28/07/2021

Then Vs. Now

Male hand showing, offering a new dream house at the empty field with copy space-cm

The past few months have been among the most interesting in my entire life. I started it off by being sworn in as Clackamas County Commissioner, which was and is one of the greatest honors I’ve ever experienced. This came after our county and many others throughout Oregon suffered through massive fires and the resulting smoke. Then there were the…

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03/06/2021

No Means No

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Oregon’s state motto was adopted in 1987. It’s “Alis Volat Propriis,” which is Latin for “She Flies With Her Own Wings.” In many respects, that motto reflects the state’s pioneer spirit. But taken further, it’s almost become an excuse for Oregon to do things that none of the other 49 states are willing to do. A prime example is the…

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14/04/2021

Working for All of Clackamas County’s Residents

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I’ve been serving on the Clackamas County Board of Commissioners for about three months now. So far, it’s been a very interesting and educational experience, as there is a lot that goes into managing the daily operations of one of Oregon’s most populated counties. Because the commissioners are elected officials, we conduct our business in meetings that are open to…

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31/03/2021

The Ways in Which I Will Serve

Last evening light on Mount Hood over rural farmland in Clackamas County OR USA-cm

A lot is involved with being a Clackamas County commissioner. Aside from being part of the board that manages the daily operations of one of Oregon’s largest counties, the commissioners also work with several different outside entities on a wide variety of public policy areas. On February 21, I was assigned to several positions on various committees, councils and commissions…

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10/03/2021

Searching for Housing Solutions

Construction Workers Working On Wooden Roof Of House.-cm

Residents of Clackamas County, the Portland metropolitan area and all throughout Oregon have felt the crunch in recent years of skyrocketing housing costs. Rising rents add to the cost of living for families and individuals, and also make it more difficult to save enough money to buy a house. Homeownership has long been a cornerstone of the American Dream and…

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10/02/2021

Planning Ahead for the Future

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Clackamas County is in an interesting position right now. Even though it has the smallest population of the three counties in the Portland metropolitan area, it’s still Oregon’s third most populous county. As of 2019, around 418,187 people called Clackamas County home. Washington County was at 601,592 and Multnomah had 812,855 residents. Many of issues that our residents are most…

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07/10/2020

Birds of a Feather

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An old cliché states that you can judge a man by the company he keeps. If that’s the case, it certainly does not bode well for current Clackamas County Commissioner Ken Humberston, who has gone out of his way to be associated with outgoing Commissioner Jim Bernard. Bernard was defeated in the May primary election due largely to some of…

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30/09/2020

Just Say No to Metro

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Ideally, government agencies exist to serve the public and solve problems. But it doesn’t always work out that way. Some agencies seem to do more to create and perpetuate those problems for the sake of justifying their own existence. And when those same problems persist, bureaucrats at those agencies claim it’s because they need more money. Taxes are raised over…

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26/08/2020

For the Sake of Safety

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The concept of safety has been on my mind a lot lately, possibly because it seems in such short supply in nearby Portland. Throughout my military career, one of my primary responsibilities was ensuring the safety of the men under my charge. That was particularly challenging at times, especially when we were in the middle of an active combat zone…

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19/08/2020

Clackamas County is on the Wrong Track

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After retiring from the military, I set about starting the next phase of my life as a civilian, and I settled into the home that I built north of Sandy. I was happy to enjoy the slower pace of life in my peaceful rural setting. After a while, I started looking around and noticing that things were not as good…

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