Neighbors,

With just days remaining until Election Day, I want to share why I believe this election represents a turning point for Newberg.

Over the past several months, I’ve knocked on thousands of doors, held more than 10 house parties, hosted six community focus groups, and participated in dozens of one-on-one meetings with residents, business owners, and developers. I’ve spent this campaign in our neighborhoods, listening to concerns, learning from different perspectives, and working alongside people who care deeply about our future.

And through all of those conversations, one thing has become increasingly clear: the momentum is with us, and our message is resonating. People are ready to move beyond the mudslinging, personal attacks, and politics of personal destruction. They’re ready to get back to the work of building a better Newberg.

For nearly a decade, we’ve allowed hyperpartisan national political agendas to dominate too much of our local governance, across multiple boards and institutions. Meanwhile, the fundamental responsibilities of local government have taken a back seat: delivering core services effectively, keeping our community affordable, supporting our schools, and planning responsibly for the infrastructure our future depends on.

When we fail to plan today, we leave the next generation to pay for it tomorrow. That means more debt, higher utility bills, and fewer opportunities for the families who call Newberg home.

We’ve also allowed an environment to develop where policy disagreements too often become personal battles. When someone brings forward an idea that challenges the priorities of a small, hyperpartisan group, the response should be thoughtful debate about the merits of that idea, not personal retribution against the person who proposed it.

I’ve experienced those attacks firsthand. But they haven’t discouraged me. They’ve only strengthened my commitment to building a community where we have conversations in our neighborhoods instead of screaming at one another online, where disagreement doesn’t mean disrespect, and where good ideas matter more than who brings them forward.

And the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Every day, approximately 3,000 Newberg residents leave our community to work elsewhere, while another 3,000 people commute into Newberg, many supporting our hospitality economy. We need to restore the opportunity for people to earn a living wage, raise their families, and build their lives right here. When people can live and work in Newberg, they have more opportunities to volunteer, serve, participate, and invest in the community they love.

We have extraordinary opportunities in front of us, but they require leadership willing to bring people together and get things moving.

We can pursue regional water and infrastructure partnerships with neighboring communities to address rising costs. We can make strategic investments in the former mill property, aggressively recruit employers, restore manufacturing jobs, and protect our waterfront from becoming a data center. We can refocus on the Riverfront Master Plan, establish sustainable road maintenance funding, and advocate at the state level for the highway improvements and infrastructure investments Newberg desperately needs.

We can strengthen our partnership with the Newberg-Dundee School District and advocate for adequate school funding. We can work alongside CPRD to envision a downtown and waterfront that serve residents, families, businesses, and visitors for generations to come. And we can create more housing opportunities while making sure young people and neighborhood residents have a meaningful voice in the decisions shaping their future.

None of this happens by one person sitting behind a desk at City Hall.

My greatest strength as a leader has never been having all the answers. It’s bringing the right people to the table, empowering the people around me, and building the partnerships necessary to turn good ideas into lasting results.

That’s how I’ve led throughout my career, and it’s how I intend to lead as Mayor.

I believe we can lower the temperature without lowering the volume. We can disagree without destroying one another. We can be fiscally responsible while making strategic investments in our future. And we can restore a culture of local government that puts Newberg ahead of partisan politics.

The momentum we’re seeing isn’t just about one campaign. It’s about a community that is ready to turn the page.

But momentum only matters if we turn it into votes.

We cannot afford to sit this election out. The future of our city, our schools, our infrastructure, and our local leadership is on the ballot.

I’m asking you to vote all the way down your ballot and support:

Elise Yarnell Hollamon for Mayor

Larry Hampton and Leisha Adams for Newberg City Council

Cindy Johnson for Yamhill County Clerk

Please return your ballot by 8 PM on Tuesday, November 3. Talk with your neighbors, remind your friends and family to vote, and help us finish strong.

After eight years serving on City Council, I know what this community is capable of when we work together. I’m ready to lead that next chapter.

Better is possible for Newberg. And I believe we’re ready to prove it.

With gratitude,

Elise Yarnell Hollamon
Newberg City Councilor
Candidate for Mayor