City Council & Mayor. From left to right:  Dennis Slattery, Tonya Graham​, Julie Akins, Mayor John Stromberg, Stefani Seffinger, Rich Rosenthal and Stephen Jensen. 

Ashland citizens take pride in their community and it is evident through the efforts of our community leaders. Dedicated citizens who take the work of government and civic engagement seriously. Ashland has a Mayor/City Council form of government.

The Mayor, who presides at the Council meetings, is elected for a four-year term and with the City Council meets twice monthly in meetings open to the public. For those who wish to view from their homes, the meetings are televised via Ashland’s cable access channel (RVTV), as are Planning Commission and Parks Commission meetings. The City Council is advised in part by over 15 different advisory boards and commissions comprised of volunteer citizens. The City is always looking for interested citizens to volunteer their time and experience by serving on one of these boards or commissions.  The Ashland Parks and Recreation Department is governed by an elected five-person commission. Contact the City to determine available openings and opportunities at 
www.ashland.or.us.

FORM OF GOVERNMENT

Ashland has a Mayor/City Council form of government. The Mayor, who presides at the Council meetings, is elected for a four-year term and with the City Council meets twice monthly in meetings open to the public. The Council’s Mission is to support a resilient, sustainable community that lives within its means and maintains the distinctive quality of life for which it has become known.  
Some of the Council Goals for year 2015 include:  

•    Government

    o   Leverage our regional and state relationships to increase effectiveness in 
         relevant policy arenas
    o   Promote effective citizen communication and engagement
    o   Support and empower our community partners

•    People

    o  Seek opportunities to enable all citizens to meet basic needs, develop 
        support to enable citizens to retire in Ashland and keep Ashland a family-
        friendly community

•    Environment

    o  Protect the integrity and safety of the Ashland’s Watershed
    o  Enhance and expand natural and recreational resources
    o  Support local micro-agriculture and food production
    o  Prepare the community for natural and human-made disasters
    o  Develop and support land use and transportation policies to achieve 
        sustainable development

•    Economy

    o  Seek opportunities to diversify the economy in coordination with the 
        Economic Development Strategy
    o  Nurture emerging new technologies
    o  Market and further develop the Ashland Fiber Network
    o  Diversify transportation and shipping options
    o  Ensure that commercial and industrial areas are available for development

•    Energy and Infrastructure

    o  Be proactive in using best practices in infrastructure management and mod-
        ernization
    o  Prepare for the impact of climate change on the community

•    Public Safety

    o  Support innovative programs that protect the community​

Meet our current Mayor and City Council by clicking here.