Myrtle Point is trying to solve a problem familiar to many small, rural communities: how to give younger families enough reasons to stay.
The Coos County city of about 2,500 people has struggled with population loss and economic changes since the decline of the timber industry decades ago. Mayor Samantha Clayburn said affordable housing and jobs remain among the biggest challenges as the city looks to attract businesses and create opportunities for working families.
“They need affordable living and jobs,” Clayburn said. “And the housing market throughout Coos County is pretty tight.”
Clayburn grew up in Myrtle Point and is now raising her family there. She said she never expected to enter politics.
“I jokingly say I’m one of the most reluctant politicians you’ll ever meet,” Clayburn said.
She first became involved in local government by joining the city’s budget committee because she wanted to better understand how the city was spending money and where local fees were going. Her involvement eventually led her to serve as a city councilor and later mayor.
“Having been raised here and raising my family here, I have a very vested interest in my community, and I want to help make sure that it’s a great place to live,” Clayburn said.
Myrtle Point developed as a logging and agricultural community beginning in the 19th century. The decline of the timber industry in the late 1980s and early 1990s took a toll on the local economy, and the city lost residents as people left in search of work.
Clayburn said one of Myrtle Point’s biggest challenges today is keeping younger residents and families from doing the same.
But she sees opportunities for the city to grow. Clayburn pointed to an updated wastewater treatment plant, available industrial space and room for commercial development as assets that could help attract employers.
She said the goal is to build an economy that allows more people to make a life in Myrtle Point.
“I want to keep making this a place that people actually want to live in,” Clayburn said.
Guest
- Samantha Clayburn, mayor, Myrtle Point, Oregon
