City of Rockaway Beach: Mayor’s Monthly Update

By Mayor Charles McNeilly

Welcome to my City of Rockaway Beach Monthly Update with a look back at the month of August 2025.

The final week of August marked a significant milestone with the arrival of our new ladder truck, following nearly two years of production. Our community responded with great enthusiasm, resulting in frequent visits to the fire station throughout the week. Our crew have been diligently familiarizing themselves with the truck’s features and operation. Please be assured that this new apparatus is highly valued by our personnel, who greatly appreciate your commitment to providing these vital resources. The Fire Department thanks you all for making this project a reality. Over the next month, the Department will focus on training and equipping the ladder truck and will host a “push-in” ceremony on September 27^th at 11:00 am at the Fire Station. This is a cherished tradition that symbolizes the trucks entry into service. This community event will be filled with fun, food, ice cream, contests and a free drawing for a “Go Bag.” For those curious, it does fit in the bay—with a solid two inches to spare!

I delivered my annual State of the City Address at the August Council Meeting. The Address is also included in this month’s utility bills. I’m proud of our accomplishments during the last fiscal year and hope everyone enjoys learning about our productive and positive progress.

Public Works Director Mertz added the new Anchor St. Playground to Google Maps. She just received notice that it has surpassed 50,000 views!

On July 29^th, a Tsunami advisory was issued by NOAA. When the alert was issued Chief Hesse and Captain Grace met and discussed the advisory and the proper actions to take. With the initial information and projected timeline of events the first action taken was to inform beachgoers of the advisory and ask them to get off the beach, return to their residences and watch the news or phones for further instructions and updates. Once the information was relayed to beachgoers, a NIXLE alert was sent out to “RockawayOR”. City Manager Sheppard was briefed on the situation and current actions being taken by Emergency Management. The Radio group was activated and performed radio checks and situation updates every 30 minutes until 9:00 pm, then radios were left on until no threat remained. A Facebook post was made, and a message was placed on the City Reader board, advising the public of the situation. Captain Grace and Chief Hesse toured evacuation sites and found 12 people who had gone to high ground on 3rd avenue. None of these folks had our NIXLE, they helped everyone sign up and asked them to return to their residences and they would inform them of any pertinent information. Emergency Volunteer Corp of Nehalem Bay (EVCNB) leadership was contacted, and communication lines were opened. The debrief found that all appropriate steps were taken and proper notifications and information were relayed to the public.

The much-needed rain has finally arrived in Rockaway Beach after a long, hot, and dry summer, giving Jetty Creek a boost. It’s rare to have an atmospheric river event this time of year, and its great news for cities that depend on surface water treatment. The treatment team is keeping an eye on Jetty Creek, and this recent rainfall will help keep our water supply steady.

Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) crews implemented a speed zone change in our downtown business district, lowering the limit from 30 mph to 20 mph. This is a welcome change. The City Council agreed with ODOT’s recommendation to make this change at their regular meeting on July 16th. City staff relayed Councilor Konruff’s request for additional visual warnings on the new signage regarding the speed adjustment, which ODOT was able to provide. Additionally, city staff posted a notice about the change on the city hall reader board. We appreciate how quickly ODOT completed this change.

The Thursday Market and Movies in the Park continued through August. Visitors and residents enjoyed the 48^th Annual Arts and Craft Fair. Neah-Kah-Nie Coast Art & Music Cultural Foundation (NCAM) held its second annual Music Festival on August 16-17 which was well attended, bringing many visitors to our city for the benefit of our local businesses.

City Hall

The annual financial audit for fiscal year 2024-2025 commenced this week with a three-day site visit by Koontz, Blasquez & Associates. During this period, the auditors worked closely with Finance Director Johnston and her team to collect and review the City’s financial records from the past year. The exit meeting on Wednesday proceeded smoothly, and preliminary results suggest another year of positive financial performance for the City of Rockaway Beach. Special recognition is extended to Finance Director Johnston and her team for their diligence and ongoing commitment to supporting the City’s success and continuous improvement.

Fire Chief Hesse visited the Oregon State Fire Marshalls (OSFM), and they are planning to deliver the draft of our community wildfire protection plan to Rockaway Beach in mid-September. The plan will provide information on local wildfire safety and will be used in the Tillamook County Plan. The County Wildfire Protection Plan Steering Committee will meet in September, and we anticipate a formal countywide plan will be completed by summer 2026.

The City received a hearing request regarding the Nedonna Development Planned Unit Development (PUD), following the July 2nd Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) decision. The city will now proceed with the remand. As part of this preparation, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of historical records and dusted off old cassette recordings from the 2008 meetings. This work is very intensive and has priority over other planning initiatives currently in the works. Additionally, staff members, together with our legal team, are currently reviewing all submitted testimony for the upcoming City Council hearing related to the LUBA remand. The staff report, which will include findings and recommendations, will be available Tuesday, September 2nd.

City Manager Shepard is happy to announce that he has filled our vacant administrative position. Maria Lopez Bake was the top candidate out of a highly qualified and competitive recruitment class. She has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and recently served 6 years as an office manager at a financial services company in Tillamook. She will be focused on Utility Billing and other administrative related tasks. Please feel free to stop in and say hello to Maria at city hall.

Fire Department and Emergency Preparation

Emergency Management upgraded its communication equipment and activated a Starlink account. The system has been tested and is operational. This equipment is intended to improve response capability in the event of a disaster.

Our Fire Department reports that the month has already been extremely busy, with sixty-four calls to 911. This does not include the Labor Day weekend and it already sets a new monthly record.

On Saturday, August 23rd, members of the Fire Department and community volunteers launched an education campaign to distribute emergency management information to every residence in Rockaway Beach, Nedonna Beach, and Twin Rocks. The campaign was a huge success, receiving many positive comments, and nearly the entire town was canvassed in one day. If you haven’t received your packet, please contact City Hall at 503-374-1752. A huge thank you goes out to all the dedicated volunteers who worked tirelessly distributing materials, and to Nan Devlin of Tillamook Coast Visitors Association for helping develop the information.

Chief Hesse and Captain Grace attended a meeting with EVCNB last Friday to discuss regional disaster readiness and planning. The meeting was productive in building a regional approach to common supply and planning issues. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OREM) provided a PowerPoint on what supplies should be on hand for an emergency. The OREM group experienced a delay on Highway 26 and had to reroute on Highway 6 to attend the meeting. This ultimately benefited Rockaway, as the team stopped in town to present. While the presentation was positive, the networking opportunity proved to be invaluable. We have set up a meeting with OREM to survey Rockaway Beach and help build a model for evacuation and required supplies in the event of a disaster.

Rockaway Beach hosted a meeting and facility tour for Public Works Directors, from across Tillamook County, providing information on available emergency responses.

Chief Hesse is a member of the County Radio Steering Committee. With the passage of the Tillamook County Radio Bond levy last fall, the committee will assist in plan development. The system is currently out for bids, with an award anticipated later this year. The old radio system continues to present challenges; the Rockaway repeaters are currently offline, resulting in significant coverage gaps that pose a safety risk. County radio teams continue working to keep the system operational.

The Fire Department responded to a reported brush fire in the vicinity of Washington Street and Juniper Street. Light white smoke was observed on the hillside above Juniper Street, and a local resident assisted in locating the fire at the top of the Tsunami evacuation trail. Fire units from Rockaway Beach, Garibaldi, and the Oregon Department of Forestry, along with ten firefighters, accessed the site and effectively contained the blaze using a handline before deploying a hose lay to fully extinguish the fire. No structures were threatened, and there was no significant damage because of the incident. The Oregon Department of Forestry maintained a presence overnight and monitored the fire’s status daily throughout the week. Additionally, crews from Rockaway Beach returned to the scene on Thursday to confirm the fire was completely out. A big shout out to our first responders for all they do for our communities.

The Fire Department responded to a water rescue at the beach near the St. Mary’s access point. Chief Hesse observed four individuals approximately 100 feet offshore caught in a rip current. Fire Department personnel assisted in bringing the individuals to shore. Three required medical care and two were transported to the hospital for observation. The summer crew continues daily beach patrols to provide public education on water and fire safety.

Planning Department

The Planning Department has accepted the 2025-2027 Grant Young Memorial Planning Assistance Grant from the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). This grant provides $2,000 to cities with populations under 2,500 for planning projects.

City Planner Tapia:

approved the sign application for the Pelican Brewery Taproom in Rockaway Beach, including both a temporary and a permanent signage plan.
met with county planners to discuss the criteria for building officials when issuing permits; aiding city planners in guiding community members through the permitting process.
met with representatives from B’nai Brith Men’s Camp, a non-profit organization, to discuss a path forward for our first workforce housing project in Rockaway Beach.
is undertaking a comprehensive update of all planning forms and applications to align with the recent adoption of the middle housing code amendments. Updated forms will be available soon.
submitted an application for the 2025–2027 Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) Housing Planning Assistance Grant to support comprehensive plan and code updates.

Planning Commission

At the August Planning Commission meeting:

Deliberation & Decision on CU-25-2: Consideration of an Application for Conditional Use for Expansion of a Non-Conforming Use in C1 Zone (127 South Miller Street) (APPROVED with condition)
Staff Presentation: SB406 (2023) Updates and Comprehensive Plan Amendments

If any of the Planning Commission activities listed for August are of interest, you can read the meeting materials and view recordings of all Planning Commission meetings on the City Website.

Public Works

The city received an award from Business Oregon for $20,000 to fund a water system leak detection study. The grant, from the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund, will cover costs related to the leak detection survey and inspections of our city’s water distribution pipe. Service quotes are already in, and work will begin as early as mid-September. This is another step our Public Works Department is taking to manage water loss in our system.

Public Works held its monthly Safety Committee meeting and conducted quarterly inspections. CPR training is scheduled for all Public Works staff, and registration is already full.

Public Works welcomed new seasonal staff Dontae Diaz. Dontae will assist Rob Berily with upkeep of public spaces during peak season. He is also serving as a Rockaway Beach volunteer firefighter.

Superintendent Emerson and Operator Leipzig accompanied Councilors Ryan and Konruff during a site visit to the Jetty Creek Water Treatment Plant. Emerson and Leipzig arranged a scheduled plant shutdown so the new councilors could gain direct experience with one of the city’s key facilities.

Public Works Director Mertz met with regional coordinator for Trail Keepers of Oregon – Leave No Trace program, who have selected the Cedar Creek Boardwalk as trailhead for their Trail Ambassador program. Trail Keepers will have a booth set up on weekends where ambassadors will share information about birds, plants, and animals that can be seen on the trail, remind folks to leave our trails in the condition that they find them, and to hand out stickers and bandanas. Bill Hassell was selected as Trail Keeper for the Boardwalk. Congratulations Bill!

Public Works now has the materials on hand for the Highway 101 Culvert Project and notified Advanced Excavation, the lowest bidder, that they have been awarded the job. This project will see several hundred feet of drainage culvert replaced on the west side of Hwy 101 near El Trio Loco restaurant.

Public Works staff keeps busy:

annual equipment calibrations were completed for both the Water and Wastewater Plants
operators shut down the water plant due to rainfall. Water conservation efforts have been bolstered by higher Jetty Creek flows, providing favorable conditions
community benefited from Utility Worker Romig’s support at the NCAM music festival. When breakers at Wayside were overloaded, power was redistributed and the breakers reset
city addressed sewer issues, including clearing a mainline plug at 354 Hwy 101 and tracing a recurring problem at 384 S. Beacon Street to a failing owner service line, which will require replacement
Falcon Street improvement plans were reviewed by Director Mertz, Superintendent Emerson, and Ezequiel Delgado-Cervantes
backflow inspections were conducted
twelve water shutoffs were performed
Public Works staff picked up a new fleet vehicle, a 2026 Chevy Equinox
mowed rights-of-way and parks, cleared brush from Seaview Lake, and removed weeds from the lake fountain
installed “No Outlet” signs on N. 3rd Street heading north
shoveled sand at the Wayside to maintain the accessible ramp access
removed a beaver dam on City property in Nedonna Beach and a deceased duck off Coral St. and N. 3rd Ave
repaired a water service leak at N. Pacific Street and 8th Street
routine maintenance performed on mower, brush cutter, and small equipment to support ongoing ROW and park mowing
completed the task of raising the City’s water valves in coordination with the County paving project at the south end of town. This was a significant undertaking, and I am pleased to report that everything went smoothly
replaced two check valves and one gate valve at the 23rd St. lift station. This required confined space work
cleaned and repaired cleanout at our Community Center
removed a beaver dam at McMillan creek reservoir

The First Forest Stewardship Plan Advisory Committee Meeting was held and went as follows:

Election of Committee Chair – Committee unanimously elected Jason Maxfield
What is a Forest Stewardship Plan? – Daniel Wear, Sustainable Northwest
Outlining a Community Vision for the Jetty Creek Watershed
Identifying Vision Aligned Goals
Next Steps
Site Visit Guidelines – Luke Shepard, City Manager

The Forest Stewardship Plan Advisory Committee toured the lower half of the Jetty Creek Watershed getting a briefing on roads and two stands of trees at different stages of development from Ben Hayes (Forester).

City Council

The following items were discussed at the August City Council Workshop:

Review of Resolution 2025-46 and 2025-47 Supporting Grant Applications for Housing Planning Assistance – Abram Tapia, City Planner
Pacific Street Improvement Project Overview – Mary Mertz, Public Works Director
Discussion of Flood Hazard Overlay Zone Amendments
Review of Resolution 2025-45 Establishing Recreational Immunity Related to Senate Bill 179 (2025)
Emergency Preparedness Program Presentation – Todd Hesse, Fire Chief

The August Regular City Council Meeting covered the following:

State of the City Message – Mayor Charles McNeilly
Small Community Grant Recipient Report – Developmental Disability Program – Pam Hiller, Kieley Petrey, and Jolene Kyriss-Mooney
Consideration to Continue Public Hearing on Ordinance 2025-05 Amending Zoning Ordinance Related to Flood Hazard Overlay, and the Public Hearing on Ordinance 2025-06 Amending Comprehensive Plan Related to Flood Hazard Overlay to November 12, 2025 (APPROVED)
Consideration to Declare Developmental Disability Program Small Community Grant Complete (APPROVED)
Consideration of Resolution 2025-44 Authorizing the Mayor and City Manager to Award and Execute a Contract with the Lowest Responsive and Responsible Bidder for the Pacific Street Improvement Project (APPROVED)
Consideration of Resolution 2025-45 Establishing Immunity from Certain Personal Injury or Property Damage Claims Described in ORS 105.668, as Amended by Senate Bill 179 (2025)
Consideration of Resolution 2025-46 Supporting a Department of Land Conservation and Development Housing Planning Assistance Grant Application for Development Code Amendments (APPROVED)
Consideration of Resolution 2025-47 Supporting Tillamook County’s Department of Land Conservation and Development Housing Planning Assistance Grant Application for the Second Phase of Senate Bill 406 Implementation (APPROVED)

If any of the Council activities listed for August are of interest, you can read the meeting materials and view recordings of all Council meetings (except Executive Sessions) on the City Council page.

Tillamook Coast Visitors Association (TCVA)

We had over four times the engagements on social media year over year; and a 12% increase in followers year over year.

I’ve added a link below to a great read from Portland Monthly on a day trip to Rockaway Beach via the North Coast Express Bus. After you get through the first section on the comical express bus operational issues (NOT our program), Rockaway Beach receives a glowing review. We Took the New North Coast Express Bus to Rockaway Beach

Another great read from Portland Monthly is a tour of Rockaway Beach’s food establishments. Rockaway Beach Has a Menu For That | Portland Monthly

Tillamook Coast Visitors Association is planning a jam-packed promotion package with KATU that involves interviews, video clips, digital ads, copy points, etc. I gladly agreed to represent the city in three interviews scheduled for October 6^th. I do love to brag about our community.

Key Dates in September for Community Engagement

The City Council will hold a Public Hearing concerning the Nedonna Development Planned Unit Development (PUD) on Tuesday, September 9^th at 5:30 pm in the City Hall Council Room.

The City Council Workshop is on Wednesday, September 10^th at 4:30 pm in the City Hall 2^nd Floor Conference Room followed by the City Council Meeting at 6:00 pm downstairs in the City Hall Council Room.

The Planning Commission meeting is on Thursday, September 18^th at 5:00 pm in the City Hall Council Room.

The City Council will hold a special decision meeting on Tuesday, September 30^th if needed.

We offer in-person and virtual options for attending all our meetings. Meetings are recorded so they are available for viewing at your convenience. Agendas and packets are available on our city website. Sign up for our city email list on our city website to have meeting packets sent to you automatically.

The Coffee with Mayor and City Manager is Thursday, September 25^th at 9:00 am in the City Hall 2^nd Floor Conference Room.

The Ladder Truck “push-in” ceremony is Saturday, September 27^th at 11:00 am at the Fire Station. This is a cherished tradition that symbolizes the trucks entry into service.

Please stay informed and engaged!

The most efficient way to keep up to date with your city government is to add your email address to the City’s email list through the City’s website, at the bottom of the landing page.