The cost of putting out the trash, flushing toilets, watering gardens, including property taxes, are going up in Waldport effective July 1st. Fortunately all by small amounts. Ninety cents a month higher for trash pick-up by Dahl Disposal. A 4% hike in sewer/water, and a three percent increase in property taxes as allowed by law based on property valuation increases. Waldport’s 2011-12 fiscal year budget weighs in at just under five million dollars, but that also include capital projects, mainly in sewer and water. City Manager Nancy Leonard will receive a 1% pay increase, while other city employees will receive the raise that was negotiated last year and adopted by the city council. The employees are in the middle of their current contract run.
The council was approached by South Lincoln Resources (SLR) for financial assistance. SLR distributes food, clothing, household items and emergency supplies for disasters throughout the south county area. They asked the city council to provide them with an annual grant of $5,000 to help them acquire a permanent location for their operations. They said their current location, in the Keaty Building, which also houses the Adventist Church, no longer meets their needs. They added that they’re eyeing a building in the city’s industrial park off Crestline Drive for purchase and would require some financial help in doing that.
City Councilors lauded the group’s work but said that the city has no policy for assisting non-profit groups. The council acknowledged that SLR does much valuable work in the community, like many other groups, which produce savings for city government that might otherwise have to help to provide them. The council decided that they would forego any financial assistance to SCR at this time but invited them back to help the council talk about developing city policies that might address how, why and for whom the city might consider establishing a line item in the budget for annual donations to worthy non-profits. It’s common practice for cities and counties to set aside a small part of the city or county budget for such services that literally save the taxpayers money by providing social and emergency services at much lower cost than if local governments provided them.
The council again discussed the adequacy of the town’s tsunami alert sirens. It was noted that although all three of Waldport’s tsunami sirens still work, they’re getting to be very old and maintenance costs are rising. Councilors acknowledged that the sirens should be replaced as soon as practical but they don’t want to do it before they find out first about a couple of things. There is talk in Salem about the state buying new sirens for coastal communities, as has been done in Washington and California. Secondly, the council wants an updated siren warning contour for Waldport, to determine which are the best locations for tsunami sirens as well as their loudness and directivity so that they optimally serve the Waldport area. Although two contour studies have already been done, the council wants one created that isn’t done by a siren company, as was the case in the most recent survey. They want a third party that doesn’t sell sirens to provide the information. Tsunami sirens are no small potatos. They run $20-$35,000 EACH.
Lester Hall, Parade Grand Marshall
At the end of the meeting City Manager Nancy Leonard reminded everyone that next weekend is Waldport’s 55th Beachcomber Days and Centennial with a parade down Highway 101 and lots of fun events. The celebration runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 17, 18, and 19th. Friday events include live music at several venues and a bonfire behind the interpretive center on the beach. Saturday is chock full of events and fun including the Beachcomber Days Parade with a them of “Back to Our Roots.” The parade’s Grand Marshall Les Hall, who turned 100 years old this year and has lived most of those 100 years in Waldport. He’s well known for his trademark statement, “I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else!”
Saturday is when the whole town turns out to sing happy birthday to itself, it’s own 100th birthday. There are waaaay too many events and fun things to mention here over the Beachcomber Days weekend. So here’s the full list of what’s going’s on: Click here.
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