Jarliani» (Observer
August 3, 2011
IN S ID E
This page
Sponsored by:
Page 3
Fred Meyer
What's on your list today?,
S ustainability
page 4
A ugust C alendar
page 7
Not Running For Re-Election
pages 8-9
Mayor decides
to focus on
job at hand
Portland Mayor Sam Adams an­
nounced Friday he will not seek re-
election for a second term because
he wouldn’t be able to work on his
agenda and run a successful cam ­
paign simultaneously.
“As I have considered the reality
of a possible re-election effort, 1
have come to the conclusion that I
have a choice: Move this agenda
forward, or campaign full-time for
re-election,” he said in a letter ad­
dressed to the public. “With the
state of our nation in such flux, and
so many local issues needing fo­
cused and hands-on mayoral lead­
ership, for me, the choice is clear.”
Adams, whose victory in the
2008 election made Portland the larg­
est city to have a gay mayor at the
time, made the announcement two-
years after he admitted his dishon­
esty about having sexual relations
with a teenage legislative aide.
Although the 47-year-old Adams
disclosed his relationship with Beau
Breedlove in 2009 and survived the
scandal without an immediate resig­
nation, the repercussions of making
O pinion
pages 10-11
F o o d R '
page 12
METRO'
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Mayor S a m A dam s
the relationship public never quite
disappeared.
“I am under no illusion of how
challenging the race for re-election
would be,” he said.
Both Charlie Hales, a former city
commissioner, and Eileen Brady, a
co-founder of New Seasons Gro­
cery stores, had previously an­
nounced their plans to challenge
the mayor.
When asked if an easier race for
re-election would have changed his
mind, he said it might have, but he
has to deal with the situation at
hand.
“My best service to Portland
will be to complete the platform of
M B B B M M M M B B M B nB B B B M M B M B M M
change and im provem ent you
elected me to deliver: Creating
jobs, increasing the high school
graduation rate, and making Port­
land the most sustainable city,
with the most equal of opportuni­
ties,” said Adams.
During his time as mayor during
one of the worst economic reces­
sions our country has seen, Adams
credits his achievements as lower­
ing the unemployment rate, putting
2,000 people back to work under the
city’s first Economic Development
Strategy in 15 years, reducing green
house gas emissions through the
Climate Action Plan and initiatives
like Clean Energy Works Oregon;
and the implementation of a 360-
degree anti-gang violence strategy.
One hour after A dam s’ an ­
nouncement on Friday, however,
Hales said this was a good move for
Adams and “a fresh start for Port­
land.”
Adams said, however, as a city
we have a lot more work to do.
He said his time in office has been
challenging, exhilarating, and an
o p p o rtu n ity to serve fellow
Portlanders and help shape the fu­
ture of the city.
“I’mcommitted to making every
day of the next 17 months count,” he
said.
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TriMet Builds on Diversity Team
Focusing on
serving
multicultural
populations
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R eligion
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C lassifieds
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el
O bservador
L aw 8< J ustice
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pages 22-23
TriMet has hired for two posi­
tions focused on diversity and serv­
ing m u lticu ltu ral p o p u latio n s.
Johnell Bell has been selected as the
agency’s director of diversity and
transit equity. In a newly created
role, Martin Gonzalez, a TriMet em­
ployee since 2007, will serve as
multicultural program manager.
Bell, who reports to TriMet Gen­
eral Manager Neil McFarlane, will
continue the transit agency’s re­
gional and national leadership in
transit equity issues; ensuring ser­
vices and infrastructure are equita­
bly distributed and accessible to
diverse cultural, racial and economic
Johnell Bell
Martin G onzalez
c o m m u n ities th ro u g h o u t the
agency’s service area. He will also
lead the agency’s award-winning
minority contracting efforts.
Gonzalez, who also serves on the
Portland School Board, will con­
tinue building TriM et’s Limited
English Proficiency program and
provide leadership on internal and
external issues around cultural com­
petency including education, com­
munications and staff and manage-
continued
on page 20