Stayton, OR — Colm Willis, candidate for the Marion County Commission, joined residents of the Santiam Canyon in issuing a sharp rebuke of the current direction of the Detroit Dam & Lake Downstream Passage Project plan laid out by the Army Corps of Engineers at a recent public meeting in Stayton.

The communities of Santiam Canyon are threatened by a massive federal project that could cause irreversible damage to the local economy. Join me in standing with the communities of the Santiam Canyon and say no to draining Detroit Lake.

Ensuring that our public safety officials have the resources to keep us safe is one of the most important jobs of the Marion County Commission. Our Sheriff's deputies, deputy district attorneys as well as the non-profits and health care providers they work with do incredible work for our county.

This week was quite busy (in a good way). I had the opportunity to speak with old friends and meet some new ones. I got to see some of the incredible things our local businesses and cities are working on. Marion County is such an incredible place and I am blessed to call it home.

This week's stop on our Marion County tour is South Salem! I had the privilege of meeting with the new owner of the Konditorei to talk about her history with the Konditorei and her experience as a small business owner in Salem.

Last week, I had the opportunity to tour the beautiful City of Silverton! I spoke with State Representative Rick Lewis about the issues facing Silverton and surrounding communities.

First off, on behalf of the campaign, we would like to wish everyone an amazing 4th of July and hope you get to spend this important day with your friends and loved ones. If you do not already have plans, here are a few great places you can go and watch fireworks!

Things are heating up as we head into the summer. Just this week, we finalized our campaign team for the general election!

Last week the Oregon Secretary of State announced that we officially earned the Independent nomination for Marion County Commissioner position 2. This means that I will be listed on the November ballot as both a Republican and an Independent.

By now I'm sure you've heard all about the Salem Water Crisis. The city has issued a water advisory for vulnerable residents of Salem, Turner, and Stayton. They have set up stations for free water in Salem and Turner. Many Keizer businesses are also providing free water to anyone who needs it.

"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." — Ronald Reagan

It was a long road to get us to last night's Primary Election. With your help, we won a decisive victory, receiving 75% of the vote in the Republican primary. I am also excited to have won the Independent Write-In nomination with 40% of the vote.

I will fight to save Detroit Lake, build the third bridge, and solve homelessness in our communities while ensuring your tax dollars are spent wisely.

This week I visited the Marion County Energy from Waste Facility in Brooks. The facility was constructed in 1987 and is operated by Covanta. All of our garbage is collected at this facility and used to produce up to 13 megawatts of renewable energy.

This week I attended Salem's State of the City address by Mayor Chuck Bennett. Salem is the largest city in Marion County and home to many wonderful people.