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City of Silverton

Former Mayor Palmer joins Silverton council race

By James Day Two sitting Silverton councilors will be joined by a long-time city political figure in this fall’s election. Incumbent Council President Elvi Cuellar Sutton and Matt Gaitan, who was appointed to a seat by the council after the 2022 election, have been joined in the 2024 race by Kyle Palmer, whose history as an elected official goes back […]

City of Silverton

Trash rate: City OKs 23% increase

Trash and recycling rates in Silverton are going up 23% starting Sept. 1. The Silverton City Council voted 5-1 on July 1 to approve the rate request from Republic Services, which serves as the city’s trash hauler under a franchise agreement. Republic Services says the rate increase is necessary to match the 10 percent rate of return that is guaranteed […]

City of Silverton

Election nears – Jess Miller not seeking another term on Silverton council

By James Day There will be at least one new councilor in Silverton next January. Jess Miller, who was elected in 2020, told the council at its June 3 meeting that he will not seek a second four-year term. Miller told Our Town that he will be focusing his community service time on working to pass parental equity legislation at […]

City of Silverton

Silverton budget – $75M plan

By James Day The Silverton Budget Committee is moving toward approval of a $75 million budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The committee, which consists of Mayor Jason Freilinger, the six councilors and seven citizen members, heard the budget message from the city manager at a May 7 session and began its review of the document. Final passage could come […]

Cartoon entries welcome

By Melissa Wagoner What would a celebration of the famous political cartoonist, Homer Davenport, be without a celebration of cartoons? “To that end, the International Cartoon Contest has returned,” organizer, Gus Frederick, wrote in a recent press release. “As in past years, the competition is for ‘political’ or ‘editorial’ cartoons on any topic as long as they are not libelous, […]

Sorting it out – Silverton Civic Center build having domino effect

By James Day If you build it, other decisions will have to be made. That’s the challenge the City of Silverton faces as construction heads toward the home stretch on the new Civic Center on the former Eugene Field School property. The $19.5 million Civic Center project, which was opened to public tours March 16, is scheduled to be ready […]

New to the team – Matt Gaitan joins Silverton City Council

By James Day Just like that, the Silverton City Council was whole again. New councilors Marie Traeger, April Newton and Eric Hammond were voted in on Nov. 8 to replace outgoing members Jim Sears, Dana Smith and Crystal Neideigh, with Jason Freilinger winning election as mayor, replacing Kyle Palmer. However, Freilinger’s ascension to the mayor’s post left his council seat […]

New role, new faces – Mayor Freilinger, four new Silverton councilors

By James Day Silverton installed a new mayor and four new councilors on Monday, Jan. 9, signaling the beginning of a new political era in town. Jason Freilinger, who had served as council president, was sworn in as mayor, replacing Kyle Palmer, whose elected office experience dates to 2004. In addition, outgoing councilors Jim Sears, Dana Smith and Crystal Neideigh […]

Mayor: Freilinger – Traeger, Newton, Hammond headed to Silverton council

By James Day Jason Freilinger, a 10-year city council veteran, has been elected Silverton mayor. Freilinger will replace Kyle Palmer, who has served as both a councilor and mayor since 2004. Palmer chose not to seek reelection. Although results have not been certified, Freilinger leads with 56.88% of the vote to 43.12% for planning commissioner Morry Jones.  Jones already has […]

Election 2022: Freilinger elected mayor; Traeger, Newton, Hammond lead for council

By James Day Ten-year Silverton City Council member Jason Freilinger appears to be on his way to being elected the town’s mayor.  Freilinger, a financial services officer and this term’s council president, was leading corporate executive Morry Jones by nearly 450 votes, according to unofficial results released Tuesday night by Marion County. Freilinger had 1,896 votes (56.66%), with Jones at […]

Slew of candidates – Seven contend for City Council seats in Silverton

By James Day There will be a distinct changing of the guard for the Silverton City Council come next term. That’s because there will be three and perhaps four new councilors when the session begins in January. Incumbent councilors Jim Sears, Dana Smith and Crystal Neideigh all chose not to seek re-election to new four-year terms. In addition, Council President […]

This is only a drill: Silverton officers work on preventing tragedies

By James Day Silverton Police Chief Jim Angelmier, the reporter and City Manager Ron Chandler were lined up against the wall of a classroom wing at Silverton High School. In front of them a heavily armed active shooting suspect held a gun on a student hostage, played by a mannequin. A bell rang, eerily realistic screaming and shouting boomed through […]

Race takes shape – Silverton leadership set for changes

By James Day Silverton government will present a slightly different face in 2023. Mayor Kyle Palmer, a Silverton political fixture since 2004, is not running for re-election. Veteran councilor Jason Freilinger and local businessman Morry Jones have filed for the race to replace Palmer. Meanwhile, the six-person City Council will see at least one change and perhaps more. Two-term councilor […]