Program date: Sept. 18, 2026
Air date: Sept. 21, 2026
From the City Club of Eugene:
As Eugene voters prepare for the November 3, 2026, general election, City Club of Eugene hosts a public candidate forum featuring contenders for Eugene City Council in Ward 5, Athena Aguiar and Mike Clark. Eugene faces a series of interconnected and high-stakes challenges. This forum provides voters with an opportunity to hear directly from candidates about their priorities, values, and governing approaches.
The discussion focuses on issues at the center of current public debate, including housing affordability and supply; homelessness and public safety; economic development and downtown revitalization; climate policy and infrastructure. Like many cities, Eugene faces fiscal constraints that require difficult tradeoffs in funding public safety, housing programs, and basic services. Local leaders are navigating increasing polarization and the challenge of building consensus across a diverse and engaged community, due to erosion of public trust and civic divisions.
Candidates respond to moderated questions posed by KLCC reporter Zac Ziegler, and submitted by the audience. The program will highlight both shared priorities and key differences in how candidates propose to address Eugene’s most pressing challenges.
Speakers:
Athena Aguiar is an environmental restoration technician, environmental activist, and fundraiser. Her leadership experience began at Sheldon High School, where she was president of the Gender Sexuality Alliance and a member of the Asian Student Union. She graduated from Coe College, earning a BA in biology from Coe College, and later worked on the Walama Restoration project, maintaining and restoring threatened ecosystems in critical watersheds. After working briefly as a timber cruiser, she joined the Fund for The Public Interest to help bolster ecological progress and conservation efforts. She is currently active in several community advocacy groups, including the Toxics Board, the Police Commission, and the Library Advisory Board.
Mike Clark is the incumbent councilor for Ward 5, first elected in 2006. For the City of Eugene, he has served on many committees, including Human Rights, Budget, and Capital Improvement. He also worked with Kids First and the Pearl Buck Center. His professional background is in mortgages and marketing. He earned a BS in political science at the University of Oregon.
About the City Club of Eugene:
The mission of the City Club of Eugene is to build community vision through open inquiry. The Club explores a wide range of significant local, state, and national issues and helps to formulate new approaches and solutions to problems. Membership is open to all, and Club members have a direct influence on public policy by discussing issues of concern with elected officials and other policy makers. The City Club’s mailing address is PO Box 12084, Eugene, OR 97440, and its website is cityclubofeugene.org.
Video and Broadcast
This program will be live streamed, and the videotape will be made available on the City Club of Eugene’s Facebook page and You Tube Channel, in addition to our website. It will be broadcast on Monday, Sept. 21 at 7:00 p.m., on KLCC 89.7 FM.
Contact: For more information, visit CityClubOfEugene.org.