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In a city built on logging, Terry Duman has deep roots. He is the third generation of his family to be born and raised in Florence, and his children and seven grandchildren all live in town. “I’m fortunate. My children all live within a mile or two of me, and we see them every night,” Duman said. 

The 68-year-old ran an ATV rental business, worked as a commercial fisherman for five years, not to mention a bike repair shop and running the gas station in Mapleton. And now is an excavating contractor and road builder.

For the past ten years, Duman has served on the Siuslaw Port Board of Commissioners. And it is that long history of private and public work that he believes qualifies him to serve on the Florence City Council. “It’s time that I maybe look for my children’s future,” Duman said, explaining why he’s running for the council seat. 

He sees the city at a crossroads. A city that needs more housing and more jobs. A city that has evolved from a timber and fishing town to a tourism and retirement community and needs to evolve again to thrive. 

The city needs to be more transparent and accessible, Duman said. “Right now, the city of Florence has an image problem, and you can read it on social media. We need to bring back the transparency and truth we need to make things more accessible.”

That means making city council meetings easier to attend. Duman thinks 8 am work sessions, for example, discourage parents with young children and people with full-time jobs. And the city’s permitting system creates barriers that are driving away businesses. “They need to make it more accessible and make people more welcome at the meetings. I know the meetings are long; they’re arduous. But that’s part of letting the people of Florence know that you’re transparent.”

Bringing more businesses to Florence is a double-edged, three-sided sword, Duman said. The area needs more housing and childcare, and then needs to entice businesses to move to Florence and hire local workers. 

The Florence Chamber of Commerce is doing a good job, Duman said, but could do more. It could research business properties for new businesses, and the city could ease the permit process. He shared a recent story of a coffee shop owner who was told she had to repaint a sign to match the city’s color code, and the owner said it wasn’t worth the effort. “She just said, ‘to heck with it,’” Duman said. 

The building codes and permit process need to change with the times. Some of the property that is currently zoned light industrial should be converted to residential, especially lots with a river view, Duman said. “The only way we’re going to get affordable housing is to have a glut of housing.”

Part of his argument is that people want single-family homes, not duplexes or other attached housing, and the city isn’t doing enough to encourage that kind of construction. Smaller lot sizes and easing the permitting of alternative dwelling units (ADUs), small standalone units that can be built alongside existing homes, could be part of the solution, Duman said.

And there is a lot of potential for manufacturing in Florence. “We have an airport here for shipping. We’re actually close to Eugene, to the hub.” 

Duman supports studying the idea of creating a special district for the city’s parks and recreation. And the city should be helping organizations serve people who are unhoused in the community. “It’s not like we have it in our budget. But the city can be an advocate to various groups and help them procure grants and funding to help ease the problem.”

City Council isn’t doing its homework, Duman said. They are being led by the city’s staff rather than doing the leading. “They aren’t researching their agenda, quite honestly,” he said.  

Duman describes himself as a conservative, “but a conservative with open ears.” Proud of his ten years on the Siuslaw Port’s board, the last six as board chair, Duman said it has prepared him to serve on the council. 

In fact, he has no plans to step down from the port’s board if elected to the council. He sees no conflict in serving in both roles, and cited Mayor Rob Ward and former council person Bill Meyer as examples of others who have served in the duel roles.  “I can utilize those leadership skills and maybe help guide the city of Florence through some, I think, difficult times coming up budget-wise.”