Jeanne Raymond lists downtown and local businesses as among the most important parts of taking Corvallis into the future.

“I say it’s buy local or bye-bye local,” she said.

But controlling the growth of the city in a smart, sustainable way is the key to her campaign for Ward 7 councilor.

“To me it’s important to find out what is going to be the carbon footprint and impact to neighbors,” she said.

An educator for 30 years, including 10 in the Corvallis school system, Raymond is now retired and has been a resident of Ward 7 for nearly two decades.

Striking a balance between economic, social and environmental pressures, she said, means incorporating open space with mixed developments including single- and multi-family dwellings. Infill projects and vertical housing projects are examples of what she would consider as smart growth.

“Affordable housing can also be environmental,” she said. “I think it will come down to higher standards. This may be done over 20 years. It’s long-range planning.”

Among her goals on the council, Raymond said she hopes to end homelessness in Corvallis in 10 years through enhanced shelter facilities and citywide policies.

Part of that, she said, is increased awareness by police officers, who she commended for recently implementing training for interacting with the mentally ill.

“We don’t want any one group being targeted,” she said. “We want equal, respectful policing.”

Raymond is politically active in the Benton County Bill of Rights Defense Committee and is a member of the Corvallis Raging Grannies singing protest group, which uses satirical versions of traditional songs to spread a message of peace, environmental sustainability and social justice.

And Raymond isn’t opposed to the council weighing in on state and national issues. She’s part of a group now petitioning the council to adopt a resolution asking the federal government to create a department of peace.

“Anything the citizens bring before the council should be given respect and considered,” she said. “Sometimes what the nation and state decide have a direct effect on city personnel and individuals living within our community.”

Matt Neznanski can be reached at 758-9518 or matt.neznanski@lee.net.

GT Reader Comments

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CarpeDM wrote on May 7, 2008 7:18 PM: " Headline is bit too long, should just read "Raymond Seeks Control" Will she live in a "vertical" house ? Homelessness can be ended tomorrow...just change the definition of "home" to "where ever you are is home" Works just like calling a puddle or a swamp a "wet land" or some chicken bone found in a pending development site an "ancient Indian artifact' or some weed no one cares about unless they can use it stop a development THEY dont approve of a "native species" or calling a socialist a "progressive" (ever notice they are called "homeless" until they commit a crime, then they are labeled a "transient" ??) " Reapp wrote on May 7, 2008 10:46 PM: " "Infill projects and vertical housing projects are examples of what she would consider as smart growth." Sounds like she'll be a cheerleader for 7th Street Station. "

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