Two city officials with long histories of public service are running for mayor in Stayton. Incumbent Mayor Hank Porter was unable to seek a third term due to new term limits.
City Councilor Brian Quigley and Planning Commission Chair Ralph Lewis are vying for Porter’s position, to be decided during the Nov. 8 General Election.
Porter’s second consecutive term concludes this year, and a city charter passed in 2018 limits mayors to no more than two terms in a row.
Porter said, even without a term limit, he felt like five decades off-and-on in city office was more than enough and it was time to clear a path for new leadership.
“It’s just time to go do something else and let other people have a shot at it,” said Porter.
Councilor Quigley
Quigley was first elected to the City Council in 2010 from a crowded field of eight candidates, joined by victors Larry Emery and then-Councilor Porter. Quigley said his goal was to protect Stayton’s identity as a quaint small town and avoid the politics he saw undermining council cohesion.
Quigley told Our Town his goal as mayor remains just as straightforward, and rather than a “catchy slogan” he just has a desire to serve his community.
“Over my tenure on the council, I’ve tried to be fair and objective,” he said. “I’ve made a concerted effort to understand the issues before casting my vote.”
Quigley won re-election to the council in 2014, but resigned in 2019, informing fellow officials he needed time to focus on his health. Two years later, a vacancy opened up with the resignation of former Councilor Chris Molin, and by then Quigley believed he was in a stronger place to continue serving.
“Thanks to advances in modern medicine and extremely gifted cardiologists, I have once again resumed my active lifestyle without limitations or restrictions,” he said in an Oct. 20, 2021 letter to Porter as a candidate for the vacancy. “…During my tenure on council, I tried hard to honestly be the people’s representative. It was not always fun or easy, but I knew what I was getting into when I volunteered to serve.”
Quigley was appointed back to the council that December and has since been part of efforts to hire a new city manager and set policy regarding the state-legalized psilocybin businesses.
If elected mayor, Quigley said such council business would be “forward facing” with an emphasis on partnership and transparency.
“I’ll strive to be as accessible as possible and represent the city’s interests when collaborating with other government agencies and the community at large,” said Quigley.
Outside of public office, Quigley is a program manager for the Oregon Department of Forestry, with a background in fleet repair management and law enforcement.
Commissioner Lewis
Lewis has been serving on the Planning Commission since 1998, in addition to time on the Parks and Recreation Board and Budget Committee. He also served as a city councilor from 2015 to 2017, though he was unable to secure re-election in 2016 or 2018.
Lewis moved to Stayton in the 1990s, where he and his wife raised a family. He said in his 2018 candidate statement that he was running for office to help preserve Stayton as a town for families like his to thrive.
“I love this place, and want to help make it the right place for others to make a life for themselves as well,” said Lewis. “Stayton has a lot to offer, and I want to help it grow and prosper as a community, now and into the future, so we can all be proud to call home.”
Lewis could not be reached for comment for this article.
In addition to government service, Lewis has worked as a special education teacher and a social worker, including recently as an adult protective service worker for Northwest Senior and Disability Services. He also has a background in visual communications and taught industrial arts in Sierra Leone and U.S. Virgin Islands through the Peace Corps.
The outgoing mayor
Porter said, whichever candidate wins, they will need to be ready for a variety of challenges.
He said, during his five decades in and out of city leadership, including as mayor, councilor and planning commissioner, he has learned many challenges cannot be anticipated.
“Whatever situation comes up, you just deal with it,” he said.
Porter also said he hopes the next mayor is more willing to be direct with city councilors, and said he may have held back when fellow officials needed a bit of a stronger nudge.
“I’m looking forward to somebody with a little more control on that council and pushing a little harder,” he said.
Porter has worked with both Quigley and Lewis while in office and said both men have their strong points.
Porter added this is a prime opportunity for Stayton to embrace a new mayor, as they recently hired a new city manager, the school district has a new superintendent and the fire department a new chief.
“It’s just a good time to get a bunch of new people,” he said.
Porter said his time in office has “been a good ride” but now it is time for he and wife Sandy to take things a little slower and enjoy the community they adopted back in 1968.
“Sandy and I sort of embraced this community and it embraced us in return and that kind of a relationship, and we’re basically thankful for it,” he said.
