Cathy Fallon, Cascade Locks Mayor Candidate

Experience on council. Currently serving as the President of City Council since 2020. My style is to always bring people together, listen with respect and then to thoughtfully move forward. It takes time to get to know everyone and what is important to them.

Diverse career background. Marketing background, presently continuing a 16 year career in senior housing (helping families navigate the challenges of different diagnoses like Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, Dementia, by leading support groups for caregivers and assisting families with finding housing & care options)    

Q Cascade Locks is a popular tourist destination; how will you cater to the tourism industry while considering the interests of residents who live here?

A Great question. This is probably one of the top challenges and opportunities for Cascade Locks.  We are a small tight knit community that is known around the world for being at the heart of the Columbia Gorge. It would be far too easy to have tourism events damage some of what makes Cascade Locks a place the community wants to live.  My approach will be to:

Keep events at a manageable size-That means simple things such as adequate parking and restroom facilities.

Involve local businesses so that any event brings a share of revenue.  We know that a dollar made in any small town is circulated multiple times.

Leverage existing and new resources-We are lucky to have the PORT in town that we can partner with. I will continue to attend trainings with other small towns/cities to learn from each other.

Q What will you do differently than the previous city administration?

We already have started some good work. The community survey for example sought out feedback. One of my goals is to maintain a culture of openness and proactively gather input from the voices of the community.

Q If you are elected to office, what projects will you work to continue?

Continue to build relationships within the community and outside of the community. With strong relationships, great things can come. Our list is long here in Cascade Locks, everything from affordable housing, to increase police presence, restore & clean up the downtown area, offering programs for kids & families, to bring in additional diverse business that can provide options for our community.

Q In what areas does the City need to improve? (Affordable housing, tourism, etc.)

Communication between the community, Port and City.

Affordable housing: I am presently attending meetings to gather information on how to implement a plan. Working on the “how.”

Tourism: We need to be sure that tourism dollars are shared with local businesses and community members. For example, any permit for a big event needs to include what services are needed that our local community could provide.  In addition, we would provide local businesses opportunities to hold special events around the largest tourism events. For example, some of our restaurants held complimentary events during PCT days. My style is to always find ways to bring people together.