aprii 16, 1999 » j u s t o u t 7
ITTTiTlneit's
The Rev. Roy Cole, pastor of
the Metropolitan Community
Church of Portland, has been
named board president, taking over for Margie
Paulson, who resigned in March.
Other new additions to the board include
Kathy Oliver, executive director of Outside In;
Jerry Weller, a gay activist who was a mainstay
in the Portland-area political scene of two
decades ago— he also was, according to Cole,
Phoenix Risings first executive director; and
Michael Kennedy of Bank of America.
Cole, Oliver and Weller have agreed to six-
month stints on the board as it tackles its tough­
est challenge— survival. (Kennedy is on for the
regular two-year term.)
Incorporated as a nonprofit agency in 1978,
Phoenix Rising Foundation promotes “the com­
mon interests and well-being of lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transsexual people through mental
health, education and other support services.”
The agency provides an assortment of adult,
youth and HIV counseling services, and runs
the Sexual Minority Youth Recreation Center, a
Portland drop-in facility for queer kids.
As reported in previous issues of Just Out,
Phoenix Rising was nearly sunk by some
unscrupulous goings-on, including allegations
that a former employee embezzled funds and
failed to pay the necessary bills and payroll
taxes, eventually plunging the agency into debt
and forcing it to devour its reserves.
The morass led to the resignation of Paulson
and Allanya Guenther, who served as executive
director for much of the 1990s.
Guenther, who left the agency in March, has
been slammed for shoddy managerial oversight
and, according to some critics, concealing the
dilemma from the queer community until the
last possible moment.
Guenther was replaced by Judy Watson, who
has experience as a clinician and administrator
in behavioral health operations. Watson, who is
serving as interim executive director of Phoenix
Rising, works for Network Behavioral Health-
Care Inc., a nonprofit agency that provides an
array of mental health services.
S huffle B oard
A t Phoenix Rising Foundation, some new board members
are trying to breathe life into an injured institution by Inga
PHOTO BY LINDA KLIEWER
T
he shimmying at Phoenix Rising
Foundation continues.
Soren sen
As a g ay activist,
Je rry Weller was
a m ainstay in the
Portland-area
political scene o f
two decades ago
The Rev. Roy Cole has always been a supporter o f
Phoenix Rising Foundation, saying its mission is an
im portant one. He agreed to serve on the board because
he wants to give the organization a fighting chance
W hen word of the quagmire was made pub­
lic several weeks ago, it became clear many
within the gay community felt betrayed, angry
and disappointed. Confidence in the institution
was severely undermined.
Cole, however, has always been a solid sup­
porter of Phoenix Rising, saying its mission is an
important one. He agreed to serve on the board
because he wants to give the organization a
fighting chance.
“And we want to hear from the community,”
he says.
To that end, the board hopes to host a com­
munity meeting in the near future in an effort to
gauge what queer folks are feeling about
Phoenix Rising’s future, which is precarious
right now.
The board has contracted with Network to
handle managerial tasks, and is exploring the
possibility becoming a subsidiary of Network.
It could also remain an independent agency,
but Cole says to do that, Phoenix Rising “would
require a great deal of support from the commu­
nity.” It could move away from providing adult
clinical services and instead focus more on youth
support programs. Or it could simply close.
Despite the flux, Cole stresses that life at
Phoenix Rising goes on. “I want everyone to
know that clients are being served. We’re still
receiving clients,” he says.
But it seems clients won’t he served much
longer at Phoenix Rising’s offices situated at 620
S.W. Fifth Ave. in downtown Portland. In an
effort to cut costs, Cole says, the agency will
likely be moved out of that site by April’s end.
“We’re looking at several properties” that are
less expensive to rent, he says.
In related news, Portland police say their
investigation into possible misdeeds at Phoenix
Rising is continuing.
Detective John Brighton notes such investi­
gations are time-consuming and complex.
“But we want people to know we are on
this,” he tells Just Out.
S alem in the A ftermath
Swaim did not respond to Just Out’s inquiry. However, the
of our police department’s information officer, as reported in the
he mayor of Salem, Mike Swaim, says he is “truly saddened
officer whose remark prompted so much dissension did.
Statesman Journal, I take such matters very seriously. I have
to have to address such a matter as the attack on Chuck
“We do take bias crimes very seriously," says Kohlmeyer, who
already spoken with Mr. French’s partner, asked him to put into
French,” referring to Redomer “Chuck” French, a 25-year-old
writing what happened with our police (which he promptly did
believes the Journal quoted him out of context.
gay man whose March 29 beating by an acquaintance resulted
He says the detective slated to get the case was swamped
and faxed to me), and I shall be taking a copy of that to a meet­
in a concussion and more than two dozen stitches near his right
with other investigations including rapes, sexual
ear.
assaults
and a murder, to name a few. In other
As reported in the April 2 issue of Just Out,
have been working hard to m ake our city a m ore equitable place fo r
words, it was a matter of prioritization, he says,
witnesses say the attacker shouted anti-gay epi­
not a matter of disregard.
thets at French during the assault. A 38-year-old
all o f us— free from racism sexism, and bigotry driven b y
“There was no indication that [Himil was out
suspect, William Antone Himi Jr., has been
hom ophobia. I know I have a lot o f work rem aining before m e, and
targeting gay people randomly,” Kohlmeyer says,
arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault.
adding he spent two full days on the phone trying
Police did not charge Himi with intimidation, but
this was another rem inder o f that fact. I will not back down on these
to explain his publicized remark to concerned cit­
a spokesman says the case will go before a grand
basic issues o f civil and hum an rig h ts ." — Mike Swaim, Mayor of Salem
izens.
jury and additional charges could be brought.
“It was a stupid comment," he concedes.
Swaim, meanwhile, sent out an e-mail address­
Still, Kohlmeyer doesn’t believe Salem police need a desig­
ing with my city manager.... I was in touch with the manager as
ing French’s beating, as well as some controversy involving the
nated bias crimes unit such as the one run by the Portland
soon as I read that article— which I found insulting, to say the
Salem Police Department’s response.
least. I am also forwarding on to the manager the various e-mails
Police Bureau. He says bias crime reports are assigned to detec­
Prior to Himi’s arrest, Salem Police Lt. Bill Kohlmeyer told
tives who follow up on each claim, which works well enough.
that I received, so he can read firsthand the outrage that this has
the Statesman Journal: "This particular case, while it’s a bias
Last year, Salem police received reports of 46 bias crimes,
spawned.”
crime, is still a relatively minor assault in the large scheme of
He added: "The city of Salem is better than that, and I have
including several based on sexual orientation.
things. We didn’t get the impression from the report that the
been working hard to make our city a more equitable place for
subject is out there randomly targeting gays.... I’m confident in
all of us— free from racism, sexism, and bigotry driven by homo­
■ The Salem Police Department is hosting a community meeting at
saying this case is not going to be the No. 1 priority for this
7 p.m. April 20 at Loucks Auditorium at the Salem Public Library,
phobia.
I
know
I
have
a
lot
of
work
remaining
before
me,
and
detective.”
this
was
another
reminder
of
that
fact.
1
will
not
back
down
on
555 Liberty St. S.E .
The officer’s attitude angered many, including gay rights
these basic issues of civil and human rights.”
Reported by I nga S orensen
activists and the mayor, who wrote: "Contrary to the expression
T
i,