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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-0207 Council Communication CITY of ^ASHLAND Council Communication February 7, 2017 - Business Meeting Appointment Process for Council Position #6 FROM: Barbara Christensen, City Recorder, christebgashland.or.us SUMMARY At the Study Session of February 6, 2017 the applications submitted for the vacant Council Seat 6 were provided to the council. Thirteen applications were received. Council discussed the procedure in which the selection would be made. Ballots were provided to the council at this meeting in order to select four individuals to move forward for appointment at the February 21, 2017 council meeting. The results of the balloting is as follows: Traci Darrow, (5) - Councilor Slattery, Morris, Lemhouse, Seffinger and Rosenthal Shaun Moran (5) - Councilor Slattery, Morris, Lemhouse, Seffinger and Rosenthal Tonya Graham (3) - Councilor Slattery, Rosenthal and Morris Gina DuQuejlne (3) - Councilor Slattery, Seffmger and Lemhouse Louise Shawkat (2) - Councilor Lemhouse and Rosenthal BACKGROUND AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS: City Charter states that a vacant elective office shall be filled within sixty (60) days by the City Council electing some qualified person to fill the vacancy. The deadline for filling this seat is March 1, 2017. STAFF RECOMMENDATION AND REQUESTED ACTION: City Councilors should discuss and decide which candidates to bring forward for the February 21, 2017 council meeting appointment of Council Seat #6. MOTION I move that the following applicant's be placed on a ballot for voting purposes on Council Seat #6 at they February 21 council meeting. ATTACHMENTS Councilor Ballots Applications on balloted applicants Page 1 of 1 ~r COUNCILOR DENNIS SL TERY BALLOT -COUNCIL POSITION 6 TRACI DARROW GINA DUQUENNE ❑ CHRISTINE FERNLi.JND TONYA GRAHAM ❑ MARK HANEBERG ❑ ANNIE HOY D JAN JANSSEN ❑ SUSAN BRADLEY KRANT SHAUN J. MORAN ❑ LOUISE D. SHAWKAT ❑ EMILY TRIVETTE ❑ CAROL VOISIN ❑ THEO WHITE COUNCILOR MIKE MORRIS BALLOT -COUNCIL POSITION 6 TRACI DARROW ❑ GINA DUQUI~NNE ❑ CHRISTINE FERNLUND TONYA GRAHAM ❑ MARK HANEBERG ❑ ANNIE HOY D JAN JANSSEN ❑ SUSAN BRADLEY KRANT SHAUN J. MORAN ❑ LOLTISE D. SHAWKAT ❑ EMILY TRIVETTE ❑ CAROL VOISIN ❑ THEO WHITE COUNCILOR GREG LEMHOUSE BALLOT -COUNCIL POSITION 6 TRACI DARROW 1'I J GINA DUQUE ❑ CHI2ISTINE FERNLi.JNID ❑ TONYA GRAHAM ❑ MARK HANEBERG ❑ ANNIE HOY D JAN JANSSEN ❑ SUSAN BRADLEY KRANT SHAUN J. MORAN CO UIS=SSHH .A D ❑EMILY TRIVETTE ❑ CAROL VOISIN ❑ THEO WHITE COUNCILOR STEF?,NI SEFFINGER ~ BALLOT -COUNCIL POSITION 6 TRACI DARROW /GINA DUQUENNE ❑ CHRISTINE FERNLiJND ❑ TONYA GRAHAM ❑ MARK FIANEBERG ❑ ANNIE HOY D JAN JANSSEN ❑ SUSAN BRADLEY KRANT SHAUN J. MORAN ❑ LOUISE D. SHAWKAT ❑ EMILY TRIVETTE ❑ CAROL VOISIN ❑ THEO WHITE COUNCILOR RICH ROSENTHAL BALLOT -COUNCIL POSITION 6 TRACI DARROW ❑ GINA DUQUENNE ❑ CHRISTINE FERNLLIND TONYA GRAHAM ❑ MARK HANEBERG ❑ ANNIE HOY D JAN JANSSEN ❑ SUSAN BRADLEY KRANT SHAUN J. MORAN LOUISE D. SHAWKAT ❑ EMILY TRIVETTE ❑ CAROL VOISIN ❑ THEO WHITE January 25, 2017 Traci Darrow, RN BSN 253 Cambridge Street Ashland OIL 97520 Ashland.Mayor and City Councilors % Barbara Christensen, City Recorder City Hall, 20 E. Main Street, Ashland OR 97520 RE: Vacant City Council Seat Position #6, Letter of Interest Please a --ceps this as my letter of interest for consideration to the vacant city council seat, position 96. 1 have been a resident of Ashland since moving here in 1984. I am a graduate of Southern Oregon University (SOU) and Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) School of Nursing. My children have been Heiman Dragons, Ashland Middle School Cubs and Ashland Grizzlies. I have seen the changes, both positive and negative, in our communty over the years and I feel I have the depth and the experience to serve the community on city council.. I have b--en working in public policy health care, advocacy and representative government for over 25 years. I have experience working for a State Representative from Ashland in the Oregon State Legislavire and here in the District, as well as for the first openly gay state legislator in Oregon during my tenure as a Legislative Aide in Salem. I worked for U.S. Senator Ron Wjjden for many years as a Field Representative and am proud to have opened the first Oregon U.S. Senate office outside of the Willamette Valley in 1996 in Medford. I approach public policy with an open mind; neither party has a monopoy on good ideas, or bad ones. It is the responsibility of an elected or appointed official to look past partisan politics and do what is best for their constituents and their community. I am also Registered Nurse and have worked in nursing and healthcare administration for many years. My time has predominately been focused on caring for the underserved. Working in the public sector on broad-based public policy combined with my work as a nurse and nurse administrator in community health has given me a unique perspective which I believe I can apply well to benefit the citizens of .Ashland. What are the biggest issues facing the City? As a member of the Ashland Budget Committee I think that the most challenging issue facing the city and the cig7 council is the delicate balance of crafting policy solutions that address current issues, such as affordable housing, while also adhering to a strategic plan that addresses and anticipates future needs. Just as there is no single cause for homelessness, there is no single solution. Economic opportunity, education, living wage, affordable health care, transportation, access to mental health services - all of these issues are connected. For example: the statewide ballot measure to increase some corporate taxes on gross receipts failed in November. Oregon has, and will continue to have, issues funding PERS (Public Employees Retirement) retirees, education, health care and senior services. The PERS issue affects Asl-tland's city budget directly with ever increasing amounts going to cover PERS costs. V~ C JAN 9 Ashland currently is self-insured in their health insurance pool for employees. There are certainly many unknown factors that may affect that delicate funding balance in the insurance marketplace and in access to health care. As Ashland's largest employer, SOU is faced with possible reduced state funding and increases in tuition. Reductions in state funding for education in turn affect our economy, housing, workforce and K-12 education. We have a community with an aging demographic. The city will have to address issues around services to keep seniors in their homes and as independent as possible for as long as possible. I support the INN climate action plan and the excellent work the climate change organizations and the work the climate and energy committee has been doing. Climate change affects all of us - and again is an issue that is connected to many others. I support the work of the Ashland Fire Resiliency Project. With uncertainty in our climate we must do as much as possible to protect our watershed and municipal water source; a summer of forest fires and a smoke-filled valley and degraded water supply would do damage to our tourist economy. A precipitous drop in tourism then affects Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) and all the local businesses that depend on those visitors. Reductions in tourist visitors would mean a reduction in the revenue collected from the occupancy tax and meals tax. Which would result in reduced municipal revenue at a time we need to be making investments in many of the issues mentioned above. While each of these issues are important in their own right, the council must address the issues in an interconnected manner; thus viewing the most politically urgent problems against the backdrop of the larger system is in my view the most important issue. What is your primary motivation for seeking a vacant council. seat? I any motivated to seek this seat to continue the work of the existing council in a collaborative and productive manner. I don't seek this council seat with a specific agenda but rather a goal to address the urgent and important issues within the context of the overall strategy, financial abilities and constraints of the city. My experience in policy, social services, health care and an understanding of the operations and issues facing the city from my experience on the city Budget Committee provide me a solid background to apply at the Council level. I love Ashland. I have chosen to live here and to raise my family here. I do feel I can understand the issues facing many who are economically disadvantaged and challenged. My w ark in Community Health, which serves a majority of Medicaid-covered individuals has given me a much greater insight to those in our community who struggle with the social determinants of health. My work at the Ashland Emergency Food Bank also reminds me each day that there are multitudes of people in our community who are straggling to make ends meet. I welcome those who chose to move here, buy a home, retire here or start a business here. We need to support new community, members (many who choose to spend hours in volunteer service, such as the Food Bank) and our local businesses while we also acknowledge the ever-increasing income disparity in our area. What community and city activities have you been involved in recently? I am currently the Executive Director of the Ashland Emergency Food Bank. I serve on the Ashland Citizens Budget Committee. I worked recently at Rogue Community Health helping to not only provide quality, affordable healthcare but also to help build the partnerships to connect our patients with other social service supports in the community. I am a local precinct committee person for the Jackson County Democratic Party. My work for Senator Wyden and other elected officials has given me the opportunity to support city initiatives and local projects (AFRP, SOU, SOREDI, Cascade Sisliyou National Monument among others). I also have worked full time, some of that as a single mother, and have spent much of the last 19 years raising my family. That included volunteering in the classroom, attending sporting events, helping out with sunday school classes and when I have a rare free block of time enjoying our beautiful Lithia Park, theatres, restaurants and wineries. What is the role of the city councilor? The role of the councilor is to participate in the decision-making of the Council and to represent the local comet, unity in that decision making; to contribute to the strategic direction of the Council through the developraent and review of strategic plans and to amend those plans as needed or required; to listen to the diversity of interests and individuals in the community and respect a wide array a viewpoints, to act with integrity and transparency; to participate in the fair and responsible allocation of municipal resources and to facilitate communication between the council and the community regarding those allocations. Ashland is blesse J with a unique population of citizens with a vast amount of experience, education and opinions. A. councilor in the city of Ashland should continue to encourage and rely on the exceptionally talented individuals who serve on our many boards and commissions. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you and answer additional questions you may have. Thank you. Sincerely, Traci Darrow RN, BSI Traci Darrow, Rol BS 253 Cambridge Street Ashland, OR 97520 530-598-2460 traciraedarrow2grnail.corn Personal Profile: Mission-driven professional who has worked over 25 years in community and leadership positions. Committed to social change through collaborative process that spans healthcare, natural resources, economic growth, equal rights, environmental protection and education. Education; Bachelor of Science in Nursing Oregon Health Sciences University June 2007 Bachelor of Science, Political Science Southern Oregon University June 1989 Executive Director, Ashland Emergency Food Bank I was hired by the Board of AEFB in November of 2016. While this is a new position for me it incorporates many of my skills and abilities of supporting those in need, collaborating with other organizations in the community, addressing and promoting awareness of hunger in our community and managing a diverse group of dedicated volunteers. This position reports to the Board of Directors and is responsible for the daily management and of the facility, staff, and operations. The Food Bank has been part of the social safety net of Ashland, Talent and surrounding rural areas for over 40 years. I manage a large team of volunteers, am a spokesperson and advocate for the organization and work with many other non-profit organizations, faith-based organizations, businesses, individuals and community partners. Strong leadership, organizational, financial and communication skills are required for this position. November 2016 - present Clinical Network Officer, RN B5N, Rogue Community Health Rogue Community Health (RCH) is one of Jackson County's Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) that provides primary medical/behavioral health/dental and pharmacy services to predominantly Oregon Health Plan recipients. As Clinical Network Officer (CNO) for RCH I represented the organization to community leaders. I was responsible for maintaining and growing the community partnerships that are so vital to an FQHC in the health care reform environment. These partnerships included elected officials at the local, state and federal level, hospitals, non-profits, schools, business leaders, insurers and other FQHCs in the region. As part of the officer-level leadership team I was responsible for not only strategic planning and organizational direction but implementing the programs and clinical services required to serve patients. As CNO I was the Officer leader for our Member Services Department, Nursing program and Patient Centered Medical Home program. RCH has clinics valley-wide from Ashland to Prospect. Since the geographic footprint of the organization is so broad, maintaining many diverse community partnerships and relationships was vital. As part of the RCH Leadership Team I worked directly with our CEO, COO, Medical Director, CFO and Board members. As part of that officer-level team we: ® completed organization re-branding to the community in 2014 from Community Health Center to Rogue Community Health # pioneered billing for RN visits that created a financially sustainable model to double RN staff implemented Oregon Health Authority pilot project changing to Alternative Payment Methodology and Care Model. w ensured all of our Medical Assistants were certified - at no cost to the employee • streamlined lab services and implemented CLIA Waived Lab at substantial savings s increased size and scope of School-Based Health Center services f expanded Patient Centered Medical Home model to include pharmacy, mental health and Community Health Workers. November 2013 to May 2016 Field Representative, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden. Established the first U.S. Senate office in Oregon outside of the Willamette Valley in 1996. Opened Senator Wyden's SW Oregon field office in Medford that served Jackson, Curry, Josephine, Klamath, Lake and Douglas counties. Being embedded in the community it was possible to forge new partnerships with local leaders and elected officials that allowed creative bipartisan solutions on policy issues. Created numerous local working groups that addressed issues such as transportation, forestry issues. water rights, environmental protection, education, economic development and housing. This position was often at the intersection of local, state and federal policy and regulations. A base knowledge of the legislative process at multiple levels was essential. Knowledge of the appropriations process at the State and Federal level was required. Also, ar understanding public budgeting to the extent funds could be identified from grant or other programmatic funds for priority projects. This position also provided constituent services for individuals and community leaders on a wide range of issues relevant to the SW Oregon constituency, Advised scheduling team on Senator Wyden's frequent visits to SW Oregon, and was personal staff to Senator. Skill in executive level meeting and agenda planning required. This position required the ability to garner community and stakeholder support for initiatives. I also specialized in Housing advocacy for constituents that involved federal agencies and lending and banking institutions as well as natural resource issues pertaining to the Department of Agriculture and Department of the Interior. 1996-2004 20019-2013 Legislative Assistant, State of Oregon House of Representatives. 1989, 1991 and 1993 Legislative Sessions. 1489 and 1991 worked for the State Representative for current District 5. 1993 Legislative Session I worked for State Representative Gail Shibley D-Portland. This position required working knowledge of legislative process and involved securing support for a wide range of initiatives and projects, Excellent communication skills required; planning and implementing proposals; managing legislature office. Executive Director, Mainstream Oregon. 1995. National Education Association-led voter education project for Oregon US Senate special election. Formed coalition that included unions, environmental organizations, trial lawyers and faith-based organizations to create and distribute issue-based voter education guide. Consultant, Future PAC. 1994 Oregon House Democratic Caucus political action committee that recruited and trained House candidates and their election committees. Consulting services for candidates statewide. Campaign Manager - Re-Elect Nancy Peterson D-Ashland. 19907 Managed and led re-election campaign for State Representative Peterson. At that time the legislative district included Ashland, Talent, Phoenix, outer Medford and the Upper Rogue region. Field Representative, Oregon Trucking Association. 1992 Provided campaign strategy, outreach, and campaign staff training in the 2nd Congressional District for Oregon statewide ballot measure campaign. Health Care RN, Rogge Valley Dialysis Services, Davita, Inc. RN serving client population of in-center hemodialysis treatment. RN duties include assessment of patients before, during and post dialysis treatment, administration of medications and prescribed therapies, oversight of Patient Care Technicians, treating and updating comprehensive care plans, documenting and charting using EMR and working with other members of the Davita team to provide holistic patient-centered care including physical, mental and psychosocial patient needs. June 2012 to November 2013 RN, Ashland Community Hospital/Memory Care Center/Neuroscience and Orthopedic Unit Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center. Worked as RN on the Medical Surgical Unit of Asante Ashland Community Hospital and as the RN Case Manager for the Ashland Memory Care Center a day program serving patients with Alzheimer's and other dementia-related illnesses. I also worked as an RN on the Neuroscience-Orthopedics Unit at Asante Medford Medical Center giving acute care nursing services to post-ischemic event and post orthopedic surgical care and recovery. August 2007 - February 2009 RN Internship in Cardiac Critical Care Unit (CCU) at Rogue Malley Medical Center through the OHSU Student immersion program. This program allowed for an additional 280 hours of specialized intensive care cardiac training. Completion June 2007. Mental Health Assistant, Behavioral Health Unit, Rogue Valley Medical Center. Assisted providers in direct patient care, assessment and oversight of mental health patients. Conducted group and individual educational sessions focusing on patient needs and behavioral health goals. January 2006 - November 2006. Service/Awards/Honors City of Ashland Citizens' Budget Committee (October 2024 - present) Health Care Coalition of Southern Oregon Board Member (March 2014 - May 2026) Leadership Development Forum, Centerpoint certificate winter 2016 Jackson Care Connect Clinical Advisory Panel (May 2014-January 2016) Southern Oregon Healthcare Workforce Advisory Committee (2012-2016) Sigma Theta Tau, Nursing Honor Society. Induction May 2007. Asante Excellence in Nursing Award, 2006-2007 Sr. Donna Taylor Scholarship, Providence Medical Center, Medford 2006-2007 Medford Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership Forum, Scholarship 1997 Shaun Joseph Moran 615 Taylor Street Ashland Oregon 97520 Phone: (541) 880-4223 Employment: Owner: Hoot Owl Estates, Trail Oregon Vacation retreat offering cabin rentals on the Upper Rogue River 2009- Present Head of Execution Services, Managing Director November 2010 to June 2013 J.P. Morgan Chase Japan Securities Co., Ltd. I was in charge of transforming the J.P. Morgan institutional agency execution services platform which involved a detailed technology overhaul, extensive cost-benefit analysis and a revamp of the entire client/broker process. I was tasked with overseeing all institutional client order flow and execution in Japanese equities for the firm in Japan. I had 25 direct reports. A large part of my job was to improve J.P. Morgan's client execution capabilities, analyze client profitability and introduce broker attribution modeling to better understand employee efficiency and accountability. Additionally I was involved with the learning and development program to mentor younger key employees in the equity franchise. Head of Execution Services, Managing Director May 2000 to February 2009 Merrill Lynch Japan Securities Co., Ltd. From 2007 headed Bank of America/Merrill Lynch execution services platform which consisted of oversight of offshore and domestic sales trading, cash trading execution, low touch trading, listed futures and options, facilitation and portfolio trading. I had 42 people reporting to me. Our offshore sales trading team routinely rated top in Japanese equity. Outside of day to day management responsibilities I ran the learning and development program for the equity business which focused on development of key performers/upcoming talent which became the template for Learning and Development program in Asia. I modeled leadership and team building with all members of the equity business. I covered many of the most senior and important accounts with global significance to the Merrill cash equity franchise in Japan. Managing Director Sales / National Sales Manager in Retail Division September 1998 to April 2000 Massachusetts Investment Management Co., Ltd. Head of the MFS retail mutual fund sales channel in Japan. Responsible for developing the mutual fund channel sales network in both the domestic and non-Japanese banks/brokers. Supervised a three man Japanese sales team and conducted day to day business management and investment discussions in Japanese. f A~ BY: ve_ee Head of Japanese Equity Derivative Sales Team, Vice President July 1994 to August 1998 Daiwa Securities America, (Tokyo Office) Supervised a total of five Daiwa America employees in Tokyo covering overseas clients trading listed, OTC equity derivatives and Japanese equities. Provided market information, news, and trading ideas. Education: Yoshida Institute of Japanese Language, Tokyo, Japan. Completed intensive Japanese language program. 1990-1992 Bates College, Lewiston, Maine B.A. Political Science. 1985-1989 Edinburgh University, Edinburgh Scotland Concentrated in Comparative Politics and Asian Political History. 1987-1988 Volunteer: Tokyo English Life Line (TELL) Helped with organization and fund raising for group which was an English support life line for expatriate community in Japan who sought help and counseling. 1991-1993 Other: Fluent Japanese. Very strong sales presentation and people skills. Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word, Financial Services Series 3,7,64,24 registered References: Available upon request Shaun J. Moran Biography I was born and raised in a small town in northern Rhode Island and originally came to Ashland with my family like many others, by chance. I grew up in a community similar in size and feel to Ashland and this instilled in me the importance and the value a small town offers in developing strong lasting connections to family, friends and community. The unmatched quality of life Ashland offers was the allure that eventually led my family to settle here. Because of all Ashland has to offer it was an easy place to settle down to raise a family. After moving to Ashland from Tokyo Japan in 2009 we unexpectedly returned to Tokyo for 2 1/2 years before returning back home in mid- 2013 for good. I attended Edinburgh University and earned my B.A in Political Science from Bates College in Lewiston Maine. After college, I embarked on a journey that changed my life. I moved to Japan and lived there for nearly 24 years. That experience gave me vast insight into what it means to be culturally diverse. I believe those experiences were essential elements in shaping who I am today and underscored the importance of being accepting of those who are different. I try to employ that understanding in how I live my life every day. I am part of an interracial marriage. My wife and I have been married for over 20 years and we have three interracial children all enrolled and thriving in the Ashland school system. We have taught our children to respect and accept other; and to cherish the fact they are different. We value and celebrate diversity in our lives everyday. I am a self-employed small business owner who understands the complexity and difficulties associated with starting a business and working tirelessly to ensure it survives and prospers. I am an accomplished financial services executive with extensive international banking experience. My banking career spanned nearly 18 years encompassing organizational transformation, sales and service, strategy and business line management. I was valued for my leadership, teambuilding, collaboration, communication and business acumen all of which I know are important attributes of a productive and effective city council member. I was involved extensively in MBA recruitment and executive leadership mentoring programs which involved recruitment, development and retention of key employees. I was employed by Massachusetts Financial Services, Merrill Lynch and J.P Morgan Chase Japan as a Managing Director. I am also fluent in Japanese. I am committed to Ashland and to all it represents and have been an active member and volunteer in the community. I am a contributing Board Member of the Ashland Emergency Food Bank which provides needed resources to many of the underprivileged in our community and a citizen volunteer of the Ashland Budget Committee. I look forward to expanding my role serving the community and hope I can count on your support for the vacant city council position as the needs of Ashland continues to change and grow. a SV rely, ~ ► ~ °Sha . Mo On CO Shaun Moran: Application for Council Seat #6 1) What do you think are the biggest issues facing the city? Economy Ashland is undeniably a wonderful place to live. The quality of life is unmatched and is often cited as one on the main reasons people choose to settle here. When I leave, I often find myself eagerly looking forward to returning home. We have a dynamic mix of people here from different social and economic backgrounds and varied experience which contributes to the uniqueness of our community. That said there are things that we should try to improve to make Ashland a better place for all. In Ashland we are blessed to have Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Southern Oregon University which both provide wonderful benefits to our local economy. But with most of our "economic eggs" in the service sector basket in times of economic duress, like we saw in the last recession, our economy is vulnerable. We need to be more diversified so we can better manage the unforeseen economic shocks that inevitably will come. I think we need a fresh strategic vision to address the pressing issues of job creation and economic vitality, both of which have been stagnate over the last several years. There were more Ashland business licenses issued in 2008 than there were in 2015. Only last year has that started to improve. We need a more balanced approach to insuring our economy remains vibrant in good times and in bad. I believe we need to strengthen our partnerships with OSF, SOU and the Chamber of Commerce. If we can better leverage and monetize these relationships we can find additional ways to capture the important "tourist dollars" that our economy is so reliant upon. Simultaneously, we need to capitalize on the synergies between these institutions so we can offer solutions to empower entrepreneurship, retain and expand businesses and leverage the organizational assets we have in town to insure we have a strong and resilient economy. I think we have an incredibly strong foundation to build upon. We just need to take the necessary steps to protect our economy from the inevitable economic hurdles in the future. We need to engage and work more closely with SOREDI as well as other viable non-profits and economic development groups. We should work to attract, encourage, and foster new companies from emerging industries and people with great ideas to come here to flourish, raise their families and help diversify our economy. We have several Enterprise Zones in town which could be a solution for new and growing businesses. We need to stop talking around the issue and find ways to give entrepreneurs and creative innovators a place to grow their vision. In 2008, Plexis Healthcare Systems was looking to relocate their facilities at the Croman Mills Redevelopment Site to expand and grow their business. Problems arose, delays occurred and their move and the Croman Development never happened. Interestingly, Plexis just announced they were moving their operations out of Ashland and taking 100 jobs with it. We need to find ways to keep businesses like Plexis here in Ashland. They are the anchors of our local economy and we need to help them grow and prosper. This is the key to balancing our economy and securing our future. We cannot be complacent. We need to strike the right balance between building code requirements, regulation and sensible decision making. We need to be proactive and take a fresh look at LL . h-, 1J d-fit ''e 2. 0 t r, BY: ___e_ ;.oF._mrru.r.m our economic development plans and strategy which have been unrevised since 2012. 1 think we should revisit the idea of an Economic Development ad- Hoc Committee. This might allow us to harness some of the untapped business skills and ideas from people within our community from different industries who could provide actionable strategies to help. I look forward to helping in this challenge. Affordable Housing and Smart Building We can't improve our economy, address the lack of affordability in our town or really impact the lives of our most needy without a multi-tiered strategic approach to solving the lack of affordable housing and smart building in our community. I think the time is ripe for decisive action on this issue. A review of the Housing I_lement of the City's Comprehensive Plan is essential. I believe the city can find actionable ideas to implement which will help ease our housing problems. In many ways, our economic future is linked to our housing issues. Some of the biggest challenges faced by Ashland businesses are around attracting; staff and skilled workers. In fact, in a recent Chamber of Commerce survey, many business respondents suggested the "high cost of living" in Ashland made it difficult to find the right candidate. We need more jobs that give people a livable wage so they are able to rent or buy homes in our community. We ultimately need a broader vision that calls for a reset of "business as usual" in the departments that oversee this essential part of the city administration. While working to preserve Ashland's unique historic and architectural qualities, we need to evaluate existing building restrictions and regulations to allow for more creative infill projects for commercial, residential and mixed use projects. We need to allow for higher density buildings. The current building codes and strict interpretation of them stymy practical utilization of existing lots and building that could be improved and don't take into account the nuisances of many new projects. In many cases, the result is actually creating Subpar design. Other ideas like adopting more stringent renters' rights rules (90 day no cause evictions) and funding the Housing Trust Fund with a stable and reliable revenue source will provide options and achievable solutions to the housing problems faced by our most needy. It is a fact that funding affordable housing to give people a path to home ownership will be the cheaper alternative for our community over time. We should learn from other municipalities where urban planning and forward thinking is leading to livability, greater affordability, reduced costs and economic opportunity for it's citizens. I think Ashland needs to consider the feasibility of Vertical Housing Development Zones which it doesn't presently allow. Creating a master plan involving bigger and mixed use buildings incorporating the thoughts, ideas and concepts of proven developers will create more affordable housing options for our citizens. I would hope to play a critical role in the housing development and policy discussions as a city council member. Climate Change and the Environment I think the city has made great strides in addressing the importance of taking a proactive approach toward Climate Change. This is an essential issue facing our community. I applaud the city's multi- faceted approach to climate change and the environment. With 2016 being the hottest year in recorded 2 human history taking a proactive approach to Climate Change is not only essential for Ashland but the world at large. I think we must maintain the momentum to insure we continue to set the bar high. Our community is committed to taking responsible steps to contribute to the slowing of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. I agree with the commitment our city leaders are making toward protecting the environment and I think it is an essential issue for our city leaders to continue to champion. We should be proud we are setting the example for other communities to follow. I am looking forward to the upcoming discussion around setting up a City Citizen Advisory Commission which will be monitoring and tracking CEAP goals in the next few months. I am supportive of the 10x20 ordinance #3134 and hope this will be an essential part of the implementation of CEAP. I understand this dialogue will take time as policy issues are refined and further discussed. Being a voice in the discussion of how we impact our carbon footprint is critical to me and the entire Ashland community. As part of the climate change discussion I believe we should continue to pursue a strategy of protecting our forestland and our watershed through the good work of the Forest Land Commission and AFP, seek ways to find incentives to make renewable energy more economically viable and work to promote and educate our citizens on the importance of a reliable and stable water source. I often attend AWAC meetings and listen to discussions and I look forward to helping in the Climate Change discussions as a city council member. 2) What is your primary motivation for seeking the vacant council seat? I pride myself on being an open minded individual who can work with others toward a common goal. I have the integrity, experience, passion, enthusiasm and more importantly the time to help shape the focus and discussion on issues that are important to the people of Ashland. We must ensure that our city government works for the people and allows the voice of it citizenry to be heard. If selected to the council this will become my new "full time job". I am sure I can inject a fresh perspective into the discussions of our city government. Most importantly, I am dedicated to being transparent and accountable. I understand and value the significance of "saying what you mean and meaning what you say" and I believe it is essential that my statements are consistent with my actions and true to my values. My experience as a citizen member of the budget committee has given me knowledge and insight into the inter-workings of our city government. I have learned, in detail, how it is financed and how it works. I have attended many city meetings outside of the budget committee where my goal has always been to learn as much as possible about the issues facing our city. Now I think I'm ready to take that next step, to reach out to try to have more of a voice, while representing the voices of people in our community and in the process hopefully positively impacting Ashland along the way. I don't purport to have all the answers. I understand the learning curve for any new member of the city council will be challenging. I do know that I have the time to dedicate to this task. My years living in Japan taught me a cherished tenant of Japanese culture that being consensus building and open communication are essential parts of the decision making process. I am willing and eager to learn, be collaborative and as productive as possible while working with other members of the city council to find solutions to the issue and problems facing the people of our community. 3 3) What community and city activities have you been involved in recently? I had spent nearly half my life outside of the United States when I moved with my family to Ashland in 2009. Looking at America from outside her boarders gave me a very unique perspective on how lucky we all are to be citizens of this great county. I have been fortunate to have found professional success and have always wanted to somehow give back. My mother always said to my siblings and me when we went off to school "do something nice for someone today" and helping others "is the rent we pay for our time on earth". The importance of those words have never escaped me. When I learned of the great work of the Emergency Food Bank in 2009, 1 periodically would go down to volunteer. New to the Ashland community the vast majority of my time was spent insuring my wife and family were settled and secure. It was after we returned to Ashland in 2013 that I pledged to get more seriously involved. Going to the Food Bank to help unpack food provisions and restock empty shelves let me see firsthand the numbers of people in need and how much this organization was helping our community. My wife and I began to take our children there during Thanksgiving and Christmas to help. I got to know the people involved in the organization and in 2015 1 was asked to join the Board of Directors. Being on the Board has been an incredibly rewarding experience and I look forward to continuing to serve as a productive member of this important Ashland organization. As our family started getting involved in school and community activities in 2009, 1 learned of the role of the citizen volunteers in the budget process in Ashland. Several people approached me and suggested that my professional experience in finance could be a potential help to the city. I was influenced that the expertise I had would blend nicely with both the other volunteers and elected members of the city council. I knew in the back of my mind however that there was a real possibility that we would be returning to Japan and I didn't want to make a commitment that I wouldn't be able to see through so I decided to postpone that work until we returned to Ashland for good. Once back home in 2015 1 decided to get more involved and I submitted my application. I was selected as a citizen member of the budget committee prior to the adoption of the 2015-2017 budget. I serve on that committee today and it is a role that I take very seriously. As a member, I have an obligation to be professionally curious, inquisitive and thorough. Not to dictate policy, but to offer insight into solving financial problems by looking at potential solutions from a different perspective. I feel strongly that we must be cognizant of the financial commitments we make today so all of our citizens have the best opportunities possible to live and succeed in Ashland in the future. In the summer of 2015 1 reached out to the Ashland Chamber of Commerce to educate myself about the transient issues facing our town and the impact it was having on our business community. I shared my own personal experiences and stated that as a business owner and c tizen I thought more needed to be done. My concerns were shared with the Executive Cirector and Board and I was selected in late 2015 as a member of the Behavior Task Force Committee. As you know, this group is made up of many leading business members in our 4 community. Like many others I supported the re-education campaign of "Reconsidering How You Give" coupled with more police enforcement and oversight. That has gone a long way in controlling behavioral issues of our "traveler" population, which in turn, better serves the general population and our business community. This was an important Chamber collaboration and initiative, and we have seen positive results. 4) What is the role of the city councilor? The role of a city councilor is to serve the citizens of the community he or she represents. This sounds simplistic but in reality I understand this can be a complex task. A city councilor is someone who is committed to serve, a good listener, a coalition builder and a problem solver who is results oriented and able to work well with other to find mutually acceptable solutions to the problems facing the community. I know as a city councilor I will disagree at times with other members of the council, as each person will hold true to their own ideals and principles but, as we agree to disagree, I pledge to listen, be flexible and respectful of others and the positions they hold dear. I am committed to finding common ground. In a partnership between city government and the people it represents, I will not be afraid to support policies that others disagree with in order to best represent all the citizens of our diverse community. In addition, I know a city councilor must work well with different citizen advisory committees and employees of the city. There are extensive administrative, budgetary, and time demands that a city councilor needs to understand and commit to, in order to be an effective member of the council. I am willing and eager to undertake this responsibility. 5 January 27, 2017 Dear Ashland City Council, With this letter, I am formally indicating my interest in being appointed to fill the remainder of Pam Marsh's term for City Council Position #6. 1 grew up in a small town in Nevada and have lived in Ashland for over 20 years, during which time it has become my second hometown. I have raised my children here specifically because of its safe environment, natural beauty and biodiversity, dedication to its children, and the eclectic mix of small town and world renowned theater, art, and music. I am sure I do not have to tell you all that Ashland is an incredible place to live and work. My desire to serve the people of Ashland on the City Council comes from my love of this place and the deep connection I feel to people I have gotten to know in many different spheres: the people in the nonprofit sector who are working hard to solve conservation and social challerges, the members of my faith community, some local business owners, the parents of other children in the school system, and of course, my neighbors, close friends, and family. Ashlan J is in a unique position to be able to innovate and experiment with various ways of solving the challenges that come with being a small city in the modern world. We have many different people with interesting experiences to draw from who can help us be both resilient and crE!ative. I would like to be part of the effort that keeps our community healthy and lend my kncwledge and experience to the task of addressing local issues as they arise. My father served as a Justice of the Peace for 22 years and I grew up watching him serve the people of his community with thoughtfulness, compassion, and accountability. He ran for office the first time not because he had aspirations of holding public office, but because his community needed a Justice of the Peace with integrity who held court on a regular basis. By the time I graduated from college, I knew I wanted to eventually serve in some formal capacity in local government. Now that my children are older and most of them are off to college, I have the capacity in my life to devote to serving on the City Council. I do no--. have a particular issue that is drawing me to serve at this time, but I believe my knowledge and experience in climate change and conservation issues, as well as my relationships with people working on social issues, could serve the Council well and complement the knowledge, expertise, and community connections that already exist on the Council. I affirm that I live within the boundaries of Ashland and am a registered voter. Thank you for considering my application for City Council Position #6. Sincerely, RECEIVED JAN 27 2017 T1ra e F,2 Lrl~ /C +0 J' C: S Lec.- )-&r%s 1- C.UY4;rr, 4A_ 1; v e1 Uv ~~ln c +,.»',n 4- r es. What do you think are the biggest issues facing the city? Ashland is faced with several issues, some of which will be addressed in the time remaining on this term and others which need to be addressed over the longer term with the City Council making a good start on them over the next two years. Please note that the items on this list are in no particular priority order. Near Term Issues: City Government Vacancies There are a number of vacancies in leadership positions within the City that either exist now or are expected to arrive in the near term with the anticipated retirement of several department heads who have held their positions for many years and carry significant institutional history. Current examples include the City Administrator, Administrative Services/Finance Director, and City Recorder. The City Council will need to fill those positions in a thoughtful way that not only guarantees that we hire or appoint people who are qualified to do the job, but also ensures that those new leaders share the values of Ashland's citizens and are committed to moving the community toward inclusiveness, diversity, economic vitality, and ecological sustainability. It will be critically important that the City Council do all it can in these processes to ensure that they are fair and free of implicit bias for all applicants. Biennial Budget (2017-2018) This spring the Council will come together with several community members as the Budget Committee to determine how the City will invest its resources over the next two years. This is where the rubber meets the road in terms of the City's priorities. How we invest our public resources is the clearest indication of what is important to us. In addition to funding standard city services and infrastructure upgrades, the Council will need to determine the highest priority issues facing the City in relation to its strategic plan and how much to invest in each of those issues. Long-Term Issues Seismic Upgrade/Rebuild of City Hall The Council is currently in the process of assessing the safety of City Hall in terms of earthquake risk and determining the best way to address those safety concerns. This will be a large infrastructure project requiring significant financial investment, so how the City decides to move forward to address the risk is very important. Affordable Housing When I arrived in Ashland over 20 years ago, I did as many people with newly minted college degrees do. I picked up several "rent" jobs and worked to get my career off the ground while living in an upstairs apartment on North Main Street. I was able to be successful in getting my start because there was adequate rental stock and prices were reasonable. I've been fortunate to buy a home in Ashland since then, but I've watched as it has become more and more difficult to live in Ashland for people with low income and young people in college or who are just starting out. My young adult children have very little hope of being able to afford to live here because of the cost of housing. My vision for Ashland is that it is a vibrant community that welcories and accommodates people with a range of incomes and that the people who work here can afford to live here. I do not claim to know how to fix these issues, but I am committed to helping find a way to ensure that we have adequate affordable rental stock and that we figure out how to make home ownership more accessible for people with low income in Ashland. Climate Change The climate crisis is the greatest long-term global challenge faced by all communities and requirE's an immediate and effective response by the City. Fortunately, we are making a good start with the Climate and Energy Action Plan nearing completion. Through several different venues and processes, the citizens of Ashland have signaled clearly that they are very concerned and want appropriately scaled action from the City on this issue. Once the plan is accepted, the task before the Council will be to determine the most effective way to invest in implementing the plan so that Ashland can successfully meet the aggressive, but absolutely necessary, targets it is in the process of setting for itself. People Who Do Not Have Homes The issues around people who do not have homes are complex because not all homeless people have similar situations or need similar help. The situation of a family living in their car or on a neighbor's couch is vastly different than that of a young summer traveler passing through or that of a chronically homeless elder. The "solution" is likely to be several solutions that understand and address that complexity and take advantage of resources available in all sectors of our community. We also need to ensure that our citizens, local businesses, and visitors experience Ashland as a fun, friendly, and safe place. Our downtown needs to be welcoming, lively, and accessible to all, including people without homes, but there also needs to be accountability and responsibility in that access. In that process, the City needs to continue to address this issue by working directly with this population as well as others in county and state government and in the nonprofit sector to ensure that the City takes on aspects of solutions that are appropriate to its role and function. Getting There This is certainly not an all-inclusive list of challenges the City is facing, but these are the most important from my perspective. Fortunately, Ashland has a good many strengths to draw from in its efforts to address these issues, including an active and engaged citizenry, a functional and thoughtful City Council, financial resources, significant knowledge and experience within its citizenry, and a team of dedicated professionals working for city government who clearly care about the work they do. While the problems listed above are not easy to solve, they are not impossible either. Working together, we can develop a shared understanding of these issues and determine what the "design specs" are for our solutions so that we take advantage of the resources Ashland has in creating effective solutions that align with our values. What is your primary motivation for seeking the vacant council seat? I am very interested in learning more about how local government operates and bringing my knowledge and experience to bear on the issues facing our community. My interests certainly include climate change and sustainability, but I am committed to social justice and taking care of each other in our community. And, I recognize that a healthy community rests on the foundation of a healthy economy and that a diversified, local business sector is key to that healthy economy. There is always a balance that needs to be maintained with the City taking on the responsibility of maintaining and improving municipal services and infrastructural systems while working in partnership with its citizens and neighboring communities to move forward on important community issues. I have extensive experience developing partnerships and integrated, holistic, community-based solutions that I believe would be a nice fit given the challenges the Council has before it. have always been civic minded - registering young voters, assisting with local issue and candidate campaigns, and writing the occasional letter to the editor. My first recollection of conversations around voting and public service came when I was about 10 years old and I was helping my father build a plywood sign for out in front of the courthouse in my little town. It was a dual purpose sign that said "Register here today!" and had a sign overlay that made it say "Vote here today!" That carpentry project initiated many conversations with my parents about how we govern ourselves and the civic responsibility each of us carries. I believe everyone has a role to play in serving their community and I am excited by the prospect of serving on the Council as one of the ways that I can personally contribute. The last twenty years of my professional life have been spent working to solve issues, starting from a place of collaboration and aiming for a win-win solution wherever possible. In that time, have developed skills that I believe would be helpful to the City Council as it embarks on a busy two years and makes critical decisions that will chart the course for our community well into the future. While I will need to learn more about the specifics of the formal process the City employs in its decision-making, I have transferable experience on decision-making bodies and with governance processes. I envision the Ashland of the future as a place inhabited by people of mixed incomes where citizen3 and the City do their part to address climate change and move us toward greater ecological sustainability; our business community is vibrant, healthy, diversified, and strong; and where people of diverse races, ethnicities, and religions choose to call home. Ashland will make many decisions in the next few years that will determine to what extent this vision can become a reality. I would like to be part of that work by serving on the City Council. What community and city activities have you been involved in recently? My local activities generally relate to volunteer work through the schools, helping with programs at the Ashland First Congregational United Church of Christ, and assisting with the City's Climate and Energy Action Plan. AHS R,rf Field Campaign Most recently, I volunteered to assist the Ashland Schools Foundation and the Ashland School District: as the co-coordinator of the Turf Field Fundraising effort at Ashland High School. That effort raised enough money for the District to replace the problematic grass football field with a multi-sport, natural fill, turf field at the outdoor stadium that can be used for football, soccer, high school PE classes, and community events. My responsibilities included serving on the Turf Field Committee at the school district, writing grants and fundraising appeals, and assisting with budgeting and outreach. AHS Senior All Night I have (assisted with the AHS Senior All Night celebration for the past four years. The first two years I served as a chaperone and clean up volunteer. The last two years I served as a co-chair of the volunteer parent committee that organizes the celebration each year. In that capacity, my responsibilities included facilitating the planning meetings, managing the overall effort for creating the event, supporting the various committees, assisting with fundraising, and helping refine the budget to ensure that we kept our expenses within our means. In the first of those two years of co-coordinating the event, we worked hard to create a process that could be easily replicated by future volunteer committees. John Muir School I served as the volunteer parent driver coordinator for 9 years organizing drivers to transport the students to a variety of nature activities and field trips. I have also assisted with specific events for the school and served as a parent chaperone on some of their day trips and overnight excursions. Ashland First Congregational United Church of Christ I am an active member of my congregation and support a variety of programs of my church, including coordinating hospitality for Sunday services and assisting with events and action efforts as needed. I served as Chair of the Selection Committee for an Interim Pastor two years ago to hire a temporary pastor to lead our congregation while the formal search process was underway for the new settled pastor. Climate and Energy Action Plan In my role as Executive Director of the Geos Institute, I worked with our ClimateWise® team to secure resources to assist the City of Ashland in developing its Climate and Energy Action Plan. That effort has resulted in the Geos Institute completing a climate vulnerability assessment and citizen survey that complement the efforts of the City's contractor on the project. Nonprofit Association of Oregon While this community engagement is focused on a state level organization, it touches local organizations in Ashland because of the role that NAO plays in the nonprofit sector across the state. I served on NAO's Board of Directors as an at-large member and then as the Treasurer. My term ended in the fall of 2015. My contributions as Treasurer focused on ensuring that the Board had a strong understanding of the organization's finances by working with the Finance Director to develop more effective ways of communicating the organization's financial position to the Board members so that we could better anticipate potential funding challenges. What is the role of the city councilor? The City of Ashland has several important documents that guide the work of the City Council, including the Ashland 2020 Strategic Plan and the Council's Goals and Objectives, which help the City meet those strategic plan goals. These documents create a strong framework within which the Council does its work on behalf of the people of Ashland. The Council as a whole must balance and weigh the various goals against the resources it has to invest and the timeliness of the need for various actions in order to chart an effective course for meeting the City's goals. As a key decision-maker in this process, the City Councilor has several different roles. First and foremost, the Councilor works to translate the goals of its citizens into action to improve the community through ordinances, strategic planning, and the budget process. Part of this is balancing short-term needs with long-term investments and prioritizing what action the City should take, and the scale, timeline, and level of investment of that action. The councilor serves as an important connection between the Council and the citizen commissions that work to further the goals of the City and identify new issues to be considered. By serving as a liaison to several commissions, the councilor ensures that the Council is kept informed about developments in those commissions, new concerns or opportunities that are arising and actions that the Council may be asked to take at some point. In that context, the counci or can bring the perspective of the larger whole of the City to those commission discussions while taking back to the Council the top level ideas and concerns of the committee. Citizens rely on the councilors to have their ear to the ground in terms of issues that are bubbling up within the larger community, so councilors have a responsibility to maintain their connections in the community and develop new ones that are perhaps not their natural inclina-Jon. It is important that each councilor have relationships with multiple sectors to ensure that they have a well-rounded understanding of what the challenges the City is facing actually look like from different perspectives. Finally, the role of the councilor includes supporting strong governance processes, transparency, and accountability. City councilors should speak up when a process does not includE, adequate opportunities for citizen engagement or when a process is so focused on engagement that it threatens to fail to reach its objectives. The councilor should do her or his work in such a way that the citizens have faith that even if that councilor does not agree with them in the end, the process was fair and their concerns were given thoughtful consideration. Relationships are particularly important in governing bodies like a City Council, so it is important that councilors treat each other with respect, especially when they have serious disagrEements regarding the best way forward. If the process is solid, all councilors should respect: the final vote of the Council and model integrity in government for our young people who are just learning how to engage in this experiment we call democracy. Dana Smith From: Tonya Graham <tonyagraham89@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, January 27, 2017 9:27 AM To: Dana Smith Subject: Application for City Council Position 6 Attachments: Tonya Graham Application - Council Position 6.pdf Dear Ms. Smith, With this email I am formally applying for Council Position #6. 1 have attached my application, which includes a cover letter and answers to the questions posted on the City of Ashland website. Please confirm that you have received this message and that the attachment has transmitted properly. Also, it wasn't clear from the application whether the City wants a hard copy as well. If that is the case, please let me know and I will bring one down to the City ahead of the deadline today. Finally, I was not sure where the Council wanted me to include my contact information, so I am including it in this email rather than on the application, which I understand will be posted on the City's website. If there is anything else you need from me to process my application, please let me know. Sincerely, Tonya Graham 2007 Mae Street Ashland, OR 97520 541.488.1688 tonyagraham89 a,Mail.com i To Mayor Stromberg and City Council Members, Thils; is my letter of interest regarding the City Council Position #6. My wife, and I moved to Ashland, Oregon, from Los Angeles, California and I have been working with Neuman Hotels for the past 9 years. I am presently The Regional Senior Sales Manager. Below are the answers to your questions: • The biggest issues facing the City, in my option, are Climate and Energy Action, the Railroad Clean up Project and the Homeless issues. • My primary motivation for seeking the council seat is to be of service. I am passionate about the culture of Ashland. I believe that I can bring a diverse opinion to the city council. • I have been on the Phoenix Counseling Center Board, and I am currently on the Children's Advocacy Center Board, MLK Committee, Housing and Homeless Steering Commission, an Ashland Rotarian and I am the Founder and President of Southern Oregon Pride. • The role of a City Councilor is to adopt ordinances, establish goals and objectives for the City Government. I believe in communication and collaboration, working with the commissions and listening to the Citizens of Ashland. I know we can grow our community into an even more diverse culture. Bringing in more tourism, and business while growing a sustainable economy that other communities will want to pattern themselves after. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you. Gina DuQuenne ~P I RECE,VFD iA N24 017 Dana Smith From: Gina DuQuenne <Gina.Duquenne@neumanhotelgroup.com> Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2017 2:17 PM To: Dana Smith Subject: RE: Additional Information Gina DuQuenne 2180 Birchwood Lane Ashland, Or. 97520 Home: 541- 482-2488 Cell 541- 890- 3548 Thank you, Gina DuQuenne Senior Sales Manager Neuman Hotel Group 2525 Ashland Street, Ashland OR 97520 P: 541.488- 7389 C: 541 890-3548 IN h'HG N, E NeumanHotelGroup.com www.southernoregon.org/tours Louise D. Shawkat 870 Cambridge St. Ashland, OR 97520 Louise40208Ctgmail.com 502.777.7550 January 2 7, 2 017 City Recorder 20 F. Main St. Ashland OR 97520 Re: City Council Seat Vacancy This is my letter of interest for the Council Position #6 vacancy on the Ashland City Council. As an Ashland senior citizen I believe I would bring a unique perspective to the issues facing our City, based on my life experience, my work experience as a nurse, and my many and varied volunteer experiences, both in Ashland and elsewhere. Below I provide more detailed information about this experience and how I believe those experiences will serve our City and the Council well. 1. What are some of the biggest issues i see facing our City? • Lack of affordable housing affects the demographic characteristics of any city, and Ashland is no exception. The current lack of affordable housing in Ashland diminishes our City in several ways, resulting in a lack of diversity and too much homogeneity of our population. A diversified community creates richness and energy in our City and the current housing crisis in Ashland is robbing us of the benefits of a diversified community. • Lack of diversified job opportunities. Growing up in a tourist town, I am very familiar with the economic drawbacks to citizens in a community where job opportunities revolve around tourism primarily focused on theatre, restaurants, lodging, and shopping. :Y C q:~1..eL~ RECEIVED JAN 2 7 2017 1 Capitalizing on the success of downtown Ashland, is there a way we can enhance tourism by expanding access to our natural resources in the area, creating more and greater diversity in job offerings. • The recently developed Climate Energy Action Plan, once adopted by the City Council, is just the first step in developing a vision of what the City should look like in 2050. A well-articulated vision is needed to guide the city every step of the way toward achieving a sustainable future for generations to come. This will require all city departments working together and with our community partners to implement the steps to create our 2050 city. 2. What is your primary motivation for seeking the vacant council seat? My primary motivation is to continue my longstanding dedication to community service in the communities I've lived in. I have a Masters in Nursing, and the last ten years of my working career were spent at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Louisville, KY. I worked in the Preservation Amputation Care and Treatment Clinic as an Adult Nurse Practitioner, with a specialty in bowel and bladder diversions and as a wound care specialist. I have lived in Egypt and Saudi Arabia; I am a long-term student of the Spanish language; and I have walked across England and have driven across the US several times with a beagle as my co-pilot. 3. What community and city activities have you been involved in recently? Since moving to Ashland in 2010, I have been active in several city and community organizations and issues. My city-related activities include serving as an active member of Ashland's Climate and Energy Action Plan. I also regularly attend the Conservation Commission and other city commission meetings, such as the Transportation Commission and the Downtown Parking Management and Circulation Ad Hoc Advisory Committee. 2 In addition, I have served as a volunteer in the following organizations: • Energize Rogue • Master Gardener Association • Owner of a certified Pollinator Garden (Ashland Parks & Rec) • Jackson County Master Recyclers • Ashland Garden Club (four years as Secretary) Siskiyou District Oregon Federation of Garden Clubs (2 year term as Secretary Volunteer at Ashland Dog Park (two years) Volunteer at the North Mountain Nature Park via the Ashland Garden Club • Volunteer for the Ashland Independent Film Festival • Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) (volunteer for special projects) and Tudor Guild volunteer Supporter of Voice of Hope Orphanage in Rongo, Kenya (Kenya Kids @ Rongo) • New Day Breakfast Steering Committee • Ashland Food Project (recruit donors) SOCAN Master Climate Protector Program • 10 x 20 Group In addition, I am also a member of the following organizations: • (KS) Wild • Jackson County Library Association • American Civil Liberties Union • Sierra Club • Member Ashland Cooperative • OSF • Ashland YMCA • New Plays Festival • Jefferson Public Radio • SOCAN 3 4. What is the role of the city councilor? • To continue the work of providing a safe, sustainable environment for our citizens • To strengthen dialogue between citizens and businesses • To dialogue with citizens and obtain their input early in a process • To work as a team member with other council members To ask pertinent questions, read meeting packets (do the homework) • To have an understanding of what is financially possible with City resources To communicate with city commissions and city staff to learn what commissions are discussing and proposing and to hear the concerns of city staff To dialogue with officials in surrounding towns regarding common concerns, and then communicate with our citizens about the outcomes of this dialogue • To continue to work to expand our economic resources so that we are not only a destination to see plays, but a destination to enjoy our natural environment, thus strengthening our economic base To support efforts to coordinate and integrate multiple processes to ensure they complement each other and work together to achieve the community's goals To recognize the diversity of need and help reconcile and/or accommodate different perspectives • To act with integrity Louise D. shawkat 4