Author: Titus Tomlinson

“RARE has reached every community in Oregon, and Megan’s legacy will live on through the public servants she’s inspired to work toward prosperity for Oregon’s rural communities,” said Governor Kate Brown.

For 25 years through RARE (an AmeriCorps program), Smith was a leader in helping rural Oregon communities improve the quality of life for their residents and mentored students to do the same. Her work also included citizen involvement and outreach for the McKenzie Watershed Council as well as community development projects for the U.S. Forest Service and Lane County.

“The ripple of her loss is felt throughout the state,” said Titus Tomlinson, program coordinator for RARE. “She was one of those quiet but strong leaders. It was an honor to work with someone so esteemed in the state of Oregon.”

Smith spent her career building up a network across the state, driving from county to county to find the right communities to place her students where they could best help solve local economic, social, and environmental challenges. Under her guidance, students were placed for 11-month stints in communities statewide, where they worked on everything from facilitating county-wide Geographic Information Systems and coordinating the development of downtown master plans to implementing community health services, enhancing local farmers’ markets, completing economic development plans, and coordinating watershed assessments.

“She was always so thoughtful and very supportive of others, and has played a big role in the applied work of IPRE (and its predecessor the Community Service Center),” wrote PPPM Director Richard Margerum to PPPM faculty, students and UO colleagues earlier this week.

Many in the College of Design community, and in her field, say her commitment to and passion for her work was unparalleled.

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area (she was a huge Giants fan), Smith came north to pursue a bachelor of science in geography and sociology at Southern Oregon University. She then attended the University of Oregon for graduate school, receiving her master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning in 1996, where she was also a member of RARE’s first cohort. RARE is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

“I don’t know who taught who,” said PPPM Professor Emeritus David Povey, who founded RARE and was a mentor to Smith.  “She had a phenomenal capacity to share her enthusiasm with incoming students or participants in the program.”

The following year, Smith joined the RARE staff as a coordinator, and shortly after became the program director.

Robert Parker, co-director of the IRPE and an instructor in PPPM, and Smith were graduate students at the same time and worked together for 25 years. He explained that Smith’s work was so important because rural Oregon has historically been economically challenged, and the RARE program connected the resources of the university to these communities.

“It’s really hard to overstate the impact Megan had in the state,” Parker says. “Megan was really sharp and incredibly dedicated to the mission of the organization as well as the participants of the organization, and incredibly dedicated to rural Oregon and finding solutions for the pressing needs of rural communities.”

Through her mentorship of students, she was creating problem-solvers for the next generation. Many RARE participants have gone on to work in the communities where they were originally placed. One such success story is Maddie Phillips, who in 2012 received her master’s in Community and Regional Planning from the UO. Phillips was a RARE participant placed in Creswell in 2013. The following year the city hired her as a planning technician, and now she is a city planner there.

“Megan was a tireless advocate in providing young people opportunities in the public sector,” said Phillips. She adds that Smith was key in guiding her through her placement process, redirecting her to Creswell from her first choice, because Smith knew her student would have greater success in this city.

“She helped people clarify their direction,” Phillips recalled. “Her legacy is that she understood how to approach challenges and find a way to bring young people into public service at a time that was critical for both the participant and the recipient.”

Tomlinson has his own fond memories from working with Smith for seven years at RARE.

“When I was first coming on as program coordinator, she took me on this giant tour around the state, up the gorge and through Eastern Oregon,” Tomlinson said. They were driving near John Day when a golden eagle swooped down in front of the windshield. “We were both totally stunned. I just had never seen that part of the state and she was out showing me her stomping grounds. That is a memory I will always hold dear.”

“What impact will her work have? Huge, just huge. In terms of numbers and the lives that she has affected in a positive way,” Povey said.

Information about possible memorial services will be announced at a later date.

Ariel Kane has joined Gold Beach Main Street program as a Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) participant to help the nonprofit group with its streetscape improvements, economic development and community programs.

“With Ariel’s help, Gold Beach Main Street is excited to focus on our goals, increase community engagement and grow our tiny town with big dreams,” said President Laurie Van Zante. “We’re looking forward to what we can accomplish in the next year.”

Kane will coordinate, plan and manage various projects the nonprofit undertakes, in addition to marketing, event coordination and technical assistance with which other organizations Gold Beach Main Street works.

Kane, a Winston native, spent the past four years teaching English and volunteering in Japan. She will be based at Gold Beach City Hall.

Her position is supported by the city’s Urban Renewal Agency, the Ford Family Foundation and the University of Oregon’s Institute for Policy Research and Engagement.

Originally published in the Curry Coastal Pilot

Jared Sidman has been to Costa Rica and Thailand. He’s spent time in Mexico, Canada and the Micronesian Islands. He’s seen 43 of the 50 states and now he’s settling in at his desk in Cottage Grove as the city’s latest Main Street Coordinator.

“Let’s see, I recently finished a contract with the Peace Corps and they have an affiliation with the University of Oregon — so yeah, I basically found out about the position through UO,” Sidman said in recalling his introduction to Cottage Grove and the Main Street Program.

The position of coordinator is a function of the broader Main Street Program, a network of pro-grams led by grassroots efforts dedicated to improving the quality of life at the local level.

In Cottage Grove, the Main Street Coordinator has taken on several responsibilities, depending on the individual coordinator, and all tied to the goal of acting as a liaison between Main Street businesses and the city.

It’s a goal Sidman has worked into the center of his plans just a week after accepting the position.

“Basically, I’m working with the Main Street board and getting my feet under me and learning the town,” he said. “I’m meeting with the business owners and letting them know that there’s someone in this position full-time for the first time in a while and I will be their connection to the board and information.”

So far, he’s met with approximately a dozen businesses and has started outlining his plans for the year. First up, Halloween.

Each year, Cottage Grove hosts Downtown Trick-or-Treat, an event that often sees up to 3,000 children, decked out in their Halloween best, flood Main Street to scoop up candy being offered by local businesses.

“I’ll touch base with the business owners and make sure they’ll have their doors open and be involved for Halloween,” Sidman said. “That’s beneficial for them to be there and have their faces seen when everyone is there.”

He’s also throwing his weight behind the annual Christmas celebration that sees caroling in All-America Park and an appearance by Santa Claus via South Lane County Fire and Rescue’s fire truck.

“I’m also working with the board on an upcoming spring fundraiser,” he said.

Aside from lending a hand for community events, Sidman will apply his computer science and teaching degrees to working with businesses on future issues, like construction.

Earlier this year, the city applied for a $10 million grant to help fund the refinement plan — a yet-to-be finalized upgrade for downtown featuring new sidewalks, street signs and lighting.

The grant is expected to be awarded in December of this year and if Cottage Grove receives the funds, construction could become part of the everyday on Main Street.

“The other big piece I’m working on,” Sidman said, “is what we’ll call the business tool kit. They’ll be construction in 2021 on Main Street and the details of this we’ll put out later but we’ll need to work with the businesses to make sure they can stay open when Main Street is under construction.”

Sidman is the second cordinator in almost as many years. He’s replacing Carlene Giroud who was let go in Dec. of last year after she was hired in a transitional role, replacing longtime coordinator Shauna Neigh who resigned her post.

Prior to Giroud’s arrival, the coordinator was not a direct employee of the city.

That changed.

Giroud worked under city planner Amanda Ferguson, was paid by the Economic and Business Improvement District (EBID) and worked on addressing downtown businesses’ concerns and attempt to facilitate relationships.

The position has since changed again and morphed into a full-time position thanks to added funding from the RARE Program or Resource Assistance for Rural Environments.

According to city manager Richard Meyers, Sidman’s full-time position is paid for by RARE funds as well as the city and EBID.

When asked what he would like residents and businesses to know, Sidman said, “My door’s open. I have a lot to learn and I’m not going to be perfect but I think the big thing is I’m here full time and open to working with people and hearing their ideas and getting that to the board to get everyone on the same page.”

Originally published in the Cottage Grove Sentinel

Bayoán Ware has two deadlines to meet on this particular Friday.

First, he is putting the final details on a grant application that could help new and emerging food businesses in the Columbia Gorge have a place to grow.

He also has to finish his application for a second year working for Resource Assistance for Rural Environments at the Port of The Dalles.

RARE is an AmeriCorps program through the University of Oregon’s Community Service Center. Its aim is to increase capacity of rural communities to improve their economic, social and environmental conditions. The program does that by providing trained, graduate- level participants who live and work in rural communities for 11 months.

RARE begins its 25th year with the fall class of RARE planners.

Wasco County has benefitted from more than a few RARE planners through the years. Some have stayed in the area. The current RARE group includes three involved in Wasco County-related issues.

Bayoán grew up in Chicago and was living in Puerto Rico with his mother when he learned about RARE. He chose The Dalles to explore a part of the country he had never seen, and for the opportunity to experience life in a small town. His projects include not only the food facility but also Gorge Works, a community-based internship program.

“I think just being here helps you really understand the intricacies of ideas and how they interact with each other,” Bayoán says. “All these different perspectives have to cohabit and interact with each other. Relationships are everything in a small town, no matter what you’re talking about.”

Lauren Kolojejchick-Kotch from southern Idaho is a project manager at the Columbia Gorge Tourism Alliance. The work brings together a number of her interests: economic development, regional planning, food systems and a deep sense of place. It also incorporates storytelling, a key interest of Lauren’s.

“Telling stories of rural communities is an interest of mine,” she says. “It’s a necessity in rural tourism.”

Portland native Kiara Kashuba works with Oregon State University Wasco County Extension on projects related to healthy-eating education and increasing food access in the Columbia Gorge. Her RARE work involves developing plans and systems for the Columbia Gorge Food Security Coalition and the local Blue Zones project that will serve the area for years to come.

“In the end, I hope that in my RARE year I have made a positive impact on the physical and mental health and well- being of our community,” Kiara says.

Once her RARE year is complete, Kiara plans to stay and take a job with Gorge Grown, a local food and farm advocacy group.

A number of former RARE planners continue to have an impact locally.

Michael Held, a West Virginia native, preceded Bayoán at the Port of The Dalles. After earning his master’s degree in public administration, he was looking for a community where he could set roots and begin a career.

Michael worked on plans for the Columbia Gorge Industrial Center—the newest industrial center at the Port. He also launched a process to reconcile wetland issues in the industrial area.

He attributes his success and a deeper understanding of his professional interest, ambitions and capacities to RARE.

“I was able to get my hands dirty with complex local issues and connect with amazing professionals along the way,” Michael says. “I gained a network of friends and colleagues that I continue to engage on a daily basis.”

Michael lives in Salem, but continues to affect Wasco County through his work with the Rural Development Initiative.

Carrie Pipinich, a Seattle native, came to The Dalles in 2011 with a master’s degree in urban and regional planning. Working for the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, she coordinated a group of regional governments in exploring opportunities for collaboration and worked on MCEDD’s comprehensive economic development strategy for the region. She also worked on a needs analysis for the regional housing authority.

Today, Carrie works as a project manager for MCEDD, coordinating the Wasco County Economic Development Commission and helping bring broadband connectivity to rural communities, among other things. She also plans to supervise a new RARE planner for MCEDD this fall.

“The projects I was working on were a perfect introduction,” Carrie says. “I had to get to know all of the stakeholders very quickly.”

Matthew Klebes, a New Hampshire resident, came to The Dalles in 2013 to coordinate the town’s fledgling Main Street program. He and his wife, Krystal, had recently returned from the Peace Corps in The Philippines, a program RARE supports.

Matthew stayed in The Dalles after his 11 months with RARE, first serving as executive director of Main Street and then as assistant to the city manager at the city of The Dalles.

“One of the great things about RARE is that it can open up opportunities for employment,” Matthew says. “The program can often put you in a community you’re unfamiliar with where you work closely with a lot of community members. It helps you grow some roots.”

Jeremiah Paulsen, of Sequim, Washington, met Michael, Carrie and Matthew while living in The Dalles and working as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Wishram, Washington. When that post ended, he decided the professional development aspect of RARE sounded interesting.

Jeremiah went to work for Matthew on Main Street projects. A few months later, when Matthew took the city job, Jeremiah took over as Main Street executive director.

Jeremiah praises the connections he has forged through RARE.

“You meet people you will probably talk to for the rest of your life,” he says. “Those connections you build—RARE is amazing in that regard.”

Amanda Hoey’s story is a little different from the others in the group. Raised in The Dalles, she worked with AmeriCorps and then RARE in 2005- 2006 on the Oregon Coast, developing youth entrepreneurship programs. Her RARE ties brought her back home.

“I had never heard of MCEDD before,” she says.

Another RARE planner told her about a project manager job at the organization and she applied. Today, she is MCEDD’s executive director.

“Coming out of college, I think you don’t always know what the next step is,” Amanda says. “RARE helps you refine your skill set and decide what you want to do with your education.”

Originally published in the Northern Wasco County PUD’s Carousel

The City of Reedsport has gone through many changes in the years since it was incorporated in 1919.  Originally a boardwalk town built on the banks of the Umpqua, then a crucial site of lumber transportation and processing, and now it is a place where one can enjoy a small town lifestyle in the bucolic setting of Oregon’s Coast Range.  While many things have changed in the past century, it has always been Reedsport’s Downtown that has embodied the heart of the City.  It was out of recognition of Downtown’s core importance that the Reedsport Main Street Program was created to utilize citizen volunteers to make Reedsport a more livable, sustainable, and effervescent place to live.

In 2017 the Main Street Program had the opportunity to apply for the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant to rehabilitate the Burdick Building.  The Burdick Building in many ways exemplifies Reedsport’s heart and the changes the town has undertaken over the years.  It is located in the center of Downtown and bears the name of a historical resident.  It has also endured the ups and downs the economy and the wear and tear of the wet, coastal, weather.  To address this deterioration, Reedsport Main Street devised a plan to rehabilitate five upstairs apartments and bring the facilities up to a condition in which they could be rented.

Oregon Main Street awarded the Reedsport Main Street Program $100,000 to match $50,000 provided by the Program.  This rehabilitation project would serve several needs of the Reedsport community.  Bringing apartments into Downtown would increase the number of people who would shop in local stores, eat and drink at local restaurants, as well as create a safe and homey environment.  It would also provide affordable living in a housing market constricted by geography and economic conditions.  This need is critical in Reedsport since many employers could not find housing for workers and so had unfilled positions.  This meant less people making, and spending, less money in Reedsport.  Obviously, something had to be done.

Just over a year after the Reedsport Main Street Program was awarded the OMS Revitalization Grant we are happy to report that we have completed our project and are already reaping the rewards of our work.  Not only do we now have a stock of quality apartments in our Downtown ready to be filled by tenants, but there has also been a virtuous cycle of spending carried out by private owners.  Vacant store fronts have been filled, facades have been redone, and new businesses have been started since we received this grant.  While Reedsport Main Street cannot take credit for all of this positive change, many private owners have referenced this project, and the fact that we have a Main Street Program, as a reason they felt confident investing in Reedsport.

While our work on Main Street is never truly over, we are proud to have made substantial progress in our partnership with Oregon Main Street on raising local property values, encouraging new and current businesses, and creating a vibrant sense of place in Downtown Reedsport.  Reedsport has changed a lot since it was built on the banks of the Umpqua, and no doubt it will continue to adjust in the future, but when people come together with the common mission of making their town a better place, that change will be in a positive direction.

Written by: Emerson Hoagland, Reedsport Main Street Program

Originally Published in Oregon Heritage Exchange Blog

As the city is deep in efforts to develop new parks, Scappoose now has its own parks improvement organization.

Friends of Scappoose Parks was established this year and kicked off its first meeting on May 17.

The group was started as a way to complete small park improvement projects and raise money for city parks, while gathering and passing along community input about parks and recreational opportunities in Scappoose.

In its infancy, the group is currently facilitated by Garett Peterson, an AmeriCorps program participant working with the city of Scappoose.

Peterson says Friends of Scappoose Parks will eventually become a citizen group, independent of the city.

“We envision it as a community-run program,” Peterson says. “I’m just helping to get it up and going. Hopefully I can hand it off.”

The city already has a parks and recreation committee, which primarily serves as an advisory committee to the Scappoose City Council and city staff. The Parks and Rec committee is tasked with helping the city develop its parks master plan, while making recommendations to city officials.

The “Friends” group will serve a different purpose.

“There’s essentially four different parts to it,” Peterson explains. “Fundraising — identifying park improvement projects; community outreach; volunteer clean up events; and the Adopt a Park program.”

By offering an organization, business or benefactor the option to adopt a city park, that person or group becomes responsible for maintaining a park, or a park section.

Citizens stand to play a key role in the future of the city’s parks as Scappoose works to develop Chief Concomly Park alongside Scappoose Creek, and presses Columbia County to deed over land for the development of a park at Chapman Landing.

The parks endeavors come despite the city’s lack of dedicated staffing for park maintenance or upkeep.

During an inaugural meeting last month, interested residents brainstormed a few projects the group could take on over the next few months, says Peterson.

Those projects include adding more trash receptacles to city parks and adding signage on trails and parks where possible to denote natural features of interest or historical significance. Participants also pitched the idea of adding native and pollinator-friendly plants in parks around the city, particularly ones that border waterways.

“They came up with some good ideas that are reasonable, and even overlap with the city’s own goals,” Peterson notes. “A lot of these projects don’t cost much and are low maintenance.”

Projects and areas of focus for next year are expected to be narrowed down at the next Friends of Scappoose Parks meeting at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 21, at Scappoose City Hall.

Everyone is invited to attend.

Originally Published in The Columbia County Spotlight