Candidates for County Commissioner representing District 2 are incumbent Patricia Roberts, and two endorsed by the Democratic Party, Jim Scheller and Kelly Stearn. All three are using the internet, to differing degrees, to get their message out to voters.
Roberts is using the internet with a blog, posting her views and answering questions at Roberts for Clatsop. During Roberts time on the Clatsop County Board of County Commissioners the Board has received three consecutive “perfect audits” for last three years. The auditor found all the county’s financial records for the fiscal year to be in perfect order. Typically, auditors find errors or areas needing improvement and issue what is called a “qualified” opinion, meaning the auditor considers the records to be in order but for those cited areas. Also, during Roberts time on the Board, the Board conducted a Long-Term Financial Plan study to identify financial challenges and opportunities to improve the County’s financial management leading to performance measures being implemented. States and counties with large budgets use performance based budgeting for transparency in government and to ask ““where do we want to go, and what is the most effective and fiscally responsible way to get there?” Clatsop County is one of the first of the smaller counties to implement it. Now, other counties are turning to Clatsop County for guidance and to share its experiences with the performance based budgeting process. Most recently Central Services Director Mike Robison and Assistant County Manager Nicole Williams traveled to St. Helens to give a presentation.
The Board Roberts was a part of reevaluated the role of the County’s Public Works Department in the community, implementing changes to improve public perception and satisfaction with Public Works services. It also acted on the completed NIC study of the Clatsop County criminal justice system implementing recommendations related to staffing the Public Safety Coordinating Council causing it to function more effectively. She currently serves on the Public Safety Coordinating Council and chaired it last year. During her time on the Board DeLaura Beach was made a Clatsop County Park and sold to the State of Oregon, after ensuring that it would remain open to all who presently use it, including equestrian groups despite some fears that the state didn’t allow certain activity near wetlands. Making it a County Park first ensured that the money obtained from the sale would remain in the parks fund to maintain the remaining county parks.
In addition to sitting on the Board of County Commissioners, currently Roberts sits on the Association of Oregon Counties Executive Committee at large, is the Clatsop County representative to the Forest Trust Land Advisory Committee, Board member of Destination the Pacific, Public Safety Coordinating Council, Northwest Oregon Housing Authority, and Clatsop County Housing Authority. In the past Roberts has worked with American Institute of Architects as an associate member of both National and Portland chapters, with an interest in historic resources; the Clatsop County Historical Society Board of Directors and Officer; Chair of the Gearhart Landmarks Commission; Member of the National Trust Historic Preservation; Seaside Museum and Historical Society; the Lower Columbia Preservation Society and the Gearhart Heritage Committee.
Jim Scheller is using the internet via a website as well as You Tube. You can also listen to an MP3 clip of Scheller’s speech to the Democratic Party. Scheller, as a member of the Oregon Association of Nurse Anesthetists, served on the state board. In 1993 Scheller was elected as a write in candidate to the North Coast Watershed Association and the Warrenton Trails Association. In 2006-2007 he served on the ODOT Regional Refinement Plan.
Scheller was been a witness for the National Environmental Law Center’s lawsuit against Pacific Seafood Group in Warrenton, Oregon, advocating for the Skipanon River against Pacific Seafood’s discharge of surimi wastewater. He serves as chair for the Skipanon Watershed Council and Northcoast Watershed Association and as president of the Skipanon Water Control District. Scheller has gained an extensive knowledge of the ecology of the Skipanon River through his many years of kayaking, canoeing and sailing on the river. As part of the Skipanon Watershed Council he supports and follows the Oregon Plan instituted by then-Gov. Kitzhaber to address the proposed coho listing. Scheller states, “I have years of experience working cooperatively with a board of directors for the North Coast Watershed Assn, that includes members from Weyerhaeuser, Hampton Industries, State Dept of Forestry,The North Coast Land Conservancy,CREST, and the Watershed Councils in this county.
Together we have planned and constructed millions of $$$ worth of salmon & habitat restoration projects utilizing local contractors.”
Kelly Stearns has a website to spread her message at Kelly Stearns for County Commissioner. You can also listen to an MP3 clip of Stearn’s speach to the Democratic Party.
Stearns has admitted she has the least amount of government experience but doesn’t see this as a detriment. Stearns says, “I am the “Underfunded Underdog” of the race. I own no large tracks of land to develop nor do I own a large business.” She goes on to state, “I will take into consideration the effect of county decisions on the silent majority of Clastop county citizens who work for a living or have a modest retirement, own or rent their homes and want to keep our County a nice, healthy, friendly place to live. My family and I moved to the area for the quality of life, the clean air and the unspoiled natural spaces. I hope our county can maintain its’ charm and natural space while allowing smart growth that will benefit the County, our small businesses and our local economy. I tossed my hat into the ring to give the voters a fresh choice in County leadership. Our County government representatives should be open and honest with their positions on the issues affecting our county, therefore I am listing my views here for all to see. I hope to be a voice for the underrepresented and silent majority.
I support affordable health care and child care, affordable housing, increased assistance to seniors, improved emergency management and communication and a greater support for our County animal shelter. I further support the sale of the Delaura Beach property to the state to benefit the citizens of Clatsop County for generations to come.
I believe in the principals of smart growth and think future development should follow the County Master Plan. If additional development is needed, the Master Plan should be reviewed and altered, rather than granting variances to powerful interests for harmful projects that conflict with the County’s best interests.
I am against placing an LNG facility in the region. I believe LNG will ruin our tourist economy, our pristine landscape and our natural resources. LNG will cause a devaluation in Clatsop County real estate. LNG is a transient technology that will cause permanent and major disruption to the Columbia for short term corporate gain. I am willing to put in the effort and be part of our local governmental process to serve our growing community.
More of Stearns platform was stated here than the other two’s because the other two can more easily be researched by the reader with several links and google.
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