Election 2026: Meet the Candidates for Jacksonville City Council

Jacksonville Review – October 2026

ANDY HELLENTHAL
Jacksonville City Council • Incumbent

I am honored to seek re-election to the Jacksonville City Council and continue serving the community that my wife and I have proudly called home for several years. My education, professional experience, and public service have prepared me to make informed decisions that benefit residents today while preserving the character and quality of life that make Jacksonville special.

My educational background, I hold a bachelor’s degree in geoscience and a master’s degree in Geography and Planning, which provides me a strong foundation in land use planning, infrastructure, transportation, environmental stewardship, emergency management, and sustainable community development. This education taught me how to evaluate complex challenges and develop practical, long-term solutions.

My professional career spans more than 35 years in environmental consulting, planning, risk management, sustainability, and executive leadership. Most recently, I have been serving as National Manager for Environmental Services and Resiliency Planning with Terracon, where I lead teams, manage large budgets, develop strategic plans, and help organizations address complex environmental and operational challenges. Throughout my career, I have managed multimillion-dollar programs and balanced economic, environmental, and community interests to achieve successful outcomes.

Before being elected to City Council in 2022, I served on Jacksonville’s Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC). My passion for historic preservation led me to seek that role because I believe Jacksonville’s history, architecture, and culture are among our greatest assets. As the owner of a historic home here in Jacksonville, I am reminded every day of the importance of protecting our community’s heritage while supporting responsible growth.

My background also includes extensive experience in transportation planning, environmental protection, emergency management, and community resilience. Early in my career, I worked closely with local governments on transportation, energy management, disaster preparedness, and public awareness programs, giving me firsthand knowledge of how effective public policy impacts residents.

As a City Councilor, I have applied this experience to support responsible budgeting, long-term infrastructure planning, public safety, economic vitality, environmental stewardship, and historic preservation. I remain committed to listening to residents, protecting Jacksonville’s unique character, and ensuring our city remains a vibrant, welcoming, and sustainable place for generations to come.

 

BETH LINDSAY
Jacksonville City Council

In 2006, my husband and I moved to the Jacksonville area. I want to say I picked Jacksonville, but I think it picked me. It’s a magical place—its beauty, walkability, shops and restaurants, history, and welcoming people. I felt at home. It is important to me to help ensure our town thrives and keeps its charm, so I started volunteering. First, the Jacksonville Citizens Advisory Committee – Development Plan revisions, and then the Transient Lodging Tax Committee, and earlier this year, the Citizens Advisory Committee – Urban Growth Boundary review. All of this work was rewarding and motivated me to do more.

The City Council opportunity presented itself in early August and I felt it was a natural next step. It would be challenging and an avenue to lend my experience and heartfelt desire to enhance our beautiful, historic town.

My background includes 30 years of executive and human resource management with national printing corporations and at Harry & David. I also held positions with the planning commission and co-chaired the economic development commission in Merced, California.

On a personal note, I swim at the Rogue X, kayak weekly, and walk our town daily with my Pomeranian dog, Timmy. My husband and I love our downtown—the food, music, and engaging with people. My management style while working included “management by wandering”—talking to employees daily to see how they were doing, what management could do to make their work life better, and answering their questions. As a City Councilor, I would continue this practice with the citizens of Jacksonville.

It is my belief that community members, businesses, and local government should all be given equal consideration, and below are my guiding principles:

• Fiscal responsibility
• Ensuring our businesses flourish
• Improving the safety and beauty of our town
• Historic preservation
• Supporting citizens so they are well informed and an integral part of our city’s governance
• Helping our city services and staff thrive

Our town, like other cities, faces the challenges of growth, safety, satisfying citizens’ needs, and helping our businesses succeed. I am committed to keeping Jacksonville a special place.

It is my pledge to respect our laws, maintain high standards of conduct and transparency, invest the time to thoroughly review issues, and work collaboratively and constructively with others.

I am respectfully asking for your vote.

 

TALON REED
Jacksonville City Council • Incumbent

I am proud to call Jacksonville home and grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the people of this remarkable community.

Jacksonville is more than a beautiful place to live. It is a community with a rich history, strong traditions, and people who care deeply about their neighbors and their town. My goal is simple: to help preserve what makes Jacksonville special while confidently preparing for the future.

We must continue supporting our police and fire services and working to keep our community safe. We should protect the clean, welcoming, small-town character that makes Jacksonville such a special place to raise a family, build a life, enjoy a retirement, or visit. We must preserve the history and character that connect us to those who came before us while making thoughtful decisions that will benefit those who come after us.

I believe Jacksonville can honor its historic past while looking optimistically toward the future. We should remain a community where families feel safe, neighbors know and care for one another, businesses can thrive, visitors feel welcome, and our unique historic character is protected for generations to come.

As an attorney in our community, I provide more than 100 hours of pro bono legal service each year. I have volunteered with local youth wrestling programs, serve as Vice President of the Jacksonville Woodlands Association, and have been an advocate for our Chamber of Commerce. During my four years on City Council, I have served on numerous city committees and worked alongside fellow councilors, city staff, and community members to address the needs of our town. I helped secure two e-bikes for our Police Department through the JWA and supported the donation of two SUV police vehicles by our local Masonic Lodge. I also strongly advocated for revitalizing and fully staffing our Police Department with outstanding officers and supported the selection of our excellent Police Chief, Matt Hannum. My next goal is to support improvements to the police facility so it can better serve our officers and community.

I will continue to listen to the people of our community and approach public service with humility, common sense, and respect for the citizens I serve.

I love this country, I love Oregon, and I love Jacksonville. This is my Southern Oregon American dream, and it is the vision I will continue striving to protect and advance as a servant of the people.

May God bless our community, our state, and our nation. I believe our best days are ahead, and we will continue winning together here in Jacksonville.