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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Neighborhoods Employment Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 23, 2006 Three square off in race for Talent mayor By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune TALENT — Three candidates vying for the mayor's seat in November offer some variety for voters: They include a three-term council member and current president; the founder of a local peace event; and a longtime business owner turned volunteer. All three candidates acknowledge the city faces growth, though each has a different perspective on managing the inevitable changes to come with more residents and traffic. Three-term Talent City Councilman Don Steyskal, council president, said he decided to run for mayor due to a lack of candidates and because he could offer continuity to the council with the departure of longtime mayor Marian Telerski. "I felt like it was important to have someone with an understanding of where Talent's been and where we're going and experience in dealing with the other different entities and bureaucracies that cities have to deal with," Steyskal said. The 54-year-old said he'd always felt a pull to serve his community, reasoning, "if not me, who?" A Norton Lumber employee and near two-decade Talent resident, Steyskal is a proponent of infill, preferring a buffer between Talent and other cities, and supports a bond measure for a new police station in the city. Advertisement "I think we need to manage growth properly. I don't think we can stop it, short of suspending the U.S. Constitution, but I'd just as soon not see a megalopolis in the valley here," he said. Other issues for Steyskal include rebuilding the city's infrastructure to catch up to growth and to figure out long-term funding for services not funded by SDCs, such as police protection. Steve Traisman, organizer of World Peace and Prayer Day in Ashland, said a more holistic approach would serve the city well. "I have an overall vision for helping to turn Talent into a sustainable community. I think the solution is in turning Talent green," Traisman said. A psychology graduate of Northwestern University, Traisman said the city is "in danger of becoming victimized by runaway development." Efforts towards sustainability, Traisman said, include biofuel powered buses, police cars and garbage trucks. As mayor, Traisman said he could offer some much-needed hope for his community. "A mayor represents all the people, not just the developers and contractors; a mayor is a leader that is supposed to reach out to all the people to give them nourishment and hope," Traisman said. The lone female candidate, longtime resident Gloria Thorpe, put her name in the hat for the mayor's seat because she said she could "make Talent a livable spot, where we don't have to go so far to find things and where we can just be comfortable in our hometown." The 76-year-old moved to the Rogue Valley to attend what is now Southern Oregon University in 1946 and has worked as a teacher, insurance agent, farmer and hotel owner. For 25 years, she ran the Ashland Hotel. "I've been in the business community for a lot of years, and I've volunteered nearly as many, too," Thorpe said. Thorpe's volunteer contributions include work with the Southern Oregon University Foundation and Ashland Hospital to the Chamber, Rotary club and the Soroptomists. Thorpe said citizen involvement is the key to building strong communities. "I really believe that volunteering is what people should do and a lot of Talentonians are retired so I think they should get in and see what the community needs," she said. As mayor, Thorpe said she could guide the inevitable. "There's been so much growth, and I think it could get rampant and out of control," she added. "Because I have worked with people so long, I think I can bring cohesiveness to the town as far as understanding the problems and having people make good decisions." Aside from the mayor's race, five council seats are up for grabs, each with a candidate to fill it. Three four-year terms are being sought individually by incumbent Bob Wilson and newcomers Lynn Perkins and William Cecil. Incumbent Brian Roberts will seek a three-year term while incumbent Ed McManus will be challenged by newcomer Don Chapin for a two-year term. Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. CANDIDATE BIOS: Gloria Thorpe Age: 76 Employ- ment: Retired Education: Bachelor of Science in education Experience: Business and volunteer organizations Top three priorities if elected: 1. Ensuring the city's focus is on locals. 2. Making sure growth is controlled. 3. Implementing Oregon Department of Transportation's final road construction with beautification. Steve Traisman Age: 53 Employment: Retired, youth counselor Education: Bachelor of arts in psychology, Northwestern University Experience: Created and ran Walk In Peace, an event that resulted in more than 12 town meetings addressing community issues. Top three priorities if elected: 1. Develop affordable housing, so residents can continue to afford living here — especially young people, single mothers and elders; preserve historic buildings; keep Talent as a city with its own unique identity; preserve and expand parks and open spaces; balance growth and business expansion with human needs. 2. Make Talent a "green city" committed to sustainable principles and environmental principles that lead to healthy lives; stop the fluoridation of our water; develop biomass as a potential energy source for Oregon; emphasize quality education for our young people. 3. Keep Talent beautiful — pursue planned growth that creates the kind of community we can all be proud of; develop a conscious master plan that celebrates the natural beauty of Talent; create meaningful income opportunities for Talent residents; clean up the eyesores; provide city support for concerts and other night life. Donald E. Steyskal Age: 54 Employ- ment: Norton Lumber Co., White City and Phoenix Education: Associate of engineering in survey technology, Oregon Institute of Technology Experience: Talent City Council, three terms; member of Talent Planning, Parks, Budget, Urban Renewal and various ad hoc committees (charter review, personnel search, etc.) Top three priorities if elected: 1. Be open to ideas from the community. I may not have all the answers, but I know they are out there. 2. Continue to improve the fiscal state of the city. Good management of public funds is a duty that is owed to the citizens. 3. Continue the great improvement of city services that has been shown over the past decade. Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing GMAT Prep Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com