This is the first piece in an ongoing collaboration between The Sentinel and Oregon News Incubator. More information about this journalism experiment is forthcoming.

With Multnomah County Chair Ted Wheeler being named the new State Treasurer following the tragic death of Ben Westlund, Commissioner Jeff Cogen, who represents North/Northeast Portland is leaving that seat to seek the now-open County Chair position. 

Cogen may not succeed. However, several speculative candidates have emerged who wish to replace Cogen as North/Northeast reps on the County board, if Cogen should move to the Chairman position.

The Sentinel will do its best to keep you informed as this shakes out; we begin with interviews with the first two people to file for the North/Northeast County seat as of Tuesday morning.  They are likely to be considered the front-runners in this incredibly full race.

Karol Collymore
Karol Collymore has served as Cogen’s aide since he took office three years ago.  Her political career began in New Mexico where she worked on Al Gore’s 2000 campaign, following that with further work in New Mexico and Oregon, where she moved in 2004.  A resident of the Sullivan’s Gulch neighborhood, Collymore also sought, and nearly won, appointment to open House legislative seat 43 in 2009 [See Senate Shuffle].

Collymore stated she is most proud of her work to make the North Kenton Library a reality.  According to Collymore, she worked for three years with the neighborhoods, not just on design and location issues but “dispelling fears that a library wouldn’t come... they [the neighbors] had been promised one several times over th elast 20 years”.

Collmore stated that the challange of getting the library built was off to help neighbors, “have faith that we would actually pull this off for them”. 

She also pointed to the Gateway Center for Domestic Violence, a one-stop center for women that was created in conjunction with Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman’s office.  The center helps women who are victims of domestic violence get restraining orders, counselling, emergency funds and child care (there is child therapy available).

If elevated to public office Collymore stated she would like to continue her work on address the way the county and law enforcement treats the mentally ill and the homeless.

"The Sherrif’s office shouldn’t be treating the mentally ill", she said referring the county jail system that can wind up serving as short term housing for the mentally ill who wind up repeatedly breaking the law. “Jails are not the place for this”. 

One step she believes would help is to give nurses at Corrections facilities the authority to have those they see in need admitted to hospital as mentally ill.

Rev Chuck Currie
Rev Chuck Currie, lives with his family in the Grant Park area. According to Currie, he has worked as an advocate on issues such as homelessness, housing and health care for over 20 years.  Four years ago Curries became ordained minister (United Church of Christ) and has continued his advocacy through the ministries of the church.

Currie served as Chair of the Shelter Reconfiguration Plan in the early 1990s, a joint City-County project that resulted in new services. This includes the creation of a transitional housing project called Jean’s Place  for people who suffer from chronic mental illnesses.  Shelter Reconfiguration Plan also rehabiliated a number of non-profits, such as the Transition Project Shelter (previously Burnside Projects). 

Since that time Currie campaigned to start the Housing Trust Fund. The fund is a pool of $30 million dedicated to expanding housing for low-income famlies.

Currie touted his experience over the years as part of his decision to run: “I’m not new to the game; I’ve been doing this work for a long time with a lot of people.”  He said his network of contacts, from the Portland area to Salem to the nation’s capital — “I met with staff at the White House recently."

If selected, Curries believe that the issues like homelessness and the mentally ill will be hard to tackle at the county board level.

“It’s going to mean that difficult decisions have to be made by the Board,” Currie said, asserting that his connections will help the County meet its responsibilities despite budgetary problems.

Edited by Cornelius Swart

TA Barnhart blogs about politics in the state of Oregon at tabarnhart.net