Sean C. Morgan
Of The New Era
The Sweet Home Economic Development Group elected Craig Martin and Kellie Kem to the board of directors on March 19 during the organization’s annual meeting.
The membership also re-elected President Ron Moore, Kevin Strong and John Wittwer.
Martin succeeds Scott Weld, and Kem succeeds Linda Garcia.
Board members whose terms did not expire this year were Ed Spencer, Rob Poirier, Carol Cromwell and Elmer Riemer.
Martin is city manager for the city of Sweet Home. Kem has been a longtime member of the Sweet Home Rodeo Board and was the liaison between the Rodeo Board and the SHEDG Board until resigning from the Rodeo Board last year.
“With Craig we’re excited to have the partnership,” Moore said. His knowledge and experience will be beneficial to SHEDG.
Kem has been involved in the community and brings passion to the board, which will help as well, Moore said.
“I have been wanting to be part of the SHEDG board for quite a few years,” Kem said. Being able to fill an open position was “a great honor. What better way to volunteer than to be part of the economic development of the community?”
Without this organization, Sweet Home would not be moving forward as well as it could be, Kem said. “I think they’re on the right track. They need to move forward with finding a permanent home for the Jamboree.”
On the economic development side, “I think SHEDG is going to be instrumental,” she said. It is cognizant that Sweet Home needs to bring industry and business to Sweet Home, and implementing an idea out of the recent community revitalization meetings, she believes hiring a professional economic development coordinator will take the community in the right direction.
“I was asked if I’d be willing to be nominated,” Martin said. He agreed.
“I don’t have any specific agenda or items. I’m just willing to serve that group.”
SHEDG has many opportunities ahead of it, and he’s looking forward to being involved in them, he said. “Hopefully, I can bring a different perspective from my involvement here with my job with the city.”
SHEDG is focused on its property acquisition right now, Moore said. Right now, it is still in its due diligence phase and working out details with Western States Land Reliance Trust, which is selling former Willamette Industries property at the north end of 24th Avenue to SHEDG to serve as a permanent home for the Oregon Jamboree.
“We’re financially strong,” Moore said. “Ticket sales are up from last year.”
SHEDG is ready for this year’s Jamboree, but is in a kind of wait-and-see mode right now, Moore said.
The organization’s revitalization team is continuing with small projects and is just finishing a banner project, he said. A lot of SHEDG’s other types of projects are on hold.
Moore is hoping that the current revitalization effort and meetings will help SHEDG’s mission.
SHEDG owns and operates the Oregon Jamboree. Proceeds from the three-day country music and camping festival are used for local economic development projects.