County candidates square off

Jackson County Commissioner C.W. Smith and his challenger, Jim Olney, voiced their visions for the Rogue Valley before a small audience attending a land-use discussion held Sunday afternoon at Roxy Ann Winery.

Brent Thompson, a former member of the Ashland City Council, moderated the one-hour event, posing questions about the environment, development and population growth from the 30 or so attendees.

Smith, the Republican incumbent, said Southern Oregon must balance the past with the future by protecting the interests of agriculture, timber and water rights while also creating industries that can provide better paying family wage jobs, Smith said.

A plan to develop a training program in medical art sciences is in the works, he said.

"This is the perfect place to train medical professionals," Smith said, adding "too many young people are leaving the area because they can't get good jobs."

Democratic challenger Jim Olney said the path to a better future must include the creation of high-tech jobs, support for green technology and a change in how the valley develops its communities.

Jackson County needs to protect its agriculture, forest and ranching industries. But high tech would add to our economy and create a "three-legged stool," said Olney, adding he would like to see investment in solar and wind power technologies.

"Oregon is the kind of place people move to for a reason," said Olney, but creating a harmonious balance between all the different factions "will take vision, preparation and homework," he said.

Rogue Valley ships agricultural products all over the world, Smith said, citing the $274 million pear industry, $100 million in viniculture and secondary industries such as nurseries and livestock.

Cattle ranching is "dying off in Jackson County," Smith said. But there is still a half-billion dollar hay industry, he added. The area's protein-rich hay is shipped to Asian markets to help feed cattle, Smith said, adding farmers are nonetheless struggling to meet steadily increased costs.Olney said he supported growth, as long as it is planned for properly.

"I see Jackson County growing tremendously in the next five to 10 years. Growth is good. You don't want to discourage people or businesses from moving here," Olney said.

Olney wants to see better, more collaborative, community planning — and less urban sprawl, he said.

"We can't just keep building out," Olney said. "We need affordable housing and businesses within the city's urban growth boundaries."

Olney said downtown Medford "needs a lot of help." The area needs new businesses and new homes, he said.

"We want people to live and work in downtown Medford," Olney said, adding Central Point's growth had created "tremendous pressure on our infrastructure."

The county's population is 192,000. A 7 percent increase could double that number in just 10 years, Smith said, joking he had fond memories of the area's population from back in the 1960's.

Smith said ongoing and ever-changing urban growth boundary requests by cities in Jackson County are part of the state's regional planning system. The "hodge-podge of decision making" is yet to be resolved, he said.

Ultimately, water will be the determining factor when it comes to growth in Southern Oregon, Smith said.

"Water will determine exactly what we will do," said Smith. "We do not have an infinite source of water. The greatest resource for water is the ground we stand on."

Between the threat of drought and possible changes as Native Americans continue their legal battles for control of Klamath Basin water, Jackson County could lose 40,000 acre feet of water overnight, Smith said.

"That's something we really want to keep our eye on," Smith said.