed on the June Council Agenda on May 24th in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Council Meetings. At the time of my request, I was not aware that an action item to move ahead with Phase 2 of the City Hall decision would be on the Agenda. The City Manager denied the request based on her opinion that the request did not meet the approval criteria. That approval criteria in part considers whether the request would have “broad public interest”.

I would submit that the advantages of this option compared to what the City has proposed to date with its 30% design presentation and associated construction and debt financing costs would most certainly have broad public interest.

As you review the details of this option, it becomes readily apparent it exceeds several important categories that citizens would be interested in, including more office space (+569 sq. ft.), faster construction time, dedicated office space for an EVC command center in the PD and greater energy efficiency and operating costs through using the cost savings to install solar roof panels.
Using the City’s existing 30% construction design costs and proposed debt financing costs, it is possible to project approximate total project cost savings with this option without having to pay City consultants an additional $431,411 to get tighter figures. Depending on how much of the proposed site built construction project contingency is needed, total project cost savings could be between $1.5 and $2.2 million dollars.

I would remind you that the Manzanita Listens survey revealed that cost was the single most important consideration mentioned by citizens in the construction of a new City Hall facility. There is no question as the cost effectiveness of building modular for this project. The only question is how great will the cost savings be.

I would ask that the Council consider tabling the Phase 2 decision and schedule a workshop in the next 2-3 weeks in order that Mr. O’Brien can answer your and citizen questions on this option. Your actions on Wednesday will signal whether you agree that this option holds no public interest and is not worthy of a pause to consider. I would also suggest that not spending the time to investigate this option complicates the already politically challenging decision that you will have to soon make on submitting this matter to the voters or proceeding with a Full Faith and Credit loan.

As this is my public testimony on Agenda item B under Old Business, please make sure that it is included as part of the public record for the June 7th meeting.
Thank you,
Randy Kugler

Mayor Simmons and Council Members,

On behalf of Blazer Industries and Pacific Mobile Structures, I am presenting a new build City Hall option for your community to consider. This option will meet or exceed your goals of a City Hall that is durable, adaptable, functional, and efficient. It will be designed with an eye to your unique coastal conditions and highlight the value that your citizens place on environmental sustainability. most importantly, it will be built at a cost that citizens can be confident represents the most value for their investment.

What is Modular Construction?
Modular is a method of construction in which a building is built in pieces or “modules” at an offsite location, in a controlled environment and then delivered and assembled for completion on
site. Modular buildings follow the same building code as site-built structures and must be engineered by a licensed engineer and submitted, inspected, and approved by the State agency in
which the building will be located.

Who’s your Modular Team?
Blazer Industries is the largest commercial modular building manufacturer in the Pacific Northwest. We are a family-owned business located in Aumsville., Oregon and have completed over 19,000 projects during the 43 years we have been in operation. Pacific Mobile Structures has been a PNW family-owned business for 40 years. We are the largest regional dealer for mobile-modular space. Our Modular Construction process allows Pacific Mobile to standout of the competition with our turnkey approach to taking care of our customers. Pacific Mobile has the KCDA Contract for Mobile Modular Space which allows State and City Municipalities to purchase through a competitively bided contract.

What are the Advantages of Modular Construction versus Site Built Construction?
Shorter Construction Schedules. Factory construction happens simultaneously with site prep and foundation work. Get your City Hall 30-50% faster than site built.

Top notch materials built to Code. Modular buildings use the same architect specified materials and are required to meet or exceed the same building codes as site-built structures.

Less material wastes. Building in a factory-controlled environment better manages inventory cost.

Better quality control. In house design and production help designers, engineers, and builders head off problems early. Construction takes place in a factory-controlled environment where building materials and construction are protected from changing weather conditions.

Less site disruption. Shorter construction time decreases construction traffic and noise for surrounding neighborhoods.

Cost
Because of all of the advantages of using modular construction for a public facility, the City can use the substantial project savings for other needed community projects.

Why Have a Separate City Hall and Police Building?
It is quite common to have separate Police facilities outside of a City Hall in Oregon and there are several practical reasons for this. Each Police Department are mandated to provide for a secure Law Enforcement Data (LEDS) terminal that can only be accessible to certified individuals. Most City Hall employees have no reason for access to LEDS and are therefore not certified. A separate building affords greater security for required evidence storage involving
police seizures of items to be submitted in Court cases. A Police Department also needs a secure armory for storage of weapons and ammunition that is only accessible to certified personnel.
Should a single building for both City Hall and Police be desired, this can be done and will most likely result in less project cost.

Warranty of Our Buildings
Attached is our building warranty which is an industry leading 2-year limited warranty on all our buildings.

Upgrades Included in Our Proposal
Timbered entry canopies, natural river rock wainscot on all sides of the current building designs to give the coastal look. Upgraded 26 gauge standing seam metal roofing on all buildings.

Energy Efficient Operation of Your Buildings
Our buildings are required to meet Oregon’s energy code requirements for insulation, equipment, lighting, and windows.

Solar Capability
Our factory will include a Stub up and down with ¾ in. conduit from the panel for future Solar panels.

Included in this proposal are the KCDA price proposals, building plans and elevations, flooring in-fill plans, building specifications on what we are including and our scope of work form showing the responsibilities of Pacific Mobile and the City of Manzanita. Once we receive the civil drawings, we can then give you an estimate on the sitework potion of your project.

In conclusion, Pacific Mobile Structures and Blazer Industries are prepared to deliver your new City Hall and Police facilities which will meet or exceed all current Code requirements required of site-built construction. Our proposal will provide the City with more space at less total project cost including less financing debt. Also, our construction timeline allows employees and citizens to make use of their new facilities months earlier than a site-built project saving rental costs on meeting facilities and allowing the City to focus on other community priorities.
Sincerely,
Mike O’Brien
VP of Sales

Submitted By: andynorris21@yahoo.com – Click to email about this post

Wokeism (fascistic authoritarian communism) is the number one means of psychological control the billionaire-instigator war-makers are using to engineer World War Three and the mass-murder of Russians and Ukrainians.

The billionaire-instigators have realized that wokeism is the way to get ‘progressives’ to support their billion-dollar taxpayer-funded mass-murder campaigns.

And it works!

There was a very good reason I referred to the Biden Admin as ‘Biden’s Rainbow Coalition of Death’ in a previous post. And it isn’t funny.

Jimmy Done knows this, but he IS funny. What Max says at minute 08:00 is the point I am trying to make here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6V423kHeno

P.S. I have a new quote, I changed it a bit from the old Ruskie quote: “Wokeism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”.

Not that you asked, but I define woke folks as: “Southern Baptists who have replaced Jesus with Political Correctness and Satan with Logic and Reason.”

The Intel folks gave woke folks the ring, and being highly irrational and emotion-driven people, they can’t handle the ring, and the billionaire war-makers are exploiting that fact.

Woke war!!!!! How far down the rabbit hole we gonna go people? As I write Ukrainians and Russians are dying en masse because of US. ‘Us’ being America and NATO and everyone who is silent about this atrocity.

Submitted By: haddanvera@gmail.com – Click to email about this post

Zoom Writers’ Group
Established writers’ group. Seat open to new member. Meet via Zoom. First and third Tuesday. Read and critique three pages. Practice writers’ art and craft. Support and encourage fellow writers.
Contact Sue Jelineo srjelineo@gmail.com