My name is Donna Miller and I am announcing my candidacy for a seat on the Manzanita City Council. I have chosen to live in this wondrous location since 1990, working as a teacher for NeahKahNie School District for 20 years, then staying productive and involved in community based programs. Since retiring in 2011, I served as a leader in GardenBuds and Jr. MuddNicks, two organizations that exposed elementary children to the rewards of community service. I coordinated programs and events for the MuddNick Foundation, volunteered at Nehalem Care Center, Friends of the Library, Schmuck Foundation Tournament and Hoffman Center for the Arts. I currently am a host at the Hoffman Clay Studio and deliver meals for the Nehalem Bay Methodist Community Meals Program. I am a strong believer that it really does take a village to build a thriving community.
Why am I choosing to run for city council at this time? Manzanita, where I plan to live out my life, is changing quickly, losing its feel of community. There is a great need for a proactive council to study and guide this transition, to protect its citizens, plan to keep the environment healthy and encourage sustainable growth. Too many of the decisions being made benefit developers at the expense of residents. We need a better balance.
A strong council will recognize the need to break down walls of doubt and closed- mindedness, instead harnessing the thoughts, ideas and experience our citizens have to offer to bring this community back together.
I hope to help build the windmills to generate this energy!
Donna Miller
