Sean Davis for Astoria

This week reminded me that leadership isn’t something you do during election season. It’s something you practice every day by showing up, listening, and working alongside your community.

Last Thursday I attended our Executive Board meeting at American Legion Post 12, where I serve as First Vice Commander. Staying involved in organizations like the Legion keeps me connected to the people who make Astoria what it is. The Legion is working hard to once again become a positive force in our community. During our meeting we voted to give raises to all of our employees. It won’t be easy financially, and I wish we could do even more, but we believed our staff deserved better than minimum wage. We’re also bringing more live music to the Post, from punk to jazz and everything in between. If you haven’t stopped by lately, I hope you will.

Friday brought some exciting news. I was honored to receive the endorsement of Clatsop County Commissioner LeAnne Thompson. We spent time discussing how the City of Astoria and the County can work more effectively together, especially when it comes to addressing homelessness. The challenges we face don’t stop at city limits, and neither should our partnerships.

My weekend belonged to my family. Kelly, Jackie, and I spent some much-needed quality time together. Public service is important, but so is remembering why we serve in the first place.

On Monday I attended a Working Families Party meeting in Gearhart. While the office of mayor is nonpartisan, I believe it’s important to be honest about the values that guide me. My wife and I are a working family ourselves. She works as a compliance director, and I’m doing everything I can to build Rogue Cell into an organization that helps prevent veteran suicide in rural Oregon. I believe people deserve a fair wage, we need more affordable housing for our workforce and working families, we should continue working toward affordable healthcare, and we should invest in renewable energy where it makes sense for our community.

Yesterday I completed my 40 hours of Peer Support Specialist training, another step toward helping veterans and others who are struggling with mental health challenges. Today I completed my second ride-along with the Astoria Police Department. Seeing firsthand what our officers experience every day gives me a better understanding of the decisions our city leaders have to make.

Next week I’ll be doing another ride-along, this time with Kenny Hansen and the team at Clatsop Community Action. That’s the kind of leadership I believe in. Before making decisions, I want to stand beside the people doing the work. I want to see the challenges they face with my own eyes, listen to their experiences, and understand what they need to succeed.

Leadership isn’t about sitting behind a desk waiting for reports. It’s about being present. It’s about listening before speaking, learning before deciding, and standing beside the people who serve our community every single day.

That’s the kind of active leadership I will bring to the Mayor’s Office, and I believe it’s the leadership Astoria deserves.