Introduction of Mayor Frank Elduen, Ocean Shores Convention Center Feature, End of Year Events & More!

THE SHORES INSIDER

December, 2023

Happy Holidays!

Presented by the Ocean Shores Branch of Greater Grays Harbor, Inc.

A Localized Voice for Business in Ocean Shores

Shores Business News

Meet Ocean Shores Mayor Frank Elduen

Welcome Mayor Frank Elduen!

Frank Elduen, a former Ocean Shores City Council member, was elected in November, 2019. Born and raised in the Seattle area, Frank and his wife, Kerin, have two children and five grandchildren. Frank has fond memories of family vacations to the beach, where they enjoyed clam digging and fishing. In 2004, Frank and his wife visited Ocean Shores to search for a camping lot but ended up buying a home instead. They retired in 2017 and moved to Ocean Shores full-time from Auburn, WA.

Frank's professional background is in the electrical trade. He completed a four-year electrical apprenticeship in 1981 and spent over 43 years in the trade. Throughout his career, he took on increasing responsibilities, working his way up from journeyman to foreman, general foreman, and superintendent. He managed multiple projects in King County, handling multi-million dollar budgets and overseeing up to 300 employees. Frank is proud of his ability to work well with different groups, meet goals, and complete projects on time and under budget. He maintains a current Washington State electrical license.

Later in his career, Frank was recruited as a union organizer for IBEW Local 46. For the last six years of his career, he led a small team that achieved award-winning results in membership growth. He successfully negotiated contracts with 66 contractors, improving the lives and working conditions of over 900 organized employees. Frank found this position to be highly rewarding.

Community involvement is important to Frank. He volunteered as a coach in the Seattle/Kent area for 15 years and has been a volunteer coach for North Beach High School for five years. Frank has held leadership positions such as President of the North Beach Booster Club and Vice President of the Beach Boyz Ocean Shores Classic Car Club. He also has volunteered as a disc jockey for KOSW radio and is a member of the Eagles and Elks organizations in Ocean Shores.

In his spare time, Frank enjoys family activities, attending music concerts and theatre performances, playing golf, following WSU football, and engaging in outdoor activities like fishing, crabbing, clam digging, kayaking, and dog activities. He has served as Chairman for many AKC-licensed events and is a licensed AKC performance judge.

Frank's love for the beach community and his desire to make a difference led him to run for the city council. He believes that the citizens of Ocean Shores deserve a voice in matters that impact their health, daily lives, and budget. Frank is committed to working together with the community to lead the city towards a promising future.

Ocean Shores Erosion Mitigation Actions

Short Term Emergency Mitigation Measures Southern Erosion in December, 2023

After receiving the final report of the Southern Shoreline Erosion Assessment in August 2023, the city, with the help of Shoreline Consultant Mott MacDonald, did an evaluation of the shoreline along Marine View Drive to identify the area's most at risk of damage to public infrastructure.

The area identified that poses the greatest risk, is the area known as Neptune Way. This is the area directly across from the Water Departments South Reservoir and Booster Pumpstation, as well as the South end of Lake Minard. Should a storm event and resulting high surf conditions cut a path through the existing foot trail into Marine View Drive, damage to several critical public infrastructure assets could be compromised.

A plan has been designed to provide for temporary, short-term protection of this area that would potentially breach in a significant storm event. The plan involves the placement of a sacrificial sand berm parallel to the beach at the ordinary high-water mark. This berm would be approximately 350 feet in length and range from 5-10 feet in height. The bulk of the berm will be constructed of native beach sand. The top and ocean side of the berm is designed to use coarser screened sand sourced from a local quarry.

It is anticipated that if storm conditions reach the berm, the berm will absorb the wave energy and erode. It is forecast that this berm will have to be nourished throughout the storm season to continue to provide protection to the public infrastructure landward of the berm.

The City is in communication with the Army Corps of Engineers to facilitate a backup plan for this soft structure approach. The Corps has offered to provide supersacks, which are 1 cu/yd sandbags that can be placed and serve as a temporary stopgap to an imminent breach. The city will request additional supersacks to be used in other areas, if damage to other areas of this region appears imminent. The Corps has indicated that they could be available to assist the city if an imminent event were to be forecast. The Corps by law, are not allowed to preemptively place erosion control measures on private property without an emergency event taking place. They have indicated that because the city is taking a proactive approach to mitigating some risk, they will be able to provide support much faster if they are needed.

These short-term measures are intended to get the city through the winter while medium and longer-term solutions are sought. There are several challenges to the longer-term solutions including funding sources, the fact that this shoreline is largely privately owned, permitting timelines and having an effective design strategy.

During the construction of the short-term measure in front of the water tower, there will be a short period where public access to the beach at the east side of Oyhut Bay will be closed. Alternate access to this area is through the trail at the south end of Tonquin Ave. There is a trail that goes past the FAA Vortac Station which is visible from the parking area at the end of Tonquin Ave. Work may start as early as December 6, pending approval of permits.

KOSW New Years Eve Holiday Event

North Beach Independent Media, along with RC Fence, Too Cool Sportswear, North Beach Realty, Canterbury Inn, The Grey Gull, Ace Hardware, All Terrain Towing, Starlight Hi-Fi & Collectables, KOSW, KDUX, and KIX Present:

The party is coming to Ocean Shores at the Ocean Shores Convention Center with three bands, including: Janis Lives (Janis Joplin Tribute), Leah Justine (Nashville Recording Artist), Ocean Shores', Mr. Entertainer himself, Johnny Capo & The Bad Boys, along with comedian, Charlie Williams.

And that’s not all! There’s a buffet dinner, casino night, adult beverages, dancing, party favors, and champagne at midnight for only $60. Tickets include dinner and are now available at Starlight Hi-Fi Music and Collectibles located at 698 Ocean Shores Blvd and online here.

This is a 21+ event.

Shores Spotlight

Ocean Shores Convention Center

Memories are made at the Ocean Shores Convention Center! This 29,900 square-foot center is designed to accommodate groups of all sizes, from a get-togethers of 30 to a conference of 1,000. The state-of-that-art facility is equipped with all of the communications and audio/visual equipment needed to pull off an event to remember.

Within the Convention Center there are 16,900 square feet of flexible meeting space with a variety of room configuration options and break-out meeting room space. Additionally, to make events even more streamlined, the Convention Center offers full catering and food service facilities.

The staff on-hand are some of the best in the business and able to bring any vision to life, including Greater Grays Harbor's 2022 Leader's Banquet & Business Recognition Awards that welcomed hundreds of community members to celebrate business success in Grays Harbor. The GGHI staff could not have been more pleased to work alongside General Manager, George Lee and the other Convention Center staff to help pull off an incredible event.

Other notable events that the Convention Center hosts each year include the Five Star Dealerships' Sand & Sawdust Festival, Razor Clam & Seafood Festival, and Whale of a Quilt Show, among many others.