Several contested local campaigns are on the ballot on the North Coast.

Voters in November will weigh in on several contested campaigns for local government in South County.

Elections in Seaside, Gearhart and Cannon Beach could reshuffle the balance of power and influence public policy decisions on issues from housing and homelessness to land use and infrastructure spending.

The candidate lineup for the Nov. 5 vote was set after the filing deadline on Aug. 27.

Seaside

Two incumbents are seeking reelection and an open seat is up on the Seaside City Council.

City Councilor Randy Frank will face Heidi Hoffman in at large Ward 1 and Ward 2.

Frank, who was first elected to the City Council in 2012, is a former business owner. “My time on the council has been productive,” he said. “And there are a lot of projects in the works that I would like to see come to fruition.”

Frank said his focus has been on the balance between business, residents and tourism. “That’s very important, especially in a small town that blossoms up to 40,000 or 50,000 during our big events,” he said.

Hoffman, a former lieutenant with the Lakewood Police Department in Washington state, is a pottery maker and pet sitter.

In Ward 4, City Councilor David Posalski’s challenger is Meagan Hughes.

Posalski, who owns Tsunami Sandwich Co., was elected to the City Council in 2020. “In the works, we have housing projects, clean water plans, additional street projects, and updates to the homeless camping arrangement,” he told The Astorian in an email. “I hope to keep our momentum of completion of council goals functioning well.”

Hughes, a real estate agent, serves on the Library Board.

“We are a wonderfully diverse town and our residents from all walks of life should be heard and considered in the decision-making process,” she said in an email to The Astorian. “I am running for City Council to bring more balance to the council, to listen to the residents, and because I believe that everyone deserves a choice on the ballot.”

In Ward 3, City Councilor Tom Horning chose not to run for reelection.

Mark Hopman, the general manager of Best Western’s Ocean View Resort, and Seamus McVey, an independent contractor for Clatsop Community Action, will vie to succeed Horning.

“As a homeowner and parent, I want to keep this town a great place to visit and to raise a family,” Hopman, who relocated to Seaside after decades of coming to the North Coast for vacations, told The Astorian in an email. “I have experience in finance and community service and believe I would be an effective City Council member.”

McVey, an outspoken advocate for the homeless, lost a campaign for at large Ward 3 and Ward 4 to City Councilor Seth Morrisey in 2022.

Gearhart

In Gearhart, the mayor and a city councilor will seek new terms and two candidates will vie for an open seat.

Mayor Kerry Smith was first elected to the City Council in 2014 and appointed mayor in 2022 after Paulina Cockrum resigned in the wake of a failed public vote on a $14.5 million bond measure for a new firehouse.

Robert Morey, of Scofi Gearhart LLC, will challenge Smith for mayor. Morey and his wife purchased the former Gearhart Elementary School in 2020 and manage the property, which has the potential for redevelopment.

“I feel it’s time to do my part to help Gearhart be ready for the future, and that’s why I’m running,” he said.

In Position 2, City Councilor Reita Fackerell opted not to run for reelection.

Cockrum, the former mayor, will face David Savinar, who had a decadeslong career in advertising before moving to Gearhart and launching an art gallery.

Cockrum was appointed to the City Council in 2015 and elected in 2018 before running unopposed for mayor in 2020.

“I will continue to utilize the strength of our comprehensive plan to guide my discussions and help the council meet its goals,” she said in an email to The Astorian.

If elected, Savinar said he would focus on keeping Gearhart beautiful and trying to diffuse divisions among neighbors.

“This whole thing with the fire station, I would certainly want to focus on that, since it affects everybody,” he said. “I would focus on businesses in town — good businesses, happy businesses.”

In Position 4, City Councilor Sharon Kloepfer faces Patricia Roberts, a former county commissioner who once led the board of the Northwest Oregon Housing Authority.

Kloepfer, who previously served on the Planning Commission, was appointed to the City Council in 2023. She credits the emphasis her parents placed on volunteering and civic engagement while she was growing up as the main reason for her involvement in local government. She hopes to foster a spirit of participation and transparency in the decision-making process.

“I would like to see decisions made by the City Council adhere to the comprehensive plan as closely as possible, because I think it’s a genius document, and I appreciate everything they originally covered,” Kloepfer said.

Roberts used to represent the region on the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners. She survived a recall campaign in 2009 tied to her support of a liquefied natural gas project at Bradwood Landing and financial problems at the housing authority.

“People are just tired of the fire station issue and how long it’s dragged out,” she said. “And I think that if there’s a change on the council, people will be more likely to listen and talk and participate.”

Cannon Beach

In Cannon Beach, two open seats are up because City Councilor Nancy McCarthy and City Councilor Brandon Ogilvie have reached the city’s limit of two four-year terms.

Three candidates will compete for the two slots.

Erik Ostrander, who manages Sea Breeze Court with his wife, Hannah Buschert, lost a close campaign for mayor to Barb Knop in 2022. Buschert was behind a legal challenge to the city’s $33.6 million in bond financing for a new City Hall and police station and the redevelopment of a former elementary school. As part of a settlement with the city, voters will decide on $7.8 million in financing to turn the school into a tourist-related center.

Ostrander, who serves on the Planning Commission, said he would focus on housing, environmental protection and community preservation and shift focus away from projects that “do nothing to address these issues residents face.”

“Without adequate housing in our community we will have no one to staff our businesses or volunteer for the fire department,” he said. “Without our environment being protected not only will those who live here suffer, but so will our economy as our main driver for guests is our beautiful sandy beaches and scenic natural setting. On council, I will advocate for those who work here, live here, and love Cannon Beach. It’s a special place that I love to share.”

Deanna Hammond, who owns Cannon Beach Bakery with her husband, lost a campaign for City Council in 2022. She is part of Cannon Beach Together, a political action committee that has fought the financing for the infrastructure projects.

“Collectively our working class, city staff, emergency services workers and small-business owners are the lifeblood of our community,” she said in an email to The Astorian. “I’m seeing the difficulties our town is having, and I want to continue to see us thrive. I believe I can offer support in paving a path to help make a difference.”

Mike Bates, an author with an emphasis on social justice and the environment, previously worked as a corporate attorney with a practice in transactions and antitrust issues. He serves on the Planning Commission.

“The city has its challenges, just like any other community,” he told The Astorian by email. “Often with strong disagreement on how we ought to proceed. But we are in a unique position to build a sustainable community, one that addresses every aspect of the human ecosystem, protection of the environment, housing security, congestion, infrastructure and emergency preparedness.

“I decided to run for city councilor to help focus the high level of civic engagement that characterizes this community on innovative solutions. My priority will be finding ways to create needed housing while protecting the environment. It’s not a choice, one versus the other. We can, and must, do both.”