STATEWIDE RESULTS

All Results Statewide                  Unofficial Election Results

View statistics by county     View county reporting status Registered Voters Ballots Cast Voter Turnout _________________ _________________ _________________ Special Election 414,499 169,055 40.79% _________________ _________________ _________________ Totals: 414,499 169,055 40.79%

Representative in Congress, 1st District View results by county Votes Percent _________________ _________________ James Foster 5,379 3.18% Rob Cornilles 66,000 39.07% Suzanne Bonamici 91,554 54.20% Steven Reynolds 5,624 3.33% Write-in Votes 367 0.22% _________________ _________________ Totals: 168,924 100%

FIRST UNOFFICIAL SUMMARY SPECIAL GENERAL ELECTION
JANUARY 31, 2012
CLATSOP COUNTY, OREGON
RUN DATE: 01/31/12 08:00 PM
VOTES PERCENT
PRECINCTS COUNTED (OF 33) . . . . . 33 100.00
REGISTERED VOTERS – TOTAL . . . . . 20,224
BALLOTS CAST – TOTAL. . . . . . . 6,401
VOTER TURNOUT – TOTAL . . . . . . 31.65
Representative in Congress, 1st District
Vote For 1
James Foster (LBT) . . . . . . . 194 3.04
Rob Cornilles (REP) . . . . . . . 2,340 36.62
Suzanne Bonamici (DEM) . . . . . . 3,586 56.12
Steven Reynolds (PRO) . . . . . . 245 3.83
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 25 .39
Over Votes . . . . . . . . . 6
Under Votes . . . . . . . . . 5

Statewide
Oregon Secretary of State Elections Division

Last Updated: 01/31/2012 9:02 PM

All Results Statewide Unofficial Election Results

View statistics by county View county reporting status

Registered Voters Ballots Cast Voter Turnout
_________________ _________________ _________________
Special Election 414,499 165,858 40.01%
_________________ _________________ _________________
Totals: 414,499 165,858 40.01%

Representative in Congress, 1st District
View results by county

Votes Percent
_________________ _________________
James Foster 5,285 3.19%
Rob Cornilles 64,725 39.05%
Suzanne Bonamici 89,896 54.24%
Steven Reynolds 5,473 3.30%
Write-in Votes 353 0.21%
_________________ _________________
Totals: 165,732 100%

The citizen committee assists in developing long-range plans for county parks, and formulating amendments to the recreation lands element of the county’s comprehensive land-use plan. The committee meets once a month.

The opening is for a term ending in February 2015. The county board of commissioners will make the appointment.

Applications must be turned in by March 1 to the County Manager’s Office to be considered for an appointment. Application forms are available from the office at 800 Exchange St., Suite 410, by calling (503) 325-1000 or online at www.co.clatsop.or.us

Helligso was last seen on foot, in the area of Northeast 21st Avenue and Clackamas Street. Detectives have said there is no foul play suspected in this case, and believe Helligso may try to get to the Hammond area where she may have friends or family.

Hailee Helligso is described as a white female, 18 years of age, who is 5’7″ tall and weighs 150 pounds. She has short, dark blonde hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a black and pink jacket, and blue jeans.

Anyone who knows of Hailee’s whereabouts is asked to immediately call 9-1-1. Anyone with additional information about this case is asked to contact Detective Mike Weinstein, at (503)823-0446.

Warrenton Police Chief Mathew Workman is asking for help in armed robbery investigation

Warrenton, OR – Warrenton Police report that on Friday, January 27th, at approximately 5:00pm a man, armed with a handgun, took cash from a customer in the Costco parking lot. The man then fled the scene in a vehicle. No one was injured.

The man was described as 6’00″ tall, medium build, dark hair, wearing a black zippered hoodie, black pants, white tennis shoes. The suspect covered his face with a white bandanna. The suspect’s vehicle was described as: white, 1990′s Hyundai, black steel wheels, with Oregon “tree” plates.

Officers from several agencies responded to the area but were unable to locate the suspect or the suspect vehicle. Warrenton Police Chief, Mathew Workman, is asking the public for help. If anyone in the Costco parking lot or the area of Costco around 5:00 pm on Friday saw anything suspicious, or have any information that could help in this investigation, they are asked to please contact the Warrenton Police Department at 503-861-2235, or send an email to policechief@ci.warrenton.or.us. Officer Len Mossman will be leading the investigation for the WPD.

Only two days remain for voters to turn in their ballots in 1st Congressional District race which includes Clatsop, Columbia, Washington, and Yamhill counties, southwest Portland, and part of Multnomah County.

Time is running out to return ballots for the Jan. 31st special election for the 1st Congressional seat left empty since Representative David Wu resigned following a sex scandal and concern by his staff over his erratic behavior.  The two candidates for the seat are Republican Rob Cornilles and Democrat Suzanne Bonamici.

According to the Clatop County Elections Office ballots for the election must be returned by 8 p.m. Tuesday in order to be counted. To ensure their ballots arrive on time the election office is advising  voters to bring completed ballots to one of the approved drop sites. Ballots placed in the mail before the deadline but not delivered until after will not be counted. Because all mail in Clatsop County must first go to Portland before being delivered it is doubtful that ballots mailed later than last Friday will arrive in time to be counted.

As of  Sunday, January 29th, 8,351 ballots have been returned from the 20,223 registered voters for 41.29%. In the November primary for this special election 49.56% of the eligible voters participated (only members of the Democrat and Republican parties were permitted to vote in that special election).

Clatsop County Demographics

According to the 2010 US census report,  there are 29,631 citizens over the age of 18 in Clatsop County.  Out of those citizens  the following break down is found:

• 8,805 are registered as Democrats
• 5,998 are registered as Republicans
• 4,465 are registered as Not Affiliated
• 1,139 are registered as belonging to to a combination of other parties*

This leaves 9,408 adult citizens as not being registered to vote, and ineligible to cast a ballot, by far the largest political demographic in Clatsop County.

Whichever candidate obtains the empty congressional seat a full 75% of the local population will not belong to the newly elected Representative’s political party. The winner will serve the remainder of Wu’s term, to the end of 2012, but will have to quickly turn around and run in the May primary and in November as well to win a full two-year term, 2013-2015. Both Cornilles and Bonamici have said they will run again for the full two-year term.

Funding

According to Politico, a super blog with more than 400 pundits from across the United States contributing articles and reports, “Bonamici raked in checks from 30 House Democrats totaling $91,500, according to her most recent report, which details all donations made from Oct. 20 to Jan. 11. Republican Rob Cornilles took in checks from 18 House Republicans totaling $40,500 during the same period.”

The report goes on to state that Bonamici has raised funds from top House Democrats including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a total of $10,000; House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, who contributed $4,000; and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Steve Israel, who sent a $5,000 check. The Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz also sent Bonamici $6,000. According to The Oregonian political writer, Jeff Mapes, the campaign arm of the House Democratic leadership blanketed the district with a $1.3 million advertising campaign attacking Cornilles.

The Republican side, according to Mapes, never tried to match the Democrat million dollar advertising campaign. Mapes wrote in his article that the Republicans in D.C. have started claiming a victory “of sorts” when this race caused the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee to spend “so much money” in Oregon on a supposedly “safe seat”. The Democrats have held the seat since 1975 when Les Aucoin won the seat after an Astoria home town boy, Wendell Wyatt, declined to run again.

Politico reports that Cornilles has received $7,000 from House Speaker John Boehner and $5,000 apiece from House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy and House GOP Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling. The National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions sent $7,000. Cornilles also received the support from other members, including $1,000 checks from Indiana Rep. Larry Bucshon, Minnesota Rep. John Kline and Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise.

Campaigns heat up

Suzanne Bonamici has focused her campaign ads on her championing to protect Social Security and negative campaign ads stating that Cornilles won’t protect seniors. Her stance is that by following the Democrat party-line of  supporting raising the cap on wages subject to the Social Security tax – now set at $106,800 – it will bring in more revenue to preserve the social security system. Bonamici says she won’t support the Wyden-Ryan Medicare plan because it “looks like privatization.” According to Bonamici, Democrats worry that younger, and healthier, recipients would opt for private plans, putting heavier financial pressure on seniors who remain in the traditional plan.  See Bonamici for Congress and the progressive political blog Blue Oregon for more information regarding Bonamici’s stance on issues and claims against her opponent.

Cornilles, on the other hand, has been eager to show his willingness to work across party lines. He praises the bipartisan Medicare plan released last month by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisc.  In a recent phone-in town hall he also said that he would like to give seniors more choice. A choice on which plan they want to manage their social security money, private or government, and how long they want to work before beginning to collect the money.

Cornilles’  negative ads have focused on Bonamici’s willingness to bend to the will of the Democrat Party on all matters, purporting that she helped to hide Wu’s behavior from voters during Wu’s last campaign for congress. Read more at Cornilles for Congress and the Oregon Catalyst for information on Cornilles’ stance on issues and claims against his opponent.

Completed ballots can also be dropped at the following sites by 8 p.m. on Election Day:

• Clatsop County Clerk’s Office, Public Services Building, 820 Exchange St., Astoria -or- 24-hour drop box in front of office.
• Cannon Beach City Hall, 163 Gower St., Cannon Beach
• Seaside City Hall, 989 Broadway, Seaside
• Warrenton City Hall, 225 S. Main Ave., Warrenton
• Knappa High School, 41535 Old Highway 30, Knappa
• Gearhart City Hall, 698 Pacific Way, Gearhart
• Mist-Birkenfeld Fire Hall, 12525 Oregon Highway 202
• Clatskanie Library, 11 Lillich St., Clatskanie

*Per Clatsop Co Election Office Participation Report May 2011

Related links/articles:

NorthCoaatOregon: Ballots Due For Special Primary Election

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71764.html#ixzz1kw7Q5acT
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71764.html#ixzz1kw6hJRwR

How candidates can influence voters

Randall Alloway, arrested for faailure to register as a sex offender, claimed he had a medical card for the marijuana found

Three suspects were arrested after their van was pulled over on Highway 26 on Tuesday to serve a search warrant that had been issued Monday, January 23rd, signed by a Clatsop County Circuit Court judge. The search warrant was signed by Judge Nelson pursuant to information received regarding two wanted subjects out of Tennessee.

Members of the Washington County SWAT team served the search warrant on an orange Dodge Van with Oregon license plates. The van was stopped on Highway 26 approximately 1 mile east of the Timber Junction. Located in the van were James Ray, Randall Alloway from Tennessee and Timothy Woolley, a resident from Elsie Oregon.

All subjects were removed from the van without incident and placed into handcuffs. James Ray was taken into custody on warrants out of Tennessee that were confirmed through dispatch. Randall Alloway was placed into custody for failure to register as a sex offender.

During the investigation Clatsop County Sheriff Deputy, Matt Armstrong, received information that Randall Alloway had been living at Timothy Woolley’s residence since before Thanksgiving and had not reported and changed his address.

Woolley was detained at the scene and placed in the back of a patrol vehicle. Deputy Hoover transported James Ray and Randall Alloway to the Clatsop County Jail. A vehicle search warrant was served on the van and  on the passenger side floor Deputy Armstrong located three bubble packaging envelopes that were sealed but not addressed to send.

Armstrong opened all three envelopes and found marijuana in sealed bags inside each envelope. The amount of marijuana of all three envelopes was more than an ounce. Inside the front left jacket pocket a black pouch that had one bud of marijuana in it was found. Also located was a pill bottle that had the name ripped off. All items were seized for evidence.

Deputy Armstrong asked Woolley about the marijuana and whose it was. According to Armstrong, Woolley told him it belonged to Randall and that Randall had his medical marijuana card. Allegedly,  Randall was taking the marijuana to Portland to trade with the grower.

Armstrong contacted dispatch by phone and had them run Timothy Woolley, James Ray and Randall Alloway to see if any of them had a medical marijuana card. Dispatch advised none of them did.

Deputy Armstrong spoke with Woolley again and told him he was not under arrest and was free to leave at this time. Armstrong said that he explained to Woolley that he was going to be doing a search at Woolley’s residence and would give Woolley a ride there but told Woolley that he would have to stay in the back of the patrol car while the search was conducted. According to Armstrong, Woolley asked for a ride and said he would sit in the back of the vehicle while Armstrong searched the residence.

At Woolley’s residence SGT. Schroeder, Sheriff Bergin, and Deputies Scott and Armstrong executed the search warrant of the residence. Located inside the residence were found two computer towers, one silver laptop, 7 negatives, two small black scales, two cell phones, a Samsung digital camera and five Ziploc bags with marijuana. Located in the bathroom were three pill bottles with names of people that did not live at the residence and a plastic bag with small white pills in them. All items were seized as evidence.

Later, Armstrong spoke with Randall Alloway at the jail. According to Deputy Armstrong’s report, after being mirandized, Alloway told Armstrong that he understood his rights and, upon being asked about the marijuana and if he had his medical marijuana card, Alloway said the marijuana was his and that he did have his medical marijuana card. Armstrong reportedly told Alloway he had dispatch run him for a medical marijuana card but they could not find one. Alloway asserted he did have a card and told Armstrong he wanted to talk with an attorney before he said anything else.

Extensive damage to trees was a common sight following the December 2007 storm. This forest on Highway 26 near Seaside was heavily damaged. ODF photo.

Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) officials are urging forest landowners in NW Oregon to assess damage to trees and natural hazards created from the most recent storm.

Thirty-five percent of the state’s 30,500,000 forest acres are in private ownership. Storm cleanup and damage assessment for forest landowners is focused on four key areas:
• Downed and leaning trees
• Forest road safety
• Detecting land shifts or slumps
• Prevention of water pooling behind blocked culverts

The actions are requested as a voluntary self-assessment project; landowners are not required to report results to ODF.

The Department of Forestry makes the following recommendations:

**Downed or leaning trees
Downed or leaning trees may pose a significant hazard, and should be cleared only by persons trained in logging safety practices or experienced personnel only.

Trees or other large woody debris that are causing immediate safety threats – such as flooding of buildings or damage to bridges – can be removed right away. On forestland, landowners are required within 24 hours after the action to contact the local ODF office to work through any notice or approval requirements that may apply. If the land is not forested, ODF staff can direct landowners to other state agencies for guidance as necessary.
Blown down trees sometimes land in streams – a natural process that actually helps create better habitat for salmon and other fish species. Consult with local forestry department before attempting removal.

According to the Department of Forestry damage estimates on private or state-owned forests from the January 2012 series of storms are not available. Wind disturbance has shaped Oregon’s forests for hundreds of years, similar to fire and landslides. The North Coast December 2007 windstorm damaged about 390 million board feet of timber in Clatsop and Tillamook Counties. The 1962 Columbus Day storm however damaged an estimated 11 to 15 billion board feet of timber in northern California, Oregon and Washington. About 13,000 board feet of lumber are used in the construction of an average American home.

**Forest road safety
Landowners are asked to make a general assessment of roads on their forest land to make sure roadbeds remain intact and engineering features such as water bars remain clear and are performing well.

Visual assessments of roads should be performed during daylight and calm weather. If you encounter deep standing water on a forest road – don’t drown, turn around.

Be prepared for potentially softened road surfaces; forest roads in use from October through April in NW Oregon forests must have adequate durable road surface materials to withstand adverse weather conditions. During wet weather, heavy equipment or log hauling from private forestlands and state-owned forests may be suspended if road conditions cannot prevent surface runoff from reaching streams.

Repairs to roads should be made promptly as weather conditions permit. Repairs to older forest roads must be made to contemporary forest road engineering standards. Your local ODF office can provide additional information about forest road standards.

**Detection of land shifts and hazards
The wet climate and rugged terrain found throughout northwestern Oregon means that many areas are prone to landslides. Landslides occur on both managed and un-managed forests, and landslides do not just occur on forestlands.

If you live in a potential debris flow hazard area, such as near the mouth of a canyon or the base of a steep slope, you can take measures including listening for unusual sounds, such as cracking trees; and watching for sudden increases or decreases in water flow in a channel or water accumulation in abnormal places.

If you detect conditions that suggest a landslide or debris flow may occur, please contact your county emergency management office and the Oregon Department of Forestry right away.

**Water Hazards
Check for potentially clogged road culverts that could impound water and create a potential for a debris flow.

On streams and waterways, assess if there is sediment in the water. If water in a river or stream suddenly turns muddy or the amount of water flowing suddenly decreases or increases, this is an indicator that the flow has been affected upstream; if you believe there is danger of a landslide or a debris flow, leave the area immediately.

If they feel they cannot adequately respond to a potential hazard on their land, landowners are encouraged to contact their local ODF office or their county emergency management office for assistance.

Q: I have several downed trees on my property – can I sell them off?
• Cutting downed trees for personal use as firewood is an option. Harvest for firewood or other personal use does not require notification to ODF. Reforestation is not required in yard and garden areas around homes. A list of local arborists and tree care service companies is available from local ODF offices.
• If you intend to sell firewood commercially, then a Notification of Operation form (available from any ODF office or on-line) is required.
• If you have enough timber blown down or leaning to make marketable logs, then hiring a logger may be an option. ODF offices have lists of local logging operators that normally work on smaller operations. Since this operation would be a commercial harvest, it does require the landowner or logging operator to submit a Notification of Operation form to ODF. An ODF stewardship forester will contact either the landowner or contractor prior to the operation beginning.

It is the landowner’s responsibility to ensure that their land meets minimum ‘stocking levels’ (for example, trees per acre, tree sizes) that are required in the Oregon Forest Practices Act. If trees have been removed that fall below that level, reforestation is required to bring new trees into that storm-damaged area. An ODF stewardship forester assisting a landowner will inform them when reforestation is required. Reforestation is the landowner’s responsibility, and information about finding tree seedling sources is available from ODF.

** Contact your local Department of Forestry office in NW Oregon:

Astoria: 503-325-5451

Tillamook: 503-842-2545

For more information visit the Oregon Department of Forestry website or call 503-945-7200.

1201 AM PST WED JAN 25 2012

…HIGH SURF WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 8 PM PST WEDNESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PORTLAND HAS UPGRADED THE HIGH

SURF ADVISORY TO A WARNING. THE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO

8 PM PST WEDNESDAY.

* SEAS: LARGE AND RATHER POWERFUL WESTERLY SWELL WILL BUILD TO 25

TO 27 FT AT 16 SECONDS THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. THIS BIG SWELL

IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE COAST AROUND 8 AM AND PERSIST THROUGH

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. SEAS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH IN WEDNESDAY

EVENING.

* SURF ZONE IMPACTS: THE SURF ZONE WILL BE VERY DANGEROUS DURING

THIS TIME AS THESE LARGE HIGH ENERGY WAVES BREAK ALONG THE

COAST. MINOR COASTAL EROSION IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH SURF WARNING MEANS THAT DANGEROUSLY HIGH SURF WILL BATTER

BEACHES IN THE ADVISORY AREA…PRODUCING DEADLY RIP CURRENTS AND

MINOR BEACH EROSION.

NORTH OREGON COAST-CENTRAL OREGON COAST-

COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON-

CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA-

GREATER PORTLAND METRO AREA-CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY-

SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY-WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE-

NORTHERN OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-

CASCADE FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY-UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY-

WILLAPA HILLS-SOUTH WASHINGTON COAST-I-

5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ COUNTY-GREATER VANCOUVER AREA-

SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…ASTORIA…CANNON BEACH…TILLAMOOK…

LINCOLN CITY…NEWPORT…FLORENCE…VERNONIA…JEWELL…TRASK…

GRANDE RONDE…TIDEWATER…SWISSHOME…ST. HELENS…CLATSKANIE…

HILLSBORO…PORTLAND…OREGON CITY…GRESHAM…SALEM…

MCMINNVILLE…DALLAS…EUGENE…CORVALLIS…ALBANY…HOOD RIVER…

CASCADE LOCKS…MULTNOMAH FALLS…SANDY…

SILVER FALLS STATE PARK…SWEET HOME…VIDA…LOWELL…

COTTAGE GROVE…PARKDALE…ODELL…FRANCES…RYDERWOOD…

RAYMOND…LONG BEACH…CATHLAMET…LONGVIEW…KELSO…

CASTLE ROCK…STEVENSON…SKAMANIA…VANCOUVER…BATTLE GROUND…

WASHOUGAL…TOUTLE…ARIEL…COUGAR

849 PM PST TUE JAN 24 2012

…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR

RIVERS AND CREEKS IN NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON…

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OREGON AND SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON…

INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS…IN NORTHWEST OREGON…CASCADE

FOOTHILLS IN LANE COUNTY…CENTRAL COAST RANGE OF WESTERN

OREGON…CENTRAL OREGON COAST…CENTRAL WILLAMETTE VALLEY…

COAST RANGE OF NORTHWEST OREGON…GREATER PORTLAND METRO

AREA…LOWER COLUMBIA…NORTH OREGON COAST…NORTHERN OREGON

CASCADE FOOTHILLS…SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY…UPPER HOOD RIVER

VALLEY AND WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE. IN SOUTHWEST

WASHINGTON…GREATER VANCOUVER AREA…I-5 CORRIDOR IN COWLITZ

COUNTY…SOUTH WASHINGTON CASCADE FOOTHILLS…SOUTH WASHINGTON

COAST…WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE AND WILLAPA HILLS.

* THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING

* THE HEAVY RAIN AND SNOW MELT THAT OCCURRED TODAY ARE EXPECTED TO

CAUSE RIVERS AND CREEKS TO RISE TONIGHT AND REMAIN ELEVATED

THROUGH WEDNESDAY. TOTAL RAINFALL RANGED FROM AROUND 1 INCH IN

THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY TO 2 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS THE COAST RANGE

AND CASCADES AND FOOTHILLS. WHILE SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE

TONIGHT…THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL HAS ENDED.

* MINOR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ON SEVERAL RIVERS AND CREEKS.

RIVERS THAT BEAR CLOSE WATCHING INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

COASTAL RIVERS: THE WILSON…THE GRAYS…THE TRASK…THE

SIUSLAW…AND THE ALSEA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON

CURRENT FORECASTS.

LANDSLIDES AND DEBRIS FLOWS ARE POSSIBLE DURING THIS FLOOD EVENT.

PEOPLE…STRUCTURES AND ROADS LOCATED BELOW STEEP SLOPES…IN

CANYONS AND NEAR THE MOUTHS OF CANYONS MAY BE AT SERIOUS RISK

FROM RAPIDLY MOVING LANDSLIDES.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE

FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE

PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

THE NEXT UPDATE FOR THIS WATCH WILL BE ISSUED BY 7 AM WEDNESDAY

MORNING.

via Coastal Hazard Message.

McMinnville City Councilors Tuesday night were reminded that despite the city’s history of conservative spending and maintaining healthy financial reserves, the recession, along with required increased set-asides for the city’s retirement obligations, are taking its toll on the city’s budget. If the economy doesn’t start picking up, the city’s healthy reserves will be drawn down to a bare minimum by 2015 according to City Manager Kent Taylor. If the economy stays in the doldrums, Taylor and City Finance Director Marcia Baragary said that cuts in city spending will have to be accelerated.

Taylor told the council that city departments are already projecting major spending reductions, which includes replacing impending city retirees with lower cost part time employees, where possible. Yet further cuts will be necessary, he said, along with a painful re-examination of what constitutes minimum levels of city services. Taylor said, “My crystal ball is probably no better than anyone elses. But at least we’ve got an operations plan that will keep the city financially healthy by cutting what we can along the way, which includes reducing the number of city employees through attrition to the year 2015. If things still don’t improve, it’ll be a question of what gets cut in order to maintain vital services.” Taylor commented toward the end of the discussion that if the economy doesn’t improve substantially between now and 2015, the council may find themselves raising the issue of going to the voters to consider a special tax override for things like police and/or fire. “But again,” he said, “anything can happen over the next few years.”

Read full article at News Yamhill County.

Tracy Taylor 1967-2012

Husband, Father, Grandfather, Armed Forces

Died Jan. 18, 2012 in San Jose, CA.
Born February 26th, 1967, in Yuma, Arizona, to Jessie Leader and Ronald Taylor, who survive him.

Also survived by his wife of 24 years, Shelley Taylor, son Benjamin, daughter Karen and grandson Riley, all of Vancouver. Raised in Astoria, Tracy graduated from Astoria High School in 1986. Tracy served six years in the army, seeing active duty in Desert Storm as a specialist. He went on to work for Air Products & Chemicals, Inc., for 18 years in Tualitin, Oregon.

An outdoors-man, Tracy loved spending time with his family camping, hunting, and fishing. He especially loved walking on the beach, flying his “big-ass kite,” and being the best grandpa, ever, to Riley. Memorial services will be held at Evergreen Memorial Gardens, 1101 NE. 112th Avenue, Vancouver, Washington, 98684, on Saturday, January 28th at 3:00pm.

Public viewing from 9am to 2pm on the morning of service. Contributions may be made to the family at the services or c/o PO Box 820, Warrenton, Or 97146. Condolence cards can be sent to the funeral home.

Please sign the guest book at Evergreen Memorial Gardens: Tracy Taylor.