Recreation, growth are central issues in Eagle Point council races

Oct. 27—Eagle Point City Council members Kevin Walruff and Bob Pinnell are asking voters to give them four more years, while the chairwoman of the Planning Commission and a member of the Neighborhood Enhancement Commission are running their first campaigns.

Voters can elect only three of them.

Pinnell, who came onto the council in February when he replaced a deceased member, is running for his first full term, and Walruff could get a second. The incumbents share the stage with Dianne Mihocko, who leads the Planning Commission, and Jessica Welch, a ranking member of the Neighborhood Enhancement Commission.

Bob Pinnell

Pinnell, an independent contractor for State Farm Insurance, joined the council after the death of Bernie Grossman earlier this year.

"That gave me the opportunity to see the council and how it worked," Pinnell said. "I liked what I saw and I like the direction Eagle Point is going."

Aside from his service to the city in numerous ways, including the budget and economic development committees, Pinnell points to his involvement in the Eagle Point and Upper Rogue Chamber of Commerce as experiences that prepared him for job.

"I've always given to the city with my volunteer work," Pinnell said. "So I think my experience in running different events and being involved gives me a good starting point."

He believes in a reliable water system that includes a backup generator in place before the city actually needs to use it.

"Right now, with the growth we have, we have a good (water) system," Pinnell said. "What we're trying to do is make sure if there is a problem with the pumping system, there is a backup generator to run that and get that in place. We're looking at some grants that could possibly pay for that, so that expense wouldn't be passed on to the residents. Having that backup system if we do have an earthquake or unforeseen event, then we'll be prepared."

Also important to Pinnell are the city's parks. He feels the best way to make them better is to get together different community factions that might not always associate with one another.

"There's the golf course community, there's the spartan community and there's the older town, and I'd like to see pathways all the way through town to where all the parks are going to be located — a dog park, a skate park and pickleball," Pinnell said. "As we show growth, that's going to be really good for our community."

Pinnell noted he is the council liaison to the Neighborhood Enhancement Commission, which Welch sits on.

"I think it's really important that the community directs these things," Pinnell said, referring to the park concepts. "The dog park, the skateboard park and pickleball court have been on their agenda for a long time, and it's time for some action, and that's what we're trying to show."

Jessica Welch

Welch, a home-school educator who also runs a local Classical Conversations Co-op, has gotten a sense of council duties by working with Pinnell, who is the liaison of the Neighborhood Engagement Commission.

Welch is proud of her work on the commission, helping to establish the location of a new dog park, but now she feels she's ready to sit on the council.

"My husband and I are already pretty involved in the community, especially with the teen community and younger families, and there's so many conversations that I've seen going on surrounding all of these things that directly affect those groups of people," Welch said. "I just saw a need for their voice to be represented ... by someone who is in the same season of life as them."

Much of her council platform is about young people, which is why she is in favor of a skate park in Eagle Point.

"There has been some letdown in the past, where it felt like a carrot was dangled a little bit and then taken away," Welch said. "I'm hoping to continue those conversations and bring some of that to fruition."

She also would like to see more businesses in downtown Eagle Point.

"I think we have a really sweet, unique little town," Welch said. "It's on the way to so many things; there's no reason we shouldn't have some offerings there."

She added that she is no expert on the subject, but getting a discussion going on "practical ways" to attract more businesses to Eagle Point would help.

"Give them incentives, somehow, for opening up those storefronts, just creating more traffic," Welch said.

Keeping in line with her youth-focused campaign, Welch also would like to see city officials beef up Eagle Point's social media presence. As an example, even though the city includes Twitter and Facebook on its website, it tells people such pages are coming soon.

"I think that's where a lot of people seek information," Welch said. "Even this council meeting coming up — make that a priority."

Cities such as Medford and Central Point utilize social media, so "it would be wise for us to follow suit and be better communicators," she said.

Welch has approached city officials on the issue.

"I get the sense they think maybe they should (use more social media). Maybe it's a staffing issue. Social media can be a lot of work; plenty of companies have a full-time person," she said. "Maybe at some point, I can see (a designated social media coordinator) being a huge benefit."

Dianne Mihocko

Mihocko, a former school teacher from Arizona, said her love of history and government is part of what motivates her to run. Plus as a retiree, she has time to give back to her community.

"I just have this feeling in my bones that I want to serve people," Mihocko said. "I decided there was an opening and I would see what happened. I love Eagle Point. It was probably one of the best moves we made in our lives."

She believes her experience as a planning commissioner and school board member has prepared her for City Council.

"Both of those positions have been a learning experience for me, but very positive," Mihocko said. "Every community has their own flavor, in that there's different priorities. When you're making decisions, you're making them based on what your constituents are looking for."

She believes housing options and affordability is a major issue emerging in Eagle Point.

"Affordable housing for first-time homebuyers and just making sure we have those options available for people who want to move to our community," Mihocko said. "As we do that, we need to make sure we continue to maintain the flavor of our community. We don't want super high-density housing, but we understand that we have to stay within our urban growth boundaries."

She would like to "invigorate our downtown area," encouraging development from businesses outside of Eagle Point.

Mihocko believes fiscal responsibility is another top issue.

"We're going through scary times right now," she said. "The council that we have is very mindful of that. I just want to make sure we stay within our limits and still provide a real family-friendly neighborhood kind of community."

Kevin Walruff

Walruff worked for Medford Police Department for 24 years, retiring in 2016 as a lieutenant. He is currently a law enforcement coordinator for the Western States Information Network.

Walruff, a former planning commission member and organizer of Eagle Point's July 4 celebration, was elected to the council in 2018.

"It wasn't necessarily that I had a specific agenda, but I wanted to be on the council to keep us kind of the neighborhood community and keep the values that Eagle Point showed," Walruff said.

He applauds the council's city planning within state restrictions, support of veterans as well as Butte Creek Mill, which just marked its 150th anniversary.

"I would like to stay on (council) to maintain our small town feel," Walruff said when asked why voters should reelect him. "I would like to make sure we are trying to keep local decisions local, and that we support our veterans, first responders and emergency services."

One of the biggest issues is handling the growth in population.

"I don't think there's any way to stop growth, and I think it can benefit us," Walruff said.

He believes examining traffic flow in and out of Eagle Point is one way to manage the issue.

"Maybe directing things out toward Riley Road, so it goes out to Highway 140," Walruff said. "Being able to adjust certain traffic controls, so we can get out onto Highway 62, because we know people, work, shop, educate ... in the greater Medford area."

City government being "fiscally responsible," by looking at grants and other external sources of funding rather than tax increases, is another top priority for Walruff.

"I think we should always look at that before we go to our taxpayers," he said. "They pay a lot of money as it is."

For Walruff, the third biggest priority would be for Eagle Point to get a dog park or a skate park.

"Where people can go out in their community with their family and with their neighbors," he said. "We've thrown that around. We've got that in our goals. Those are some of the things we'd like in our greater community."

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