BEND, OR -- Bend City Councilor Sally Russell is ready to take on a new challenge. She recently talked with The Source Weekly's Brian Jennings about where she sees herself in five years. 

She says, "In the next couple of years, I see myself as Mayor. I think I'm ready to become the Mayor of Bend, and I think it's about time that the community would like to see a woman as the Mayor of Bend. So, we'll look at how that plays out."

Russell is up for re-election this fall. She tells Jennings the city will continue to tackle several controversial issues, like the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB), affordable housing and managing growth. "I really believe our biggest challenge is acquiring the skills to listen to each other and hear each other. What I see a little bit on Council - the more we end up getting into our silos and just listening to those voices that we agree with, that we think syncs up with our value sets - And, I think the more we do that, the more isolated we become in our thought corners."

She has deep roots in Oregon. Her father's family was among the first to migrate to the state in 1853. And, her mother, Nancy Russell, was the first Executive Director of the Friends of the Columbia Gorge. Many credit her with leading the charge to designate the Gorge as a National Scenic Area. 

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