It is good to be home after a seven-day, 80-mile rafting trip on the Idaho Salmon River, an amazing experience. I feel very blessed that I still get to have adventures like this in my life and then can return to our equally beautiful Illinois River and home in Cave Junction. It is also a relief that the cooler weather and a lot of hard work by firefighters has brought the Smith River Complex North fire over 85% contained and under a smaller incident management organization. Although contained, it is not completely over yet folks.
The recent rain, which is good for the fires, also is a clear reminder that we are approaching the winter season. It will be interesting to see what this year has left in store for us. Don’t forget that there is an annular solar eclipse Saturday, Oct. 14 that crosses over Oregon. The best places to view this short solar event are along parts of the Oregon coast, the Eugene area, and in parts of central Oregon. Although the 2023 eclipse won’t be as dark as the 2017 eclipse, it will still be pretty impressive. Fortunately, I will be in Eugene that week for the League of Oregon Cities annual conference. If the weather cooperates, I hope to get a good view.
During my term as mayor, I think a lot about my role and how I can best positively impact the city I live in. We are very lucky that we have a strong city council that works well together and with staff to enact laws and policies. Not all cities in Oregon are this fortunate. As mayor I act as the chief executive and administrative officer of the city in charge of carrying out the policies set by the council. The mayor is also in charge of the day-to-day operations of the city. We are also extremely fortunate to have a stable, competent city staff who with very little conflict and drama, manage the business and day-to-day work necessary to keep the city flowing smoothly (another river analogy!). This allows me to attend things like the LOC annual conference in Eugene Oct. 12-14. This is a great opportunity for mayors, councilors and managers to share and learn from their peers. I hope to come back renewed with enthusiasm and new ideas.
