Keizer's youngest City Councilor sees a city in need of smart growth

And for Robert Husseman, that means using the space we have in more creative ways

Have you ever walked around Keizer Station? Like, more than just from your car to the store and back. But really followed the paths and sidewalks and crosswalks and just went full pedestrian?

Me neither. In fact, even in a car I find Keizer Station to be a non-sensical vortex where your sense of direction just kinda melts away. It’s like driving through one of those M.C. Escher drawings, but with traffic signals and fast food.

This is where Robert Husseman’s big idea lives. I don’t know…I say we go for it.

Anyway, I went for a walk with Keizer City Council member Robert Husseman around Keizer Station recently. I was interviewing him for a story I was producing for KMUZ’s morning show - Willamette Wake Up.

We met in the REI parking lot and set out on foot. Robert is a transportation “nerd” (technical term) and he wanted to use Keizer Station as an example of what it’s like to be a pedestrian in Keizer.

It was honestly pretty wild. We even wandered up the MLK Jr. Parkway path a bit and he was explaining to me how there’s exits into different neighborhoods along the path. We ended up near the Little League fields and even further down Ridge Drive to the abandoned part. 

That’s where Robert’s big idea lives.

It’s nice to hear about big ideas. And you can tell Robert has the enthusiasm and diligence to see something like this through (as far as it can possibly go). And he’s got the maturity to admit his big idea might never actually make it. 

But I think, based on our conversation, he’s still going to try because his commitment to the community is fueled by actually growing up here. And playing on those Little League fields. And seeing some of Keizer’s explosive growth now needing a little more care and creativity in how its harnessed.

And if you don’t know much about Robert or haven’t had the chance to meet him, this piece I produced for KMUZ gives a pretty good feel for your youngest Keizer City Councilor.

Anyway, you can hear the full piece at KMUZ here.