‘Sissy’ Cutchen challenges Oakridge ‘to save its gem,’ the city administrator

By DEAN REA/The Herald  —   “Sissy” Cutchen urged Oakridge City Council members Thursday night “to save the gem that it has” in her husband, Bryan Cutchen, who has submitted his resignation as city administrator after being criticized for his attempts to help solve a recurring budget deficit.

Cutchen, 60, who became the city’s chief administrative officer in mid-2019, recently submitted his resignation effective Feb. 28. He is paid $92,300 and has turned down two pay raises because of the city’s financial status.

His wife’s statement was made at the conclusion of Thursday night’s council meeting during which preparations were being made to advertise for Bryan’s replacement. Mayor Kathy Holston reported that she and another council member had checked with the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) for assistance much like the city received when Cutchen was chosen.  They learned that candidates may be in short supply and that Ft. Collins. Colo., which is the size of Eugene recently hired an administrator for $300,000 a year.

“I want to speak out in defense of my husband,” said Terrilyn Cutchen, who is affectionately known as “Sissy.”

She began by saying she doesn’t understand the “animosity on the part of (Councilor Dawn) Kinyon toward my husband and the mayor and her (Councilor Kinyon’s) unprofessional behavior in council meetings.” The rudeness of the mayor and the competency of Bryan Cutchen are not at issue, she said.

“My husband served 32 years in the United States Navy,” she said, and cited contributions Bryan had made to the city, including as a grant writer for which he was credited Thursday night by Public Works Director Robeart Chrisman, for obtaining a FEMA grant for hard-to-acquire generators.

“This is a man with a graduate degree from one of the most prestigious military colleges in strategic planning,” she continued. “He managed a $4 billion budget during his last job. He had 65,000 sailors under him and he had more than 200 municipalities that he worked with in running a reserve center in the Navy.

“If anyone has experience, it’s my husband. Now, Oakridge is throwing away the best thing that ever could happen.

“You’re not going to be able to hire an administrator for what you’re paying my husband. And the reputation of your community at large will suffer because of the behavior of this council. I urge the council to go to a higher consciousness and try to save the gem that it has.

“I’m not speaking for my husband. I’m speaking as a homeowner in Oakridge, and I’ve watched you destroy yourself. And it’s very hard to see. We love it here, and we love the people here. It’s one of the most welcoming places we’ve had in our 17 moves during the last 33 years,” she said.

After “Sissy” ended her remarks, Councilor Kinyon said she didn’t intend to speak critically of the city administrator. Councilor Audy Spliethof asked: “We never asked him for his resignation, did we?”

Brief remarks by councilors led the mayor to suggest that the council could decide “if we choose to reach out to the city administrator to stay” during a Jan. 7 executive session.