Hi, nice to meet you!
City Councilor, City of Rivergrove
We're neighbors. My job is to represent you and make Rivergrove a better place to live. That means staying accessible, operating in the open, and being someone you can come to when you need help.
Recent
In Rivergrove, the channels a councilor would normally use to share information with constituents have been progressively closed off. The Mayor unilaterally controls what reaches the agenda. Council email addresses have been summarily disabled. In meetings, Zoom chat and screen sharing have been turned off, and dissenting councilors get muted. I can't fix much of that easily, but I can find other ways to share public information. So here we are.
The council voted 5-0 to require signs before spraying our parks. The councilor who did the spraying voted yes—but then sprayed with no warning. He told the council he saw no need.
DOCUMENTEDAn independent auditor issued qualified opinions on all five of Rivergrove’s funds—and the Council told residents the findings were “addressed and fixed.” What the audit actually says, and what was said about it.
CAMPAIGN CLAIMThe claim that a resident-petitioned audit would push Rivergrove toward insolvency is misleading; it was built by measuring a one-time cost against a narrow slice of city revenue.
In the works
Residents have a right to know how their tax dollars are being managed. Oregon law lets residents petition to compel an independent audit. Rivergrove residents did exactly that—and the Mayor responded by writing to the state, without council authorization, asking them to ignore the petition. The city then dragged its feet for months, until the state stepped in and forced us to comply.
Public records belong to the public. When residents ask for them under Oregon law, the city should respond promptly and completely. Rivergrove has a documented pattern of not doing that—and it's one of the most pressing accountability issues we have.
Budgets reflect priorities. Residents and councilors alike should be able to see those priorities being shaped, and weigh in, not just have them presented at the end. When budget prep happens with most of council excluded—and includes a raise for one of the people drafting it—that's how you end up trying to raise a levy to fund it.
Infrastructure decisions shape the city for decades—exactly why residents and councilors should be able to follow how those decisions get made. In Rivergrove, agenda items either linger for months with no meaningful updates, or arrive at council as finished documents to be perfunctorily approved.
Safety priorities shouldn't be left waiting on grant funding that may never come. Canal Road has been a known safety issue for years—and the city's plan amounts to crossing their fingers, with no meaningful interim safety measures and no public backup plan. When Rivergrove applied for that grant, the application misrepresented key facts to the state. The grant was awarded in January 2025 and rescinded by November. Back to square one.
How a council meeting is noticed, held, and recorded determines whether residents can ever fully see what happened. In 2025, OGEC found Rivergrove out of compliance with public meetings law. Beyond that, the current administration actively makes engagement harder: Monday meeting agendas posted Friday nights, council email addresses disabled without notice, and the Mayor obstructing in-person meetings even after the full council voted for one.
About
I was appointed to the Rivergrove City Council in March 2024 to fill a vacated seat. My current term runs through December 2026.
Outside the city, I run a software company, serve as VP of the League of Oregon Cities Women's Caucus, and sit on the boards of community organizations in the region. Most of that work involves figuring out how small organizations operate well within real constraints—useful preparation for our city of ~550.
I live here with my husband and kids. We picked Rivergrove because it's quiet, the river is amazing, and the neighborhood actually feels like one. I'd like to keep it that way.
Occasional updates on council activity, civic information, and resources I publish here. I won't share your email or send anything else.
Contact
I'd love to hear from you.
I meet with residents regularly, and those conversations are usually the most useful part of my week. I know reaching out can feel awkward, but do it anyway please! You're not imposing, nothing is too insignificant, and I'd genuinely like to hear from you.
Email
rivergrove@leahsilber.com
Call or Text
971.396.8320
Say hi
Spot me out on a walk? A wave or hello is always welcome.