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Jo Beaudreau is a nerd. Her word, not mine. 

She is the kind of nerd who gets excited talking about the budget process, and reading memos, and discussing policy.

“I’m kind of a nerd. And I’m kind of weird, and I’ll admit that. But also, I kind of like doing this work. It’s a lot. It’s beautiful, and it’s full of love, and I’m dedicated to it. I’m excited about it. And I hope that the council that moves forward is able to continue that legacy of loving their community, understanding how governance works, and how cities work,” Beaudreau said near the end of our interview. 

Jo Beaudreau grew up in Nevada City, California, a small rural town, with similarities to Florence. It’s a town that once thrived on logging and mining and has become a tourism destination. When Beaudreau was growing up, the nearest mall was two hours away. “We were secluded, we were rural,” she said. “Being able to have exposure to museums, to big parks, to a whole gamut of activities just weren’t there.”

She would end up in Chicago for ten years before deciding to return to a small town; this time it was Florence. “It was really exciting to come back to rural America. I grew up there. I know how small towns work. I am a product of a small community,” she said. 

It’s the relationships you can build in a small community that matter, Beaudreau said. It’s not about where you are on the political or religious spectrum. It’s about finding ways for everyone to succeed. “And if little differences, or big differences, are really going to drive a wedge between you and other people, then who are we?”

Beaudreau is running for her second four-year term as a city councilor. She has enjoyed the conversations and debates with other council members, even when the topics have been difficult or controversial. “Talking about the environment has been a struggle,” she said. 

The discussion over policing and security around the Flock cameras was difficult. And she ended up in the minority when the council voted in support of the cameras. “I do think that even though some of my fellow councilors did not vote in the same way, I do believe that they heard and they listened,” she said. 

She is excited to continue the work if reelected. The new council will work on the next two-year budget cycle. “It’s each other’s money that we are responsible for. And that is a huge responsibility. And it’s so meaningful to be able to be a part of that process,” Beaudreau said.

And she is excited that the council has moved forward with plans for a mobility hub, a central location that would connect public transportation to the community. Next come the hard questions. “Where would it go? How do we want it to work? And this is a really incredible opportunity for community members to participate.”

Emergency management is another area she is anxious to work on. “We live on the coast. We have tsunamis, we have earthquakes, fires, rising king tide levels,” she said. “Being isolated, we can totally be cut off. And what do we do? How do we respond to that?”

Wages are another concern. “We have incredible people here, and I don’t think that they’re getting paid what they should be paid.” Low wages make it difficult to keep and attract families to the area, she said. The city can work with private and governmental partners to open up areas to build housing and early learning centers, and can be used to help businesses and build parks. “ I really hope that community members stay optimistic, and be curious about things, and ask questions, and participate.”

Beaudreau seems to genuinely enjoy the process of government — reading the packets of information on an issue, engaging in discussions with the rest of the city council, and listening to and reading comments from the community. She comes to meetings with an open mind. “I purposely don’t come to a decision until after the presentation that’s provided by either the city or the applicant or whoever is involved and also with public comment,” she said. 

“It’s easy to be selfish. It’s easy to throw mud and people under the bus, and it’s harder to celebrate the cool stuff, or the wins or the successes of others.”