Two-term councilor Darcy Long is challenging Timothy McGlothlin and Joe Slusher in a three-way race for The Dalles Mayor.

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., Oct. 14, 2026 — Darcy Long rates The Dalles’ small-business economy a 6 out of 10, expressing optimism about recent progress while saying the city needs to do more to help businesses thrive.

Long, 55, is a former city councilor, and one of three candidates seeking to replace Mayor Rich Mays, who is not running for a fourth term. City Councilor Timothy McGlothlin and business owner Joseph Slusher are also running in the Nov. 3 election.

Long served on the council for eight years and spent about two and a half years chairing the Columbia Gateway Urban Renewal Agency. She said she wants to move The Dalles forward while preserving its small-town identity.

Small-business economy

Long said more businesses have opened downtown, the city has a small-business development program and an economic development officer, giving The Dalles a foundation to build on. She also chairs the The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, which recently revised its strategic plan to focus more on helping businesses.

“I feel optimistic,” Long said in explaining her 6-out-of-10 rating. She said The Dalles has historically been slower than other communities to recover economically and needs to put more energy into helping businesses succeed.

Rather than assume officials know what businesses need, she said, the city should ask owners about their biggest challenges and determine whether it can help directly or indirectly.

Listening and leadership

Long said the mayor should lead discussion, ensure councilors have a chance to speak before votes and explain the reasoning behind decisions. Her experience chairing boards and committees, including more than eight years with urban renewal, has shaped her approach.

“My experience is diversity of thought breeds better decisions,” she said.

Long said public participation should be more than a formality. She would retain the three-minute public-comment limit but wants residents to feel comfortable speaking, including those who are not experienced public speakers. She also wants city agendas and supporting materials to explain issues in plain English.

Officials should not simply tell residents information is on the city website, she said. They need to consider whether people can readily understand what the city is proposing and how to provide input.

Infrastructure and water rates

Long said The Dalles needs to plan infrastructure investments over decades rather than repeatedly delaying costly work.

“This is where we need to be looking honestly 50 to 100 years,” she said.

She wants engineers to identify long-term needs and recommend how projects can be phased. Revenue from new development should help pay for infrastructure, she said, while the city considers residents’ ability to afford higher utility bills.

Long also questioned the city’s projections for water-rate increases. She said the estimates discussed when she was on the council differed from those being presented now, and she does not know why.

“I have questions,” she said.

Long pointed to her questioning of Waste Management’s annual rate requests as an example of why councilors should scrutinize financial proposals. She said the city ultimately approved less than the company requested after she sought financial information.

Housing that fits local needs

New home construction in The Dalles with an additional dwelling unit.

Long said The Dalles needs more housing options, including homes that match what people want and can afford. She cautioned against assuming that everyone wants a three- or four-bedroom house with a large yard.

“We got to ask them, we got to have the actual data, the actual numbers about what do they want and then we need to build for that,” she said.

Long said smaller homes, infill development and accessory dwelling units could help meet demand in a city with limited room to expand. She also noted that housing insecurity includes people couch surfing or living in overcrowded homes, not only those living outdoors.

Preapproved plans for accessory dwelling units could reduce design costs and speed permitting, she said. But the city must balance lower costs for homeowners with the need to pay for infrastructure through system development charges and other fees.

Downtown businesses and construction

Long wants the First Street streetscape and Federal Street plaza completed quickly, then put to effective use. She said city officials need to consider how construction affects businesses, including access and employee parking.

“If you want economic development, you have to support your businesses, including where are they allowed to park,” she said.

Long said the city should also have an honest discussion about downtown’s future as online shopping changes retail. She questioned whether the community can rely on downtown returning to the way it operated in the past and said improvements should be judged by how well they serve residents and businesses.

After downtown projects are completed, she said, the city must turn attention to other parts of town, too.

Spending for the future

Long said revenue connected to the Google data centers should be directed by the city’s strategic plan, with residents involved in setting priorities. She supported directing money toward the water treatment plant rather than an endowment when infrastructure needs warranted the investment.

“If we don’t have a project that needs to be done right now, then invest it for the future,” she said.

Long also supports a new high school but said the school district must build public trust and demonstrate responsible financial management before asking voters to approve funding. The city can be a partner, she said, but the district must lead.

Long said she wants The Dalles to be seen as a growing community with a high quality of life, without becoming exclusive.

“We’re not trying to be a rich city that’s exclusive,” she said. “We want to be a nice little town that people want to come to, and fit in.”

The Dalles mayoral candidate Darcy Long rates local economy 6 out of 10, calls for long-term planning