2010 STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
To view the text of Mayor Kathy Figley's 2010 State of the City Address, please download the Adobe PDF version by following the link below:
1st Anniversary of December 12, 2008 Letter from Mayor Kathy Figley
December 12, 2009; One Year Later
Kathy Figley
Mayor, City of Woodburn
The West Coast Bank bombing of December 12, 2008 was a tragic event in Woodburn’s history. It cost the lives of both Captain Tom Tennant, a 28-year
veteran of the Woodburn Police Department, and Senior Trooper Bill Hakim of the Oregon State Police. Chief of Police Scott Russell was critically
injured in the explosion, and West Coast Bank employees also sustained injuries.
“Shocked and saddened” were the words used to describe our emotions in our official statement the day after the blast. While the initial shock of
an event so outside the small-town Oregon experience has disappeared, some of the sadness will always remain. Tom Tennant was a devoted family man,
a dedicated community volunteer, and an outstanding police officer. Bill Hakim was a many-sided individual who was also devoted to his family and
to his chosen profession. The 51 years of both of their lives seem far too short, although they were full, valuable, and meaningful.
Still, on the first anniversary of this event, our primary emotion is that of gratitude. We are grateful for the time that Tom and Bill had on this
earth, for their friendship and for their service. Their efforts on their last day of life prevented what could have been a far greater tragedy.
We will always remember them, and always love them.
We are grateful for the survival of Chief Scott Russell, and even more so for his recovery and return to duty. We are grateful for those who took
immediate action to save his life in the aftermath of the explosion and those who cared for him in the hours and days that followed. Scott is an
exceptional human being and an outstanding police chief. We are grateful to have him among us.
We are grateful for the outpouring of kindness, compassion, and help that came our way in the aftermath of the bombing. As we have tried to express
our thanks to different public safety agencies, government bodies, companies and individuals who did what they could to help us during this trying
time, we have become aware that we cannot possible thank everyone individually. We have seen so many acts of kindness, and felt so many warm thoughts
and prayers. We do appreciate them. We will do what we can to repay them with our own acts of kindness and assistance as we go on with our future.
In a forest, the fall of giants is often followed by the remarkable growth of smaller trees suddenly exposed to the sun and the flowering of a meadow
below. Woodburn as a community has responded similarly. We have heeded the Tennant family’s wish to remember “our Tom” through emulating his service
to the community he loved. We have focused love and compassion on those most directly affected by this event, and in so doing found it returned to us.
We have accepted this event as an opportunity to improve as individuals and as a community. We wish this event had never happened, but one year later,
we are a stronger and better community nevertheless.
On December 12, 2009, we will remember Tom and Bill and give thanks that they were part of our lives. We will give thanks for Scott’s recovery, for the
kindness of both friends and strangers, and for all the blessings we have received in the past years. As the holiday season and the New Year approach,
we will remember that love and friendship are the greatest gifts of all, and that we have received them in abundance.
(signed) Mayor Kathy Figley
City of Woodburn
To download a copy of this statement, please click Here
Mayor Kathy Figley's Welcome to Woodburn
Mayor's Welcome Letter
As Mayor of the City of Woodburn, I want to welcome you to the City of Woodburn Web Site.
If you are a first time visitor, we hope you find the information you are looking for or
the contacts that you need. If you do not, please let us know. This site is a work in
progress, and we want to know what features or content will make it work better for you.
If you are a repeat visitor, I’d like to call your attention to a brand new feature. You can now
e-mail any of the city
councilors or me, Kathy
Figley, directly through this site. We still welcome traditional forms of communication
such as phone calls and letters, but we think it is important to offer you the ability to
communicate at any time of day from any location.
We know that we can’t be an effective governmental body without effective communication
with you, the public. In coming months, we will be enhancing this site to provide more
information from different departments and give you more opportunity to
ask questions and make comments online. I also plan on posting news and
updates on this site on an ongoing basis.
I’m looking forward to your e-mails and also want to let you know other ways
of contacting me. You may write to me at Woodburn City Hall, 270 Montgomery Street, Woodburn, OR 97071. I keep regular
office hours on Wednesdays and can schedule appointments for other days and times if necessary. You can also call me at
either one of the following numbers: 503-982-5220 (Mayor’s direct line) or 503-982-5228 (City of Woodburn Administration
office). However you choose to communicate, someone who is able to answer your question or take care of your problem will
get back in touch with you.
Sincerely,
Mayor Kathy Figley
City of Woodburn