Editor’s note: Seven candidates for four open Sweet Home City Council seats makes the Nov. 4 election one of the most competitive Sweet Home voters have experienced in years – true choices and a diversity of ideas and opinions.
With that in mind, we decided to offer a two-stage process in giving voters a chance to learn about those candidates.
In today’s issue we are offering candidates’ responses to 13 questions pertaining to issues that are of particular interest to many Sweet Home citizens regarding actions taken by the council in recent months or issues that the city faces.
Ballots for the Nov. 4 election will be mailed Oct. 15. They can be returned to City Hall, 1140 12th Ave., and to the Sweet Home Police Department lobby, 1950 Main St.
Candidates’ responses to our questions are arranged alphabetically, by their last name:
The Candidates:
o James Goble
Age: 40
Occupation: Production manager at Ti-Squared
Education: Redmond High School, studied criminal justice at Linn-Benton Community College
Prior civic service and volunteer activities: Sweet Home Planning Commission and organizing BMX track improvement project
Spouse: Unmarried
Children: 7
o Jeffrey D. Goodwin
Age: 34
Occupation: Attorney at law – John Wittwer Lawyers
Education: Doctor of Jurisprudence, Cum Laude, Willamette University; Master of Business Administration for Business, Government, and Not-For-Profit Management, Honors, Willamette University; Bachelor of Arts, History, Summa Cum Laude; Oregon State University; Associate of Arts/Associate of General Studies Chemeketa Community College.
Prior civic service and volunteer activities: Member, Sweet Home Rotary Club; Board of Directors and Head Coach, AYSO 870, Linn County Youth Soccer Organization; Volunteer Firefighter with Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District; Active Boy Scout Adult Leader; President of multiple extracurricular organizations throughout school;
Eagle Scout.
Spouse: Stephanie Goodwin
Children: Ariana, 6; David, 5; Annabelle, 3; and Gabriel, 1.
o Anay Hausner
Age: 39
Occupation: Securities coordinator for the Oregon Department of State Lands
Education: Working towards Ph.D in History
Prior civic service and volunteer activities: 2010-present Sweet Home Planning Commission; 2010-present Treasurer, Oregon Virtual Academy Board of Directors.
Spouse: Bruce Hausner; 50
Children: Kascia Hausner; 16
o Bruce Hobbs
Age: 38
Occupation: Real estate / Retail
Prior civic service and volunteer activities: Member, City Council; Chamber of Commerce; Traffic Safety Committee; All Hazards Committee; Budget Committee.
Spouse: Monica Sanders
Children: Cody, Caid, Corbitt
o Greg Mahler
Age: 51
Occupation: Retail operations manager
Education: Linn-Benton Community College
Prior civic service and volunteer activities: Twenty-eight years volunteer firefighter, current city councilor and actively involved in a local church
Spouse: Teresa
Children: 3 (Ryan 30, Lacey 25, Jill 22) and one granddaughter, Alaina 7 months)
o Aaron Pye
Age: 44
Occupation: Repairman, inventor, volunteer
Education: Currently enrolled in a doctoral program with completion of three degrees in the criminal justice field, from associate of arts to master’s. Transcripts available upon request.
Prior civic service and volunteer activities: Member of the Student Senate 1993 Pierce College, Los Angeles. Four years part-time volunteer at Sweet Home Gleaners, two years full-time volunteer Sweet Home Gleaners. Member of the city Charter Review and Traffic Safety committees, volunteer at the Sweet Home Police Department.
Spouse: Lisa Pye
Children: Akasha Davis, in addition to two grandchildren, Xandor and Kartor Davis.
o Ryan J. Underwood
Age: 42
Occupation: Hoy’s ACE Hardware Store Manager
Education: Sweet Home High School 1990 Attended Oregon State University 1992-1996 Majored in athletic training with minors in psychology and mathematics
Prior civic service and volunteer activities: Attend Holley Church. Was involved for several years with the SH Boys and Girls Club in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Spouse: Paula Underwood
Children: Jarred, 17; Jenna, 15; Abigail, 14; April, 14.
1. Describe the vision you have for our community.
James Goble: My vision for our community of Sweet Home is one that allows us to build on our community’s diversity and capitalizes on our wide range of possible recreational resources.
Our community has a special feel that one does not find in other towns. Sweet Home, in my vision, sees the needs of our growing retirement community and will work with our retired community members in support of those needs.
Finding a balance between community needs and economic growth potential is key in my vision. We are the corridor for a variety of seasonal activities; I feel we need to capitalize on these activities in support of our downtown core.
Jeff Goodwin: I want Sweet Home to be a pleasant place to live, clean and safe, with children who look forward to a bright future.
Anay Hausner: I would like to see the community working together to help raise our economic development to jump start the growth of Sweet Home, which will help stabilize the city budget and allow the city to create better programs that could address the needs of the community.
Bruce Hobbs: At this time I see the city moving toward more of a recreation and family community.
Greg Mahler: I would like to see Sweet Home become a premier destination place to live, work and raise a family for generations to come.
Aaron Pye: My vision for this community is to raise it up out of the current shiftless mess that appears to be spreading all over. When I moved into this town in August 2004, I saw a community that was full of greatness with only a few issues. Today, just 10 years later, I see a huge urban blight problem all over town with only a few shining examples of what used to make this town great.
The number of vacant businesses appears to be much greater than it was 10 years ago. Numerous holes, or burned-out hulks of properties that were once vibrant places are popping up faster than potholes on 4th Avenue. Main Street is turning into a dried-up desert, questionable businesses are becoming the norm, vacant shops sprouting like weeds.
At the given rate of decay, this town will not survive another 30 years. It is my hope to staunch the bleeding and help facilitate a return to more prosperous times, to replace the empty burned-out lots with parks, green spaces or functioning businesses. The current partial ghost appearance is not a welcoming sight and only helps drag down the morale of the inhabitants and promotes unlawful activity.
Ryan Underwood: The vision I have is to return our community to the greatness it experienced while the timber industry was booming. In order to do this, we need to take care of our existing businesses in our community – explore, recruit and encourage new businesses to move into our community and make sure our public services are well-funded and adequately staffed.
2. Should Sweet Home stop fluoridating its water? Why or why not?
James Goble: Fluoridation is a touchy subject, as we saw at our City Council meeting. I am for fluoridation of our water. As most, I have done my own research on this matter. There is a need and a proof that this does help with tooth decay. But this decision is better left to our community as a whole to decide.
Jeff Goodwin: No, fluoride is an essential element that occurs naturally in water in many places in the world. Having the appropriate amount of fluoride in your diet is essential to good dental health.
Anay Hausner: No, it provides too many long-term benefits not to have it provided to the whole community.
Bruce Hobbs: At this time I do not believe that it would be wise to discontinue fluoridation. This was put in place by the vote of the people. Also after reviewing the available information and strong testament before the council, I believe that the overall benefit outweighs the possible chance of harm.
Greg Mahler: I listened to testimony of citizens and the pros and cons of fluoridation in the city water. I feel this decision shouldn’t be left to the City Council, but the citizens of Sweet Home, to decide whether we should keep fluoride in our water.
Aaron Pye: Fluorine is the 13th most common element found on the surface of the earth and within the crust layers, a major component of fluoride. It is virtually impossible to ingest anything without being exposed to naturally occurring fluoride.
While the use of fluoride has been endorsed by the American Dental Association in 1953 and the American Medical Association in 1951 as a major step towards safeguarding health (PureHealthMD), in more recent times there is reason for concern as to adding fluoride to the drinking water supply of any town due to the vast number of health risks and conditions that tend to occur in larger numbers of people in fluoridated-water towns compared to individuals living in communities that do not fluoridate the water supply.
These health issues include gastro-intestinal problems that require further treatment with additional chemicals as opposed to removing fluoride from that individual’s water intake for similar results or levels of cure. Within the town of Sweet Home, residents are reminded on a yearly basis that the town’s water supply is indeed below federal safe water standards.
Perhaps, until this can be resolved, the town should refrain from adding additional questionable substances to the local water supply until such time as the federal government deems the water to meet the minimum safety standards.
Ryan Underwood: Medical evidence has proven time and again that the benefits of fluoridated water far outweigh the dangers. The fluoridation should continue.
3. How will you respond to proposed water and sewer rate increases?
James Goble: The city sewer system has been in desperate need of repair for many years. The increase in the city water and sewer rates is out of necessity and driven by state and federal regulations. Although we frown upon a service bill increase, we are still well below the state average of communities similar ours. By being on the City Council, I can try to limit the impact on our citizens and do my best to make sure the money from rate increases are being spent on water and sewer improvements.
Jeff Goodwin: You have to get down to the numbers. A safe and reliable drinking water supply is one of the most important elements of prosperity for any society. At its essence, it is what separates the first world from the third world, but the need for clean water is not a blank check for government spending.
Anay Hausner: I do not think there is any current councilor who likes the idea of raising any type of fees. They end up paying the same fees as everyone else. I believe the rate increase is needed to avoid potentially higher costs in the future.
Bruce Hobbs: According to the Public Works director and a consulting economist, water and sewer rates will need to climb higher to pay for the work already completed to reduce inflow and infiltration, to improve the Wastewater Treatment Plant, to pay for operational expenses and maintain the system. This year, the council chose to increase rates by a lower amount.
In years past, the City of Sweet Home, as with most other cities, as part of its standard operations did not set aside near enough money for the replacement and repair of its wastewater system. This, along with stricter water regulations, has left the burden to the current ratepayer.
It would be unfair to set up future ratepayers with this same problem, therefore I believe that it is important to start setting aside money for future repair and upgrades that we know are coming. The only way to do that is through higher water rates.
Greg Mahler: I know the city must repay the debt and reduce the inflow and infiltration per our state and federal government guidelines. However, the impact of the rate increases needs to be gradual and no more than the required amount.
Aaron Pye: At this point and time, I know I cannot afford the $200-a-month water bills I experienced in the summers of 2011 and 2012 attempting to grow a garden and have a small patch of green lawn. Best as I have been able to ascertain from 10 years of water bills, water is billed in 50-unit amounts compared to the sewage rate billed in units of 1,000.
If I manage to not water any portion of my property and am only billed for 350-400 units of water, I am still charged the 1,000 unit rate for sewage.
Considering that the town’s drinking water supply does not meet federal safety standards, it seems ludicrous to allow for a fee hike for a substandard product. One joke that never gets old is our water coming into our houses is below the safety threshhold, however be assured that when it is flushed and treated it is above the federal safety standards; so why doesn’t the water company reverse the lines and present water that is at the safety levels, etc.?
Is it really the job of Sweet Home and the residents of the town to clean up the water for Lebanon to use in that we provide much cleaner discharge for them to drink than we ourselves are charged an arm and a leg for already?
Ryan Underwood: I do not support increases. Currently, my personal monthly utility bill is almost on par with my electric bill. After speaking with several families, I am not alone in this. Other revenue options must be explored before telling an already cash-strapped community that their rates are increasing again. Increased rates will only equate to less expendable income for our community’s families budgets that have been designated for food, gas and clothing.
4. What are your priorities for spending, and how do you plan to respond to this funding issue?
James Goble: An effective Police Department is substantial to a community’s safety. I feel we need to look into all possible resources of funding, as in grants or collaborating agencies (i.e. local, county, and state). Although I have not seen our general funds for 2015-16, I would need to make sure all existing funds are being utilized appropriately for our size of community.
Jeff Goodwin: We need to increase spending on law enforcement and incarceration of criminals.
Anay Hausner: When working as chair on the city Budget Committee in the past, this issue was a hot item. What is the right answer? It can be hard sometimes to see the light at the end of the tunnel on this issue. Our Police Department works very hard to make our community safe and ensures that our department is up-to-date with the latest technology and training. We have the force that we have because that is what our community demands from it. What our community demands of the city would be a huge factor on my priorities for city spending. I believe the community of Sweet Home has been clear that they want protective services to be at their peak when needed.
Bruce Hobbs: Police Department funding through its local option levy will be insufficient to continue at the current service level in fiscal 2015-16. The city would need to cut spending in the Police Department if it takes no action on the issue. The city could transfer revenue from the General Fund (but it cannot transfer most Public Works spending). Transfers like that have helped maintain police services at or near its typical service levels in the past.
Providing law enforcement is one of the primary purposes of government, so I think it would be wise to make transfers to the Sweet Home Police Department.
Greg Mahler: I believe we will need to take a hard look at our next fiscal budgeting process and evaluate every budgeting option available to fund our police services at the current level. I would hate to see a reduction in our services because the Police Department is a very integral part of our community. Protecting our citizens should be one of our highest priorities. Last thing I would like us to do is go before citizens and ask for a new levy.
Aaron Pye: Decreasing spending on Public Safety is typically the first item many municipalities attempt rather than shave single digit percentages in other areas.
I believe that the current level of law enforcement is stretched too thin as is, as one can see when looking at http://www.crimewatch.com, the big picture for this area.
However, perhaps this predicted shortfall of a budget for the Police Department will encourage the community to offer its services on a volunteer basis to help in any way possible to place uncompensated volunteers in positions currently held by paid employees to the legal maximum amount allowable by law. This could include the use of volunteers to perform transportation to and from the jail or courthouse.
Knowing the length of time it takes me to drive from town into Albany, spend half an hour shopping or conducting other business and returning to town can be upward of two hours or more depending on weather and traffic conditions, an individual arrested for criminal activity would require a similar amount of travel time, not counting the time required at the jail to conduct a transfer, then the individual may be required to be brought back to town for a court appearance and then once again returned to jail.
This action could take up most of the day for a paid officer on duty. If volunteers were allowed to perform this service, there could be a noticeable savings for the police department. If everyone that has been victimized by crime, no matter the act were to actually make a report, the crime rate could be tracked with more precision and adjustments to the public safety budget could be made accordingly.
Ryan Underwood: The Police Department should be priority No. 1, and all measures must be taken into consideration to ensure this essential service receives full funding.
5. What role do you think the city plays in economic development, and what would you do to encourage economic growth in Sweet Home?
James Goble: I feel we need to focus on the needs of the many more than the wants of the few. I would like to gather our community members and encourage economic growth, not only for the livability of our community but for the continued future of our town. I would like to continue helping to build a community in which my grown children would want to start their families. Local governments need to make sure the rules and regulations are not overly restrictive so economic growth can be achieved.
Jeff Goodwin: We need to take active measures to attract and retain export industries and ensure that the business environment in Sweet Home is not hostile to growth. It is difficult to imagine the positive difference that the addition of even a single major manufacturing facility could make in the opportunities for today’s graduates.
Anay Hausner: The city should play a leadership role, which it has been doing successfully. The city must ensure that it works with all interested parties within the community. This would better facilitate the focus and would help determine the needs easier to improve the economic changes going on within Sweet Home. I believe that having an active role with promoting and educating outside industries and businesses would encourage Sweet Home to grow.
Bruce Hobbs: Economic development at the city level becomes a tricky balancing act. The primary thing the city can do is have a balanced mix of property zoning and an openness to allow different levels of business to come to Sweet Home. The city must also maintain regulations on these businesses to a minimum. With that said we also need to maintain the livability of Sweet Home, so all opportunity must be weighed on this scale.
Greg Mahler: Personally, I don’t feel we have done enough to encourage economic growth, especially with all of the recreational opportunities surrounding our community. I would like to explore our options regarding the business and industrial zoning and what business opportunities we can attract to this community.
Aaron Pye: If the city truly desires to attract business and expand the economy of this town, perhaps the city needs to dream up ways to entice business owners and operators to come to Sweet Home, to make investments in the community. From the general view of town, the city has become highly attractive to drug addicts, thieves and unruly homeless individuals.
By whatever magic that makes the town desirable for the ne’er-do-wells, perhaps it is time that this same amount of effort be directed into attracting business and discouraging the blight closing in on our once-great community.
I used to think that perhaps the volume of trash on the streets was the problem and conditions of some areas, so I began volunteering my time at the Sweet Home Gleaners. One piece of refuse at a time picked up will perhaps allow for a cleaner image of this town. Let’s clean up the parks, make a stand against any unlawful behavior, lower the reported crime rate and increase responses from the criminal justice system to be a deterrent to continuous nefarious activity.
Ryan Underwood: When I take a look at the surrounding communities and the new businesses that are taking residence therein, I have to ask myself, “What are we missing here?” Sweet Home has a reputation of being either a bedroom community or retirement community, and it is my opinion that we need to distance ourselves from this reputation. Bi-Mart should be a stepping stone to the growth to our community and not a dead end. On a case-by-case basis, we need to ensure existing businesses are encouraged to stay, while actively recruiting new businesses to take residence in our community.
6. If a tenant fails to pay his water-wastewater bill, the city may file a lien against the property, leaving the property owner responsible for paying the renter’s delinquent water bill. City officials use everything within the scope of their power to seek payment from the tenant, but failing to do so, a lien places the final responsibility on the property owner. Do you support this practice? Why or why not?
James Goble: I support this practice of the lien against the property owner. The city should not spend our limited resources resolving non paid bills from rented units. I feel if a property has a tenant who leaves unpaid bills involving the city resources, other community members’ tax dollars should not be wasted. I feel this matter should be handled in a small claims court between the property owner and the delinquent parties involved.
Jeff Goodwin: I am opposed to this practice. In most such cases the property owners are already being stuck with unpaid rent and damaged properties when the non-paying tenant ultimately moves out (or is evicted). It is unfair to ask them to have to pay for water they did not use. This practice encourages the city to allow tenants to keep using water, even when they are not paying for it, and just pass the costs on to the owner. If tenants are not paying their water bill, their water should be shut off.
Anay Hausner: I do support this practice because I know that our city officials use everything in their arsenal to get the tenant to pay the delinquent bill. The owner is the deed holder and therefore should be fully liable for any unpaid bills attached to the property.
Bruce Hobbs: There are a few problems with the way the city collects water payments from the residents of Sweet Home in regard to tenants. Some of those are caused by regulations beyond the city’s control.
I do not believe the city uses all means at its disposal to collect the money owed to it by delinquent tenants. With other bills owed to the city, it uses an outside collection agency to collect outstanding balances. It does not do this with water.
The other major flaw with this is that this is a service rendered to the tenant by the city, and at this time the city feels it is appropriate to provide this service to the tenant and then bill the landlord if the tenant does not pay.
You did not sign up for the service, you did not receive the service, you should not be liable for the bill. There is no other entity that I know of that can offer a service to one customer and then bill another if that service is not paid for.
That would be no different than your friend staying at your home and using his cell phone there and then when your friend didn’t pay the bill, the phone company charging you for that service.
Again: You did not sign up for the service, you did not receive the service, you should not be liable for the bill.
Greg Mahler: I do support the practice and hopefully, the city can collect on all delinquent bills. Initially, when the new billing process was implemented, it created a huge problem with property owners, especially when the city attempted to collect on delinquent water bills and couldn’t find the tenants.
The city can’t afford to write off delinquent bills and hopefully, the new notification process will get delinquent payments from the tenants and doesn’t fall back ultimately on the landlord.
Aaron Pye: This seems like a sound practice on paper. When I purchased my house in 2004, after the title search yet before I took possession of the property, there was a $275 lien placed upon my house by the city for an unpaid water bill. I informed the real estate agent that I would not be paying this fee as I was told the house was clear of liens. Someone paid the lien – probably the seller, as I had no problems turning the water on in my name.
I do believe the property owner shall be responsible for the water bill much in the same way the property owner is responsible for the property taxes, regardless of whether it is the sole residence or used as rental/income property.
If there is a problem with tenants not paying the water bills in full upon vacating the premises, perhaps the property owner should plan accordingly in terms of adjusting the amount desired as a security deposit. Perhaps there should be a fund or other vehicle established to allow for a partial retention of the security deposit awaiting closure of the water bill account in cases where there is a security deposit returned to a vacating renter.
Ryan Underwood: I do not support this practice whatsoever. If the final responsibility is placed on the property owner, then co-signatures (tenant and property owner) should be required at the time the new service is established. Otherwise, the extent of the collection effort should solely lie between the City of Sweet Home and the renter.
7. In a split decision, the City Council decided not to impose a moratorium on the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries. The legislature had allowed cities and counties to impose one-year moratoriums to allow them time to develop regulations for marijuana dispensaries. Since then, a medical marijuana dispensary has opened in Sweet Home. Do you agree with the council’s decisions? Why or why not?
James Goble: I do not agree with this decision. Although I have no prejudice against the medical use, the moratorium allowed the city time to create action items that would benefit both parties involved. Being a member of the Planning Committee, my concerns were that in some areas a medical marijuana facility could be placed adjacent to a residentially zoned area. I felt the moratorium should have been put in effect until zoning or a better community understanding could be achieved.
Jeff Goodwin: No, a stand-alone medical marijuana dispensary is an invitation to unlawful distribution. Medical marijuana should only be sold where other prescription drugs are sold. The City Council should have spent more time evaluating before making this decision.
Anay Hausner: I do agree with the decision, but I do not agree on the reasons the decision was based on. I have always felt that no matter what type of business or industry wants to come into the community, they should be allowed to so.
The council needs to take an active role if the business should be viewed as a potential threat to the community’s safety. Like so many of our other cities around our state, our city should look into creating a sales tax on marijuana and have the proceeds be allocated to the Police Department fund.
Bruce Hobbs: At the time of the vote, as part of the vote, the council did not want to add language to compel the Planning Commission to promptly review the appropriate ordnance. As such, I was unwilling to go along with the vote to delay a law that was enacted by the people. After the vote the council then gave direction to the Planning Commission to look into the issue.
At this time it has still not come to a resolution inside that committee.
Greg Mahler: I was one of three councilors who voted for a moratorium on the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries. Beside the fact we have zoning issues, the state has a serious problem regulating the dispensaries. Furthermore, I also felt this decision should be made by the citizens of the community and not by the City Council.
Obviously, there were more than 100 communities that imposed a moratorium, and the City Council should have followed suit in this matter.
Aaron Pye: I was in attendance at the meeting when the final vote was cast. I was encouraged by several of the suggestions brought forth by both council members and members of the public.
One lady suggested that the city provide a bus once a week to a neighboring town so that individuals requiring medical marijuana would have access as opposed to adding yet another issue to the numerous problems inhabitants of Sweet Home must deal with on a regular basis.
I was impressed to hear that there would be a minimum distance of 1,000 feet from schools, 300 feet from residential and not on Main Street. Well, what is currently in place I am not pleased with; I think it is a slap in the face of the community.
On Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 5:50 p.m., as I drove by to attend a volunteers meeting at the Sweet Home Police Department, the dancing mannequin sign was strapped to the light standard at the street curb, and its top was unbuttoned. As my wife Lisa and I commented on the state of the sign, a mother with a small child was walking up from behind the building, possibly from the house behind the location.
So now I understand the mannequin is simply a hunk of plastic in the shape of a female body and is not a real physical person, but the whole big picture did not represent Sweet Home at its finest. It appeared to be a scene out of Skid Row, Los Angeles or downtown Las Vegas.
Bottom line on this particular issue: It appeared to me that the current City Council just did not want to become involved in tackling this possible problem. No, I do not agree with the final outcome of this situation.
Ryan Underwood: I strongly disagree with the council’s decision and am deeply troubled that the current council would not want to impose a moratorium to make sure all things were considered before bringing in a dispensary into our community.
On such a delicate decision as this was, I am deeply disappointed with how hurried this topic was rushed through council. The council should have taken a deep breath, stepped back, imposed a moratorium, then brought the topic before the people of Sweet Home in a ballot measure to let the citizens decide whether or not to allow a dispensary to open. This decision should not have solely rested with seven councilors.
8. The City Council and city committees are considering how to address the use of recreational vehicles in the city and whether to allow owners to use them for extended periods. It is against city law to live in them or to stay in an RV longer than seven days. One petitioner has asked the city to develop rules that will allow him to stay in his while he is home between trips. His grandchildren live in his house for security purposes, helping them out and allowing him to travel with some peace of mind. What do you think the City Council should do?
James Goble: This was a topic I was pushing to have revised. I feel this needs to be revisited to take in account our traveling retirees, families that want to visit more than seven days a year, and the economic impact that some of our community members are in. We need to find a way to work with and help our community, rather than turn a blind eye. Having newer, up-to-date guidelines, a dolla…