Former Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts was sworn into office today as Metro Councilor for District 6, representing parts of Southwest, Southeast and Northeast Portland. She replaces Robert Liberty, who resigned the position two years before the end of his four-year term.
Roberts says she'll bring her strong budget experience as well as her broad understanding of state and local government, land use and housing to residents of the district.
Roberts joins the council at the same time Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber has tapped Metro Chief Operating Officer Michael Jordan to become COO for the State of Oregon.
"That a former governor would commit two years to the Metro Council at the same time the current governor appoints the Metro COO to a critical position on his team illustrates the leadership and collaboration that Metro has forged," said Metro Council President Tom Hughes. "This shows how central Metro is to local, regional and state decision-making."
Roberts served as Governor from 1991 to 1995 and as Oregon Secretary of State from 1985 to 1991. She also served in the Oregon House of Representatives, as a Multnomah County Commissioner and on the Parkrose School Board. In 2001, she chaired hearings on the Metro charter review, which was passed by voters in 2002.
Since leaving public office, Roberts has served in leadership positions at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and in the Executive Leadership Institute at Portland State University’s Hatfield School of Government. Her autobiography is scheduled to be released this fall.
"This is a perfect time for me to step forward and dedicate the next two years to the important decision-making that will face Metro's council," Roberts said. "Robert Liberty did an outstanding job serving the residents of District 6," she said, "and I intend to work hard to live up the standards he set."
Metro is expected to wrap up the urban and rural reserves decision with Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington counties this summer, and make a decision on whether to expand the urban growth boundary this fall. The agency will also take part in the Community Investment Initiative to develop an integrated federal, state and regional investment approach to maintain public structures and community assets as well as to support new investments, and the Climate Leadership Summit to unveil regional land use and transportation strategies to reduce carbon emissions. In the news few years, the Oregon Zoo, owned and operated by Metro, will undergo several upgrades made possible by a $125 million bond measure passed by voters in 2008.
Roberts was sworn in by her step-daughter, Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Leslie Roberts, at the beginning of the Metro Council meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 24.