This week Commissioner Stegmann has been participating in the National Association of Counties’ Economic Mobility Leadership Network, engaging with local and national experts on how counties can positively affect mobility and equitable economic recovery solutions. Commissioner Stegmann has been part of the network since 2019, when she first hosted 20 county leaders in Portland focusing on workforce development; generational poverty; affordable housing; access to financial services; education; transportation access; health care services and access; technology and information access; criminal justice reform; geographic mobility and data collection. Most recently, the National Association of Counties has released a new report analyzing the tools that counties can use to drive economic mobility or movement up the economic ladder over a lifetime. Multnomah County’s work on economic mobility solutions in justice and public safety is highlighted. You can learn more here: https://www.naco.org/resources/featured/county-government-levers-foster-economic-mobility
Last week Commissioner Jayapal met with residents from University Park and Portsmouth neighborhoods for a constructive conversation about the Peninsula Crossing Trail, where over 120 people are living outside. Participants expressed empathy for their unsheltered neighbors, and emphasized that they were not seeking to have the camp removed - rather, they proposed solutions that addressed specific issues related to the health and safety of campers as well as the neighborhood. She will continue to work with them and relevant jurisdictions to improve conditions. This week, Commissioner Jayapal will host her final constituent coffee of the year, and will attend the AFSCME holiday party to share her deep gratitude for the ongoing commitment and dedication that County employees demonstrate every day in their public service to the community. Finally, she looks forward to the legislature’s upcoming special session: she has been advocating for additional rent assistance and protections for tenants at risk of eviction, and urges legislators to take immediate action.
This week, Commissioner Meieran joined District 36 Representative Lisa Reynolds and Portland City Commissioner Day Ryan for a virtual Joint Town Hall on Houselessness. Almost 100 community members attended and many others watched via a Facebook livestream. This was a follow up to their Town Hall in May 2021. In addition, Commissioner Meieran highlighted the work she’s been engaged with for the Behavioral Health Emergency Collaborative Network (BHECN), including being part of a recent delegation of state behavioral health and justice systems leaders that visited Pima County, AZ to learn about their model of jail diversion and crisis management at the intersection of criminal justice and behavioral health systems.
A video recording of the Joint Town Hall on Houselessness is available online for viewing.
Commissioner Meieran also attended an event to express gratitude and deep appreciation to Bienestar staff who have been providing critical services as part of the County’s COVID-19 response. Staff distributed food, rent assistance, and worked tirelessly to prevent evictions through door-to-door outreach. Many of the program’s clients are immigrants and refugees and have experienced disproportionate impacts throughout the pandemic.
Commissioner Jessica Vega Pederson
This week Commissioner Vega Pederson spoke about crafting the universal, free, Preschool for All program in Multnomah County at the virtual Thread Summit. She attended the Reimagine Oregon Project’s meeting as part of her ongoing commitment to dismantle racist systems and further racial equity and justice. She also attended the Oregon Business Leadership Summit with other policy leaders and stakeholders. Commissioner Vega Pederson will attend AFSCME’s holiday event on Saturday to thank County employees for their work and dedication in serving our communities. Next Tuesday she will host a town hall on child care with U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bomanici and Family Forward Executive Director Andrea Paluso to discuss recent developments in child care at the federal, state and local levels and to hear from child care providers, teachers, and parents about issues in the child care industry. Additional details and registration information can be found here.