The Sweet Home Community Foundation and New Era hosted a candidate forum on Thursday, Oct. 17, giving the 12 City Council candidates an opportunity to answer questions regarding issues that impact the community.
Two of the 12 candidates were unable to attend. Inside can be found a transcript of each of the candidates’ answers at the forum, with the addition of the other two candidates who responded to questions via an in-person interview (Jennifer Victor) or email (Erin Barstad).
It should be noted that Victor was asked similar questions prior to the forum, but they were not always identical or lined-up with the actual questions posed at the forum. As such, we tried to align her answers with the best fit for the forum questions, and some of the forum questions were not given to her to be answered here.
Outgoing city council members, whose terms end Dec. 31, 2024, are: Lisa Gourley, Greg Mahler, Angelita Sanchez, Dave Trask. Sanchez is running as an incumbent this year. Remaining council members, whose terms end Dec. 31, 2026, are: Susan Coleman, Dylan Richards, Joshua Thorstad.
Introduce yourself, and provide a brief background of yourself and why you wish to serve on the city council.
Chelsea Augsburger: I would be honored to earn your votes. I am a lifelong resident of Sweet Home. I remember what Sweet Home was, I see what it is today, and I would be honored to help shape the future of our town. I was a local teacher here. I also worked at the Linn County Assessment office, also the City Planning Department. I am well versed in the challenges facing our town and I’m well equipped to help us navigate those challenges. If elected to council, I would work to be fiscally responsible with your tax dollars. I would work to increase notifications to the residents of town. I would work to make sure to advocate for all citizens. I would listen to you and I would be accountable to citizens in Sweet Home.
Erin Barstad: I have lived in Sweet Home all my life and I love our community. I decided to run for City Council because I think we need a change. We need younger eyes and ears. I want to help make a difference. I feel that is the reason anybody decides to do something like this.
Matthew Bechtel: My leadership training comes from my military experience. I joined the National Guard. I originally joined the Guard to stay local within the community, put out forest fires, help with flooding that was going on in the late ’90s, and they ended up sending me to Iraq. That wasn’t so bad. I learned a lot of acronyms while I was in the Army. The biggest acronym that really stuck to me was the one of leadership, and I try to exemplify the traits of this leadership. What I’ve got, I’ve got loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. These are the traits I try to exemplify myself with every day. My wife and I moved to Sweet Home about four years ago. We bought our first house and since then we have both dove heavily into the community and been very active in our roles.
Ken Bronson: My wife Fran and I, we live here in Foster. Our blended family includes six children and five grandchildren. I’ve been in Sweet Home for 14 years. I grew up on a 320 acre farm out west at Junction City with 12 siblings. I worked my way through college working in the woods and mills in Lane County. I graduated from Southern Oregon University with a bachelor’s degree in business. I spent 29 years managing wood products companies and the last 12 years running public transportation here in Sweet Home through the Senior Center for the Sweet Home Transportation and the Linn County Transportation systems. I currently serve on the board of directors of the Senior Center. I have financial and managerial experiences in seven-figure operations. I coach soccer, tee ball, volleyball, basketball, you name it; with three kids, I coached it. Boy Scout leader, five years on the Pleasant Hill School Board, five years on the Pleasant Hill Forestry Advisory Team.
Elaine Evans: I was born and raised in this town, and after I left to go to college at Northwest Christian College in Eugene where I studied speech communications and music, I came back to this town when my father passed and I inherited his house. I live there with my husband, Peter, who’s retired, and I’m retired. The reason I’m running for City Council is I want to have a voice. I want to be able to say that I’ve done something with my life, a positive thing, and putting a positive stamp on this town is something that I feel like is needed.
Rejeana Hayes: I am a member of Holley Church and I work for the United States Post Office as an NT clerk. I own my own business, Rejeana’s Notary, state certified. I’m married to Raymond Hayes, who likes to keep to himself. We have six kids together, and four of them went to Sweet Home High School. They are all out on their own now. I am running for City Council because I live here in Sweet Home and I want to be a part of making Sweet Home better. When I say better,’ I mean the way City Council handled the stop signs and other issues, I don’t think it was handled well. I felt that we were blindsided and most of the people that I talked to felt the same way.
Aaron Hegge: I’m a lifelong resident in Sweet Home. I live here with my wife and three kids. I graduated Sweet Home High School in 2002 and I was able to play basketball in college for four years, where I got my bachelor’s in business management. From there I spent 13 years in retail management, and more currently I now own an insurance agency here in town. I’ve been a Rotarian for three years here for the Sweet Home Rotarian Club. More recently I was the president and, during that time, I saw what our community is about and what we can do. I built great relationships with the community and the leaders. As a councilor, I want to be the voice of the community and I believe our decisions and actions as community members should reflect our community.
David Lowman: I’m running for City Council because I feel like I have some experience in the city. I was three years appointed on the Budget Committee, one year on the City Charter Review Committee, and one year as a planning commissioner. I love giving back to my community to save tax dollars for our city, as well as for our community people. I’d like to earn your vote by showing you what I can do. I appreciate living here, working here in the city of Sweet Home. I also work for the post office, so I see a lot of people all the time, delivering the mail. But I do see some changes that need to be done in this city and I would like to be your voice on the council.
Dawn Miller: I’m a resident of Sweet Home for 19-plus years. We came to this community kind of backwards; people that know me know the story. I love this community that embraced us when we landed here. I’m retired, a wife, mother, and grandmother of seven grandchildren. I’m running for City Council because, as it stands right now, our council is broken. It needs to be corrected. So that’s why I’m here.
Angelita Sanchez: Currently I am your city councilor. I’m the only incumbent running with 11 other people. I’m just so excited that we have all these people wanting to stand up for our community. We have an opportunity in Sweet Home to go a new direction and I hope that we choose wisely, listen to what everybody has to say, and make the decision best for our community. I’m a fourth-generation resident of Sweet Home. I own a small business. I’ve done a lot of things for this community already and I’m willing to commit as much time as I can to continue serving the community of Sweet Home.
Jennifer Victor: I was born and raised here. I’ve raised 5 kids here. We’ve owned several businesses here, we own property here, we are fully vested here and we love our community. I think I got to the point where in some of our social circles I was complaining about certain things, like not having a real great reason for businesses – we’re very under-utilized here in Sweet Home – and I just feel like we can just capitalize on so much industry. I feel like we’re not taking advantage, and so I was complaining a little bit to my friends and it just kind of hit me all of a sudden; I thought to myself, “I don’t get to complain unless I’m doing something about it.” I feel like I have a lot of unique things to bring to the table. Just from what we do and my background I just feel like I have some really great business-minded type things that I can bring to the table, there are some very unique things I could bring into the City Council. And so the more I thought about it, I just thought I really need to get involved. We’re going to be here for the rest of our lives. I want to create. I want our city, our town to be a place where you don’t necessarily have to leave to go do something in the evening with your kids. I want to bring more opportunity to the city of Sweet Home. I love it here, like I said; we’re never leaving. I love being part of the community. I’ve done the Sportsman’s Holiday Court, I’ve been on that committee. I absolutely love our city. It’s just fun; it’s a fun, great place to be involved. That’s kind of one of the things also that got me thinking about it. This is a really great opportunity for me to bring a little bit of my background.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: I have lived in Sweet Home for 40 years. I went all through the schools here and then to LBCC and OSU. I am married to Travis Frick and we have one adult son, Brian. In my 20s and 30s, I was a stay at home mom with our son and my nephews, spending my time volunteering with Cub and Boy Scouts, the Hawthorne PTC, and being a part-time tax accountant. I am now a senior accountant with experience in tax, compliance, retail and health plans. In my personal life, I like to garden, hike with my dogs, and tend to my goats and chickens. I am running for City Council because my life is in Sweet Home and I want our town to continue to be a good place for future generations to live.
Describe your own community involvement during the last 12 months. This may include attending City Council or other city meetings, community volunteering, etc.
Chelsea Augsburger: I’ve attended some of the recent City Council meetings. I do very much appreciate that most of them are recorded on YouTube, so if I have a conflict I’m able to stay up to date with what is going on, and I’m also involved in our local school district.
Erin Barstad: I have been on the Sweet Home Cheer Board for the last two years as a parent liaison. I am a volunteer coordinator for Sweet Home Booster Club and the treasurer of our newly formed Sweet Home Rodeo and Events Board. I am part of the Sweet Home Traffic Committee. I have also helped with Cut the Gut along with Sportsman’s Holiday and Christmas parades. I am awaiting a vote to join Sunshine Industries’ board as well.
Matthew Bechtel: Since I don’t work, I have spent a lot of time volunteering around town. Currently I’m the chair of the Budget Committee. I’m a member of the Park & Tree Committee. I’m the director of the Hope Church food pantry. I co-sponsored the Sweet Home work day with Santiam Sound (this next year will be our third year in operation). I’m a member of the Elks Lodge. I volunteer with the Beautification Committee, we planted the flowers in the median. I’m a volunteer for Mrs. Claus & Elves Toy Workshop; I’m an elf, and I was the elf at the Harvest Festival.
Ken Bronson: Bicycle education, fifth grade class. Council, I’ve been to four of them in the last few months. Dolly Parton Reading Program through our Rotary. Easter egg hunt, Rotary. Trans Advisory Board, chair, for the Transportation work in Sweet Home. Linn County Parks, board chair, representing Sweet Home.
Elaine Evans: I volunteer with one Sweet Home leadership team that promotes unity between the churches in Sweet Home.
Rejeana Hayes: I have gone to several council meetings to see what’s been going on, and then I also volunteer through my church, and then I just volunteer through SHEM whenever I get a chance to give throughout the time.
Aaron Hegge: A lot of my stuff is with the Rotary. We do quite a bit for the community: Easter egg hunt, raise funds for scholarships, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. I’ve been a coach for Boys & Girls Club sports: basketball, baseball, flag football. It’s just the last thing with kids, finding something that they love to do and work at it and get better.
David Lowman: Last year I volunteered to work the Harvest Fest. I worked the entire day at six o’clock in the morning helping all the vendors find their spots. I also, around the community on my days off, I help seniors; I take them to the doctors appointments, shopping when I can. So I believe in giving a helping hand where it’s needed.
Dawn Miller: I have been attending the council meetings, work sessions, committee meetings, budget committee, things of that nature. My interest started with council when the city manager resigned.
Angelita Sanchez: I’m already serving as a city councilor for this community. I attend budget committee meetings, I attend Harvest Festival, I attend City Council, I attend work session, and then I attend all types of political activities throughout the state advocating for our way of life, as well.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: In the last many years, Fair Share Gleaners, which is an organization that does food distribution here in town, I do all their tax work for them. I also pay all their fees and stuff. It’s an easy way for me to help an organization that does a lot of good. I do all their filings and stuff.
The city recently purchased a retail business building. Originally the building was planned as an artisan incubator. Do you agree or disagree with the practice of government buying retail locations, and why or why not?
Chelsea Augsburger: My opinion differs from some of the other folks. I do not believe that the purpose of the city is to purchase buildings. I believe that the purpose of the city should be to provide the infrastructure so that individual businesses can purchase the buildings and that they can use that as their business to thrive. So I believe that we should provide the utilities and the streets and the parking so that we can promote local businesses to be successful in Sweet Home.
Erin Barstad: I do not think that the city should be buying buildings.
Matthew Bechtel: I think the city has to be very careful not to interfere with the private sector’s business. It’s not the purpose of the city to interfere with the private enterprise. So if that space could be rented to somebody else, that would be a better option, I think. But since the city now has it, I think the community market should go in there. They need a place.
Ken Bronson: I do not think we should be in the business of buying buildings and competing against existing businesses that just couldn’t thrive. This building in particular was spoken of as starting a coffee shop. A coffee shop just opened up half a block away. It is certainly not fair to that new business to have to compete with something that’s supportive of the city.
Elaine Evans: Yes, I think that it would be good to have businesses bought by the city because then you can go ahead and do these things like have artisans come in and sell different things and boost our tourism by maybe becoming a community that is thought of as an artisan-type community.
Rejeana Hayes: Yes, I do, just because I think they can use it for the good of their town, basically. One good I would use for it is they could put, like, a skating rink, arcade, something for their children – which is what we need here. We need to bring revenue to our town. It’s what we’re missing, and we could also bring outsiders in here. That’s what I would do with it and any others that we could get.
Aaron Hegge: I don’t know if the city should be in the landlord business, although the idea of using that space, having a space for the artisans, I totally agree with that. But again, we’re kind of getting into the private sector, you know, businesses, what other businesses could use that space. If we own the buildings, we’re governing that and that might not be the best thing.
David Lowman: I really don’t like a city buying up property for our tax dollars. I really think that they should find some of the businesses, especially downtown, lease those buildings that are not being used. Or getting with those landlords and saying, “Rent those buildings out for a hundred dollars a month. You’re not making anything now, so a hundred dollars is better than not getting anything and you’re bringing business for Sweet Home.”
Dawn Miller: I agree with the purchase of the old Santiam Feed Store, I believe is what we’re talking about. I have a different opinion about its utilization. I think it would be a great place for our community market to run year-round indoors. I’ve had several community members ask me why couldn’t it be used that way. I’m of the mindset it should be.
Angelita Sanchez: I was in support of that, with a long, thoughtful process. We have struggled tremendously with trying to fill empty buildings downtown, landlords that don’t take care of their properties, and this building was sitting on the market. I believe we wanted to buy some other buildings, but they were out of our price range. So to utilize this for the community, we can get grants, we can restore the historical aspect of it. So that is why I voted ‘yes.’
Brandy Wysong-Frick: I do not believe that the city should be buying buildings really for any purpose. The city’s responsibility is to provide infrastructure and safety and those sort of things. We really need to have a separation of public and private entities.
Each year the city council sets goals for the upcoming year. What would be your number one achievable goal for the city and why?
Chelsea Augsburger: I would like to see increased notification to the citizens prior to decisions being made. I know agendas are posted online, but I feel like we could do a better job at notifying folks of topics prior to making decisions. I feel like the duty of the council is to listen to the voters and be accountable for council action. So, increased notifications would be my main goal.
Erin Barstad: I think the number one achievable goal is to get the people involved. And to have better communication with the people.
Matthew Bechtel: As far as goals go, I’ve outlined four of them. These would be my “CORE” goals, another Army acronym there. I’ve got Cooperation within the council. I’ve got Open communication, back with the people, which will earn the Respect from the people towards the council and that will lead to the Enthusiasm for the future of Sweet Home, because we live in a beautiful place and we gotta be excited about its future.
Ken Bronson: City Council, work as a team. Get things done. Bring some common sense in.
Elaine Evans: My goal would be for the city council to be able to get along a little bit better. I think that’s achievable because I can do good with inner-personal communication; it’s what I have a background in. I think that we just need new blood that’s gonna be able to get along with other people and work together to make this city what it can be, which is something great.
Rejeana Hayes: I do believe that we should have our mayor elected through the people and not through the council. I also agree that we need to communicate with our city and our people more, with our councilors.
Aaron Hegge: To work with the current and new City Council members on transparency on where we want to go as a city. Listen and take advice and input from the community as to where we should be going.
David Lowman: I’d like to see better communication on issues that are brought up through council that the people of Sweet Home would actually get to see. Another issue is I think our mayor should be elected by the people instead of appointed or elected by the council itself.
Dawn Miller: For our city council to act as they should be. For them to have open communication, transparency to the people and include the people. No more of this decisions being done and then they tell the people. That’s what I want to see them do.
Angelita Sanchez: One of my goals has also been take the mayor elected by the people instead of appointed by the council. I feel that there’s a lack of accountability to the people because they are appointed by their fellow council members, and I think that the mayor being elected by the people can ensure that the people’s voice is put on the agenda with the city manager so we can get some things done that the people of this community would like.
Jennifer Victor: First and foremost, we have grown exponentially in the last couple of years, population wise. I feel like our businesses have not grown to support the growth of the community. So that’s one thing that I think definitely needs to be addressed. I think the city council, I think we need to really dive in and see, what does it look like to partner and encourage businesses to come in to sustain the population growth that we’ve had? I feel like that’s a really big deal. You know, you just have to go out of town for so many things and with so many people here, that loss of revenue for us as a community, it’s just an unfortunate thing. Secondly, the homelessness situation has obviously been a huge source of issue here in the town. I absolutely love what the city has done so far, the steps that they’ve taken. Putting the homeless encampment out there, there’s a place now that they can go. There’s resources there that come in daily to help them. It helps the local businesses, it helps the local community members. Before, if somebody was sleeping in a business’ doorway, there was nothing they could do. Now there is. I feel like the city has taken really good steps. I know that they’ve gotten a lot of backlash on that, and I understand it’s a really hot topic. I just feel like we really need to continue that momentum, because it’s not over yet. We need to still really be focused on what are the next things we can do as far as helping that situation out.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: My number one goal would be for the council to finish all the projects that are already started without starting anything new, like the wastewater treatment plant. I know that they aren’t the ones physically doing it, but we need to get those sort of things complete before we start going down other paths.
What are the top two services the city should be providing the citizens in exchange for their tax dollar?
Chelsea Augsburger: We need to ensure that we have adequate infrastructure, mainly water, to support all of the new growth in our town; make sure that we’re able to sustain that so that everyone has the level of service that they deserve from paying their taxes. I also believe that emergency services – police and fire – we need to make sure that we have those so that we can make sure that everyone has safety here in town.
Erin Barstad: I think the exchange for tax dollars should be safer roads around school zones. I think we need to be responsible with our growth not to build more than what our city water treatment can handle. So roads and water would be my two choices.
Matthew Bechtel: The top two things I think are the emergency services and the infrastructure to include access to clean water. It would be really great if we could get these stop sign issues ironed out and get 1st Street fixed up the way it needs to be.
Ken Bronson: Water is life. Most important part. Clean water in, treated water out. Those two things, most important.
Elaine Evans: I would also say water, and I would also mention that emergency services would be high on my list because I know firsthand you do not know when you’re going to need them, and when we do, we’re so thankful for them.
Rejeana Hayes: Water. We do need clean water. And then we also need to get our bridge fixed. We do have a big gaping hole in it and since we do pay the taxes for it, that’s where it should’ve been fixed anyway.
Aaron Hegge: One would be clean water, making sure it’s safe. The other would be infrastructure, most importantly safe roads. We have a lot of children that walk to school, bike to school; their safety should be at the forefront.
David Lowman: I think we need clean drinking water for everyone, as well as I think safety should be a priority in this town with our police services. I think what we should put more toward the peace services so people in the community feel safe.
Dawn Miller: Our roads need help, our infrastructure definitely needs help. I would say we need to tighten up our infrastructure, communication to the people, bring the people to the front and let’s hear what they have to say.
Angelita Sanchez: I’m a contractor. I think I’m probably the only one up here, a road builder, a dump truck driver. I think roads are critically important, and under those roads are the water distribution system that we have. So replacement of pipes so we can have the clean water, get it cleanly to the residents. And then cost controls on streets and stuff like that. I know that if we could do some more stuff in-house, we can get three times the amount of work done. So that’s what I would like to have happen.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: Water and wastewater, those are the big functions of the city that they provide pretty well most of the time. And then police, emergency services; that’s something that’s vital to all of us. Those are really the focuses that I think the city should be looking at.
Would you support amending the city charter to allow the residents to directly elect the mayor rather than have the position filled by appointment by the council, and if so, why?
Chelsea Augsburger: Yes, I absolutely support putting the mayor on the ballot. I believe that the citizens of Sweet Home and the voters should be able to select who they want as their mayor. I believe that having council appoint it just doesn’t have that same accountability as being elected by the people and the voters of Sweet Home.
Erin Barstad: I think 100% our mayor should be elected by the people.
Matthew Bechtel: The people should vote for the mayor. Ten thousand to seven is common sense.
Ken Bronson: I support the mayor being selected by the people. Ten thousand people is a little better than seven.
Elaine Evans: I just want to say that I think we have a fabulous mayor, but I do agree that it needs to be brought to a ballot of all the people.
Rejeana Hayes: Yes, I do agree that she should be on the ballot, the mayor should be on the ballot and the people should be able to have their voice back.
Aaron Hegge: I support having the mayor voted by the people for the same reasons (as Bronson). Ten thousand people versus seven councilors. Those councilor positions change every two to four years, so the people who live here should have an input.
David Lowman: I also agree that the people should vote in for the mayor because the way we are right now, the mayor is just a council person.
Dawn Miller: I started my journey on why we don’t vote our mayor in and took my journey down the city charter and stuff, even asked councilors about why the charter committee had failed to convene for this very specific thing. So I say the mayor needs to be voted in.
Angelita Sanchez: We, as a council, can change the charter or we, as the people, can put it to the ballot by initiative petition as a home rule charter. So if we do not get a committee that reviews the charter that allows it to go to the ballot, the people can also sign a petition, and I have one prepared if we do not get what we like.
Jennifer Victor: I have feelings both ways. I feel like if we have city council members that are truly concerned and are willing to listen to the community members and get information from the community members in regards to how they feel or who they feel the mayor should be, then I feel like the way we have it set up now is appropriate. Because if they’re doing their due diligence, and they’re getting information from members of the community, then that’s one of their responsibilities, is to take what they have learned from the community and then put that into place. So then their vote would be a representation of the community. With that being said, opening the ballot or opening that up to the community, I believe, isn’t necessarily a terrible idea either because people that potentially maybe wouldn’t have a chance or be willing to talk with a council member, then their vote is being heard as well. I think the thing that makes me a little bit nervous about that is, with it being opened up, are they going to be voting on the person that truly is going to do the best job, or are they going to be voting on the person that has the most signs out? I don’t know; I feel like it is going to be a ‘whoever has the most money to throw out.’ It’s a little bit of a slippery slope. I’m not saying it’s a bad idea. I’m just saying these are things that I think of when I’m thinking about opening it up to a vote. I would hope that people would make an informed decision… I think it’s worked in the past, but I am definitely not saying that that’s what we have to continue with. I just feel a little bit nervous about that one aspect of it I guess.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: I had never even thought about this until my husband brought it up and then I did some research and almost every other town in Linn County, the mayors are elected by the people. I was surprised that Sweet Home is so different, but it does seem like it would be a better idea to have the mayor voted in by the people, not the council.
Small businesses are an important part of our community and the local economy. What sort of city support would you advocate for to support these businesses?
Chelsea Augsburger: I agree with grants to support our small businesses. From the city side, though, I think providing ample parking and providing really a welcoming space downtown. I think our Beautification Committee does a wonderful job with the flowers, but I think anything that we can do on the city side with the infrastructure to make it so that people can access those small businesses would help promote them in our town.
Erin Barstad: I think that we should try to provide a more welcoming look. We should care what our city looks like year-round. We should provide safe parking for all businesses.
Matthew Bechtel: There’s a lot of grants already offered from the city, and that’s great. We need more business. (I agree with Bronson) We could come up with a plan to help steer the new businesses through all the bureaucracy; that would really help a lot of people because they get lost in the paperwork of trying to access these grants, so they just can’t get to the money.
Ken Bronson: If they got a good business plan, help with the land use, getting through those hurdles. Help with them getting business loans, if needed. Just helping get the base under them, but most importantly steering them through the bureaucracy of city, county, state and federal rules.
Elaine Evans: We need to have the city help small businesses by even simple things like the paperwork and helping them in that way.
Rejeana Hayes: I think the City Council should actually hire an additional person that could actually help these small businesses wiggle through all the paperwork and that would be their job, because there’s so much paperwork that needs to go through and a lot of people can’t find that. Even the grants and the promotions that they need to go through to get the business loans and things like that that they need.
Aaron Hegge: I think programs like the CEIP grant is a great idea. I know that small businesses sometimes can’t put a lot of money into the building they’re buying or renting. By utilizing that grant money, that might be something that could make it affordable for small businesses to come into town.
David Lowman: I think the city should promote new business, especially when a new business comes into town; give them some incentive to come here and open up shop, like not pay any property taxes for the year, an incentive for people to come here. We’ve got a ghost town downtown with a lot of shops that are empty, and being a way of giving people a chance to come into our city without paying taxes would probably help.
Dawn Miller: We need to support our small businesses and we need to help them in any way we can to help them flourish in this town.
Angelita Sanchez: This is another interesting question. We want the city to help small businesses, so that’s why I voted ‘yes’ on buying that Santiam Feed building so we could help small businesses. We have a lack of available space, a lack of an opportunity to rent spaces. So if we renovated that building and sectioned it off into spaces that could be utilized as a small business incubator, that would be a great way to help bring small business into this community.
Jennifer Victor: It’s sometimes kind of hard for these businesses to get permits and get things going. That has to change; not at the expense of what’s right and wrong, however. We really need to get to a point where the permitting process is so much easier for people that are wanting to come in with new businesses. I would love to see there be some sort of, I don’t know, tax incentive. What I want to do, I want to know what are the rules and regulations? What can we as a City Council do to help these businesses really get a good start? It’s tough to start a business. We’ve started multiple businesses; we didn’t make any money for the first, you know, so many years. It’s tough, so to have some sort of incentive that we as a city could do, that would be huge to, again, entice. We need to have something where if a business is looking to come in, what’s the difference between them going into Lebanon or coming into Sweet Home? What are we going to do to entice these businesses to come here versus to go somewhere else? We need to look as a city council, as a city whole, what can we do to provide some really enticing ways to get these businesses to come in, especially the small businesses? Because that really is the backbone of the community, absolutely.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: I see that the city has put in a lot of effort into maybe bringing tourism and more people into town, and I almost think that they need to use those skills that they have to help the new businesses, help promote the new businesses, get the word out there through all the different avenues that I’ve seen them use to help with tourism and things like that.
In recent years, the city, like many others, faces challenges related to homelessness. In general terms, what should the city’s policy be in regard to this issue?
Chelsea Augsburger: I think Sweet Home has done a great job providing an area that is safe and welcoming for the homeless population in Sweet Home. I do not believe that the entire funding of that should come off of taxpayers. I think we should continue to utilize county resources. I know that there’s a lot of mental health support out there and I know that there’s a lot of grants available, so I think we should work for that so that we can support them but not use lots of taxpayer dollars on things that don’t benefit the entire community.
Erin Barstad: I do think that we should support FAC is great. I do think that tax dollars should not be used to support the homeless.
Matthew Bechtel: I like the FAC. We need to promote that organization. The police already provide a sleeping area next to them so people can camp there for the night if they have to. We live in a very compassionate community. There are a lot of churches that are willing to give. There’s food, there’s a lot of resources that are available for the homeless people. I don’t think the city should be paying, the taxpayers should not be paying for any more than they already are.
Ken Bronson: I must say that I serve on the FAC Advisory Board. One of the first things we did when we started there, I said “We must take back our city.” We’ve done that. We have a system that’s working. Crime is down 85% in that population. Medical calls are down 85% in that population. And 90% of the money comes from outside of the city. So it’s working. Let’s keep trying to make it better.
Elaine Evans: The FAC building is really a great thing and it’s something that I’m really proud to have in this town. I think it would be great if it was expanded a little to make sure that all the residents that are homeless would have a place.
Rejeana Hayes: I am so thankful that FAC is there and I do believe that we just need to improve on those just a little bit, maybe strengthen the rules that they have for the homeless people that is there and maybe make a few more for them because there’s not enough. We still have people out on the street.
Aaron Hegge: I think we need to keep going down the road we have with the FAC facility. I think we made huge strides in helping our homeless citizens find a place that they can call home, be warm, be safe. We need to ensure that that program continues and see what we can do to further that and make it easier for people to get through there and help them get out of that situation.
David Lowman: I think we’ve come a long way with the homeless people in the last year or so and I’m glad to see that the city is helping these people that need the help. I really believe that we still need some more work at it and we don’t want to be a Portland or a Salem, the way that all the people are sleeping everywhere. Our city has got behind doing this and I’m glad to see that.
Dawn Miller: I think the FAC is a good temporary solution for the homeless problem here in Sweet Home. I don’t think it is the end-all or be-all for the homelessness, so hats off to them, but I think we need to find a better solution long-term.
Angelita Sanchez: This is something that’s regulated by the state legislature, so it’s something that we had to take care of as a city. It has changed from night to day with the FAC building facility for our homeless, and I just want to say because of what Sweet Home has done with the emergency order, we were able to bring in $2.9 million to our county to help fund these unfunded mandates, to help clean up our streets, and we’ve had a great success rate with FAC by placing people in houses. So we’ve done a really good job.
Jennifer Victor: I think we’re on a good track with the homeless area that we provided and those resources coming in. I feel like also there’s going to be homeless people that don’t want to go there. I understand that. We need to also be more proactively reaching out to the ones that are not in that area with our social resource people that are coming in. I know they’re going there, and they’re trying to get them help, so on and so forth. But, just in the community in general, I feel like we need to do that social community outreach program. Instead of just focusing in that one area, we need to also focus outside of that area and help out the people that are not interested in going in there as well and try and get them help as well. I get that not everyone wants help, I understand that; you can only help people that want it, I get that. But at least reaching out to some of them I think that would be another way that we could continue the efforts we have already done and at least be a tangible way that we could help some of that as well.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: This one’s a really tough one. There really isn’t any great or clear solutions. I think if the homeless are doing something illegal, then the police need to take care of that. Otherwise, people need to be able to rest and kind of exist without bothering people.
Over the last 10 years, the tenure of city managers has been short. In general, do you believe nationwide recruitment searches are the best way to find and retain qualified candidates? Or should the city attempt to recruit potential candidates from within a more local geographic area?
Chelsea Augsburger: I believe that we should recruit locally when possible. I believe that if you know the demographics and you know our town and you know what our goals are, you can definitely help move us to a brighter future in Sweet Home. I do believe that having the new council be able to have a say in hiring that city manager, going through the interview process and finding someone that’s really committed to helping Sweet Home be the best it can be.
Erin Barstad: I am for local recruitment for a city manager.
Matthew Bechtel: I think the city deserves the best that they have out there. If that requires going nationwide, then that’s what we need to do. But we deserve the best here. If we can get them locally, let’s do that.
Ken Bronson: I support “stop.” We got a city manager in place right now. Let’s do a hybrid that’s working. It’s working very well with the police department and the city manager position. He’s game. I say we don’t do anything for a year. Let this heal and leave our police chief/city manager in place for a year.
Elaine Evans: I would say that we need to recruit from locally, Pacific Northwest and Oregon. We have a lot of other input already from outsiders, as some of us call them. So I think that we should tighten our recruiting for city manager.
Rejeana Hayes: I feel that we need to recruit locally so that we have someone who knows our city and our town and basically what we really need and want; not somebody from the outside.
Aaron Hegge: I think we should recruit locally, if possible; somebody that’s invested in the city, in this area, that knows what’s going on within their community. Given our track record, I think finding somebody within Sweet Home is our best bet for longevity in that position.
David Lowman: I do like the recruitment service because so many people will come and tell us all the different experiences that they’ve had, and we need that in this city because our city managers are not staying very long.
Dawn Miller: I believe we should look locally. We have a lot of talent in this town, that knows this town, has a stake in this town and believes this town can be everything it was and needs to be again. We’ve lost ourselves here. Taking off the people that come here to represent us as a city manager and they don’t know us, they don’t know the community, and they’re not able to do what somebody inside could do.
Angelita Sanchez: Over the last 10 years I don’t think it’s necessarily always a city manager issue. I think it’s a council issue, so if we can get some councilors that can work well with the city manager, I think we might have a greater opportunity. I am for local recruitment and national recruitment because we do deserve excellence, but what’s most important to me is that the new council decides who they get to work with for our community.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: We need to recruit from within Oregon, or the Pacific Northwest at the farthest. We need to get people that are from this area, that are tied to this area, that have the best intentions and have the same goals as the people of our town. I am positive that there are qualified individuals inside this town that could be a city manager. It is absolutely possible.
City Council Rules #19, entitled “Ethics,” states “All members of the council shall refrain from expressing an opinion contrary to the official position of the council without so saying.” What do interpret this rule to mean?
Chelsea Augsburger: I believe that when you are operating as a council person, that whatever the decision of the council was would be your decision, if you were speaking on behalf of a council person. If you were just speaking on your own opinion, then you can state, as Angelita said, freedom of speech. But even if you’re out-voted on council, it’s the council decision, majority vote.
Erin Barstad: Ethics to me means you do not talk negatively about a decision made by council.
Matthew Bechtel: We may have differing opinions of what is voted on and we can state those opinions, but we have to be absolutely clear that this is our personal opinion, and I think we should state those officially, either as a city representative can do that. What Ken was saying, the body language, all that stuff, has to end as well.
Ken Bronson: I interpret that to when the discussion time, the council, that’s when you debate the issue and settle it then. But once the council has made a decision, that is it. The body language and negativity that goes with it when you don’t get your way has no place in the council building.
Elaine Evans: I believe it to mean that my opinion should be taken separate from the council and what the council has done, if I believe that, and I need to make my opinion known as separate, if that’s the case.
Rejeana Hayes: To me, I think it just means that basically it is “my opinion is mine and council is theirs, and I need to keep them separate and to myself until it is time to do so in an appropriate manner.”
Aaron Hegge: As a council, you need to show a united front. Once a decision has been made, you know, saying you might disagree with it, but you need to make it clear that is not the council, but maybe your personal opinion.
David Lowman: I take it as if it’s like the good ol’ boys. You know, you get a couple people together and it’s like they have their own agenda. All the council should work for the people and hear their concerns and take it that they work for the people, and the people are the most important people in the city.
Dawn Miller: Basically I agree with everything Angelita Sanchez has stated, and I have nothing further to offer.
Angelita Sanchez: These council rules have sometimes been weaponized and I find them really hard to accept. To me it sounds like it’s a violation of our first amendment rights and the freedom of speech. If you look at the Albany Democrat-Herald today, they have City of Corvallis struggling with Council Rules in violation of constitutional rights, so I think you have to be really careful with trying to limit what people say.
Jennifer Victor: So, if something passes that I’m not in favor of, at that point it is what it is. That’s where we are, majority rules. And so, at that point then, it’s my due diligence to get on board with that and do my best to make sure that whatever that ordinance, or whatever that is, goes through smoothly and is carried out in the best interest of our community. That’s what we represent is our community. It would do me no good to be indigent about that. I’m sure there’s going to be things I might not agree with. So, at the end of the day, when it is voted on, I mean, that is what I need to uphold at that point.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: I understand this to mean that if the council has made a decision as a unit, that if you are, say, in public or speaking to a citizen, if your personal opinion differs with the decision of the council, you would state that “This is my personal opinion, separate from the council vote,” or something like that that differentiates the two.
The drawdown of Green Peter Dam is primarily beyond the control of the city government. However, the adverse impacts it makes on the local economy is a concern. Are you in favor of expending significant city funds to challenge this practice? Why or why not?
Chelsea Augsburger: We need to fight for our water here in Sweet Home. Chief Ogden’s letter was great and I think pairing with the City of Lebanon so that we are in a united front so that it’s more than just our town taking on that battle. I think there’s power in numbers, and so I believe that this is definitely a battle worth fighting and I think that we need to continue on with the path that we’re on so that we can get our water source back.
Erin Barstad: I think that we should fight the drawdown battle. And I am very appreciative of Chief Ogden and the letter he wrote to include our neighbors; the drawdown had not just impacted Sweet Home.
Matthew Bechtel: We should definitely fight. I’ve read many newspaper articles that range from $10 million to $45 million in economic damages between Sweet Home here and Lebanon, and that’s just crazy. If we don’t fight, what are we gonna do? Just lose it all? To me, that’s what it is. If we don’t fight for this, then Sweet Home is nothing. We’ve already lost all our fish. My friend and I went up the river just looking at things; we couldn’t find even a mussel, any of our filter feeders. So this is definitely something we need to fight on. All of the species have been destroyed and decimated because of this.
Ken Bronson: Continue the fight. Do it as smart as possible. Continue to ally with our neighbors Albany and Lebanon, and continue to search for outside financial help from like-minded sources throughout the country who would help us even battle with this huge problem that we’re having with our water system.
Elaine Evans: Water is important for life, so I think that we should fight as best as we can with what we have, and fight.
Rejeana Hayes: I would always be David on God’s side (referencing Sanchez’s answer) because, yes, I would fight it every single time because I do believe that our water is very important and if we gotta take it up a higher, I think we should. I think our town is worth fighting for.
Aaron Hegge: We need to fight. If we can get this stopped, we need to do that. Not just the economy, but the wildlife, so much stuff has been affected. And if we can’t stop it, how much more money are we gonna lose as a community if it continues year after year?
David Lowman: We should fight because it’s really hurting the economy, the environment, and tourists won’t come here to fish because there is no fish because they’re killing it by draining it down.
Dawn Miller: We need to fight this, but strategically. Not only has it impeded our right to clean water, it has also wiped out our recreation. It’s wiped out people coming to our town. We do need to fight. We need to fight it, we need to stand and fight for our rights on this.
Angelita Sanchez: If we had an unlimited amount of money, I would certainly want to take the next 10 to 20 years that it would take to process this in court, but we’re a David in a Goliath situation, so I’m just really concerned about who’s gonna pay for this. We’re so strapped as a city right now. Where’s the money gonna come from? If we had it, I would definitely want to; I would want to take on the environmentalists as well, not just the Army Corps of Engineers. But somebody’s got to pay for it.
Jennifer Victor: I feel like it’s a delicate dance with (the Army Corps) because we need them for so many more things other than just this one situation. However this one situation is causing huge, huge impacts to our community. So by taking legal action, I feel like our hands were a little bit tied and we didn’t really have any other options. So, I feel like, given the very limited options that the city did have, I feel like that was what they needed to do and absolutely I understand and support that. I do still feel like, though, we need to maintain a relationship with them. Like I said, it’s such a bigger issue than just that one issue. We need them for our whole community that relies upon them as well. I feel like we need to be respectful of the legal process and what that looks like, and also be respectful of them as an entity as well. I support the city and the legal action. It’s just so impactful to our whole city.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: After reading Chief Ogden’s letter that he submitted, he did such an excellent job. I really think that our city has to fight this battle. It’s vital. The water is vital to our life and we have a really good, reasonable explanation behind it, and we have to fight it.
City committees, such as the Public & Traffic Safety Committee, are set up to provide greater opportunities for public feedback before the city council takes any action. If elected, how would you suggest greater public input before action is taken by the city council?
Chelsea Augsburger: Notification to the citizens would be one of my main council goals, if elected to council. I was at that council meeting when Angelita talked about lots of different ways that we could increase notification to citizens. I feel like in today’s day and age, we probably almost everyone in the audience has a cell phone on them. I know that the school district has various different apps that they use when they need to notify citizens. I feel like you could sign up if you wanted to receive those notifications for specific areas of town, and council could really do a better job notifying the community.
Erin Barstad: I think that we need better ways of notification.
Matthew Bechtel: I think the council needs to have trust in the committees because the committees are just us normal people are volunteering our time and we put in a lot of hard work. I serve on two of the committees. It always seems that we get a little public response for at least the committees that I’m on, so if we could have a better outreach and get some more interaction from the public at the committees, I think that would help get the message to the council better.
Ken Bronson: We have a great example here at 47th Street and Long Street. There is a Traffic Safety Committee that this goes before, the changes, and that committee brings it to the council and the council makes a reading on that. But the mass is not getting the public. That’s a really big deal and that’s not just one stop sign and one intersection. That’s a whole traffic plan out there. And that’s what we need to do, is look at it in the bigger picture and make sure that we get the word out to the neighbors.
Elaine Evans: I would expect the committees to send out personal letters to neighborhoods when they’re going to put up stop signs, for one. I learned that because I live at 47th and Long, and it would’ve been nice if we had known somehow. So that would be the best thing, is more communication.
Rejeana Hayes: I feel that we could use our community boards more because everybody looks at the community board, especially the big one by Les Schwab. We could post those up there when big changes are happening. We also have community boards inside the post offices. You can post them in there and all the other ones. There’s also Facebook and newspapers, and everybody’s always on those. We can use all of those.
Aaron Hegge: I think communication is key for the committees. Getting the word out, having the public input to those committees, and also having the council members who are on those committees, making sure that they’re there. They should be the experts when the issues are brought back to council. They should be the ones speaking to those issues because they’re part of that committee and they can give good advice.
David Lowman: I think we should have better communication, have the community more involved in these decisions because it does affect them. And I think just that they just need to be aware of what’s going on.
Dawn Miller: Communication is what this town is lacking. We have a lot of members that have come forward to say, “I didn’t even know that was going on.” The response is usually, “Well, it was at the council meeting, or there was a committee meeting on it.” We’re not getting the information out there to let the people know that they need to pay attention. So communication, communication, communication.
Angelita Sanchez: I think community outreach and communication is something that we’re severely lacking. I’ve advocated for newsletters being sent out in utility billing. I’ve advocated for direct mail being sent out to people on a quarterly basis. I’ve requested ads to be put in the newspaper. I have requested text messages to be sent as a campaign-style type of community outreach. So I would love to have councilors that would like to spend a little bit of money to get more public involvement by a greater reach.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: In the old days, public notification was printed in the newspaper. We have a very good newspaper here in town. That would be a very easy and good resource to notify the public. Also, I really believe that if the city is going to make any major changes in the neighborhood, the landowners should be notified by mail. Anyone else that does any kind of changes to land has to notify, the city also should have to.
What would your closing argument be as to why the people of the Sweet Home community should vote for you?
Chelsea Augsburger: I would really love to earn your vote. I am, again, a lifelong Sweet Home resident. I would definitely work to be fiscally responsible with your tax dollars, and I would listen to the citizens and be your voice on council. I would definitely be accountable to the citizens for council action. I would appreciate your vote.
Erin Barstad: I think the people of Sweet Home should vote for me because I do not shy away from giving the truth, even if it is hard. I am respectful of both the community and the people . I care about our community and I work every day to make it better. I would be accountable and respectful of the people if elected. I would work hard for the people.
Matthew Bechtel: My family first came to Sweet Home four years ago when we bought our first house, and we plunged our roots deep into the soil of Sweet Home with volunteering and community involvement. As I’ve stated, I serve on two of the committees already. I’ve already began working on my first goal of communication throughout the city. I’ve sat down individually with Mayor Coleman, with Chief Ogden, with all the remaining councilors except one. Almost everybody on this panel I’ve sat down with, and I’m confident that we can get the agenda items accomplished that the people want. I would appreciate your support in this.
Ken Bronson: Why vote for me? I’m a numbers guy. Right here I have this year’s budget. Last year’s budget, let’s start with that. It was $37 million. Big number. This year’s budget, $97,654,400. A much bigger number. I get it. I understand these. I’ve worked with them all my career. I know numbers. I’m a team builder. I used to run a lumber mill for 15 years. I went six years without a lost time injury. Now that takes some real serious team building. I can do it. Common sense. COVID. Transportation. We found a system to spray our buses to sanitize them each night. When I found that within a month, I had the order, we had it installed – would been six weeks of that – we were the first operation in Oregon to do that. That year I was also Transportation Manager of the Year. So I’m asking you to vote for me for council.
Elaine Evans: I’d like to ask for your vote because I will fight for this town like nobody’s business because of all the years that I’ve spent here, 35 of my 61 years, and there’s so much that should be going on that isn’t going on. All we have to do is band together, work a little harder, and we can do great things here. I would improve communication, number one. I’d like to spend some time, myself, if elected, at the coffee shop and do what the mayor does, take an hour every week and just be there for the rest of the town to come in and chat with you. I think that’s a great idea. If elected, that would be something I would want to do.
Rejeana Hayes: If I’m elected, I will work very hard for you and I will see what I can do for our water and our wastewater treatment. I do feel that it does need to be finished and it’s very important to us. I also want to work for our homeless shelters. I do think that we do need to expand that. I’m seeing more and more in the winter time coming out, and it’s very heartbreaking. I also want to see more for our children. Instead of them going to the skate park or any of that, I want them to be with their families hanging out in an arcade or bowling, something togetherness. We need families together and we need to bring more businesses to our city so that we could have revenue here and we can expand. If I’m elected, I am going to work very hard to get that done.
Aaron Hegge: If elected, I’ll be a responsible and responsive council member. I’ll always be putting the community needs at the forefront and any decisions that are made. I want to ensure that everyone in our community feels valued and represented. I’ll show up ready to work and get stuff done. I humbly ask for your vote for City Council, and let’s help the City of Sweet Home in the right direction.
David Lowman: If elected, I promise to work for you, the community of Sweet Home. My ears will be open for your concerns, to bring to all council meetings. I’d like to also see a monthly newsletter, like Brownsville does with all their people so they can inform them of any new fees, new taxes or what’s going on in the community. I would also fight for every grant that’s possibly out there to save tax dollars for the community. I would love to have your vote.
Dawn Miller: If elected, I am promising to everybody, all community members that have reached out to me, to break up the super majority that has dominated our council for far too long. We need a council that is nonpartisan, for the people and our community. We can’t have our council hamstrung like they’ve been. Unless the super majority likes what’s happening, it goes through. If they don’t like what’s happening, you don’t have a chance of getting anything passed or fixed. If you elect me, I intend to bust the super majority apart.
Angelita Sanchez: In four short years during multiple emergencies, so much has happened. I pushed back on mask mandates and forced vaccinations for city employees. The city did not have an audit for two to three years when I was first elected, and now we are in compliance. My relationship with electeds and my quick thinking brought in millions of dollars to our community to cover us for those unfunded mandates. I’ve stood up to the Army Corps; I demanded that they do not remove our dams, keep our hydropower to ensure our energy bills stay low. My ideas have implemented ways to save time and money on public works contracts just by requiring site visits prior to bid. I’ve pushed for a traffic engineer and an updated transportation plan to prepare our table for our growing needs. I’m consistently pushing back on taxes, fees and penalties, while offering solutions and creative ideas that are innovative, some not even costing a dime. I’m deeply committed to continuing to do all that I can for Sweet Home, even if I’m not your councilor. But I am asking for your vote tonight, and I am asking for you to very deeply consider if we can elect three more people that can work with me.
Brandy Wysong-Frick: If I’m elected to City Council, I will bring years of accounting, finance and compliance knowledge. That is what I’m good at. I research, I find the answer, I implement the answer, and I teach, in my case, other accountants so that they become better and stronger accountants, and it makes better and stronger business for the companies that we work for. Personally, my agenda for City Council is really to try to get things finished up before we jump into things that may be new and exciting. We really need to get the big things done, get our water treatment plant finished; all these sort of things that are necessities to life. They just need to be done before we go on to sparkly, shiny, new, fun things.