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Our current leadership has given us giant subdivisions, expensive and unneeded public works projects, snarled traffic - the list goes on and on! How much of our cherished 'Silverton lifestyle' have we already sacrificed in their pursuit of 'growth at any cost'?

I believe that we must slow Silverton's growth before we run out of clean water and exceed our sewage treatment capacity. It will be very expensive to replace these facilities (again!) and that cost is paid mostly by current residents through higher sewer and water rates. As your mayor I will propose an amendment to the city charter to require that all new annexations over two acres be put to a vote of the people. (Currently, citizen voting on annexations is at the discretion of the Council.)

I intend to provide essential city services of excellent quality at the lowest possible cost. During my term as your city councilor I have been the 'squeaky wheel' when your tax dollars are being spent. I saved you at least $90,000 during the last four years by doing independent research, applying logical principles and proposing smart alternatives - sometimes against strong opposition from city staff and other Council members. If they had listened a few more times we could have saved millions! As your mayor I will carefully oversee the city budget to be sure that you are getting the best value for tax dollars spent without compromising quality or service.

The Silverton Dam is classified a "high hazard" dam by the Oregon State Water Resources Department, and its failure would destroy much of our town. The State of Oregon's upgraded forecast of a major earthquake (9.0 or greater) and recent failures of similar earthen dams around the country demand that flood prevention become a top priority. The "CodeRed" telephone alerting system is a first step, but it is useless now in the event of a dam failure. As your mayor I will diligently seek FEMA and other outside funding to fully study and then correct the problem.

I was born in Silverton in 1948 and have lived and worked here all my life. When I was growing up it was not unusual to see one or two of our police officers walking in the downtown or residential neighborhoods, getting acquainted with people and being a part of the community. As your mayor I will re-start Community Policing and Neighborhood Watch programs to reconnect the Silverton community.

I don't claim to have all the answers, but I can recognize good ideas when I hear them. I'm very accessible - I live in Silverton, I work in Silverton and you know you can find me at the Corner of Oak and Water when you have a City Council issue or movie suggestion.