Friday, January 3, 2025 | Vol. 49, Issue 1
www.cannonbeachgazette.com
Cannon Beach year in review
2024 was another year packed with community events in Cannon Beach, from the Stormy Weather Arts Festival and Sandcastle Contest to new galleries and businesses opening. The city’s leaders also entered the home stretch on preparations for a new city hall and police department, while voters advised council they did not support a proposal put forth to renovate the old Cannon Beach Elementary School building. City council voted to move forward with the elementary school rejuvenation project at a January 16 meeting, while asking for the project’s landscaping to be modified to reduce costs. The decision came following extensive public feedback at the meeting and another on January 9, revealed that feelings about the project remained mixed as many remained concerned about the project’s $12 million budget. In February, the House of Orange Gallery run by Ginger Gordon-Brownlow and Greg Scott Brownlow took over the space formerly occupied by Miska Studio Gallery at the corner of Sunset and Washington. The House of Orange connects contemporary collectors to unique abstract and representational art. The gallery continues to represent notable Pacific Northwest artists including former owner Miska Salesman, Carol Ross and sculptor Phil Seder. Co-owner Scott Brownlow offers periodic workshops in illustration, watercolor and color theory. On March 26, a water line break in north Cannon Beach caused a two-day boil water
advisory. David Brady, fondly known as “UPS Dave”, announced his retirement in early April and celebrated with a well-attended retirement party in June. Brady worked at UPS for 24 years while typically working 12-hours days. After commuting from Long Beach, Washington, he arrived at the UPS center in Warrenton to pick up his truck before continuing to Cannon Beach. Cannon Beach Art Galleries presented their annual Spring Unveiling Arts Festival May 3 through May 5. The latest works by some of the top artists from the Pacific Northwest were presented. Events included special exhibits, guest artists, art demos and gallery receptions. Cannon Beach’s city council approved a $33.35 million bond issue to support the construction of a new police station and city hall, and the renovation of Cannon Beach Elementary School at their meeting on April 16. The new bond issue will support the city hall and police station projects in full, while the Necus Park project at the elementary school had already been partially funded by a $4.6 million bond issue in 2022. Funding for a new city hall, to be constructed in downtown Cannon Beach on the site of the existing city hall, will account for the largest portion of the bond, receiving $15.3 million. A new police station that will be built at the south end of the city off Highway 101 will be allocated $10.25 million of the funding. The remaining $7.8
Above: A herd of Elk lounged on the beach in June, enjoying the sunny weather. Photo by Bob Coussens Right: The 60th annual Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest took place on June 15. Photos by Deb Atiyeh
million from the bond was intended to go towards the renovation of the disused Cannon Beach Elementary School into a cultural center focused on promoting the culture of the Clatsop-Nehalem tribe, See REVIEW, Page A2
Tillamook County commissioners award Council selects new contractor $1.7 million to NCRD for pool project for city hall, police station; discusses elementary project WILL CHAPPELL Gazette Editor
Tillamook’s Board of County Commissioners voted to award $1.7 million of transient lodging tax funding to the North County Recreation District on December 4, to aid in the completion of the district’s new pool facility. After multiple discussions with the district’s leadership in recent months, Commissioners Mary Faith Bell and Erin Skaar voted in favor of the grant, citing the project’s community support, large existing financial support and in-process status. Commissioner Doug Olson voted nay saying that while he would support a smaller award, the lack of decisionmaking process made him uncomfortable with the number approved. North County Recreation District (NCRD) Board Chair Michael Howes and interim Executive Director Barbara McCann first reached out to commissioners in October and attended several work sessions with the commissioners in October and November to discuss the possibility of county funding for the pool project. The project, which will replace the North County Recreation District’s (NCRD) nearly century old pool in Nehalem, has received more than $16 million in support from numerous donors in the community as well as through a bond approved by district voters in 2020.
WILL CHAPPELL Gazette Editor
However, cost escalations due to inflation have driven the project’s budget well over its initial estimate, leaving the district facing a $2.5 million gap to complete the pool facility with the installation of equipment, commission the new facility and decommission the old facility. Construction crews are expected to complete the second phase of the project by January 15, at which point the facility’s interior will be finished. The next phase of the project, which will see the installation of pool equipment, will cost an estimated $1.7 million, is planned to begin in February and be complete by April, putting the facility on track
for a June opening. However, the district has exhausted its previously secured funding and faced the prospect of demobilizing construction, which would have led to further cost escalations, if they could not show proof of funds to pay for the next phase by midDecember. With the county sitting on a $3 million surplus in funds from the tourist-supported transient lodging tax (TLT), Howes and McCann reached out to the board to request the county’s support, kicking off a series of meetings. In the last meeting between the board and NCRD leadership on November 6, Skaar and Olson both voiced concerns about the award
potentially being unequitable to other projects in the county, owing to the lack of process entailed by the district’s ad hoc request for a donation. Olson suggested that the county award $1 million to the project, in the form of a $500,000 lump sum and five $100,000 annual payments, while Skaar mentioned a $1.5-million grant with the same format. Bell concurred with the formatting of the donation but said she would support funding the project’s balance, citing past instances of the county making large TLT awards without a formal process, such as the $2.5-million purchase See NCRD POOL, Page A6
Following a parting of ways with the contractor originally hired to lead the construction of a new city hall and police station, Cannon Beach City Council selected P and C Construction to fill the role on December 17. The council also discussed the future of the proposed Cannon Beach Elementary rejuvenation project after citizens voiced their opposition to proposed plans in a November advisory vote. Councilors expressed some confusion over their legal obligations following the vote and agreed that they would discuss it further at their council retreat in January when the city’s attorney will be present. The meeting started with a discussion of the selection of a replacement construction manager, general contractor (CMGC) to manage the construction of the city’s new city hall and police station. The two projects have a combined budget of $25.78 million, which is being financed through an increase to the city’s transient lodging tax in
2023. The police station will be built at the south end of the city on Highway 101, while the new city hall will be constructed at the same location as the current facility on Gower Street. Cannon Beach City Manager Bruce St. Denis told council that the city had parted ways with the original CMGC, without going into further detail, and said that a search committee comprised of staff and citizens had led the search for a replacement firm. The search committee received eight proposals and granted five interviews, eventually leading them to recommend hiring P and C Construction out of Portland. Currently, the project’s design phase has been completed, and P and C’s first order of business will be to review those plans and analyze their feasibility for construction. Once the firm has confirmed that the plans are feasible, it will need to provide the city with a guaranteed maximum price for the project and lead the bidding process with subcontractors, beSee CONTRACTOR, Page A5