The three Silverton mayoral candidates actually have much in common. Kyle Palmer, Stu Rasmussen and Judy Schmidt all grew up in Silverton and graduated from Silverton High. Each possesses a long track record of community service; a term often taken for granted, but as a way of life, it is rare indeed.
Stu Rasmussen was the kid taking the toaster apart to see how it worked – and putting it together again, his family none the wiser. His volunteerism started quite early and was fostered by a number of patient mentors.
Stu Rasmussen’s main goal as he seeks a second consecutive mayoral term as is to “Keep Silverton Silverton.” Rather than work at remaking the community (especially the downtown area) “to conform to some pie-in-the-sky ideal of what a modern city should look like … indistinguishable in its cookie-cutter blandness,” he is adamant that the only major change he’d consider is a return to all two-way streets downtown.
Billed as the mayor’s state of the city address, the November Silverton Chamber of Commerce Forum proved to be a revealing look at the relationship between Mayor Stu Rasmussen and chamber business leaders.
“Come as you are – or come as you aren’t,” Mayor Stu Rasmussen says of the upcoming charity ball. The event’s name has been changed from Mayor’s Ball to Silverton Community Charity Ball, but the function’s the same: get together for some great food and rockin’ music while raising funds to benefit local organizations and projects.
Aug. 4, 2009 To the Editor: After last night’s council meeting, I finally heard clearly the meaning of what you all were telling me. When you were saying: “Stu, we disapprove of your choice in attire,” I was incorrectly hearing “Stu, you can’t be yourself – you must dress like a man.” It took a while to sink through my […]
CNN, Fox News and media outlets across the nation have been talking about Silverton in the past two weeks, and it all started with an appearance by Mayor Stu Rassmussen before students in Silverton Together’s Apple Tree Drive.
By Jan Jackson Not long after his election results hit the national media, Silverton Mayor Stu Rasmussen, the nation’s first known transgender elected official, was approached by several production companies to possibly create a reality TV show based in Silverton. In early April, a crew from a large production company came to town and shot tape for a teaser/preview reel […]
By Dixon Bledsoe 500 to 1 – those are the odds Silverton will become part of a reality show, said Stu Rasmussen who was elected as Silverton’s mayor in November. Rasmussen has received national press coverage, including a February article in People magazine, for being the nation’s first known transgender elected official. After the election, he said, “I was approached […]
By Linda Whitmore On Jan. 5, Stu Rasmussen conducted his first council meeting as Silverton’s newly elected mayor. He served several terms as a councilor and also was elected mayor in 1988 and 1990. In addition to the mayor, re- elected incumbent councilors Sherry Hoefel, Kyle Palmer and newly elected Judy Schmidt took oaths of office. Former mayor Ken Hector […]
It’s going to take more than the current economic hard times to dampen Mayor-elect Stu Rasmussen’s enthusiasm to help lead Silverton residents further toward a vibrant and livable community.
Four protesters from an anti-gay Kansas church were outflanked by more than 100 picketing in support of Silverton mayor-elect Stu Rasmussen.
The protesters from Westboro Baptist Church, an independent church not affiliated with any know Baptist conventions or associations, gathered in front of Silverton City Hall on Monday, Nov. 24. They carried professionally made signs that condemned Rasmussen’s openly-transgender identity.
The city of Silverton has a new mayor for the first time in 16 years. According to unofficial election results, Stu Rasmussen defeated incumbent Ken Hector by 1,988 votes to 1,512. Small business owner Jim Squires ran a distant third with 321 votes. Rasmussen has served as mayor twice before – 1988-1990 and 1990-92. He has been a city councilor […]
Editor’s Note: This story on 2008 Mayor-elect Stu Rasmussen ran in the January 2005 edition of Our Town Monthly.
In the November 2004 presidential election Silverton voters favored Republican incumbent George W. Bush over Democrat challenger John Kerry 1,987 to 1,797. They supported Measure 36, the initiative amending the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, 2,294 to 1,529. They also elected an openly cross-dressing man to the city council. He was the second highest vote-getter in the seven-way race, garnering 1,603.
By Linda Whitmore Three men are competing in Silverton’s 2008 mayoral election – City Councilor Stu Rasmussen, small business owner Jim Squires and incumbent Ken Hector, who is running for a ninth term. Each candidate was sent questions regarding their thoughts on Silverton’s governance. Their responses are in their own words. JIM SQUIRES Jim Squires is a general contractor involved […]
