Silverton is governed by a seven-member city council, advised by a city manager, commissions and committees. City Manager Bob Willoughby listed the city’s 2014 issues.
1. Economic development and job creation. “We need to expand our commercial and industrial base to not only create local jobs but to provide some relief to residential taxpayers and ratepayers from paying the cost of providing city services. (It’s) abundantly clear that there are limits to financial resources of local families.”
2. Make inroads in the maintenance and repair of the city’s aging infrastructure. “We need to be more proactive in protecting our investment in roads, pipes, buildings, and facilities. Far too often we react when something breaks or shuts down. It is much less expensive to maintain this infrastructure than it is to repair or replace it when it starts falling apart.”
3. Explore the options for long-term funding for the pool and the operation of city parks and recreation programs. “The successful passage of the five-year pool levy indicates these are important programs that enhance the quality of life in Silverton. But what do we do when the levy expires? Does the community value the idea of a park on the Pettit property? How will we continue to maintain and develop our existing parks? Failing to come up with an answer to these questions puts our entire program in jeopardy.”
4. Develop a plan to relocate the police department to an earthquake resistant facility. “These are the people who will be our primary resource for rescue operations and maintaining law and order in a wide-spread natural disaster. What will we do if their offices and equipment are buried under rubble when we need them the most?”
5. Find the local match for a bike and pedestrian project on South Water Street. “We have received a grant to pay most of the cost of putting in sidewalks and bike improvements that will connect the Pioneer Village subdivision to the rest of the city. We need to find the resources to enable the city to take advantage of this grant.”
“Our resources are limited and our capacity for doing things is finite. We will never have enough money or employees to run every program, solve every problem, or address every concern without the help of volunteers and involvement by the community.”
City Hall, 306 S. Water St., 503-873-5321, silverton.or.us
Meetings are held at the Silverton Council Chambers: 421 S. Water St.
City Manager: Bob Willoughby, [email protected]
City Council: Mayor Stu Rasmussen and Councilors Laurie Carter, Bill Cummins, Jason Freilinger, Ken Hector, Randal Thomas, Scott Walker
Meetings: First Monday of the month, 7 p.m. Open to the public. Agendas are available upon request, at the meetings or by visiting the city website.
Council seats on 2014 ballot: Rasmussen, Cummins, Thomas, Walker. To run: sos.oregon.gov/voting/Documents/2014_Elections_Calendar.pdf. Filing closes in August. Contact City Hall for details.
Commissions appointed by the council:
Planning Commission: Phillip Appleton, Jeff DeSantis, Clayton Flowers, Gus Frederick, Van Khieu, Joseph Pelletier, Stacy Posegate. Four-year terms. Meetings: Second Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m.
Budget Committee: Oliver Coker, Jeff DeSantis, Steve Kaser, Gary McKeon, Kyle Palmer, Joseph Pelletier and Will Posegate. Three-year terms. Meetings: Annually in the spring.
Historic Landmarks Commission: Norman English, Christine Guenther, Fred Parkinson, Christine Schwab, Mike Wellman. Three-year terms. Meetings: Third Tuesday the month, 7 p.m. as needed
Tourism Promotion Commission: Matt Barker, Dwight Berning, Suzie Couraud, Kate Cutler, Norman English, Ginny Merriman, Kyle Palmer. Three-year terms. Meetings: Annually, usually in March, or as needed
Silverton Hospital Authority: Richard Caen, Ken Hector, Phyllis Leonard, Gary Simon, John Webster. Four-year terms.
