This was one of the more interesting election cycles in recent memory, and most of the noise came from the national and state races. Benton County turnout was running above 71% on election night, so people were clearly paying attention. But the decisions that hit closest to home, like your utility bill, your streets and your parks, get made right here in Philomath on a Monday night each month. Our local races matter just as much.
Jessica Andrade will begin a third term on the City Council after leading all candidates with 1,645 votes, a clear sign that she’s connecting with a lot of people in town. David Low is coming back after missing reelection by a single vote in 2022. With three previous terms and a career in finance and banking, he knows how a city works from the inside, and his views on issues will carry weight. Amanda Polley is the real newcomer. She works at Oregon State University and chairs the Philomath Inclusivity Committee, and she holds a 196-vote edge over Candy Garcia for the third seat with only a limited number of ballots left to count.
Congratulations to Andrade, Low and Polley. Their four-year terms begin in January — and there undoubtedly will be tough decisions. City councils always face them. Big-ticket projects like the new water treatment plant and things like street improvements and growth on the edges of town will keep this group busy.
I also want to thank all five candidates for putting themselves out there for the good of the city. Garcia already gives plenty of her time on the Park Advisory Board and the Public Art Committee, and I hope she keeps at it. Richard Saalsaa, a retired deputy fire chief, stepped in when the council needed someone in January 2025, and his time on the council ends with the year. Thanks, too, to Teresa Nielson, who chose not to run again.
I can’t imagine sitting in a councilor’s chair. There are complex issues to work through, the pressure of knowing you can’t please everyone, rules you have to follow and numbers that have to add up for a budget to work. Toss in the occasional lawsuit, projects that hit roadblocks and the Monday night meeting that runs a few hours longer than anyone expected. Councilors need thick skin. Some of what they deal with would keep me up at night.
And they do it all without pay. These are nonpartisan volunteer positions held by neighbors who decided to step up.
The best way to thank them is to pay attention. Read the agendas, show up at a meeting once in a while or send an email when something matters to you. Our council works better when people are watching.
2. Six years
At midnight on Nov. 30, 2020, PhilomathNews.com went live, picking up coverage of our community after Philomath Express shut down. Later this month, the site turns 6.
I like to measure that time in a way that has nothing to do with page views. When I launched, my youngest son, Jasper, hadn’t turned 1 yet, and Jude had just turned 3. Now Jude is 9 and in third grade, and Jasper turns 7 next month. The family has grown in other ways, too. My oldest son, Brandon, and his wife, Katelyn, welcomed their daughter, Haylee, a few months ago, and they live close by in Corvallis. So, six years in, I’m not just the guy at the games and meetings with a camera and laptop — I’m also a grandpa.
The site has grown too. I’ve posted more than 11,000 stories, briefs, galleries and other pieces, covered close to 200 public meetings and spent more nights than I can count on the sidelines and in gyms.
What hasn’t changed is how Philomath News survives. It runs on advertisers and, most of all, readers who choose to support it. Plain and simple: I wouldn’t be here without them. That’s also why I’m keeping my promise of no paywall. Local news should be available to everyone, whether they can pay or not.
Right now, 308 individuals, families and organizations are listed on the Wall of Support, and I’m grateful that most of them renew year after year. But growth has been slow, and costs keep rising. If you read Philomath News regularly and aren’t a member, please consider a recurring or one-time contribution. If you already are, thank you — and tell a neighbor.
So onward toward year 7. I’m still here, still living in Philomath and still showing up for the meetings and the games. Thanks for reading.
3. Lasting tribute
A tribute to those who served from Philomath has landed on a national map.
The American Legion is building a database of U.S. war, military and veterans memorials across the country and around the world. The goal is to record where they are, document their histories and keep photos of the monuments that honor people who served in uniform. Marys River Post 100 in Philomath applied to have the Paul J. Cochran Veterans Memorial Park included, and the listing went live this past week.
The timing works well with Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
The park at 1545 College St. covers about a quarter of an acre — and it started with one family’s loss. In 2019, the city received a land donation from the trust of Beverly Cochran Durham, who wanted a park built in memory of her son, Paul J. Cochran. He was killed in the Vietnam War. An Oregon Parks and Recreation Department grant helped pay for the memorial and flagpole area, and the park was built in 2023-24.
What I like about the place is that it isn’t only a spot for quiet reflection. Next to the memorial, seating area and flagpoles, there’s a play area with swings, a spinner and a play structure for little ones. It all sits on an accessible surface meant for every generation. Kids playing a few steps from a veterans memorial seems like exactly the kind of freedom those who served were protecting.
The database entry is worth a look. It’s also a reminder that you don’t need a trip to Washington, D.C., to pay your respects. Sometimes the place to do it is right around the corner on College Street.
(Brad Fuqua is publisher/editor of the Philomath News. He can be reached at News@PhilomathNews.com).
