A Few Minutes with the Mayor – November 2025

NOVEMBER has traditionally been a month for celebrating and giving thanks for the fall harvest and other blessings of the year. As Mayor, one thing I have been reflecting on is how thankful I am for the accomplishments that the city has achieved this year. None of these successful endeavors would have happened without our City Council. I am grateful and proud to work with such a talented, dedicated, and proficient group of volunteers. We mostly come from different parts of the country and have held various careers. The thing that ties us all together is our love for Jacksonville and our concern for its future. As a historic town, we are rooted in our past, but we must look far ahead to sustain the viability of a small town like Jacksonville. Great things happen when a group like your City Council comes together and makes things happen! What most of you do not realize is the amount of time your Councilors give to the city each year, with no remuneration. They research and study every item on our City Council agendas. This is reflected in the success of our endeavors for Jacksonville. Each Councilor also acts as a liaison to various committees and commissions of the city. They also give up their time to research every agenda item for these liaison appointments, and they attend the required meetings for each. I would like to share a little bit about each City Council member with you in this column.

Councilor Steve Casaleggio moved to Jacksonville over 20 years ago with his wife, Susan. Steve’s legal background has served Jacksonville well over the last decade. Steve is serving his third term as a City Councilor. Steve is an active member of the Jacksonville Boosters Club and serves on their Foundation Board. He has served on the city’s Budget Committee, the Transient Lodging Tax Committee, the Parks Committee, and as Council Liaison to the Cemetery and Planning Commissions. One of Steve’s duties is taking the lead on our long-term project to update our city code. His legal expertise is invaluable, and Steve has given freely of his time to this important job. Steve is also Council Liaison on the Planning Commission.

Councilor Ken Gregg is another third-term member of the City Council. Ken’s artistic and business background has made the tasks he has undertaken, on behalf of the city, successful in unimaginable ways. Ken curated the exhibit of historic photographs on display in City Hall. Folks from all over the country, and from out of our country, remark on how they can understand Jacksonville’s history after spending time viewing a window into our past. Ken is presently the Council’s representative on our museum project that will be based in our Old City Hall Building. Ken currently serves as Liaison on the Transient Lodging Committee, volunteers for Historic Jacksonville, and has served on various committees, commissions, Ad Hoc committees, and city projects.

Councilor Andy Hellenthal and his wife, Kim, were drawn to Jacksonville by the area’s beauty and the friendliness of its residents. Andy’s experience as a city planner, environmental consultant, and emergency management and disaster planning serves Jacksonville and the council well. We depend on Andy to help us understand complex issues in a way that makes sense. He served as Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee for Citizens’ Safety and gives his expertise to us on any number of challenges and opportunities. Andy serves as Council Liaison on the Historic and Architectural Review Commission and is a member of the Jacksonville Boosters Club. Andy is also a dedicated community volunteer for other groups and organizations in our area.

John Jorgenson is our newest elected official, having won a seat on Council last fall. John and his wife, Laura, moved back to the valley in 2017 and chose Jacksonville to be their home. John believes in preserving Jacksonville’s history and enhancing our livability. As a retail consultant, John worked with city planning departments to ensure his projects fit within a city’s comprehensive plan. John previously served 2 years on our Citizens’ Advisory Committee, working to put together our updated Comprehensive Plan. John then served on the Committee for Citizen Involvement before being elected to the City Council. John is a member of the Jacksonville Boosters and is a mentor for small business owners. John also serves our community as a volunteer for other groups and organizations.

Talon Reed is another “Legal Eagle” on Council and was raised in the Rogue Valley. Talon, his wife Caitlin, and his family, are firmly ensconced in Jacksonville, and they are active in our community. Talon ran for City Council to advocate for more protection, and safety, for our citizens. Talon was supportive in Council’s and Chief Towes’ efforts to bring our Police Department back to full staffing, and was fully supportive of the build-out of our new firehall. Talon believes our town should be as prepared as possible for natural disasters and that our local government works with local businesses to help protect the quality of life of our citizens. Talon currently serves as Liaison to the Parks Committee. He has volunteered for Food & Friends, the Jacksonville Woodlands Association, and many local community programs, too numerous to list in this space.

Councilor Andrea Thompson and her husband, Marshall, have called Jacksonville home for almost a decade. After retiring from the academic world, Andrea has been instrumental in developing our “Citizens’ Emergency Guide” and our city’s “Emergency Evacuation Checklist & Map.” These publications have been invaluable for our citizens in understanding how to safely prepare and evacuate in case of an emergency. They have been used as a model for other communities to plan similar publications. Andrea has previously served on the Committee for Citizen Involvement and is currently Council Liaison for this committee. She also serves as City Liaison to the Rogue Valley Council of Government, and is active in most aspects of Fuel Reduction Planning, the Firewise program for the city, Emergency Services, and grant writing for various projects for the city. Andrea is also a member of the Jacksonville Boosters Club.

I could have easily spent this entire column writing about each Councilor individually, but I hope you get a little insight about why I am grateful for each one in this month’s space. I truly give thanks for the time and expertise our City Council gives to Jacksonville. I would not be an effective Mayor without the enthusiasm and commitment of this talented group of people that I admire very much. Thank you, City Councilors of Jacksonville!