Mooks Beat Seagulls
Area Pumpkin Patches
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Headlight Herald
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2022
TILLAMOOK, OREGON • WWW.TILLAMOOKHEADLIGHTHERALD.COM
VOL. 134, NO. 40 • $1.50
Commissioners tackle lengthy agenda T
Will Chappell Staff Writer
he Tillamook County Board of Commissioners met this Wednesday morning and addressed a lengthy agenda in a long session. After Nan Devlin, Executive Director of the Tillamook Coast Visitors Association, delivered the group’s annual report, the Board’s first order of business was naming October “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” in Tillamook. Tides of Change will be leading efforts during the month. They are encouraging local businesses and residents to install purple light bulbs on the exteriors of buildings in an initiative dubbed, “Shine a Light
for Survivors.” The group will also be hosting a public educational and fundraising event on Thursday, October 20. The rest of the agenda dealt with various matters, all of which were passed by unanimous consent. Four items required fiscal outlays, with the largest coming in the approval of $1.5 million in funding for the first phase of the parking and facilities redevelopment project at Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City. The project had already been approved with a total budget of $4.2 million, with funding from a combination of the transient lodging tax and parking fees. $875,000 of the project’s budget has already been secured. Rachel Hagerty, the Board’s Chief
of Staff, said there is a chance the new parking lot can be completed by the beginning of next summer with the release of funds. If that does not prove possible a new vault toilet will be installed, with the parking lot project being postponed until next fall. The Board approved a contract for just under $67,000, which will use funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to purchase new equipment to enhance data security for the county. The Board also approved $45,000 for the County’s Health and Human Services department to extend their contract with the Center for Health and Well Being, LLC for another year.
Health and Human Services Director Marlene Putnam told the board that her department had been working with the contractor for eighteen months and that they help to facilitate patient referrals and with other bureaucratic and administrative tasks. Commissioners also approved a request by County Counsel, Bill Sargent, to hire attorney Daniel H. Kearns for consultation on potential regulations for short term and vacation rentals. The attorney will be paid $250 an hour for his work. In non-financial decisions, the board approved the Housing Commission’s request to apply for a private grant to address the lack of affordable housing in the county.
The grant, issued by the Weyerhauser Giving Fund, is targeted at rural timberland counties in Oregon, with its first priority being affordable housing. The Housing Commission is applying for a grant of $750,000. Commissioners also gave approval to Community Development Director Sarah Absher to begin investigating potential regulations for Psilocybin production, processing and distribution in the county, pending voter approval of the industry in November’s elections. The Commissioners expressed concern at the Oregon Health Authority’s lack of guidelines for the industry with the looming legalization on January 1, 2023, quickly approving Absher’s request.
AAUW, Herald to host forum T
The Nestucca K8 building has received two awards for their $26 million dollar building expansion project.
Nestucca K8 building expansion wins awards N
Chelsea Yarnell Guest Writer
estucca K8 Building is not only a place for education, but a gathering point for the community in case of emergencies. Back in 2016, Nestucca Valley School District began conceptualizing the renovation and expansion of the original 1950s era building. “Going through the planning system,” Nestucca Valley School District Superintendent Misty Wharton said, “the whole community was concerned about the emergency preparedness of a facility to go if there’s a tsunami. Using bond funds, state grants, and seismic
retrofit grants, the school district actively began the nearly $26 million construction project in 2019 and completed in 2021. The expansion and renovation added 45,500 square feet to the existing building, additional classrooms, a double gymnasium, back-up generators for power, and a 60,000-gallon underground water storage for firefighter usage. For the project, the Nestucca Valley School District and their general contractor, O Brien & Company, have received the Daily Journal of Commerce Primary Education-Small First Place Award. “Of the 290 projects that were nominated, ours was selected,” Wharton said. “It’s the first time that this award has been given out of the
I-5 corridor. We have become the protype for rural schools in Oregon and Washington because of all the self-sufficient aspects.” The project was also awarded the Trimble Viewpoint “Most Outstanding Project”. Viewpoint is a Trimble company that is a best-in-class nationwide construction industry project management software platform utilized by many of the ENR top 500 firms. “The Board of Directors and staff thanks our community for their support in this long, successful process of updating facilities for our kids in the community,” Wharton said. “We now see it being used the way that it was designed to be used.”
NKN School Dist hires 23 new staff over summer New husband & wife team join administration
T
Will Chappell Staff Writer
he Neah-Kah-Nie School District filled all of its openings for teachers and administrators during a productive spring and summer hiring season. The group of new hires moved to the coast from as far afield as Nebraska and Mexico City, and were lured by signing bonuses and moving stipends. The district hired 23 new staff this summer, both licensed and non-licensed. Husband and wife, Ryan and Ericka Keefauver, both accepted administrative positions with the district and moved from Western Oregon. Ericka is the Special Student Services Director for the district based out of Garibaldi Elementary School. Ryan is the
Associate Principal and Athletic Director at NeahKah-Nie High School. “The job of an administrator is removing Ericka Keefauver barriers from teachers so they can do the important, important job of educating students,” Ericka said. In her new position, she helps teachers connect students with appropriate, Federal, State and community resources to address their needs. In his dual roles as Associate Principal and Athletic Director at the High School, Ryan oversees athletics and other student extracurricular activities, while sharing other administrative duties with Principal Heidi Buckmaster. Mr. Keefauver said that his strengths include improving ef-
ficiency of communications and “adapting systems to fit our school’s staff and students specific needs.” The KeefauRyan Keefauver vers bring more than four decades of combined experience in education to the district. Both began their careers as teachers before earning Masters Degrees and transitioning to administrative roles. Ericka and Ryan were thrilled at the opportunity to move to the Neah-Kah-NIe School District when the positions became available. “I moved to the most beautiful place in the world,” said Ericka, who went on to say that the family had been vacationing on the coast for more than a decade and the couple had planned to retire to the
area. The Keefauvers have two daughters in the district, in the sixth and tenth grades. Ericka enjoys reading with an ocean view, while Ryan is passionate about sports, spending much of his free time cheering on the Pirates and his beloved Buffalo Bills. In addition to the Keefauvers, the district was able to fill all of its teaching and administrative positions by retaining staff while making an aggressive hiring push. “School administrators actively recruited new staff at recruitment fairs, through advertising and word of mouth,” said Superintendent Paul Erlebach. The district filled previously vacant positions at the High School in Spanish, math and business, and hired new teachers for other openings at the Middle and Elementary Schools. “New hires, if permitted, will enhance the educational experience for students and staff with their infusion of successful ideas, ex-
n See NKN, Page A3
he American Association of University Women – Tillamook, in partnership with the Tillamook Headlight Herald, is hosting a Candidates Forum for the State Senate District 16 and State Representative District 32 races. All four candidates will be present: Representative Suzanne Weber and Melissa Busch (Senate race) and Logan Laity and Cyrus Javadi (Representative race). The forum will be held on Thursday, October 20, starting at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9618460049 ?pwd=S3FDT1lBdlhFcHdvVlNNQWV WSGVMQT09 Questions can be submitted via email (in advance) to lisaphipps08@gmail. com or can be submitted during the forum in the chat box. Questions will be read by the moderator. This is an exciting opportunity to meet the candidates who may play a valuable role in ensuring the success of our county. This is a chance to hear directly from the candidates about their vision, experience, and goals and how they will help Tillamook County.
HPAI found in two Tillamook County backyard flocks O
n Sept. 28, the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) confirmed two cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in neighboring non-commercial flocks in Tillamook County. These are the first confirmed cases of HPAI in Tillamook County. Other Oregon counties with confirmed cases of HPAI in 2022 include Coos, Deschutes, Lane, Linn, and Polk Counties. The two Tillamook County flocks consist of approximately 60 chickens and ducks. The flock owners did not sell eggs or other poultry products therefore federal guidelines do not require a quarantine. ODA in partnership with USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, humanely euthanized the flocks on the property to prevent the spread of the disease. The birds will not enter the food system. There is no immediate public concern due to the avian influenza virus detection. Avian influenza does not affect poultry meat or egg products, which remain safe to eat. Both wild and domestic poultry should be adequately prepared and cooked. ODA advises commercial poultry and backyard flock owners to be vigilant with biosecurity measures and surveillance. Preventing any contact between wild birds and domestic flocks is the best way to protect domestic birds from HPAI. Death or illness among domestic birds should be reported to ODA. Please report by calling 503-986-4711 (Alt phone 1-800-347-7028).