Troutdale Mayor's Exclusive Interview

Interview with Mayor of Troutdale

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.