(Editor’s note: Here are short profiles of some of the views and the backgrounds of the nine candidates for four seats on the Sweet Home City Council in this year’s election. They are listed alphabetically. Because Andrew Allen has not lived in Sweet Home for at least the last year, he is unable to qualify for the ballot under city rules that require candidates to live in the city for at least a consecutive year before running. However, he is continuing his campaign for City Council as a write-in candidate, which is allowed.)
Andrew Allen, 30
Education: Sweet Home High Class of 2001, Boise State University – BS Finance 2008
Occupation: Entrepreneur (Two Dam Bagel and Bread Co.)
Previous civic and volunteer experience: Sweet Home: Chamber of Commerce Board member, City of Sweet Home Parks and Budget Committees, High School Track and Cross Country Assistant Coach (Coach Keebler), Sweet Home Trails Group Board Member/Marketing, Sweet Home Running and Track Club coach. Past experience in La Grande: Main Street Economic Restructuring Committee Chair, Urban Renewal Advisory Commission.
What do you hope to accomplish? I want us to create better systems and networks between the various groups within the greater Sweet Home area. We have resources, we just need to create better means for citizens and groups to access and utilize them. The citizens of Sweet Home have many ideas for how to improve our town (economically, socially, recreationally) and our city should be a resource for ideas to develop within.
The difference with me is I’m already working on projects with the city along with networking between various groups (Sweet Home Chamber Board, City Budget and Parks Committees, Sweet Home Trails Group and I coach track and cross country at Sweet Home High). I’m not waiting for someone to elect me. In fact I jumped in with both feet in January and haven’t stopped since and don’t intend to slow down any time soon.
Role: Our goal should be to create better means for ideas (events, businesses, community activities) to become reality. One way is to sort out our community’s resource spiderweb and to present information based on goal (creating a new event, group or business start-up, business expansion), so that citizens have a clearer path to follow.
This requires networking and relationship building between city council and our community resources (SHEDG, Chamber, SHARE, Linn County, US Forest Service, etc.).
Economic Revitalization: Economic growth happens by new ideas and means for existing ideas, products and services to reach a marketplace.
The city needs to serve in maintaining infrastructure and developing economic “paths” so ideas have both a base to develop upon along with assisting businesses (existing and future) in utilizing local resources and infrastructure. But the city cannot be expected to create someone else’s idea or dream. We’re here as support, not to hold someone’s hand, and we must be concerned with upholding rules that protect the general population.
Chicken Ordinance: I understand people’s concerns on both sides since many people living in a city don’t want the sounds and smells of a country farm around their house, but I also believe that individuals should be allowed to grow/raise their own food. I believe the compromise should be a limit based on backyard size to limit the issue.
Blighted and Vacant Structures: In short, if a property becomes detrimental to the general well being or health of the community, it needs to be addressed. We do live in a community, and I firmly believe in the theory of “broken windows” in which the context of one property spills over into the image of the neighborhood, community feel and eventually economic vitality (going back to economic growth and yes there’s evidence that context drives the economy).
Admittedly, we need to work with landowners; but if pressure is needed to force a change, then the city should be able to apply it. Asking someone nicely to clean up their act only goes so far but it should be our first approach and no, we’re not paying someone to do what they already should be doing as a citizen.
Sign Code: Did not respond.
Charitable Budgeting: As a member of the 2012-13 budget committee, I thought that was a little ridiculous, considering the city’s financial situation and would like to note, those recommendations did not come from the city and were not presented in this year’s budget cycle (for good reason).
For future reference, I don’t have a problem with charity; but I have to ask, were these groups providing a service on behalf of the city before they get funding (for example a humane society serving as the stray animal catcher)? Until we have surpluses, I don’t see the city doing this again.
Raises for Non-Represented Employees: Two things, if a program or service was on the chopping block, no raise would have been given. But the budget had made all of the cuts without losing any more employees or cuts in services. With this case, I believe the raises (which were merited) should be given.
Second, we’re lucky in having a veteran group, and making a statement because of the economy and relative pay in the region would have been a gamble. The employees in question are in demand by other higher paying cities with fewer budgetary issues (makes managing a real pain) and replacing them would have cost the city much more (training, the learning curve of our city’s situation, etc). In short, we should not trip over dollars to save a few nickels.
Private Property Rights: When personal property becomes a hazard or detrimental to the health and well-being of the community (documented and shown), then the interests of the community outweighs that of the individual. But a due process must be in place to qualify a property as a community issue. These should not be related directly to economic gain (such as a developer wanting to eminent domain a property through the city). Police and community health should be the primary reasons to impose fines or restrictions.
Police and Library Levies: We need to stabilize our city’s funding. Last year our revenues dropped about 15 percent, and we’re expecting a small drop this year while expenses increase (we can’t control fuel and insurance prices). Adding to this, if we continue running on a shoestring budget, the city will continue to have trouble maintaining our current infrastructure not to mention making investments in economic and community infrastructure.
The League of Oregon Cities looked at multiple ways of mending our budgetary problems (for which Sweet Home is the poster child showing how Measure Five and subsequent ballot measures have hurt rural towns), and I’m going to trust them on this issue. Anti-tax people, get over it, we have a city to run that you benefit from.
Lighting Ordinance: I’m against the darkening of city streets simply because I’m for the safety of those who walk, run or bike (kids especially). Also, the costs imposed by this ordinance seem unnecessary, especially since other light sources can penetrate property lines.
Marybeth Angulo, 45
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Occupation: Third/Fourth grade teacher at Oak Heights Elementary School, Sweet Home School District 55
Education: 1985 graduate of South Salem High School; 1989 Bachelor of Science in Education at Western Oregon University; 2010 Masters of Curriculum and Instruction in Education at Portland State University.
Previous civic and volunteer experience: Previous board member, Sunshine Industries; young representative, School of Christian Missions with the Methodist Church of Sweet Home; leader, Junior Choir, SHUMC, one year; third- and fourth-grade youth camp dean at Suttle Lake United Methodist Youth Camp, three years; nursery volunteer, Vacation Bible School teacher, worship team member, First Baptist Church; and Site Council and PBIS team member, Oak Heights Elementary School; City Council member, two years.
What have you accomplished during your tenure? I have spent the last two years “learning the ropes” in city government. I was the newest member on the council for quite a while and spent that time learning the process of how ordinances were passed, goals set and budgets passed. I was thrilled to be a part of the budget process to see just how and where the money is spent. My accomplishment was helping to make sure that the city of Sweet Home had a balanced budget in which to operate and enacting appropriate legislation that would protect the health, safety and welfare of the city.
What do you hope to accomplish? As an educator within the Sweet Home School District for the past 22 years, I have a heart for the youth of this community. My goal as a city councilor is to pursue, expand, and promote continued positive activities for the youth in our community.
We need more positive opportunities for our youth to participate and become active in city government and other service learning projects. I would like to participate in creating and implementing even more successful and innovative programs for the youth of Sweet Home through a possible partnership with the School District and other nonprofit organizations.
I would also like to see a more positive interaction and partnership between the city and the Sweet Home School District. Who better to help bridge the gap but a teacher who also serves on the council? I would like to be that person.
My leadership qualities come from over 20 years of teaching in the Sweet Home School District. I enjoy organizing, training, supervising and motivating those whom I lead. I have also been found to be honest, ethical, up front and dependable in both personal and business dealings.
I have proven that I am not afraid to vote on what I believe is the right thing to do, even if it means going against the majority vote. Teaching has given me the ability to prioritize and follow through with project demands. I am an active listener who enjoys being a creative part of any team or solution. For these reasons, I should be re-elected to the city council.
Role: The role of the City Council and city government is to make decisions that represent the people and the best interests of the city as a whole. The council should also establish general policies for the conduct of city government, adopt a balanced budget and consider and enact appropriate legislation that protects the welfare of the city as well as the health and safety of the residents.
Economic Revitalization: The city should provide and create a welcoming and positive environment where new businesses would want to relocate. We need to continue with the positive promotion of the existing businesses through the ongoing campaign of “shop in Sweet Home.” We need to continue to make the downtown Sweet Home an appealing area where consumers will want to shop.
Chicken Ordinance: I did not have any issues with the chicken ordinance. As long as the chickens did not infringe on the rights of surrounding property owners, then I felt it was fine.
If property owners have a way that they can confine their chickens and any smell that might be associated with it, then I fully support that concept. Guidelines were put into place to make it a fair and balanced way that allowed people who wanted to have chickens on their property to have a specified number of chickens without it becoming a nuisance to the surrounding property owners who did not desire to have chickens.
Blighted and Vacant Structures: I am for an ordinance that would ask property owners to board up their vacant houses so that squatters would not have easy access to them. If they are not boarded up and secured in some manner, that allows people to take up residence, and the waste that is left behind can cause other health hazards and problems. This then becomes an undesired problem for the existing property owners surrounding the residence.
Sign Code: Did not respond.
Charitable Budgeting: I stand behind those contributions one hundred percent! Each of these organizations were well deserving of the small contribution that the city made to them. They all are helping people within the community of Sweet Home.
I see first-hand on a daily basis how the backpack food program has benefited the children in our community. The thing that I love and enjoy about living in Sweet Home is how we as a community come together in times of need to help one another. I felt that providing funds to these well deserving organizations was money well spent.
Raises for Non-Represented Employees: I was vehemently opposed to giving raises in a time of financial crisis, even if they are well-deserved. Businesses surrounding us were making cuts and the school district employees all took pay cuts or had their pay frozen. It was my understanding that even people in the healthcare profession were also making sacrifices. I felt that city employees should not be receiving raises when others were making sacrifices and facing pay cuts.
Both Councilor McKee and myself went on the record stating that we were still opposed to the raises; however, we knew that a city could not be run effectively and survive without a budget in place; therefore, we ultimately approved the budget with the raises.
Private Property Rights: Did not respond.
Police and Library Levies: Did not respond.
Lighting Ordinance: Did not respond.
Royce Cantrell, 61
Education: High school, six years of military security – communications class A, C.D.L. with 20-passenger endorsement.
Occupation: Retired.
Previous civic and volunteer experience: Three years coaching with the Sweet Home Boxing Club.
What do you hope to accomplish? I hope to find ways to generate income for the city through economic growth with new business. A vote for me means I am willing to ask questions that other people won’t.
Role: The role of city council is that the interests of the people of Sweet Home come before my own.
Economic Revitalization: Revitalization of downtown is always connected to economic growth. It’s a mistake to think the Jamboree is the only answer.
Chicken Ordinance: I think the chicken ordinance is much ado about nothing.
Blighted and Vacant Structures: Our city council needs to tread lightly on private property. After all, the person that owns that property has put their own time and money into that said property.
Sign Code: Did not respond.
Charitable Budgeting: Budgeting for charitable organizations is fine as long as the money is accounted for.
Raises for Non-Represented Employees: Raises should only be given if money is available and the person receiving it is actually doing his or her job to their fullest.
Private Property Rights: Private property rights are just that – private. The community, as a whole, doesn’t always consider the property owners’ interest with theirs.
Police and Library Levies: More taxes from levies will not work unless local government learns to manage tax money.
Lighting Ordinance: Did not respond.
Jim Gourley, 55
Education: Sweet Home High School graduate, LBCC, Oregon state journeyman, first responder instructor, Medic first aid instructor.
Occupation: Millwright
Previous experience: 20 years on City Council, Mayor, President Pro Tem, 18 years Boy Scouts of America Scout Leader, Sweet Home Youth League V.P., governor’s appointment to Interagency on Hazardous Communications Council, State Emergency Response Committee.
What have you accomplished during your tenure? Each person in the council brings a unique perspective. Mine is to bring balance between business and community. Since in office, we have a new fire hall, police station, Boys and Girls Club/Senior Center and new water treatment facility. This was done with the council and community working together.
What do you hope to accomplish? A safe, healthy and long-term productive community. I bring a unique perspective as a former business owner and paper mill worker. These experiences give me the ability to make decisions that represent different perspectives.
Role: To help oversee the budget. Be responsive to the community and citizens. To make local legislation that meets the needs of the community. The city should listen and support the citizens and businesses. By working together to ensure that legislation is current and supports the needs of our community both now and in the future.
Chicken Ordinance: Citizens brought an issue forward. It was addressed in committee, where citizens had the opportunity to work together to formulate an ordinance. It worked correctly.
Blighted and Vacant Structures: I think we have to be careful anytime we make ordinances that affect people’s lives. Hopefully, we will be able to develop something that helps everyone. We have not finished this process yet.
Sign Code: The original sign codes that were proposed, I felt, were too restrictive. The sign code was changed to accommodate the needs of businesses and consumers.
Charitable Budgeting
I think that decision was made before the city knew that there was a shortfall. Given the information at the time it was a good way to invest back into our community. But, after the news of the shortfall came out, it changed our priorities.
Raises for Non-Represented Employees: The resolution was in place and we honored our promise to the employees.
Private Property Rights: Private property rights are important; and with that comes the responsibility to not infringe on others’ rights. I think the city should be responsible to its citizens.
Police and Library Levies: I think this is a very big issue and will be decided by the people of the state of Oregon. Because of the original Measure 5 impact on Sweet Home, we don’t have our police and library included in our city’s general fund. They are funded exclusively by levy. We are only one of two municipalities in the state that are affected this way. I think changes should be made through the Legislature to resolve this issue.
Lighting Ordinance: I don’t believe in a full “dark skies” approach. Small cities have to balance the safety within the city and any ordinance with the needs of all individual property owners.
Anay Hausner, 37
Education: Douglas High School, Winston; Umpqua Community College, Winchester; Linn-Benton Community College, Albany
Occupation: Department of Revenue, Special Programs Administration, Salem
Previous civic and volunteer experience: Sweet Home Planning Commission, Vice Chair; Board of Directors, Oregon Virtual Academy (ORVA)
What do you hope to accomplish? Why should we vote for you in particular? What sets you apart from the other candidates?
I hope to accomplish what matters to the citizens of Sweet Home with a fair and unbiased demeanor. I am a person that looks at the facts and asks tough questions to get answers to my concerns. I am just and fair in my findings and am not afraid to be passionate about what needs to be done, and I am not afraid to debate against something I oppose, regardless if some people find my unbiased opinions not suitable to conformity.
Role: The role of the City Council is to function as a body that creates, proposes and votes on ordinances and balances city budgets and to work with the commissions and committees that are appointed with local community members to help govern the needs of the city. The role of the city government is to provide the community with various types of supporting roles, including police, fire, city maintenance, Public Works and water/sewer services.
Economic Revitalization: The city should think differently and outside the box when it comes to the revitalization of the downtown area and economy. Most cities follow a pre-planned program strategy to help revitalizing their most declining areas. What the city needs to do in our situation is to recycle the old strategies and come up with our own very unique plans that not only follow the laws above our city but enable our city to demonstrate differences that might attract new and exciting opportunities to our city.
Chicken Ordinance: The “chicken ordinance” involves much more than chickens, but the main focus of the ordinance was placed on chickens. I know that the ordinance was not popular with some of the community members, but I do believe that the ordinance is well-balanced for what the city needs in today’s time.
Blighted and Vacant Structures: Most cities, regardless of the size, are dealing with this situation. With the decline in the economy and the abandonment of homes and businesses, it has attracted unwanted nuisances. The city has a duty to protect the community. The responsibility must fall to the owner(s) of the properties to handle the appearance or maintenance of their buildings on their property, and if not, the City Council needs to have the proper regulations in place to take over the responsibility to accomplish the goals that our city strives for.
Sign Codes: I think that the sign code revision needed to be done, but I was a little concerned about how long the project lasted. I have experience creating, reviewing, working on and proposing regulations and ordinances and understand that the process takes a lot of time, but I think constant involvement from all the members involved is vital in making sure the process stays on track and is completed within a reasonable governmental timeframe.
Charitable Budgeting: There is no doubt that charitable organizations in today’s tough economic times need more help than ever, but I do not believe that public funds should be involved in such matters. If I want to contribute, then it should be a personal choice, not a governmental one.
Raises for Non-Represented Employees: Say you were an employee working for a company that needed you to give up your raises for two years straight, but in return after those two years, you would receive the raise that is due to you. This situation is no different; those employees gave up their raises to help the community and in return were assured by the council that they would receive their raises this year. To my understanding those provisions were already included into the previous year budget plans and should not have been an issue to the current budget determination.
Private Property Rights: There is no doubt that land use has changed in the last few decades and finding a balance is a fundamentally challenging role for our city – and Measure 50 has help from regulatory take-overs. Land conservation is a critical key component to achieving long-term development and growth and it must strike a balance for all involved.
Land use policies and regulations should be reviewed on a yearly rotation to ensure the right path for our city is taking place. Our city is governed by the state with some things, and there are limitations to what our city can do. But the city can take the necessary precautions to help reduce unbalanced interests.
Police and Library Levies: I think that the measurements on property tax limitation needs to be outside the current limits under Measure 5. I believe that the use of the current compression system disallows our city to use the funds in ways that are needed at the time it is needed. Instead of using the current compression system to calculate how much can be used for levy-funded police and library services, it will give our city the freedom that is desperately needed for those types of services.
Lighting Ordinance: I would support the proposed lighting ordinance if there were a way to enforce it. I would imagine that some will consider the outlined proposal to be too restrictive, especially to a community that is not used to this kind of ordinance.
When our city is at the point to where the community is producing light pollution that mars the view of the stars, then it would be a good idea to revisit any lighting ordinance that may be in force to revise it to reflect a “dark skies” approach. I do hope that if the proposed lighting ordinance does not fit the needs of our city at this time, that the community would be open to a lighting ordinance that could be used for future developments.
Bruce Hobbs, 36
Education: High School
Occupation: Real Estate
Previous civic and volunteer experience: Chamber of Commerce, Traffic Safety Committee, All-Hazard Committee, city Budget Committee.
What do you hope to accomplish? For the most part I believe the city does a good job of managing the day-to-day business of Sweet Home. On occasion, though, I believe that it steps on personal property rights in an effort to make improvements to the city. I would like to be a voice for those rights.
Role: I see the City Council as point of contact for concerned citizens that allows for a more rapid response to the wants of the local citizenry without having to go through the ballot option. The city government’s role is to strike a balance between the needs for safety and services in the city of Sweet Home and the rights and means of it citizenry.
Economic Revitalization: The role of the city is to encourage the growth of business by not encumbering it with unneeded regulation. I believe it is OK for the city to actively recruit businesses to Sweet Home, but there are very few instances where it is appropriate to use taxpayers’ money to incentivize them.
Chicken Ordinance: I am very happy that the city adopted a balanced ordinance on having chickens in the city. I was one of the citizens who asked the city to consider this ordinance.
Blighted and Vacant Structures: I understand what the idea behind the ordinance is: to help improve the look of Sweet Home. But I do not think this ordinance is going to get the results it is looking for. The ordinance, as it is written, steps on the rights of the property owners.
I can sympathize with those who believe their rights have been stepped on by these eyesores. Fortunately, there is legal process in place if a nearby property is impacting the value of other home in a meaningful way. I always worry when any government institution feels it knows what looks the best or is the best way to use private property.
Sign Code: Overall, I think they struck a good balance between the needs of the citizenry and the rights of the property owners.
Charitable Budgeting: I believe that while the idea was noble, this was a misstep by the city. I do not think people want the government to choose where their charitable donations go to.
Raises for Non-Represented Employees: I have mixed feelings on this. On the whole, I think it was the right decision as a way to retain quality staff and to fulfill implied promises of the council from past resolution. I think that extra consideration and contingency may need to be put into the wording of future resolutions in regards to how their pay would be affected by loss in revenues to the city.
Private Property Rights: For the most part, private property rights are paramount to the citizens even when they don’t realize it. The role of the city is to ensure that people do not use their property in a way that endangers the life or safety of others. It is also the role of the city to make sure that people do not infringe on the rights of the property owner.
Police and Library Levies: I think this is a bogeyman move. The only purpose of government is to uphold the rule of law and provide resalable protection to its citizens. Service such as courts, cops and other essential city services should be the only thing inside the $10 rate. They know that people are more likely to vote for a police force than a set of parks.
Things that are not essential to the running of government such as parks, pools and other wants should definitely be allowed to be put outside of the compression limits. In fact I think that putting things that the citizens want outside of the compression rate is the right place for the extras in life. Service such as courts, cops and other essential city services should be the only thing inside the $10 rate.
Lighting Ordinance: I had not heard of the dark skies approach before this questionnaire. I think that trying to regulate the movement of light would be like trying to regulate the movement of cats – it’s just not going to work in a way that is fair to everyone.
I think coming up with a way to set standards to shield light from going into other owners’ homes at a mostly agreeable threshold limit is doable. While I think a property owner has the right to light his property as he sees fit, I do not think that right can arbitrarily pour light into the home of another person.
Ron Rodgers, 41
(Sweet Home resident since 1980)
Education: MBA – Concentration in Negotiations and Conflict Resolution (Summa Cum Laude) – Centennial, Colo.; BA – Labor Safety and Health – National Labor College – Silver Springs, Md.; BA – Union Leadership and Administration – National Labor College – Silver Springs, Md.; Journeyman Millwright – Linn-Benton Community College
Occupation: United Steelworkers Staff Representative (contract negotiations, arbitration, mediation)
Previous civic and volunteer experience: Current – Public Safety Committee Chair, Admin and Finance Committee. Previous – Traffic Safety Committee, Budget Committee, All Hazards Mitigation Committee, United States Army
What have you accomplished during your tenure? I originally applied for a vacant city council position in order to serve the community with a focus on the residents of the city. I feel that I have been instrumental in ensuring that the needs of the city are balanced with the rights of its citizens.
What do you hope to accomplish? I have no agenda other than promoting responsible economic growth while maintaining the small-town atmosphere that Sweet Home provides.
I believe both my educational and professional background provide me with a keen ability to look at issues from all of the competing angles and make a decision that takes every respective point of view into consideration. I have often been complimented in my professional life for my ability to reach a compromise on difficult issues. In my work, I deal with difficult issues on a daily basis and have been very successful in reaching agreements which satisfy the needs of competing interests.
Role: The role of the City Council is to establish reasonable rules and regulations in order to preserve the rights of all of the residents and businesses in the community as well as establish a budget under which the city functions. The role of the city government is to provide services and infrastructure to the community while acting within the guidelines set forth by the council.
Economic Revitalization: The city should (and does) work with the Sweet Home Economic Development Group (SHEDG) in order to improve the livability and economy of Sweet Home.
Chicken Ordinance: In its original draft, I was strongly opposed to the chicken ordinance, which in my opinion did not adequately consider the impact that raising chickens could potentially have on neighbors, both in appearance and health.
After much debate and discussion, we were able to develop an ordinance that protected both the ability to raise chickens as well as reduce potential negative impact to surrounding neighbors.
Blighted and Vacant Structures: Again, in its original form, I felt the ordinance was much too overbearing. Originally, the proposed ordinance would have affected occupied homes as well as vacant properties. This most likely would have created a financial hardship to many people in the community who are on fixed incomes and do not have the finances to make repairs to their properties.
The ordinance was introduced in order to deal with properties which have basically been abandoned and are in a serious state of disrepair. By adding the requirement that a structure most be both blighted and vacant, it ensures that no residents are displaced from their homes while requiring vacant buildings to be kept secure and somewhat maintained to a level that does not create an eyesore to the surrounding residents with minimal financial impact on the owner of the property in question.
Sign Code: The city did a good job of ensuring that the code did not have a negative impact on small businesses in the community. Some of the proposed changes would have limited the ability of local convenience stores and gas stations to advertise their products. It is a good example of working through an issue and reaching a compromise which addresses the most severe cases which led to the need for the…