Candidates for County Commissioner representing District 2

Local News

Carrie Bartoldus May 14, 2008

Candidates for County Commissioner representing District 2 are incumbent Patricia Roberts, and two endorsed by the Democratic Party, Jim Scheller and Kelly Stearn. All three are using the internet, to differing degrees, to get their message out to voters.

Roberts is using the internet with a blog, posting her views and answering questions at Roberts for Clatsop. During Roberts time on the Clatsop County Board of County Commissioners the Board has received three consecutive “perfect audits” for last three years. The auditor found all the county’s financial records for the fiscal year to be in perfect order. Typically, auditors find errors or areas needing improvement and issue what is called a “qualified” opinion, meaning the auditor considers the records to be in order but for those cited areas. Also, during Roberts time on the Board, the Board conducted a Long-Term Financial Plan study to identify financial challenges and opportunities to improve the County’s financial management leading to performance measures being implemented. States and counties with large budgets use performance based budgeting for transparency in government and to ask ““where do we want to go, and what is the most effective and fiscally responsible way to get there?” Clatsop County is one of the first of the smaller counties to implement it. Now, other counties are turning to Clatsop County for guidance and to share its experiences with the performance based budgeting process. Most recently Central Services Director Mike Robison and Assistant County Manager Nicole Williams traveled to St. Helens to give a presentation.

The Board Roberts was a part of reevaluated the role of the County’s Public Works Department in the community, implementing changes to improve public perception and satisfaction with Public Works services. It also acted on the completed NIC study of the Clatsop County criminal justice system implementing recommendations related to staffing the Public Safety Coordinating Council causing it to function more effectively. She currently serves on the Public Safety Coordinating Council and chaired it last year. During her time on the Board DeLaura Beach was made a Clatsop County Park and sold to the State of Oregon, after ensuring that it would remain open to all who presently use it, including equestrian groups despite some fears that the state didn’t allow certain activity near wetlands. Making it a County Park first ensured that the money obtained from the sale would remain in the parks fund to maintain the remaining county parks.

In addition to sitting on the Board of County Commissioners, currently Roberts sits on the Association of Oregon Counties Executive Committee at large, is the Clatsop County representative to the Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee, Board member of Destination the Pacific, Public Safety Coordinating Council, Northwest Oregon Housing Authority, and Clatsop County Housing Authority. In the past Roberts has worked with American Institute of Architects as an associate member of both National and Portland chapters, with an interest in historic resources; the Clatsop County Historical Society Board of Directors and Officer; Chair of the Gearhart Landmarks Commission; Member of the National Trust Historic Preservation; Seaside Museum and Historical Society; the Lower Columbia Preservation Society and the Gearhart Heritage Committee.

Jim Scheller is using the internet via a website as well as You Tube. You can also listen to an MP3 clip of Scheller’s speech to the Democratic Party. Scheller, as a member of the Oregon Association of Nurse Anesthetists, served on the state board. In 1993 Scheller was elected as a write in candidate to the North Coast Watershed Association and the Warrenton Trails Association. In 2006-2007 he served on the ODOT Regional Refinement Plan.

Scheller was been a witness for the National Environmental Law Center’s lawsuit against Pacific Seafood Group in Warrenton, Oregon, advocating for the Skipanon River against Pacific Seafood’s discharge of surimi wastewater. He serves as chair for the Skipanon Watershed Council and Northcoast Watershed Association and as president of the Skipanon Water Control District. Scheller has gained an extensive knowledge of the ecology of the Skipanon River through his many years of kayaking, canoeing and sailing on the river. As part of the Skipanon Watershed Council he supports and follows the Oregon Plan instituted by then-Gov. Kitzhaber to address the proposed coho listing. Scheller states, “I have years of experience working cooperatively with a board of directors for the North Coast Watershed Assn, that includes members from Weyerhaeuser, Hampton Industries, State Dept of Forestry,The North Coast Land Conservancy,CREST, and the Watershed Councils in this county.
Together we have planned and constructed millions of $$$ worth of salmon & habitat restoration projects utilizing local contractors.”

Kelly Stearns has a website to spread her message at Kelly Stearns for County Commissioner. You can also listen to an MP3 clip of Stearn’s speach to the Democratic Party.

Stearns has admitted she has the least amount of government experience but doesn’t see this as a detriment. Stearns says, “I am the “Underfunded Underdog” of the race. I own no large tracks of land to develop nor do I own a large business.” She goes on to state, “I will take into consideration the effect of county decisions on the silent majority of Clastop county citizens who work for a living or have a modest retirement, own or rent their homes and want to keep our County a nice, healthy, friendly place to live. My family and I moved to the area for the quality of life, the clean air and the unspoiled natural spaces. I hope our county can maintain its’ charm and natural space while allowing smart growth that will benefit the County, our small businesses and our local economy. I tossed my hat into the ring to give the voters a fresh choice in County leadership. Our County government representatives should be open and honest with their positions on the issues affecting our county, therefore I am listing my views here for all to see. I hope to be a voice for the underrepresented and silent majority.

I support affordable health care and child care, affordable housing, increased assistance to seniors, improved emergency management and communication and a greater support for our County animal shelter. I further support the sale of the Delaura Beach property to the state to benefit the citizens of Clatsop County for generations to come.

I believe in the principals of smart growth and think future development should follow the County Master Plan. If additional development is needed, the Master Plan should be reviewed and altered, rather than granting variances to powerful interests for harmful projects that conflict with the County’s best interests.

I am against placing an LNG facility in the region. I believe LNG will ruin our tourist economy, our pristine landscape and our natural resources. LNG will cause a devaluation in Clatsop County real estate. LNG is a transient technology that will cause permanent and major disruption to the Columbia for short term corporate gain. I am willing to put in the effort and be part of our local governmental process to serve our growing community.

More of Stearns platform was stated here than the other two’s because the other two can more easily be researched by the reader with several links and google.

37 Comments

On May 15, 11:08 AM, Mary Ann Jergensen wrote:

On Scheller’s site he says, “In this process, trust and diplomacy are paramount. I will work to reestablish trust with the citizens of this county in an open and transparent process. I have and will continue to reach out to people because I truly believe in what I call the BIG OPEN TENT approach to governance.”

I am pleased to see that he recognizes that he has lost many of our trust as well as our jobs with his actions and behavior. To reestablish this trust I am interested in knowing if he is going to acknowledge that he unjustly accused people of stealing campaign material from someone’s car? In an open process will he acknowledge how he came to that conclusion in the first place and what happened to make him change his mind? Will he acknowledge what sort of “help” and/or endorsement Roger Rocka has been to him and what his ties are to Marc Auerbach and Dave Ambrose?

On May 15, 12:54 PM, Earth Angel wrote:

Scheller and Ambrose have ties. C’mon Mary Ann fill us in please

On May 15, 2:21 PM, Chris wrote:

In addition to Mr Scheller’s poor judgement, (Mary Ann’s above restatement of Scheller’s bazaar behavior of a couple weeks ago) and dishonesty, he has not attended past County Commission meetings, and was woefully ignorant of their budgeting process during a recent candidates’ forum. The “vision” he claims in his signs is that of a narrow-minded environmentalist with no intention of seeking to cooperate with fellow commissioners, constituents or with anyone who does not share his (& Rocka’s) single-issue agenda. It’s their way or no way with these lefty candidates. My comments are open, honest and transparent facts, and I am sure that it is not what Mr. Scheller nor his mentors want to hear. Truth is the furthest thing from their ideological agenda.

On May 15, 4:35 PM, scott wrote:

“Bazaar behavior”, Chris? At a mall or farmers market? What bazaar are you talking about?

It’s really odd - almost bizarre, really - that we didn’t hear anything about some behavior that occurred at a marketplace.

Please, oh please, tell us more about woeful ignorance. I’m anxious to hear about it from an expert.

On May 15, 5:22 PM, Mary Ann wrote:

I have been to hear two of Mr. Scheller’s speeches and at both of them he says a whole lot of nothing. Ms. Stearn does the same thing. While I don’t agree with everything Roberts has done I can see that she hasn’t done anything that Scheller incinuates she’s done. He says that he will be the best LNG watchdog money CAN’T BUY as if there have been some locally that have been bought. The insinuation that local officials have been bought off without any proof rankles me. Also, Scheller lost people jobs with his lawsuit against Pacific Seafood. He has his passions which are fine for individuals but he did nothing to help those displaced people. All he said was, “Tough! Pacific should have thought about that!” What about the people who lost jobs??? His cavalier attitude towards people versus trees or his enjoyment of the water is what is frightening to me. Same goes for Auerbach (who also belongs to Warrenton Trails and hates LNG but uses propane which is more dangerous than LNG, it is more flammable and is trucked in in more fragile containers and there have been more accidents with propane than with LNG). Also, he worked on Clatsop Water & Soil Conservation w/Ambrose who the Rocka crowd have threatened the current commissioners to appoint or they each will be facing recalls. TWO tree hugging, environmentalists who think we can all make our living off the four month long tourist trade and both good possibilities to be placed on the county board! What the hell do we do for the rest of the year? This is a real frightening prospect for the years ahead. It is people like Ambrose, Scheller, Stearns and Rocka who don’t understand that we need something (a lot of somethings) to carry the tax base or its all going to fall on us. When taxes go up for homeowners, it is going to go up for renters, too. Coupled with the rising cost of fuel (which means everything trucked in is going to go up in price), which also means heating prices are going to go up, these people tell us we don’t need LNG it can’t do anything for us??? It won’t heat our homes, cook our food, fuel our cars, and take on its share of the tax burden??? It won’t come here, at all? BS, if there is a demand for it, it will come here!!! I, for one, am tired of paying for the aged hippies dream of Nirvana or Utopia. It AINT here. Here is where we are working for a living if you give us a LIVING wage at one job. Not three jobs: basket weaving for the tourists, motel maid and a job at a new Wendys.

On May 15, 6:04 PM, taylor sands wrote:

It’s absolutely unbelievable that someone, Scheller, would even consider attempting to gather popular support in Clatsop County when what little he has done here is being anti-commercial fishing and seafood processing. He doesnt give a damn for our people and our economic well being. Screw him.

On May 15, 6:16 PM, Mary Ann wrote:

Reuter is a perfect example of arrogance, demeaning, and dehumanizing behavior that exudes from the FOG crowd. Never do the “rules” that they arbitrarily chose apply to themselves nor their crowd, only to the “others,” those they deem beneath them. “Beer swilling,” locals prone to cronyism.

No one is asking you any questions Reuter. You don’t live in district 2 it really doesn’t matter if you know about Scheller’s behavior or not. If Scheller really believes in an open process he can answer the question. If he believes that the WIDE OPEN TENT is only for OTHERS then that answers the question.

On May 15, 7:45 PM, Stink House wrote:

“Scheller has gained an extensive knowledge of the ecology of the Skipanon River through his many years of kayaking, canoeing and sailing on the river....”

What a pompous and pretentious load of crap!

On May 15, 8:12 PM, No Name (required) wrote:

Get a rope.

On May 16, 5:30 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:

All of Bartoldus’s alter-egos and concocted anonyms will not save Roberts from devastating defeat in this upcoming election.

Do any of you actually believe this purge of incumbents in Clatsop County Government is over?

Lee’s replacement will be pivotal in what transpires next.

On May 16, 8:19 AM, guest wrote:

If we could only purge McGee.

On May 16, 9:12 AM, Carrie wrote:

Patrick, all your lies prove is that a certain segment of the population will always be vulnerable to gossip.

On May 16, 10:59 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:

No Lies, merely observations Bartoldus.

On May 16, 11:14 AM, Beach Boy wrote:

Am I the only one who is tired of hearing from McGee? Why don’t we all respond to him. Let him know were sick of his foolish comments.

On May 16, 12:00 PM, Guest wrote:

His ego is puncture proof. He actually thinks his opinion matters when it actually turns people in the opposite direction. The reason he has to post here is because no one visits his sites because they are sick of his opinions.

On May 16, 12:44 PM, Luther Billis wrote:

Just ignore him.

On May 16, 12:58 PM, guest wrote:

Has anyone heard if his son is still in grave danger? Maybe Mcgee is so mean because his back is still hurting?

On May 16, 1:12 PM, Dr. Phil wrote:

It’s obvious that this person who calls himself McGee is suffering from mental illness. Whether the cause is organic or perhaps chemically induced isn’t known, but he does show the text book signs of paranoid schizophrenia. In his deluded mind he sees the writer Bartoldous as someone who is a threat and torments him and that is why he stalks her. If I were her I would be concerned for her personal safety as he displays extreme anti-social and stalking behavior.
He simply sees and hears things that don’t exist anywhere but in his own mind. He shouldnt be regarded as a bad or a mean person, he is simply a sick person who needs medical or phychiatric treatment. Someone should alert the proper authorities get this person to a state accredited mental health facility so he can recieve a formal evaluation.

On May 16, 1:54 PM, Lawrence wrote:

McGee used the expression cronyism. When the “Board of Commissioners” completes the appointment task will the riot police be standing by?
After reading about and listening to the interviews we have some really poor, uninformed and spoon-fed candidates. Comments they have made make the choice a very simple process.
The Daily “Ass” headlines and editorial have already been written and are ready to go.
CCFOG will release the next recall candidate.

On May 16, 2:08 PM, Politico Assassin wrote:

The job is done. It was a clean kill. Only one point of view printed. Any lingering thoughts of possibly Ace, are now forgotten history.

On May 16, 5:12 PM, Patrick McGee wrote:

“Am I the only one who is tired of hearing from McGee? Why don’t we all respond to him. Let him know were sick of his foolish comments.”

Poor Carrie.

And Tryan seems convinced this site is going to earn, through you, respect as a legitimate “Media Oultet”?

On May 16, 6:08 PM, g wrote:

Show me the love

On May 16, 6:15 PM, Country Boy wrote:

McGoogey
Best news in town

On May 16, 7:03 PM, Unregistered to vote wrote:

Thank-you, McGee. I for one accept the compliment.

“alter-ego” An intimate friend, considered another side of oneself: “He was my alter ego; we were always picking up each other’s thoughts.” Alter ego is Latin for “another I.”

“a second self, a trusted friend”

alter ego noun
1. a second self; a perfect substitute or deputy: His adviser acts as his alter ego during his absence.
2. an inseparable friend.

And, per norm, when an article is good McGee attacks the writer and not the content.

On May 16, 8:40 PM, Halley's Comment wrote:

And, per norm, when an article is good McGee attacks the writer and not the content.

Aint that the truth. This...this....this Patrick “Spammy” McGee, or whatever he’s calling himself today, is nothing but a noisey little nuisance. Just a delusional unhappy bitter little man over the fact that no one takes anything he says seriously. He’s just a kook who happily serves as a shill for the newcomers who hate the locals and their heritage.

On May 16, 8:54 PM, Beach Boy wrote:

Thank you all for all of your support. This McGee is very bothersome to us all. I don’t think he is smart enough to get the message. He is a Kook who has drunk the kool aid. I feel sorry for the poor man, what a life he must have.

On May 16, 9:15 PM, outside looking in wrote:

Trouble is, i bet this McGee is loving every minute of all your reactions. What I don’t understand is why the personal attacks on Carrie? What is the history here?

On May 17, 12:03 AM, Mary Ann wrote:

Stay on topic, please. An opportunity to discuss the candidates with more facts than I’ve seen anywhere else and a place to compare notes on them doesn’t seem to be anywhere else. Let’s not waste it on endless gossip on other people. Who cares and isn’t there another place for that?

Is Scheller going to explain himself or is OPEN government only for other people? I’ve got four more days to drop my ballot off. So far, its pretty blank. The only one who has my vote is Brownhill. I’m leaning towards Roberts because she is the only one that is actually doing something to try to improve the economy for those of us who have to work to feed our families as well as saving the ecology for the tree huggers who think that a dog should have as many rights as you or I have.

Kelly Stearn might be a good person, but she is too green and hasn’t lived here long enough. If the three years she has been here had been spent sitting on county commissions or committees she would have a chance but she hasn’t. She says she comes into this race as the underfunded underdog without big tracks of land and doesn’t own a big business. She works, and it sounds like she just bought a home in surf pines and has a real estate business. With the real estate market the way it is she is going to be scrambling for money for mortgage, and probably hoping developers deals go through so she has homes to sell. Conflict of interest there? Would be according to FOG. She really doesn’t sound like she has the time Roberts puts in.

Scheller is too much of a vanity case, imho.

Oh yeah, I read a blank is better than writing in someone, especially of the write in hasn’t a chance of winning. My vote for Sheriff? No one. Totally blank and it will remain blank. Blanks should beat out Bergin for sheriff.

On May 17, 6:24 AM, Beach Boy wrote:

Mary Ann, you make a lot of sense. I think you make a very valid case on the time and effort it takes to be on the commission. I do think Robert’s does have that time and she is very committed. Robert’s is working for all of us. I think she has earned our votes.
The same is true in the Johnson/Rohne race. Rohne is Dairy farmer from Brownsmead who is milking cows twice a day and trying to raise a young family. Do you think he is going to commit to all of the meeting and time it takes to do the job as a good county commissioner. Let alone the expense of the travel. The two big strikes on Rohne is that he is the choice of Sam Patrick and the Daily Astorian. The third strike is that he simply does not have the time or resources to do the job.

On May 17, 7:00 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:

“Stay on topic, please. An opportunity to discuss the candidates with more facts than I’ve seen anywhere else and a place to compare notes on them doesn’t seem to be anywhere else. Let’s not waste it on endless gossip on other people. Who cares and isn’t there another place for that?”

Now, that’s funny!!!!!!

On May 17, 9:59 AM, Country Boy wrote:

On May 16, 10:59 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:

“No Lies, merely observations Bartoldus.”

As seen by Patrick MisGuided only!

Now, that’s funny!!!!!!

Only too Patrick MisGuided who dreams of having this outstanding news bolg

On May 17, 11:32 AM, reader wrote:

This is a good site, so people banter back and forth, it gives you several sides to the remarks.
I don’t know what Mcgee trip is, it is his problem which he really should keep to himself, most of his comments are negative and ugly.
He has no business picking on a writer and ignoring the contents.
This is the man who hated the district attorney, now he can’t say enough good. I do not respect that man’s opinion and it looks like I’m not alone.
My advice Megee, is think before you speak, if that doesn’t work for you seek Dr. Phils advice.
Once again this is a awesome site, all the writers and writings are “good”

On May 19, 8:05 PM, Redline wrote:

Tain’t funny, Mcgee.

On May 20, 7:34 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:

“On May 19, 8:05 PM, Redline wrote:

Tain’t funny, Mcgee.”

You got that right.

On May 20, 10:51 AM, an observation wrote:

<i>On May 16, 5:30 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:

On May 16, 10:59 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:

On May 16, 5:12 PM, Patrick McGee wrote:

On May 17, 7:00 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:

On May 20, 7:34 AM, Patrick McGee wrote:<>

Nothing

On May 20, 9:21 PM, John Foster wrote:

Just curious, it seems obvious that Mr. Mcgee is writing back and forth to one, or at the most, two, different people who don’t put their real name and use aliases, but are clearly the same person. This is like a bad joke. Can anyone here ‘out’ the other person?

Just curious.

On May 20, 9:34 PM, Mary Ann wrote:

Actually, Mr. Foster, that is not true in the least.

I happen to know, for a fact, that I am no one else on this thread. I know for a fact Jon Dana is a real person, I know for a fact that I have met Country Boy and he is not Jon Dana. I know, for a fact, that Beach Boy is not Country Boy, nor Jon Dana, nor me.

I know I am not McGee nor John Foster. McGee might be John Foster.

Reader does not write like Registered to Vote, unregistered, Reader, Lawrence or Politico Assassin. Scott might be any of those except he doesn’t write as lucidly.

You, Mr. Foster, are rather a poor observer. You must be McGee.

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