After 20 years of service, Coos Bay City Councilor Cindi Miller has announced she will not seek re-election for her seat on the council in November.

Citing health problems, Miller said she also had conflicting obligations to several committees and organizations in the area.

“My health has not been real good, and we have some family health issues that demand my attention,” Miller said. “I'd also like to spend some time with my grandchildren before they get too grown up.”

Miller, the general sales manager at K-DOCK radio, is a life-long resident of Coos Bay and has the distinction of being the only councilor to have served for 20 years.

“I really have a hard time giving it up. Every time I think about not serving there's always something I wanted to be involved with and see through,” Miller said. “But I've volunteered for 20 years or more. It's time. It's just time to let someone else give some new ideas to the council.”

Fellow councilors all agree that Miller's leaving is a loss to the entire city.

“Cindi's always been a great advocate for the city. I don't think anyone could ever follow in her footsteps and fill her shoes,” said Mayor Joe Benetti, who has served on the council alongside Miller for 18 years.

Benetti also has announced he is stepping down. With Miller leaving and Councilor Jeff McKeown running for mayor, there could be at least three new faces on the council in November.

Changing the city

Miller has spent much of her life as a city councilor, and is proud of many accomplishments over the years.

“We worked really hard, lots of hours and lots of time, on the Empire renewal plan. The plans for the front street projects, and downtown improvements,” Miller said. “We've done so many things, and had so many projects that come before us. We've been through some rough times in the city, as has the South Coast, but it's getting better.”

She also singled out the new skateboard project in Mingus Park as an item she was personally proud of.

“I've worked really hard over the years to get a skate-park in the area for our kids, and it looks like that is going to come to fruition,” she said.

Miller has been a dedicated public servant, and also a friend to many councilors and city employees.

“Her loss of knowledge is going to be a big issue. In regards to the history of the things we work on, and decisions we've made, Cindi has been invaluable,” said Councilor Kevin Stufflebean. “Not only is she a good councilor, but she's been a good friend for many years.”

Stufflebean and Miller first met in 1978 when he was a Marshfield High School student and involved with the school paper. According to Stufflebean, Miller donated her time to help him sell advertising to local businesses. Even then she was helping young people and her community, Stufflebean said.

Miller said she will miss a great deal about not serving the city, but above all else, she will miss serving with the other councilors.

“I'll miss the camaraderie and the people. Having the opportunity to hopefully bring something to the council that maybe none of us had thought of, I'll miss that,” she said. “It's a dedicated group I've always worked with, and I'm going to miss them a lot.”

The feeling is mutual, Benetti said.

“She has given probably more time and effort than anyone else in the city. So that will be missed,” he said.

Miller said she plans on staying in Coos Bay and spending more time with her sons, Don and Jeff Miller, and their children.

But she won't be giving up her volunteer and service activities.

“Community involvement is engrained in me, so I'll be around and involved,” she said. “I'll be up there at the podium again, but probably not on that side.”