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Gold Hill elects Roddam A longtime resident of Gold Hill was elected the city's new mayor Tuesday. Tim Roddam won 70 percent of the vote Tuesday night in a race against Patrick C. Pillon. The mayor-elect has lived in Gold Hill for 10 years and in the Rogue Valley for almost 20, which he says can bring some stability to the office. Previous mayors and council members have been the targets of sometimes successful recalls, and Roddam said that "revolving door" was in his mind when he ran for the office. He said he saw a need for someone to get involved in the community, and he wanted to help. Roddam, who said he has no political experience, said he wants to make sure City Council meetings run smoothly, and he wants to hear people's ideas and see if he can help them realize their dreams. He sees public safety as an important issue, but one that won't be solved easily or quickly. A committee will make a recommendation next week whether to stay with the town's police force -- Police Chief Dave Crawford is awaiting trial on coercion charges -- or to have a Jackson County sheriff's deputy take over patrols. When asked about attracting growth to Gold Hill, Roddam said if the government can be stabilized, then residents will rise to the occasion and do projects such as Gold Dust Days that interest them and will attract outsiders. In the next several years, "Gold Hill is going to blossom," he said. "It'll be beautiful. It's going to be fun." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA