By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews.com
WALDPORT — In addition to running for mayor, the two candidates for the Waldport post have something in common — they both see city finances as a major challenge for the next few years.
Council president Greg Holland and council member Karun Virtue are vying for the top local slot, and both in interviews with YachatsNews.com expressed concern about Waldport’s revenue issues in the near future.
“Funding’s going to be a problem,” said Holland. “We need to develop more funding sources. We spend a lot of money on the sheriff’s department; we have to decide how we’re going to deal with that in the future.”
“We are coming out of a recession from COVID-19,” said Virtue. “Compared to some similar-sized cities in Oregon, we’re in a pretty stable place. We have to be cautious about our decisions to maintain financial stability and weather the storm.”
Holland, a retired attorney from Los Angeles, has lived in Waldport for 15 years and been on the City Council for 12. He holds masters and bachelors degrees in political science, but had never served in elected office prior to joining the council.
Waldport’s council term limit of 12 years made this “My time to run for mayor. I’ve always been active in the community, and in the arts community especially.” Four years ago he founded the Waldport Arts Group, now the Alsea Bay Center for the Arts.
Virtue, a disabled veteran, served as a minister for 10 years, and steered several small business start-ups with her brother. A two-year member of the council and four-year resident of Waldport, she holds masters degrees in counseling and divinity.
Virtue said she wasn’t intending to run until learning that interim mayor Sue Woodruff wasn’t going to make a bid for the office.
“I realized that Greg was the only one who was going to be running, and felt that there needed to be a choice,” Virtue said.
Since council terms are four years, she has resigned from the council effective at the end of the year to make a mayoral run.
Main goals as mayor
Asked to name their main goals if elected, the candidates responded this way:
Holland: “To form a non-profit community development organization. We need to get funding for affordable housing, and help businesses by getting funding for support programs.”
Virtue: “To carefully handle the financial impact of the pandemic recession. I really want to see us work on housing for first-time homeowners. We need to identify grants and industries to move our Industrial Park along.” The vacant park is 100 acres south of Waldport High School.
Holland also cited the importance of tourism to the area. “I’ve been working with Travel Oregon for the last few years,” he said. “They’re not recruiting more tourists to come here … they’re trying to educate tourists to ‘Leave it the way you found it’, and I want to get that message out to our tourists.”
Virtue said that urban renewal is a major challenge for Waldport. “We have some empty retail space in our downtown area. As hard as it’s been for many main streets in the past decade, it’s going to be even harder now. Finding a way to increase the vitality of our commercial area is going to be key.”
Three (and one-half) open council seats
Also on the November ballot are five candidates for City Council. Four people are running for full, four-year terms for three vacant council seats; one is seeking to fill a two-year unexpired term. From the Lincoln County voters pamphlet, they are:
Rick Booth is a volunteer public safety chaplain and president of Waldport South Lincoln resources. A Navy veteran, he has 30 years’ experience working as a federal civil servant.
“Those who know me know I can and will get things done. I care about where I live and those who live here. It all begins in the neighborhood!”
Greg Dunn is running for his second four-year council term. A licensed general contractor, consultant and volunteer firefighter, he holds certificates in law enforcement. “I am committed to making Waldport an energetic year-round community. I’ve tried to be an independent voice (for) all citizens.”
Heide Lambert is executive director of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) of Lincoln and Tillamook Counties. She has served on the Waldport Planning Commission since 2019. “I will listen to (our) citizens to solve some of our biggest challenges: housing, employment, food stability, education, access to affordable childcare and better health services.”
Jayme Morris is a secretary at Crestview Heights School, and holds a degree in business. Born and raised in Waldport, she returned to the city after leaving to further her education and start a family. “I believe in open communication of information and in the participation of citizens in the government process.”
Jerry Townsend is the sole candidate for the two-year unexpired term of Virtue, who resigned in mid-term to run for mayor. A semi-retired journalism professor, he has worked as a journalist and small business owner. “I believe in being non-partisan, responsive, transparent and accountable.”