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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News AP Entertainment 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 Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday 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 December 20, 2006 City Council's shifting dynamic New members of the Medford panel predict changes in the way local government operates in the future By Meg Landers Mail Tribune The incoming members of the Medford City Council say they will push for more ideas that originate outside of City Hall when they take office in January. "I believe that the group is going to reflect an openness," said Al Densmore, the newly elected representative of Ward 1 in northeast Medford. That's music to the ears of Councilman John Statler, who has found himself in the minority on issues ranging from the city manager's authority to a major urban renewal project downtown. "Over the last two years, I have felt alone on the council," Statler said. "I don't think I'll feel that way for the next two years." The City Council has come under fire from some residents, who accuse them of making decisions with insufficient discussion. The three new members say they want to make the council more accessible and its decisions more understandable to the public. Advertisement Jill Stout, newly elected representative of Ward 3 in northwest Medford, said she thinks the new members will ask more questions, will consider more comments from residents and will be slower in reaching decisions. She said the addition of the new members should help give the council a broader view of the issues. "I do believe that the council will be a little more balanced," Stout said. Ben Truwe, who defeated incumbent Skip Knight to claim the southwest Medford Ward 2 seat, said he hopes there will be more public explanation. "The council needs to be careful that the reason behind its decisions can't be subject to misinterpretation," he said. Truwe said the council should seek more solutions from constituents as well. "I hope we'll be receiving innovative ideas from people," he said. "They need to call us with ideas as well as gripes." As their first move, the three council members-elect held an informal "town hall" with Statler in a coffee house Dec. 13. They met with about a dozen residents to talk, in part, about whether monthly informal meetings would be a good venue for discussion. The meeting came at the suggestion of Statler, who has served on the council for two years and has been in the minority — sometimes a minority of one — on several major issues. Statler, who has expressed frustration with the lack of discussion by the council, said he predicts the new council will demand more open and public discourse. "Sometimes," he said, "I was the only one who wanted to discuss things more fully." Densmore, a former Medford mayor and state legislator, said the city's growing pains have caused residents to feel disconnected from their city government. The key to changing that, he said, is to create building blocks of individuals and neighbors working together. "We'll never have enough police to chase after everything," he said. "How can we knit our neighborhood together?" He said asking a lot of questions, something he plans to do, can trigger new ideas. "I'd like to see us as a council more concerned about digging deeper into the issues," he said. Councilman Jim Kuntz said he supports trying to seek more interaction with the community, but noted the council at some point has to choose between in-depth discussions at council meetings and moving the agenda forward and making decisions. He said the council has some difficult funding decisions to make before the end of the fiscal year. It needs to examine areas such as the city's need for a new fire station and a police station, he said, as well as the responsibilities that likely will fall on the city as the county begins to make budget cuts. "I'm just looking at some big problems coming down the line and we've got to focus on that. We've got a very busy six months." Councilman Bob Strosser said he agrees with the new members that reaching out to the public is important. "Communication is the task that's never finished and it's never done well enough," he said. "These are not new ideas. We all seem to have a similar mind-set about wanting transparency in government." He said he wishes more residents were involved, and would not only pose problems to be addressed, but also pose solutions. He said he puts responsibility on each council member to seek out public comments. "I see the issue as each council member applying themselves and doing the research." Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing 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