Six Candidates Over Six Days Series: Day 3 – Glenn Cloyd, District 3 Incumbent

By Rebecca Wallis
NEWBERG, OR – September 28, 2024

Below are the 15 complex questions asked of District 3 Councilor, Glenn Cloyd, on a variety of multi-layered subjects. Councilor Cloyd chose to answer 15 of the 15 questions.  Our editorial team did not throw softballs. We threw hardballs. Our complex questions are relevant, provocative, and essential to understanding the person who is running for city council.  All answers provided by this candidate have been printed in their entirety, without editing, exactly as provided.

1.      Why are you running for Newberg City Council, and what inspired you to get involved in local politics?

Living in Newberg for 50 years, I want to make sure that my family, friends, and relatives have a clean, safe community to live in. A community that can support and be friendly to businesses that help our fine city.

2.      What do you see as the most pressing issue facing Newberg today, and how do you plan to address it if elected?

1. Safety and Infrastructure are my main focus for Newberg.
2. Giving each departments within the city tools and resources they need to make the city productive.

3.      What are your key priorities for economic development in Newberg? How will you support small businesses and economic growth?

1. I would support big business, (another paper mill would be nice), but I really think small businesses are the backbone of our economy here in Newberg.
2. As far as support, we need to make growth easy and cost effective for existing small businesses and business startups so they can hit the ground running.

4.      Housing affordability is a growing concern across Oregon. What policies would you advocate for to improve housing options in Newberg? 

1. I am happy that we were able to reduce the cost of building fees, and we are one of very few communities to do that, so builders can have reduced overhead and hopefully pass savings along to the new owners.
2. I am for working with builders and contractors to develop what the city is lacking and finding solutions to the cumbersome red tape that deters builders from helping expand affordable housing.

5.      Newberg has faced divisive issues regarding education and community values. How would you promote unity and collaboration among diverse groups  within the city? 

1. I would focus on the areas within my control that could help foster open and constructive communication while staying only within my role as a councilor.
2. Living in America it is a melting pot of people. I would hope that people would come to understand that it’s ok to have a difference of opinion and maybe discus those differences. It may come to agreeing to disagree, but as long as you can walk away and still be friendly, and kind to one another is the way I look at it.

6.      How do you plan to ensure that Newberg remains a safe and livable community for all residents?

1. I believe in supporting our police & fire departments giving them the tools they need so they may help serve the community to the best of their ability. We have a great contract with TVF&R and they manage our needs well.  We also have one of the best Police Departments in the state and it shows since we consistently have been known as one of the safest cities in Oregon.
2. I think we need to be mindful of our ordinances and review outdated policies that may need to be revised to ensure the city staff have what they need to keep our city clean and in good repair. I’m thinking of the sidewalks and roads and how safe those need to be for our residents to travel safely and freely within the city. If we as a council need to adjust some things to get our roads repaired more quickly than we have in the past then I think we need direct staff to evaluate how we can do that and bring options forward to make it happen.

7.      Environmental sustainability is increasingly important. What initiatives would you propose to support sustainability and environmental protection in Newberg?

I like the fact that the city is moving to some of our fleet to electric. The city has a solar site as well. We need to make sure we keep up with State mandates so we grow with the rest and don’t get stuck with outdated infrastructure if and when the rest of the State transitions to more electric means and modes of transportation.

8.      How will you improve transparency and communication between the City Council and the citizens of Newberg?

I wish to be available for any concerns that the people of Newberg, and to make sure that they are heard. I have an open door policy and encourage people to reach out to me. I want to be part of solutions to problems that are identified and work with them to fix what might be broken.

9.      What is your stance on local infrastructure, including transportation and public facilities? How would you prioritize improvements in this area?

1. One of my biggest goals is to improve RIVER St. Our city manager has found a way of cutting costs for a lot of these projects and is doing a tremendous job. I will continue to support that work and help streamline the process in any way I can that is within my role as a councilor.
2. I will take a look at all of the projects and voice my opinion without restraint if I think something of a lower priority is higher on the list than it should be.

10.   Newberg has a rich history and culture. How would you preserve the city’s heritage while also fostering growth and modernization?

I love old town Newberg. This is an area that I would hope we could preserve and let the newer parts of town move in the more modern ways. We should be able to enhance the beauty and the Newberg feel of our downtown while encouraging growth in other areas, much like the new hotel going in at the edge of town.

11.   What strategies do you have for addressing homelessness in the community?

1. The homelessness issue has been a tough problem in every city, in every state in the Country. So far, there is not one be all fix all solution to the problem while a lot of money has been thrown around, nothing has stuck for how it should be taken care of. I want our city to have the ability for the police to address the crime within the homeless population of Newberg while seeing people with compassion at the same time. I think our police currently do a good job of that.
2. I don’t think the role of government in the homeless issue should be a large role. I think the government *could* partner with non-profit agencies that carry the burden of treatment and rehabilitation and helping homeless to become stable on their own so they don’t need to rely on government assistance.
3. I’m willing to sit at any table to discuss options and solutions for this that prioritize the best interest of the residents of Newberg while keeping everyone safe and our community healthy.

12.   What role do you think the City Council should play in supporting local schools and educational initiatives?

1. I like the program set up with Newberg High School and A.R.E.  It shows good collaboration of local business with students to promote employment that stays within the city.
2. Our support of School Resource Officers is a great partnership with the school district and I will support that continuing. The School district might need help with budgeting for that and I would be interested in exploring options to make sure they don’t lose the extra SRO they gained last year.

13.   How would you work with state and county officials to ensure Newberg’s interests are represented at the higher levels of government?

I will work with county and state officials when it’s necessary or I’m called on to do that. I see that more as the Mayor’s role in the city structure, but I will support that wherever I can.

14.   What is your approach to handling the city’s budget and ensuring fiscal responsibility?

We have a fantastic CFO. The budget is pretty lean and the city manager has done a great job keeping the budget on track and the council and residents informed of changes to the budget at every meeting. I don’t think we have any surprises because of that. So this means I can focus of helping suggest new ways to save money on projects or programs and not so much on the numbers we already have.

15.   If elected, how will you stay connected to your constituents and ensure their voices are heard on important issues?

I’ll say again that I have an open door policy and I enjoy talking to the people that live here. If someone has a problem, or a complaint or even a compliment, I want to hear from them. I’m happy to fight for the things our residents need and happy to pass on praise when it’s warranted.

Yamhill County News would like to thank Councilor Cloyd for providing answers to our questions.

Tomorrow we will feature Candidate Dr. Jeri Turgesen’s answers, District 3 challenger, to our questions in their entirety.

Photo Credit: Yamhill County News File