Bottom line? Ordinance #88 is gone, but the idea of a rural business license seems to be continuing on behind closed doors. The reason: Money (yours).
In response to what we learned, we created a website that publishes the documents for everyone to see — including the original language of Ordinance #88: ruraltillamookbiz.wordpress.com/about/
On the site, we also wrote a few blog posts with more information:
– Report on the EDC Public Meeting 12/19/22: https://ruraltillamookbiz.wordpress.com/2023/01/07/report-on-the-dec-2022-edc-public-meeting/
– The Real Reason the County Proposed a Rural Business License? https://ruraltillamookbiz.wordpress.com/2023/01/15/the-real-reason-the-county-proposed-a-rural-business-license/
Here’s the latest:
– In November and December at public meetings, Commissioner Bell said her next step was to create a work group to revise Ordinance #88 in January. We haven’t been able to find out much about this work group. If you have any information on the work group, please reach out to: ruraltillamookbiz@gmail.com.
– The EDC’s next public meeting is Monday, Jan 23 at 8 am: https://www.edctc.com/edc-minutes
– The County Commissioner’s next public meeting is Weds, Jan 18 at 9 am: https://www.co.tillamook.or.us/bocc/page/board-commissioners-meeting-68. Written public comments must be submitted 24 hours in advance.
A rural business license will shut down small supplemental family businesses that help us survive in a rural area. The fact that this rural business license was 1) proposed at all, 2) tried to pass between Thanksgiving and Christmas with minimal public oversight, 3) with so little concern by Commissioners for hard-working families, and 4) has since gone underground — is so wrong-headed that we feel we have no choice but to exercise constant vigilance.
Please keep sending any info our way and we’ll keep posting it for everyone to see.
Thanks for supporting local businesses,
Geoff & Valerie Franklin, Owners of Walnut Studiolo on Highway 53
Phone +1 503-447-6889
For Rural Tillamook Businesses
ruraltillamookbiz@gmail.com
ruraltillamookbiz.wordpress.com