Interview with Mayor of Troutdale
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Mayor Jim Kight of Troutdale has been under attack by his
political enemies from the day he took office in 2008. In spite of the personal
attacks on him by the opposition he continues to effectively represent and
serve the city.
At this point he has shown to be gracious and patient with
those who are his ardent critics. True leadership doesn’t take things
personally but focuses on what is best for the community. Troutdale has made
major strides in the last four years under Mayor Kight’s leadership. His energy
and talent has been directed in accomplishing those projects that would best
serve the community. He keeps his eye on the ball.
Q. How do you
envision Troutdale’s progress?
A. We are almost at build out for homes with only 16 acres
of developable land. The one area that
shows the most promise is our industrial area north of I-84. We are making
major improvements with the $43.1 million from the Port of Portland investment
at our Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park, home of FedEx Regional Hub. Our
south side of the downtown shows promise for redevelopment which will help
match our north side. The recent purchase of Troutdale Market Center home of
the former Thriftway shows real promise with the proposed new tenants.
Q. What is the
biggest concern you hear from community members?
A. They are worried about keeping their jobs. You look
around neighborhoods and notice empty houses. They are often empty because
someone lost their job and couldn’t make the mortgage payments.. One of the
reasons I’ve have been working so diligently to make transportation
improvements is that it creates immediate jobs and more importantly supports
freight movement to our north industrial sites.
The major impediments to the industrial sites has been poor arterialconnections
to these areas. With the $22 million
dedicated to the two-way on Marine Drive off of exit 17 that negative will be
removed. We have the potential to have hundreds of new jobs at the TRIP
location. With the pending construction of the $680 million Troutdale Energy
Center thousands of jobs will be created.
Q. What is
Troutdale’s strength as a regional player or is Troutdale more self-contained.
A. We are the envy of
many cities that in the region for several reasons. Currently we have actual and proposed $844
million in projects both private and public in our city. In this economy that
is unheard of. We are also at the west end of the Columbia Gorge, which is a
real haven for tourists. During the peak of the season, for example you will
find it difficult to get a room at McMenamin’s Edgefield from May to September.
Over 40,000 people attend the outdoor concerts at Edgefield. There isn’t
another location quite like this in the Pacific Northwest.
Troutdale is considered
to be a respite from the big city and a fun place to visit. Our strength is in
our ability to make people feel they have been brought into a big family. That
is the attraction of a small city.
Q. Your faultfinders
claim that you are assertive. What is your response?
A. Being assertive isn’t necessarily a negative. Where would
we be if Thomas Edison decided not to be persistent? How would the course of
history been changed if not for the tenacity of President Abraham Lincoln?
Would Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas be in office today if he wasn’t forceful
and determined?
Keep in mind that we are competing with 242 other cities in
Oregon for transportation improvements, and to attract businesses to our
cities. A local example is Mayor Scott
Brugge of Scappoose, who eliminated all fees for business licenses. As a result
millions of dollars have been invested in his city of 6,680 creating new jobs
close to home.
In today’s economy you had better be at every meeting
selling your city otherwise it’s is a guarantee that improvements will not
happen. Investment dollars don’t come to your community by the mayor staying
home or being at work. I’m selling and marketing our city at every opportunity.
That is one of the reasons I believe that the electorate chose to put me in
office. They know I get things done.
Q. The office
building that was built next to your home has been the focus of controversy.
What is your explanation of the process?
A. We need office space because our business was starting to
take over our home. Little did I know at the time that my opponent wouldn’t
allow me to have shared office space at city hall. So now my office space
serves as the mayor’s office as well.
The building was constructed by a general contractor so that
there would be an arms-length transaction. The final blueprints were signed and
approved but all departments, inspected and approved with a final certificate
of completion given 17 months ago. In the final report authored by the
investigator, she concluded the building was built according to current code
and that eleven city employees testified that no undue influence was used.
The building project set idle for over a year and a half and
the city had ample time to terminate the project or ask for corrections.
Actually we received notices to quickly complete the project as approved or we
would have to start over and pay for the same permits twice.
Q. At this point over
$48,750 of city taxpayers’ dollars have been spent to what amounts to financing
a smear campaign with public funds. What is behind all of the energy that your
opponent is putting into it?
A. What I find most egregious is the total waste of
taxpayers’ dollars. The published cost of this investigation doesn’t even
include the thousands of dollars in staff time and resources. What a waste!
They have spent what amounts to an annual salary for a police officer or our
share for an economic development director for three years.
Not surprisingly my
opponent outright refused to listen to explanations from the building department
or the planning department. I wasn’t allowed to speak in my own defense or
provide any explanation nor was there any public involvement. None whatsoever!
It is important that voters check out who is making the
donations and who is endorsing the candidate. Then ask the question who serves
to gain if their candidates win.
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