By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
Two coastal fire districts embroiled in controversy got new board members and a jolt of difficult financial news in Tuesday’s election.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday the Lincoln County Clerk’s office said 99 percent of all ballots had been counted – a turnout of nearly 30 percent.
The five-member Central Oregon Coast Fire & Rescue board, which has been heavily criticized for its handling of former fire chief Gary Woodson, will have at least two new members who will take office in July.
In a race too close to call, Todd Holt of Waldport was leading Peter Carlich of Tidewater for Position 2 on the COCF&R board by just two votes 395 to 393. Carlich, who was appointed in 2019, was losing to Holt despite his criticism of the board’s dealings with Woodson.
Lincoln County Clerk Dana Jenkins said late Tuesday night that voters have 14 days to sign their unsigned ballots or fix signature problems, and there will be ballots coming in from other counties. But if by June 1 the margin is still within two votes or less, Jenkins said the Carlich-Holt race would qualify for an automatic recount.
Kathryn Menefee of Tidewater easily won a three-way race for Position 3, over longtime incumbent Dave Brooks and Greg Dunn, a Waldport city councilor. Menefee got 406 votes, Dunn 247 and Brooks 178.
Buster Pankey of Waldport was unopposed for Position 1, currently held by board chair Tim Grady, who did not run for re-election. Grady had been on the board since the district was formed in 1998. Pankey is also on the Port of Alsea’s board.
The COCF&R board has been embroiled in internal controversy for several years as it tried to deal with complaints from firefighters, volunteers, its former medical director and others over Woodson’s performance. The issues went broadly public in early May when YachatsNews published a story saying how the board agreed to quietly let Woodson go in February with a $14,000 severance after employees said he had been sending them pornography
Holt, Menefee and Pankey had all run social media campaigns critical of the current board. Brooks, who has been on the board for 16 years, did little to no campaigning.
Menefee’s husband, Nestor Alves, was a former COCF&R captain fired by Woodson and who is suing the district for $1.1 million. Menefee, a nurse and hospitalist at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, will have to recuse herself from any board discussion and decisions on that issue.
“I’m excited beyond belief,” Menefee told YachatsNews on Tuesday night. “I hope to make positive changes, something I’ve been trying to do for three years. I hope we have more dialogue and communication … and with that make better decisions for the community.”
Changes in Seal Rock
The Seal Rock Fire District – which also has been rocked with controversy over a proposed levy, its direction and use of volunteers — is also getting new board members.
A proposed new five-year operating levy of 80 cents per $1,000 assessed property value was being soundly rejected by voters, 433 to 594. The levy – replacing one just half its size – would have taken effect in July 2022.
The district board said the levy would be used to hire more firefighter/emergency medical technicians and to have three on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It currently has an intergovernmental agreement with COCF&R to share personnel and equipment.
The district board could resubmit a levy for the November election. But that may be hard after the results of the board election.
The proposed levy was opposed by three men – Mike Burt, Paul Rimola and Al Anton – all running for the board
Anton was unopposed for Position 5, currently held by John Soltau who did not seek election.
Burt easily won the race for an unexpired two-year term for Position 4, held by appointed incumbent David Oliver. Burt received 537 votes, Oliver 276 and S.D. “Skip” Smith 88.
Rimola defeated incumbent Larry Henson for Position 1, 528 to 364.
In the Lincoln County School District board race in the south Lincoln County zone, Senitila McKinley of Waldport easily defeated Eric Goss of Yachats 7,213 to 2,205. McKinley is the founder and executive director of Seashore Family Literacy.