Welcome to the City of Rockaway Beach Monthly Update with a look back at the month of June 2024.
The Tillamook County Pioneer published an insightful article about the Lake Lytle project and our recent funding award for the new restrooms and utilities. The article includes a brief history of the project and next steps. Please find the article here.
I am in the early stages of dropping off QR code stickers at merchants, restaurants, motels and real estate offices. I am asking each business to display the sticker (backing removed) on their front window and/or at their point of sale. Scanning the QR code with one’s smart phone invokes Rockaway Beach’s official visitor web site (visitrockawaybeach.org) with information about where to eat, where to shop, where to sleep plus information on activities in the area, safety tips, info on Rockaway Beach and more.
City Hall
City Staff’s focus during the last half of June has been on preparing for the upcoming 4th of July festivities:
- 4th of July Parade begins at 11:00 am
- Rockaway Beach Lions Club’s Kids’ Races begin at 1:45 pm on the beach at the S. 4th beach entrance (near St. Mary’s)
- Weiner Dog Races at Phyllis Baker Park begin at 1:00 pm
- Merchandise Sales at 10:00 am
- Food Sales at 11:00 am
- Race registration at 12 noon
- Professional Fireworks Show at the Wayside begins around 10:00 pm; lights out at 9:30 pm
Finance Director Marni Johnson submitted the adopted budget to the County and posted the City’s 2024-25 budget documents on our Finance page. She wrapped up our SAIF (worker’s comp.) audit this week. City will receive a refund this year of approximately $1,700 dollars. Also, annual audit preparations are underway.
At City Hall on Thursday, June 20th two interviews were held for the open Administrative II position. Once again, the applicants have far exceeded our expectations! City Manager Shepard wishes we could hire both of them! A decision will be made on July 1st.
Until we onboard a new Administrative II, Kale Hesse and Finance Director Marni Johnson will continue to share the additional workload and will be tackling utility billing for the first time. A big thank you to Kale and Marni!
City held the grand opening for our Anchor St. Park with a ribbon cutting ceremony last Friday, June 21st. It was a milestone event for Rockaway Beach! A special thank you to former Mayor Sue Wilson for cutting the ribbon. I have no doubt that the park and its two ADA compliant play structures will be enjoyed for years to come by children of all ages! Here’s a video from the ribbon-cutting:
Rockaway Beach held its Strategic Planning Retreat with Council and City Leadership Tuesday, June 11th. The session was highly productive. Strategic Planning Public Engagement rolls-out in July. This will include a mailer in our utility bill, business cards with QR codes for elected officials and others to hand out, press releases through Facebook, Tillamook County Pioneer and Headlight Herald, significant website updates and a dedicated website page. Please make sure your voice is heard as we identify mission, values and a Five-Year Roadmap.
The Sourcewater Protection Plan Development Advisory Committee met June 17th and had a robust discussion of risks to our sourcewater.
City Manager Shepard attended the Oregon City and County Managers Association Summer Conference the week of June 24th. As your Mayor, I am a huge supporter of professional development for City staff. Growing the capabilities of our staff will deliver benefits to our community.
Fire Department
The Fire Dept. held its monthly Emergency Preparedness Meeting at City Hall. This month’s meeting was led by Chief Hesse and focused on Wildfire Preparedness. The event was live streamed, and a video recording will be posted to the Emergency Management webpage. Please attend the Emergency Preparedness meetings on the first Wednesday of the month (July meeting is canceled). Thank you, Chief Hesse and Captain Grace!
Chief Hesse announced that 19 out of 20 EMT students passed the written and practical tests this week. The last step for these hopefuls is the passage of a final national exam. Fingers crossed for 19 new Emergency Medical Technicians in Tillamook County! Nice Job Captain Grace!
The Fire Dept. held interviews for their two summer positions funded through the wildland fire grant. The new recruits will begin soon. Both are EMT certified and will hit the ground running.
Planning Department
We’ve received good news from Senator Merkley’s office. Our city’s $2.75 million request for infrastructure funding (sewer bypass force main) through the FY 25 Community Initiated Project is still under consideration. It’s been submitted to an appropriation subcommittee. If it sees passage through the committee, it will then head off for approval by Congress. It looks like the final steps will not happen until late 2024 or early 2025. You can follow the link below and click on FY2025 – Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies to see our project on the list! Thank you Mary Johnson for your work on this one! https://www.merkley.senate.gov/about/issues/appropriations-2/,
On Tuesday, June 25th, our High Ground Project Coordinator Thomas Fiorelli and our City Planner Mary Johnson met with a representative of Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici’s office. The discussion focused on an overview of the emergency preparedness and response project goals and progress; highlighted interest in discretionary 2025 Community Funding Project Requests and Congressionally Directed Spending Requests among others. The High Grounds Project will kick-off in earnest once seed funding is secured. This step may be the most time-consuming in the project.
City Planner Mary Johnson updated the Salmonberry Trail project webpage. City Planner Johnson has spent considerable time leaning on ODOT and their consulting engineers to push for tangible progress on this project. Rockaway Beach is fortunate to have such a knowledgeable and skilled City Planner who cares deeply about our community!
Planning Commission
The Planning Commission held two public hearings this month. One, to consider a conditional use application for a single-family dwelling in the commercial zone, and the other, to consider an application for a modification of a planned unit development. The planning commission approved the conditional use application for a single-family dwelling in the commercial zone; and after reviewing and discussing the application pushed a decision on the modification of a planned unit development to the July meeting.
Public Works
Our first project in the newly adopted Streets Capital Improvement Plan was completed. The S. Pacific Street waterline, stormwater and paving project was wrapped up on May 30th. Superintendent Emerson did a great job of keeping this project on time and on budget.
An asphalt seal coat was applied to S. Anchor St. between 2nd and 3rd Ave. Also included was the Fire Department parking lot. This seal coat will extend the life of the pavement and push out the need for an asphalt overlay. The seal coat cost approximately $5,000, while an asphalt overlay would run around $45,000. Superintendent Dan and his crew have budgeted for $50,000 in seal coat projects around town in the upcoming budget year, as was recommended in the adopted Streets Capital Plan.
The new wayside restroom sign has been delivered and installed by our Public Works department. I think the sign does a great job of “finishing” the new facility. Please note that Superintendent Emerson is working with our engineers on the installation of safety measures for the public toilet entrances facing the roadway on S. Pacific St.
Our engineers put the Wayside Beach Access Project out to bid in June. This work will be scheduled for the end of summer through late Fall. The new ramp, stairs and new foot washing station will be another great addition to this uber popular space.
Public Works placed digital signs on HWY 101 at the north and south City limits to let visitors know that fireworks are prohibited in Rockaway Beach.
City Council
At the June City Council meeting, City Council …
- Proclaimed June 2024 as High School Senior Recognition Month
- Selected Bill Hassell as the 2024 July Fourth Parade Grand Marshall and Ronnie Duckworth as Volunteer of the Year
- Approved an intergovernmental agreement between city and Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office to extend our contract for law enforcement services through June 2028
- Approved a proposal from Granicus for Short Term Rental Host Compliance Software and Services
- Approved a letter of intent and non-disclosure agreement with Nuveen Natural Capital to facilitate funding opportunities and related due diligence on acquiring the lower portion of the Jetty Creek Watershed
- Adopted the Budget approved by the Budget Committee for fiscal year 2024-2025; and added a rainy-day fund
The City Council will have the opportunity to appoint (and/or reappoint) two members to the Planning Commission at the July 17th City Council Meeting. Notices are posted to our website, Facebook, the Tillamook County Pioneer and the Headlight Herald. Applicants are invited to complete an application with questions and asked to include a cover letter and resume. Please share with anyone you know who may be interested.
Tillamook Coast Visitors Association
- We had 10,957 users visit Rockaway Beach’s Official Visitor Web Site (visitrockawaybeach.org); which is a 28% increase year over year.
- Map to be placed inside kiosk at Anchor Street Park delivered to Public Works
- Contract signed with Security Signs Company for digital sign at City Hall
- QR code stickers delivered to the Mayor
Please stay in touch
The most efficient way to keep up to date on your City government is to add your email address to the City’s email list through the City’s website; bottom of landing page. www.corb.us
If you have ideas to share; questions or concerns about what is going on in the City of Rockaway Beach, please email me at charlesforrockawaybeachmayor@gmail.com.
I am still listening!
Mayor Charles McNeilly