Members of each of the city’s neighborhood associations came together at the Keizer Civic Center on April 11 for a presentation from candidates running for the several open positions within city hall this year.
The positions open are: Keizer mayor as well as council positions 1, 2 and 3.
The office of mayor is currently held by Cathy Clark, while council positions are held by Laura Reid (position 1), Shaney Starr (position 2) and Kyle Juran (position 3).
Currently, contested positions include the office of the mayor as well as council position 1 with Clark facing former Keizer mayor Lore Christopher while position 1 features Franciso Saldivar and Marlene Parsons competing.
Neither Lore Christopher or Marlene Parsons were at the event due to illness and prior engagements.
The event was hosted by the neighborhood associations and allowed potential candidates to introduce themselves and their prospective reasons for why they should be elected by community members.
Each candidate was given around 10 minutes to present and a short question and answer session was held afterwards.
Two questions were asked overall in regards to DEI initiatives undertaken by the city as well as whether or not candidates would support another attempt at setting up a public library within Keizer.
Clark was asked about continuing DEI initiatives in Keizer to which she responded that DEI programs would continue to grow and evolve within city hall.
“I think it’s really important for people to feel heard, that we are fully engaged, to listen, ask meaningful questions and move toward collective solutions together with diversity and inclusion,” Clark said.
The next question, asked by Rob Witters, dealt with councilor support for a city library to be stood up, noting the ballot measure that was voted down by Keizerites previously.
While all candidates supported Keizer having a library, each provided the caveat that a vote for one would need to be partnered with a plan detailing how to make a library sustainable as previous attempts failed due to the associated cost that would be placed on Keizerites to support it.
Contact Quinn Stoddard
[email protected] or 503-390-105
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