Letters to the Editor: Feb. 20, 2026

Damaging leasing practices

I am writing as a concerned community member about the growing impact of excessive rent increases and profit-driven practices by some landlords in downtown McMinnville.

Small business owners are the heart of our community. When rents become unsustainable, long-time local shops are forced to close or leave, replaced by vacancies or businesses that no longer reflect the character of our town. This hurts not only entrepreneurs, but residents who value a vibrant, locally-owned downtown.

I respectfully urge the Downtown Association, the Chamber of Commerce and property owners to consider the long-term health of our community, not just short-term profit. Fair, reasonable, leasing practices help preserve the unique spirit of McMinnville and ensure a thriving future for everyone.

Michael Wilfing

McMinnville

Tactics must change

Let’s not allow this debate over the existence of ICE get away from us. Every European and “industrialized” country has immigration enforcement.

To the naive, if you wanted to relocate from the U.S. to any country in Europe, you would have to complete application paperwork. If you overstayed your welcome, you would most likely be deported. So the concept of the work ICE is charged with should not seem unusual.

However, the tactics ICE utilizes must be changed. In the eight years of the Obama administration, more than 3.1 million people were deported without oppressive tactics.

On another subject, to those who think the proposed Yamhelas Westsider Trail may someday become a light rail line, that’s just stupidity. TriMet has not expressed interest in converting that right of way to light rail.

It would make more sense to run a commuter line from Portland along the existing Newberg Branch and take it on to McMinnville via Lake Oswego. But that is not likely for decades, if ever.

Philip Haynes

McMinnville

Taking measure

Last week, I read where the McMinnville City Council was planning to make Adam Garvin’s temporary city manager position permanent and dispense with the standard hiring practices the council had earlier indicated it would undertake.

This kind of maneuvering is very disturbing. In fact, it appears to have disturbed a council member enough to quite possibly be the straw that drove her to resign.

I know Adam and like him. But that isn’t enough to make him city manager.

Yes, he won a position on the council and is involved in many civic activities. But city managers are not chosen by a vote of the people. They apply for the job and bring a set of skills specific to the job.

Required credentials and experience typically include:

Education: A bachelor’s in public administration, business, political science, urban planning or a closely related field. Many cities, and the Model City Charter, strongly prefer a master’s in public administration, public affairs, public policy or related field, especially as population and complexity increase.

Experience: Commonly 5-10 years of progressively responsible municipal government or public-sector administrative/management experience, often including department-head or assistant city manager roles. Some job descriptions explicitly require experience as a city manager/administrator or assistant/deputy city manager.

Some cities our size look for someone who can act as the chief administrative executive for all departments.

I’m not saying Mr. Garvin doesn’t possess these attributes, but does he? Personally, I think the job should be posted and Adam should be allowed to apply along with others.

The Model City Charter is used by hundreds of cities to guide their charter language and governance structure. If our city councilors haven’t read it, they should.

John Rickert

McMinnville