AFSCME #88 weighs in
on Cogen’s resignation
Multnomah County Chair Jeff Co-
gen announced his resignation Sept. 6.
Based on the Multnomah County
Home Rule Charter, Cogen’s chief of
staff, Marissa Madrigal, will serve as
the interim chair until May 2014.
Madrigal, 35, who took over Sept. 16,
is the youngest chief executive and the
first Latina to hold the position.
Most county employees are mem-
bers of the American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employ-
ees (AFSCME) Local 88. Union Pres-
ident Michael Hanna released the fol-
lowing statement regarding the county
chair transition:
“During Jeff Cogen’s tenure as
Multnomah County District 2 commis-
sioner and later as Multnomah County
chair, AFSCME Local 88 was proud to
work in collaborative partnership with
him — and his staff — to help stabilize
the county budget, secure lasting long-
term funding for the library, improve
working conditions for our represented
staff and the efficiency of our county
services, and work on a vast array of in-
novative, cost-effective programs and
services that enhance our community.
“It was an honor to work with Jeff
Cogen on so many important issues,
and the citizens of Multnomah County
SEPTEMBER 20, 2013
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
are better off because of his leadership.
We wish him all the best in his future
endeavors, and would welcome the op-
portunity to work with him again.
“Local 88 has had a multi-year col-
laborative working relationship with
Madrigal through her work as chief of
staff to Cogen, and we welcome the
opportunity to work with her in her
new role as chair in the coming
months. She has impressed our local
union with her intelligence, authentic-
ity and dedication to the mission of
Multnomah County. She will be a
strong asset to the county and its citi-
zens in her new role.
“Sept. 12 marks the first day to file
for office for the May 2014 primary
election for county chair. Given the im-
portance of this position to Local 88-
represented employees and the likeli-
hood that there will be many qualified
candidates for the position, Local 88
will not begin our candidate endorse-
ment process for the chair position un-
til early 2014. This will ensure the
most thorough and balanced evaluation
of possible candidates, and the en-
dorsement of the candidate best able to
further the mission of Multnomah
County and the interests of Local 88-
represented employees.”
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