Metro Councilor Robert Liberty Resigns

Dear Friends, Yesterday, Metro Councilor Robert Liberty announced that he has accepted the position of Executive Director of the University of Oregon’s Sustainable Cities Initiative.  He will be the first person to hold the position. This is exciting news for the University and for the cause of sustainable development.  However, Robert will resign his position on the Metro Council on January 15 to devote himself full-time to his new position.  The Metro Council will appoint a replacement to serve the remaining two years of his term as councilor.   I have decided to seek appointment to the District 6 Council position that Robert is vacating, and I intend to run for election to a full four-year term on the Council in the May 2012 primary.  District 6 includes most of Southeast Portland as well as the portion of Southwest Portland lying between I-405 and the Sunset Highway on the north and I-5 on the south.  My family and I have lived in District 6 since 1975, and in the November 2 election for Metro President I received 58 percent of the vote in the district. Robert Liberty has done an exemplary job representing the interests of the residents of Council District 6 and the interests of all of us who want our region to grow and prosper in an environmentally sustainable and equitable way.  I hope to continue his record of working for a balanced, affordable transportation system that provides all of us more choices; for wider opportunities for affordable housing throughout the region; for protection of farms, forest and natural areas; and for building sustainable, livable communities by making better use of our existing urban land supply. I’ve called Metro President Tom Hughes to tell him of my intention to seek appointment and my desire to work with him as a member of the Council.  I am also contacting each member of the Council to seek their support. I hope you’ll support me in this effort as well.  It’s an unexpected opportunity to pursue the same goals that caused me to spend the past year running for Metro President.  If you think I’m the right person for the job, I hope you’ll let members of the Council and Council President Tom Hughes know.  Their contact information is available on Metro’s website here  http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id/28 Thank you for the help and encouragement you’ve provided me, and have a wonderful New Year! Bob Stacey