Council forum: Six candidates, three seats, lots of questions

Ashland City Council candidates took turns answering questions at the Ashland City Council Candidates Forum Sunday afternoon. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
October 14, 2024

Affordable housing, homelessness, wildfires, downtown business — and how to work collaboratively — dominate Ashland City Council forum

By Damian Mann for Ashland.news

A City Council candidate forum on Sunday filled the Mountain Avenue Theatre at Ashland High auditorium with about 200 residents.

Candidates responded to questions for two hours from sponsors of the event — the American Association of University Women, the League of Women Voters and Ashland.news — and the audience.

On hand to moderate and ask questions were Regina Ayers, co-president of the Ashland branch of AAUW of Oregon, Catherine Lutes, state president of AAUW, and reporter Morgan Rothborne, representing Ashland.news.

About 200 people attended the Ashland City Council candidate forum in the Ashland High School Mountain Avenue Theatre Sunday. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini

Candidates discussed a variety of issues that face the city, including the wildfire threat, the downturn in the local economy, the struggles faced by businesses in the downtown, the decrease in attendance at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and declining enrollment at Southern Oregon University and the Ashland School District, along with homeless issues. 

In council Position 1, Teresa Cisneros, an Indian Education Facilitator for the Southern Oregon Education Services District, is running against Douglas Knauer, who is on the Ashland Planning Commission and is retired from a career in corporate management.

Council Position 2 candidates are incumbent Jeff Dahle, who runs a technical consulting business, and political newcomer Kelly Marcotulli, who is a preschool educator. 

For council Position 3, incumbent Dylan Bloom, an automotive operations manager, faces challenger Eric Navickas, who was on the council from 2006 to 2010 and is an organic farmer.

Teresa Cisneros. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Teresa Cisneros, Position 1

Cisneros, describing her background as a woman of color, said she hoped to bring a sense of humanity to the council.

“We’re exhausted with mistrust,” she said. “ I want to bring a whole-person perspective to this job.”

Cisneros said that if she found herself in disagreement with another councilor she would keep asking questions to get a better sense of the differences.

“If we disagree on personal values, then we get into trouble,” she said.

Cisneros said she wants to continue her 20 years of social justice work on the council, if she gets elected.

“We have a population of people that don’t feel welcome here,” she said. “It’s taken decades for me to feel comfortable here.”

During that time, she said she has found herself unhoused twice and has had to struggle with reactions to her skin and color.

Affordable housing is critical for many people who live and work in Ashland, she said.

“We want to maintain this as a family place,” Cisneros said.

She said the City Council needs to do a better job of including seniors. Cisneros said she would encourage the creation of an elder community committee.

Marcotulli criticized the short-lived creation of a homeless shelter. The shelter at 2200 Ashland St. was only open a few months but closed in the spring after concerns arose over the expense of remodeling the facility to bring it up to code for residential occupancy.

“It’s a homeless shelter that is no longer a homeless shelter,” she said

Marcotulli said that part of the Ashland population doesn’t feel included.

“I like to believe I belong in this city,” she said. “It’s not enough to give lip service. I want to see action from this.”

Douglas Knauer. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Douglas (Doug) Knauer, Position 1

Knauer, Cisneros’ opponent, said he moved to Ashland five years ago and discovered many issues that confront the city. “I think we have some big challenges that we are facing,” Knauer said.

He said that when disagreements arise, he would probe with logical arguments to come to a resolution.

“If we end up in disagreement, we will vote accordingly,” he said.

The threat of wildfires is the top priority for Knauer.

“When you go to people’s houses, they are concerned about what the chances they could lose their house,” he said.

The economy, and the continued shortsighted reliance on tourism, are important, Knauer said. He cited wildfire smoke and ongoing bad air during the summer as having a strong impact by reducing tourism.

He said the city hasn’t recovered economically after COVID-19 and a number of smoky summers.

Ashland, Knauer said, should turn itself into more of a year-round festival town.

He said providing high-speed fiber optics would attract more new businesses to the city.

Knauer said he didn’t know why Southern Oregon University isn’t more a part of the city.

Transparency in government is a top priority for Knauer.

“We need to explain ourselves,” he said.

Knauer said he finds most residents want good public safety and a clean city.

He said public safety and cleanliness can coexist with homeless issues.

Knauer said many homeless are basically decent people who are struggling.

He said one idea is to somehow create a program to provide the skills for many of the  homeless to work in various business.

One by one, we can start to address this,” he said.

Jeff Dahle. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Jeff Dahle, incumbent, Position 2

Dahle said he hopes to continue to bring collaborative leadership to the council, saying “It has been an honor to serve.

He said he wants to solve the problems facing the city as best as he possibly can with “kindness and a bit of fun.”

Dahle said he thought preparation was important before discussing an potential disagreement.

“First and foremost, do your homework so you ask the right questions.

He said he would attempt to lead by example and express opinions as respectfully as possible.

Dahle said the topic on everyone’s mind is the potential existential threat to the city from wildfire.

“There is such a thing as here today, gone tomorrow,” he said.

Economic development is important for a summer tourist town that has been hit with record heat and wildfire smoke.

He said Ashland needs to shift from a summer-based economy to a four-season town to diversify its economy.

When he was a kid, Dahle’s mother would always complain about the traffic in downtown Ashland during June.

At that time, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which operated over the summer months, went dark during the winter.

Climate issues are also an important concern, he said.

Homelessness is an issue that really hit home for Dahle.

“It really felt like we were in full triage mode,” he said. “I was ill-informed about the magnitude of this.”

He suggested a more empathetic approach.

“We’re using old tools for novel problems,” he said.

Kelly Marcotulli. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Kelly Marcotulli, Position 2

Marcotulli said there is a lack of trust and transparency in city government.

“We need to listen to the people, and listen to what the people want.”

Marcotolli said the word “respect” comes up again and again.

But she said disagreements are inevitable.

“You can’t get a clear solution by being a ‘yes’ man or a ‘yes’ woman,” she said.

Marcotulli said economic development is important to her, particularly creating a local economy that has local residents in mind.

“For some reason, we have restaurants that citizens can’t afford,” she said.

The city needs to take a good look at fees and reducing red tape to stimulate economic incentives to help the city grow.

“These barriers need to be looked at and changed,” she said.

The gateway into Ashland at the south end of town needs to be beautified and improved because it’s the first thing people traveling to the city see, Marcotulli said.

“We are a gem,” she said. “Why isn’t our city doing better?”

She suggested the city attract more events to make better use of public spaces.

“Why don’t we have a Renaissance fair?” she asked.

Another top issue is the lack of trust with local government, she said.

“We should work on reviving that sense of community,” Marcotulli said.

She said the city should do more to encourage new mountain bike trails.

“Let’s bring tourists from elsewhere, including Medford.”

She said the city should look at potentially changing the meals tax.

Marcotulli said the police force is doing an incredible job and cleanliness in the city does have some issues.

On homelessness, Marcotulli, who has prepared food for the unhoused, said, “It’s better for us to approach it with an open heart.”

Dylan Bloom. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Dylan Bloom, incumbent, Position 3

Bloom said he wants to continue to work collaboratively with councilors and the public while working through issues and negotiating differences of opinion.

“I like to think I bring an infectious energy,” he said.

Disagreements are inevitable and that’s why it’s important to have strong relationships with colleagues and the public, Bloom said.

“You need to be checking your ego at the door and having some love,” said Bloom, who provides his phone number to residents who want to ask him questions or provide comments.

Bloom said the top issues for him are wildfire mitigation, housing of all types and economic development.

“Phoenix and Talent, why are they booming and we are stagnant?” he asked.

As a renter, Bloom said it is a struggle to find affordable housing in the city.

He said it’s difficult for developers to take on affordable housing, so the city needs to partner with organizations such as the Jackson County Housing Authority, which focuses on developing affordable housing.

Bloom said the city has gone through a rough patch, losing city staff members.

He said the city has finally filled many of the open positions.

More needs to be done to bring in mixed-use developments that would increase the city’s housing stock.

Bloom said he wants to encourage economic development citywide.

“We need to lift up all of Ashland,” he said.

Bloom, who went to schools and the university in Ashland, remembered a time when Ashland had a lively musical and entertainment scene.

“There has been a lack of energy about how to make Ashland lively again,” he said.

Eric Navickas. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini
Eric Navickas, Position 3

Navickas said he brings a background in urban planning and his support for Oregon’s pioneering land-use laws.

He cited his previous experience on the council, helping lead an effort to build 120 units of affordable housing. He said he hopes to add more affordable housing if he gets elected.

Navickas cited Hegelian dialectics, a method of argument that that provides a framework to develop a synthesis to work through conflicting ideas, as a process that he’d would like to see on the council.

Navickas said his three top issues for the city include providing affordable housing, a more diverse economy and solutions to improve a struggling downtown.

He wants to update the 1989 downtown plan with the hope of injecting more vitality on Main Street.

Navickas said Eugene went through a period when its downtown languished, but the city took steps that have created a more vibrant city center.  Navickas said the city is rapidly losing areas that are zoned for business that provide employment and also losing light industrial zoned areas.

He said the Croman Mill site should be protected for light industrial zoning instead of becoming another residential area.

“We could recruit businesses with good paying jobs,” he said.

Candidate Forum video
To see a video recording of the Oct. 13 candidate forum, click here.

Water financing forum Oct. 23
Another measure on the Nov. 5 ballot will have a profound impact on what kind of water supply — and financial commitments — elected councilors will have to deal with in coming years, and decades. A panel discussion and question and answer period is set for 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, to be conducted as a Zoom webinar. Ashland.news and the Ashland Climate Collaborative are cosponsors of “The Future of Ashland’s Water: A Panel Discussion on Ballot Measure 15-234.” To register (required, so you get the Zoom link), click here. For more on the event, click here.

On homeless issues and the police, Navickas said, “We’re putting a lot of energy into policing rather than services.”

The council candidates offered a variety of views about Measure 15-234, which asks voters if they support an up-to $75 million bond to build a new water treatment plant to replace an existing 80-year-old facility.

Cisneros said it was a difficult question for her and she thought the city could do a better job explaining it.

“I don’t understand how the pieces work together, she said.

Knauer said the existing treatment plant is old and it’s on a tiny road surrounded by trees in a narrow canyon.

“I don’t think the location serves us anymore,” he said.

Dahle said he remembers being a junior in high school when the city began talking about replacing the current facility, which he said could fail at any time and could be destroyed by fire.

“This should have been solved 15 years ago,” he said, noting that its an investment in the future for children and grandchildren.

Marcotulli said she wasn’t in favor of a brand-new plant and was concerned about putting the city in debt.

She suggested possibly clearing trees around the existing plant to reduce fire danger, but she also said she understood the concern around water.

She said repairing the plant would be like paying for repairs on a car rather than replacing it with a new car.

Bloom said that, as a automobile service advisor, when repairs are so expensive, “there are times when you need to buy a new car.”

He said the $75 million is actually a line of credit, and there is the possibility that loans could be forgiven in the future.

“It’s an investment in infrastructure and investment in our future,” he said.

Navickas said the existing treatment plant is in a dangerous location because of fires or flooding.

“We need to invest in our future,” he said.

Reach freelance writer Damian Mann at [email protected].

Oct. 16: Link to video added.

Related stories:

Q&A with Ashland City Council candidates Dylan Bloom and Eric Navickas  (Oct. 14, 2024)

Q&A with Ashland City Council candidates Jeff Dahle and Kelly Marcotulli  (Oct. 10, 2024)

Viewpoint: What Ashland voters want City Council candidates to talk about (Oct. 10, 2024)

About 200 people attended a public forum for Ashland City Council candidates at the Mountain Street Theatre at Ashland High School Sunday afternoon. Ashland.news photo by Bob Palermini


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Bert Etling

Bert Etling is the executive editor of Ashland.news. Email him at [email protected].

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