Seaside commission reviews draft bylaws, facility use data and ongoing repairs; schedules bylaws work session

The Seaside Community Center Commission on Wednesday discussed draft bylaws and a timeline to send the document to Seaside City Council for ordinance review, reviewed July building-use figures that staff said are near pre-pandemic levels, and received updates on a recurring parking-lot flooding problem and a swollen exterior door flagged as a fire‑safety concern.

Tina Montero, Seaside city council liaison, opened the governance discussion, saying the council expects each committee, commission and board to submit mission, vision and bylaws proposals and that council will decide which items should be placed into ordinance versus policy. “My main work right now is helping us get to the goal of submitting your ideas and your input” to council, Montero said.

Montero urged the commission to consider what should be ordinance (harder to change), what should be bylaws and what should be policy (easier to revise). She said the council hopes ordinances for boards and commissions can be adopted by the end of the year and noted that ordinances require at least two council meetings plus a 30‑day waiting period after adoption.

Darren Gooch, director of development for the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District and a long‑time liaison to the commission, delivered the financial and building‑use report. He told the commission the financial report showed no budgeted numbers yet because staff are still loading the fiscal‑year data into the accounting software. The commission learned the center’s attendance for July was about 2,210 visits, which Gooch said is “so close” to pre‑pandemic numbers.

Gooch and staff provided program totals for July: 296 class participants; 342 congregate meal participants; 534 frozen‑meal pick‑ups and home deliveries; 261 attendees at rentals and events; 75 volunteers who logged 252 volunteer hours with an estimated volunteer value of $8,767.08. Staff also reported 70 phone calls, 70 walk‑ins and 37 WIC visits for the month.

Commission members discussed the center’s fundraising history and how donations are handled. Janet (surname not specified) summarized past renovation fundraising: a regular “Fascination” tournament generates roughly $3,000 net and those funds are held with the Sunset Park and Recreation Foundation until used for future refresh projects.

Members raised two facility issues for which city staff are pursuing fixes: recurring flooding at a corner of the community‑center parking lot and a rusted, swollen door that public‑safety staff have classified as a fire‑life‑safety concern. Montero reported that public‑works staff including Ed Harden and Jeremy Strimple have discussed possible fixes such as perimeter French drains and a shallow sump with a pump to discharge to the street. Montero said staff are “working on it” and that if costs require it the work could be scheduled into the next budget cycle. She stated the priority is a permanent fix rather than a short‑term patch: “We’re looking for a good long term fix.”

On the door, commissioners were told city staff are actively seeking a replacement after the building official and the fire marshal flagged the swelling and rust as a safety issue.

The commission reviewed a draft bylaws document prepared from answers to staff questions and an uploaded draft. Members discussed specifics the draft covers and whether to keep some provisions in ordinance or move them into bylaws or policy — for example, membership ranges, residency requirements for members, conflict‑of‑interest attestations and whether the commission should interview candidates before council appointments.

Montero advised commissioners that ordinances are harder to change and that some items are better placed in policy, such as annual conflict‑of‑interest attestations; she suggested considering a range for membership (for example, five to seven members) to allow flexibility. The commission also discussed language allowing a limited number of nonresident users to serve if they have a “vested interest” in the community center.

The commission agreed to treat the draft bylaws as homework and to continue revisions at a special work session. Commissioners set a public, noticed work session for Thursday, Sept. 4, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to focus on the bylaws and related policy questions before returning a final draft to council staff. “I would suggest you take some time to devote just to this topic,” Montero told commissioners; she and staff recommended final ordinance adoption by year‑end so council and staff have time for the required meetings and reviews.

Two procedural items recorded during the meeting: members moved to approve the meeting minutes and, by voice vote, the motion carried (members said “aye”); later a motion to adjourn also passed by voice vote.

No ordinance or bylaw change was adopted at the meeting. Commissioners were instructed to review the draft bylaws and ordinance language in advance of the Sept. 4 work session; Montero said the council will take staff advice when preparing the ordinance text and that the council intends to standardize where practical while allowing differences where each commission’s work requires it.

Ending: The commission closed its regular meeting after scheduling the special bylaws work session and encouraging members to submit suggested edits so staff and council can complete their review this fall.