By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews
WALDPORT – Saying they didn’t know how local homeless people would get to Newport and upset that Lincoln County might be cutting a $10,000 contribution to its museum, the city council voted 6-1 last week to not contribute to a county- and volunteer-operated emergency shelter this winter.
The county is asking seven cities to contribute toward the cost of operating shelters in Newport and Lincoln City, although it has been unable to find a location the north part of the county. The county is asking Waldport, Newport, Lincoln City, Yachats, Toledo, Depoe Bay and Siletz to contribute $4.50 per person based on its population in the 2020 Census.
Waldport’s portion would be $10,120 – or 2.5 percent of an estimated operating budget of $400,000. The Newport portion is $46,152; Lincoln City, $44,167; Toledo, $15,957; Depoe Bay, $6,817; Siletz, $5,535 and Yachats, $4,473 for a total municipal contribution of $133,221.
The county has already allocated $400,000 in one-time federal pandemic relief funds for the program and has hired a full-time shelter manager who will be paid out of its general fund.
The request is getting a mixed response from cities.
The Toledo city council decided Sept. 6 against contributing and Siletz is contributing just $500. The Newport city council approved the county’s request Monday night, the Yachats city council OK’d its portion Thursday, and Depoe Bay has OK’d its full contribution. The county’s request is on the agenda for the Lincoln City council on Monday, Sept. 25.
In a memo outlining the request, Waldport city manager Dann Cutter said while the city has money in its budget for capital projects, the request for $10,120 would have to come out of the city’s contingency fund – which might have to take a hit to also make up for the $10,000 the county said it would cut from its museum contribution.
The council decision came after a presentation by Karen Rockwell, executive director of the Housing Authority of Lincoln County, which is helping the county set up the shelters they plan to open Oct. 1.
Only mayor Greg Holland voted to contribute to the effort, saying a shelter in Newport gives the homeless “a place to stay not available in Waldport.”
But councilors Jayme Morris and Rick Booth wondered how the homeless would get to Newport if they don’t have transportation.
“How do we get people to Newport if they want to go there,” Booth asked. “And a lot of homeless want to be here, not in Newport.”
Booth also wondered if the city contributes $10,000 this year would it be asked to do more next year. “We know prices go up every year,” he said.
Rockwell emphasized that it was up to the Waldport council to decide based on what it was comfortable with.
“This is your money,” she said. “You can decide what’s fair and equitable for you. This isn’t mandatory, we’re just asking for support. We recognize that all of Waldport’s needs won’t be met with a shelter in Newport.”
Several council members were also concerned that the city heard recently from the county that a $10,000 contribution from county transient rental taxes would not be coming to help museum operations. Cutter told YachatsNews that a long discussion with county officials on Friday ironed out that issue and the county agreed to continue its contribution.
In other business Thursday, the council:
- Voted 6-1 to agree to the request by Blaine and Jennifer Werner to annex their property at 1426 S.W. Corona Court to the city. Morris cast the lone “no” vote. The property is within 300 feet of the current city limits, which allowed them to request the annexation in order to hook up to a sewer line. “I don’t believe there’s legal grounds for the city to say ‘No’,” Cutter said. The Werner’s have a vacation rental license from Lincoln County and want to continue to operate their property as one after it is annexed into the city and potentially sold. Other property owners along Corona Court could pay to hook up to the sewer once it is completed.
- Gave Cutter permission to proceed with advertising and making a recommendation to the council to hire a new city recorder to replace Reda Eckerman, who will transition to a half-time position in March as museum curator. Museum director Colleen Nickerson has retired.
- Gave Cutter the go-ahead to see if the city can create at least three residential lots in the 14-acre former Ball property it purchased for $85,000 in August 2022. The city bought the property east of Township 13 and Agate Street to protect sewer and water infrastructure leading to the city’s wastewater treatment plant below near Lint Slough but Cutter believes three residential lots can be carved out of the property and allow the city to recoup its original purchase price.
Good call. Thanks city of Waldport.
Heard this from a politician in Southern California. This could be done at a fraction of the cost.
Military applications typically use Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), each equipped to feed and house approximately 1,600 soldiers.
I tried to post a picture but it won’t paste. But I think you have the idea.
Too bad for Waldport. The city could work with Lincoln County Transit to use bus vouchers for the homeless to get to the shelters.
We still may have a bus pass program. The doors are not totally closed on anything.
So a museum is more important than getting people homeless to shelters. Not in my backyard attitude. As the numbers of homeless increase and increase you will find them in you back yard and all along sidewalks like Portland. Enjoy that museum.
Good for Waldport. Too bad Yachats didn’t vote for the same response.
I don’t understand the responses from Toledo, Siletz, and Waldport. Bus transportation to Newport is a surmountable issue, so the lack of transportation claim is a red herring, disguised to look like a practical argument. It’s not. This is a county issue, and the people of the county should pull together and help.