The problem solver: Richard Carlson, Distinguished Service

By Brenna Wiegand

Richard Carlson will receive the Silverton Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Service award for a feat that may well go down in Silverton’s history.

He has the distinction of leading an effort to save Homer Davenport Days from extinction – twice.

His first rescue was linked to the eight months he spent helping navigate the Silverton Chamber of Commerce through a difficult period. After work, he’d head over to the one-room chamber office in Silverton City Hall to field dozens of phone calls and requests every week.

“I’d put together whatever I could find and get it out to them,” he said. Once the chamber was safely settled in its current depot location, Carlson started watching for a new project.

In early 2002 the project landed in his lap. Leadership for the community’s beloved Homer Davenport Days summer festival had dwindled to one person and the event would be scrapped unless something happened fast.

“Hey, Richard will fix it,” said chamber member Sam Sloper.

Knowing he had a few buddies he could enlist – namely, Kyle Palmer and Darin Rybloom – Carlson became president of the board. That year’s festival went off without a hitch, and under his 2002-2006 headship the festival began returning profits to the community to the tune of more than $25,000 during that period.

Carlson, Palmer and Rybloom always mention that it’s not Homer Days but its annual fundraiser that tends to wipe them out.

“When Homer’s going on it is more directing – the parade; the vendors – but at the Strawberry Festival we’re right in there, serving and doing it all,” Carlson said, adding the event takes place on Father’s Day in June.

Carlson began attending Silverton Chamber of Commerce meetings while he was store manager at Roth’s 1997-2000, but working weekends and holidays was difficult for the tight knit family of six.

Carlson went to work for a Silverton freight brokerage business.

A couple of years later he took a leap toward the work he most enjoyed.

“Back in high school I wanted to be a structural engineer and it didn’t happen for me,” he said. “I’d been remodeling houses for myself for years and was just fascinated with how buildings go together and how they are designed to be structurally sound. I also thought ‘Gee – I wonder what the right way to build them would have been?’”

The then-40-year-old enrolled in Chemeketa Community College’s Building Inspection Technology Program, one of a handful such schools across the country.

Earning the two-year associate’s degree meant no income, but Carlson hit the ground running, temporarily living on credit cards and taking 30-some credits a term. Nine months later, he had his degree.

After his September 2003 graduation, Carlson sought work and did side jobs that didn’t require licensing. The two activities converged a year later when Carlson started his own business, Carlson’s Complete Remodeling & Repair.

“The day I put my name on the side of my truck, Clackamas County called, wanting me to come to work,” he said.

Carlson is now building inspector and the lead plan examiner for the county.

“I was working two 10-hour days at the county and the rest of the week doing my thing,” Carlson said, “then when I went full time with the county I flipped it. I was pretty much working …a lot.”

“A new board took over, running a status quo festival through 2010,” said Kyle Palmer who, with Darin Rybloom, assisted in both rescue efforts. “Then, claiming a lack of financial participation and near bankruptcy, they announced their intention to switch the festival from its customary first weekend in August to mid-July.”

The many Homer Davenport partners – and community in general – erupted in protest.

“We sat down with them and tried to work together, but no agreement was reached,” Carlson said.

“My job with Clackamas County had been reduced to a four-day work week and I thought I could handle it,” Carlson said shortly before his inauguration.

“To be honest, I never would have stepped in to help the second time were it not for his being at the helm,” Palmer said.

“He knows every single aspect of that festival. His leadership style and his balance of experience and logistics helped form the foundation of what will be a successful festival for years to come.”

Palmer admires the way Carlson works.

“Richard is the type of leader that assigns you your area and then gets out of your way.”

Carlson is grateful for the recognition and the opportunity to encourage others to consider volunteering.

“You actually get more than you give, whether on the Homer committee, helping out with the Boy Scouts, serving at church or getting involved in food drives,” he said. “Whatever it is, a community is only as strong as its volunteers.”

Richard and Sherry have four children: Dylan, 18, Lacey, 21, Felisha, 24, and Stephanie, 25, who, with Cody Koster has a 2-year-old son, Gavin.

“It is so fun,” Carlson said. “With such a busy life, my favorite thing is hanging out with my family and keeping the family close.”