99E: The Heart of Canby.....Let's Make It Better

HWY 99e travels through the heart of Canby and is home to nearly 24,000 cars daily, yet sadly a great many of them never stop within the city limits. Despite being the main thoroughfare for our city, it doesn’t always give the best first impression of what we have to offer, causing many businesses to suffer and ultimately our town loses as a result. When I talk with business owners along this corridor, the general consensus is that we as city leaders haven’t treated it as a unified issue that needs to be resolved. It is often broken up into areas such as 99e, Downtown, 99e by Fred Meyer, or 99e by Safeway and while we can complete projects by doing this, we are ignoring the larger issue. This method of improving the existing highway causes areas to be forgotten, inconsistent infrastructure is created, and ultimately the average passerby is left scratching their head about how or why things are being done.  I believe this has diminished the ability of our city to effectively create a strong, attractive, and cohesive avenue of travel that will make people slow down and eventually stop to see what we have to offer.

I am convinced that ALL of Hwy 99e needs to represent the pride that our citizens and business owners show on a daily basis. It can’t be just about the ‘Big Box’ strip malls or the downtown corridor and I am prepared to take action that will turn this problem around. Sidewalks, bike lanes, street front signage, and façade renovations from one end of town to the other are all areas that city and public committees have identified as major areas of opportunity and I couldn’t agree more. I would love nothing more than to see safe sidewalks and bike lanes that cover the length of 99e through town and provide an enjoyable experience for families and commuters alike. Business owners need foot traffic and that starts with people slowing down and ultimately stopping to shop. I will ensure that bright, lively, and functional signage is visible to all the commuters that pass through both morning and night. These are untapped customers who need to know the value of our town and I am confident we can attract them with the right visual message. The last thing is to encourage business and property owners to bring their buildings into the 21 century. Canby is a town rich with tradition and history and I have no doubt we can help street front properties renovate and beautify without compromising those values. This combination of visual and physical cues will encourage every traveler through town to finally take notice of everything we have to offer.

So where do we start?

My plan is a straight forward approach to the following projects:

·        Vibrant and meaningful signage along the entire 99e corridor

o       Cohesive signs defining major shopping districts

o       Draw attention to established event areas

o       Showcase those businesses that are unique to Canby

·        Improve and maintain sidewalks and bike lanes

o       Repair existing sidewalks

o       Create walkways in those areas where there are none

o       Clearly mark all crosswalks

o       Improve or install landscaping for better curb appeal

·        Bring many of the buildings up to current code and visual standards       

o       Review existing codes on a city, county, and state level

o       Promote city incentives for renovations

o       Create a feeling of community and caring

I understand this will not be an overnight process and I am committed to working with citizens, business owners, as well as city, county, and state officials to ensure we are all communicating in a clear and concise voice towards a common goal. This is going to be a process that isn’t just ABOUT the people, but is truly FOR the people. At the end of day, my goal is to present a highway corridor that is thoughtfully created, well maintained, and a positive reflection of all the great things Canby has shown me it can be.

 

 

My Campaign Focus: Clear Direction, Stronger Economic Engine, Growth With A Small Town Sensibility

While running for Mayor, I have voiced my strong desire to serve and provide the leadership that Canby deserves. As I walk around town and talk to people, they always want to know the main issues that I intend to focus on and as a result I thought I’d elaborate on those for you.

Clear Direction

I will strive to be a mayor with a clear and precise vision for the city. Whether it is downtown, 99E, or our neighborhoods, I will consider every aspect of these important components of our town and make my decisions wisely.  For example, with the recent improvements and rejuvenation of our downtown core, I don’t want to see the rest of downtown left behind. I believe all of downtown must look, feel and work together in order to thrive. 

We’ve begun slowly improving aspects of HWY 99E.  Beautiful banners were added to telephone poles and clearly visible signage that marks downtown can now be seen. Despite those efforts we still have crumbling sidewalks and non-existent landscaping.  A clear vision is needed to finish these projects on time and on budget..

When we speak of quiet and safe neighborhoods, once again vision is the key.  How will changing traffic patterns, bus schedules, and truck routes affect everyone?  We have to think of all these things as puzzle pieces that must intricately fit together make a complete picture.

What I am ultimately speaking of here is planning AND execution.  Mayor, city staff, councilors, and citizens must all work together to ensure proper planning and completion of projects is taking place.

Stronger Economic Engine 

1. Further promotion of our infrastructure and our industrial park.  The addition of industrial parks over the past few years has been an incredible and lucrative addition to Canby.  However under the current mayor’s term, it still remains at only 25% capacity with no signs of improving.  This must change.  We must make sure we are attracting not just any business, but the right businesses to Canby, strengthening our place in the market as a desirable location for business.
2. Connecting Berg Parkway to I-5.   Completing this project will increase the transport of goods and services in and out of Canby and will once again add to our desirability as a destination for business.  We must make it easier for people to get in and out of our city if we ever hope to succeed in our goals.
3. Building Our Retail Base.  I live and breathe retail every day.  I run a local retail business and I shop at local businesses.  ‘Shop Local’ is something I hear from citizens on a daily basis.  But all too often, we must travel out of town to have a nice dinner or to do our errands.  We need to show retailers and restaurants how wonderful Canby is for them and at the same time continue to promote those businesses that are already here. This is a huge area of opportunity for Canby and I am confident we can succeed under my leadership.  If we have a desirable business district to keep Canby residents shopping locally, we feed our economy not just from inside our city but from surrounding areas as well.

Growth With A Small Town Sensibility

Naturally we want to grow, but we need to do that without compromising the small town feel and sense of community that makes Canby the place you and I want to raise our families in. The obvious question is how do we do that?  It comes down to community involvement plain and simple.  Growth decisions that we make impact a multitude of people in our community including business owners, families, and anyone else who comes to our city.  I would ensure that citizens play a large part in serving as a guide for city staff and the council and to keep us grounded and aware of what is important to them for Canby as we grow.

Endorsements

I submitted materials on Monday, September 10th, to be included in the voter's pamphlet for the November 6, 2012 general election.  I diligently prepared my statement, materials, and endorsements.  For two weeks, I felt like I was on a whirlwind tour of Canby, seeing old friends & community members and meeting new people who were supporting me on my campaign.  I am truly blessed to have the support of the following citizens (an "*" denotes official endorsement filed with Clackamas County Elections):

Canby Area Chamber of Commerce*

Canby Firefighters*

Wayne Scott, Scott Investments*

Jeff Scott*

Tom Scott*

Mark and Dawn Depner*

Michael Vissers*

Paul & Stefani Carlson*

Traci Hensley*

Shawn Hensley*

Nancy Perman

Bob Backstrom*

Karelyn Backstrom*

Kate Murphy, Degrees of Chic*

Derek Hill, Advantage Mortgage*

Gary and Terri Jones*

Tim & Deb Dale*

Rick Reid*

Larry Boatwright*

Holly and Matt Meredith*

Liz and Bill Chapin*

John Savory*

Lisa Zurcher, Park Avenue Salon

Bricks and Minifigs*

Kevin & Loretta Tolson

Teresa and Scott Sasse, Pudding River Chocolates*

Olive Photography

Scott Miller

Robert Hopkins

Kris & Todd Rocha*

Pam Thomas*

Doug Thomas*

Tim Stewart

Burt and Judy Aus

Judd Palmer

Ryan & Kerrie Oliver

Tim & Cam Davis

Sean Joyce

Christie & John Schwary

Chris German

Keri Morris

Cindy Atkins

Jason & Karen Hewitt

Carmen Ralls

Amy & David Westom

Lonna Bruener

Becky Unger

Lora & David Pittman

Carole Risley

Eric Saub

Renee Stricker

Dr. David Dewar

Dan & Lisa Trisler

Russ & Kaci Hall

Pastor Tim & Heather Barton

Karen Dietz

Dawn Anderson

Jill & Brian Chambers

Nikki & Paul Douglas

The campaign is still thriving and growing; as more endorsements come in, we will update this list!

Chamber of Commerce Endorsement

On August 22nd, the local Canby Area Chamber chose to endorse me as their candidate for Mayor.  Here is a summation of their letter:

"As a candidate for the position of Mayor of Canby, thank you for taking the time toshare your views on business with us.  We appreciate our openness in discussion of these issues.

The Canby Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has voted to endorse you in yoru candidacy for Mayor.  We believe your views parallel those of the Chamber, and look forward to continuing to work with you in this position."

I am proud of this endorsement and look forward to showing the business community my commitment to them during the campaign.

Passionate About Canby

I am passionate and enthusiastic about the town I live in:  Canby, Oregon.  Can you say that about your town?  I moved here 8 years ago with my family.  I didn't know much about Canby at that time, except that it was a small, tight knit community with a strong agricultural base and a great county fair.

I work for Starbucks Coffee Company.  I soon took the healm of the local Starbucks store here in town.  Management in a fast-paced coffee shop has it's challenges, but it is also a great way to see your community one-one-one.  I slowly got to know my customer's, their backgrounds, and why they worked or lived in Canby.

Starbucks believes in strong community ties and support.  It was because of this that I initially got involved with the local Chamber of Commerce.  That soon led to a position on the board, a vice president position on the board, and ultimately president, the position I hold today.  I have become even more attune and in touch with the business community because of this position.  I have come to have a keener understanding of what it means to "buy local" and support your neighbor.  It is truly evident in this community. 

Political aspirations have always been that pie-in-the-sky dream for me, that "maybe someday" goal.  As I become more and more involved with businesses in the community and as I continued to build ties with friends in the community, the opportunity arose to run for city council.  It seemed a natural fit for me.  I had a good understanding of the town and what was truly important to the community; I knew I would maintain my integrity and focus in the position; I would also learn more about the political animal that is local city government. 

I was appointed to the position of City Councilor in the Fall of 2009.  I ran for re-election and won in the Fall of 2010.  I have been honored and blessed to be able to serve as a councilor in this town.  My decisions as councilor are always made honestly and with the city's best interest at heart.  My decisions are based on what I feel are the best choices and directions for the city, tax payer money, and the livability of the community. 

As I turn to running for mayor, I am guided by these same principles:  community passion, fiscal attentiveness, and having an "open book" attitude when it comes to the issues of the city.

I heart Canby.