Meet Maia Hardy:
Maia Hardy comes to us directly from Multnomah County, where she spent a year as an Assistant Planner, where she managed public involvement related to the Sauvie Island Rural Area Plan. She landed in Creswell in July of this year, in anticipation of her debut as Creswell’s next Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) participant.
Q: What brought you to Creswell?
Living in Portland and getting the “urban feel” for Oregon, I always found myself escaping to smaller, rural communities that had much more character. I always felt as if they had a greater sense of community – people would talk to you, you could connect with people; there is a lot of opportunity to make a positive impact in a rural community. I decided to leave the urbanites in Portland and move to my boyfriend’s farm in Pleasant Hill, and quickly became a part of the Creswell community.
Creswell is unique to me – there is a lot of great people that are dedicated to making the City a great place. As this year’s RARE Community Development Coordinator, I hope to be able to tap into this community’s contingency of do-it-yourselfers that are willing to step up and help to resolve some of the City’s challenges. You don’t find that everywhere.
Q: What about Creswell reminds you of home?
I’m a Detroit, Michigan native – I witnessed the rise and fall of the auto industry in Michigan. What reminds me of home is the unique position Creswell is in. Similar to the fall of auto manufacturing, timber played a big role in defining Creswell’s identity. Creswell’s community has a chance now to redefine itself through attracting businesses, industry, retain existing business, and how we intend to bring economic development to the community in a new, innovative way.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the upcoming year?
I hope that I’m able to:
- Revitalize the Chamber of Commerce. I’d like to help them through their restructuring phase. I want to see the Chamber and its Board champion existing businesses and assure that Creswell retains the vitality of its successful small business community.
- Organize community events. I hope to put on a few fun community events that build on Creswell’s already vibrant spirit.
- Access outside funding. I’d like to help Creswell access funding through grants related to at least two of the projects I have slated for this coming year.
Q: What’s one unique thing about you?
I’m pretty much a grandma – I love knitting, canning, cooking and a good warm, wool sweater.
Meet Maddie Phillips:
Maddie Phillips has spent over a year working at Creswell City Hall (as a RARE Community Development Coordinator) and has recently accepted a new position as the City’s Planning Technician. She has been a Eugene resident for nearly five years, hailing originally from the Eastern Seaboard. Don’t be put off by her fast-paced walking – she’s always happy to smile and say hello, especially if you have a question about city planning.
Q: What brought you to Creswell?
I was adrift in the Eugene/Springfield metro area, looking for a way to use the skills I learned in graduate school at the University of Oregon. I thought “Wouldn’t it be nice to work somewhere where I can find some variety in my everyday work?” I was in the market for a small town planning experience – Creswell seemed like a great place to apply some of my education and experience in the planning field. After spending an exciting year as a RARE Community Development Coordinator here in Creswell, I knew stepping up to a Planning Technician position was a great opportunity.
Q: What about Creswell reminds you of home?
Creswell reminds me that relationships matter. I am from a small town and I find that I am most comfortable working in a community where you get to know the names of the community members you work with – and they get to know you!
A lot of what I have done (and will do) in Creswell involves doing projects with community members and for community members. I like the fact that Creswell is a unique place to apply those skills and have people appreciate what you do. You don’t find that everywhere.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the upcoming year?
I would like to make planning a more positive experience for the people that live and do business in Creswell. I feel as if there is always a way to provide great customer service at City Hall and make planning activities feel accessible. Why should putting a deck on the side of your house be a headache? I want folks to come to City Hall, be greeted with a smile, and I’d like to have the ability to answer their questions. If I can’t answer their questions off the top of my head, I would like to learn and be able to share the answer with folks in a timely manner.
Also, I would like to build and strengthen some regional partnerships this year. We are linked to several County-level and State-level organizations that we could communicate with more constructively. I hope to have the capacity to build some of those relationships and work towards answering some challenging questions.
Q: What’s one unique thing about you?
I make a mean chocolate-chip-oatmeal cookie.
Originally published in The Creswell Chronicle
PO Box 428
Creswell, OR 97426
Phone: 541-895-2197 Fax: 541-895-2361