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Medford vote rides on growth That issue ripples across the city, candidates note By Jessica Smith If there�s one thing every Medford city candidate has in common, it�s this: They all want to control growth. From sitting Mayor Lindsay Berryman on down, candidates for mayor and council running in the Nov. 7 mail election say managing growth is not just a priority. It�s THE priority. Because in a town that has seen a 28 percent population increase since 1990, the candidates say, growth influences every aspect of how we live. Housing density. Traffic. Air and water quality. Park development. All are affected by the rate of growth, candidates say. That goes for Berryman and her challenger, Susan Hand. And for John Michaels, Ward 3 councilman, and his opponent Rachel Chartier. Same for Ward 4 Councilman Bill Moore and rival Dennis Nielsen. And for all three candidates � Janet Meyer, Ed Chun and Mark Soderstrom � in the Ward 1 seat being vacated by Curt Bennett. "Growth is going to be a big issue for a while," said Chun, 34. "Our forefathers obviously didn�t anticipate the kind of growth this city would see." The tangle of streets that drivers must navigate to get from one end of town to the other is just one example of the problems that could have been solved with more foresight, Chun said. Ask any candidate, and they�ll tell you how they�d manage growth to avoid repeating past mistakes. Berryman, 55, Medford�s first woman mayor, said she plans to encourage valley-wide planning if re-elected to the city�s first four-year mayoral term. "I�m interested in making sure that we (address) growth on a regional basis and do it in a way that protects our resource lands and also helps communities develop in a cost-effective and efficient manner," Berryman said. Her opponent, Susan Hand, 46, said she wants to ensure that existing neighborhoods are protected from the pressures of growth. "We (say) Medford should be an outstanding livable community," said Hand, referring to the city�s year-old Vision document. "I don't see policies being made to move us toward that vision." Too often, Hand said, city leaders jeopardize established neighborhoods by overlooking the effects of added traffic from nearby growth. Traffic and the stress it places on the city�s existing streets is a major concern, said Chun, Soderstrom and Meyer, the candidates for Bennett�s open Ward 1 seat. According to Chun, the city has taken a big step toward improving traffic by adopting a transportation plan that identifies and prioritizes street improvements. Soderstrom, 44, said he supports putting growth outside the city�s urban boundaries to alleviate traffic bottlenecks such as the south Interstate 5 interchange at Barnett Road. "Before the city puts more trips on an east Medford street, it needs to look at where else to put these people," said Soderstrom, who also supports incorporating new cities to manage growth. But Meyer, 65, said traffic would best be managed by making maximum use of land in the urban growth boundary. "I know what I don�t want to see," Meyer said. "Urban sprawl and huge housing projects. I think we have to look at filling in the urban spaces way before we look at developing outside the city limits." In the Ward 3 race, Michaels and opponent Chartier, 39, say they both support in-fill policies to control growth. Michaels, elected to the council in 1998, is one of three councilmen seeking re-election. Council President Sal Esquivel is unopposed in Ward 2. If re-elected, Michaels said he would continue to support efficient use of land by encouraging housing development on smaller lots. According to Chartier, neighborhoods plagued by blight could be hiding some real gems. She said she�d like to focus on rehabilitation efforts to clean up Medford�s older neighborhoods and encourage home-buying there. In-fill is a good idea, agreed Ward 4 candidate Nielsen, but he said the city also must develop a balanced approach to growth. "I don�t think it�s a healthy environment to throw people on top of each other," said Nielsen. He said the city needs some sprawl to prevent Medford from becoming too congested. Nielsen, a Medford planning commissioner, was admonished by the council in April for his allegedly "obstructive, argumentative and disruptive" behavior. Nielsen, 51, has conceded that he is argumentative, but said he will continue to ask questions and "call a duck a duck." Councilman Moore, 75, said he wouldn�t rehash the issue during the election. "I�m running on my issues and not Dennis�," said Moore, first elected to his Ward 4 seat in 1992. Among the issues he�d like to pursue, Moore said, is a regional-planning effort that would create buffers between existing cities to help them retain their identities. "We need a comprehensive growth plan that we develop with our neighbors where we say, �This is where we don�t want to grow,� " Moore said. MEDFORD MAYOR Lindsay D. Berryman Political experience: Medford mayor; a current or past member of numerous local and statewide boards and commissions. Job experience: Former owner of "The Cookie Connection." Education: Northwestern University, RN; Southern Oregon University, BS in business administration. Priorities: Continue implementing goals created in the Medford "vision" document; restore native habitat along Bear Creek; create a sports park complex and enhance existing park system; revitalize Medford�s aging neighborhoods; encourage regional planning efforts; develop a comprehensive approach to improving streets, storm drains and sewers. Susan Hand Political experience: Medford Citizen Planning Advisory Committee, Citizens for Preservation of Existing Neighborhoods. Job experience: Former Air Force administrative specialist, safety technician, and administrative assistant; now a homemaker and homeschooler. Education: College of San Mateo, AA, humanities. Priorities: Preserving the environment by promoting responsible land use; protect existing neighborhoods from impacts of growth, including traffic; create an accessible public transit system through city subsidies; create a "beltway" to direct through traffic to the city�s boundaries. MEDFORD COUNCIL WARD 1 Edward S. H. Chun Political experience: Precinct chairman. Work experience: Former sales manager and account executive; now director of marketing, Cascade Investment Counsel LLC. Education: Bachelor�s degree, business administration, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Wash. Priorities: Implement and maintain policies that promote "livability"; enhance Medford�s park system; implement goals identified in Medford�s "vision" document; create transportation alternatives; revitalize downtown with residential development; encourage economic development to create higher-paying jobs. Janet Meyer Political experience: None Work experience: Former public health nurse, now a pediatric nurse practitioner, Southern Oregon Pediatrics; violinist, Rogue Valley Symphony. Education: Nursing degree, UCLA; certificate of pediatric nurse practitioner, UC San Francisco; master�s degree, nursing, Oregon Health Sciences University. Priorities: Maximize land use with "in-fill" development strategies; create "teen-friendly" environments; create low-income housing; enhance public transit and build bike lanes in neighborhoods to reduce traffic; strengthen Medford Police Department�s relationship with the community through outreach. Mark Soderstrom Political experience: Medford Planning Commission. Work experience: Former policy-writing supervisor; now insurance agent and part owner, Insurance Marketplace Inc. Education: University of Oregon; Universite de Poitiers, Poitiers, France; bachelor�s degree, business administration, SOU. Priorities: Identify development possibilities outside city limits, creating new towns to accommodate growth; establish Medford as a leader in regional planning efforts; protect and enhance existing neighborhoods; support a bond levy to renovate the Jackson County Jail; develop timeline and plan to relocate overhead utility lines underground. MEDFORD COUNCIL WARD 3 Rachel Chartier Political experience: Wilson Elementary School site council; member of numerous boards and committees, including the Medford Urban Renewal board. Job experience: Former hospice worker, Providence Medford Medical Center; now a family advocate, Healthy Start, West Medford Family Center. Education: Southern Oregon University. Priorities: Prevent urban sprawl; revitalize Medford�s blighted neighborhoods; encourage residents to mentor Medford�s youths; support transportation system improvements to relieve traffic congestion; encourage community involvement in the decision-making process John Michaels Political experience: Council member; member or past member of numerous city commissions, including the Medford Planning Commission. Job experience: Graphic artist, Image Services. Education: Southwestern College, Chula Vista, Calif. Priorities: Manage growth through "smart growth" initiatives; encourage neighbors to work with one another to solve community problems; revitalize Medford�s downtown area; define and create affordable housing; improve street connectivity to aid traffic flow; maintain personal accessibility to the public. MEDFORD COUNCIL WARD 4 Bill Moore Political experience: City Council member; former and current member of numerous city, regional and statewide boards. Job experience: WWII veteran, U.S. Marine Corp.; former masonry contractor, alcohol and drug counselor; now retired. Education: New York University. Priorities: Practice "politics of inclusion" by involving citizens in decision-making process; maintain monthly ward town hall meetings; creating incentives for local business expansion; protect air and water quality; implement street improvements identified in the city�s 17-project plan; create self-sufficient communities with nearby stores, schools and parks. Dennis Nielsen Political experience: Medford Planning Commission, member of numerous city and regional boards and commissions. Job experience: Publisher, Contractor�s Job Finder; math instructor; general contractor. Education: Bachelor�s degree, statistical analysis, University of California; graduate study, University of Southern California. Priorities: Preserve existing neighborhoods through zoning; establish a "beltline" to the south freeway interchange to get traffic out of neighborhoods; prohibit growth where streets and other infrastructure are inadequate; support public transit with city subsidies; create a more compassionate government response to public. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.