By Rebecca Wallis
MCMINNVILLE, OR – October 5, 2024
Below are the 15 complex questions asked of Candidate Cunningham on a variety of multi-layered subjects. Candidate Cunningham 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. Economic Development and Diversification: McMinnville is growing, and with that comes economic opportunities and challenges. How do you plan to support local businesses, promote economic diversification, and ensure sustainable economic growth, especially in the face of potential downturns in key industries like agriculture and wine tourism?
2. Affordable Housing: Housing affordability is a concern for many in McMinnville. What specific policies would you support to increase affordable housing options in the city?
The City needs to address this from every angle it can. We should look at zoning changes to increase higher density housing. Any additional Urban Growth Boundary expansion should specifically address affordable housing. Redevelopment projects should incentivise affordable housing through lowering or forgiving of the SDC charges that are related to sewer hookups. Work with the County to increase public transportation throughout McMinnville and the surrounding area.
3. Public Safety: How do you plan to address the community’s concerns regarding public safety, and what initiatives would you propose to enhance cooperation between law enforcement and residents?
4. Environmental Sustainability: With the growing emphasis on environmental responsibility, what steps should McMinnville take to become a more sustainable and resilient community?
We could look into encouraging solar power arrays over large parking areas. There are many places that are putting arrays over School parking lots. They offer shelter from the elements while reducing the electricity cost to those businesses and buildings. Where possible I could see the city replacing water and care intensive landscaping with little or minimal landscaping. We should continue to encourage the planting of trees that help cool the environment. Improve the safety of our streets so that more people feel safe when using alternative forms of transportation like bicycling.
5. Transportation and Infrastructure: McMinnville has a mix of urban and rural infrastructure needs. How would you prioritize road maintenance, public transportation, and infrastructure improvements?
All of these are ongoing things that do get addressed through the budget. There is a systematic way that road maintenance is prioritized but due to tight budgets unfortunately more often than not they are addressed when they become a problem. I know our city is looking into infrastructure grants when they become available and actively pursuing the ones that fit our needs. If possible I would support paying for more grant manager time. Also we need to be more prudent with the money spent on large projects like Alpine Street and the forthcoming Third Street Improvement project.
6. Economic Inequality: Income disparity is a growing issue in many communities. What role should the city play in addressing economic inequality, and what programs would you advocate for to support lower-income residents?
The biggest driver of income inequality at a local level is the cost of housing. We have seen the cost of housing absolutely skyrocket over the last decade. Clearly I can’t say this enough, we must build more housing at every level but primarily for lower income residents. Other programs that assist are after school programs for our kids. That way working families can do just that. Finally, we need to be careful that we don’t lean too heavily on City Services fees that impact lower-income residents disportionately. The city of Newberg has a monthly $27.39 City Services fee. That is more than twice what we pay in McMinnville.
7. Parks and Recreation: How important is the expansion and maintenance of parks and recreational facilities to you? What new amenities or improvements would you prioritize for McMinnville’s parks?
In many cases our Parks and Recreation facilities are outdated and in serious disrepair. We need a rightsized facility that addresses the needs of our community. Obviously, this can’t be done without the support of our residents. I believe the bigger issue is the ongoing costs to maintain and operate said new facility. We will need to hone in on what these ongoing costs are before bringing this bond to the voters.
8. Diversity and Inclusion: How do you plan to ensure that all voices in McMinnville are heard and represented, particularly those of marginalized and underrepresented communities?
Outreach, Outreach, Outreach. We have to make sure that we give these communities the tools and the information needed, so that they feel included. I constantly hear from folks that they had no idea something was going on, being built, being worked on. We need to market our town to our own citizens. We are all so busy these days that it is very easy to not participate but we must make it easy to participate for those who want to.
9. Homelessness: Homelessness continues to be a critical issue in many Oregon cities, including McMinnville. What approaches do you believe will be most effective in addressing homelessness in our community?
First of all there is no magic wand and there is no easy answer. Second, this issue is not one that can be resolved by the city alone. But I will take a crack at it. More Housing period. More involvement from the County, State and Federal government when it comes to Mental Health and Wellness. A defined area which people can camp in without being asked to move every day. Stability is the path to more success when it comes to lifting people out of houselessness. Using the Opioid Settlement money to create more low-barrier shelter beds.
10. Business Development vs. Preservation: As McMinnville continues to grow, how would you balance business development with preserving the town’s historic charm and local character?
I believe the future of the business development will predominantly be on Three Mile Lane. It is an important project that will have lasting impacts on our community. We have worked through some of the zoning hurdles but need to see the land owners come together to help drive this growth. I am a proponent of preservation of our historic buildings. I do understand that in very few cases preservation may not be possible. I think we should take a look at our building code and make sure it fits our desire to maintain a historic feel in the historic district. There are such things as too big. Also I’d love to help match developers with projects our community would love to see be developed.
11. Technology and Innovation: As technology evolves, how do you see McMinnville adopting innovative solutions to improve city services, create jobs, or enhance the quality of life for residents? What role should technology play in the city’s future development?
This is something that we talk about every budget cycle. The city is constantly looking at ways to improve its technology and I support that. I think it was Chief Scales who talked about “force multiplier” when looking into new technology. Most of our departments operate at Base Level when it comes to staffing. So if there is technology that would assist our staff in being more efficient I am all for it. However, all of these things cost money so the efficiency has to prove its value.
12. Community Engagement: How would you engage the McMinnville community in decision-making processes, especially when it comes to major city projects and initiatives?
Outreach is a major issue. The city currently uses a website, social media, community information sessions, newspaper articles, mailers and surveys to reach community members. My guess is we need to continue all of these but then work to drive more traffic to them. Targeted online ads may be one way to drive traffic. Video content vs written content will get more attention with the younger demographics.
13. Public Health and Safety: How should the city prepare for future public health crises, and what lessons do you believe McMinnville can take from the COVID-19 pandemic?
14. Arts and Culture: McMinnville has a vibrant arts scene. How would you support the continued growth of the arts and cultural programs in the city?
We have a very strong and vibrant Arts and Culture scene. If you haven’t gone on the Art Harvest Tour you should get out this weekend. I envy the Newberg Chehalem Cultural Center. I would love to see us create something similar here in McMinnville. I also really miss the Concerts on the Plaza. I would love to see something like Bend’s “First Friday” Where the entire city comes together to help promote music and the arts.
15. Fiscal Responsibility: With limited resources and competing needs, how will you ensure fiscal responsibility while still meeting the needs of the community?
After being a part of the budget process for the last two cycles I can tell you this is possibly the weightiest task of the City Council. I think it is imperative that we make sure that our departments don’t slip below “Base Level”. To do so would mean that our community is losing access to basic services. It is important to understand those services and where and what can be limited. Seek out “force multipliers”, grants and efficiency tools, but at the same time be ready to make the hard decisions when it comes to reduction in staff. It is almost certain that costs will continue to rise and we as a community need to prepare for that. It is also important for folks to understand that the tax dollars that are spent in McMinnville are exceptionally more personally impactful than those spent at the State or Federal level. These are services that we use every day.
Yamhill County News would like to thank Candidate Scott Cunningham for providing answers to our questions.
This will conclude our McMinnville “Six Candidates Over Six Days” Series.
Photo Credit: Yamhill County News File
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