CITY OF ROCKAWAY BEACH -Mayor’s Monthly Update – December 1, 2025

By Mayor Charles McNeilly

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

I would like to begin the look back by commending the outstanding emergency response from our Public Works Department. While most of our town was asleep, Public Works worked through the night to isolate and repair the city’s main water supply line connecting our water treatment plant with the city’s water system. Our field crew, treatment plant staff, and a contractor worked together to identify the issue, reroute the supply, conduct repairs, and resume production before dawn. This accomplishment was no easy task, but our talented and resolute Public Works team made it possible. Please be sure to give kudos to our Public Works team for another huge accomplishment! Thank you, Public Works!

The holidays are in full swing! The Public Works crew has been busy lighting the town and the tree at the wayside for this year’s Christmas Tree Lighting festivities. Proudly, this year’s tree has more lights than ever before! Nuveen Natural Capital invited City staff to their property near Cannon Beach to select a large noble fir as a gift to the city. We would like to extend a special thank you to Nuveen for their generosity and partnership with our city. Residents and visitors packed the Wayside at this year’s Tree lighting. Thank you to the Rockaway Beach Business Association, our local businesses, Rockaway Beach Volunteers, Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad and city staff who brought all the pieces together so that we could enjoy this annual tradition and each other’s company. If you missed it this year, hopefully you will attend this special event in the future. Our annual event is described as a Hallmark Movie moment and I agree.

Check out the before and after-holiday photos of our Public Works staff – Rob and Logan. The before photo (on the left) was taken 10 years ago (which we have kept hung in the offices at City Hall) and the after, taken just a few days ago – recreating the original photo. Rockaway Beach is lucky to have these individuals on our Public Works crew for 10+ years!

The Coffee with Mayor and City Manager was lively and covered several key subjects:

concerns about speeding
regulations on RV usage within city limits
concerns about trash and parking near the Big Tree Nature Walk
proposals for more bike racks and a designated bike path
safety issues related to parking blind spots along Highway 101
the need for rodent control in the city’s emergency equipment shack
preparedness for the Cascadia event and a potential tsunami
the future of Clear Lake as it relates to stormwater management

CITY HALL

The Tillamook County Health and Human Services Department has operated a health clinic at Rockaway Beach City Hall that is open on most Thursdays each week. The city received notice of their intention to close this medical clinic and terminate the lease agreement effective January 1, 2026. Marleen Putman, Administrator of the County’s Health and Human Services Department, explained that without federal funding for clinic operations and with pending healthcare funding reductions, closing the clinic is a necessary step. The last day of clinic operations is scheduled for December 11, 2025, and they aim to remove equipment and supplies from the facility by December 31, 2025.

The Jetty Creek Watershed Project continues to move forward. The City received just under $1.5M in grant funds from Oregon Enhancement Watershed Board (OWEB), covering costs for due diligence and helping pay for the acquisition of the lower portion of the City’s drinking watershed. The proposed acquisition is for 800-acres (595 acres in the watershed and 205 acres outside of the watershed) currently owned by Nuveen Natural Capital. The City and Nuveen have a Letter of Intent outlining Nuveen’s intent to sell the property to the City and the City’s desire to obtain the land, which directs the City to present an Option Agreement to Nuveen. Staff are working closely with our legal counsel and Sustainable Northwest to ensure the City meets our obligations outlined in the Letter of Intent.

Although we have secured a funding package for the purchase of the lower half of the Jetty Creek watershed, we recently received encouraging news regarding the federally funded Forest Legacy Program. This funding opportunity could eliminate any debt or out-of-pocket costs associated with the purchase. City Manager Shepard learned that Senator Merkley, Senator Wyden, and Congresswoman Bonamici have signed a letter of support on our behalf.

Finance Director Johnston completed this year’s SAIF audit. Each spring, the city estimates and reports its payroll to SAIF, followed by actual figures in July, and undergoes a fall audit to ensure accuracy since premiums are based on these numbers. The recent FY24-25 audit showed the city reported payroll within the required 10% margin, meaning future audits may be less frequent if this accuracy continues. The city’s estimated $25,000 premium was remarkably close to the audited amount, resulting in a $350 credit.

Rockaway Beach hosted the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) quarterly small cities meeting at City Hall. It was a pleasure to host the event once more and to engage colleagues from other local municipalities. Recorder Thompson coordinated the meeting seamlessly with the LOC staff. The swag bags prepared by Lark Reifenstahl were also much appreciated. Thank you all for representing our city so admirably.

FIRE DEPARTMENT AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Mark your calendars for the annual Santa at the Station event on Saturday, December 13^th at 6:00 pm, where families can enjoy visits and photos with Santa, cookies, hot chocolate, apple cider, door prizes, and firetruck rides.

As winter storm season approaches, the warming center at City Hall is fully stocked and prepared to provide shelter in case of power outages, flooding, or freezing temperatures. Residents are encouraged to monitor social media and NIXLE for important updates.

Recent storms and weather have presented several challenges for the Fire Department, with heavy rains and fierce winds putting raincoats to beneficial use. The Fire Department monitored key beach locations to ensure safety during the king tides, and fortunately, no injuries or considerable damage were reported. Crews are on standby to open the warming center if there is a prolonged power outage.

The Fire Department has signed an agreement with the KNOX company to offer KNOX boxes to the homeowners and businesses of Rockaway Beach on a voluntary basis. The program allows citizens to purchase a box that will contain keys to a residence or business. The Fire Department is the only source that has a key to open the box. The key is secure and has an individual code to remove the key. When the key is removed it is time stamped and documents who accessed the key. You can visit the KNOX website for details on available products specific to Rockaway Beach.

Work is underway on a quarterly emergency management newsletter, with the inaugural issue set for distribution in December to keep the community informed as part of the Emergency Management plan. Plans also are being made for an open house and pancake feed on April 4, 2026. The focus of the open house will be on Emergency Preparedness. Information will be available for citizens, including demonstrations and helpful tips to be prepared for a natural or human-caused disaster. More information will be available as we get closer to the event.

Cole Lindsay, a member of our Fire Department, traveled to Taiwan to promote the use of drones in the American Fire Service. Cole is part of an Oregon delegation and will be representing the Rockaway Fire Department. As an active volunteer, Cole leads our drone program and works full-time for the Oregon Department of Forestry. He will also join a team teaching a drone course this spring at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland. We are fortunate to have Cole as part of our team.

The Quarterly Emergency Preparedness meeting was held on Wednesday, with guest speakers from the Oregon Office of Resiliency and Emergency Management (OREM). Attendees watched the documentary “Rumblings,” which focused on the Cascadia Event. After the hour-long film, there was a question-and-answer session. Despite challenging weather, 14 people attended and received valuable information and tips.

Crews had the opportunity to participate in Pediatric training. A team from Boston and OHSU came to Rockaway Beach to provide Neonatal and Pediatric training. The Training was done as part of a research project to test how current protocols work versus a new system that they are developing. The study results will be available in the next year. The Fire Department took the opportunity after the training to review our procedures and supplies that we use in pediatric emergencies.

PLANNING DEPARTMENT

LUBA 25-01: Nedonna Wave LLC appealed the City Council’s decision regarding the case that was remanded by the Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA), finalized on October 7, 2025. Oregon Shores filed to intervene in the case. The next order of business is for LUBA to acknowledge the Record and for the applicant to prepare a Petition for Review, where the applicant presents the legal arguments as to why they believe LUBA should overturn the local decision.

City Planner Tapia attended the Oregon Coastal Resilience Workshop hosted by the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) on November 4, 2025. This workshop was attended by planners from the Oregon Coast, including planners from Tillamook County, Lincoln County, and Coos County. The event was a peer learning event where planners shared success stories and challenges of creating climate change and natural disaster-resilient coastal communities.

The 2025 Fire Code updates have been released. No significant changes are noted; however, we now have a new form for driveway and water supply access to enforce the building code. The Planning Department is looking at how to ensure we have compliance with future building requests.

Planner Tapia reported that regarding the Housing Related Zoning Ordinance Amendments, the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) has assigned a consultant team to work with the city. We are excited to partner with Cascadia Partners, who previously assisted city staff in preparing the Middle Housing Amendments adopted in June. The project is expected to begin scoping between February and March 2026.

PLANNING COMMISSION

The Planning Commission held their monthly meeting on November 20^th. Here’s a quick recap of their agenda action items:

Discussion Regarding Zoning Ordinance Amendment of Multi-Unit Definition
Discussion Regarding Comprehensive Plan Amendment of Policies Relating to the Economy
Consideration to Approve Request for One-Year Extension for Lake Lytle Estates Phases IV-VII – Preliminary Subdivision Case File #23-01(APPROVED: 5-2 vote)
Review of 2026 Meeting Dates (NO CHANGES MADE)

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

PUBLIC WORKS

The fourth sewer rate informational flyer was sent out. The new mailer provides a concise summary of recent rate history, inflation, and system needs. Additionally, it emphasizes that since the last rate adjustment in 2009, the city has paid off all sewer debt and has avoided incurring additional debt, resulting in the proposed rate increase being significantly lower than it otherwise would have been. The proposed rates are outlined, and an invitation to attend the upcoming public hearing on the matter in December is made.

The North Pacific Improvement Project is still moving forward on schedule. The contractor is currently working on installing water service lines followed by testing the new lines. Once the lines have been tested, connections will begin taking place. To connect the water lines, service in the area will be temporarily suspended. Our contractor estimates that service disruptions will likely take place over a five-day period. To inform the impacted users of this pending water service disruption, we prepared a service disruption flyer that was mailed to all customers impacted by service disruptions. As the service disruption approaches, we will update our website to provide our users with more specific information.

Public Works were busy with power outages, heavy rains, fierce winds, and king tides. Our crew has been busy preparing for the winter to ensure that the public is able to continue their day-to-day lives with little to no interruptions. Thankfully, the storms only brought down a few trees which were quickly removed and the roadways cleared. During the power outage, the crew set up generators at the plants and lift stations in preparation for continued loss of power. Fortunately, the power stayed on. The power outage did cause minor electrical issues with the sewer’s flow meter, which were addressed quickly.

The current king tides are the first we’ve experienced since the completion of the wayside access project – so far, the beach access is weathering the tides just as we had planned. Public Works will continue to closely monitor the new access, as well as the creeks (to ensure water is able to flow to the ocean), throughout the king tides.

The downtown area did not experience any flooding during the combination of the king tides and atmospheric river. This is a huge victory, as we typically see significant flooding in the Coral Street area when we experience heavy rains and simultaneous high tides. From this event, it appears that the flood mitigation projects the city has been completing have had the planned impact.

CITY COUNCIL

The City Council November workshop covered the following:

FEMA PICM/Flood Hazard Overlay Zone Ordinance/Comprehensive Plan Proposed Amendments. City Planner Tapia and Attorney Resto-Spotts provided updates to the Council regarding the latest FEMA-mandated pre-implementation compliance measures, as well as the corresponding Flood Hazard Overlay Zone Ordinance and proposed amendments to the Comprehensive Plan. Planner Tapia outlined the significant impact these amendments would have on our community, as well as the disconnect between the federal mandate and state law. The attorney provided a thorough explanation of the legal risks associated with the options available to the city council. After careful deliberation, a consensus was reached to table the amendments until further public input could be obtained.

Sewer Rate Study Analysis. Public Works Director Mertz and HDR Engineers delivered a presentation to the City Council on the city’s sewer fund finances, including two proposed rate structures for the next five years. While both rate structures were largely similar, the City Council expressed a preference for the option that permits debt service reserves to be invested in necessary improvement projects. The Public Works Department will soon distribute its fourth flyer summarizing the proposed rate adjustment. Additionally, the City Council will conduct a hearing during its regular meeting on December 10 and may vote on the matter at that time. Any rate adjustments will become effective January 1^st, 2026 and will be reflected on customers’ utility bills beginning in March 2026.

Strategic Plan Progress Q1 Update. Because of time constraints at the workshop, City Manager Shepard gave a much-abbreviated version of the first quarter strategic plan update informing the Council that of the 47 goal actions in the plan, 25% had already been completed and most other goals were in progress. He briefly highlighted some of the success stories to date and explained that the David’s Chair Memo of Understanding (MOU) is now active, with a new chair delivered in September. The city-wide recycling program has been implemented, enabling curbside service and securing hauler funding through collaboration with Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The city is on track for Jetty Creek Watershed acquisition in 2026, with funding support from OWEB, Clean Water Revolving Fund (CWRF), and Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and is currently awaiting final details on the CWRF award. Efforts to promote small business grants have resulted in three off-season tourism marketing grants totaling $9,000, and nine facade grants totaling $209,063. The facade grant program was modified to offer recipients 50% of their award upfront, allowing more local businesses to benefit. Pursuit of state and federal grants has yielded millions in funding and government loans from agencies such as CWRF, OWEB, Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD), OHA, and Infrastructure Finance Authority (IFA). Rockaway Beach has welcomed new businesses, including Green Coast Market, Blue Water Fine Arts Gallery, Seaquest Gifts, and Pelican Brewing, while the Bayocean Food Court opened with three food trucks—Sassy Rocks, Thai Food, and Smash Burger. Additional food trucks, Taqueria Mendez and Tropical Grill, have opened next to R&R Espresso, and Spirits of the West is coming soon. Flood mitigation efforts have been successful, with the replacement of six storm drains in the Coral St. area resulting in no flooding during recent heavy rain and king tide event.

City Manager Shepard also spoke about some of the challenges the city faced. The city is currently facing several challenges in meeting several strategic plan initiatives, including coping with the freeze on state and federal funding which will sideline updating the transportation plan, securing resources to complete the Salmonberry Trail, and funding for the high-ground project. He explained that continued rising service demands for the Fire Department and the now unfilled fourth Rockaway Beach Patrol position will make it difficult to align staffing with community needs and achieve full staffing for the Rockaway Beach Patrol. Additionally, the city is navigating the reorganization of Tillamook Coast Visitors Association (TCVA) which will threaten initiatives associated with organizing events and activities to bolster the shoulder season, strengthening partnerships for workforce training and education, and continuing to promote small business grants—particularly facade grants. Finally, the city is working to resolve business district development constraints and should think about prioritizing parking improvements and expansion vs. conducting an economic development study.

After discussion, and to best prepare the city for future procurement of destination management and marketing services, the city council directed staff to initiate the process to amend the comprehensive plan. The amendment should support fair competition, fiscal responsibility, and compliance with statutory guidelines while enabling the city to select partners that most effectively advance its economic development and tourism goals. Additionally, the City Council agreed to prioritize parking improvements and expansion rather than conducting an economic development study at this time.

The City Council November regular session meeting included the following:

Announcement – Meals for Seniors & the Family Fund. Janeen McIlvenna updated the council on the many outstanding ways that Meals for Seniors enriches the Rockaway Beach community. Their dedicated team prepares thousands of nutritious meals, extends vital support by providing food and clothing to those in need, and offers special assistance to families during Thanksgiving. The program’s heartfelt commitment and hard work make a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of residents.

Consideration of Resolution 2025-49: A Resolution Declaring a Fire Truck as Surplus Property and Authorizing the Fire Chief to Sell the Fire Apparatus. This resolution declares fire truck Engine 21 as surplus and authorizes the Fire Chief to sell or transfer the surplus property. (APPROVED)

Consideration of Resolution 2025-50: A Resolution Adding a Special Provision to the City Manager’s Employment Agreement. This resolution provides additional stability by adding a special provision related to termination and severance during the 6-month period following swearing in of new Council members. (APPROVED)

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

FOREST STEWARDSHIP PLAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Forest Stewardship Plan Advisory Committee convened November 13^th and addressed several items: they reviewed the project timeline with input from Sustainable Northwest, confirmed the plan’s objectives and intent with Springboard Forestry, finalized policy categories presented by Springboard Forestry, and introduced as well as discussed key management activities. The committee also outlined the next steps for moving forward.

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

ROCKAWAY BEACH PATROL

Undersheriff Matt Kelly notified City Manager Shepard of the resignation of our fourth Rockaway Beach Patrol Deputy, effective November 5th. The Sheriff’s Office currently has no immediate replacement available. Undersheriff Kelly told City Manager Shepard that there are two deputies undergoing training who may be considered for the role upon completion of their training.

TILLAMOOK COAST VISITORS ASSOCIATION (TCVA)

Sea Breeze finished their façade improvement project, Green Coast Market continuing work on façade and marketing grants; Troxel’s finishing their golf course project; Jiu Jitsu and NCAM completed marketing grants.

Rockaway Beach Business Reels (posted on Visit Rockaway Beach, Go Rockaway and Rockaway Beach Community in Oregon Facebook sites): Joe’s Snacks and Beer; Tie Breaker, Troxel’s, Pronto Pup, Oregon Du-Drops, Green Coast Market, and International Police Museum are completed and posted; more to come!

KEY DATES TO REMEMBER IN DECEMBER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

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

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

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.

Santa at the Station is on Saturday, December 13^th at 6:00 pm at the Fire Station behind City Hall. Hot chocolate, cookies, raffles, Santa Claus, and Fire Truck rides; a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate the season.

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.