Lyons “Excited” About Mayoralty

Mayor-elect Monica Lyons

Ask Toledo Mayor-Elect Monica Lyons how she feels about her term beginning next week and she is likely to say “I’m excited!” Lyons comes into the job after serving two years on the Toledo City Council and a board position on the Toledo Main Street Program. She easily beat a field of four other candidates in November to win the job. She acknowledges 2011 and 2012 may not be easy years for Toledo, but she believes the town can make it through to better financial times, despite the current challenges. “Infrastructure improvements are our top priority,” she said. “We need to head off major system problems to avoid the kinds of emergencies we have had.” Lyons thinks the incoming council and existing staff are very able, and creative, and will be up to those challenges. “Over the next couple of years, I see this group bringing in ideas about Toledo’s growth, and what our next steps are,” Lyons said. “There are enough councilors who know how cities should be run that we’ll reach consensus on solutions for important issues.”

Another big step, Lyons believes, is to “rebuild our strategic fund (depleted by the recent out-of-court settlement with Road and Driveway over the company’s proposed move of its asphalt plant from Newport to Toledo). I think we’ll look at whether there is other city property that can be sold for development,” to help rebuild the fund, she said. Lyons also hopes money can be found to hire one more police officer. She said the annual council goal setting this winter will be an important milestone, giving city officials a better idea of what they can accomplish in 2011.

Lyons has two other major areas of concern in mind. One is the continuing cost burden of the Toledo Pool. She hopes that a recent rate increase, new programs and new ideas from Pool Manager Joe Andrews will increase the pool’s income and make it a more important social gathering point. She is also hopeful that the REC (Recreation East County) group will be successful in creating a recreation district to help solidify pool funding and support other recreation programs (REC is working toward a 2012 ballot measure for a special taxing district). Her other concern is the discussion about the future of the Mary Harrison Elementary building that continues with a public meeting January 6. Although the city has no money to put toward any development, supporters of a new role for Mary Harrison “need to know the city is behind them,” Lyons said. “We can’t give monetary support but we can give moral support.”

However 2011 plays out, Lyons is convinced Toledo will find a way to grow and strengthen itself because she is sold on the residents’ work ethic and commitment to the future. “I believe Toledo needs to remain a full-service city and will be able to build on what it currently has,” she said. Lyons and the three council members elected in November (Mark Camara, Jack Dunaway and Frankie Trujillo-Dalbey) will be sworn in at the January 5 council meeting. The council will also interview applicants that night for appointment to the seat vacated by Lyons due to her election as Mayor and choose a replacement.

You can read an interview with outgoing Mayor Rod Cross here.

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Secretary of State Finds No Campaign Violation By Lowell Neal

Toledo mayoral candidate Lowell Neal says he has received a letter from investigator Carla Corbin of the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, informing him that he did not violate Oregon campaign law. A complaint against Neal was filed in September concerning emails he allegedly sent to people with city addresses, and an incident in City Hall in which he apparently attempted to pass out campaign literature.

According to Neal, Corbin’s letter states: “The undue influence law is read very narrowly and in this instance we are unable to establish you violated this statute. Fidelity to election law is something this office takes very seriously. We are nevertheless alarmed by the allegations made in this complaint. Candidates for public office hold the public trust and should endeavor to avoid even the appearance of undue influence.

After a review of the information submitted the Elections Division has insufficient evidence to indicate you violated ORS 260.665, ORS 260.695 or ORS 260.432 when you sent a political email to a city of Toledo employees’ work email and displayed political material during a City of Toledo council meeting. Not finding a violation of election law, the Elections Division determines this investigation is closed and does not intend to pursue this matter further.”

Neal has questioned the complaint. Amberg said “I hope the public understands it is my responsibility to try to assure that any impropriety that could affect city staff is investigated.”

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Letter to the Editor: State Rep. Jean Cowan

Dear Editor:

With the election behind us and most of the races decided, I’m taking this opportunity to offer my thanks and appreciation for the support I received from House District 10 voters.

I am grateful that this campaign did not take on as high a profile as some in other parts of the state. I did my best to communicate in a respectful and positive manner about my accomplishments and goals for the future. It is very gratifying to have that effort rewarded with a decisive victory.

Tuesday’s election marks a new day in Oregon. An equal split between Democrats and Republicans in the Oregon House means we must work together to solve our common challenges. To accomplish our goals, those of us entrusted with conducting state business must now enter into new agreements, create new working partnerships and legislate with a renewed spirit of dedication to Oregonians.

That work begins immediately. Already there are discussions going on to determine the best models for governance as we move forward.

We will face many challenges in the upcoming session, as well as some new opportunities for cooperative improvement efforts. The budgetary dilemmas that lay ahead are formidable, but I am willing to face them honestly and realistically. I remain certain that Oregonians are committed to continuing our most essential services – education, public safety and the support of our most vulnerable citizens.

Above all else, we must find the best path towards creating sufficient numbers of jobs so that all Oregonians who want to be gainfully employed can find work.

Your confidence in me is truly appreciated; I look forward to representing you during the 2011 legislative biennium.

Jean Cowan

State Representative

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Anti-Incumbent Mood Skips Toledo

Mayor-elect Monica Lyons

(Updated 8:00 a.m. November 3 with more final numbers, comments from Mark Camara. Now 99% of the votes counted)

Toledo voters overwhelmingly chose City Councilor Monica Lyons as their next mayor November 2. She defeated two other declared candidates and a pair of write-ins with 529 votes. Lowell Neal received 137 votes; Ed Johnston 101. Final write-in votes for two other candidates were not reported by the Lincoln County Clerk’s office.

Incumbents Jack Dunaway and Mark Camara were the top two vote-getters for three City Council positions. Dunaway received 738 votes and Camara 636 votes. Newcomer Franki Trujillo-Dalbey was elected to the other seat with 531 votes. Donald K. Lee Sr. received 378 votes. The new officers will take their oaths in January. Lyons will resign her council seat at that time, and the remainder of her term will be filled by City Council appointment.

Lyons said “I want to thank everybody. I will do my best by everyone in Toledo, and I want them to know my door is always open.” Lyons says she will continue the tradition of Tuesday ‘Breakfast with the Mayor’ because “it’s important to have a Mayor who is approachable.”

Council member Jack Dunaway was the top vote-getter on the municipal ballot. He said he is looking forward to working hard to ensure the city can deliver all its essential services “in these challenging economic times.” Franki Trujillo-Dalbey said “I’m going to work my hardest and best to make our town even better.”

Mark Camara, reached at a conference in Quebec, said “I’d like to thank the voters for keeping our team on the City Council together, and I’m looking forward to the addition of Franki Trujillo-Dalbey.  We’ll be facing some very difficult challenges in tough economic times, and it’s going to be important that we work not only together, but with the entire community to find fair, equitable, and  cost-effective ways to maintain City services and infrastructure and ensure that Toledo prospers.”

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Get Election Results Here

You can visit us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for real-time results on Toledo municipal elections beginning at 8:00 p.m. tonight.

You will find unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s office at this link.

You will find unofficial results from the Lincoln County Clerk’s office at this link.

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