My Areas of Focus
My primary role as a city councillor will be to listen to the members of my community and bring their voices into the work that I am doing. In addition, these are areas that I think are important for the future of Philomath.
Housing
Philomath is going to grow. The real question is how, and who that growth is actually for. I don't want to see Philomath become priced like a Corvallis commuter suburb, out of reach for the people who already live here or the people who want to put down roots.
I live in Millpond Crossing myself, and I've seen firsthand what happens when the city doesn't hold developers fully accountable. The cost, both monetary and emotionally, lands on families, not on the people who caused the problem. If elected, I'll push for the kind of oversight that lets Philomath grow without repeating that mistake.
Communication
As a co-chair of the Inclusivity Committee and one of the lead organizers of Philomath Pride I've spent years doing exactly the kind of coalition work this platform is built on - bringing together neighbors who don't always agree, securing city permits, managing budgets, and getting people to show up for something bigger than themselves. That's the work I want to bring to the council: real listening followed by real follow-through, not decisions made behind closed doors and explained after the fact.
Your city officials work for you and as residents you should feel like you are welcome in the conversations that are happening at City Hall.
Accessibility
A welcoming Philomath starts with our own city buildings. I recently learned that the doors to City Hall and our council chambers, where municipal court is also held, have no automatic openers, so residents who can't operate a door on their own can't get in without help. That's not anyone's fault, but resolving this should be a priority, a step in the direction of addressing other accessibility gaps in our parks and public spaces.