Sean Davis for Astoria

Over the last two days, I’ve been busy showing up, listening, learning, and doing the work because I believe this is what a person should do before ever asking for someone’s vote.

Yesterday morning started at Vet Coffee at the Elks Lodge in downtown Astoria. I spoke with local veterans about our recent testimony in front of the county commissioners, where we pushed for two things that should have happened long ago: a second Veteran Service Officer and a Veterans Advisory Board. We brought around 20 veterans to that county commission meeting, and our message was heard. The commissioners said they will hire a second VSO, and they placed the Veterans Advisory Board on the agenda for their strategic plan.

That is what happens when people organize, show up, and speak with one voice. Results matter.

From there, I sat down with City Councilor Mazzarella at Cambian Coffee for nearly two hours. We talked about the issues facing Astoria, the decisions ahead, and the kind of leadership this town needs. I believe leadership starts by listening, even when the conversations are difficult and the problems do not come with easy answers.

Later that night, I went on a ride-along with the Astoria Police Department. Within minutes, we were called to a horrifying incident at the Atomic Motel, where a woman had stripped naked, set her room on fire, and tried to take her own life. Not long after that, we were called to McDonald’s, where a homeless woman walked in, sat down at a stranger’s table, and began eating his meal while staring him in the eye. By the time she was booked into jail, I learned she had been arrested 23 times since January. Arrested and released several times a week.

That is not just a police story. That is a leadership story. That is a mental health story, an addiction story, a homelessness story, and a public safety story all at once. It showed me, in just a few hours, at least a little bit of what our officers are dealing with every single day. I believe every city councilor and every mayor should do a ride-along before taking office. You should not make policy on such huge social issues if you don’t have all the sides of the story.

This morning, I went to the OSU Extension Office to meet with Clatsop COAD, the Clatsop Community Organizations Active in Disaster. We talked about preparing Astoria and the surrounding area for emergencies and disasters. This is work I understand deeply. My time in the military put me in war-torn and disaster-ravaged places, and those experiences taught me something simple: when disaster comes, preparation is not optional. It saves lives.

After that, I walked to the Maritime Museum to meet with former Astoria mayor Bruce Jones. We talked about his time in office and what makes a good mayor. I believe one mark of good leadership is humility enough to learn from people who have done the job before you.

These last two days were busy, but this is what my life looks like right now. I am treating this campaign like a mission. I am putting in the hours. I have read the comprehensive plan, the city codes, and every document I can get my hands on that helps me understand how this city works and where it is falling short. I am not winging this. I am preparing for it.

Astoria deserves a mayor who is willing to do the homework, have the hard conversations, and face the city as it is, not as we pretend it to be.

Tomorrow morning, I’ll be speaking at the South Slope Neighborhood meeting at 10:00 a.m. at the Astoria Library in the downstairs side room. On Sunday, I’ll be calling BINGO at American Legion Post 12 from 1:30 to about 4:00, and after that Jackie and I will be heading to Astoria High School to see Beetlejuice.

I’ll keep putting in the work.Thank you,
Sean