Tillamook County meetings roundup

The cities of Rockaway Beach and Bay City, as well as the Tillamook School District approved budgets for fiscal year 2025 at their June meetings.

The Bay City City Council and school board also appointed new members and the Rockaway Beach Council signed a letter of intent with Nuveen Capital signaling their desire to buy the Jetty Creek watershed.

The Tillamook School District’s board of directors adopted a budget of just over $63 million for next fiscal year and approved raises for confidential employees and administrators across the district at their meeting on June 10. The board declined to increase the construction excise tax levied on new buildings in the district, with members saying that they feared doing so would decrease developers’ desire to build in the area.

The board also made appointments to fill two positions that became open with the recent resignations of Jesse Werner and Kurt Mizee. Ryan Lewis was selected to fill the position being vacated by Werner until June 30, 2025. Jean Christensen was appointed to fill Mizee’s position and will also serve through the end of June next year.

The Bay City City Council adopted a budget of just under $12 million for the upcoming fiscal year and appointed Josh McRae and Justin Howard to serve in open positions on the council on June 11. McRae’s term will expire in December 2026, while Howard’s will expire at the end of this year.

Rockaway Beach’s city council adopted a $26 million budget for fiscal year 2025 at their meeting on June 12. Council also extended their law enforcement agreement with the Tillamook County Sheriff’s Office through June 2028 and established an economic stability fund.

The council also signed a letter of intent with Nuveen Capital formally declaring their intention to buy the Jetty Creek watershed, whence the city’s drinking water comes. The letter also states Nuveen’s interest in selling. While it is nonbinding, the letter will allow the city to apply for federal grants to support the purchase.