Of all the races appearing on the ballots this November, Ward 7 for City Council is one of the most intriguing… well, as intriguing as politics can be.
Unfortunately, the Ward 7 race is not being crowded by alien prawns who like cat food, have advanced technology, and a spaceship, like the movie District 9… but it still will be interesting to watch what unfolds.
Unlike several other City Council wards, where incumbents are seeking another term or only one candidate has stepped forward so far, Ward 7 features an open seat and has three potential candidates from dramatically different backgrounds.
The ward covers much of northwest Corvallis, including neighborhoods around Timberhill, Witham Hill, and the Walnut Boulevard corridor.
Retired U.S. Forest Service official Jerry Ingersoll has officially qualified for the ballot, while Danielle Chambers and Asa Jorg continue collecting signatures to qualify for the November election.
Ingersoll brings decades of experience leading federal agencies, Chambers comes from years of civic involvement and service on local advisory bodies, while Jorg remains a mystery… and represents an entirely different generation.
So who is Asa Jorg? He hasn’t released much info as of yet, or had any traction online, other than the city website stating he has qualified for the election and is collecting signatures. So we did some digging.
Jorg is currently pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Science in Bioengineering at Oregon State University while earning a minor in Biological Data Sciences. He is expected to graduate in 2028.
Outside of the classroom, Jorg serves as an undergraduate researcher in Oregon State’s Jin Lab for Membrane Filtration Technologies, where he works on improving laboratory production methods for marine-sourced chitosan, a naturally derived material being studied for use in water treatment and advanced filtration technologies.
His research is focused on making the production process more efficient and reducing costs for testing new flocculation materials. More efficient and reducing costs. Sounding like something the city council may need? We can’t translate flocculation materials, but maybe he can translate these efficiencies and cost-saving techniques to an elected position. Hell, maybe he is developing alien technology.
Jorg has built an impressive list of leadership roles during his first years at OSU. He currently serves as president of the Bioreactor Design Team, treasurer of the Biomedical Engineering Society, and secretary-treasurer of United Campus Ministry at Westminster House.
Ok. You got our attention.
His work with the Bioreactor Design Team includes helping develop engineering solutions through hands-on collaborative design projects. Kind of like our design idea for improving river access in downtown?
Before attending Oregon State, Jorg graduated as valedictorian from Grant High School in Portland.
During high school, he served as Technical Documentation Lead for FIRST Robotics Competition Team 3636, helping document the team’s engineering work and competition projects.
His LinkedIn profile also lists him as Student Strike Lead for the Portland Association of Teachers. The profile does not explain the position in detail, but likely refers to organizing or participating in student support efforts during Portland Public Schools’ 2023 teachers strike.
Jorg also lists membership in Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a national left-wing student organization with chapters on many college campuses. Although it would be inappropriate to infer his political platform or policy positions based solely on that affiliation.
Retired Forest Service leader Jerry Ingersoll is most likely not sure what he is up against yet, as none of us are, but if Jorg collects enough signatures and runs for the seat in all seriousness… the race could be interesting.
Ingersoll recently retired after a lengthy federal career that included serving as Forest Supervisor of the Siuslaw National Forest and leading the U.S. Forest Service’s national Job Corps program. His campaign emphasizes responsive local government, collaboration, and decades of experience managing large public organizations.
Danielle Chambers, who is also seeking to qualify for the ballot like Jorg, previously served on Corvallis’ Charter Review Task Force and is a graduate of Leadership Corvallis.
Her campaign focuses on transparency, civic engagement, and encouraging broader public participation in local government. Chambers has also spoken publicly about choosing to make Corvallis her home because she values the city’s welcoming and inclusive community. We agree.
Jorg has not yet released detailed positions on major city issues such as housing, transportation, the proposed Civic Campus, or downtown redevelopment. These are the major issues we face over the next several years, including housing, transportation, downtown revitalization, parks, infrastructure investments, and the future of the city’s riverfront.
For now, Ward 7 is interesting… it has three potential candidates whose paths to public service could hardly be more different. We’ll be sitting back, eating our cat food, and watching closely.
We’ll also be waiting and watching for Neill Blomkamp’s District 10, which is supposedly in development.
This article was written by Brian Lindensmith, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com
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YES!!! DSA !!!!!!