John Ryuta, a long‑time Scappoose resident who applied for a vacant council seat, told councilors in a recorded interview played during Monday's work session that the city's key challenges are housing affordability, community cohesion and declining external revenue.

Ryuta said he has lived in Scappoose for more than 30 years and views service on council as a way to "give back" to the community. He described housing costs as a major concern: "Studio apartments now with the $1,500 range, one bedrooms... well over $2,000," he said, and argued the trend makes it harder for young people to find local housing.

Why it matters: Rising housing costs and limited affordable options affect workforce availability and community character. Ryuta framed these as multi‑layered problems that require planning, incentives for different housing product types and partnerships with builders to encourage smaller, more affordable units.

Ryuta also described the U.S. highway that runs through Scappoose as a physical divider: "We're divided by a highway... it physically divides" neighborhoods, he said, and suggested daily, small interactions and visible civic presence (for example, officers at school drop‑off) help knit the community together. He pointed to the pancake breakfast and fire department events as examples of programming that draws broad segments of the public.

On finances, Ryuta cautioned that reductions in federal receipts tied to natural resource revenues have limited the state and local funding landscape and make creative budgeting and local revenue strategies more important.

No formal appointment took place in the work session. Councilors said they would review both applicants before taking action during the regular meeting.

Additional background: Ryuta said he has worked across industries and maintains a local home office, giving him flexibility to serve. He described his public service approach as collaborative and said disagreement among councilors is useful when it remains civil and focused on finding the best outcomes.

The recorded interview was the second of two candidate presentations the council considered during the work session; councilors will review both applicants and take a formal vote at the regular meeting.