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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2018)
OFF PAGE ONE Tuesday, April 17, 2018 East Oregonian COUNCIL: Election is on May 15 Continued from 1A Cambier took that approach when he was appointed to city council to fill the rest of former councilor Al Plute’s term in 2016. At the urging of his fellow councilors, he filed to run for a full term. He said he wants to continue implementing the city’s goals, which call for more housing and economic development, better infra- structure and land develop- ment. He also wants to see the council focus on addressing blight and the general beau- tification of the city. As a frequent critic and anti-tax advocate, More- house needs no introduction to the council. A retiree and a former mayor of Spirit Lake, Idaho, Morehouse is making his run for city council after losing in 1998 and 2016. He added that this election would be different because he has a team of volunteers helping him campaign. His campaign material states he has “an encyclo- pedic knowledge of how the city uses its tax dollars,” and he said in an interview that he knows more about municipal finances than “half the council.” As a councilor, More- house said he would focus on developing private industry in Pendleton. And although he thought the Pendleton Unmanned Aerial Systems Range would generate a few jobs, he was skeptical that the technology sector could thrive in the city without access to more water and electricity. While generally critical of city government, More- house said he liked the deals the city has made to accommodate the Keystone RV Co. manufacturing plant. “I think that’s great and it should be done more often,” he said. Ward 1 John Brenne held his Ward 1 seat for 40 years and filed to run for an 11th term, before his sudden death in January changed the outlook for the seat. Retired firefighter John Cook coincidentally filed to run for the seat the same day Brenne died, but he eventu- ally dropped out of the race. Carole Innes was the next person to file, and was in line for appointment to fill the rest of Brenne’s term, before Chuck LeValle submitted his paperwork the day before the filing deadline and became the nominal incumbent. Musician David Chorazy filed his campaign the following day to round out the field. A lab technician for Interpath Laboratory, LeValle hadn’t lived in Pendleton two years before he felt compelled to join the council. “I don’t feel I would have done my city any favors by sitting on a couch,” he said. A native of Savannah, Georgia, LeValle said his hometown port city has undergone significant growth in his lifetime — but has lost some of its personality in the process. LeValle wants to protect Pendleton’s personality while exploring growth opportu- nities through tourism and housing. He said he works with doctors who live in Hermiston and other Umatilla County communities, and Pendleton needs to grow its tax base by converting some of its commuters into residents. “Pendleton is the reason for the season in Umatilla County,” LeValle said. “No doubt about it.” Innes said she has been interested in politics since the seventh grade, and she has the volunteer experience to back it up. She has been a member of the Umatilla County Planning Commission, the Greater Oregon Behavioral Health Inc. Board, the Blue Moun- tain Community College Foundation Board, among several others. Innes had already been retired for a few years when the Ward 1 seat opened up. She said she is ready to get back to work. She said the qualities she’s honed as an auditor and board member will help the council address the city’s needs in housing and infrastructure. “How to get to ‘yes’ is the most important part of the process,” Innes said. Chorazy is another longtime resident looking to make his first foray into city politics. He grew up in Pendleton, but left town at 17 on a journey that took him to college, the U.S. Navy band, and trumpet gigs in several bands around the country. Chorazy returned to Pendleton in 2001 and started driving cab for Elite Taxi, where he became attuned to the needs and dissatisfactions of residents. He said there’s already a lot of talent in Pendleton, and the city needs to focus on stopping the rise of taxes and fees and on housing for locals rather than professionals who live out of town. Chorazy was charged with first degree criminal trespass, harassment and contempt of court in 2007, pleading no contest to the latter and serving a suspended sentence. He said the charges resulted from a misunderstanding between him and his wife and they’re still married. He was also charged with felony unauthorized use of a vehicle in 2009, a case that resulted in dismissal due to a civil compromise. He said the incident was “blown out of proportion” and arose from borrowing a car. Unopposed Even though Councilor Neil Brown announced his retirement well in advance, there were no takers for his Ward 3 seat for months. Retired educator Linda Neuman and Bill Aney, a former U.S. Forest Service employee, eventually declared to vie for the seat. But Aney dropped out shortly after the deadline, leaving Neuman as the only candidate in the race. She said she’s approaching the race without any “pet peeves or projects,” although she does want to see the continued improvement of the downtown area and the city’s parks and recreation system. Given that she is likely to succeed Brown in 2019, Neuman said she wants to be a councilor that residents feel like they can approach. “There needs to be open- ness with more people, and not just people who have lived here for a long time,” she said. Although she’s the only candidate in the race, Neuman said she’s still trying to reach out to her future constituents during campaign season. She’s posted campaign signs around her ward and she’s hosting a meet and greet at Roosters Restaurant on April 24 from 4 to 6 p.m. McKennon McDonald was surprised that she drew no challengers to her re-election campaign for her second term. When she first campaigned for office, residents often confused her for her husband as she knocked door-to-door. But due to several departures from the council, McDonald will find herself as the second-most tenured member when the council convenes next January. “There are too many good things going on right now to say goodbye,” she said. While previous versions of the council had members with strong opinions, McDonald said the current council is more cooperative in trying to achieve their goals. ——— Contact Antonio Sierra at asierra@eastoregonian.com or 541-966-0836. Page 9A At-large JAKE CAMBIER Age: 72 Occupation: Retired radiologist Birthplace: Denver Years in Pendleton: 40 Highest Level of Education: Medical degree, University of California, San Francisco Family: Married, four children and three grandchildren REX MOREHOUSE Age: 79 Occupation: Retired retail worker Birthplace: Wenatchee, Washington Years in Pendleton: 32 Highest Level of Education: High school diploma Family: Widowed, two children, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren Ward 1 DAVID CHORAZY Age: 63 Occupation: Musician Birthplace: Pendleton Years in Pendleton: 44 Highest Level of Education: Some college Family: Married, three children and ten stepchildren CAROLE INNES Age: 73 Occupation: Retired, former senior operations auditor for Northwest Farm Credit Services Birthplace: Wenatchee, Washington Years in Pendleton: 52 Highest Level of Education: Some college Family: Widowed CHUCK LeVALLE Age: 43 Occupation: Lab technician at Interpath Laboratory Birthplace: Savannah, Georgia Years in Pendleton: 1 Highest Level of Education: Bachelor’s degree, Savannah State University Family: Married, two children Ward 2 McKENNON McDONALD Age: 27 Occupation: Special education teacher at Helix School Birthplace: Pendleton Years in Pendleton: 23 Highest Level of Education: Master’s degree, Eastern Oregon University Family: Married Ward 3 LINDA NEUMAN Age: 66 Occupation: Retired educator Birthplace: Hood River Years in Pendleton: 17 Highest Level of Education: Master’s degree, Lewis & Clark College Family: Two sons, three grandchildren HAPPENING NOW! $ PICK YOUR 139 95 BG 50 GAS BLOWER BGA 45 BATTERY BLOWER $ POWER FS 38 TRIMMER SAVE $ 10! * 129 95 $ “I couldn’t be more happy with the product. 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