Metro Councilor Robert Liberty announced today that he is resigning his position on the Metro Council effective Jan. 15 to become executive director of the Sustainable Cities Initiative at the University of Oregon in Eugene.
Liberty was first elected to the Metro Council to represent District 6 in 2004, and was re-elected for a second term in 2008. District 6 includes portions of Northeast, Southeast and Southwest Portland.
While serving on the Metro Council, Liberty's priorities included protecting productive farms, forest lands and natural areas in and outside the urban growth boundary, reinvesting in existing communities, increasing transportation and housing choices, and giving citizens a stronger role in regional planning decisions.
Liberty has also recently worked with leaders in the business community and nonprofit organizations on the effort to create a regional consensus around the highest priority investments we should be making in the region. "If done well," he said, "this can be an important effort to improve the region’s economic health and increase economic opportunities for working class people while maintaining our high standards for protecting the environment and promoting innovations in urban development."
Liberty's role at UO is a new position. The Sustainable Cities Initiative (SCI) is one of five interdisciplinary themes, called “Big Ideas,” that are shaping future academic priorities at the university. Started at the UO School of Architecture and Allied Arts, SCI now extends across disciplines into other schools and colleges on campus. The program aims to transform higher education with community engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration and sustainability study to influence public policy.
"Robert Liberty has worked hard to create complete communities where everyone has what they need to live, work, shop, get around and go to school," said Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette. "He's always operated with principles and integrity, making decisions based on his values and his core integrity. Robert's sense of fairness, kindness and generosity comes through in all his work. The University of Oregon has gained a valuable leader, and we'll miss him on the Metro Council."
Because less than two years remain in Liberty's term, the Metro Council will make an appointment to fill his seat, which runs through January 2013. The Council must advertise the vacancy for at least four weeks and provide for at least one week of public comment prior to making an appointment.