Open seats promise dramatic reshaping of Multnomah County politics

With two commissioners hitting term limits, and another running for Portland mayor, an unusual slate of open seats has set up a scramble for the future of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners.

The exiting commissioners are Jules Bailey, who leaves District 1 after two years for a shot at Portland City Hall, Judy Shiprack, representing District 3, and Diane McKeel, serving in District 4.

And that exodus has drawn a crowd of candidates. Among them are some familiar faces to the local political scene. Others are newcomers.

District 1

Seven candidates are competing for the District 1 seat, which represents parts of inner east Portland and everything west of the Willamette River.

Eric Zimmerman, now working as McKeel's chief of staff, joined the county to work on veterans' issues after he returned from the Iraq War. His priorities, he said, include adding shelter beds, investing in infrastructure, and delivering culturally specific healthcare with special attention to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

He says his inside knowledge and practical approach to the county business set him apart.

"Public service has been what I've done my entire life," he said. "That experience and being able to hit the ground running is a tremendous difference."

Mel Rader works as executive director of the nonprofit Upstream Public Health, which researches and advocates best practices for addressing health equity, food access and climate change. Upstream was a major backer of Portland's failed water fluoridation push in 2013.

Beyond refining strategies for stable housing, Rader wants to emphasize efforts to promote clean air. He said his work on public health policy, one of Multnomah County's largest missions, makes him a "perfect match" for serving as a commissioner.

Brian Wilson, who's running again after losing to Bailey in 2014, is a longtime community volunteer and business owner with experience in construction and finance. That background would be an asset to the board, he said, because he understands complex and expensive projects like the county's plan for a new downtown courthouse.

He said the county should help build more homes, affordable for people across the market. He's also concerned with making the county's bridges safe from earthquakes.

"I'm going to be one of those rare county commissioners who actually shows up to work," he said.

Sharon Meieran, who ran for the Oregon House in 2012, said working as an emergency room doctor fuels her passion for the county's work serving people in need. Too many people end up at the hospital in the midst of a mental health crisis, she said, with nowhere else to go.

"I care for people on an individual level but also see the system has opportunities for improvement so people don't end up in the E.R.," she said.

She sees housing, mental health and criminal justice reform as the county's top three priorities -- and thinks the county can find better ways of linking its work on those issues.

Other candidates on the ballot are attorney Marisha Childs, Ken Stokes and Wes Soderback. If none of the candidates emerges with a majority on May 17, the top two finishers will advance to runoff in November.

District 4

The county's other contested race is in District 4, which covers parts of East Portland, Gresham, Troutdale and unincorporated East Multnomah County -- areas that increasingly need the social services and health investments central to the county's mission.

Lori Stegmann, a Gresham city councilor, grew up in Rockwood and still works there as a Farmers Insurance agent. In one of the state's most impoverished areas, she said, she's seen people struggle to meet their basic needs.

While advocating for her district, Stegmann said she wants to find long-term funding for affordable housing.

"I care deeply and that's why I'm running. I want to see this community rise above the issues we're faced with like poverty and homelessness," she said. "I want to be a voice for east county because east county doesn't always have a big voice."

Amanda Schroeder leads her local Veterans Administration union, the American Federation of Government Employees Local 2157. Her experience advocating for veterans would serve her well in representing voters, she said.

East County in particular needs more money for projects such as sidewalks, crosswalks and street lights, Schroeder said. She also wants a domestic violence shelter in her part of the county. Her top priorities include public safety, mental health services, and housing.

"I just have a heart for service," she said. "I've always had that, and it's really important to me to serve people."

District 3

In District 3, which reaches from 82nd Avenue and into Gresham, Rep. Jessica Vega Pederson, D-Portland, is running uncontested.

After four years working in Salem on social justice and environmental issues, she said, she's excited to stand on the front lines of homelessness, housing affordability and poverty. Vega Pederson said she's passionate about the county's work and she wants to address the region's most critical problems.

"I think the county is the right place for me to be to face those," she said.

-- Emily E. Smith

503-294-4032; @emilyesmith