By GARRET JAROS/YachatsNews
YACHATS – Yachats residents seeking shelter from the storm of election rhetoric need look no further than the race for the city’s mayor and two council seats.
But then you can hardly call it a race.
Barring a last-minute coup by some unknown write-in candidates Nov. 5 – the mayor in January will be unopposed incumbent Craig Berdie – and one council position will be filled by incumbent Barry Collins, the only candidate on the ballot for two open council seats.
The council’s fifth position – now filled by appointee Anthony Muirhead – will become vacant in January and be subject to another appointment unless there is a strong write-in vote and that person accepts the position.
Voters can either mail their ballot – postage is pre-paid – by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5 or put them in special ballot collection boxes at Yachats city hall, the six other city halls around Lincoln County or at the county courthouse in Newport by 8 p.m. Nov. 5.
Collins, who filled an empty seat left by the resignation of former councilor Ann Stott in July 2023, won his position by a flip of the coin after a 2-2 vote by councilors between Collins and retired nurse Kathryn Torrence.
Collins is a retired attorney who spent the bulk of his career with a labor law firm in Chicago. He also has experience in multi-employer health and pension plans. Prior to his appointment he had not served on any city commissions or committees.
His stated goal for the upcoming four-year council term is “to help the council reach a consensus on the best way to serve our constituents.”
Berdie was first elected mayor in November 2022 and took office in January 2023. Prior to running he was the chair of the Parks and Commons Commission, served on the finance committee and in 2018 was appointed to the council to fill a four-month vacancy.
Before retiring, Berdie spent his professional career in Minnesota working in data communication, rural economic development and project management. He finished his career as global manager in 3M’s search engine marketing division. He moved to Yachats in 2015.
In his time as mayor, Berdie has guided the council in its search and hiring of a new city manager while also moving forward with projects that had stalled since the start of the pandemic and turmoil and turnover at city hall.
“I plan to build on the success Yachats has enjoyed in the last two years,” Berdie wrote in the Lincoln County voters’ pamphlet.
He then enumerated various council accomplishments as well as projects underway, which included securing a water source during drought; enhancing water and wastewater systems; shepherding the transfer of Oceanview Drive from the county to the city in order to move forward with a Yachats River estuary boardwalk; reinvigorating the Emergency Preparedness Committee; clearing hurdles to build a new library and securing bids to begin renovations on the Little Log Museum.
With a new city manager who has lifted morale at city hall while also hitting the ground running, Berdie said in the pamphlet, Yachats has stabilized city functions and continues to streamline operations.
“We have enhanced public safety through our agreements with Waldport and Lincoln County for a part-time sheriff,” he wrote. “We now have an employee with code enforcement responsibility.”
The city’s financial health is strong and carefully monitored, he added, and infrastructure projects are on track with plans in place to meet its needs over the next twenty years.
“Our community thrives,” Berdie wrote. “There is always room for improvement and by listening to our citizens we will build on our success and continue to make Yachats an exceptional place to live and visit.”
- Garret Jaros is YachatsNews’ full-time reporter and can be reached at GJaros@YachatsNews.com
