Kelly Kenoyer and Scott Swanson
Angelita Sanchez, Dave Trask, Lisa Gourley and Dylan Richards were the winners in the nine-candidate race for four Sweet Home City Council seats in the Nov. 3 election.
Sanchez, who was seeking a City Council seat for the first time, had 1,967 votes (15.27%) as of Friday evening, Nov. 6, ahead of incumbents Trask (1,942, 15.08%) and Gourley (1,859, 14.43%) and challenger Richards (1,735, 13.47%).
Trailing were incumbent Cortney Nash (1,384, 10.75%), challenger David Lowman (1,310, 10.17%), incumbent James Goble (1,183, 9.19%), challenger Theo White (828, 6.43%) and challenger George Yeager (512, 3.98%).
The top three vote-getters will serve four-year terms, with the fourth-place finisher serving for two years.
“I’m pretty excited,” said Sanchez, one of the founders of the TimberUnity movement, who, along with Richards, appeared to draw significant support from the forest products community. “I actually was surprised, I really was. I was unsure how many people would vote, and I wasn’t sure how many people would vote for me.”
She said she was helped by an endorsement from state Sen. Fred Girod and “unexpected” support from Milt Moran, president of Cascade Timber Consulting.
“I didn’t know he was going to write a letter (to the editor, supporting her), so that was fantastic. I am so grateful to those two men.”
She said she has “a lot of ideas” as she begins her service on the council, though she acknowledged that the passage of state Measure 110, which reduces the severity of charges for possession of small amounts of certain drugs, “changed a lot of what I was planning.”
Trask, who will begin his third four-year term on the council, said he wants to pursue “more progress on economic development.”
“I’d really like to continue what we’ve started for the city,” he said, citing improvements to the parks and streets. It’s been pretty doggone good, what’s happened in the past couple years. I just want to keep us on the same course.
“I ran because I wanted to continue what we’re doing, and do the best for the community I grew up in all my life. I’m thankful (voters) supported me for my re-election.”
Gourley, who was first elected to the council in 2016, said she also appreciated voters’ support.
“It’s always something to be grateful for when people vote for you, and it’s humbling,” she said. ”
You never know how these things are going to go.
“I would like to thank the entire community. They paid a lot of attention to this election cycle, and as I go out to knock on doors, it was so good to hear from everybody. I’d just like to thank everybody for each and every vote. It matters.”
Gourley said she’s eager to see what new council members will bring to the table.
“I’ve never worked with them before so it’s very exciting.”
A “huge priority” for her during her next term, she said, will be the city’s wastewater treatment operation.
“I think utilizing our budget to the best of our ability is always, as we go through that process looking through what we have ”
“Parks and downtown, our main street, is crucial for us.”
Richards said he was “very confident in this race” and that he felt voters, by having two new people in there, were showing they’re done with the establishment and want a new voice.”
He said one of his big priorities is “to make sure I stick with the Police Department in a time when it is so important to have police officers.”
Another, he said, is getting local streets paved.
“I want to thank all the people that ran, the ones that made it and the ones that did not.” Richards said. “I know what it’s like to lose a tough election.”I would like to thank the voters and all my supporters for helping me get there.”
City and County Levies
Sweet Home’s police and library levy renewal requests got solid majorities, the police levy getting 3,482 “yes” votes (74.24%), and the library with 3,408 (72.84%).
Meanwhile, the four-year Linn County law enforcement local option tax levy looked to be trailing, with 42,312 (62.79%) no votes and 25,072 (37.21%) yes.
Sheriff Jim Yon said he was “disappointed” with the result of the levy, which he put on the ballot early to give his department breathing room, should it not pass, since the current levy extends through June of 2022.
“I think there was confusion what it actually meant,” Yon said of the levy request, which was identical to what county property owners currently pay.
“It wasn’t above and beyond what we’re currently paying,” said Yon, who has stated that the levy accounts for more than half of his budget, which includes patrol and crime investigation, adult and youth corrections services, civil services, 9-1-1 emergency services, animal control and emergency management.
Linn County Commission
Republican Sherrie Sprenger was a runaway winner in the four-candidate race for Linn County Commission Seat 3, with a 65.36% lead (43,861 votes) over Democrat Scott Bruslind (26.37%, 17,697), Independent Gary Sullivan (5.89%, 3,951) and Libertarian Christopher Wade (2.20%, 1,478).
“I’m just grateful the people of Linn County have put their trust in me,” said Sprenger, who has served in the state House of Representatives since 2010.
She said a big difference will be that county meetings are held weekly, rather than during an “intense” six-month biannual long session or the month-long short sessions held in even years.
“The comment from my family was that during those times I had no life. The legislative sessions are a very intense process.”
She said she’s looking forward to working on issues “that are close to home, and frankly, I’m a little relieved to be out of Salem and back home all the time.”
A big issue, as Sprenger joins the County Commission, will be COVID, “keeping people safe and hopefully keep our economy moving at the same time,” she said.
She also wants to get the public more engaged in local government.
“I’m all about taking people’s government process to them, and certainly I hope the current commissioners will join me in having the meeting on the road,” adding that she thinks County Commission meetings should be held around the county, not just in the county courthouse.
Sprenger also plans to meet personally with anyone who wants to, she said.
“I’ve talked about 100 meetings in 100 days. “I’ll give anybody a meeting who wants a meeting.”
State House District 17
In the race for the state House of Representatives 17th District seat being vacated by Sprenger, Republican Jami Cate of Lebanon (25,963, 69.31%) finished well ahead of Democrat Paige Hook of Stayton (10,771, 28.75%) and Pacific Green Party candidate Timothy Dehne of Scio (667, 1.78%).
Cate, who grew up on a farm outside Lebanon and is a summa cum laude graduate of Oregon State University in agriculture, has no previous political experience, and said she is uncertain how things are going to look in Salem due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“No one knows what session is even going to look like, so we’re all just kind of waiting to see how the COVID restrictions will impact any plans for sessions, whether the public can come in and take part in the process or not.”
“As far as having any set plans, I can’t say I have any right now. We’re just gonna roll with the punches.”
Cate, fresh out of her first Republican Caucus meeting in Salem last Friday, said her top priorities will be continuing the focus on handling COVID “and trying to get our businesses back on track.”
“Everyone has been suffering so much with this pandemic as well as the efforts to try to recover after the forest fires.”
Those are “non-partisan” issues, she noted, “which is a nice change. Our legislature has really been focused for a long time on really partisan issues.
“I try to find the silver linings for sure,” she added. “I hope, in all this devastation and suffering, at least some good will come out of it.”
Her victory was a “team effort,” she said.
“I’ve been really blessed with the team I’ve had working with me, but we’d never win without the voters. Thank you to them for the opportunity to be their voice.”
State Senate District 9
In the race for the state Senate 9th District seat, Republican incumbent Frank Girod of Lyons (49,262, 67.10%) won handily over Democratic/Pacific Green challenger Jim Hinsvark of Woodburn (22,019, 29.99%) and Libertarian Patrick Marnell (2,043, 2.78%).
Girod, a retired dentist who has served in the state Senate since 2008 after serving two terms in the state House of Representatives, said he was “really confident” that he would get support from voters, and did not spend any money on his campaign other than $750 for a statement in the voters pamphlet.
“I’m always grateful that the people turn out and vote for me. It’s a real honor to be elected and I don’t take that lightly. “I feel really strongly that I’m blessed to have such a nice district.”
Instead of pouring money into his own campaign, he said, he donated campaign funds to other “key” races, to “try and get more Republicans elected.”
He was pleased with the results of the Senate District 5 seat on the southern Oregon Coast, where Republican Dick Anderson, currently mayor of Lincoln City, defeated Democratic Coos County Commissioner Melissa Cribbins.
“This is the first time in a long time we’ve gotten a seat on the coast,” Girod said.
He said his No. 1 priority for the next term will be taking care of those impacted by the fires in the North Santiam Canyon, where he lost his own home.
“There are whole communities that basically got destroyed. The city of Detroit is pretty much gone.
“I grew up in the area, so it really is bothersome.
“No 2 is always to look out for timber and agriculture; those are the economic drivers of our communities.
“I am concerned about getting kids back into the schools and classrooms. I think that’s extremely important, and that schools get an adequate amount of money to deal with the COVID problem.”