Biography, Activities, & Community Service

About Brian

I am currently a City Councilor in Canby, Oregon and have held this position for 4 years. I would be honored to be your next Mayor of the City of Canby.

I would be honored to be your next Mayor of Canby. I will be your voice. I will set and provide direction after listening to all the voices of the city--citizens, businesses, and public servants. Our city deserves strong leadership and I am dedicated to that cause.

A vote for Brian Hodson is a vote for leadership and commitment. A vote for Brian Hodson begins the next great chapter in Canby's legacy.

Family
Married to Meg Hodson
Three children, all attending Canby schools
Family attends Canby Alliance Church

Education Info

College:

• Linfield '97
• BA Psychology, Psychology, Music Performance

High School:

• Mission Viejo High '92

Work Info

Employer: Starbucks

Position: Store Manager

Time Period: February 2006 to present

Location: Canby, OR

Employer: Starbucks

Position: District Manager

Time Period: October 2003 to February 2006

Activities

City councilor, President (Canby Area Chamber), Board Member (Canby Area Chamber), Operation Snuggle, Clackamas County Coordinating Committee, Trost Elementary School Clean-Up, Metro Toy Drive, S.M.A.R.T. Volunteer

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.

 

 

Campaign Promotional Items

Would you like a yard sign, campaign button, car sign, or palm cards? Simply email our campaign manager, Meg (wbfavors@gmail.com) and we will get you set up!

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.

Why Am I Running For Mayor?

It was 4^th grade.  A fellow student, Holly, and myself, with various assignments, Mrs. Cohen would refer to us as “President and Vice President”.  We had an innate ability to command presence in the classroom, we always volunteered to take on projects and extra credit, and we were always willing to help other students with their homework.  This memory always stuck with me.

As I grew older, this childhood memory grew into a “heart for service”.  I had a desire to help people.  My parents were (and still are) incredible role models of service.  My older sister has multiple disabilities and they have been her primary care provider for 42 years.  You don’t do this unless you have extreme love but also a desire to serve, to care. 

I come to you today with a strong desire to serve.  To serve as mayor means to boldly take the reigns as a leader.  To lead is to inspire others, empower others, and ultimately, see them become leaders.  It would be an honor to serve Canby.

My Vision For the Library

The library in Canby is an important issue for many voters, as it should be.  Our library needs improvements and I am looking forward to what will be a beautiful addition to downtown.  I am still receiving a lot of questions about my vote on the library and what my idea for an alternate plan would have been.

I published a complete response in regards to my "no" vote on my blog.  The reasons for my "no" vote included:  the debt load we would incur with the proposed plan, the lack of community involvement with the plan that was approved, and the location of the library tying up prime economic real estate that is close to 99E.  I urge you to read my full post.

In reality, I did come to both Mayor Carson and our city administrator, Greg Ellis, with my idea for a plan.  The library fought hard years ago for their current location on Holly and 3rd, adjacent to Wait Park.  This is Canby's living room.  It makes sense to have the library in this location.  There was structural research done on the current building and it was found to be structurally sound and could be remodeled and added onto.  There is also additional real estate directly behind the current library; I offered the idea that these properties could be acquired by the city and we could build and extend the library back.  It was also found that you could add a second level to the library. 
The most enticing part of such a plan is that we would save a significant amount of money!  We still get our new library, still take advantage of historically low construction rates, yet have a lower debt load that we can payoff quicker in the future. 

Would you still have wanted the current library project at a price tag of $8.1 million if you knew $500,000 is pulled from schools every year the URD is in place? Such funds are also pulled long after the URD ends as we still pay off the debts incurred by the URD program. 

When I brought these ideas to Mr. Ellis, he did say these could be considered.  Mayor Carson essentially had no response and did not offer the idea for consideration or push it forward in any way. 

It's also important for the citizens of Canby to understand that the mayor and city council positions are not full time, paid positions.  Yes, we have influence and we make decisions.  But our city administrator, planner, and outside consulting agencies (consultants that often do not even live in Canby) are the ones formulating the plans and policies that we then meet on and make decisions on.  While we as a council will contribute, shape, mold, and determine what is right for our community, it is important to know that there are others involved in the process.  Communication and open dialogue is crucial, so educated decisions can be made.

Your Vote Is +1

We hear it all the time in elections:  "Why should I vote?  My vote doesn't count really."  Nothing could be further from the truth!  For me, there are many ways that your vote and position has power.

1.  Historically Close Elections.  Remember the Bush and Gore presidential election?  There have been many races that have been decided by a marginal amount of votes.  While most presidential elections will not be decided by that close an amount, the scenery changes when we speak of state, county, and city elections.  It doesn't get any more personal than an election, such as mayor, in your hometown.  In my opinion, every vote does count in Canby, Oregon.

2.  Your Influence On Others.  Let's face it, some people do rely on others to help direct them to what candidate might be the best person to vote for.  People have influence.  The president himself will often support and rally for fellow candidates in the hopes of influencing people.  Everyone has an opinion on something, even if that opinion is "I don't vote".  Even your neighbor putting a campaign sign in their yard will at least make you pause and take notice.  They might even think, hey, they are trustworthy, so I suppose I should vote for that candidate.  Maybe you'll ask them why they are voting for that candidate.  Maybe you will delve deeper.  This leads me to.....

3.  Endorsements.  I take pride in the endorsements I have collected so far in this campaign.  Thank you!  With that being said, I sincerely hope people do not vote for me strictly based on endorsements.  My hope is that instead you take an endorsement and investigate deeper.  "Why are the firefighters choosing to endorse Brian Hodson?  I wonder what their issues are?"  Or, "Wow, that's a close, personal friend of mine and I didn't know they supported Hodson for mayor.  I need to talk to them."  These are the kinds of questions and conversations that we need to be having. 

Your actions speak much more than just your one vote.  Your vote is most definitely a +1.

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!

Voter's Pamphlet Statement

The rules and regulations for voters' pamphlets limit you to a very small submission to be included in what voter's see as your "mission statement".   Below is the full version of what I would have liked to be printed in the upcoming voters' pamphlet:

My fellow citizens, I, Brian Hodson, would be honored to be your next Mayor of Canby.  As Mayor, I will be your voice.  I will set and provide direction after listening to all the voices of the city – citizens, businesses, city staff and the Council.  Our city deserves strong leadership and I am dedicated to that cause.  “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” –John Quincy Adams.

·         Clear Direction:

o    Our direction and goals needs to be re-established.  What do we want and need as a city?  With citizens, businesses, city staff, and the council, we will work as a dedicated team to accomplish this. 

o   One-on-one commitment to discussing the needs of our city’s future with families and business owners.

·         Stronger Economic Engine:  Canby is the crown jewel of business and economic growth in the County.  To capitalize on this, we must:

o   Be fiscally focused, making sound decisions with a clear vision.

o    Spur new small business growth.

o    Improve transportation within and through our city.  This will draw investment, create jobs, and make our local economy thrive.

·         Growth With A Small Town Sensibility: With direction set and the engine roaring, where we take Canby is crucial.

o    Sensible yet innovative planning of homes, parks, local and county roads, and businesses.  I have worked with businesses and their challenges, like design codes.  I will continue this direct involvement.

o    Work to maintain our tight-knit community as we grow.

Will it be easy accomplishing these goals?  No.  Can it be done?  Yes.  As a retail manager and city councilor, I have listened directly to the community and made tough decisions.  This kind of leadership, stewardship, and dedication is what Canby deserves. 

A vote for Brian Hodson is a vote for leadership and commitment.  A vote for Brian Hodson begins the next great chapter in Canby’s legacy.

www.facebook.com/HodsonforMayor

www.hodsonmayor.blogspot.com

Impressive Community Center in Ohio

I am wrapping up my family vacation visiting family in Ohio. We are spending our last day at a wonderful community center in Middleburg Heights. It offers so much: indoor pool, outdoor pool, indoor track and workout room, 3 basketball courts, the chamber of commerce, community information, baseball and soccer fields, and a playground/ picnic area. There is also the library next door, police station, and meeting space. It's self-contained, central, and impeccably kept.

I think back to when voter's voted down Canby's park and rec district. Was it about cost? Was it about proper planning and vision? It's hard to say. I am not sure how this center is funded, but it is certainly an asset to the community.