This is part of a series of stories about the candidates running in the May 21 primary election, with question-and-answer articles scheduled to run each day through the rest of April. Ballots must be mailed to voters by May 1.
Eugene City Council elections are approaching with voting scheduled for May 21st. The Ward 7 race will be a rematch of the November one between incumbent Lyndsie Leech and Barbie Walker.
City Council Ward 7 roughly represents the Whiteaker, Trainsong and River Road neighborhoods, as well as west Santa Clara and downtown north of 7th Avenue. With two candidates on the ballot for the ward, the outcome of the Mays primary election will decide which candidate runs unopposed in the November general election.
The Registrar-Guard asked each of the candidates a series of questions and requested biographical information. Here are their answers, word for word. Candidates are listed alphabetically.
Biographical Information
Lyndsey Leech
My name is Lyndsie Leech and I was appointed to the Eugene City Council for Ward 7 in December 2022 following the retirement of former Councilwoman Syrett. After the appointment, I ran in 2023 to retain the seat and won the November election. I am now running again to continue serving my ward for the next 4 years.
I live on River Road and work in Whiteaker as the Executive Director of a local non-profit in addition to the City Council, and I am a mother of three. I have worked for our nonprofit communities for the past 15 years, raising millions of dollars to improve our behavioral health system. As a councillor, I sit on the Budget Committee, the Committee of Revenue Advisors, the Lane Workforce Partnership and the Human Rights Commission. I work every day in these roles to serve our community to improve the lives of all who live, work and play here.
Barbie Walker
Biographical information: Eugene resident for over 25 years through Corvallis. Currently residing on River Road near Maurie Jacobs Park.
Occupational Background: Bowerman Molecular Biology Lab. Martins Ecology and Evolution Laboratory. Oregon Medical Group, Medical Laboratory Assistant. Analytical Laboratory, Water Quality Technique. Vice Manager, GM Alternative Transportation. Local Business Owner and Operator, The Pint Pot Public House.
Academic training: University of Oregon, BS Biology, Chemistry minor. Selected SPUR Sciences, Allele Mutations for Human Cancer Studies.
Previous Government Experience: West Eugene Business Association, chairman of the board
Community service: Founder of the 4J School District ID Program for Homeless Youth. Legislatively approved for DMV homeless determination. Junior League Executive Council Vice President, Community Enrichment. Founder, The 15th night UO women’s club soccer coach. Awbrey Park Cleanup. Eugene Relief for Life. Saint Vincent de Paul, Girls’ Youth House. Nominated for the 4J ACE Award.
questions
The Register-Guard began all questions to city council candidates with “What strategies or policies would you support?” Walker grouped the questions around housing and homelessness.
Increase housing affordability and/or supply in Eugene?
Leech: In short, increasing the supply of affordable housing is the #1 response to homelessness and ensuring Eugene is an affordable place to live. Eugene is 10,000 housing units short – we need to focus on increasing supply sustainably. Last year, I voted to invest record amounts in affordable housing and create incentive programs to build them quickly. Several of the low-income housing projects we have already invested in will be completed this term and more are in the approval process. I support housing diversity in our neighborhoods to support diversity in our neighborhoods.
Reducing homelessness in Eugene?
Leech: I will do everything in my power to help protect our unhoused population. This includes supporting more affordable housing options by leveraging our Affordable Housing Trust Fund, increasing our overall housing supply, and working closely with nonprofits in our area, Lane County and the developers I support tenant protections, in part to prevent further homelessness, expanding and expanding safe sleeping spaces for our homeless neighbors, providing compassionate addiction and mental health care and a policy that helps us get more people to have adequate housing. We know what works, we do more of it.
Walker on housing and homelessness
Easiest to point some reasonable facts towards good policy.
- Removal of some barriers that contribute to prohibiting the supply of housing. Reduction of many outdated SDC rates planned for renovations or new construction.
- Work with Lanes County on land use purchases/swaps for new developments that include language to maintain open spaces and be good stewards of established neighborhoods by not over-densifying, having equitable parking options and not forcing annexation .
- Be fair to builders, landlords and renters by advocating for lowering the area median income range for lower rent.
- Continue to support programs that are empowering the unhoused. Programs that have established procedures and protocols for successful measurable outcomes for self-reliance.
- As the city continues to look toward the sustainable climate resilience that our current energy grid demands, we still diversify to build and maintain manageable energy bills to afford a place to live. We need legal incentive policies and weatherization plans, not a ban without a plan
Improve the economic development of Eugene?
Leech: To promote economic development, Eugene must invest in infrastructure and adjust zoning where necessary to promote innovation and encourage industries that have or can succeed here, such as biosciences and sustainable energy. We should partner with our higher education institutions such as LCC and UO and invest in workforce development, particularly in trades and mental health. By improving wages and working conditions, we can ensure that our residents can afford to live here successfully. Finally, and importantly, we must focus on fostering inclusion and social cohesion in order to be a city where people want to live.
Walker: The council recently approved 50 million for new housing construction. The complex is suitable for studios, 1 bedroom and does not include the prevailing wages for our local construction workers who swing the hammer to build it. When there is public money, land transfers, we must ensure that the workers on these projects receive fair compensation. Compensations that go directly back into the local economy. This construction is also exempt for up to 10 years from property taxes for the new residential construction zone. Tax dollar necessary for economic development. Also, a 400 square meter studio for almost $1,000 a month leaves little to be a local consumer.
Increasing access to mental health resources in Eugene?
Leech: Improving mental health in our community will require addressing the shortage of health care providers and professionals, but also getting to the root of our problems: chronic stress and anxiety about the cost of living, the climate, health care, housing and much more. I will work to ease these burdens through strong policies and collaborative partnerships across multiple jurisdictions. I believe in our work to add mental health professionals to Eugene’s corresponding police and fire programs to ensure adequate care and response to people living with mental health issues.
Walker: We are a people full of mental health advocacy. We need policies that eliminate funding corruption and fully fund only treatments that work, while strengthening accountability to make our neighborhoods safe again. Inhumane living environments perpetuate habitual drug and sex trafficking for residents. Force residents to want to leave the city. The illegal dumping of recreational vehicle sewage into our parks and neighborhoods desensitizes our children to these kinds of instabilities. With continued compassion and grace, we also need policies that address the mental health of our citizens who work, play, live and retire here.
Improving public safety in Eugene?
Leech: I think about public safety broadly, not just law enforcement, but how we move around this city and experience the effects of climate impacts. Our community safety payroll tax has generated millions of dollars for direct investment in public safety improvements. I supported an amendment to Measure 110 to help get deadly substances off our streets. I support improvements in walking and cycling safety. We are exploring how best to leverage available federal funds to establish resiliency centers to keep the public safe during extreme heat and smoke events as Eugene experiences the increasingly severe impacts of climate change.
As compassionate people, we have endured. Behavioral treatment and crime reduction experts like Lane Fire Lane Professional Firefighters: Local 851 & Eugene Police Employees Association have supported me as together we will prioritize policies that directly bring safety back to our neighborhoods, parks and all of our beloved little companies Effective councilors must deliver tangible local results for society. My leadership has demonstrated that it prioritizes results-oriented policies for the safety of our citizens. www.BarbieWalker.com
Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be contacted by email at atorres@registerguard.com or X @alanfryetorres.
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