By James Day
Cory Misley is just starting his second month as Silverton’s city manager. His schedule sounds punishing. He has met with all the councilors and Mayor Jason Freilinger. Plus Chamber representatives, social-service and nonprofit directors, and with his next whirlwind tour government officials such as those of Marion County, Governor Tina Kotek’s office, and the state Legislature.
“I’m meeting a lot of people, learning a lot and listening a lot,” Misley told the audience at a Silverton Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Nov. 15 upstairs at the Main Street Bistro.
Misley replaced Ron Chandler in Silverton’s top administrative position on Oct. 16. Chandler retired to Utah to be closer to family members. Misley, an Oregon native and lifetime Oregon resident except for two years of graduate school in Washington, D.C., came to Silverton from a policy center at Portland State University after serving as city manager at both La Pine and Sisters in Central Oregon.
Misley briefly discussed his background and then took questions from Chamber executive director Stacy Palmer and the luncheon crowd of about 25. Here are some highlights:
School Bond: When asked whether there was anything the city could do now that the Silver Falls School District bond measure had failed, Misley said “the short answer is no.” The city and the school district are separate entities and have separate taxing authority.
Civic Center: As reported in the Nov. 15 Our Town the $19.5 millon replacement for City Hall is set to open 8 months late, in March of 2024. Misley, holding two of his fingers just slightly apart said “we’re this close to being done with the building.” He projected that it will be “substantially completed” by the end of this year and that it will be “an incredible amenity for the community.”
Urban Renewal: The city is planning to use urban renewal funds to pay for a downtown project on Main Street and Misley said planners are looking into “what could this right-of-way look like? What amenities should we put in to get people here, keep people here and keep them safe?” A community survey is planned for the project and a public open house will be scheduled for sometime in 2024. Misley added that having available funds or a partner were key drivers in determining which projects get done. “It’s good to dream, but it’s also important to do the best we can with the assets we have.”
Sidewalks & Crosswalks: Misley took a couple of questions on pedestrian safety and agreed that there were some connectivity issues in town. He also said he was “concerned about lighting for pedestrians. It’s dark in town.”
Affordable Housing: “It’s hard to attract entry level workers if there is no place in town for them to live,” noted Palmer. Misley discussed a planned affordable housing project that is scheduled to be built on city land west of the skatepark and the dog park. Requests for proposals are set to go out soon, Misley said. He also noted that the fact that “demand is exceeding supply shows how people perceive the quality of life in Silverton. We need a mixed variety of housing options, but we also don’t want to lose the feel of what we have now.”
