Mayor-Elect Craig George
Craig George to Take Over as Mayor in 2008
Council member George defeated incumbent mayor Bill Graham in November's general election.
by Ken Graham
Mayor-elect Craig George will take the helm at city hall beginning January 1, 2008. He defeated incumbent mayor Bill Graham by a comfortable margin in the November general election. George says one of his top priorities will be to improve communications between city hall and Dayton citizens.
"I plan to put out a newsletter at least quarterly, giving an update of what's happening in city government," George says. "I've also been talking to people handling the city's web site about including more current information about city activities." George also plans to begin writing a regular column for Blue Mountain News.
George told us that he does not plan any big changes at city hall. "The city is moving in the right direction," he says. "Mayor Graham has done a great job and I'm going to try to build on what he's done." George says that the election results show that the city's citizens were ready for a change in leadership, but not a change in direction.
George has been a driver for Columbia County Transportation for the past three years, but he will give up that position on December 15. "As mayor, I will be on the Board of Directors for the transportation agency, so it would be a conflict for me to also be an employee," he says. George also says that he made a campaign promise that being mayor would be his only job.
George and his wife Kathy moved to Dayton after their retirement in 2002. George is a northwest native, and they were looking for a place to retire in eastern Washington. "We love historic homes," he says, "and we found the perfect one here." The Georges purchased the "Dr. Day" home on South Second Street when they moved to Dayton.
In the coming year, George plans to continue focusing on street improvements. "We've gotten Third Street rebuilt this year, and that was badly needed," he says. "Our next big project will be Second Street, from Main to Oak." George says that the city has applied for grant funds to complete that project next year, but the outcome of the application won't be known until after the first of the year.
George also sees a big need in Dayton for a skateboard park. "There are several places on city-owned property where a skate-board park would work," he says. George hopes that a group of parents and concerned citizens can be formed to work with the city to make that happen.
Copyright (c) 2007, Blue Mountain News