2014 Endorsement for Lake Oswego City Council

To All COLA LO Members,

The COLA board met with all candidates for city council this past weekend.  After several days of discussions and deliberations the board has formally decided upon its endorsement for 2014.

A media release was issued this evening by the board.  The text of which is located below.

Please review and notify all members, contacts, and friends.  

For Immediate Release:

Citizens for Local Accountability (COLA-LO) again offered all candidates for the Lake Oswego council in 2014 the opportunity to respond to a set of questions related to the core values of our organization (Fiscal Responsibility, Core Services, & Property Rights).   As in 2010 and 2012, COLA-LO has selected the candidates, whose responses best aligned with the core values. The interviews of the candidates who chose to participate will be, as in prior years, available for viewing on the COLA-LO blog www.commonsenselo.blogspot.com. 

In the 2014 election the COLA board has decided to endorse both Jackie Manz and Matt Keenen for City Council.  

Jackie Manz has a strong background in not only resolving community issues as a Neighborhood Association leader but also on the Citizens Budget Committee (CBC) in Lake Oswego.    This experience gives her the skills required to immediately be effective as a city councilor.  She has been a strong proponent of fiscal responsibility while also ensuring that Lake Oswego retains its exceptional community character.   Candidate Manz committed to the board she will be a long term resident of Lake Oswego and present after her term to be held accountable within our community.   

Matt Keenen has a unique background in policy issues and expertise in transportation issues.  He graduated from LOHS and has seen the changes in our community.    He understands the issues our community is facing and is not only a strong proponent of property rights but is also very aware of the fiscal issues facing our city.    He represents a fresh view of the younger residents of Lake Oswego with his informed background on transportation and economic development.   The board believes his policy experience, advisory board experience, long term residency in Lake Oswego, and his business experience will allow Candidate Keenen to immediately be effective on the council.  

Overview

COLA –LO was formed in 2009 and our endorsed candidates have won 71% of the open positions on the Lake Oswego council in the past two election cycles.    This represents a dramatic shift toward “good governance” within our community and is the core mission of our organization.  

 The COLA board is deeply committed to “good governance” at the local level through promoting our core values.   Contact any board member for additional information.   

COLA Board Completes Candidate Interviews - Endorsements to be Released Soon

To All COLA LO Members,

The COLA board met with all candidates for city council this past weekend.  

The interview group included not only the board but also several guests who attended sessions on both Friday and Saturday.  

Responses from all the candidates were insightful and provided more than enough information for attendees to review and assess the qualifications of the candidates. The COLA board met in executive session immediately following the completion of all interviews Saturday afternoon.  It reviewed the notes from the interviews and obtained/evaluated the views of our guests.

COLA expects to release its endorsement for the 2014 elections next week to the media.    

Stay Tuned...

Please notify all members contacts and friends.  

Council Votes to Overturn DRC - Is this the beginning of the 2014 Election?

To All COLA LO Members,

Last night the council voted to overturn the DRC decision against the Wizer block development.  

Thus the council approves the development and is effectively committing $5+ million in taxpayer funds to the project.  

The Final Vote:

5-2 in favor of overturning the DRC ruling and now approving project


                                                                    O'Neill  Yes

Studebaker Yes

Gudman Yes

Gustafson Yes

Jordan Yes

Bowerman No

                                           Hughes      No

Many in the community are now wondering if the groups opposed to the project including SOV - Save Our Village will actually appeal the decision to LUBA - Land Use Board of Appeals?

Only time will tell but several articles in the Oregonian and the LO review.

Oregonian article can be found at Overturns Decision

While a  much more detailed article can be found in the LO review City Council Approves Wizer Block..  the article presents various perspectives and statements made by individual councilors.  

The community rumor mill is abuzz about the impact this vote and the positions of candidates will have on the outcome of the 2014 election.   This vote has certainly made the election more interesting for Lake Oswego.  

Many are now wondering "what is next, another streetcar project?"

Please notify all members, contacts, and friends.  

COLA Board To Interview All Candidates 9/26-9/27

To All COLA Members,

The COLA board has scheduled to interview all candidates for city council next week 9/26-9/27. Four of the five candidates have already confirmed attendance. We anticipate all candidates will be interviewed to ensure members have the opportunity to review the positions of everyone running for city council.




Board members and Advisory board members will be present during the interviews.  The purpose of the interviews is to allow candidates to clearly communicate their values and their platform to the community.

As in the past two election cycles we intend to post the interviews on this blog for members and the community at large to review.  COLA televised interviews in 2010 on TVCTV and posted interviews on the blog in 2012.   This allows the community to review the positions of candidates at their leisure.

Feel free to contact any board member with questions regarding the interview process, schedule, or posting to this blog.   We anticipate that COLA will announce its endorsement decision after a formal vote by the board in mid October.

Please notify all members, contacts, and friends.  

Candidates for Council Begin to Release Their Views!

To All COLA LO Members,

There were startling revelations this week as the FIVE candidates began to release their views on the key issue impacting our community.    Some of the revelations weren't that at tall and others seemed to be very enlightening.





The Positions of the Candidates can be found in an article in the LO Review last week at  City Council Candidates  excerpts are included below..........

For example councilor Jeff Gudman refuses to answer questions on Wizers.  While he establishes his priority on infrastructure spending.  On sensitive lands he says basically "he is working on it".

Candidate Ed Brockman supports the Wizer development as the type of development needed for millennials.   At the same time he mentions a quick fix for tree grove requirements and sensitive lands.

Candidate Joe Buck supports the Wizer development.  On property rights: "We need to ensure the rights individuals have to be masters of their property are protected insofar as it affords others their reasonable right not to be unduly impacted by the actions of those individuals. 

Candidate Jackie Manz  On the Wizer Block: "I wholeheartedly support East End redevelopment as a compact retail district. However, while I appreciate the passion behind the current Block 137 project, the scope and scale are out of in sync with the village characteristics of the neighborhood.”

Candidate Matt Keenan says the Wizer block should conform to the small commercial element of the East End planning district.   On spending priorities: "“I think that transportation in Lake Oswego is under a lot of pressure, in terms of regional perspective, to invest in multi-modal transportation. In other areas of the region, I don’t disagree with it. But Lake Oswego currently does not have a whole lot of money, and we do have a street system that needs to be repaired and maintained. So putting our resources toward maintaining our streets should be the number one priority.


Combined the positions of all FIVE candidates present a mixed bag for the voters this fall.   It will be interesting to see which issues are critical to the voting public in 2014.    

COLA will interview all candidates this month and provide the board endorsement as it has in the past several elections.    Stay tuned.....

Please notify all members, contacts, and friends.