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Six line up for Ashland city post By TONY BOOM ASHLAND - A vocal critic of city government who has a pending legal action against the city has filed for a vacant position on the council. Philip Lang, who has been granted a writ of review that seeks nullification of a lease between the city and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, is one of six applicants who filed by the deadline Monday. Former Ashland Student Taxi owner Andrew Bangsberg, attorney Joe Charter, planning commissioner Chris Hearn, resident Jay Lininger and therapy institute vice president Patrick O'Rourke also have applied for appointment to Position 6 on the City Council. David Fine resigned the position in June. City Council members will interview the candidates Aug. 1 at noon. They could meet and make an appointment before the Aug. 7 meeting or appoint a new member on that date. Lang, 63, filed for the writ of review last year after the city agreed to a lease with OSF for a new theater building and a parking structure. Lang contends that the city failed to determine if the lease was in the public's best interest. "The writ of review is the kind of problem that was created that is exactly what we need to prevent," said Lang. Lang said his other top interests are diversification of the town's tourist-based economy and assessing the impact of the boom in real estate prices. Representation of people ages 18 to 35 is the single reason Bangsberg, 23, seeks an appointment, he said. Current council members include Cameron Hanson, 45; Cate Hartzell, 45; Don Laws, 65; John Morrison, 56; and Susan Reid, 57. "We need the youth there to have the train of thought that youth has. It is different from the train of thought of different generations," said Bangsberg, who has lived in Ashland for three years. Lininger, 26, was born and raised in Ashland. He served on the city's ad hoc committee on watershed protection last year. He does public land oversight for the Klamath/Siskiyou Wildland Center. "The City Council must do more to consider the costs of growth," said Lininger. Council members, who own their homes, aren't doing enough to ensure a supply of affordable housing, said Lininger. "The council needs a young working person to balance out the representation of interests," he said. Charter, 44, said quality of life is his biggest concern. He has lived in Ashland for one year and in the valley for 10 years. "An important issue is affordable housing ... and what we can do about that and preserving both the natural environment and small-town culture that we enjoy," said Charter. Charter serves on Ashland's Forest Lands Commission. In Medford he served on the school district budget committee and the planning commission. He is an attorney who works on employment and family law issues. Hearn said he would focus on assessing and managing growth. "Growth and development is probably the key issue facing the city," said Hearn. "Ashland is losing its small-town character." Hearn, 39, lost to council member Hartzell by 69 votes in November's election. He is an attorney who deals with land use issues. Hearn serves on the city's budget committee and is a member of the Ashland Community Land Trust. O'Rourke recently moved his publishing and workshop-training business to Ashland. He is executive vice president of The RADICAL Forgiveness Institute for Coaching and Therapy. He has also worked in finance. He was on the board of directors of a California community access cable television station. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.