Clackamas County halts housing project at Estacada motel
Project would have given first priority to those displaced by wildires, eventually become workforce housing
Clackamas County commissioners voted to put the breaks on a project that would provide shelter for homeless individuals and later transition to workforce housing in Estacada.
During a meeting on Thursday, Jan. 28, the commission voted 3-2 to not move forward with the due-diligence phase of the purchase of the Red Fox Motel in Estacada.
Through a program called Project Turnkey, the Oregon Legislature has earmarked $30 million for the Oregon Community Foundation to administer funds for the acquisition of motel/hotel properties in eight counties and tribal communities affected by the 2020 wildfires, and another $35 million for the rest of the state.
Richard Swift announces resignation from Clackamas County
Health, housing and human services department director will depart on Feb. 19
The director of Clackamas County s largest division has announced he will step down Feb. 19 after a decade at the helm.
County health, housing and human services (H3S) Director Richard Swift told Pamplin Media Group this week that he intends to take a break from public service following more than 28 years working in various government service roles.
Swift came to the county following an 18-year stint at Multnomah County in 2011 when he was hired as deputy director of H3S. He s played an integral role in advancing some of Clackamas County s most impactful programs and projects, including the county s ambulance services contract with American Medical Response Northwest, bolstering the county s response to the mental health crisis and helping to initiate nearly a dozen housing projects developing hundreds of units of affordable housing.
Fran Brownell
Pratt Tribune
Pratt City Commissioner Gary Schmidt will continue to serve as mayor of Pratt for 2021 with commissioner Don Peters taking office as vice-mayor, their appointments unanimously approved at the January 11 regular meeting at City Hall. Newly-elected commissioners Jeannette Siemens and Kyle Farmer were installed at the same meeting after taking the Oath of Office administered by City Clerk LuAnn Kramer.
Pratt City Manager Bruce Pinkall commended outgoing commissioners Doug Meyer and Jason Leslie for their service, presenting Meyer with a ‘Key to the City’ and Leslie with a desk plaque.
Meyer was not eligible to seek reelection because of Pratt city’s two-term limit provision and Leslie had announced prior to the election that he had opted not to seek a second term.