"It used to be if someone told you you have cancer," says the Salem City Councilor, "it was a death sentence. Every day I wake up, since I was told I had cancer, is a good day."

Bennett has had a busy life since undergoing surgery nearly 20 years ago. The one-time representative in the Oregon Legislature is a lobbyist for the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, where he works to secure funding statewide for K-12 education.

Since his appointment in September, he also has served as Salem City Councilor for Ward 1, which encompasses northeast Salem as well as part of downtown.

"I like its diversity," he says, "both economically and ethnically. It includes very close-in neighborhoods ... older homes, tree-lined streets, and you can walk downtown; you can walk to work if you work in the capitol mall area."

Bennett's enthusiastic smile, deep laugh and animated hands illustrate the energy he offers a town he has lived in off and on for over 40 years.

"I'm a huge fan of our downtown; I think we're so lucky," he says. "Now, whether it is optimally used is a whole different question."

There are major changes facing the ward as well as the city. The replacement of the Oregon State Hospital, with construction on a new psychiatric facility on Center Street, is slated to begin in spring of 2009.

"Change is always unsettling," he says.

Recently Bennett was appointed to a task force, along with Mayor Janet Taylor and Councilor Brent DeHart, devoted to the relocation of Salem Police Department headquarters. During previous budget processes, City Council had determined the need for an updated facility to increase space for police and improve police presence throughout the city. According to Bennett, so far the group has sent back a proposal calling for a large police and municipal court building, and instead encouraged police officials and architects to deliver a smaller facility, without the court but with satellite buildings in various neighborhoods. The original proposal would have taken up roughly two city blocks, Bennett says.

Foremost on the agenda, city leaders are hoping to take advantage of a strong economy, bolstered by the existence of a large portion of the state workforce, in order to revitalize downtown. To that end, the council is developing a much more vital, more aggressive economic development plan for the area to promote new and diverse businesses that encourage more shopping and tourism.
"We are, I think, on the verge of kind of a renaissance of our downtown," he says.

But problems of congestion that arise from older streets, and issues of graffiti, which Bennett says is on the rise, along with chronic problems of gang violence and methamphetamine use could undermine these efforts.

For Bennett, representing Ward 1 is a part-time job, a civic service, which takes up roughly 20 hours a week. But in addition to official functions, he must embrace a lot of reading and visit with neighborhood association meetings, he says, in order to stay current on issues and be prepared to vote. Despite the workload, Bennett remains upbeat because he has faith in his ability to make a difference and he embraces his opportunity to do so.

"I think people look at this and think, `Ehh, the mayor runs the show,'" Bennett says. "In fact, it doesn't work that way. I'm always surprised when I talk to people and I hear their thoughts about it. This is so open, and the opportunities are so open."