Position No. 1:
Ginger Anderson

A 31-year resident of Reedsport, Virginia "Ginger" Anderson and her husband Dave, a local attorney, came from the Midwest. "I was raised in a small town in Kansas," she said, "and when we decided to move out to Oregon, we said we wouldn't live in a small town where it was windy and here we are in Reedsport, which is smaller and just about as windy as Kansas." Once she got to town, Anderson wasted no time getting involved in her community. "We have always loved it here and wanted to help wherever we could," she said. "That's why I've kept myself busy wherever I was needed." Anderson said she believes in partnering with several entities to get things accomplished. "Especially in today's economy, partnering up is so important," Anderson said. "You can really get a lot more accomplished in a small community." That held true with Anderson's term on the council from 1987 to 1994, when the library; the remodel of the senior center, the old town project; which included the sidewalks and street lights; and the Umpqua Discovery Center came to fruition. As for how the current city council is doing, Anderson said she felt it was doing the best it could with what it had to work with. "This is a time when being positive is very important," she said. "There can't be negativity and I look forward to being a positive influence and bring a problem-solving approach to the position."

Position No. 1:
Allen Teitzel

Land surveyor Allen Teitzel was born in Reedsport, graduated from Reedsport High School, went off into the world and returned to his hometown, where he is seeking a seat on the city council. "I was here when the downtown area was a real downtown," said Teitzel, who works as a surveyor for a Coos Bay company. "This is where you went to shop and there was actually things to shop for." He said his work in other municipalities over the years and his experience as a surveyor can bring a lot to the position. "I'd like to lend that experience and my desire to help the community," Teitzel said. "I really want to be a part of the revitalization of the Old Towne area. It would be a real asset to the whole area." As a member of the Old Towne Reedsport Merchants' Association with his wife Kathi Wall-Meyer, Teitzel said he is working to make Old Towne a go-to destination in Reedsport. "We have a great opporunity to turn this area into something special," he said. Teitzel said that while he'd like to lure new small businesses, he'd also like to help the ones that are here. "There's so much we can do to promote the businesses here and help strengthen them," he said. "And, while I'd want to draw new businesses to the area, I don't want the large corporate businesses. They hurt the smaller businesses." Teitzel likes the work the present city council is doing, but said he can add to it. "I do play well with others," Teitzel joked. "I really think I can help us take positive steps forward for the city."

Position No. 2:
Bill Walker

A 44-year resident of Reedsport, Councilman Bill Walker worked for International Paper while he and his wife Peggy put three kids through the school system here. "The schools here are excellent," Walker, a member of Highland Baptist Church and the Reedsport Garden Club, said. "All our kids came out great and are very successful." Although he was born in Georgia and spent several years in the San Francisco Bay Area, Walker said he remembers when the downtown area of Reedsport was a real downtown, with stores, restaurants and businesses. "Everything was jumping down there," he said. "People actually could go downtown and shop." Asked why he's seeking a second four-year term on the City Council, Walker said. "This city has given so much to my family, I just want to give something back.The city deserves to be back the way it was before." Walker said a good city council recognizes the needs of the city it is charged to serve. "We have to not only listen to the people we represent; we also have to remember that we're residents and we have an opinion in what we want in a community," he said. While Walker enjoyed his first term on the council, he's hoping voters will allow him to continue. "I sort of feel like the work is unfinished. I think what the downtown merchants are trying to do for the old town section is great and I would like to see that through," Walker said. "I want to help make Reedsport a city we can all be very proud of."

Position No. 2:
Aeron Blackman

Reedsport City Council candidate Aeron Blackman has lived in Reedsport for the past five years, having moved from Lakeside before that. He said he wants to bring a different voice to city government, one that will be a little more concerned about the future of the city. "I want to offer a younger viewpoint," Blackman said. "I want to speak for Generation X. We're the ones who will inherit this town in the future; we should have a voice in some of the decision making that's going on now." Blackman said he doesn't think the current city council is doing a bad job. "But we need to look at ways of bringing in or creating new jobs," he said. "We have beaucoup trees and beaucoup mountains and we're at the mouth of the second largest river in the state. We should be able to attract bigger businesses here." Blackman said he knows the railroad will eventually come back and the city will have to do something to make sure it wants to do business here. "American Bridge really hasn't worked out in terms of supplying a lot of jobs to locals," he said. "So, we'd better get a large company so it's worthwhile to the railroad." One of the intangibles Blackman said he'll bring to the board is very basic. "I think I have common sense and will mesh nicely with the existing board," Blackman said. "I can't change what's already happened in the past few years, but I can make sure as the city goes forward, that our citizens don't get the wool pulled over their eyes."