Longtime Stayton Parks and Recreation Board member and Planning Commission member Richard Lewis has stepped down from both boards after a decade-and-a-half of service.
On Dec. 30, the Planning Commission canceled its regular meeting and instead held a celebration recognizing Lewis’ contributions to the city.
During the Dec. 4 meeting of the Stayton City Council City Manager Julia Hajduk said Lewis believed it was time to step aside and let others have an opportunity to serve.
“He’s been such a longtime member of boards and committees in the city of Stayton,” said Hajduk.
The same year Lewis moved to Stayton, 2010, he was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Board by then-Mayor Gerry Aboud.
Lewis said he wished to serve because the parks were a reflection of the people of the community and represented an opportunity to serve both existing and new residents.
He was part of efforts to build an off-leash dog park downtown in 2017, which now bears the name of late former Mayor Henry Porter.
While on the parks board Lewis applied to an open position on the Planning Commission in 2018. His application said he had been attending the meetings for two years at that point and he wanted to help Stayton remain a friendly and clean community as new businesses and homes were built. He was appointed in January of 2019 by then-Mayor Porter.
Lewis retired from both boards as of Dec. 31.
