Navigation

Random

Dam Awareness web site http://www.97381.com/dam/index.html Silverton, Oregon resident Steve Payton addresses the Silverton City Council with his concerns about the Silverton Dam, during it's regular monthly meeting on April 2, 2007. The dam is a large earthen dam constructed in the early 1970s. The Silverton Dam Awareness Committee, A group of citizens, are now lobbying the City for its removal due to safety concerns.

Silverton, Oregon Mayor Ken Hector reponds to Steve Payton's concerns about the dam at the regular April meeting of the Silverton City Council.

March 11, 2009 Silverton needs to start a community garden My idea is to start a community garden. But I need some input from you as a community to see if there's enough interest. Benefits from a garden are bringing people together that normally would pass each other and never whisper a word. I think most of us that grew up in a certain time period remember the family gardens and remember that it wasn't always fun, but the benefits made all the work worth the trouble. I'm trying to get people to think in a different direction instead of feeling trapped by what society has thrown at us. Putting that negative energy into something else and growing food or flowers can relax a person and start a positive flow of energy once again. There are many towns doing gardens right now, it's amazing to see and read about. It's not just gardening, some are sponsoring programs in which there will be canning and cooking classes. Remember canning with your mom and how to food tasted in wintertime? You don't get a taste like that from a grocery store. The older ones are leaving us and taking secrets with them. The younger ones should know, but don't have a clue and that's sad. We need family unity and bringing the community together, a garden, canning and cooking, is the right medicine. So, let's put the gloves on and get dirty. Remember when your mom or dad would send you out to pick tomatoes? You always had a salt shaker in your back pocket. Let's have our children experience that feeling of biting into a over ripe tomato with the juices running down their chins. Let's get healthy together and start a garden. David Wilson, Silverton.

March 11, 2009 Silverton city goals have been set and prioritized for the next two years. Advertisement Quantcast Topping the list are prioritizing the downtown master plan, developing a strategic vision and partnerships for economic development, and implementing a plan to relieve traffic congestion. The list has nine goals, which were developed by the council in January and were voted on individually at the March 2 meeting. One goal that was on the original list didn't make the final cut. Improving pedestrian safety by addressing the downtown traffic pattern was eliminated when the majority of the council voted against it. The other goals on the list were maintaining existing streets and sidewalks, funding and constructing a new police facility, funding and constructing a new senior center, reviewing and prioritizing a parks-and-recreation master plan, formalizing parks-and-recreation facility maintenance agreements and program agreements with community partners, and increasing public awareness of Silverton Dam safety. The last item sparked a debate at the meeting. Mayor Stu Rasmussen said he was disappointed that the Silverton Dam was not listed as a higher priority, and he wrote a letter to the editor about it in the Feb. 25 edition of the Appeal Tribune. He said that many of the goals listed as higher priorities would be irrelevant if the dam were to fail. "I believe that the dam-safety issue is of such overriding importance to this community that I think you guys are wrong, and I'm going to continue to think you're wrong until you can prove that the dam is perfectly safe," Rasmussen said. Council member Randal Thomas questioned Rasmussen's letter to the editor and said he is concerned that the community now has the impression that the council as a whole does not care about dam safety. "Several individual council members came to the goal-setting session with goals that had in mind dam safety," Thomas said. He cited council protocol and guidelines. "After an issue has been voted on, I'll speak for myself carefully in a manner that does not undermine the integrity or the motive of the council if my opinions are different from the council," he said. Rasmussen defended his right to voice his opinion, even if it's different from that of the council. "I have a deep and abiding concern for this community that honestly cannot be quashed by council protocols that say you must put common sense aside and go with the common agreement of the council," he said.

When you are at the stop traffic light when heading South on Waters Street at the C street intersection- Are you unable to see the lights when they turn green? Or is it just me? They turn green but it is very, very faint- I would think that for brand new lights they would work better then this.
View Larger Map

City of Silverton City Council
Name	Office	Email	Term
Stu Rasmussen	Mayor	srasmussen@silverton.or.us	Jan. 2011
Kyle Palmer	Councilor	kpalmer@silverton.or.us	Jan. 2013
Randal Thomas	Councilor	r.thomas@silverton.or.us	Jan. 2011
Sherry Hoefel	Councilor	shoefel@silverton.or.us	Jan. 2013
Bill Cummins	Councilor/Council President	bcummins@silverton.or.us	Jan. 2011
Judy Schmidt	Councilor	jschmidt@silverton.or.us	Jan. 2013
Dennis Stoll	Councilor	dstoll@silverton.or.us	Jan. 2011

Planning Commissioner Contact Information
Name	Position	Email	Term
Eric Stroup	Chairman	nstroup@verizon.net	Jan. 2011
Clayton Flowers	Vice Chairman	clayandjan.flowers@verizon.net	Jan. 2011
Jeff DeSantis	Commisssioner	jeffdesantis@wavecable.com	Jan. 2010
Victor Madge	Commisssioner	g.victormadge@verizon.net	Jan. 2011
Mark Rauch	Commisssioner	mrauch@cciservices.com	Jan. 2010
Christine Golden	Commisssioner	eastviewgoldens@gmail.com	Jan. 2012
Kathleen Harris	Commisssioner	justplainkathleen@gmail.com	Jan. 2012

Once again the Silverton City Council is trying to build a new "Police Station"...Last year the idea was brought up in a community survey, and it seems the community felt it was not needed....Now, the City Council has listed it as one of their "TOP 10" goals for the next 2 years...How the new police station will be funded, is not quite clear, maybe from the general city fund, or a possible grant, or a new tax bond. Where the new police station would be located, is not known at this time.

Jeff Jaeger KATU News and KATU.com Staff video- http://www.katu.com/news/42638777.html?video=YHI&t=a SILVERTON, Ore. - Silverton's controversial mayor may be at the center of a new reality show. On Tuesday, crews were filming five-minute 'teasers' with Mayor Stu Rasmussen. These are short clips that will be pitched to several networks in an effort to spark interest in a possible show. The mayor thinks this would be a good avenue to teach tolerance in small towns across the country. But there are some who worry it would bring more attention to the town than it needs - and the wrong type of attention. As expected, the news brought a mixed reaction from folks. Rasmussen made headlines last year by becoming the first open transgender mayor in the nation. He has been a fixture in Silverton politics for more than 20 years and twice before had been the mayor of the small Oregon town - before he had breast implants and started wearing women's clothes in public.

By Danielle Peterson • Appeal Tribune April 15, 2009 Silverton residents got a taste of what it would be like if a reality television show starring Mayor Stu Rasmussen comes to fruition. Advertisement A camera crew from RDF USA production company finished filming a teaser for the show last week, which will be presented to interested networks. The five-person crew spent three days shooting scenes around town, including segments at the April 6 city council meeting and the Silver Creek Dam. The crew has returned to Los Angeles and will begin editing the footage and creating a three- to four-minute teaser. Although the project is in its infancy, Sara Hansemann, manager of development, said she thinks it has a good chance of reaching television. Rasmussen's challenge of being a transgender person living in a small town would be the reoccurring theme. Aside from a glimpse into his daily life, each episode would feature intertwining stories, he said. Some ideas for the

Hello, We have a new arcade SilverFUN with 2-8' pool tables, Table Tennis, Air Hockey, Foosball, Soft Tip Darts, Pinball and was wondering if anyone would be interested in this location? Hourly rates for table games per person. If you just want to hang out we have Free board games, cards, dice, checkers, chess, etc. Free Wifi. Party Rental, Team or Group rates negotiable. We are open to all ages and our hours are Tue-Sun May-Sep Noon-10pm Oct-Apr Noon-9pm, closed Mondays. Seating for 18 available, small concession (snacks & pop) large 1400 square foot room with 5'+ around pool tables. Occupancy limit is 49. My wife, son and I have been residents in Silverton for 12+ years. Thank you for your time and consideration on this, just doing our part to provide a much needed, safe place for kids to play or hang out. TVB Group LLC dba: SilverFUN 207 High ST Silverton, OR 97381

User login

Poll

Reality television show starring Mayor Stu Rasmussen

By Danielle Peterson • Appeal Tribune
April 15, 2009

Silverton residents got a taste of what it would be like if a reality television show starring Mayor Stu Rasmussen comes to fruition.
Advertisement

A camera crew from RDF USA production company finished filming a teaser for the show last week, which will be presented to interested networks. The five-person crew spent three days shooting scenes around town, including segments at the April 6 city council meeting and the Silver Creek Dam.

The crew has returned to Los Angeles and will begin editing the footage and creating a three- to four-minute teaser. Although the project is in its infancy, Sara Hansemann, manager of development, said she thinks it has a good chance of reaching television.

Rasmussen's challenge of being a transgender person living in a small town would be the reoccurring theme. Aside from a glimpse into his daily life, each episode would feature intertwining stories, he said.

Some ideas for the

teaser include an ongoing debate over the safety of the Silver Creek Dam and a human interest story about a little girl who lives within city limits but wants a pet pigme goat. The council spoke briefly about the issue at its April 6 meeting, pondering whether a pygmy goat should be considered livestock, which would determine whether it would be allowed or not.

Council and community members have mixed feelings about the potential show and whether it would be beneficial to Silverton. Some are concerned how the town will be portrayed.

City Council Member Kyle Palmer said he is concerned about the town's image, but said he's neutral about the idea at this point.

"I'm still holding my breath to see which direction this will actually go," Palmer said. "I think what's good for Silverton is good for me. As long as it's not too much of a distraction, it could be a good thing."

When the camera crew filmed the recent city council meeting — circling the room for different shots, while trailing spools of extension cords — some audience members appeared uncomfortable, he said.

"I would hope there would be a less obtrusive way for their cameras to be in the room," Palmer said.

When the production company asked former mayor Ken Hector to participate in the project he declined, explaining he didn't think it would be in the city's best interest.

"I think it's all about conflict and controversy," Hector said. "I don't see anything that would portray Silverton in a good fashion. From what little I saw, particularly the filming they did after the council meeting, that tells me that they will manipulate things to make them salable."

The obvious benefit to the potential show is tourism. It could bring more visitors to town, in turn aiding struggling businesses during a widespread economic recession.

"If this show focuses on the community and what we have to offer as a whole, it serves us better as a tourism attraction," Silverton Chamber of Commerce Director Stacy Palmer said. "If it's based on one person (Rasmussen) and his activities it wouldn't be that much of a benefit."

Another issue to consider: would it be ethical for Rasmussen or any council members to receive compensation for being on the show?

Ron Bersin, Executive Director of the Oregon Government Ethics Commission, said there isn't enough information to determine that.

Rasmussen said he will not be paid for the preview. If it goes to production, he stands to get a percentage of the total production cost. Production costs have been estimated at $30,000 to $35,000 per episode, he said.

"We have some reservations about this because a public official can not use, or attempt to use, their position for financial gain," Bersin said.