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City of Yachats eNewsletter

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Message City ofYachatsApril 2025E-Newsletter

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0305070910111314Message from the MayorUpcoming Events & ActivitiesYachats Youth Gala & MoreFrom the City Manager’s DeskParks & Commons CommissionLibrary UpdatesMuseum ImprovementsDisaster PreparationTABLE OF CONTENTS541-547-3565 | www.yachatsoregon.org | @cityofyachats2

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Message from the MayorSpring is here! I was walking around town last week and it struck me how, despite thewind and rain, spring was emerging. Red-flowering current and OregonGrape were in full bloom, the red and yellow flowers beautifullycontrasting each other. Some native shrubs are turning green whileothers are getting ready to flower or leaf out. The Indian Plum, one ofour earliest flowering shrubs, is almost done for the season. Birdsincluding robins, warblers and chickadees were busy. And the ducks,sandpipers and herons were busy feeding in the Commons wetlands. It was also great to see some of our city projects emerging from theirwinter slumber. Work has started at the Little Log Museum, initiallyinside, but soon we will see outside activity. Excavation on the library isin full swing following the demolition. I noticed the rich loamy soil thatthey were digging out in contrast to the sandy fractious soil in my yard. Ifyou are not aware, the soils west of Highway 101 tend to be great soil forgardening while the soils on the east are primarily remnants of 10,000-year-old landslides. You can still plant in those soils but consider yourplant selection. We hope that you will soon see a road cut above Sea-Aire. This is the firststep in determining the feasibility of moving our largest water storagereservoir to a seismically stable location. The road allows us to proceedwith a geological study to determine where or if there is solid soil orbedrock suitable for a 1.5 Million-gallon storage tank. by Craig Berdie3

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Another forthcoming development is the County's scheduled transferof Oceanview Drive, set for April 2. With that turnover, we will apply forgrants to develop the Estuary Walkway and begin planning how best tointegrate the Oneill/Landmark/Beulah’s property. The Greater Commons Master plan is moving forward. It will be good tohave a list of priority projects along with a roadmap for getting themdone. That will all be of great benefit! A terrific way to track progress on these projects and all matters relatedto the city is to read the City Staff Report found in each month’s CityCouncil packet. Each department, and the City Manager provides anupdate on their monthly work. For the fiscally inclined, I would alsosuggest looking at the City Council finance graphs to see how the city isperforming fiscally. (Fine by the way). So spring is here, things are hopping and soon we will see an influx ofvisitors. And, as I wrote last year, speeds of 45 MPH on the highway –and the same through town. Hopefully, our Sheriff’s Deputy will helpkeep vehicles traveling at appropriate speeds! Have faith, eventually we will see sunshine, the winds will come fromthe north, and the temperatures will rise. Welcome to spring!(continued...)4Message from the MayorContinued...

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5BigBandRibbonCuttingYachatsYouthGet ready to swing the night away with the Yachats BigBand! They'll be bringing their lively big band sound to theYachats Commons. This popular local band performs thefirst Thursday of every month, so mark your calendars foran evening of fantastic music and dancing.Join us on Saturday, April 5th at 2:00 pm for theCrystal Corner ribbon cutting at Hwy 101 and 4thStreet, between the Commons and Midtown Guitars.Local vendors will provide food and beverages.The evening will feature dinner from Ona Restaurant, adessert auction, silent auction, wine/beer bar, speciallive music, art by the children, and a presentationfeaturing music and videos of our programs. Upcoming Events & ActivitiesThursday, April 3rd at 7:00pmRibbon Cutting Opens Crystal Corner on April 5thYachats Youth 30th Anniversary Gala on April 12thCIVIC MEETING SCHEDULECity Council 3rd Wednesday, 1 pmCOMMISSIONSParks & Commons1st Tuesday, 2 pmPlanning Work Sessionfollowed by Regular Session3rd Tuesday, 2 pmPublic Works & Streets2nd Tuesday, 2 pm COMMITTEESEmergency Prepardness1st Monday, 2 pmFinance 1st Tuesday, 10 am

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Dear Yachats Residents, Join us for an interactive budget planning event on Wednesday, April 23rd at 5 pm in the Yachats Commons. This is your opportunity todiscover more about the City of Yachats' budget, participate in theplanning process, and connect with your City leaders. Date: Wednesday, April 23Time: 5:00 PMLocation: Yachats Commons, 441 Hwy 101 N, YachatsThis event supports the City Council's objectives to enhance citizeneducation regarding the budget and encourage their involvement in theprocess.In this initiative, we are collaborating with the Economic DevelopmentAlliance of Lincoln County (EDALC) to make budgeting engaging andapproachable. This includes an interactive game that mimics real-worldbudgeting decisions, enabling you to:Express Your Priorities: Utilize the game to convey your views oncrucial services, infrastructure, public safety, and communityprograms, as well as how you would allocate funds.Explore the Budget: Discover the sources of city funding and howfunds are utilized.Your participation ensures the City's budget reflects the needs and desiresof Yachats residents. We welcome all residents to participate in this first-time event, which isbeing held in partnership with the Economic Development Alliance ofLincoln County. Warm Regards,7From the City Manager’s DeskBobbi Price, Yachats City Manager

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The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Siuslaw National Forestremind visitors to the Oregon coast that it is plover nesting season —beachgoers can help recovery efforts for the threatened western snowyplover March 15 to Sept. 15. Sensitive plover nesting areas are identified on maps for the northernOregon Coast and southern Oregon Coast. Signs may be present attrailheads with additional rules and limits, such as staying on the wet sandand no dogs even on a leash, to help protect the small shorebirds and theirexposed nests during this crucial period. Visitors may also see rope fencingin dry sand areas; this fencing delineates some, but not all, of the criticalplover habitat that should be avoided. Recreation restrictions occur in designated plover management areas:stretches of beach along the coastline where plovers nest or might nest.These areas combined make up about 40 miles of Oregon's 362 miles ofshoreline. Seasonal recreation restrictions have helped protect these small birds thatnest on open sand along Oregon’s beaches. A Snowy Plover:Lives at the beachIs tiny and sandy-coloredRuns fastNests in the sandNeeds help staying safe!8Announcement from OregonParks and RecreationRespect snowy plover nesting areas on the Oregon Coast If you didn’t know...

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Springtime in Yachats creates a sense of excitement and anticipation forwhat’s to come, as the days lengthen, snowbirding friends migrate back totown, and the pussy willow trees show their furry catkins that become newleaves. I truly love the outdoors, as many of you do too, and enjoyspending as much time as possible in the natural world. With that said, It’sbeen a productive indoor season lately for the commission as we workthrough clarifying policy revisions while keeping an eye to the future ofmaintaining and protecting our parks, open spaces, and Commonsbuilding.We completed a lengthy revision process for the administrative policy thatdeals with Yachats donations and recognition. It was unanimouslyapproved by City Council. Hooray team for a job well done! I’ll share a bitabout the policy in an upcoming article. We are halfway through theprocess of updating the policy that identifies the roles and responsibilitiesfor our commission and how we interface with the citizens of Yachats, theCity Council and City Staff. And we did get outside a bit and completed thenew salal planting and protective fencing at Sunset Park South.Finally, a big shout out to Trails/YIPS! and Keeping Yachats Beautiful (KYB)for the continuing work they do to ensure that our city is beautiful and amecca for walkers/hikers who wish to experience our ecology and geologyby foot. Our commission receives their monthly reports and it is a pleasureto work alongside these groups for the betterment of Yachats. All seven ofour commissioners are also Trails/YIPS! volunteers and over half of uswork with KYB. More outdoor work to come as our little village grows andchanges in so many meaningful ways. Parks and Commons CommissionMaking Steady ProgressBy: Meg Simans, PCC Chair9Thank you!Trails/YIPS! and Keeping Yachats Beautiful(KYB) for the continuing work you do to ensurethat our city is beautiful!

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As most of you have probably noticed the “old” librarybuilding on 7 came down in early March. Now the buildingof the new library begins and we wait in anticipation untilthe end of 2025 for our grand re-opening. Years in themaking and it’s finally happening!! thIt’s an exciting time for the library. And while we wait, hereis a preview of some new print books that will be on ourlibrary shelves very soon. The Yachats Library continues toorder new books to keep our patrons happy. Come checkthem out! And, as a reminder, while you enjoy your beach strolls thisSpring please be on the lookout for small flat pieces ofcolored plastic and please bring any that you find into thelibrary. The Washburn park and Ocean Beach Picnic Areaare good places to look. A local artist will be teaching aYYFAP class this summer and the children will be makingmosaics for themselves and one for the new library. Thankyou!The Girl from Greenwich Street by Lauren Willig. The extended title for this book is ‘an intriguing historicalnovel based on the true story of Hamilton, Burr andAmerica's first murder trial. An Amazon review states,“Part murder mystery, part thriller, part true-crime.” If youlove historical fiction then this book is for you! Careless People by Sarah Wynn-WilliamsAccording to the New York Times, Careless People is anexpose of bad behavior at Facebook, penned by a formeremployee. The author portrays Facebook executives as“feckless” leaders cozying up to authoritarians. The Timescalls this book “darkly funny and genuinely shocking.” Evenif you don’t have a Facebook account this sounds like afascinating read.541-547-3741 At theCommons441 Hwy 101 NRoom 8Mon - Sat12pm-3pm10April Updates • Yachats LibraryTraci Altson, Library Administrator

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Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghyWild Dark Shore is NYT bestselling author, CharlotteMcConaghy’s, third book. According to the Times, this bookopens “vividly, with a shipwrecked woman named Rowanwashing up on Shearwater, a remote island off the coast ofAntarctica. She is nursed to health by the island’scaretakers — Dominic Salt and his children, Raff, Fen andOrly, the last inhabitants of an abandoned research baseand seed bank — but her unexplained arrival soon upsetsthe Salt family’s delicate balance, which is already strainedby grief amid a series of personal and professionaldisasters.”How to Share an Egg by Bonny Reichert An Amazon Editor’s Pick, the extended title is “a true storyof hunger, love and plenty.” People Magazine calls it ‘an‘absolutely transformative’ culinary memoir about therelationship between food and family — sustenance andsurvival — from a chef, award winning journalist, anddaughter of a Holocaust survivor.”Picture it: Twelve noon Thursday, March 20th amidst heavy rain and strongwinds, Friends of the Little Log Church Museum Board members gathered at thecorner of Third and Pontiac to witness the dismantling and removal of the bellatop the sanctuary at the entrance of the building. The crew from Top to Bottom Contractors had been prepping the exterior forseveral days. It was quite impressive watching the professional team clad inyellow rain gear work together to remove bolts which were rusted solid long ago,brace the bell, and carefully lower it onto a trailer bed. 11April Updates • Yachats LibraryLLCM Bell Removed for Repair asMuseum Improvements StartContinued...

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The bell was transported toReinmuth Foundry in Eugene, afine arts foundry specializing inbronze work. Specialists there willdetermine what the bell is made ofand whether there are anyidentifying markings that mightgive us more information about itshistory. The plan is to restore it toits earlier glory.The dramatic “opening salvo” wasphotographed by David and LindaWilson, of West Coast DroneServices of Yachats. Theircompany will providedocumentation of all significantsteps in the restoration process.The weather on “bell day”prohibited the use of the drone,but rest assured they arephotography pros and were ableto capture dozens of pics. Many thanks to the workers at Topto Bottom Contractors, who areseeing us through this long-awaited restoration project, to ourdocumentarians Dave and Lindaof WCDS, David Johnson, whotransported the bell to ReinmuthFoundry, the Friends of the LLCM,and, of course, all you stalwartsupporters of our local treasure.Thank you to Dave Wilson, WestCoast Drone Services for photosof “bell removal day”12Museum Improvements Continued... The Rev. Rolla Phelps and his wife, Stella, siton the steps of the Little Log Church in thelate 1920s, before the bell tower was added.

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Disaster Preparation: Essential Home MedicationsIn times of disaster, whether due to natural calamities, or unforeseenemergencies, having a clear plan for managing medications can make all thedifference in ensuring your health and safety. While emergency respondersand medical facilities may be overwhelmed, many individuals can rely onthe medications they have at home to manage ongoing health conditions.Home medications, when properly stored, organized, and accessible, canbecome a lifeline during a disaster. However, the challenge lies inpreparation—having the right medications, understanding how to use themeffectively, and knowing how to protect them during emergencies.Keep an Emergency Medication Kit Ready: When preparing for a disaster,assemble an emergency medication kit. This should include a 3–7-daysupply of your prescribed medications, as well as any over-the-countermedicines you might need, such as pain relievers, antacids, or allergymedication.Make sure to store medications in their original bottles and include a list ofyour medications with dosage instructions and the prescribing doctorscontact information. Don't forget important items such as inhalers, insulin,and other life-saving supplies.Store Medications Properly: During a disaster, power outages or extremetemperatures can affect your medications. Medications that need to berefrigerated, such as insulin or certain antibiotics, should be stored in acooler if electricity is lost. However, avoid opening the cooler frequently, asthis could compromise the temperature stability.Non-refrigerated medications should be kept in a cool, dry, and dark placeto avoid degradation. Consider placing your medication in a waterproofcontainer to protect it from floods or rain.13by Kathryn Torrence,Emergency Preparedness Committee Member

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Disaster PreparationPlan for Prescription Refills: If a disaster causes disruptions to transportationor healthcare access, it's essential to have a plan for this scenario. Contact yourdoctor or pharmacist ahead of time to request early refills if you anticipatedisruptions. Know How to Handle Medications if You Can't Access Your Prescriptions: Incases where you are unable to access your usual medication, it is crucial toknow how to manage the situation. For example, certain medications may besubstituted with over-the-counter options temporarily if your doctor approves.Speak to your healthcare provider or pharmacist ahead of time to understandpotential substitutions in emergencies. If you lose access to essentialmedications like insulin or heart medication, seeking medical attention shouldbe a priority, as delays in treatment can lead to severe complications.Keep Track of Expiration Dates: Expired medications may lose their potencyand could be unsafe during an emergency. Be sure to check expiration datesregularly and replace medications as needed. Make it a habit to rotate outmedications that are approaching their expiration date to ensure you alwayshave a stock of effective medications.Stay Informed About Disaster-Related Health Risks: Different types ofdisasters carry specific health risks. Extreme heat may require more hydration,and cold weather may worsen certain conditions like arthritis or respiratoryissues. If you rely on any specific medication to address weather-relatedconcerns, make sure it’s part of your emergency kit. Stay informed about yourlocal weather conditions and any health risks that could arise during thedisaster to better manage your medications. For individuals with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or older adults, managingmedications during a disaster may present additional challenges. It is importantto have a caregiver or family member who is familiar with your medicationregimen and can assist in an emergency. In some cases, individuals who takemultiple medications or have complex medical needs may benefit frompreprepared medication blister packs, which make it easier to track dosesduring an emergency. By planning ahead, ensuring your medication supply issufficient, and knowing how to adjust, you can mitigate the risks associatedwith medication interruptions. Stay informed, stay prepared, and make sureyour medications are part of your disaster readiness plan.Continued...14

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The Board of Directors has been busy preparing for our 30th Anniversary Galacoming up on April 12th at 5PM here in the Yachats Commons. Please join us aswe celebrate the history of Yachats Youth Programs and look to the future. The evening will feature dinner from Ona Restaurant, a dessert auction, silentauction, wine/beer bar, special live music, art by the children, and apresentation featuring music and videos of our programs. Tickets are to bepurchased in advance either by calling the office directly or following ourPayPal link below. Come celebrate the children and families of our communityand the programs that serve them. https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/LBSPUP7MASXHCStaff Recognized for ExcellenceOur preschool staff have been recognized by one of our Grantors asoutstanding early childhood education providers. Congratulations to Jodie,Krissy, and Karlie! See what she had to say about our phenomenal team: “Thestaff at Yachats Preschool consistently brings creativity to life, offeringengaging and imaginative activities during both station time and free play. Theyare doing a fantastic job of keeping the construction theme alive—incorporatingactivities like using LEGO bricks to stamp with paint for art, blueprints inliteracy, and wiring stations in dramatic play— making learning both hands-onand exciting!”Have a wonderful April, Yachats. We look forward to celebrating new beginningswith you! Warmly, Kristi AndersonExecutive Director https://yachatsyouth.org/yachats-youth-and-family-activities-programYachats Youth 30th Anniversary Gala15

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DK Foster and Ellen Shick began The Thicket (of Scottish Pride) in August of2024, located near the corner of 6th Street and Highway 101, adding to themany beds created by Keeping Yachats Beautiful. They wanted to have avisually different flower bed filled with flowing heathers, crawling thymes andcolorful sages. The driftwood additions were for borders and visual contrast andheight. DK and Ellen hoped by adding the zen standing stones it would add anelement of interaction. Join us on Saturday, April 5th at 2:00 pm for theCrystal Corner ribbon cutting at Hwy 101 and 4thStreet, between the Commons and MidtownGuitars. Local vendors will provide food andbeverages.The huge and beautiful rose quartz was donatedby Marc and Jennifer Taylor, owners of Stix,Stones and Bones. David Bench created the base,which features embedded agates, and the greatfolks from Job Corps helped with the benches.The sitting area is at the top of another beautifulKYB (Keeping Yachats Beautiful) garden.16Ribbon Cutting Opens CrystalCorner on April 5KYB Flower Bed of the Month

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Contact Us541-547-3565www.yachatsoregon.org501 Hwy 101 N. Yachats, OR 97498