December 27, 2017
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INSIDE
The
Week in Review
M ETRO
This page
Sponsored by:
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Loretta Smith
Deborah Kafoury
Tensions Rise on County Board
Smith gaveled down; Kafoury regrets comment
M iChael l eighton
P ortlanD o bserver e Ditor
When Multnomah County Commission Loretta
Smith took aim at a housekeeping measure before the
board of commissioners last week she was gaveled
down by chair Deborah Kafoury who took offense at
Smith’s remarks but later had to apologize for making a
personal and vulgar attack on Smith’s character.
Calling Smith a b**** was a “regrettable comment,
Kafoury said in a statement acknowledging her conduct
following a heated board meeting exchange Thursday.
Under county commission rules, the panel was
considering a resolution to name someone to serve in
Kafoury’s absence if she were to ever leave office un-
expectantly or was otherwise unable to serve. Former
County Chair Bev Stein was Kafoury’s previous alter-
nate but was no longer eligible because she recently
moved out of the county. The chair wanted to name the
county’s chief operating officer Marissa Madrigal as
the new alternate. Madrigal had served in the post on
an interim basis in 2013 when former County Chair Jeff
Cogen left under an ethics cloud.
But Smith, the only member of the African Amer-
by
Arts &
ENTERTAINMENT
O PINION
C LASSIFIEDS
C ALENDAR
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ican community serving on the commission, ques-
tioned whether Madrigal could be impartial. She
raised issues of institutional racism at the county level,
saying claims made after last summer’s firing of for-
mer health department official Tricia Tillman and oth-
er complaints involving racism and county employees
await investigation and a determination if Madrigal
and Kafoury share any blame or responsibility as the
county’s top managers.
“Instead of allowing my concerns to be heard and
my questions answered, the chair interrupted and
spoke over me several times. After she gaveled out,
over my objections, she took this overly hostile be-
havior to another level,” Smith said in a statement.
“This is not how we should be conducting business in
Multnomah County.
Kafoury, in her statement, admitted it was “unpro-
fessional and unbecoming” for her to express her feel-
ings in the way she did, but faced with Smith’s accu-
sations, felt the responsibility to defend county staff.
“I was deeply offended by her egregious accusa-
tions which led to a regrettable comment,” Kafoury
said.
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TriMet Free on New Year’s Eve
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An offer of free rides on TriMet for New Year’s
Eve encourages revelers to celebrate safely by not
drinking and driving and using public transit.
Beginning at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, TriMet
services will be free for the evening.
Buses and MAX Blue, Green, Orange and Yellow
lines will run on Sunday schedules, with extended
late-night MAX service running approximately ev-
ery 30 minutes until about 3 a.m. Rides on Portland
Streetcar will also be free through 10:30 p.m.