Last week, Council President Jean Ann Miles, Recreation Committee Chair John Miles Parks and I attended the 99th annual League of Oregon Cities (LOC) conference in Bend, Ore. Several hundred city leaders representing 241 cities across the state were there. I also tagged on an Oregon Mayors Association Board of Directors meeting prior to the LOC conference.
The three LOC days were chock full of informative sessions for mayors, councilors, and city managers. I attended the Small Cities networking meeting, sessions on hate speech and civility, fostering collaboration with local organizations to build stronger communities, lobbying our legislators, government ethics, an update on the Supreme Court decision in the Grants Pass vs. Johnson case about homeless camping, and FEMAs proposed strategy to implement changes to the National Flood Insurance Program in Oregon. The closing session was a discussion on the Aspen Institute’s report that presented six new principles for measuring rural development. I came out of that session thinking that our small town of Cave Junction is doing just fine.
There were many opportunities to have meaningful conversations, connections, and exchanges with other city leaders. Relationships with other government officials have been an important and helpful resource for me. It is also good to hear issues other cities are having and their solutions to common problems we all share.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, an American politician, former public health professor, author, and the director of the Department of Public Health, and Veterans Services for Wayne County, Michigan. He had some interesting perspectives from his childhood experiences in Egypt and the challenges we are facing today.
We also had some unscheduled excitement when the power in the entire building where we were meeting went out. After a couple of hours, they got them back on and we were mostly able to pick up where we left off. All in all, the time spent at this conference was worthwhile and informative.
Don’t forget to vote. Measure 17-122 is an opportunity on the ballot for the city to earn money to help with tourist related activities. A transient lodging tax will come from tourists visiting our city, not out of the tax payers pocket. Measure 17-123, sponsored by Three Rivers School District, is a bond for safety, security and reroofing aged buildings.
Another important opportunity is Nov. 9 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Chevron. This is a free tire take-back for up to 10 tires.