Level Up: Airing differences, bridging gaps

SOU class invites city councilors to engage in discussing city issues, talk about connecting campus and town

By Damian Mann for Ashland.news

Ashland councilors Gina DuQuenne and Dylan Bloom on Wednesday gave Southern Oregon University students a lesson in how to express mutual admiration even while disagreeing.

The councilors met with 15 students at Britt Hall to discuss voting, Ashland-centered topics and how to bridge the communication gap between the SOU campus and Ashland.

The event was part of the Level Up series, hosted by Precious Yamaguchi, program chair and professor of communication.

“We need your opinions,” DuQuenne told the students.

Bloom, who took a class with Yamaguchi when he attended SOU and is the youngest councilor, said, “We need fresh voices. The world is changing, Ashland is changing.”

Rather than shy away from debating issues, the councilors said they appreciated hearing a variety of opinions.

“It is so important to have disagreements,” Bloom said.

The biggest disagreement Bloom and DuQuenne had was over the $75 million bond measure to finance a new water treatment plant, which voters will decide on Nov. 5.

Despite their views, DuQuenne said she still “loved” Bloom, and Bloom shared her sentiment, saying he respected and admired DuQuenne.

DuQuenne said disagreements are part of a healthy dialog that engages local residents.

“I love how everyone is involved in our community,” she said.

However, they also noted that there is a gap between what goes on in the campus and the wider community.

They both encouraged students to become more involved and to attend City Council meetings and to potentially join one of the many city advisory committees.

DuQuenne said the city is looking at creating a university district, which would be similar to the area surrounding the University of Oregon campus in Eugene.

The district, which could offer discounts to students, would encourage the development of businesses that cater to the university, including potentially stimulating a music scene, bowling alley, a roller skating rink, an arcade and other activities.

SOU student Demetrius Davis-Boucher suggested creating an artisan market locally.

Student Aurora Johnson said she liked the idea of an artisan market.

She told the councilors that she previously had a health issue that made it difficult to get around town.

“It’s really inaccessible to disabled students,” she said, noting that the university didn’t have any wheelchairs available for students.

DuQuenne suggested that Johnson sign up for the city’s Transportation Committee to stimulate discussion about providing more access for the disabled.

Both councilors said students sometimes only live here for a few years before moving on after graduating. Despite the short time frame, they said it is still important to get involved locally.

The councilors said Ashland faces many of the issues experienced in other communities, including concerns about the climate, social equity and the topic that prompted the most vigorous discussion between the two councilors — water.

In November, Ashland voters will decide whether the city can borrow money to pay for a new $75 million water treatment plant — which would raise water rates.

DuQuenne said she didn’t think now was the best time to pursue this expensive option, particularly because she is concerned about the city’s budget and concerned about the city qualifying for grants that could offset some of the costs of the new plant.

“It should not hit the ratepayers,” she said.

She said she could support putting a greater share of the meals tax toward the plant as another option.

Bloom said the existing treatment plant is 80 years old and in danger of failing at any time. He said a new plant would be built to withstand a fire or earthquake risk. Also, with hotter weather and drier conditions, Reeder Reservoir is subject to algae blooms, which could be dealt with more effectively with a new facility.

“This 80-year-old needs to be retired,” he said. “It’s about investing in our future.”

Asked how they research an issue, the councilors said they spend many hours reviewing matters that come before the council.

“When you’re on the council, you don’t have much of a life,” DuQuenne said.

She said she has gone back over minutes from previous council meetings when reviewing a topic.

Bloom said he sometimes pores over reports of up to 400 pages before a council meeting.

He said he uses artificial intelligence programs to help distill some of these longer reports.

The Level Up series is sponsored by SOU’s communication, media and cinema program.

Reach freelance writer Damian Mann at dmannnews@gmail.com

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