Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
Glenda Fleming is challenging Republican John Lindsey for the Linn County Board of Commissioners.
Fleming, a Democrat, is a research chemist and environmental coordinator with Synthetech, Inc., of Albany. She also has held many second and part-time jobs, including waitress, truck unloader, hydrogeologist, landscaper, lab instructor and more.
She has bachelor of science degrees in geology and chemistry. She has a master’s degree in physiology.
She has served on the city of Albany’s Public Safety Commission and City Council.
“I’ve spoken with many Linn County residents who are really dismayed with increased traffic and congestion, pervasiveness of crime and working more but having less money left,” Fleming said. “Decisions always have far-reaching consequences, but I believe the next few years will be particularly pivotal because Linn County is under pressure from so many directions.
“I believe I have a responsibility to do what I can to protect the quality of life for the everyday working-class residents of Linn County, and I believe I have the experience and perspective it takes to make a positive contribution.”
The three top issues facing Linn County are crime, transportation and economics, she said.
– Crime
“Crime affects not only the immediate victim, it also creates a cloud over people who are not directly involved,” she said. “Even though recent statistics show some reduction in violent crime in some areas, we all continue to feel the financial and emotional impact of property crime too.
“‘Minor’ crime often spirals into ‘major’ crime, so it seems to me that we should aggressively prosecute all crime. This does not mean that all convictions should necessarily be handled the same way, but we do need to get convictions on the books. When convictions pile up, the criminal can move out of the local systems.
“In the meantime, if we need more jail space, we should look into other vacant public buildings that could be used for low-security jail facilities, and investigate barriers to using jails in other jurisdictions.
“Obviously, we could spend a ton of money on prosecution, so we need to be especially aggressive with our approach to preventing crime, both by repeat and new offenders.
“Also, we should seek ways to share costs and resources with other agencies, including the federal government. Many federal agencies, including the Justice Department, oversee grant programs that we could use. We need to look into grants that have already gained approval to find out if the idea worked and to get ideas for our own circumstances. We might also team up with universities that have graduate studies in criminal justice.”
“We can listen to our law enforcement professionals, and then take actions to support them.”
– Economics
“To me, ‘economics’ means both big economy (jobs, unemployment, types of industry, etc.) and individual economy (income, costs of goods and services, how much money is left over each week, savings, etc.).
“Most data indicate Linn County is doing relatively well with our big economy. Unfortunately, many individuals have big problems. They work hard at two, sometimes three, jobs just to feed and clothe their families, with nothing left over for frills or emergencies. Or they are on limited incomes which often do not even cover basic needs. When utility bills or taxes skyrocket, these folks are skewered.
“One important thing the commissioners can do is lobby our legislators to expand SDCs (systems development charges) to cover schools, police, libraries and fire-fighting facilities, so citizens do not have to pay new bonds to subsidize new developments.
“In addition, we can focus on attracting industries that pay decent wages and benefits. We should also support state efforts to obtain group discounts for prescription drugs and to require the federal government to cover the ‘doughnut’ gap many people have in their new Medicare insurance plans.”
Generally, regarding economic development, “I would talk to business owners to find out what they need,” she said. “When the county cannot exactly comply with a request, there may be other actions that will fill both the county and the business needs. I would support vocational as well as traditional education. I would be open to new ideas.”
Linn County needs to focus on bringing new industry “to provide jobs for workers displaced from obsolete or uneconomical industries and to keep pace with – preferably ahead of – national and global developments,” she said. “However, we should not sacrifice existing businesses and residents.
“Not being on the commission yet, I do not know the extent or direction of the county’s efforts to attract new (industry) and new types of industry. I think the shovel-ready site project, initiated by the state, is an excellent tool. I also think new types of industry would be a productive area to investigate.
“I think the county needs to have a vision of what we want the county to look like and how we want it to function. Then we need to focus on attracting jobs and people to fill that vision. I do not see that the county always considers the long term effects of some of its decisions.
– Transportation
“Traffic and congestion has surged in Linn County in the last decade and is still increasing, with no end in sight,” Fleming said. “This causes delays, pollution, increased costs and major frustration for most of us. We need at least a two-fold approach to this – solving the problems we already have, and avoiding new ones.
“When you’re in a hole, stop digging. This means short- and long-term traffic impacts of any new development plans should be carefully considered and resolved before the plan is approved.
“We need to make an effort to site new businesses close to their work force to reduce the need for long commutes, and we need to include bike and pedestrian paths in transportation planning. We need to make public transit more available and reliable throughout the county. In addition to expanding bus and van services, we should seriously consider developing rail transportation. Besides providing transportation to our existing residents, affordable commuter rail from the Cascades to I-5 (or even to the coast) would provide jobs and be an attraction to many desirable businesses and investors.
– Lebanon bypass
“I think a highway by-pass is most likely a short-term solution, and I would prefer a longer-term solution such as I outlined above. However, I would consider supporting it if Lebanon and Sweet Home residents were not stuck with the cost, and if the plan included major provisions for public transit.
– Timber safety net
“Timber funds have been a lifeline for Linn County, and I intend to continue lobbying for them. However, even with intense lobbying, I do not expect these funds to continue much longer. We need to plan now for budgeting when these funds are gone. Again, existing residents have to maintain their own services, but we should not ask them to subsidize new growth.
“I have diverse experiences, training and perspectives, which will provide insight into the varied issues that come before the commission. I will bring people together and listen to all sides of an issue before making decisions. I will treat everyone with respect and fairness. I’m not afraid to acknowledge when I’m wrong, and I’m not afraid to fight for what I believe.
“I think it’s important for commissioners to know what people are thinking and doing throughout the county, so I will make an effort to communicate with residents throughout Linn County. I will attend local meetings and assist residents and cities whenever I can.”
Fleming invites members of the public to call or e-mail her with any issues they would like to bring to her attention or to discuss them. She can be reached at (541) 791-5244 or [email protected]. For e-mails, put “Linn County” in the subject line to avoid her missing the message.