(Erickson Aero Tanker, located at the Madras Airport, provides support for federal and state wildland fire suppression | Photo courtesy of Aero-Fire Aviation)
“I’ve been amazed at the huge strides Madras has made in processing land use applications,” said Christy Wurster, who was appointed interim city administrator in March. “A lot of decisions can be made at the administrative level, including on subdivisions of up to 50 lots, which allows developers to move forward much more quickly.”
Having worked as interim city manager/administrator for numerous cities of varying sizes across Oregon during her 25 years in municipal government, Wurster noted that “Madras offers a lot of opportunities for businesses to lease land surrounding the airport. I’m impressed at the achievements of a city this size to ensure the community’s vitality.”
“Serving the public and finding solutions can be really tough,” admitted Nick Snead, who has been community development director of Madras for 15 years. “We’ve had to understand the town’s strategic advantages and disadvantages, and seek to maximize assets such as the region’s best industrial land prices, a more affordable cost of living, investments in education, and business incentives such as local loan programs and tax abatements.”
Snead also touted accessibility (“only one hour to Bend and 90 minutes to Portland”), as well as a growing population (from 6,046 in 2010 to 8,070 in 2022), which has resulted in a need for more goods and services, and a larger labor pool. “It’s a great place to live and work,” he said, “offering urban amenities close by, yet a slower and more relaxed pace.”
Looking back over Madras’s economic evolution during his tenure, Snead singled out achievements that he considers most significant:
1. Financing, design, and construction management of a new police station/ City Hall.
2. The Madras Aquatic Center, a 27,098-square-foot community facility that is supported by tax levies, most recently passed by voters in 2022.
3. Recruitment of Erickson Aero Tanker at the Madras Municipal Airport. Connect Oregon funds and more than $22 million in private investment were leveraged to recruit and expand this part of Erickson’s global operations — including construction of a new 61,500-square-foot hangar — which provide support for federal and state wildland fire suppression,
4. Recruitment of Daimler Truck North America. The automotive industry manufacturer, relocating from South Bend, Ind., leased 300 acres in the industrial center for durability and systems testing, (the company had previously been leasing on a per-day basis.)
According to Snead, “This very sophisticated operation is an excellent example of using an enterprise zone to maximize investment. It brings money to the airport — which doesn’t have a tower, long runways, or commercial flights, and is used primarily by small aircraft — yet doesn’t use airplanes.”
He added that “it is a great partnership — Daimler Truck North America has been so generous to our community.”
5. As in other Central Oregon cities, a top priority in Madras has been the development of new housing. In 2017, Snead explained, the mayor and city council directed staff to develop a Madras Housing Action Plan for individuals of all income levels. The goal was “higher-quality housing to change the dynamic of the community.”
Results have included “a lot of multifamily construction at different scales, as well as senior affordable housing exemplified by a 24-unit complex located adjacent to the Jefferson County Community Center that broke ground in May.
“I’m thankful that, with an eye toward problems and solutions, we’ve been able to establish policies and regulations that nurture housing,” Snead said. “The senior housing project, for example, would not have been possible had Madras not implemented this action plan.”
6. The Madras Urban Renewal District (MURD) Plan was subsequently developed in recognition of the fact that (as stated in the city’s website), “after ten years of active investment… Madras’ commercial core has seen limited new development and is not functioning as the vibrant hub of activity that residents desire.” Namely, a destination “with public and private investment in small-scale shops, a mix of restaurants, and cultural amenities that reflect the area’s diversity.”
Wanting to “help our small commercial businesses get up and running,” in Snead’s words, the city hired a consultant who developed a revitalization tool kit that focused on renovating window displays to “show me what you sell or the services you provide. We’ve never had so much public engagement,” he said. “This was one of a suite of business façade improvement projects.”
7. A small business assistance study has also been undertaken that, Snead explained, is intended to reveal “what micro-enterprise businesses need. Some of the most successful started out of the home, primarily by women with kids, and subsequently moved to downtown. The question we’re trying to answer is ‘How do we effectively partner to grow these miniature, organic businesses?’”
Despite these accomplishments — which also include attracting a brewery, Madras Public House, after years of effort; and construction of a new “boutique” luxury hotel, The Bunkhouse at Cross Keys, which opened in May — Snead readily admitted that “we definitely have room for improvement,” particularly in the 780-acre airport and industrial center.
“We need to better utilize the available land for lease and/or sale,” he said, characterizing past growth as “really stagnant,” but pointing to a recent development: “Two new flexible-space buildings, totaling more than 20,000 square feet, will be constructed in the industrial park within the next 12 months. Nine tenant spaces are available.”
Taking everything into account, Snead noted that “the evolution in Madras between 2000 and 2023 is tremendous — my colleagues are amazed. Yet it couldn’t have been accomplished without a community and City Council that understood the problems and enabled staff to develop solutions.”
“I’ve always had a passion for public service,” he said. “And despite the challenges of this job, the dedication to long-term development and enhancement shown by the people of Madras keep me moving forward, and give me joy.”
