{"id":341,"date":"2025-08-29T20:46:41","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T20:46:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fixmultnomah.com\/?page_id=341"},"modified":"2025-10-29T13:00:04","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T13:00:04","slug":"multco-101","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/p3.alidigitalmedia.com\/?page_id=341","title":{"rendered":"Multco 101"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Multnomah County 101<\/h2>
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Over the years, I\u2019ve observed many different reactions when I\u2019ve told people I was a Multnomah County Commissioner. Most often, they\u2019ve smiled and nodded and tried to look interested as their eyes glazed over. I could sense that they had no idea what the County was or did, nor did they care. But they also appeared slightly uncomfortable \u2013 like maybe they should know and should care.<\/p>

For anyone who worries about homelessness, mental health and addiction, ageing and disability, domestic violence, Veterans, public health, ambulance response, or public safety, it is crucial to know and care about Multnomah County. It is probably the most important branch of local government to address the most pressing issues facing our region.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n <\/section>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Local government in the Portland metro region is bizarre. Not only do we have the City of Portland and Multnomah County, but a third vague and lurking government \u2013 Metro. I will focus mainly on the County, but there are so many exceptions and redundancies involving the roles and responsibilities of the different governments that I will necessarily touch on the other forms of government.<\/p>

In brief, the\u00a0City of Portland<\/strong>\u00a0is largely about public safety, business development, and infrastructure: Keeping the city clean, fixing potholes, ensuring our drinking water is safe, responding to fires and crime, and building.<\/p>

The\u00a0County<\/strong>\u00a0is what I think of as the heart and soul of local government. The County oversees health-related services (mental health, addiction, public health, emergency medical services, ambulances) and human services (ageing and disability, domestic violence, Veterans, immigrants and refugees). The County is the\u00a0Local Mental Health Authority<\/strong> \u2013 statutorily responsible for ensuring that an effective, holistic and accessible continuum of care is available for everyone in the County needing mental health or addiction services.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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And the County is the Local Public Health Authority\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 statutorily responsible for ensuring the health of the community. Metro<\/strong>\u00a0is a regional government whose vague authority and purpose are hard to pin down, describing itself on its website as \u201cworking with communities, businesses and residents in the Portland metropolitan area to chart a wise course for the future while protecting the things we love about this place.\u201d Of note, it runs the Zoo, the Expo Centre, and has something to do with cemeteries.<\/p>

What gets confusing is the fact that the County is responsible for several services related to public safety \u2013 including parole, probation and corrections health \u2013 while also being responsible for the budgets of the County\u2019s independently elected District Attorney and Sheriff (including jails).<\/p>

The County houses Emergency Medical Services (responsible for ambulance response), but the director of that division is also the director of Emergency Dispatch and Fire and Rescue \u2013 both housed at the City \u2013 while his contract is administered at the County.<\/p>

Metro is responsible for administration, oversight, and accountability for Multnomah County\u2019s use of $1 billion in Supportive Housing Services funds (the majority of the County\u2019s homeless services budget). Metro is also responsible for hazardous waste disposal and sharps, which factor into the County\u2019s authority over addiction services and public health, and the City\u2019s responsibility for trash removal.<\/p>

And consider the following: The County has a potpourri of other very important responsibilities, including Elections, Animal Services, Bridges, Land Use and Transportation in unincorporated areas of the County, and Libraries.<\/p>

If you\u2019re feeling a bit confused, don\u2019t worry \u2013 that is an entirely appropriate reaction. You just need to remember one thing \u2013\u00a0if you care about solving homelessness, addressing our addiction and mental health crises, resolving issues around jails or public health, then you need to understand Multnomah County!<\/strong>\u00a0And that is precisely what I intend to help you to do.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\"Downtown<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n \n
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\n \n \n Sharon Meieran <\/a>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n \n
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\n \n Void of subject matter expertise in county departments Has Led to institutional\u00a0dysfunction <\/a>\n <\/h4>\n
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Department function is directly tied to the background, expertise and experience of directors. Currently, too many directors do not have a background <\/p>

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