Kevin Prociw – City Council Candidate
Greetings Creswell (and those who love Creswell),
My name is Kevin Prociw, and I’m a candidate for city council in the upcoming November election. The Chronicle has graciously provided me the opportunity to introduce myself to the community (thank you!), so let me tell you a bit about myself.
My wife, Elizabeth, and I moved our family to Creswell back in 2016 just as the housing shortage was becoming more apparent in Lane County. Having lived in Eugene, we hadn’t considered living elsewhere but an opportunity presented itself and here we are.We fell in love with Creswell and haven’t looked back. The small town, close knit feel of this community is one of the reasons we love it here. Our daughter (now married and moved away) gained job experience working at our local pizza parlor. Our son (also grown) attends school in Eugene and
also enjoys interacting with others here in town, with a special interest towards police, fire and EMS responders that work to protect
and serve our community, as well as keep it safe.
Public service has always interested me. I feel that being civically engaged is our duty as citizens when we can do so. It helps us connect and grow with the city that we live in. I attended my first public meeting in 2010, and since then my involvement includes attending and speaking at council meetings (Creswell and Eugene), Lane County Board of Commissioners, Lane Transit District and the Oregon Transportation Commission.
Last year, I applied and was appointed to the Water Rate Advisory Committee here in Creswell. Later, I was asked to serve as a budget partner on the city’s budget committee. Several months ago, I began attending most council meetings and work sessions in order to get a
better understanding of how the council works together, and the local issues that affect our town. My family also pitched in (along with
dozens of others) to help with the Emergency Preparedness Fair in July. My wife and I occasionally attend the monthly Coffee With A Cop meetings to learn about the issues that affect law enforcement and overall public safety. In the next few weeks, I’ll be doing a couple of ride-alongs with some of our LCSO officers (both day and nighttime) to familiarize myself with things from a law enforcement point of view.
Between our local paper and the Creswell Community Connection Facebook group, I feel I might have insight into the the issues that
concern and affect our local citizens. While things like affordable housing, roads, parks and economic development rank high in
importance, what I hear people talking about most often is crime, drugs and those traveling at unsafe speeds on our streets. And — let’s face it — those that roam our streets after dark. These are things that affect the overall livability of our city. And I believe these issues are solvable.
I want to connect with others that are like-minded and start a community conversation; one that engages as many of us as possible to
get creative and brainstorm ways to solve our issues. Ways that are thoughtful and mindful, and ways that partner with and enhance the
value provided by our law enforcement officers. Expanding our neighborhood watch program (we only have one participating neighborhood) and establishing a network of neighbors in key geographical areas with quality home surveillance systems directed at the streets are just some ideas to kick us off.
For those that already know me here in town, you’ll find that I’m a pretty regular guy and certainly not a politician. I ride the bus to work each day. I work as a project manager at the City of Eugene where I’ve been employed for the last 16 years. My experience working
for a municipality has given me a broad scope of skills and understanding that will undoubtedly augment my service to Creswell. If elected, I hope to create as many opportunities as possible to connect in meaningful ways with those that would call Creswell home.
If anything I’ve said resonates with you today, please consider casting a vote for me, Kevin Prociw, for city councilor this November.
Your vote would be most appreciated.
