Editor’s note: These are answers from Sweet Home’s eight City Council candidates to questions presented by The New Era editorial staff.
Eight candidates are running for four City Council seats in the Nov. 8 election. The top four vote-getters will serve terms beginning Jan. 1 – four years for the top three and a two-year term for the fourth-place candidate.
The New Era presented a list of 18 questions to the candidates and will publish their answers weekly through Oct. 19, when ballots are delivered to local post offices.
Also, the public is invited to attend a City Council candidate forum at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 at the Jim Riggs Community Center. More details on that event will follow.
The following are the candidates in randomized order using random.org. In the following questions, the list is adjusted downward by one, with the eighth candidate moved to the top.
Here are the candidates:
Susan Coleman, 44, is a home engineer. She holds a bachelor of arts degree in Christian education and a master of arts degree in intercultural studies.
She is a volunteer at Hillside Fellowship, Mid-Valley Women of Christ and HOPE Center. She has volunteered at Sweet Home Junior High, Oak Heights and East Linn Christian Academy.
She is married to Matt Coleman. They have four children: Emily, 19; Anna, 15; Nathaniel, 12; and Madalyn, 6.
Dave Trask, 66, is a retired CenturyLink installer. He is a 1968 graduate of Sweet Home High School.
He has volunteered as a firefighter with the Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District for 44 years. He also has coached youth sports and has four children.
He is an incumbent on the council.
Theresa Howard, 65, is retired. She attended one semester of junior college and is involved in the Fair Share Gleaners and Sweet Home Area Voters Alliance.
She is married to Gerald (Jerry) and has two children, including a daughter who is a registered nurse and a son who works in the oil fields in Texas.
Andrew Christopher Allen, 34, is a business owner. He graduated from Sweet Home High School in 2001 and earned a bachelor of science degree in finance at Boise State University.
He is a member of the city Budget Committee and Parks Board.
He is engaged to Dana Simonson and has two children, Christopher and Lexi.
Diane E. Gerson, 80, is a retired school administrator. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Whittier College and master’s and doctoral degrees from Brigham Young University.
She has served on the Sweet Home School District Board of Directors, the Sweet Home Economic Development Group Board of Directors, and the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
She is the former president of the KidCo Head Start Board of Directors and former chairwoman of the Linn County Commission on Children and Families.
She is the president of the local FA Chapter of the PEO and a member of the Sweet Home Economic Development Group Board of Directors. She also is involved in the Friends of the Library. She is a member of the Library Board and chairwoman of the Budget Committee.
She was married to the late Gus Gerson and has three adult children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
She is an incumbent.
Lisa Gourley, 55, is a special education assistant at Sweet Home High School. She is a graduate of Sweet Home High School, with various additional training.
As president of the Linn-Benton-Lincoln Central Labor Council and correlation chairwoman for the Councils for the State of Oregon, she coordinates communications and community outreach among a variety of volunteers and organizations, including the annual “Easter Egg Hunt and Breakfast” at the Corvallis Outreach Center and the annual “Turkey Run” in Albany.
She also was a co-organizer of the “First Book” event in Sweet Home. As Zone III director for the Oregon School Employees Association, she works with staff from 21 different school districts throughout the Willamette Valley.
“My volunteer experience is varied and extensive,” Gourley said.
She has been married to Jim Gourley for 35 years. He is the current mayor, with a term expiring on Dec. 31. He is not seeking another term. They have four children and five grandchildren.
Lisa Pye, 47, holds a bachelor of science in business administration, with specializations in human resource management and marketing, a master of arts in education specialization and is working on a doctorate in business administration.
She is the volunteer executive director of Sweet Home Gleaners.
She is married to Aaron Pye. They have one daughter, a son-in-law, two grandsons and a third grandson due in January.
James Goble, 42, is a production manager. He studied criminal justice at Linn-Benton Community College. His volunteer activities include the city’s Adopt-a-Park program. He has personally adopted Upper Sankey Park and the BMX track.
He is an incumbent.
Here are the questions:
Please briefly explain why you are running for office.
Dave Trask: This is the city I love. Been here most of my life. Wouldn’t live anywhere else. Trying to improve our community.
Theresa Howard: I feel it’s time for a change. I think that there are too many decisions made in “closed-door meetings,” which says to me that the citizens of Sweet Home are often paying for things they never even know about.
Andrew Allen: I grew up here, left here for Boise and La Grande, and returned. We make the world we live in better when we invest our time and energy into our community.
I am here to serve in making policies and systems that will provide our citizens a basic foundation to live and grow their ideas, economic and social. We have to move from the idea that “Sweet Home has potential” to the context of “Sweet Home is potential” and further our focus on doing with what we have rather than talking about what we’d like.
Diane Gerson: My administrative and leadership experiences provide a solid background for understanding and engaging in the complex work of the council.
I have the time and the energy to fulfill the responsibilities of the position as well as represent a growing senior constituency in the community.
Lisa Gourley: I think Sweet Home is a wonderful place, with so much to offer. We have a rich history of hard-working people who get things done. We need council members that focus on collaboratively getting things done. I think that was the deciding factor for me. I understand Robert’s Rules of Order. I understand and value process.
I also understand the problems facing our community.
Lisa Pye: I care about the community in which I live and would like to see our community become prosperous.
James Goble: As I was moved from Planning Commission chairman to Sweet Home City Council this summer, I feel like I’m just getting a foothold in seeing how I can start helping our community and changing some of the issues that are concerning us the most at this time.
Susan Coleman: There seems to be a need, I would like to offer my time to serve Sweet Home.
Some have suggested altering how Sweet Home’s mayor is selected and holding elections for mayor. Currently, the mayor is elected by the City Council to serve as chairperson of the council. Would you support changing the charter to allow citywide elections for mayor? Is this important to you? If so, why?
Theresa Howard: Oregon state allows the mayor to be appointed or elected. Perhaps a poll should be done with the voters to see if they would change it or keep it like it is. Personally, I would keep it as it is now.
Andrew Allen: No, I do not wish to change the charter. The mayor is the chief coordinator and public spokesperson and should be appointed from their council peers to ensure proper representation of the council and accountability to the council.
Diane Gerson: The mayoral position does have legal authority to sign contracts, etc., and is not just a figurehead. Thus the position should be filled through a public election.
Lisa Gourley: I think there is wisdom in the council selecting the mayor. It encourages them to work together. They are able to select a mayor based on performance and experience. It means that monthly the mayor has to be a consensus builder.
Lisa Pye: I will support what the members of the community want through voting.
James Goble: I have been very open for two years now about how I feel the community should vote for a city mayor. For me this brings more community involvement and helps eliminate the Good Ol’ Boy system.
Susan Coleman: More importantly, do the people of Sweet Home believe it is important for them to have a role in this matter? If so, then why not allow their involvement in this? I think it is important that the people have a voice in their own government.
Dave Trask: I would change the charter. It is important the people of the city should choose their mayor.
What do you think is the role of government? Please give us a brief explanation of how you believe your views in this area translate to city government in Sweet Home.
Andrew Allen: Government serves as base level of public infrastructure that enables its citizens to build upon it. They are to ensure citizens’ safety, provide public services that benefit the general public, work to create systems for economic and social advancement, and provide policy for the public to move ideas forward without harming others.
Diane Gerson: The role of government is to provide necessary services for the safety and well-being of the citizens.
Government should also provide leadership to help the community grow and prosper and foster collaboration with other agencies and groups. Listening is an important skill for councilors to acquire in order to be aware of the needs and frustrations of the entire community.
Translated into action for Sweet Home, I believe the council needs to set goals, focus budget and energy toward these goals and work to be proactive to the community’s needs rather than reactive.
Lisa Gourley: I feel that government should facilitate the business and livability of our community. Anything more should be beneficial to growth, maintenance and access.
Lisa Pye: The role of government is to represent the citizens and to promote the general well-being of the community, which it represents. The city government of Sweet Home is there to promote the general well-being of the community and to make decisions regarding the betterment of the city as a whole.
James Goble: To serve the will of the community and to make decisions that best serve the community regardless of how it makes council member look in everyone’s eyes.
Susan Coleman: In my opinion, the role of government is to serve the community by overseeing the proper use of resources. By administering justice, providing law and order and providing certain public services such as sewer, water, and transportation infrastructure.
Dave Trask: To see that the city is run according to the needs of our community, also to be fiscally responsible.
Theresa Howard: Government works for the people. I don’t see how Sweet Home’s governing body is any different than those on the federal level. Our elected officials are employees of the citizens of Sweet Home, and being as such, they should make decisions based on what the voters want.
What are Sweet Home’s greatest needs? How will you pursue meeting them?
Diane Gerson: The greatest need is economic development, concentrating on keeping the businesses we have and searching out other business opportunities. Tourism is a part of this development, but we cannot just bank on people stopping by.
We need businesses that our local people can and will support, services to meet their needs and opportunities for jobs. Surrounding smaller communities should be looking to Sweet Home for shopping and services.
Lisa Gourley: Sweet Home has a huge need to attract business. We need to develop the infrastructure to support businesses that consider locating here. Retaining business and creating jobs will help many of the other issues we face, so that is a huge priority for me.
Lisa Pye: Employment, safety and protection for all through having proactive involvement great and small. It took a community to get our city where it is now, and it will take the community as a whole to make the changes necessary to improve the city.
James Goble: Economic growth is still one of the greatest needs for Sweet Home along with supporting our downtown core. This would be accomplished easier by working with the groups that are in place to help revitalize our community.
Susan Coleman: I believe the greatest needs in Sweet Home are an increase in job opportunities and hope and joy for those who live here.
I would pursue meeting these needs by encouraging the development of local businesses and building a vision for the future that the citizens can get behind and continue to take pride in this is wonderful community.
Dave Trask: By far, economic development – appoint personnel to aggressively pursue that.
Theresa Howard: Sweet Home needs new businesses. City government should be trying to recruit new industries, offering tax breaks, etc.
Andrew Allen: We need to take a much more proactive role in economic development. We need to work better with SHARE (Sweet Home Active Revitalization Effort) and SHEDG (Sweet Home Economic Development Group) on creating systems and solutions that enable ideas to grow.
We need to do more than just show support in a letter. Systems need to be built, such as a better website that guides people with ideas through the proper channels.
What role do you think the council should play in terms of leadership?
Lisa Gourley: Leadership for council members lies in their responsibility to make sound policy. They must listen to the advice of both council and our community. Their leadership and obligation is to make decisions that represent us with an open and balanced perspective.
Lisa Pye: City Council members are voted in by the citizens of the city. Their role is to represent the citizens through decision making on behalf of the citizens.
James Goble: To lead, to do this, you must listen to the people. You are there to serve as their leaders. To be a good leader, one must listen, learn, be open and honest and always act in the best interest of the ones they serve over themselves.
Susan Coleman: The council’s leadership responsibility is to oversee the best use of the city’s resources to care for the health, safety and welfare of Sweet Home’s citizens.
Dave Trask: We should communicate with all involved and try to lead accordingly.
Theresa Howard: I believe the City Council should try to give the people as much information on the goings-on as is possible thus giving them the tools to make positive decisions.
Andrew Allen: Council needs to make sure we have at least one individual at any major community event or forum. They should also carry suggestion sheets for citizens to voice their ideas. They should also have a basic knowledge of community resources to guide citizens towards committees, programs and department heads that can do a great job in answering their questions.
Diane Gerson: The City Council should be the leadership body of the community, pointing the way to determine needed services, searching out the opportunities and moving toward growth with a thoughtful and visionary plan.
Water and sewer rates have been a contentious, difficult issue for the current City Council. Future projects include upgrades to the existing Wastewater Treatment Plant, which consultants say are necessary to meet state and federal regulations. What would be your priority in setting water and sewer rates?
Lisa Pye: My priority would involve gaining an understanding of the water rates, analyzing the budget for the rates and the cost of upgrading the water rates system. Another issue I find with water rates is the lack of rate description on the water bills. The time to locate the rates on the city page is cumbersome. The rates listed on the utility page are 2014-15 User Rates. When looking at my utility bill, the rate charge per 100 cubic units and how many units are over the 400 cubic units are not listed.
James Goble: To help find ways to best benefit the community and still keep up our ever-so-failing infrastructure.
Susan Coleman: All budget issues need to be reviewed to find the best solutions that balance living within the regulations and the affordability of the solutions for those residing here.
Dave Trask: To keep rates as low as possible.
Theresa Howard: I’d like to know why the rates are going up. Water and sewer have their own budgets, and the treatment plant was just redone a few years ago. Have there been savings already for new pipes when needed?
Andrew Allen: Costs and revenues have to balance. We’d be better off doing smaller incremental rate raises, placing those new funds into a savings fund for these large projects and realizing that as unpopular as rate raises are, when we don’t take care of our infrastructure and kick the costs down the road, we end up costing our citizens more in the long run.
Diane Gerson: Water is a precious commodity for Oregon and should not be wasted. We need to have rates that address the wastewater needs but offer some stability for the consumer. Increasing rates each year does not offer that stability. We need to come up with a plan to fund the needs over a period of years and stick with it.
Lisa Gourley: These projects will always exceed the amount of our revenue. Affordability of our water and sewer rates is essential for our community. Keeping the rates as low as possible should always be the priority.
A city councilor has made a priority of building three new crosswalks, with flashing lights and pedestrian islands in the middle of the highway between Clark Mill Road and Wiley Creek Drive. Would you support this? Is this a priority?
James Goble: Yes, I fully support the crosswalks and feel we need more throughout our town.
Susan Coleman: I believe the safety of the citizens of Sweet Home is a high priority. I would be interested to learn whether pedestrian signs in that area would be heeded or whether they would give a false sense of security to pedestrians.
Dave Trask: The only concern I have is how to finance the projects. I’m certainly not opposed to safe crosswalks.
Theresa Howard: I drove from Clark Mill to Wiley Creek Drive, and I saw only one place that in my opinion would benefit from having a crosswalk with flashing lights, no island, and that’s at 49th and Main at the top of the hill where several fatal accidents have occurred. School zones should have flashing lights again.
Andrew Allen: I like the idea but I am concerned in how to make it truly safe with the highway speeds in these areas. I think this is a two-year project with planning with ODOT and citizen input.
Diane Gerson: I live in this area and see people crossing Highway 20 all the time, some carefully, some not. I also walk this area on a regular basis and know the traffic is going faster than the posted 45 mph. If the crosswalks would slow traffic, I might support it. However, people will probably not walk up or down to a crosswalk but cut across the road where it is convenient, so it may not solve a perceived problem.
Lisa Gourley: Funds are limited in the City of Sweet Home. We need to make sure that we spend our money with the best possible impacts. We need to evaluate all public safety concerns and make priorities. Based on those safety concerns and the best use of available funds.
Lisa Pye: My first question would include whether this helps the well-being of the community as a whole and then safety. Another question is to address the funding for the crosswalks. If the money is coming from grants that are for this purpose, then the issue comes down to making sure the money is used for the purpose.
The City Council forced the previous city manager to retire earlier this year. What do you think of this decision? If you would have done something differently, what would that have been?
Susan Coleman: As I was not involved in this decision or privy to many of the reasons as to why it was done, I have no comment.
Dave Trask: I wouldn’t use the word “forced.” I was in favor of a change.
Theresa Howard: Due to privacy laws, we don’t have the reason for Mr. Martin leaving Sweet Home, but my guess is he objected to something that the city wanted to do, and he was forced to retire.
Andrew Allen: Not a fan of the move, especially the execution of it without a plan. From being involved in two other towns – business in Brownsville, lived and served on committees in La Grande – I think Craig did a good job. Yet the way the current council executed this change, I feel they lack an ability to plan. We should have had a plan to allow him to serve until a proper replacement had been found.
Diane Gerson: I was not on the council for this decision and do not know all the particulars as the process was not transparent. However, I think the decision was ill-timed and seemed to indicate more was involved than what we, the public, were privy to.
Lisa Gourley: I think it’s very difficult to look at decisions made by others. I believe that possibly using mediation might have prevented that outcome.
Lisa Pye: I do not have a full understanding as to the removal of the city manager, but a change in city manager occurs when there is a change in the majority of the council and political tension exisst. Also, the average tenure for city managers in cities with populations less than 30,000 is 20 years compared to larger cities where the average tenure is seven years.
James Goble: I feel that he had a good career as city manager, as most managers have a five to seven-year tenure. I feel it could have been done more openly with the community; but as one door closes, one door has opened with a new potential candidate who I feel is what we need to take our town to the next level and still incorporate everything that’s made us who we are today.
The councilors involved stated when announcing their decision regarding the city manager that they believed a change of direction was necessary. What do you think?
Dave Trask: I agree with the council decision.
Theresa Howard: I am still waiting for the answer to the question regarding the change of direction. What direction do they want to go?
Andrew Allen: No, Craig has a vested interest in doing what is best for the community and his continued involvement in Beautification and other organizations and not wishing to move from Sweet Home tells me his heart is here. Having worked with Craig (serving on Parks and Budget committees), he tried to make sure the rules were followed and to be fair to the citizens.
Diane Gerson: Since the council has not adopted goals prior to this decision and thus did not have a “direction” publicly stated, I find that to be a questionable reason.
Lisa Gourley: My direction may also be different than theirs. New city council members coming on board will also have new directions.
Lisa Pye: If change is needed to get the city going in the direction the citizens of the community want, then the change is a necessary one.
James Goble: As I was a new council member at that time, I heard and read over the items that were going on at that time. I also spoke with all parties and agree it was the best decision.
Susan Coleman: (No comment).
The city paid more than $120,000 to part ways with the city manager. If you disagree with the council’s decision, how do you think this money should have or could have been spent?
Theresa Howard: By paying in excess of $120,000 to the former city manager, to get him to leave, tells me he was (forced to retire) for no wrongdoing. That money could have been used for upgrades to the Water Treatment Plant or to city parks maintenance. It could have gone towards the building of a new city hall. Instead, we are paying a temporary city manager and will soon be paying a new city manager and all because of someone’s need to change directions? This position can be in excess of $8,000 per month depending on experience but should actually be about half that amount.
Andrew Allen: Had they done a better job in planning a transition, I think we would have been able to save a good portion of that. Instead, we have a temporary and a severance package to pay out.
Diane Gerson: There are always a hundred ways to spend money in a town. How about a parking lot for RVs coming through town with no place to park a big rig and walk around? Or a full-time economic development director?
Lisa Gourley: When the council made the decision to change managers they were still under obligation to honor their contract. Their intent was to do that. I would love to have spent that money on projects, but that is not an option now.
Lisa Pye: The standard practice with an employment contract is when an employee is forced to leave the contract still has to be honored.
James Goble: To me, this question is wrong. Of course there are better things the money could have been spent on. Think of that the next time the city council has a contract for a city manager! Because sometimes there’s a confusion on what we want to do and what we can do.
Susan Coleman: (Did not comment. She answered a previous related question this way: “As I was not involved in this decision or privy to many of the reasons as to why it was done, I have no comment.”)
Dave Trask: That was discussed, and the council made the decision by the majority.
Do you have concerns about city spending? If so, what are they, and what would you do?
Andrew Allen: Serving on the budget committee for four years, I think we are doing a good job of not overspending and we’re working towards putting funds off the side for future investments, such as replacing the city hall or other public facilities. Other investments, such as our parks, are slowly happening as we work through creating and executing plans with citizen involvement, e.g. Sankey Park planning in progress.
Diane Gerson: As I mentioned before, the goals are the basis for the budget, which drives what happens in the coming year. Direction and focus were unclear this year. The budget is not an ad hoc determination but one of planned focus on the needs and goals of the community.
Lisa Gourley: It costs to run a city. Sweet Home is no exception. Councilors have an obligation to the residents of Sweet Home to make sure that spending is within the budget, while benefiting all the residents. Councilors should always put the needs of the community first.
Lisa Pye: I do not have any concerns other than utilizing other sources for projects. (In) my experience with running a nonprofit for four years and attending awards ceremonies, I have seen other cities get grants for certain spending on the items listed in the grant.
James Goble: I am not concerned at this time as the budget was just released. I am able to follow this and feel that we are on track at this time.
Susan Coleman: The only concern I have would be staying within the budget and being fiscally wise.
Dave Trask: I’m always concerned about the spending. Review all the staffing levels.
Theresa Howard: If the money spent to get rid of the city manager and the money spent to secure the Sweet Home Ranger District office building are any indication of how the city spends money, perhaps a second party should be included in the final decisions.
Several city councilors have said economic development is a priority for Sweet Home. What does economic development mean to you? How would you pursue economic development?
Diane Gerson: First of all, we need a person guiding this, whether it be a collaborative effort, as proposed, or someone in City Hall. We need to actively pursue companies looking to move to Oregon with the pluses of our community and offer incentives, if necessary. This takes a concerted effort by the council and staff, as well as the citizenry.
Lisa Gourley: Economic development should always be a focus of the city. It involves creating opportunities for businesses to move or develop within our community. As a city we will always be looking for opportunities for economic stimulus. It’s really about making decisions and working to create and maintain an economic development plan and make it work.
Lisa Pye: Economic development is economic growth and jobs. First is researching what has worked for cities the size of Sweet Home. Next is creating a strategic plan for economic development while working with the city manager. The last is carrying out the plan.
James Goble: A) Economical growth to me says if we do not find a way to be more attractive to big business, we are going to continue in this rut that we’re in. B) A city manager that wants to pursue economic growth opportunities and working with the county and state, along with other groups in our community that are already on this path to help the future of Sweet Home.
Susan Coleman: Economic development means stepping forward to ensure employment opportunities for people while continuing to care for our natural resources. Economic development can be pursued by assisting the growth of more businesses and finding out from current local business owners what is working, what is not working, how best to help them succeed.
Dave Trask: Attracting more industrial businesses. Aggressively pursue all options.
Theresa Howard: Please see Question 4 – Sweet Home needs new businesses. City government should be trying to recruit new industries, offering tax breaks, etc.
Andrew Allen: First off, council can’t directly create new businesses. The piece we need to work on is having an economic development director or agency partnership with a representative here in Sweet Home. We need to help fund a position to assist SHEDG and SHARE in serving their mission of community development and revitalization. Create the tools and systems!
Some citizens have perceived and criticized a lack of councilors at various community functions, particularly some focused on improving Sweet Home’s livability and economy. What do you think the responsibility of City Council members should be to participate in open houses, field trips and workshops focused on livability and economic development and similar goals?
Lisa Gourley: City councilors have the responsibility to take a leadership role within the community. Being involved and informed happens through community engagement. I think it’s very important for councilors to attend all of these events that they can.
Lisa Pye: The majority of council members are self-sufficient and rely on their jobs to pay their bills, so they would need to participate in community activities outside of their work schedules. Most cities rely on city managers to be the city council adviser and to attend the various community functions. Usually, the city manager attends such functions and reports back to the city council. Also, it may be possible for one or a couple of city council members to attend the functions and report back.
James Goble: In my opinion, there has been a lack of real training for the City Council members for more years than I can remember. I feel this is one of the main reasons we have remained sedentary in our growth.
Susan Coleman: City councilor is a volunteer position in Sweet Home. Those who serve are often elected because of their good standing in the community. Therefore, it is important to remember, as upstanding citizens, they are often involved in multiple community groups. In the particular situation that brought about this question, The New Era reported the event had been planned last minute, during the summer. It was also reported three councilors were in attendance all day (that is almost half the council). In reading, it sounded like a successful event well attended.
Dave Trask: I personally could do a better job in the community.
Theresa Howard: Some city councilors actually have jobs and are unable to attend most community functions, usually held during work hours. But if they can attend such functions, it would be nice.
Andrew Allen: Council needs to make sure we have at least one individual at any major community events or forums. They should also carry suggestion sheets for citizens to voice their ideas. They should also have a basic knowledge of community resources to guide citizens towards committees, programs and department …