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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 Home News Latest Stories Medford sees rise in unpaid utility bills Medford-Jacksonville bike path becomes part of larger effort Medford clinics testing experimental treatments Public meetings, Sept. 1-5, 2014 Elusive owls get new home in Cascades Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency Services Medford police training program more than a video game Emergency Services Firefighting will close part of Lost Creek Lake over Labor Day weekend MPD crosswalk sting leads to several tickets Politics and Elections Gold Hill mayor faces challenger; other races have one candidate each Medford proposes new rules for pawn shops to help nab thieves Lack of incumbents, pot issue draws 10 for Medford council races Council members in Gold Hill dodge voter recall Bill Pullman campaigns for Oregon GMO labeling law Education Back-to-school shopping can add up RCC program helps prepare Latinos for college SOU launches leadership degree program Medford charter school opens with many changes, including its name Superintendent welcomes staff to a new school year Environment Elusive owls get new home in Cascades Judge won't block release of water Ashland marchers won't give up on climate change message OR-7 could be recollared next month Deadly deer virus may be spreading State news Nation - World Obituaries James (Jim) Michael Giancarlo Janie Sparks Georgia A. Lind Shirley Helen Beal Roberts Lorraine Antcha Dimoff Mattos Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Mariota, Oregon steamroll South Dakota SOU comes up short against Menlo Chiefs’ Smith agrees to 4-year extension Timbers blank Whitecaps Wortman pulls off shocker at SOGC Varsity 541 College Sports Mariota, Oregon steamroll South Dakota SOU comes up short against Menlo 'It's about the win' for Oregon State SOU splits on final day of Merced tourney Plenty to improve upon in Corvallis Pro Sports Chiefs’ Smith agrees to 4-year extension Timbers blank Whitecaps Wortman pulls off shocker at SOGC With heavy heart, Kuchar hovers around the lead Champ Bailey, Michael Sam among cuts Community Sports Super seniors strong at SOGC Crenshaw pulls off upset in SOGC Murphy claims victory in Stroke Play Championships South Korea downs Chicago for World Series title Results / Standings Business Latest Stories Earlier than normal pear harvest coming up short of expectations Blog: Who Loves Coffee? 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Wilderness for Kalmiopsis has served us well Editorials Charter schools prove to be option not obstacle Blistering lawsuit filed in Cover Oregon fiasco Other views: OLCC operates with little oversight Our View: A vote for common sense in Gold Hill Our View: It's not the gear; it's how the gear is used Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Aug. 29 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 28 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 27 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 26 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 25 Guest Opinions Wilderness for Kalmiopsis has served us well The summer of my discontent: An open letter to Bill Rauch The power of local philanthropy Who I am and why I want to serve on the City Council Lifestyle Latest stories Backpacking is glorious in the "Oregon Alps" Hot tips for a cool (shade) garden 'Super-Agers' are coming fast Columnist for a Day: The collection-plate formula still works Shift into the Rose City spirit Food What does 'natural' really mean? 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NW Raw Kelly's Crepes Basil & Berries Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Firefighting will close part of Lost Creek Lake over Labor Day weekend ... Wind shifts should rid Rogue Valley of smoke ... Saturation patrols planned this weekend ... Firefighting will close part of Lost Creek Lake over Labor Day weekend ... Wind shifts should rid Rogue Valley of smoke ... Saturation patrols planned this weekend ... 2014 ELECTION Gold Hill mayor faces challenger; other races have one candidate each By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 28, 2014 @ 7:20 pm By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 28, 2014 @ 7:20 pm » Social News GOLD HILL — The city with a history of write-in-only elections will see at least one candidate for every available position on the Nov. 4 ballot. The candidates' applications come on the heels of an unsuccessful recall election last week aimed at unseating four council members who permitted medical marijuana dispensaries downtown. The only challenged race is for mayor, where incumbent Jan Fish faces competition from former mayor Mike Stanley. Stanley, a current budget committee member who has served as mayor, council member and on public works and planning commissions, said he decided to try to get back to City Hall during recent controversies over medical marijuana and the future of the city's infrastructure. A 59-year-old Air Force veteran and a construction inspector for the city of Medford, Stanley voiced concerns that the council violated its own codes by allowing a medical marijuana dispensary, Breeze Botanicals, to be sited near a church and city park space. He said he was concerned about the council's "failure to listen to citizens" and "failure to manage the city," felt a growing distrust between citizens and the council and sensed a lack of effort by the current council to effectively manage city employees. "I'm a big charter guy. In all my years with the city, I figured out you could never go wrong if you just follow the charter. Unless someone's changed it, the city charter says we have a mayor and city council form of government, not a city manager-in-charge form of government," Stanley said. "From what I've seen, it's like the council is working for the city manager right now. Like they just bundled up the entire city into a neat little package and handed it to him." Stanley said he hoped to see the city fund a new water reservoir — a project he said had been in the works for some 20 years — and find proper management for the city's public works facilities, whether by contract or hiring of a new public works director. Incumbent Fish said she hoped to serve another term to provide continuity to the little town during a period of transition. With a host of infrastructure projects on the horizon, Fish, who was elected mayor in 2012 but has served on the council for a decade, agreed with Stanley that the city had more than its share of controversy. Fish said she hoped to encourage mediation for the council and help the town "to become more proactive and less reactive." While Stanley feels strongly that the city's wastewater treatment plant can be refurbished and last another two decades, Fish said she was open to the best solution. "I would just like to provide some continuity for the city and see some of these projects get a little bit farther down the road, like the collection system refit and having more work done on the wastewater treatment plant, whatever we opt to do, which isn't really clear right now," said Fish. "A lot of the time it seems like we put out one fire and another one starts up, but I want to help keep things moving so I figured I've got another two years in me." Fish said turmoil among council members — including a stark division on the issue of marijuana dispensaries inside the city — was "very distracting from the work that needs to be done." "We need to find a way to work together even when we don't agree with each other all the time," she said. "I would say that's something that is or should be within the realm of possibility." Of three council seats up for grabs, councilwomen Donna Silva and Chris Stanley will seek re-election. Councilwoman Lorraine Parks, one of four council members to survive last week's recall attempt, decided not to seek re-election. Budget committee member Karen Baker has applied to fill Parks' position. Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected]. By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 28, 2014 @ 7:20 pm » 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. 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 Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs 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. 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