Summary by Candidate
Identified Speakers and Summaries:
Teresa Cisneros
- Introduction: Cisneros identifies herself as a member of the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas, bringing her cultural and indigenous perspective to the forum.
- Key Focus: Cisneros emphasized the need for compassion, equity, and inclusive perspectives in city governance. She highlighted her long experience in social justice work and focused on bridging the divide in the community. She stressed the importance of alternative economies and solutions to the housing crisis, particularly for families and marginalized groups. Cisneros also called for an elder committee to offer wisdom and input on city matters.
Douglas Nauer
- Introduction: Nauer has a background in corporate management and moved to Ashland five years ago.
- Key Focus: Nauer emphasized transparency and improved communication between the City Council and Ashland residents. He highlighted the importance of managing the city’s economy, particularly in light of upcoming challenges. His approach is pragmatic, advocating for providing skills training for the homeless to help reintegrate them into the workforce. He also stressed the need for businesses that fit within the city’s fabric while ensuring environmental sustainability.
Jeff Dahl
- Introduction: Dahl is a current member of the City Council with a background in engineering and organizational leadership. He was born and raised in Ashland.
- Key Focus: Dahl brings a data-driven, analytical approach to governance, with a focus on collaborative leadership. He emphasized the importance of finding long-term solutions to the housing crisis, economic development, and public safety. He also discussed infrastructure challenges, such as water and electricity, as essential for Ashland’s development. Dahl is focused on building empathy and respect into the decision-making process.
Kelly Mark Atoli
- Introduction: Atoli is an educator with a background in teaching and preschool work.
- Key Focus: Atoli highlighted the need for transparency and a fresh perspective in City Council. She expressed concerns about the lack of trust in local government and advocated for more open communication with residents. She emphasized alternative revenue streams and the importance of making Ashland a better place to live, while also proposing community-building initiatives to foster greater unity.
Dylan Bloom
- Introduction: Bloom was appointed to the City Council 19 months prior to the forum and grew up in Ashland.
- Key Focus: Bloom stressed the importance of working collaboratively to find solutions to Ashland’s challenges, particularly around housing, wildfire mitigation, and economic development. He shared personal stories about his own housing struggles, which shaped his views on the need for better social safety nets and affordable housing for all income levels. Bloom emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to housing and business development that benefits all of Ashland, not just specific areas.
Eric Nikis
- Introduction: Nikis has a background in architecture and urban planning, with a focus on Oregon’s land-use policies.
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Key Focus: Nikis emphasized the need for progressive planning and protecting Ashland’s zoning for employment and light industry. He is concerned about losing these zones to housing developments, particularly in areas like the Croman Mill site. Nikis supports upzoning to allow for more affordable housing and is keen on revitalizing Ashland’s downtown by bringing more residents into the area. He is also an advocate for climate-friendly planning.
Catherine Lutz (Moderator/Questioner)
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Introduction: Lutz is the past president of the AAUW Ashland branch and the current state president of AAUW Oregon.
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Role: She served as one of the forum’s questioners, focusing on eliciting responses from candidates on a variety of issues.
Morgan Roth Born (Moderator/Questioner)
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Introduction: Roth Born is a reporter with Ashland News, previously with the Rogue Valley Times.
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Role: As a questioner, she asked candidates about their approaches to handling conflict on the council, homelessness, and economic vitality.
Key Themes from the Speakers:
Housing and Homelessness:
Many candidates, including Cisneros, Dahl, Bloom, and Nikis, emphasized the importance of tackling the housing crisis. Cisneros and Bloom shared personal experiences, making a strong case for empathy-driven solutions. Nikis and Bloom discussed the need for strategic zoning and making the development process more accessible.
Economic Development:
Nauer and Atoli called for diversifying the local economy, suggesting ways to reduce Ashland’s reliance on tourism. Dahl, Bloom, and Nikis emphasized creating mixed-use developments to support both housing and business growth.
Public Safety:
Public safety was primarily discussed in the context of homelessness, with candidates such as Cisneros, Nauer, and Atoli advocating for compassionate approaches. Nauer proposed creating opportunities for the homeless to re-enter the workforce, while Cisneros pushed for a more open and honest community conversation on the issue.
Wildfire Mitigation:
Bloom and Dahl highlighted the growing concern of wildfires, calling for better fire prevention strategies and increased funding for local fire departments.
Transparency and Trust:
Several candidates, especially Atoli and Nauer, highlighted a lack of trust in the local government, calling for more transparency in council decisions and more effective communication with the public.