Taner Elliott, who was born and raised in The Dalles, says he can’t think of a better place to raise his children.
He and his wife, Tanna, have two young daughters – Rozlyn, 5, and Riley, 7.
In his own words, he is “first and foremost a family man.”
He explained that The Dalles is the best place he can imagine to settle with a family, primarily because of the “small town nature and so many great outdoor activities at our doorstep.
“I believe this is a great place for them to enjoy all facets of their youth,” said Elliott, who also lived briefly in Bend and Portland before returning to The Dalles.
Elliott added that he is an avid golfer who loves the outdoors.
He has served on The Dalles City Council since 2014, when he was first elected to a two-year term in the five-member council’s at-large position.
At the age of 38, he is the youngest member of the council.
Following high school, Elliott studied at Mount Hood Community College in the Gresham area, where he worked to hone his skills with a goal of entering the electrical trade. He came back to The Dalles to begin his electrical apprenticeship and went on to work as general manager of Hire Electric in The Dalles.
Earlier this year, he left Hire Electric and became a partner with East Cascade Electric, a firm located at 1141 Oak Street in The Dalles.
Elliott said he began volunteering with community organizations at an early age because he thinks giving back is important.
He spent time on the soccer field as a coach and referee when he was just 12, and said that experience helped him learn the value of leadership.
He is still active in coaching sports. Over the years, he has coached baseball, softball and soccer.
His first volunteer opportunity in a political role came in 2001, when he was on the board of directors for Chenowith Water Public Utility District.
Elliott has also served, or currently serves, on a variety of community boards, including the Wasco County Planning Commission as well as the Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency.
When it comes to his city council duties, Elliott said his main purpose is to provide solid infrastructure, fiscal accountability, and to keep services provide to residents affordable and high quality.
His long-range objective is to assist with funding for a new high school for The Dalles, something he believes is very much needed.
Pursuing those goals is one of the key reasons he opted to run for another two-year term on the city council.
“I decided to run for re-election to complete some of the great strides we have made during my current term,” Elliott said Tuesday. “We have stabilized the water and sewer rates, which had previously been set to increase 5 percent and 10 percent over the next 10 years. And we have turned our priority from what was most lacking – that being roads -- to the main priority.”
Elliott said the council has been making a positive impact, and he believes residents have seen the progress.
“I think the citizens of this town have noticed a difference,” Elliott said. “I feel that the new vibe in town is, ‘We are open for business.’ This has been by the aid of filling some empty buildings and some current negotiations we have on the Tony's Building and the Granada block. Our current issues have already turned the corner with public works and the workers’ comp/safety program and the rebranding of urban renewal to its original stature.”
According to Elliott, it is critically important for community members to be positive and hopeful, as attitudes can make a big difference in whether a city progresses and grows or declines.
“I feel that the people around this town have been plagued by negativity for far too long,” he explained. “I believe many people’s perceptions of The Dalles are evolving, and for good reason. I encourage people to get involved in their community, and I like the fact that we have options in this election.”However, Elliott pointed out that some candidates for various city offices that will be on the November ballot don’t seem to be showing much interest in getting prepared to serve in city government.
“Many of these candidates rarely attend any meetings or serve on city subcommittees,” he said. “So I am worried about them understanding the time commitment, and their true intentions.”
Elliott added that he takes his service on the council personally, in large part because he has invested time into the community over the years and sees it as the optimal place for his family to reside.
“The Dalles is a wonderful place and I want to help shape its future for generations to come,” Elliott said.
— Jesse Burkhardt
Commented
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.