Leadership, priorities at heart of Shady Cove mayor race

Oct. 13—Aside from meat and potatoes issues, leadership style has emerged as one of the most important factors facing voters in this year's Shady Cove mayoral race.

Mayor Shari Tarvin, in office since 2021, appears on the ballot with Jon Ball, a retired businessman who sits on the Planning Commission while working part time at Ace Hardware. Councilman Jay Tayor also declared his candidacy for the job, but later withdrew from the race.

Ball described himself as approachable, thoughtful and hardworking while claiming Tarvin has been divisive, leaving the council and the town lacking "unity."

But Tarvin, who believes the community events she's helped create inspire unity, said she is a mayor busy tackling big issues that cannot be solved overnight.

Shari Tarvin

A resident of Shady Cove for three decades, Tarvin brings a wealth of experience as a member of the City Council and Planning Commission, the Medford Police Department and U.S. Army.

"I've seen Shady Cove when it's thriving; I've seen Shady Cove when it died," Tarvin said. "(Shady Cove is) coming back. I know what it can be, and I would love to see it come back to that. ... I don't have a magic wand. I wish I did."

Tarvin said she sees tourism as important to the town's future. To boost that sector and help fill empty storefronts, the city must try to attract people regardless of the season, the mayor said.

"Bring Shady Cove alive year-round" is Tarvin's mantra.

Offering reliable internet service may be one way to attract businesses, Tarvin suggested.

"When our internet services go down, currently, we have businesses that are cash only," Tarvin said. "Right now, it's tough. So we have to bring in a reliable internet. We have something to offer these businesses. That's a start; we have got to get that."

She noted a conference she attended with other city officials in which they learned about how small cities can boost internet access.

"It's bringing in new businesses," Tarvin said.

Not only could the new storefronts attract tourism, she added; they could also improve day-to-day life for residents.

"Instead of just staying on tourism, we need to bring in your daily shops — and I don't want box stores; I want mom and pop," Tarvin said. "Things that will sustain us, so we're not going into Medford. It just brings the economy back into Shady Cove."

Tarvin rejected criticism that she's pushed away outside economic development agencies that can help with the city's branding and tourism efforts.

"That's an untruthful statement," Tarvin said, noting a recent dinner she had with Jackson County commissioners and representatives of Southern Oregon Regional Economic Development. "I'm a very busy person. ... Sadly, they (critics) don't ask. I keep telling people I have a very wide open-door policy. You have a question, ask me. Don't listen to the rumors that are going around."

Tarvin spoke about the city's water system, noting citizens voted down several times a bond for a municipal water system. Shady Cove now relies on a private company, Newberg-based Hiland Water Corporation, and wells for water. Tarvin said she believes a two-tier system is not sustainable.

"I don't think it's going to be affordable for a lot of people," she said. "I'm looking into what we can do because, obviously, it's important."

However, water hasn't become a "big issue until recently," according to Tarvin.

"There have been other issues going on. ... We had two council members resign, and we're back to full council, and finally here we are at elections," Tarvin said.

Asked about the criticism by Ball and others that she does not address big issues, Tarvin cited a time when she brought up the subject of high-speed internet only to be "chastised."

"Yes, it is important, and I have been digging for grants," Tarvin said.

She added that Shady Cove-sponsored events, like movies and music in the park, are important, despite what some of her critics say, as well.

"It brings unity. ... People have to come together," Tarvin said. "It is something I think every community should have."

"My agenda is to make the community the best for the most," she said. "That's all I've ever wanted."

Jon Ball

Ball said, first and foremost, he is not a politician.

"It was never on my bucket list," he said, noting he later joined the Planning Commission and started attending council meetings. "Kind of by default, I've just been watching a spiral, let's say, of our City Council and government. (There's) stagnation and disagreement. I decided to throw my hat in the ring because we need an option."

When Ball was a boy, his parents always encouraged him to get involved when he saw conflict, and that mindset is what inspired him to run for mayor, he said.

"I think Shady Cove can be so much better," Ball said. "I want to help the citizens. I don't feel like they're being listened to."

While he said he'll listen to ideas he might not agree with and could change his mind on any issue, Ball does have priorities he would set as mayor.

"It's a bad word up here to grow, but we need to," he said, "and we need to grow in the right way."

To him, "growth" includes bringing in new businesses.

"We just need to make it easier for them — we have codes in place that really make it difficult for businesses just to get open," Ball said. "Maybe some of the fees need to go ... or let them pay it back over a period of time."

High-speed internet is not the highest priority for Ball, who said better connectivity will spur home businesses and working from home, but not help bricks-and-mortar businesses.

Ball would rather focus on "the elephant in the room" — the city's water system.

"Water is the lifeblood of any town, and we need to tie that into everything that we do," Ball said. "It's not something a small town can solve overnight, maybe not even in a 10-year span. But we need to get started. It might not be one initial solution; there might be multiple over the course of years."

Another big issue is "unity" among Shady Cove's people and government.

"Until we get unity back and lead from the top, we're not gonna get stuff done," Ball said.

He admits he doesn't know if he can solve all the issues.

"But I know I can solve one little one, which might grow into two little ones, which might grow into four big ones," Ball said. "It's going to be done slowly (and) methodically."

Reach reporter Kevin Opsahl at 541-776-4476 or kopsahl@rosebudmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KevJourno.