Kellstrom seeks another term on city council

Lon Kellstrom has been serving in the challenging and often contentious unpaid volunteer position as a city councilor since 1999. He has served as mayor for the last four years.

Why would he want to put in another four years?

"I would like to build on the success of the last four years," said Kellstrom. "With a new council we need some continuity. There are a couple of projects that I would like to see get completed.

"I would like to see the airport annexation completed and see them get going. I don't think that (you) can conceive what (the airport) is going to do for Sisters. It is going to help fill in the industrial park, and that will drive business downtown."

Three of the council seats will be up for grabs on November 6. There are four candidates, including Kellstrom, for those three seats. Two political newcomers are running for the council, Catherine Childress and McKibben Womack. Former city councilor and mayor Brad Boyd is also running for one of the three seats. Current councilors Pat Thompson and Sharlene Weed are not running for reelection.

Kellstrom admits to having a bit of a political bent. His father, a long-time Klamath Falls insurance agent, served on the city council for many years and may have had some early influence on his interest. An Oregon native, Kellstrom grew up in Klamath Falls, graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor's degree in liberal arts, and has continued to return to Oregon even though his career had him living in many other parts of the country, and briefly abroad.

With a passion for the hospitality industry, Kellstrom began his career at the Benson Hotel in Portland, and then branched out to several postings over the years in California, and also stints in Denmark, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

With a young son and daughter in school, Kellstrom and wife Diane opted to return to Oregon and reduce the travelling. After several other business ventures, several of which regularly brought Kellstrom to Central Oregon, Kellstrom moved to Sisters for a job that ultimately fell through.

Determined to stay in the area, the Kellstroms started a construction company in 1995 which to date has built close to 80 homes and duplexes in Redmond and Sisters. Kellstrom says he got lucky in hooking up with an excellent banker and Realtor. He admitted that he had to be shown "which end of the hammer to grab" when he first started.

In the last four years, their building activity has dropped to near zero.

Back in 1998 Kellstrom was spending a lot of time in city hall getting permits and plans for his projects, and he got to know the city staff. This led to the then-city-manager recruiting Lon to run for city council in 1999. He was elected.

In 2007 Kellstrom put together a PAC and ran a slate for city council that included himself, Thompson and Jerry Bogart. The dollar expenditure (reportedly $15,000) and a running as a slate was something new to Sisters City Council politics.

"When Pat and Jerry and I ran four years ago, our platform was fiscal discipline, protect public resources and economic development," said Kellstrom. "I was convinced that up to that time the council and the staff were not business-friendly."

In response to criticisms of council dysfunction Kellstrom said, "I would argue with anybody that (says) we are dysfunctional. We get a (heck) of a lot done. If you are a leader, and I believe we are, you are going to get some brickbats. I have people all the time that stop me and tell me 'thank you for the job that you are doing.' A dysfunctional council could not have accomplished all that we have done."

Speaking of the dust-up earlier this year over the attempt to dismiss City Manager Eileen Stein, Kellstrom said, "They don't like her because she doesn't follow the direction that they want to see. People do not realize the sheer volume of work that Eileen does.

"Again, leaders that are out in front are going to get a brickbat or two. Flat out, we have one of the best small/medium-sized-community city managers in the state," Kellstrom continued.

Kellstrom believes that a flawed committee-based evaluation system and a lack of due process were at the heart of the council disagreement.

The mayor feels that the city's economic development effort is moving in the right direction.

"Finding more money is the next step," said Kellstrom. "It is time to solicit business contributions to the effort. I absolutely believe that the city should be funding the (economic development) position, but maybe not all of it.

"On the other hand, the city can't do any more than we are doing now. We are paying more per citizen than probably anybody in the state."

Kellstrom continued, "The chamber (of commerce) is doing a great job at what they do. We have got a good brand for Sisters, and for the first time in a long time you have continuity in the executive director position. Sisters has a profile across the country."