By QUINTON SMITH/YachatsNews.com
The Yachats Rural Fire Protection District needs to replace one of its five board members and this week gave people until the end of January to apply.
The position is open because A’lyce Ruberg of Yachats resigned in November after just four months in office.
Ruberg, who was elected to a four-year term in May, is under investigation by the Oregon Elections Division for lying about her qualifications in the Lincoln County voters pamphlet. In addition, the Oregon State Board of Nursing wants to fine her $5,000 for illegally saying in the voters pamphlet that she is a nurse.
The district said the appointee would serve the remainder of Ruberg’s term, until July 1, 2023. The board meets twice a month to oversee the administration of the district, which runs from south of Yachats, up the Yachats River, includes the city of Yachats and then north to the Waldport city limits.
To be eligible, applicants must be a registered voter who lives in or owns property in the district. The board asked that people stop by the district office at 2056 U.S. Highway 101, call 541-547-3266 or email it at yrfpd@peak.org to request an information packet on the district, the position, and the application and selection process.
The board was unsuccessful in filling a vacancy in 2018 but believes more people now might be interested.
The district has started the move into its new, $8 million station on the north edge of Yachats. The transition will complete an arduous six-year process to find land, design and then build the main 12,000-square-foot structure to replace its 69-year-old building in downtown Yachats.
District administrator Frankie Petrick encouraged prospective applicants to attend the board’s next meeting, Jan. 13, to observe the session and “to see if it’s what they want to do.”
In other business Monday, the fire board:
- Heard a presentation by volunteer Shi Bucher on how it could use its new but incomplete website and Facebook to improve its communication with district residents and volunteers. “The days of grabbing the newspaper are over,” he said. “You go online to do everything.” But Petrick warned the board of potential legal liabilities of using Facebook and board members were either unsure or unknowing of the social media site. “I appreciate what you are doing,” said Betty Johnston, the only board member who acknowledging having a Facebook account. “Times have changed … and not all of us have gone along.” The board agreed to check legal ramifications with the Small District Association of Oregon and discuss it further.
- Learned that the Oregon Employment Relations Board will close a union decertification election Dec. 27. The district’s six firefighters unionized in August 2018 but two firefighters petitioned the state this fall to hold an election to decertify it.
- Heard updates on the station move, including dimming exterior lights and putting them on a timer to shut off at 9 p.m. after complaints from some neighbors. Petrick is also contacting the Oregon Department of Transportation to see about highway signs directing people to the station and getting a contractor to clean up and landscape the area along Highway 101.