SALEM, Ore. — The mayor of Bend, Ore., a mountain town that has seen a population boom due to its recreational opportunities and scenery, called it quits on Monday, citing stresses from the pandemic, wildfires and homelessness.
“So many historic changes in such a short time. I am simply exhausted,” Mayor Sally Russell wrote in an open letter. “It is in my own — and my family’s — best interest to leave.”
Bend used to be a quiet mill town, but after the lumber mills closed it revived as a destination for skiers, retirees and beer lovers — with the area having one of the highest per capita microbreweries in the nation. In recent years, homeless encampments have sprung up on the outskirts and some days the nearby snowy peaks of the Cascade Range have been obscured by wildfire smoke.
The city council recently announced it has purchased a motel near downtown, to be initially used as a temporary shelter for the homeless.