By Scott Unger • Of the News-Register • 

Towery leaving McMinnville

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Comments

CubFan

Quoting Towery:

"We have moved the city closer to financial sustainability"

What world does he live in? During his tenure, the city has moved from a position of having a reserve, to now having no reserve and needing to make $3 million in cuts.

Goodbye to him... he can't leave fast enough!

rustyhull

good riddance. jeff was about himself and not the city or community. clearly noted as a personal "goal of 5 to 10 years". pfft on the "financial stability"...reckless was misspelled. keep in mind during COVID he called citizens Karen's while standing in line for Mac Daddy Donuts...check his IG feed; otherwise, receipts are in-hand.

Enjoy Vancouver.

FFFatFFace

Can't say he didn't leave his mark.......him and his spouse!

BC

"have moved the city closer to financial sustainability"

You have got to be kidding me. This statement alone serves to show exactly how out of touch Towrey has been for McMinnville. Now we get to try to clean up the mess he created.

David S. Wall

*What is the status of the [$4.25 Million dollar] "bridge Loan" from the Water Pollution Control Plant's Capital Budget for the inane R&B project?

This administrative decision by the City Manager, although legal, was cause (my opinion) for immediate termination.

The "fees (which are really taxes)" on property tax bills, to fund the Water Pollution Control Plant, did not mention the "City" can use the money for public gambling such as a speculative real estate adventure (the R&B Property acquisition).

The City Manager should have been summarily dismissed from service as a direct result of the Budget Deficit fiasco hoisted upon Mayor Hill and the transfer of the "Budget Deficit" to Mayor Drabkin.

The "Budget Deficit" is now a yearly and predictable nightmare but is avoidable if the McMinnville City Council would get off of their non-productive rumps.

**In my opinion, allowing the City Manager to stay in his position to September 2, 2025 is an unwarranted gift of public monies by the McMinnville City Council.

Give an unceremonious "Boot " to the administrative backside of the City Manager now. Apply the residual money of his employment contract to the Budget Deficit.

**The McMinnville City Council should also immediately seize the moment and without the slightest measure of intestinal remorse, put out to pasture the "Director of the Community Development Department." Apply money saved to the Budget Deficit.

McMinnville used to be the jewel of Yamhill County. Sadly, the treasured moniker has been trashed.

The beautiful, vibrant and economically prosperous downtown has been reduced to a development "Moonscape" resulting from decisions based on; foolish-surveys, consultant costs and change orders supported by the Community Development Department, the Office of the City Manager and the McMinnville City Council.

David S. Wall

B

Anyone else think the timing of this move is anything but coincidental? I, for one, do not believe in coincidences. Seems to me that he saw the writing on the wall and bailed. It may be tough to find a qualified candidate if they do their due diligence and see the mess that they would step in to.

rustyhull

*correction - X account not IG.

rustyhull

*correction - X account not IG.

Bob

Yes, Mr Towery did a terrible job of representing the best interests of the city and its citizens. But it was the responsibility of ex-mayor Drabkin and councilors Peralta, Geary, Payne, Garvin, and Menke to realize that and fire him. Instead they bought into the crazy agenda he and planning director Richards were peddling.

So in reality, it was the majority votes of our elected councilors that led to the “temporary” charge on our W&L bills, the brilliant purchase of the RB Rubber property, etc., of Mr. Towery.

I thought we cured that problem when councilors Menke and Garvin retired. And mayor Morris won the election for mayor. But most council votes since the election where mayor Morris has attempted to lead the council in a more conservative direction, the majority of councilors (4) voted against the mayors wishes. So, the RB Rubber saga and money drain continues.

Those are the same councilors that will be hiring our new city manager! And those interviews will begin in the next month - with Mr Towery involved! HUH? Time to stop whining, and call or email councilors and let them know where you stand.



NJINILNCCAOR

I haven’t lived here long, but long enough to see that Mac has been sliding downhill.

New leadership is needed.

Bye Bye Jeff. Hope you don’t screw up your next town.

Lulu

Let's rid ourselves of the "big frogs" and their cracked, bizarre, tone-deaf, incessant planning. They are wrecking McMinnville through their incompetence.

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