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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Massive sinkhole closes part of Highway 101 in Brookings-Harbor; see ODOT picture ... Harry & David drives profitable quarter for 1-800-Flowers ... Lithia Motors reaches settlement with Federal Trade Commission ... Massive sinkhole closes part of Highway 101 in Brookings-Harbor; see ODOT picture ... Harry & David drives profitable quarter for 1-800-Flowers ... Lithia Motors reaches settlement with Federal Trade Commission ... OUR VIEW Our View: Council service fails to spark much interest Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Medford leaders expressing concern over the lack of women and minority residents willing to serve on the City Council may be missing a deeper problem. It's not just women and minorities who are uninterested. It's everyone. It's true that there have been no women on the council since the death of Councilor Karen Blair in 2014, but there have been women members, and a woman mayor, in the fairly recent past. It's also true that the council has no non-white members, but that's hardly surprising in a community that is 86 percent white. Of greater concern is the lack of interest in general in serving in city government. Council members have run unopposed, and when the council asked for applicants to be appointed to replace Blair, only two came forward, although the council prefers to have three to choose from. At the time — the fall of 2014 — that lack of interest prompted some on the council to broach the subject of paying council members some nominal amount in hopes of convincing more people to serve. That never came to pass, but it might be time to revisit the idea. It's hard to blame community residents, regardless of gender or ethnicity, for declining to take on an unpaid position that requires many hours of meeting and studying time every week. Council members — who deserve credit for making those sacrifices — often must read hundreds of pages of eye-glazing documents involving zoning and other complex topics to prepare for meetings. It's especially understandable that minority residents such as the owner of four small retail businesses would be unwilling to volunteer time. Working long hours to make a business succeed doesn't leave a lot of time for civic business. Claudette Moore, a former Medford council member, noted that women with families also don't feel they can devote the time. Medford is the largest city in the county, but it pays its council members nothing. Central Point pays its mayor a $3,000 annual stipend and council members $1,800. Ashland pays just $500 to its mayor and $350 to its councilors, but also offers a health and benefits package. According to a 2006 study, Bend offered $2,400 to its mayor and councilors. Those nominal amounts would be unlikely to cause a rush of candidate filings, but they might help a little. While residents want the strongest possible councilors serving the city, regardless of sex or race, there are untapped resources in the community who would not only bring that strength but also bring the diversity needed to truly represent the entire city. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 28, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501