John Day City Council appoints 2 to budget committee

The council voted 5-1 to rename the Pit Stop to Main Street Square

Apr. 17, 2026 at 5:00pm

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A serene, painterly depiction of a two-story brick building with large windows, its facade illuminated by warm, angled sunlight casting deep shadows, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the changing landscape of a small town.The renaming of the Pit Stop to Main Street Square reflects John Day's efforts to revitalize its downtown and engage the community.John Day Today

The John Day city council appointed Debbie Miller and Steve Courtney to its budget committee following a 5-1 vote at its April 14 meeting. The council also voted 5-1 to rename the Pit Stop location to Main Street Square, and tabled a resolution to establish a student liaison position until the language could be clarified.

Why it matters

The appointments to the budget committee and the renaming of the Pit Stop location are important decisions made by the John Day City Council that will impact the community. The tabled student liaison resolution also suggests the council is considering ways to engage with local youth.

The details

The council had three applicants - Debbie Miller, Steve Courtney, and Amy Walker - for the two open positions on the budget committee. Councilor Meloni Cochran preferred Miller, while Council President Heather Swank lobbied for Walker. Miller and Courtney were ultimately appointed in a 5-1 vote, with Swank as the lone dissenting vote. The council also voted 5-1 to rename the Pit Stop location at 330 W. Main St. to Main Street Square, considering three name options. Additionally, the council tabled a resolution to establish a student liaison position, agreeing to revisit it when the language could be clarified and updated.

  • The John Day city council meeting took place on April 14, 2026.
  • Miller and Courtney's three-year terms on the budget committee will expire in January 2030.

The players

Sherrie Rininger

The mayor of John Day.

Meloni Cochran

A John Day city councilor who preferred appointing Debbie Miller to the budget committee.

Heather Swank

The John Day City Council President who lobbied for appointing Amy Walker to the budget committee.

Debbie Miller

One of the three applicants appointed to the John Day city budget committee.

Steve Courtney

One of the three applicants appointed to the John Day city budget committee.

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What they’re saying

“The project has spanned so long that the city has continued to need to renew Ducote Consulting's contract. Ducote said the mayor and city manager's success in lobbying for funding for the treatment plant project has made his job of stitching funds together more complicated.”

— Melissa Bethel, John Day City Manager

What’s next

The John Day City Council will revisit the resolution to establish a student liaison position when the language within the resolution is clarified and updated.

The takeaway

The John Day City Council's decisions to appoint new members to the budget committee and rename a local landmark demonstrate their ongoing efforts to manage the city's finances and infrastructure while also considering ways to engage with the community, including local youth.