Incumbents largely uncontested in local elections
Incumbents made up the majority of candidate filings for special purpose district races for the May 20 election, with most positions unchallenged. The only races locally where more than one candidate filed were two seats for the Cascade School District and one seat for the North Santiam School District.
Chemeketa Community College
Zone 4: Incumbent Ken Hector, a retired risk management professional and former mayor of Silverton.
Cascade School District
Position 3: Spencer Rockwell, a local attorney; and Michael Cross, an Air Force veteran with a background in business ownership and management.
Position 4: Incumbent Aaron Lee, an automotive technician; and Eric Diehl, a sales and property manager.
Position 5: Incumbent Brett Stegall, a business manager and current board chair.
North Santiam School District
Position 1 Zone 1: Incumbent Mackenzie Strawn, a carpenter and owner of Stayton Wood Windows.
Position 3 Zone 2: Brunk Conley, an army veteran, former teacher and current CEO of Conco Consulting.
Position 7 At Large 2: Incumbent Alisha Oliver, vice president of member services at NW Preferred Credit Union; and Jeff Stutrud, a retired police officer.
Aumsville Rural Fire Protection District
Position 1 (2-year term): Incumbent Nicolas Schrock, manager of environmental health and safety for Transformer Technologies LLC.
Position 2: Incumbent Rachel Fellis, a program analyst for Oregon State Police.
Position 3: Vanessa Swenson, a home health nurse.
Lyons Rural Fire Protection District
Position 2: Incumbent Eric Whisman, civil service assistant for Oregon Department of Forestry.
Position 3: No candidate filed.
Stayton Fire District
Position 1: Incumbent Eric Fery, president and owner of Ag Chains Plus.
Position 4: Incumbent Kenneth Rich, a retired heavy equipment operator.
Position 5: Incumbent Thomas Etzel, a retired public works employee.
Sublimity Rural Fire Protection District
Position 4: Incumbent Michael Bochsler, a life insurance and financial services specialist.
Position 5: Jeff Gallinger, a fire lieutenant and paramedic.
Lyons-Mehama Water District
Position 2: Incumbent Zachary Holman, a local millwright.
Position 4: Incumbent Brent Dolby, a millwright and electrician.
Position 5: Incumbent Don Trahan, current board chair.
Santiam Water Control District
Position 1: Incumbent Gary Butler, a local farmer.
Position 2: Incumbent Randal Gilbert, a farmer with Mark Lewis Farms.
Position 3: Incumbent Marty Dozler, a farmer with Mark Lewis Farms.
Position 4: Incumbent Bob Koenig, a local farmer.
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Stayton puts $2.7M library levy on the ballot
The City of Stayton has proposed a $2.7 million library operations levy for the May 20 election, to replace a similar levy expiring next year.
Titled Measure No. 24-511, the proposal would cost landowners $0.56 per $1,000 of assessed value, roughly $141 per year for the average landowner. The existing levy is $0.40 per $1,000. The replacement levy is expected to cost an additional $40 per year on average.
In an explanatory statement, the city said the levy is needed to maintain current service levels at the library, including operating hours, staffing levels and community programming. If the levy does not pass, the city said it may need to reduce hours, lay off staff or close the library.
According to the city, the library used to be fully funded by city revenue, then statewide tax measures passed in the ‘90s capped the property tax rates the city was able to impose. This resulted in a separate operations levy to fund the library, pool and parks in 1998, and voters have since passed replacement levies in 2002, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016.
In 2021 the city proposed separate levies, one for the library and another for the pool and parks. Voters approved both that year. Measure No. 24-511 is a continuation of the library-specific levy. A separate levy will be proposed in the future for the pool and parks, according to city officials.
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Aumsville FD proposes $1.6 mil operations levy
The Aumsville Fire District has proposed a $1.6 million operations levy for the May 20 election, which would replace an equipment bond expiring this year.
Titled Measure No. 24-512, the levy would cost landowners $0.44 per $1,000 of assessed value, equating to roughly $200 per year for an average house in the district. This is the same rate as an equipment bond passed by voters in 2014, and approval of the levy measure would result in no change in district tax rates.
According to the district, a levy is needed to meet the rising costs of facility repairs and maintenance and make necessary improvements to district buildings. The main station on Church St. was built in 1974 and received an addition in 2000, and the secondary station on Shaw Hwy SE was built in 1982 and received upgrades in 1994. Neither building has been renovated since.
Levy funds could also be used to maintain staffing levels: three part-time firefighters, a chief, an assistant fire chief, and one office administrator currently on staff.
