SPRINGFIELD – After six rounds of voting and nearly an hour of deliberating, the Springfield City Council decided to appoint Jill Cuadros as the interim Ward 4 councilor.
Mary Bridget Smith, city attorney, facilitated deliberations on the interim position during a council meeting on Monday night that ended at 10 p.m. Councilors were briefed on the voting process and informed that the mayor would not participate in the vote, as only four matching votes were needed to make an appointment.
Councilors were asked to name their top two candidates from the applicant pool of five. Candidates included Callee Ackland, tenant support specialist at Springfield Eugene Tenant Association; Jill Cuadros, support services director for Eugene School District 4J; Ben Larson, farmer, licensed educator, and director of support professional for Springfield School District; CJ Mann, retired from the Housing Authority and Community Services Agency; and Thomas (Luke) McAllister, financial adviser at Northwestern Mutual and owner of Valley Sims Golf.
Five rounds of stalemates
The top two applicants of choice were Ackland and McAllister, with councilors Steve Moe and Kori Rodley backing Ackland, Alan Stout and Michelle Webber backing McAllister, and Andrew Buck supporting both.
To narrow the decision further, councilors were asked for their top candidate choice. Buck settled on Ackland but said there is a strong argument for McAllister. This round of voting did not result in four votes for a single candidate, so councilors discussed their opinions on their decision.
“This work is very relational. We need people who have relationships and who are very grounded in Springfield. It’s helpful to have to diversify that as much as possible, which is why I’m supporting Ackland,” Rodley said.
Traits like being young, a renter, and a Navy veteran set Ackland apart from other candidates.
“I also was a renter for many years. I have a son and a daughter who both rent. I do think that we have that viewpoint on this council and an appreciation for what it means to be a renter and how challenging that really is in today’s world. I don’t think we’re missing that perspective,” Webber said.
Webber and Stout were both set on McAllister.
“Meeting Callie and talking with her, she’s done a lot for the community. I know her heart is in the right place. She has this interest in serving Springfield. I don’t quite yet feel like she’s ready to sit on this side of the room for six years,” Webber said. “I do know Luke. I have watched him for six years grow into the leader he is today. … I just want everyone to know that I’ve watched him navigate challenging situations, personally and professionally, with humility, with grace, with curiosity, and with respect for differing viewpoints.”
Rodley did not get the same impression from Luke as Webber did, saying there was a difference in the seriousness with which the two candidates approached the role.
“I did meet with Luke as well, and for me, the difference was in my initial conversation. He didn’t even really seem to understand what the role of the city councilor was, and it was much more of a vibe, kind of a conversation, whereas I realized that Callee comes at things with much more of a directness of here’s what I want to do, here’s what I want to work on,” Rodley said. “I came away from that conversation being like, I don’t even know if he knows what he’s getting into. And it didn’t come across as this strong desire or need to do it. It felt more like other people were like, ‘you should do a thing.’ It was just a difference in how seriously Callee was taking it, at least in the conversation with me.”
Stout pointed out that her advocacy for the Springfield Public Library might conflict with council objectives.
Buck said that when Ackland asked for feedback, he saw her implement it.
“I think that really speaks strongly of a person who is willing to take feedback, even when it means I have to change course. So for me, I can support either of these candidates really easily, and I feel like I support both of them,” he said.
A council compromise
More rounds of voting led to the same outcome. Each councilor was stuck on their decision and unwilling to change it (besides Buck). Smith asked the council who their third-choice candidate would be. Three votes went to Cuadros and two to Mann.
It was getting late, and folks were getting tired, but Mayor Sean VanGordon encouraged councilors to make informed decisions.
“I understand people are tired, so please do not cave because you’re tired and just want to go home. If you’re going to compromise, make sure it’s moving us forward,” VanGordon said.
Since councilors could not reach a consensus on their top two candidates, they voted on their third choices. All five councilors voted for Cuadros to fill the interim position.
Cuadros takes the seat
Cuadros has lived in Springfield for 38 years and said she has seen the town transform. She wants the opportunity to give back to the community that has shaped both her personal and professional life. She highlighted her experience managing complex budgets, overseeing operational systems, and contributing to long-range capital planning.
“I’m not stepping forward with the idea that I have all the answers. I’m stepping forward because I bring experience working in complex public systems. I understand how decisions impact both the operations for the city staff and the people in the community, and I’m prepared to contribute in a steady and thoughtful way,” Cuadros said in her interview on April 6. “Springfield has shaped my life in a very real way, and I’m at the point where I have the experience and capacity to give back at this level.”
A swearing-in is tentatively scheduled for the April 27 meeting. Cuadros will serve through the end of this year.
“I just want to remind everyone that this is an appointment, and the voters do get to decide this ultimately, in just a few short months,” Webber said.
