(Courtesy photo for the Illinois Valley News)
Jesse Dugas and his family moved to the Illinois Valley when he was 12. His parents stopped by a property with a “For Sale by Owner” sign in Selma. “It was nothing but a small clearing and an old Case backhoe,” said Dugas. “Growing up here, going to school here, and calling this home is something I have always taken pride in.”
Dugas left the Valley and went to Eugene for school, then moved back to Grants Pass. “I never thought I’d return again to live here.”
After meeting his wife and son, Rayes, he briefly moved back to Selma but ended up back in Grants Pass since he was working in Medford, running his dad’s construction company.
“Then we had an opportunity to move back to Cave Junction, a house, back in the community I was raised in,” explained Dugas. “We now had Zack who was under a year old.”
These were busy years for Dugas who decided he was done with construction work and drove 1 1/2 hours to college to do something else that he loved. He also decided to start coaching again and then started up a new company from his garage.
“Fast forward a little bit, and Sandy and I decided we wanted to have more kids, shoot for that girl, and here we are with a 7 and 4-year-old, and we are so happy to be raising them here.
“Six years ago I was asked if I was willing to run for City Council; I decided to run, and I lost. No excuses – it was last minute and I have no issue with the person who I lost to. She is still in Position 3 (Jean Ann Miles) and I hope to continue to work with her. She is one of the people who urged me to run for Position 4 two years later, I did, and I won. She is also the person who ran on the ticket for mayor this year alongside me. I’m glad she still has her current position (council president); she is good for the city.”
Dugas said being a council member has its challenges and that it truly is a thankless job. “It’s non-paid and you are one gear in the machine tasked with making the decisions that will impact the city, and the people of it for years to come. It’s also not something that should ever be taken lightly.”
Over the last four years, Dugas said he has gotten the opportunity to work with some incredible people. “I love everyone who is on council, and am thankful I have gotten to work with them. I think highly of Meadow (former mayor Martell), and I’m very thankful that I have Ethan Lane, Tina Casey Jones, Miles, and Jason Peters to work with going forward as fellow council members.”
In conclusion, Dugas said he has a high regard for the city and its staff and pledged to do his very best for the people of Cave Junction.