Election 2024: Eugene City Council candidate Q&A with Lyndsie Leech and Barbie Walker
This is part of a series of stories on the candidates running in the May 21 primary election, with question-and-answer articles scheduled to be published each day through the rest of April. Ballots must be mailed to voters by May 1.
The elections for Eugene City Council are approaching with ballots due May 21. The Ward 7 race will be a rematch of the one from November, between incumbent Lyndsie Leech and Barbie Walker.
City Council Ward 7 approximately represents the Whiteaker, Trainsong and River Road neighborhoods as well as west Santa Clara and Downtown north of 7th Avenue. With two candidates on the ballot for the ward, May’s primary election outcome will decide which candidate runs uncontested in the November general election.
The Register-Guard asked each of the candidates a series of questions and asked them for biographical information. Here are their answers, word-for-word. Candidates are listed alphabetically.
Biographical information
Lyndsie Leech
My name is Lyndsie Leech and I was appointed to the Eugene City Council for Ward 7 in December 2022 after the recall of former Councilor Syrett. Following the appointment, I ran in 2023 to keep the seat and won in the November election. I am now running again to continue to serve my ward for the next 4 years.
I live on River Road and work in the Whiteaker as the Executive Director of a local nonprofit, in addition to the City Council, and am a mom of three. I have worked for our community’s nonprofits for the past 15 years, raising millions of dollars to improve our behavioral health care system. As Councilor, I serve on the Budget Committee, Revenue Advisors Committee, Lane Workforce Partnership, and Human Rights Commission. I work every day in these roles to serve our community to improve the lives of all that live, work, and play here.
Barbie Walker
Biographical Information: Eugene resident for over 25 years by way of Corvallis. Currently a River Road resident near the Maurie Jacobs Park.
Occupational Background: Bowerman Molecular Biology Lab. Martins Ecology & Evolution Lab. Oregon Medical Group, Medical Lab Assistant. Analytical Laboratory, Water Quality Tech. Vice Management, GM Alternative Transportation. Local Business Owner & Operator, The Pint Pot Public House.
Educational Background: University of Oregon, B.S. Biology, Minor Chemistry. Selected SPUR Sciences, allele mutations for human cancer studies.
Prior Governmental Experience: West Eugene Business Association, Board President
Community Service: Founder 4J School District ID Program for Homeless Youth. Legislatively passed for DMV Determination of Homelessness. Junior League Executive Board VP Community Enrichment. Founder, The 15th Night. UO Girls Club Soccer Coach. Awbrey park clean up. Eugene Relay for Life. St. Vincent de Paul, Girls Youth House. 4J ACE Award Nominee.
Questions
The Register-Guard began all questions to city council candidates with "What strategies or policies would you support to …" Walker grouped the questions on housing and homelessness.
Increase housing affordability and/or supply in Eugene?
Leech: In short, increasing affordable housing supply is the #1 answer to houselessness and ensuring Eugene is an affordable place to live. Eugene is short 10,000 housing units: we must focus on sustainably increasing supply. In the past year, I have voted to invest record amounts into affordable housing and create incentive programs to get that housing built quickly. Several of the low-income housing projects we have already invested in will be completed during this council term and more are in the approval process. I support a diversity of housing in our neighborhoods to support the diversity of our neighborhoods.
Reduce homelessness in Eugene?
Leech: I will do everything in my power to help get our unhoused population sheltered. This includes supporting more affordable housing options by leveraging our Affordable Housing Trust Fund, increasing our overall housing supply, and working closely with our area's nonprofits, Lane County, and developers. I support renter protections in part to prevent more houselessness, the extension and expansion of safe sleeping spaces for our unhoused neighbors, providing compassionate care for addiction and mental health, and policy that will help us get more people into the right housing. We know what works, let's do more of that.
Walker on housing and homelessness
Easiest to bullet point some reasonable facts towards good policy.
Removing some barriers contributing to prohibiting housing supply. Reduction of many outdated SDC fees slated for renovations or new builds.
Working with lane county on land use purchases/swaps for new developments that include language for keeping open spaces and being good stewards to established neighborhoods by not over densifying, having equitable parking options and not forcing annexation.
Be equitable to builders, homeowners, and renters by advocating lowering area median income range for lower rent.
Continue to support the programs that are empowering the unhoused. Programs that have procedures and protocols in place for measurable successful outcomes for self-reliability.
As the city continues to look towards sustainable climate resilience our current energy grid demands we still diversify for builds and keeps the energy bills manageable to afford a place to live. We need policy for legal incentives and plans for weatherization not a ban without a plan
Improve Eugene’s economic development?
Leech: To promote economic development, Eugene needs to invest in infrastructure and adjust zoning when needed to promote innovation and foster industries that are or could be successful here, like the biosciences and sustainable energy. We should be partnering with our higher educational institutions including LCC and UO and investing in workforce development, especially in the trades and mental health. By improving pay and working conditions, we can ensure our residents can afford to live here successfully. Finally, and importantly, we need to focus on fostering social inclusion and cohesion so we can be a city people want to live in.
Walker: Recently council approved 50 million for new housing builds. The complex is suited for studios, 1 bedroom and doesn’t incorporate prevailing wages for our local construction workers swinging the hammer to build it. When public money, transfers of land are involved, we must ensure that workers on these projects receive fair compensation. Compensation that goes directly back into the local economy. This build is also exempt for up to 10 years of property taxes for new residential construction area. Tax dollarsneeded for economic developments. Also, 400sq ft studio for nearly $1000/mo leaves little for the being a local consumer.
Increase access to mental health resources in Eugene?
Leech: Improving mental health in our community will take addressing the shortage of providers and healthcare professionals, but also getting to the root of our issues: chronic stress and anxiety about cost of living, climate, healthcare, housing, and more. I will work to ameliorate these burdens through sound policy and collaborative partnerships across multiple jurisdictions. I believe in our work to add mental health professionals to Eugene’s co-responder police and fire programs to ensure appropriate care and response for people living with mental health challenges.
Walker: We are a town full of advocacy for mental health. We need policies that root out corruption of funding and fully funds only working treatments while strengthening accountability that makes our neighborhoods safe again. Inhumane living environments perpetuate habitual drug and sex trafficking for the inhabitants. Forcing nearby residents to want to move out of town. The illegal RV sewage dumping in our parks and neighborhoods have our kids becoming desensitized to these types of instabilities. With continued compassion and grace, we also need policy geared for the mental health of our citizens who work, play, live and retire here.
Improve public safety in Eugene?
Leech: I think about public safety broadly - not just in enforcement of law, but how we navigate this city and experience the effects of climate impacts. Our Community Safety payroll tax has generated millions of dollars for direct investment into public safety improvements. I supported a reform of Measure 110 to help get deadly substances off our streets. I support improvements in biking and walking safety. We are exploring how to best leverage available federal funds to establish resilience hubs to keep the public safe during extreme heat and smoke events as Eugene experiences the increasingly severe impacts of climate change.
Walker: As compassionate individuals, we have endured. Experts in behavioral treatments and crime reduction such as Lane Fire Lane Professional Firefighters: Local 851 & Eugene Police Employees’ Association have endorsed me because together we will prioritize policies that directly return safety to our neighborhoods, parks, and all our beloved small businesses. Effective City Councilors must deliver tangible local outcomes for society. My leadership has proven it prioritizes results-driven policies for the safety of our citizens. www.BarbieWalker.com
Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached over email at atorres@registerguard.com or on X @alanfryetorres.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Eugene elections: City Council candidates Leech and Walker take a Q&A
