Tracy Mix Announced As Mayor Of Toledo

At the February 4th Toledo City Council meeting council held a discussion on who should succeed Rod Cross as Mayor for the remainder of his term. Council President Mix was appointed the interim mayor until council could decide who amongst themselves would fill the term on a permanent basis. There was support for Tracy Mix to remain Mayor.

During public comments her husband Johnathan Mix noted that she would do a good job as Mayor, but he did express some concern over the stress of taking on this responsibility. "I have mixed feelings about her becoming Mayor because she is self employed, she is a mother and a wife and she has big shoes to fill." He added that he felt she could do it and she is really smart, but he worried about her having too much on her plate.

During public comment citizens praised Tracy and said she would make a good Mayor. Fellow councilors also showed support of her leadership skills and how much she has shown growth over the year. Mix said she shared concerns of being able to keep up with a full schedule and would be relying on other council members to help out a little more. Councilor Keating noted how much Tracy has over the past year honed her leadership skills, and learned from her challenges. "I will give you as much support as you need, I feel you're the best choice for Mayor."

Keating acknowledged that Rod Cross put in a great deal of time to his position as Mayor, like a full time job. Councilor Frank Silvia also offered to provide as much help as needed. Mix noted that she does have a lot on her plate, but also said "The Mayor is not supposed to have any more power than anybody else on the council."

After discussion Councilor Chambers moved to appoint Tracy Mix to fill the remainder of the Mayors term this was approved unanimously. Mayor Mix said she would be honored to serve as Mayor through remainder of the term of January 2027. The Council moved and approved for Councilor Frank Silvia to be Council President through the end of the year. Council will open up applications for councilor Mix’s vacant position is now posted on the city of Toledo's website.

Former Mayor Crosses Legacy

Rod Cross did an interview with Kiera Morgan with Oregon Coast Breaking News. During his tenure as Mayor of Toledo, he said his consistent philosophy was to build strong teams, protect the community’s future, and keep people at the center of every decision. Above all, the mayor returns again and again to his pride in Toledo’s people. “I am so proud, and I love this community.” From establishing funds that saved local businesses, to championing nonprofits, to pushing long-term infrastructure and housing projects, his legacy is one of preparation, collaboration, and deep community commitment—always grounded in the belief that public service, done with the right attitude and a focus on people, offers “job satisfaction unlike any other.”

When asked to name his greatest accomplishments as mayor, he didn’t start with a project or a dollar figure. Instead, he pointed to team-building. He emphasized that major achievements in Toledo didn’t come from one person’s vision alone, but from staff, city council, state partners, and community members all pulling in the same direction.

“Things may start out as an idea from one person, but all the things we’ve been able to accomplish have happened because we’ve been able to come together as a team… it’s been a team effort.” This team-focused approach became the foundation for the policies and projects that followed. The mayor identified two initiatives as his clearest personal stamps on city policy—both of which have had lasting impacts on Toledo’s resilience and social fabric.

Contributions Committee

Early in his political career, during his second year on the city council, he proposed the creation of a Contributions Committee. The committee helps local nonprofits continue providing “excellent service” to residents. By formally supporting these organizations, the city reinforced a network of community-based services that often serve as the first line of support for people in need. This initiative built a bridge between city government and the nonprofit sector, channeling resources to those already doing critical work on the ground.

Strategic Reserve Fund

The second major initiative came during his first term as mayor, around 2010, when Toledo experienced a one-time windfall of funds without strings attached. Rather than spending it all immediately, the mayor pushed to set aside part of that money into a Strategic Reserve Fund: The fund was accessible only to the council and only for emergencies. Years later, that foresight proved crucial. When COVID-19 hit, Toledo drew on this fund to provide small grants to local businesses, helping them stay afloat until state and federal relief programs arrived.

"We took part of that money and set up an account called the strategic reserve fund… and that was what we used when covid hit and we were able to give small grants to our local businesses to keep them afloat.” In an era when many small cities struggled to respond quickly, Toledo had already built its own emergency cushion. Beyond financial policy, the mayor’s tenure was marked by long-haul infrastructure and development work. In the early 2010s, under his leadership, Toledo began the push to redo the city’s water system. Cross notes that they “started that ball off” during his time as mayor in 2009–2010. Modernizing critical infrastructure positioned the city more securely for future growth and safety.

Housing

Another long-running priority was the Olla Meadows property—a parcel he had eyed for housing since 2009. The Cross described years of effort trying to get housing built there.

Through coalition-building and persistence, that project is now expected to come to fruition “this next year”, bringing long-awaited housing to the community. “Olla meadows… I’ve been trying to get housing on there since 2009 and now we’re going to come to fruition this next year. So that’s awesome, but that took putting together a whole coalition of folks to make that happen.”

City Stability

While many small cities across the state are facing severe financial hardship, the mayor points to a quieter but critical success: Toledo has managed to preserve its essential services.

• The city has kept both its fire and police departments.

• Cross warns that “most of our cities are going to be underwater within the next three years,” but credits a mix of careful management and grace that Toledo has remained “above that.”

This stability reflects both the earlier financial planning and ongoing collaboration with outside partners, including working with GP (Georgia-Pacific) to secure small grants that support local quality-of-life projects.

Leadership in Times of Crisis

The mayor’s tenure also spanned moments of serious crisis, including:

• COVID-19 pandemic

• A severe ice storm

• The Otis fire

In each case, he emphasizes that the city’s greatest strength wasn’t government alone, but the community’s response. “It wasn’t the ‘city government,’ it was all of us coming together to help each other.” Residents checked on neighbors, helped clean up yards, and rallied to donate items and money to those affected by disaster. At one point, he notes that Toledo contributed the second-highest amount of donations in the region, nearly matching the county-wide effort.

For Cross, the measure of success isn’t just in completed projects, but in restored hope and strengthened community ties. Above all, the mayor returns again and again to his pride in Toledo’s people. “I am so proud, and I love this community.” From establishing funds that saved local businesses, to championing nonprofits, to pushing long-term infrastructure and housing projects, his legacy is one of preparation, collaboration, and deep community commitment—always grounded in the belief that public service, done with the right attitude and a focus on people, offers “job satisfaction unlike any other.”