Hey Folks
5/10/2013
I thought that you all should see who is supporting Port Commissioner Rick Goche.
Two college candidates disavow PAC
Rob T.
5/10/2013
I thought that you all should see who is supporting Port Commissioner Rick Goche.
Two college candidates disavow PAC
Rob T.
Hey Folks,
04/15/2013
Don Chance and Jill Halliburton are campaigning for two different seats on the Port of Bandon. Jill is running for
position #1 and Don is running for position #3. Both of these candidates have more than proven their leadership skills with their unwavering fight to stop the Bandon Marsh Expansion.
The following are the letters of intent for both candidates.
Would you please contact me if you would like to help one of the candidates? We need campaign volunteers, letters to the editor, and campaign donations. Jill and Don have been working for many years for the people, so I know I am going to work very hard to get them elected.
Rob Taylor
541-347-9942
Cooscountywatchdog@hotmail.com
04/15/2013
Don Chance and Jill Halliburton are campaigning for two different seats on the Port of Bandon. Jill is running for
position #1 and Don is running for position #3. Both of these candidates have more than proven their leadership skills with their unwavering fight to stop the Bandon Marsh Expansion.
The following are the letters of intent for both candidates.
Would you please contact me if you would like to help one of the candidates? We need campaign volunteers, letters to the editor, and campaign donations. Jill and Don have been working for many years for the people, so I know I am going to work very hard to get them elected.
Rob Taylor
541-347-9942
Cooscountywatchdog@hotmail.com
Read more about the Candidates:
Candidate Jill Halliburton Bio:A native of Coos County, Jill was raised in Myrtle Point. After graduating from Myrtle Point High School, Jill attended Oregon State University. She and her former husband operated a farm in Bandon for 19 years where they raised cranberries and kids. For the last 10 years, Jill co-captained Norway Industries, a local manufacturing company that continues today to ship locally made products nationally and internationally. Jill was very active in the cranberry industry for many years, serving on the Bandon Cranberry Water Control District Board and volunteering in various farm and cranberry organizations. Jill has been an active community member participating in Bandon's PTA, Project Graduation, and Southern Coos Health Foundation. Jill currently serves on the Port of Bandon Economic Development Fund Board and is a KCBS Certified Barbecue Judge. Jill has two grown daughters, a son and is the proud grandmother of nearly two. She resides in Coquille. |  |
**********************************************************************************************
LETTER OF INTENT:
Over a year ago, I stated publicly that I hate politics. I still do. But what I hate even more is that our county has been rendered impoverished by the undue influences of outside forces and it can and will get worse without challenging said outside forces.
For the last year, I have been involved with the local community-based non-profit Coos County Today (CCT), who has been leading the opposition to the US Fish & Wildlife's plan to expand the Bandon Marsh. I got involved because the threat to agriculture in our little valley of Coquille is real and very dangerous.
Yet, even more than that, the expansion effort represents a threat to our ability to have the choice to live here.
Recently I had the privilege of attending a 'work session' held by Rep. DeFazio, wherein I learned of the appalling condition of our local ports, some of which are beyond desperate for dredging services. The message I heard very clearly is that the Army Corps of Engineers has very few, if any, funds for dredging any of the ports along our Oregon coastline, and it is not just Oregon, it is a nationwide problem.
The apparent abundance of money available to purchase and convert prime agriculture land to wetlands, while ports are starved for regular maintenance is a crime. It appears a double economic whammy: rob our county, yet again, of its ability to create revenue, this time through both farming and fishing.
I have a deep and abiding love for this valley, for the people that live here, and I am passionate that we be able to live here because we choose to do so. That will not happen if we do not step up to the plate and start taking charge.
It is my conviction that the people who live and work "where the rubber meets the road" are the ones with the knowledge of the problems, the ones most motivated to find solutions, the ones who care the most about the outcomes. Moreover, the ones who will abide by the consequences of any decisions made about our collective future. We must develop creative solutions that address real problems, not continue to look at the traditional methods or funding sources. Please, join me in the fight for our future and vote for me, Jill Halliburton, position #1 Port of Bandon, because people should be first before bureaucracy.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” --Edmund Burke
Sincerely, Jill Halliburton
LETTER OF INTENT:
Over a year ago, I stated publicly that I hate politics. I still do. But what I hate even more is that our county has been rendered impoverished by the undue influences of outside forces and it can and will get worse without challenging said outside forces.
For the last year, I have been involved with the local community-based non-profit Coos County Today (CCT), who has been leading the opposition to the US Fish & Wildlife's plan to expand the Bandon Marsh. I got involved because the threat to agriculture in our little valley of Coquille is real and very dangerous.
Yet, even more than that, the expansion effort represents a threat to our ability to have the choice to live here.
Recently I had the privilege of attending a 'work session' held by Rep. DeFazio, wherein I learned of the appalling condition of our local ports, some of which are beyond desperate for dredging services. The message I heard very clearly is that the Army Corps of Engineers has very few, if any, funds for dredging any of the ports along our Oregon coastline, and it is not just Oregon, it is a nationwide problem.
The apparent abundance of money available to purchase and convert prime agriculture land to wetlands, while ports are starved for regular maintenance is a crime. It appears a double economic whammy: rob our county, yet again, of its ability to create revenue, this time through both farming and fishing.
I have a deep and abiding love for this valley, for the people that live here, and I am passionate that we be able to live here because we choose to do so. That will not happen if we do not step up to the plate and start taking charge.
It is my conviction that the people who live and work "where the rubber meets the road" are the ones with the knowledge of the problems, the ones most motivated to find solutions, the ones who care the most about the outcomes. Moreover, the ones who will abide by the consequences of any decisions made about our collective future. We must develop creative solutions that address real problems, not continue to look at the traditional methods or funding sources. Please, join me in the fight for our future and vote for me, Jill Halliburton, position #1 Port of Bandon, because people should be first before bureaucracy.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” --Edmund Burke
Sincerely, Jill Halliburton
CANDIDATE DON CHANCE BIO:Don Chance moved to the southern Oregon coast after serving 6 years in the US Navy as a hospital corpsman primarily with the US Marine Corps. Don earned a BS in Health Administration and has worked for several years in the long-term care industry. He is actively involved with many local community organizations including the Coos Bay and Bandon Rotary Clubs. He served a term as president of the Bandon Rotary and graduated from The Coos Leadership Program. Don is a true outdoorsman with genuine respect for nature and a consummate defender of the agrarian lifestyle. |  |
Letter to the editor
There was a time when The Port of Bandon did big things like building the boat basin and the boardwalk, created opportunities to start new businesses, and proudly saw itself as an engine of growth for the local economy. There was a willingness to engage the public to move things forward. What happened?
The port’s core mission is to improve life for people who live in the port district, which includes both Bandon and Coquille. For the past five years, the port has operated without a strategic plan. One is in the works now because the State of Oregon has mandated it as a requirement to obtain state funding. Take the time to ask yourself what you know about the port’s vision for the future. If you, like me, don’t see much going on
beyond the status quo or “same old, same old” approach of short-term fixes, and interim projects, I hope you’ll
support my campaign to restore leadership at the port.
As Port Commissioner, my priorities will be to:
1. Rebuild relationships among all the ports and restore port maintenance and dredging funds.
Dredging is an urgent matter of survival; the port already is losing moorage income from boat owners spooked by the uncertainty of continued federal funds and commercial fisherman know that their business could dry up overnight if this problem drags on. The approach we need goes far beyond the occasional trip to Washington DC. The only way forward is to work hard to unify the ports and take the approach that, if the government defunds one port, they have defunded them all. We need energetic, systematic, informed outreach to every federal official who can impact funding for dredging.
2. Use the available authority of the Port Commissioners to prevent unilateral land grabs by federal agencies in the Coquille Valley. The Port of Bandon is a major landowner in our area and needs a public policy outlining its stewardship of properties it owns and manages. For example, the port owns property adjacent to the land the US Fish & Wildlife Service most wants to acquire in order to expand the Bandon Marsh. The port’s land will be affected by the decisions of this federal agency. I have led the opposition to the expansion of the Bandon Marsh because it would imperil the livelihoods and property of farmers in our area, many of whom have lived here for generations. Our local farms are a vital part of our local economy and deserve our support. The port needs a strong, informed voice on this issue.
In recent years, I have become increasingly concerned about the lack of representation of the rural populations of our state at the federal level. Organizations, including the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land
Management and other federal agencies, have a role to play in our area, but we need to combat indifference and ignorance in these organizations when their actions threaten our local economy, jobs, tax revenues, and the preservation of local ecosystems and natural areas.
In November 2011, I began the process of organizing with other citizens to start the arduous process of stopping the expansion of the Bandon Marsh. We call ourselves Coos County Today. Our mission is to maintain local control of our natural resources and economic assets, raise public awareness, and make sure outside agencies earn the trust of the people of Coos County through the election process. We started a “get involved” program to encourage local residents to run for office at all levels of government to make sure our grassroots views are heard. The group presented a strongly worded resolution against the creation of more wetlands to our county commissioners last fall and the voters approved it by an overwhelming 72% majority vote.
3. Design an annual review process to update all policies and procedures regarding public access to port property and information about port operations, while ensuring a high level of transparency and financial accountability in all decisions.
To ensure openness and public involvement, I would like to hold meetings in Bandon and Coquille for the general public at least once a year to review the port’s facilities and land holdings, current policies and projects, and solicit new thinking about ways to create new revenue streams and jobs from best uses of port assets.
Some questions we should be discussing include: What should we do with the Moore Mill property? How can we better support the Riverwalk project in Coquille? Should we think about extending the existing boardwalk in Bandon? How do FEMA flood plain regulations and tsunami zone designations affect our planning? What are the best possible, permanent uses for the old Bandon Fisheries or “blue” building? For each of these, we need a way to prioritize projects offering the best return, and creative thinking beyond “blue sky” dreams.
The incumbent commissioners running for reelection have been touting the new marketplace in the former “blue” building as one of their major accomplishments. It’s the first new revenue stream, however modest, for the port in a very long time – good for the port for making it happen - but it’s an interim project, not a long-term use. There’s a backstory about this building that underscores the need for more transparency and public input.
Unfortunately, the public largely was kept in the dark when the port bought out the lease on the building a few years ago. There was no financial plan or realistic assessment of the property’s revenue generating potential and there has not been a full public accounting of the full cost of the buyout, covering the lease buyout cost, legal and administrative expenses, rents and tax dollars lost (the building sat empty through two years of legal battles and another two years because the port had no plan), etc. We do know that Bandon lost its highly
popular fish market, along with seven full-time jobs. Also, there was no public discussion of what options there might have been for a private-public partnership to repurpose the building and reduce the port’s expenses. This is not acceptable. I will work to ensure future decisions involving major capital outlays are made with public input.
About my background, I moved to the southern Oregon coast after serving for six years in the US Navy
as a hospital corpsman, primarily with the US Marine Corps, and then worked for a number of years in the long-term care industry. As the first Chief Administrator of Heritage Place, I oversaw the planning and development of the facility, as well as its start-up operations. This was a complex project requiring cooperation with many, diverse regulatory agencies and local stakeholders. Also, I have worked with a number of local organizations, including serving a term as president of the Bandon Rotary Club, and graduated from The Coos Leadership Program.
I have always worked to support and defend our community as an energetic, involved citizen. At this
critical time for The Port of Bandon, when strong and decisive leadership is urgently required, I am asking for your help. Please cast your vote for Don Chance for Port of Bandon Commissioner Position #3.
Sincerely,
Don Chance
The port’s core mission is to improve life for people who live in the port district, which includes both Bandon and Coquille. For the past five years, the port has operated without a strategic plan. One is in the works now because the State of Oregon has mandated it as a requirement to obtain state funding. Take the time to ask yourself what you know about the port’s vision for the future. If you, like me, don’t see much going on
beyond the status quo or “same old, same old” approach of short-term fixes, and interim projects, I hope you’ll
support my campaign to restore leadership at the port.
As Port Commissioner, my priorities will be to:
1. Rebuild relationships among all the ports and restore port maintenance and dredging funds.
Dredging is an urgent matter of survival; the port already is losing moorage income from boat owners spooked by the uncertainty of continued federal funds and commercial fisherman know that their business could dry up overnight if this problem drags on. The approach we need goes far beyond the occasional trip to Washington DC. The only way forward is to work hard to unify the ports and take the approach that, if the government defunds one port, they have defunded them all. We need energetic, systematic, informed outreach to every federal official who can impact funding for dredging.
2. Use the available authority of the Port Commissioners to prevent unilateral land grabs by federal agencies in the Coquille Valley. The Port of Bandon is a major landowner in our area and needs a public policy outlining its stewardship of properties it owns and manages. For example, the port owns property adjacent to the land the US Fish & Wildlife Service most wants to acquire in order to expand the Bandon Marsh. The port’s land will be affected by the decisions of this federal agency. I have led the opposition to the expansion of the Bandon Marsh because it would imperil the livelihoods and property of farmers in our area, many of whom have lived here for generations. Our local farms are a vital part of our local economy and deserve our support. The port needs a strong, informed voice on this issue.
In recent years, I have become increasingly concerned about the lack of representation of the rural populations of our state at the federal level. Organizations, including the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land
Management and other federal agencies, have a role to play in our area, but we need to combat indifference and ignorance in these organizations when their actions threaten our local economy, jobs, tax revenues, and the preservation of local ecosystems and natural areas.
In November 2011, I began the process of organizing with other citizens to start the arduous process of stopping the expansion of the Bandon Marsh. We call ourselves Coos County Today. Our mission is to maintain local control of our natural resources and economic assets, raise public awareness, and make sure outside agencies earn the trust of the people of Coos County through the election process. We started a “get involved” program to encourage local residents to run for office at all levels of government to make sure our grassroots views are heard. The group presented a strongly worded resolution against the creation of more wetlands to our county commissioners last fall and the voters approved it by an overwhelming 72% majority vote.
3. Design an annual review process to update all policies and procedures regarding public access to port property and information about port operations, while ensuring a high level of transparency and financial accountability in all decisions.
To ensure openness and public involvement, I would like to hold meetings in Bandon and Coquille for the general public at least once a year to review the port’s facilities and land holdings, current policies and projects, and solicit new thinking about ways to create new revenue streams and jobs from best uses of port assets.
Some questions we should be discussing include: What should we do with the Moore Mill property? How can we better support the Riverwalk project in Coquille? Should we think about extending the existing boardwalk in Bandon? How do FEMA flood plain regulations and tsunami zone designations affect our planning? What are the best possible, permanent uses for the old Bandon Fisheries or “blue” building? For each of these, we need a way to prioritize projects offering the best return, and creative thinking beyond “blue sky” dreams.
The incumbent commissioners running for reelection have been touting the new marketplace in the former “blue” building as one of their major accomplishments. It’s the first new revenue stream, however modest, for the port in a very long time – good for the port for making it happen - but it’s an interim project, not a long-term use. There’s a backstory about this building that underscores the need for more transparency and public input.
Unfortunately, the public largely was kept in the dark when the port bought out the lease on the building a few years ago. There was no financial plan or realistic assessment of the property’s revenue generating potential and there has not been a full public accounting of the full cost of the buyout, covering the lease buyout cost, legal and administrative expenses, rents and tax dollars lost (the building sat empty through two years of legal battles and another two years because the port had no plan), etc. We do know that Bandon lost its highly
popular fish market, along with seven full-time jobs. Also, there was no public discussion of what options there might have been for a private-public partnership to repurpose the building and reduce the port’s expenses. This is not acceptable. I will work to ensure future decisions involving major capital outlays are made with public input.
About my background, I moved to the southern Oregon coast after serving for six years in the US Navy
as a hospital corpsman, primarily with the US Marine Corps, and then worked for a number of years in the long-term care industry. As the first Chief Administrator of Heritage Place, I oversaw the planning and development of the facility, as well as its start-up operations. This was a complex project requiring cooperation with many, diverse regulatory agencies and local stakeholders. Also, I have worked with a number of local organizations, including serving a term as president of the Bandon Rotary Club, and graduated from The Coos Leadership Program.
I have always worked to support and defend our community as an energetic, involved citizen. At this
critical time for The Port of Bandon, when strong and decisive leadership is urgently required, I am asking for your help. Please cast your vote for Don Chance for Port of Bandon Commissioner Position #3.
Sincerely,
Don Chance
RSS Feed