Incumbent Councilors Jordan Ohrt and David Patty have been joined by political newcomer David Giglio in winning the race for Stayton City Council following the Nov. 8 election.
According to figures released Nov. 22 by the Marion County Clerk’s Office, Orht was ahead with 1,881 votes, followed by Patty with 1,688 votes and Giglio with 1,538 votes.
Rounding out the totals were challenger Steve Sims with 1,257 votes and incumbent Councilor Paige Hook
with 1,052 votes.
Ohrt, Patty and Giglio each said they look forward to serving together and with fellow city officials.
“I was excited to see that David Patty would be re-elected and David Giglio would be joining the council as they are both great assets to the council and the community,” said Ohrt.
“I think we’re aligned in a lot of things, and I think that kind of cohesion is going to serve us really well,” said Patty.
“I think Ohrt and Patty being re-elected gives a lot of testament to the trust and vision of the community,” said Giglio.
Ohrt is finishing her first term on the council after being elected in 2018. She was a political newcomer at the time, and she has since learned the value of taking action at the local government level.
“Local government is the most accessible government,” she said. “This is where change happens and where we as citizens can be most effective. All of the councilors and mayors are available and approachable and I hope that people will take the opportunity to be involved as much as possible.”
Ohrt said an ongoing project to add a secondary water source to the city’s drinking water system, which recently received grant funding, is going to be a big step forward.
“Getting this project finished will be an amazing accomplishment,” she said.
Patty is also finishing his first council term after running for office for the first time in 2018. He spent much of the last four years talking with residents and community stakeholders, and said his re-election signifies that his priorities are in alignment with the community’s.
“For me, it was kind of affirming that the policy directions we’re going toward are shared with the people of Stayton,” he said.
Patty also placed a high priority on infrastructure development like water system and road improvements, and said he would like to see more projects brought to a shovel-ready state so Stayton could seek out grants for funding rather than draw from city revenue or take out loans. He also said support for public safety should be a priority in the city budget.
Giglio will hold elected office for the first time, but is no stranger to the Stayton community, having grown up in town, started a small business here and becoming involved as a board member for the Stayton Chamber of Commerce. Giglio said, while campaigning, he gained a deeper appreciation for why people choose to live in Stayton.
“There really is a sense of community pride in our town, and I really want to see that grow,” he said.
Giglio said, once in office, he wants the city to identify short-term goals it can achieve to build momentum toward larger goals, with priorities like public safety and infrastructure. He said his initial goal is to get a sense of the dynamic on the council and how fellow officials work together.
“I want to learn, I want to find out where our next steps forward are, and then to achieve a shared vision,” he said.
Sims said he was not surprised by the election results, as he had been away from the town where he grew up for a number of years and did not know as many people as he used to. He said he was humbled by the voters who did support him, and plans to remain involved in civic leadership.
“I think this is a learning experience for me,” said Sims. “I don’t think it’s a failure at all. I’ve never been involved in an endeavor like this before.”
Hook was first elected in 2018, and said she still plans to be involved in civic leadership when her term expires. She congratulated the candidates who won
“I look forward to speaking to them often about important issues,” she said.
