'He was an exceptional human': Coburg Mayor Ray Smith remembered for dedication

Ray Smith, the mayor of the city of Coburg, died Thursday morning.

"It is with great sadness that the City of Coburg announces the death of our esteemed Mayor Ray Smith who passed away this morning after a courageous battle with cancer," a city news release states.

Smith, 62, served as mayor since being appointed in 2016. He also served on Coburg City Council from 2013 to 2016.

City Administrator Anne Heath described Smith as an "excellent" leader, and said Thursday was "an extremely sad day for the city."

"The city thrived under Ray's leadership," Heath said. "He was very dedicated, worked hard as a mayor. He was a friend and a mentor for city staff, and he was their greatest cheerleader. He loved this city.

"I can't say enough good things about Ray. He was an exceptional human."

In his last council meeting Oct. 11, Smith informed the City Council he was entering hospice care. He also thanked the other city officials, saying "I can't think of any other group I would rather belong to."

"It's been a real joy," Smith said in introductory comments. "This has been a big part of my life and very rewarding for me."

Facebook commenters in the online group "I Love Coburg, Oregon!" offered condolences and remembered him as someone who loved the Coburg community.

Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis said she "loved" working with Smith on the metropolitan policy committee for the Lane Council of Governments.

"He was a kind-hearted, thoughtful, very deliberative, community-oriented man," Vinis said. "He had a big heart for his community and people in general."

The city remembered Smith in its release as "a shining light and an outstanding leader for our community. The City of Coburg thrived under his leadership. He will be greatly missed."

In the release Smith's wife, Claire, thanked the community for its "kindness, thoughts and prayers."

Finding a new mayor

Smith served as mayor until his passing. In his absence City Council President Nancy Bell will serve as interim mayor until one is selected following the Nov. 8 general election.

The mayor position is on the Nov. 8 ballot, but no candidates filed.

The successor will be selected based on who gets the most write-in votes, Coburg City Recorder Sammy Egbert said. Bell has shown interest in gathering signatures and support for potentially filling the position, Egbert said. Bell is currently serving as the council president and handling the duties of the mayor.

The new mayor would serve a two-year term, which would begin in January. Candidates must have resided in the city for 12 months prior to the election and meet other charter requirements, Egbert said.

After the election Egbert will notify the candidate they have been chosen. The candidate will then have two days to either accept the position or turn it down, which would lead to the city declaring a vacancy, Egbert said.

Contact reporter Louis Krauss at lkrauss@registerguard.com, call 541-521-2498 or follow him on Twitter @louiskraussnews.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Coburg Mayor Ray Smith dies from cancer