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All right. Uh, can you hear me? Okay,
Andrew.

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» We can, Mr. Chair. Thank you.
>> Right. Well, good afternoon everyone and

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welcome all. I will now call to order
this October 23rd, 2025 joint meeting

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with Wasco County, Hood River County,
Multma County, and Clakmus County Board

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of County Commissioners. I'm Craig
Roberts, chair of Clakamus County, and

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the Secretary of State has asked me to
chair this meeting. I will now ask

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Clakamus County Clerk Board, Andrew
Geraki, to call the roll call for us.

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» Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll call the roll
by county. From Wasco County,

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Commissioner Phil Brady,
>> present.

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from Wasco County, Commissioner
Jefferson,

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» present
>> from Wasco County, Chair Scott Pedy.

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» He just stepped into his office, Andrew,
so he should be joining as a panelist

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just a moment.
>> I will return and ask for his presence

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after we finish the list.
Moving on to Hood River, Commissioner

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Arthur Babbittz,
>> present.

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from Hood River, Commissioner Leticia
Moretti,

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» present.
>> From Hood River, Commissioner Chad

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Muner,
>> present.

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» From Hood River, Commissioner Ed
Weathers.

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» Commissioner Weathers of Hood River

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from Hood River. Chair Jennifer Uer
>> present.

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from Multma, Commissioner Julia Brim
Edwards,

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» present.
>> From Multma County, Commissioner Vince

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Jones Dixon,
>> present.

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» From Multma County, Commissioner Megan
Moyer,

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» present.
>> From Multma County, Commissioner Shannon

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Singleton,
>> present.

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» From Multma, Chair Jessica Vega
Peterson,

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» present.
And from Clakamus County, Commissioner

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Diana Helm,
>> present.

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» From Clakamus County, Commissioner Paul
Savis,

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» present.
>> From Clakamus County, Commissioner

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Martha Shrader.

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Commissioner Shrader.

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» I'm here.
>> Thank you. Commissioner from Clackamus

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County, Commissioner Ben West.

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having problems on with muting.
>> Commissioner West.

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» Chair, I will just return because I
understand that a couple of our

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commissioners may have just been joining
as we're taking the role. With your

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permission, chair, I'll check to see if
Wasco Chair Scott Hedgy, if I'm saying

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that correctly, is present.

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And I see he's in the attendee list. So
I will promote him to panelists.

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Thank you for your patience.

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And I also see from Hood River,
Commissioner Weathers

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has joined. I will also promote him to
panelists.

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Sherhi, can you hear us?
Yes, I can.

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» Thank you very much. And checking uh
from Hood River, Commissioner Weathers,

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are you with us?
>> Yes. Yes, I can hear you.

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» Thank you very much. And finally,
returning to Clacamus, Commissioner

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West, are you present?
>> Can you hear me? I'm present.

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» Yes, we are.
>> Okay, we're working. Thank you.

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» And from Clakamus County Chair Craig
Roberts,

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» present.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. All commissioners

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are present and accounted for. That
concludes the role.

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» Thank you. But the purpose of our
meeting today is to fill a current

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vacancy in the state senate district 26.
As prescribed by law, the political

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party to which former senator Daniel
Bonham uh belonged has chosen nominees

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for us to consider.
The nominees are Representative

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Christine Drezen, Mr. John Grant,
Representative Jeffrey Helfridge,

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and now I will introduce our staff to
support uh today's meeting. So, our

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legal adviser today is Clackmus County
Senior Assistant Legal Counsel Jeff

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Muns. Our clerk today from Clackmus
County, clerk to the board, Andrew

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Geraki. And I will now turn to our clerk
and ask him to explain the procedure of

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today's meeting for us.
>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The order of today's meeting will be as
follows. Public comment followed by

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nominee opening statements, questions
for nominees from each board, nominee

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closing statements, deliberations,
voting, an optional statement by the

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selected nominee, and finally, closing
statements. In a few moments, Chair

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Roberts will open the meeting for public
comment. Members of the public may

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comment for up to one minute each. As
Chair Roberts has requested, those who

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wish to speak to register advance, I
will use the list of registries to

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announce the next speaker. Once public
comment has concluded, the nominees will

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be invited to make opening statements.
Each nominee shall have an opportunity

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to make a two-minute opening statement.
The nominees will be called upon in

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alphabetical order of last name.
Dreisen, Grant, Elfridge.

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Once opening statements are complete,
Chair Roberts may call a brief recess as

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needed. We then will move to the
question and answer portion of the

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meeting. Each county's board may ask up
to two questions. The order of the

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questions will be Wasco County first,
then Hood River, then Multma, and

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finally Clackamus. After each board
question, all nominees will have two

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minutes to answer. I will rotate the
nominees speaking order for each board

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question. As a reminder to the public,
this is not a public hearing, so no

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testimony will be received during or
after the Q&A portion.

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Once the Q&A portion of the meeting is
complete, each candidate will be called

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upon to provide a one-minute closing
statement in reverse order from the

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opening statements. I will keep time for
all speaking during this meeting. Chair

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Roberts may again call a brief recess
after Q&A as needed. Following that, we

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will begin deliberations. All
commissioners will have a chance to

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comment during deliberations.
After commissioner comments, Chair

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Roberts will call for a vote. The votes
were made in alphabetical order ending

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with the four chairs. Only commissioners
who are present may cast votes. No

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proxies are allowed. If a commissioner
is absent, their vote is recorded as

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zero and that county loses the ability
to use that commissioner's votes. As

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provided by the secretary of state,
commissioner's votes are weighted to

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reflect the share of voters in Senate
District 26 living within each county.

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Wasco County Commissioners will each
have five votes. Hood River County

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Commissioners will each have 3.4 votes.
Multma County Commissioners will each

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have 1.8 votes. And Clacamus County
Commissioners will each have 13.8 votes.

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Because this process is governed by a
weighted formula and is not the usual

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one vote per one commissioner system,
staff will show the voting matrix in

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real time for clarity and transparency
during the vote. As a reminder, state

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law requires a nominee to receive only a
plurality to be appointed. This means

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the nominee who gets the most votes,
even if not a majority of all votes,

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will be appointed. If two or more
candidates are tied in votes, Chair

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Roberts will call for additional
deliberations and votes as needed until

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a nominee is selected. That concludes my
overview of the meeting. Mr. Chair, may

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we begin with public comment?
>> Okay. Just uh before we begin a public

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comment, I just want to thank those who
submitted written comments and that we

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appreciate all the public participation.
And since we are having a lot to

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accomplish today, uh let's just aim uh
comments that take no more than 30

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minutes total. So, clerk, uh could you
go ahead and uh begin the moderation?

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» Thank you very much, Chair.
Please hold while I pull up the most

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recent list of those who pre-registered
to ensure fairness.

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As a reminder for everyone who wishes to
speak, I am using the list of those who

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pre-registered. I will announce one name
who will have one minute and afterwards

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I will announce the person who will
follow them so that they may begin to

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prepare while the first person is
speaking.

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First,
I see Adam Marl. Adam Marl, if you are

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present and still wish to speak, I ask
you to please raise your hand. And this

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is a reminder to everyone that you will
have one minute.

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Mr. Marl, I do not see your hand, so
I'll move down the list. Akimi Norish.

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Akimi Norish, please raise your hand if
you wish to speak still.

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I'll continue to move on. Alex Blosser,
Mr. Alex Blosser, if you wish to speak,

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please raise your hand.

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Seeing no hands, I'll move on. Miss
Allison Williams. Allison Williams, if

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you wish to speak, please raise your
hand.

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00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:10,680
Moving on. Andrea Moore. Andrea Moore,
if you still wish to speak, please raise

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your hand.

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00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:21,320
Seeing none, Angela Peterson. Angela
Peterson, if you wish to speak, please

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raise your hand.

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Seeing no hand, I'll move on. Anne
Walker, please raise your hand if you

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wish to speak. Annne Walker,

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seeing no hand. Ashley Graph. Ashley
Graph, please raise your hand if you

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wish to speak.

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Just a reminder to our audience, if you
are attending and you indicated in your

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pre-registration you wish to speak, I'm
using this list to call your name. If

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you still would like to speak during
this meeting, this is your opportunity

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00:10:55,120 --> 00:11:01,279
to please raise your hand and I will
call on you. Moving on, Ashley Kunzie.

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Ashley Kunzie, if you'd still like to
speak, please raise your hand.

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00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:13,000
Moving on, Audrey Tran. Audrey TR,
please raise your hand.

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00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:21,160
Moving on, Bradley Cross. Bradley Cross.

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00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:27,160
Moving on, Brendan Finn.

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Brendan Finn.
Moving on, Brian BBE. Ryan BBE.

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00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:45,720
Moving on. Bryce Dole. Bryce Dole.

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Mr. Chair, Commissioner Vince Jones
Dixon had his hand raised. I'm not sure,

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Commissioner, if that was a question or
a mistake.

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00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:07,360
» It's just a comment. I think most of all
of my staff, you mentioned their names.

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So, I think all of our staff might have
um when they filled out the application

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that they want to um they might have
clicked the the button to provide

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provide comment. It might be easier to
do it on the reverse like have folks

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that want to provide public testimony
just raise their hand now. Um or you can

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just read through the list.

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» Thank you, Commissioner. Uh Mr. chair.
It's possible that uh those who have

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signed up to speak may have either
unintentionally checked the box that

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they wish to speak or have changed their
mind. Would you like me to continue

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reading the lists of those who have
pre-registered or would you like to

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change to a hand system as Commissioner
Jones Dixon has suggested?

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» Yes. Why don't we go ahead and uh switch
to raise your hand?

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» Thank you, Mr. Chair. If you're
attending this meeting, regardless

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whether you pre-registered and wish to
speak, please raise your hand. I will

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call on you in the order that I see.

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00:13:08,079 --> 00:13:17,120
First up, I see Lori Kimmel. Lori
Kimmel. I'll meet you. Second will be

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Thomas Busy. Lori Kimmel, then Thomas
Busy. A reminder that you each will have

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00:13:19,360 --> 00:13:26,399
one minute. Please begin your comments
by introducing yourself with your name

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and your area of residence.

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My name is Master Sergeant Lori Kimmel,
South Clackamus County.

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I wish to address uh you county
commissioners because I am a veteran and

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Christine Drezen has done so much for
the veterans. Just recently, she

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introduced a house resolution
for um we had it was for honoring

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Vietnam vets who were killed in action
in Clackamus County. There were 18 names

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and I serve on a veterans advisory
committee. We went to uh Representative

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Drezen's office and we went and uh
crafted a house resolution which uh

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Senator Bonham carried in the uh Senate
and it was passed uh overwhelmingly.

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And um as a returning veteran from post
911,

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we do not have a strong enough lobby in
the Oregon legislature. Now, Christine

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Drezen has uh done a great job of
>> Miss Kimmel, that is one minute.

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» Okay. Uh let me sum this up. She is our
strong lobby in the Oregon House. we

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need it in the Oregon Senate. And as a
freshman, she did a wonderful job in uh

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sponsoring a bill when she was a
freshman

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way back, I believe it was 2018 for
House Bill 2203-1

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for a statewide veterans treatment
court. But she is the voice that we need

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in the Oregon Senate. Thank
>> Thank you, Miss Kimmel. Next, Thomas

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Busy. Thomas Busy, I'll unmute you and
you'll have one minute.

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» Uh, thank you very much. Uh, I don't
know why you can't see my video. Uh, I

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00:15:31,040 --> 00:15:37,440
am a Multma resident and I am the
elected treasurer of the Libertarian

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00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:44,240
Party of Oregon. I'm hoping that we can
use this question and answer session to

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00:15:41,199 --> 00:15:48,079
uh put the candidates on record about
issues that are important to us because

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I only have one minute. I'm going to
bring up one specific issue which I hope

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a commissioner will ask uh which is the
urgent and desperate need for reform of

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professional and occupational licensing
in Oregon. The Institute of Justice has

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00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:08,320
ranked Oregon dead last with a Dminus
grade in terms of professional lensure.

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And as a Moltnoma resident, I would say
to my Multma commissioners,

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this is the problem with our preschool
program because the oppressive

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00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:23,600
occupational lensure regime uh for
preschool teachers in the state of

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00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:29,920
Oregon where multma where where Oregon
ranks dead last. So, if I would urge the

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00:16:27,839 --> 00:16:36,079
candidates to put on the record if they
will put occupational lensure uh reform

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00:16:33,759 --> 00:16:41,759
on their legislative agenda. Many
thanks.

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00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:46,480
» Thank you, Mr. Busy. Next, Michael
Abrams. Michael Abrams. And this is a

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00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:49,360
reminder if you are attending this
meeting, regardless whether you

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00:16:47,519 --> 00:16:55,759
pre-registered as a member of the public
and wish to speak to please raise your

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00:16:51,600 --> 00:17:00,160
hand. Mr. Abrams, go ahead, please.
Thank you. Michael Abrams, Multma County

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00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:03,920
Commissioners on behalf of the American
Civil Liberties Union of Oregon. My name

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00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:07,839
is Michael Abrams. My pronouns are they,
them, and I serve as policy counsel. The

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00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:11,760
ACLU of Oregon is a nonpartisan,
nonprofit organization dedicated to

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00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:15,520
defending and advancing democracy, civil
liberties, and civil rights with more

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00:17:13,439 --> 00:17:19,280
than 40,000 members and donor supporters
statewide. Oregonians deserve leaders

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00:17:17,919 --> 00:17:23,280
who will defend our constitutional
rights, our sovereignty as a state, and

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00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:26,400
the safety of our communities, not bend
to political intimidation. Right now,

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00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:30,160
that means a senator who will
unequivocally oppose the federalization

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00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:33,760
of National Guard troops for deployment
to Portland or elsewhere in Oregon, and

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00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:36,799
who will stand firm against the Trump
administration's efforts to create a

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00:17:35,360 --> 00:17:40,400
national police force through
militarized federal agents or the

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military, which threatens the rights of
all. The administration and its allies

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may hope to divide us, but they
underestimate the state. We will

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continue to expose dishonesty and abuses
of power and we will keep showing up for

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one another peacefully with courage and
resolve. Our representatives must do the

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same. We ask that all elected leaders
and all candidates be stalwart in their

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positions that they will protect
Oregon's constitutional right to local

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self-governance by opposing any and all
forms of federal abuse of power. Thank

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you.
>> Thank you very much.

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This is a final call. If you are
attending this meeting and wish to

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comment, regardless whether you
registered in advance, do please raise

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your hand and I will call on you in the
order that I see.

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» Mr. Chair, I see no other members of the
public raising their hand to wish to

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speak.
>> Thank you, Mr. Drai. And thank you to

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all the members of the public who spoke
or wrote in today. And want to turn to

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our clerk as to what's next.
>> Mr. Chair, next is opening statements

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from the nominees. Nominees, this is a
reminder that you each have two minutes

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for your statement. As was explained,
the order for opening statements will be

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in alphabetical order by last name and
for concluding statements will be in

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reverse order. So to begin,
Representative Drezen, you will have two

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minutes.

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Uh thank you. Thank you so much for
having me here today. It is a privilege

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to be with all of you. Again, my name is
Christine Drezen and I am the state

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representative for House District 51 and
I'm honored to be a nominee to fill the

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vacancy left by the resignation of
Senator Daniel Bonham. I first stepped

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into the Capitol building uh all the way
back in 1995 as a young staffer. I uh

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worked in the House Majority Office at
the time and rose to chief of staff for

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the majority leader and then the speaker
of the house. That was my first

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opportunity to really see the good that
can come from public service inside our

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state capital. I also saw opportunities
where our elected leaders fell short and

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failed to really serve the full needs of
Oregonians across our state. Uh it left

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an indelible mark on me and I'm deeply
committed to continuing that work. I had

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the privilege of returning to the
legislature in elected capacity in 2018

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uh where I served as Republican leader
always with a commitment to improving

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the lives of Oregonians and standing up
for the future of our state on behalf of

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families and businesses statewide. I am
deeply grateful to have the endorsement

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of Senator Daniel Bonham uh for this
position to complete his term through

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this appointment process. and I
recognize that he's got very big shoes

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to fill. And uh this next year, it would
be a privilege to work on behalf of

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Senate District 26 and continue to
tackle the problems that face our state.

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Whether or not that's youth
homelessness, uh wildfire response,

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increasing agency accountability, or
tackling the high costs which burden

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Oregon families, it would be a privilege
to represent this Senate District in the

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state legislature, and I look forward to
our conversation today. Thank you so

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much.
Thank you very much. Mr. Grant, you are

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next.

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» All right. Thank you everybody. Uh good
afternoon. My name is John Grant. Uh I'm

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deeply honored to be considered uh for
the appointment to Senate District 26.

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Um, I have raised my family here in in
Mads within Oregon and I uh have came to

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uh coach quite a few teams um and youth
teams and this year was much more

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important uh where I taught a a group of
kids perseverance and I think

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perseverance is extremely important when
it comes to uh filling the roles of

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Senate District 26. Um I'm I'm no
stranger to perseverance uh growing up.

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Um just when I was 2 months old, uh my
father passed and I uh grew up being,

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you know, kind of a troubled youth and
uh luckily the military straightened me

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out and I continued on in leadership, in
management, and in sales. Um, and it was

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through my my friend Daniel Bonham who
uh was my first boss when I came to the

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Dallas. Um, and he got me into uh being
a PCP for the Wasco County Republicans.

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Um, I eventually became the vice chair
and then became the chairman and I've

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been serving in this capacity for the
last seven years. Um, I have ran on

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boards for the school budget committee
as well as being a planning

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commissioner. Uh, I've worked with the
OP and I have also um been worked with

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the the Chamber of Commerce as on the
board of directors. Um, so I've

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continued my leadership and I hope to
continue that in Salem. Thank you so

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much.

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Thank you very much. And finally,
Representative Helfridge, please go

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ahead.
>> Hey, good afternoon everybody. For those

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who don't know me, I think I've talked
to just about everybody here. My name is

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Jeff Elrich, state representative for
House District 52. Um, I entered uh into

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00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:26,320
politics actually when I was a police
officer with the city of Portland and

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00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:30,880
small community cascade locks.
Eventually, that led to me being coming

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in the state representative and I got to
be the state representative. Daniel

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Bonham and I both came in to the state
legislature. Um, at the same time in

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00:23:35,919 --> 00:23:43,440
2017, I lost my race, but I came back
and I came back uh in 23. And so with

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00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:47,039
that, it's a true honor. He was my
roommate. Uh, he's done a great job as

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senator and I would love to be able to
fulfill his role his rest of his term.

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00:23:50,159 --> 00:23:56,799
He's done a great job. But for me, um,
there's a lot of politicians who do the

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00:23:55,280 --> 00:24:01,440
work because they want the title. They
get caught up with the attention, the

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00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:06,320
headlines, uh, all while nothing really
changes. That's really not me. Politics

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00:24:04,480 --> 00:24:10,559
today seems to be about who gets the
credit, who gets the check, who gets the

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00:24:08,159 --> 00:24:14,720
power, instead of who actually gets to
get helped. I'm not interested in

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00:24:12,799 --> 00:24:19,679
playing that game. What I'm interested
in is problem solving. As a problem

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00:24:17,279 --> 00:24:24,240
solver, um during my time as House
Republican leader, I led the charge on

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00:24:22,480 --> 00:24:28,400
recriminalizing drugs and started fixing
Measure 110's failures. We took steps

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00:24:26,799 --> 00:24:34,320
that were real to get money out of
politics, but also

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00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:37,840
um be able to get things done. And none
of these things were what would be

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00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:42,080
considered my perfect solution to these
problems, but they were progress. And

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00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:45,600
that's how real change starts. You know,
I've seen I think you guys have seen

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00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:49,440
where watching in Salem has turned into
a place where both parties care about

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00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:54,000
more about making headlines and making a
difference. I am a Republican, but I

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00:24:52,000 --> 00:24:58,240
don't see Democrats as being the enemy.
I see the enemy as the political culture

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00:24:55,760 --> 00:25:01,679
that makes compromise
impossible and rewards people for

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00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:06,640
playing politics instead of doing their
jobs as a public servants. I spent over

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00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:10,080
30 years in law enforcement as an Air
Force veteran, a police officer at the

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00:25:07,919 --> 00:25:14,559
city of Portland for 25 and a half years
and from county for about six months and

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00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:18,799
then from there I became a legislator.
My career has been based upon results,

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00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:21,120
accountability, not ideology.
In law enforcement, there's a

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00:25:19,919 --> 00:25:23,919
cornerstone of leadership, the
principles, which care, which is I

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00:25:22,559 --> 00:25:27,039
cares, integrity, compassion,
accountability, respect, and excellence.

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00:25:25,600 --> 00:25:29,600
I'm not running for this seat to be a
stepping stone to somewhere else. I'm

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00:25:28,159 --> 00:25:32,400
doing it because I care. Proven
leadership. That's what it's meant to

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00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:35,400
me. Thank you for your opportunity for
this.

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00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:42,559
» Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. That
concludes the statements from all

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00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:46,880
nominees.
>> Cler, let's now proceed with the board

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00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:50,640
questions for the nominees.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, I will

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00:25:49,039 --> 00:25:55,039
call on each county to ask their
questions. As I previously stated, each

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00:25:52,480 --> 00:26:00,320
county will have a total of up to two
questions. After each question from a

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00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:05,679
board, all three nominees will have up
to two minutes to respond. Wasco County

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00:26:03,039 --> 00:26:09,039
will begin. Wasco County, please proceed
with your first question.

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00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:13,840
» All right. Thank you.
So the question is with the economy in

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00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:19,600
both the federal and Oregon starting to
falter, what can Oregon do to ensure a

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00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:24,080
strong economic future? And what can you
do or will you do specifically in this

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00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:27,080
role to ensure a strong economy for
Oregon?

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00:26:29,279 --> 00:26:38,799
» First to rotate the order. Mr. Grant,
please answer first. And reminder, each

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00:26:35,039 --> 00:26:44,480
nominee, you'll have two minutes.
All right. Uh, thank you, Commissioner

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00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:53,919
Higgy, for that question. Um, you know,
I really believe in uh less taxation. I

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00:26:49,840 --> 00:27:01,520
I believe, you know, the deregulation.
Um, for for businesses in a a healthy

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00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:06,640
manner. um just making sure that
businesses can

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00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:14,400
be able to get everything that they they
need um without the cost um that

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00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:23,200
sometimes government can can uh imply on
them. So uh that would be um some of

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00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:26,919
the ideas that I would I would have
going forward on that.

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00:27:28,799 --> 00:27:38,320
Thank you very much. Next, Helfridge,
your turn to answer.

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00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:41,679
» You know, it's not uh really a secret
that we've become unbus friendly with

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00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:46,320
the amount of taxes that have gone on,
the amount whether it's the CAT tax or

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00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:50,320
building homes. When we look at jobs
leaving our state, when Intel leaves

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00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:55,120
with 2,400 jobs that leave, it's just
not Intel across the the nation or

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00:27:52,799 --> 00:27:59,200
world. It's because it's unaffordable.
the housing is not affordable. The

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00:27:57,039 --> 00:28:03,840
regulations aren't uh being
businessfriendly and we have to dial

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00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:09,200
that back. We have to be smart about how
we build and we plan, but we can't keep

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00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:13,120
asking businesses to continue to take be
the big burden of paying the taxes all

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00:28:11,279 --> 00:28:16,960
the time. The problem is is we've had
numerous logging mills uh leave the

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00:28:15,120 --> 00:28:21,360
state. We've had businesses leave,
relocate because of the tax structure

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that we have. We have to look at this.
We have to get back to the basics of

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00:28:23,120 --> 00:28:30,360
what is the function of government, how
do we provide those services, and how

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00:28:26,399 --> 00:28:30,360
does that money get spent appropriately.

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00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:37,760
» Thank you. And finally, Drezen, your
turn to answer Wasco County's first

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00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:42,080
question.
>> Yeah, thank you for this. I actually

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00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:48,000
think that this is one of the most uh
critical issues facing legislators right

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00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:54,960
now in our state. I think we are
absolutely in a position right now where

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we are hemorrhaging jobs and we feel it
in our communities, our families feel

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00:28:56,559 --> 00:29:03,760
it, but here very soon our local
governments and our state government are

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00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:08,159
going to feel it. And so if we want to
be a part of turning our economy around,

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we've got to listen to business. We've
got to listen to people that create

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00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:16,240
jobs. And when they tell us that they
would love to see a moratorium on new

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00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:20,240
rulemaking and new regulations, we need
to do our best to listen to that. We're

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00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:24,960
in a position right now where public
policy makers at all all levels have a

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00:29:23,120 --> 00:29:29,279
role to play in turning our economy
around in strengthening the economic

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00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:33,200
viability of our state. We want to be a
welcoming place for business. We want to

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be a welcoming place for families to
come knowing that they can find a job,

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00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:42,399
that their kids can get a good
education, that they can build a life

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00:29:37,919 --> 00:29:45,679
here. And I believe that it is uh it is
it is important that every single one of

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00:29:44,159 --> 00:29:51,919
us take responsibility for that. But
certainly at a state legislative uh uh

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00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:55,360
in that lane uh we're the number one
problem for adding regulations to

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00:29:53,679 --> 00:29:59,440
businesses and harming our economy and
making things more difficult for people

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00:29:56,799 --> 00:30:03,919
to be able to to grow a business here.
And so the future is in our hands here.

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00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:09,279
We can turn this thing around. We
absolutely legislatively can pause the

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00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:13,120
heavy-handed rulemaking. we can help
businesses and work with them and see

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00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:17,600
how we can begin to partner with them in
these tough times. And I believe as

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00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:22,039
state state legislators, that's our job
and that we absolutely can do that.

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00:30:23,039 --> 00:30:28,799
» Thank you very much. That concludes
Wasco County's first question. Wasco

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00:30:27,279 --> 00:30:33,600
County, if you wish to ask a second
question, please ask it now.

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00:30:31,279 --> 00:30:38,399
» All right. Our second question is with
the recent transportation bill passing

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00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:42,799
in the last session, it included
significant funds for cities and

375
00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:46,799
counties for roads. So the conservative
side of the political spectrum is

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00:30:44,799 --> 00:30:51,279
tending to support repealing this
measure. And if that measure is

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00:30:49,039 --> 00:30:56,640
repealed, how do you suggest cities and
county replace the funding that came

378
00:30:53,120 --> 00:31:00,799
through that that bill?
>> Thank you very much. Continuing with our

379
00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:05,080
rotation of the nominee order, Mr. Mr.
Hridge, please answer first.

380
00:31:06,559 --> 00:31:12,399
» Thanks. Uh, transportation has been a
big issue. Um, it's been uh a huge

381
00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:16,080
thing, not just during long session, but
short of the special session. And

382
00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:20,559
Commissioner Hegy, you're exactly right.
How do we pay for those services? How

383
00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:25,840
does ODOT consider um how do we get the
money? ODOT's had record revenue coming

384
00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:28,720
in. We had bills as Republicans in the
House. How to keep them afloat? how to

385
00:31:27,679 --> 00:31:33,919
move it forward, whether it's using
emergency funding and or using um just

386
00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:37,519
freezing the the existing services. At
this point, I think we still have to

387
00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:41,120
look at that. Uh I know there's a tax
initiative that's been put or the

388
00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:43,760
petition initiative to stop that. We'll
see how that plays out. Once that does

389
00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:46,880
play out, then we have to come back to
the drawing board and fix it. But I

390
00:31:45,519 --> 00:31:51,360
think there's there's plenty of
opportunities within the agency itself

391
00:31:49,519 --> 00:31:54,640
to make the cuts that we need to have to
get you guys the counties and cities the

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00:31:53,039 --> 00:31:58,240
money that they need to continue working
towards uh maintaining the road

393
00:31:56,720 --> 00:32:03,480
structure and that what you need what
you guys will need for future for the

394
00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:03,480
next bianium.

395
00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:09,919
» Thank you very much. Next, Miss Disen,
go ahead please.

396
00:32:07,919 --> 00:32:14,320
» Uh thank you and thank you commissioner
for that question. It's interesting this

397
00:32:11,760 --> 00:32:17,519
last legislative session, um, the
conversations that we perpetually had

398
00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:21,360
around transportation focused on the
state. I know you guys were keyed into

399
00:32:20,159 --> 00:32:25,120
those conversations. You guys were
active lobbyists in the in the process

400
00:32:23,679 --> 00:32:29,679
with us, coming into our offices,
talking to us about that. And we kept

401
00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:34,159
having conversations about uh the
Department of Transportation and how

402
00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:38,080
ODOT was struggling to make ends meet.
And what we weren't talking about as

403
00:32:35,919 --> 00:32:42,240
much in those public conversations was
the very good work being done by cities

404
00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:47,279
and counties and the fact that you guys
are not the ones uh that are on the

405
00:32:45,120 --> 00:32:51,200
chopping block for bloat and bureaucracy
and mismanagement of funds. That was

406
00:32:49,279 --> 00:32:55,120
that was never leveled at cities and
counties. Cities and counties were

407
00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:58,880
always partners in maintaining miles and
miles and miles of roads across our

408
00:32:56,720 --> 00:33:04,080
state and that was essential work. Um
but as policy makers in Salem, uh we had

409
00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:07,039
in front of us a proposal which would
just simply have sustained the status

410
00:33:05,840 --> 00:33:10,960
quo for the Department of
Transportation, an agency that really

411
00:33:08,799 --> 00:33:14,240
really needed accountability and really
needed to get back to the drawing board

412
00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:17,840
and say, "What are our core functions
and what are we doing that doesn't have

413
00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:22,080
to be done and how can we do this
differently to respond to the fact that

414
00:33:20,159 --> 00:33:26,960
Oregon families can't afford these cost
increases right now?" So from my

415
00:33:24,159 --> 00:33:31,200
perspective, I always supported the the
need to be able to balance the budget

416
00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:36,080
for ODOT without raising taxes and then
when we go to raise taxes, it would

417
00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:41,200
actually be for new lanes, expanded
systems, and to benefit Oregonians

418
00:33:38,159 --> 00:33:46,320
themselves. So, I absolutely uh believe
that cities and counties always have the

419
00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:49,679
opportunity to be able to go and
increase their own taxes as well, but

420
00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:55,320
certainly the partnership with the state
is a critical and long-standing

421
00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:55,320
tradition that must be maintained.

422
00:33:56,720 --> 00:34:03,840
» Thank you. And finally, Mr. Grant, go
ahead, please.

423
00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:10,320
» Thank you. Um, I think this is
definitely a budget question. um you

424
00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:16,560
know, where do we go as far as
continuing to spend on a state level and

425
00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:26,320
uh when we run out of money, we just
continue to tax our uh our people of

426
00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:32,960
Oregon. So, um I think that there are uh
budget budgets that can be drawn up to

427
00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:39,200
be able to bring funds in for our our
roads for our, you know, city and

428
00:34:34,720 --> 00:34:44,240
counties and uh our state. So, um you
know, I I don't think it's a I don't

429
00:34:41,839 --> 00:34:48,720
think we have to continue to to tax
people. Um,

430
00:34:46,879 --> 00:34:55,760
you know, we did have the House and the
Senate from the Republican party. um

431
00:34:51,679 --> 00:35:02,680
fight and come up with alternatives to
this uh measure that they came out with.

432
00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:02,680
Thank you.

433
00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:08,079
» Thank you very much. That concludes the
two questions for Wasco County. We'll

434
00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:12,839
now move to Hood River. Hood River
County, please proceed with your first

435
00:35:09,839 --> 00:35:12,839
question.

436
00:35:14,000 --> 00:35:20,960
» Thank you.
Since you are in the minority party, in

437
00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:25,760
what ways have you demonstrated or would
you demonstrate the ability to work with

438
00:35:23,599 --> 00:35:28,760
the majority to advance the needs of our
district?

439
00:35:30,480 --> 00:35:36,560
» Thank you. Continue with our candidate
rotation. Miss Drezen, please answer

440
00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:40,880
first.
>> Thank you. Um, and thank you for that

441
00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:44,400
question. You know, uh, people talk
quite a bit about bipartisanship in the

442
00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:48,400
state legislature, and to your point,
being in the minority party, the only

443
00:35:46,079 --> 00:35:54,560
way we get anything done is by being
bipartisan. And it has been a great uh,

444
00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:59,760
privilege of mine to be able to identify
issues where we can work across the

445
00:35:56,960 --> 00:36:04,880
aisle and where we do have shared goals
and um, and that we absolutely can uh,

446
00:36:03,359 --> 00:36:09,040
collaborate to get some of those things
done. Uh, one of the priorities for me

447
00:36:07,599 --> 00:36:12,720
through the years has always been youth
homelessness and addressing youth

448
00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:18,000
homelessness. I passed legislation in my
freshman term um that would expand

449
00:36:15,119 --> 00:36:22,880
access to programming in the rural parts
of my legislative district and then move

450
00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:26,640
forward in uh collaboration with the
majority leader while I was serving as

451
00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:31,440
the minority leader and we jointly
passed legislation to expand that

452
00:36:28,240 --> 00:36:35,520
programming statewide. And so I am very
proud of the multiple opportunities that

453
00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:39,760
we have seen to work together. I will
always put my foot down when there is uh

454
00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:43,839
overreach from single party control and
it harms Oregonians, but there are lots

455
00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:48,480
and lots of issues that are in fact not
partisan and that we can find ways to

456
00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:52,880
reach across the aisle. Um throughout
the period where we were addressing

457
00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:56,320
COVID in particular, uh we had five
special sessions that were very

458
00:36:54,400 --> 00:37:00,640
bipartisan in response to the needs of
Oregonians at that time. and we continue

459
00:36:58,640 --> 00:37:04,880
to find opportunities to work together.
That will always be the gold standard.

460
00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:10,640
We're Oregonians and we're Oregonians
first. And while we enter this process

461
00:37:07,520 --> 00:37:15,359
under uh under a party banner, our work
is to do our absolute best to serve the

462
00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:18,480
needs of Oregonians regardless of party.
And that's certainly the case in

463
00:37:16,720 --> 00:37:22,560
legislative service. It's not about
serving Republicans. It's about serving

464
00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:26,160
our constituents and they are our shared
constituents. And I'm grateful for that.

465
00:37:24,800 --> 00:37:30,680
and I would look forward to additional
opportunities to work together to that

466
00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,680
end.

467
00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:38,640
» Thank you. Next, Mr. Grant, go ahead,
please.

468
00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:43,440
» Thank you for that question. Um, I
believe wholeheartedly that we're all

469
00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:48,480
Oregonians. Um, you know, I I think
fundamentally that we all want the same

470
00:37:45,760 --> 00:37:53,520
things for our state. You know, we want
a great education system. We want a

471
00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:57,119
thriving economy. Uh, we want affordable
housing.

472
00:37:54,640 --> 00:38:02,800
um you know, we want low crime rates,
you know, and the list continues on, um

473
00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:08,800
of the same goals. Um you know, some of
the differences come between how we get

474
00:38:05,359 --> 00:38:15,599
there and uh I've, you know, on a
community level. I've worked well with u

475
00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:21,920
a lot of people across the aisle um you
know when it's nonpartisan and you know

476
00:38:19,119 --> 00:38:27,440
I can continue to do that because I'm a
relationship builder and that comes with

477
00:38:25,119 --> 00:38:33,680
a bunch of different backgrounds people
from um different parties and uh you

478
00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:41,040
know from different parts of the country
from other countries so um I'm I'm a

479
00:38:37,440 --> 00:38:49,280
strong advocate for teamwork to get the
ultimate goal of have having a thriving

480
00:38:45,119 --> 00:38:52,400
organ. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. And finally, Mr.

481
00:38:51,119 --> 00:38:57,040
Hellfridge, go ahead, please.
>> Thanks for the question. Uh, I think

482
00:38:55,280 --> 00:39:00,400
most recently for me to show that I can
work bipartisan is the measure 110

483
00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:03,920
reforms that we did. We recriminalized
hard drugs. But more importantly, as a

484
00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:08,880
police officer, when I showed up to
somebody's door, it was about solving

485
00:39:06,320 --> 00:39:14,240
problems. And it was about how do we get
to yes, not always, but how do how can

486
00:39:11,119 --> 00:39:17,359
we get to a yes here? And we all have
different ways of going about doing our

487
00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:22,240
business, but it's about relationships.
And in the House, you have to have good

488
00:39:20,079 --> 00:39:25,200
relationships with everybody. Uh you may
not like some of the politics sometimes,

489
00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:28,160
but you have to have those good
relationships. And then the Senate

490
00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:30,960
provides the opportunity to be expand
those relationships, but you're there

491
00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:35,280
longer to sit down there and get good
work done over the over a couple of

492
00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:40,400
sessions. So for me and how I've worked
across to get the to get uh things done

493
00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:45,760
for the district is because I've been
bipartisan. I've been able to bring home

494
00:39:43,040 --> 00:39:51,040
$105 million for the Hood River Bridge
because that was important and I knew

495
00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:55,680
how to be in that building and get
relationship and get a bill passed. Also

496
00:39:53,760 --> 00:39:59,440
part of that was is part of the bonding
that was going to happen with that bill

497
00:39:57,040 --> 00:40:02,560
was the ability they were going to bond
all that bill in one and they were going

498
00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:06,560
to take the whole 105 million which
would have taken out lottery bonds would

499
00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:09,920
have maxed them out. I recognized that
worked with the stakeholders and said

500
00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:14,079
how much money do we need now to work
over a couple of bianiums to get the

501
00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:17,920
money that's needed for the bridge so
you can spend it as you need it. So, we

502
00:40:16,240 --> 00:40:21,359
did that, but that what that did was
offered other opportunities for other

503
00:40:19,280 --> 00:40:26,640
legislators to bring home project money
for their projects at home. And so, it's

504
00:40:23,119 --> 00:40:29,599
just not bipartisan work within um the
each side of your political spectrum.

505
00:40:28,079 --> 00:40:32,720
It's about actually working with
together throughout the whole process.

506
00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:35,760
And it's about, as we said, it's about
people, not party. And that's how we

507
00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:39,599
have to look at look and serve our
constituents. It's about how do we do

508
00:40:37,839 --> 00:40:43,079
best for them and how do we get the best
results for them.

509
00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:48,960
» Thank you, Mr. Albridge.
Wood River County, if you have a second

510
00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:53,200
question for the candidates, please
proceed.

511
00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:58,480
» Given recent rumors, how can you allay
our fears that you won't have time to

512
00:40:56,000 --> 00:41:04,000
serve the residents of this district
rather than focusing on running for

513
00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:07,359
statewide office?
>> Thank you very much, chair. You are

514
00:41:05,280 --> 00:41:12,640
continuing with our nominee rotation for
answers. Mr. Grant, please answer first.

515
00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:17,760
» I'm I'm sorry I didn't get the first
part of that question. If we could

516
00:41:14,800 --> 00:41:22,480
repeat that one more time.
>> The question is um really specific to

517
00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:27,920
one of you.
Um given the recent rumors, how can you

518
00:41:25,760 --> 00:41:32,800
allay our fears that you won't have time
to serve the residents of this district

519
00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:38,960
because you're focusing on running for
statewide office?

520
00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:44,720
» Oh, well, um thank you for that
question. I uh do not plan on running

521
00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:50,800
for statewide office. So, you will have
my full time and attention to Senate

522
00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:53,359
Districts 26. Um
and

523
00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:59,040
» thank you.
>> Thank

524
00:41:55,200 --> 00:42:03,040
you, Mr. Grant. Next, Mr. Half, go
ahead, please.

525
00:42:00,000 --> 00:42:08,400
» Thanks for the question. I have never
sought I never thought in my growing up

526
00:42:06,160 --> 00:42:12,880
as a kid I would end up in politics, let
alone be the House Republican leader for

527
00:42:11,520 --> 00:42:18,079
that time and then make the impact that
I did. And the Senate for me is the end

528
00:42:15,920 --> 00:42:21,280
point for my political career. I don't
plan on seeking higher office. I don't

529
00:42:19,839 --> 00:42:24,880
want to go to DC. My wife and I have
talked about those things. anything else

530
00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:29,200
other than where I'm at. My kids are 11
and 13 and I want to be around to see

531
00:42:27,599 --> 00:42:34,319
what they do and all the great things
and experience them and about if

532
00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:38,240
guarantee, you know, I'm I have filed
for the Senate seat. I can plan on

533
00:42:36,240 --> 00:42:42,240
running for the Senate seat, but also
it's at least four years if not a second

534
00:42:40,480 --> 00:42:44,960
term on top of that. Eight years gets me
to where my kids are out just getting

535
00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:48,079
out of the house and I get to go follow
them around, chase them around and watch

536
00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:50,400
watch them do their sports and the great
things that their kids are going to do

537
00:42:49,119 --> 00:42:53,599
and follow them around. So that's my
commitment. I'm not going to seek any

538
00:42:51,760 --> 00:42:56,760
higher office than being in being a
state senator.

539
00:42:57,599 --> 00:43:03,680
» Thank you, Mr. Hellfridge. Finally, Miss
Drezen, please.

540
00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:08,960
» Thank you. So, I uh appreciate this
conversation and I certainly appreciate

541
00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:12,720
the question. You know, I am always
somebody that is going to give my

542
00:43:10,880 --> 00:43:16,640
absolute all and my absolute best to
whatever I undertake. And as I've had

543
00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:21,760
the privilege and the opportunity to
serve in the state legislature,

544
00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:26,560
um I have not I have not ever backed
down from a challenge. And I I believe

545
00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:32,240
that this Senate seat in particular has
very big shoes to fill um from Senator

546
00:43:28,960 --> 00:43:36,400
Bonham. And I think that he with his
endorsement of me and knew that I would

547
00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:41,359
give it my all, that I would give it my
best to serve this district. And had he

548
00:43:38,960 --> 00:43:45,040
completed his term, there's no doubt
that Senator Bonham also might have been

549
00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:49,440
looking at running for some other office
since he could not run for reelection.

550
00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:53,599
Um, unfortunately, he was not able to
run for re-election to this seat. And

551
00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:58,240
so, this Senate district was going to
have an open seat and an open contest

552
00:43:55,760 --> 00:44:01,680
under any and all circumstances.
So, I can tell you, I've talked to each

553
00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:07,200
one of you and I've really appreciated
those conversations. I am committed to

554
00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:11,520
uh to doing my absolute best to serve
this district uh throughout the

555
00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:16,160
remainder of Senator Bonham's term and I
am committed to um doing right by his

556
00:44:14,079 --> 00:44:20,640
endorsement and and serving this
district to the best of my abilities.

557
00:44:18,079 --> 00:44:25,040
Just the fact that you would uh consider
that I would be the person I'm assuming

558
00:44:23,200 --> 00:44:29,200
that it was directed to me that might
consider statewide office. Um, for me

559
00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:33,839
that is just a reflection of the fact
that I am always determined to do more

560
00:44:31,839 --> 00:44:37,920
than everyone else that everybody else
sometimes is willing to do to serve the

561
00:44:36,079 --> 00:44:41,760
greater good for the state of Oregon.
Um, but that begins with this district.

562
00:44:39,920 --> 00:44:45,440
Um, I would not have accepted Senator
Bonham's endorsement and been been

563
00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:49,680
willing to take on the responsibility
that he so dearly loved to to represent

564
00:44:47,839 --> 00:44:53,200
this Senate seat if I were not
completely committed to doing my best uh

565
00:44:51,520 --> 00:44:56,200
by the constituents in Senate District
26.

566
00:44:56,640 --> 00:45:04,319
Thank you very much. That concludes Hood
River County's two questions. Next,

567
00:45:01,680 --> 00:45:06,800
Multma County, please answer your f ask
your first question.

568
00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:09,920
» Yeah, great. Thank you. Thank you,
Andrew. Good afternoon again.

569
00:45:08,079 --> 00:45:13,280
Commissioner Jones Dixon here. Um I'm
going to build this is another

570
00:45:11,280 --> 00:45:18,319
transportation question. Um but with a
final point on, you know, SD26.

571
00:45:16,079 --> 00:45:22,560
Um the portions of Senate District 26 in
East Multma County have roads that are

572
00:45:20,319 --> 00:45:28,640
crumbling and a lack of transit
services. This impacts our our our a

573
00:45:25,839 --> 00:45:32,800
economy and our ability to promote agro
tourism. While the legislature took

574
00:45:31,040 --> 00:45:36,560
action on a short-term fix to
transportation funding, it it will not

575
00:45:34,720 --> 00:45:40,960
address the systemic issue which relies
on a declining revenue source. Besides

576
00:45:39,040 --> 00:45:45,119
doing more with less and uh
disinvestment in existing programs like

577
00:45:43,280 --> 00:45:49,280
public transportation, what is your
long-term vision for providing the

578
00:45:47,280 --> 00:45:55,200
revenue needed to build a transportation
system needed for our economy to thrive?

579
00:45:53,599 --> 00:45:59,520
Thank you, Commissioner. Continuing with
our nominee rotation scheme, Mr.

580
00:45:57,520 --> 00:46:02,880
Helridge, please answer first.
>> Uh, thank you, uh, Commissioner Dixon.

581
00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:08,000
Thank you. I know we were at the tour
that was at, uh, a few year, I guess it

582
00:46:05,520 --> 00:46:10,079
was last year or so when you and I were
out there looking at those roads,

583
00:46:09,119 --> 00:46:13,119
looking at the crumbling, looking
looking at the bridges. You know, I'm

584
00:46:11,839 --> 00:46:17,599
very keenly aware what's going on in
that district that also that part of

585
00:46:14,800 --> 00:46:20,800
that district is, you know, we talk
about agurism.

586
00:46:19,440 --> 00:46:23,520
I've always had the philosophy and
leadership. I'm not the if I'm the

587
00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:26,240
smartest one in the room, I'm in the
wrong room. And it's going to take a

588
00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:29,839
collective group of people to get
together to figure out how we're going

589
00:46:28,240 --> 00:46:33,280
to be able to fund this fund these
resources or fund these projects that

590
00:46:31,680 --> 00:46:37,920
need with the resources with the limited
dollars that we have, but also you have

591
00:46:36,400 --> 00:46:40,880
a lot of things going on out there in
East Point County when it comes to the

592
00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:43,839
water project that Portland's done and
tearing up those roads and who's going

593
00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:47,520
to be accountable for what's going on
out there with their water treatment

594
00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:51,520
project. Those are questions that we
have to sit down and have a conversation

595
00:46:50,079 --> 00:46:54,960
about. get everybody in the room and
say, "How are we going to slice this

596
00:46:53,200 --> 00:46:58,079
up?" Because if we don't have good
roads, people aren't going to want to be

597
00:46:56,079 --> 00:47:01,920
out there. If these roads cause problems
and cause accidents and even death at

598
00:47:00,319 --> 00:47:05,119
some points because of these things,
that's a problem. And I'm going to tell

599
00:47:04,160 --> 00:47:08,079
you right now, I don't have the answers,
but I'm willing to sit at the table and

600
00:47:06,480 --> 00:47:10,960
have that conversation and figure it
out. Being at being on the

601
00:47:09,200 --> 00:47:14,319
transportation committee, those are some
big heavy asks and big heavy lifts that

602
00:47:12,800 --> 00:47:18,800
we're trying to figure out. But it's
engaging local leadership like yourself

603
00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:22,319
at the city and county levels to get
this done. And so that's that's that's

604
00:47:20,400 --> 00:47:26,000
my commitment to make sure we can move
this forward to get the roads out there

605
00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:29,599
in East Mult County. Well, east mult
county west of me out there in Corbett

606
00:47:28,160 --> 00:47:35,319
in those areas like that that are really
rural that need the help.

607
00:47:31,920 --> 00:47:35,319
» Thank you, Representative.

608
00:47:35,359 --> 00:47:42,079
» Thank you. Next, Miss Brazen. Go ahead,
please.

609
00:47:39,119 --> 00:47:47,920
» Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner. Uh I
uh have been thinking a lot about this.

610
00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:53,359
Uh obviously when Republicans um and I
was the leader at that time um proposed

611
00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:57,680
an alternative to the $15 billion
transportation package, it was our

612
00:47:55,119 --> 00:48:02,800
intent to engage authentically in that
process and to say we understand the

613
00:48:01,359 --> 00:48:07,440
assignment here. We know how important
infrastructure is. We know how important

614
00:48:04,319 --> 00:48:12,960
transportation is and we recognize that
constituencies across the state use the

615
00:48:10,160 --> 00:48:17,920
transportation systems differently and
some areas are very dependent on transit

616
00:48:15,040 --> 00:48:22,240
and other areas need access to roads and
brid they use their roads and bridges

617
00:48:20,240 --> 00:48:27,040
and there's uh and there's actually a
little bit less of the population enga

618
00:48:24,720 --> 00:48:32,319
you know using their transit services
and so balancing out all those needs is

619
00:48:29,359 --> 00:48:36,559
actually always always the challenge and
that's really the important role that

620
00:48:34,720 --> 00:48:40,319
our local government partners play in
helping us better understand what on the

621
00:48:38,720 --> 00:48:44,720
ground needs are for our shared
constituents. But I would say this in

622
00:48:42,000 --> 00:48:49,040
particular about revenue sources moving
forward. I think we identified through

623
00:48:46,640 --> 00:48:51,839
this process, I think they gave us, you
know, it was just pages and pages and

624
00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:55,839
pages from the Department of
Transportation that they told us these

625
00:48:53,440 --> 00:49:00,000
are noncore functions that we engage in.
We're spending gas tax dollars on the

626
00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:04,559
following things that we don't view as
core to our mission. I think we have to

627
00:49:02,319 --> 00:49:08,319
balance these things out and so I think
that we can't assume that Oregonians can

628
00:49:06,559 --> 00:49:11,680
always afford more and I think that's a
premise I walk in with and you know

629
00:49:10,319 --> 00:49:16,319
there might be differences of opinions
on that but I think given the economy

630
00:49:13,599 --> 00:49:21,119
right now we could we could say what can
we do first that doesn't burden

631
00:49:18,640 --> 00:49:24,960
Oregonians and then second where else do
we need to go for that gap and when it

632
00:49:23,040 --> 00:49:29,359
comes to transit specifically I would
say that when we increased the funds in

633
00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:33,440
2017 for transit and they instituted a
payroll tax what we saw was we saw

634
00:49:31,200 --> 00:49:38,000
transit districts not sharing that
burden with riders and they would make

635
00:49:35,520 --> 00:49:41,440
and they would be free rides instead of
instead of sharing those cost burdens

636
00:49:39,839 --> 00:49:45,119
they suddenly weren't charging anymore
for those rides and I think having that

637
00:49:42,960 --> 00:49:51,280
as a part of the conversation has to be
part of the solution here

638
00:49:48,400 --> 00:49:58,960
» thank you very much finally Mr. Grant,
go ahead, please.

639
00:49:54,319 --> 00:50:06,240
» Thank you for that question. Um, I uh
very familiar with the uh the East

640
00:50:02,400 --> 00:50:13,839
Multma County um roads and areas. That's
an area that I'm in on a regular basis

641
00:50:10,000 --> 00:50:21,040
uh for for my job. Um, you know, it's it
definitely would be a collective effort

642
00:50:16,640 --> 00:50:27,520
um coming from the local um
municipalities um and county and trying

643
00:50:25,119 --> 00:50:33,440
to be able to come up with some problem
solving efforts. Uh along with that um I

644
00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:38,960
don't want to sound redundant but I
think that accountability with budgets

645
00:50:36,640 --> 00:50:46,400
um is something necessary that we need
for for funding for these uh for

646
00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:51,680
transportation and you know for roads.
Um I think that Oregon as a whole we can

647
00:50:49,359 --> 00:50:54,680
we can do a little bit better. Thank
you.

648
00:50:54,720 --> 00:51:00,319
» Thank you. That concludes the answers to
Multma County's first question. Multma

649
00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:02,640
County, if you have a second question,
please go ahead.

650
00:51:01,359 --> 00:51:06,960
» Yeah, if we do, thank you. Thank you
again, Andrew, and thank you all for the

651
00:51:04,319 --> 00:51:11,680
responses. Um the final question for us
is in East Multma County specifically,

652
00:51:09,119 --> 00:51:17,440
we have um a lot of community members
that are on fixed um on fixed incomes.

653
00:51:14,800 --> 00:51:21,760
Um and they uh a lot of them are relying
on federal food access programs and

654
00:51:19,440 --> 00:51:25,839
healthcare benefits. Um, with the
current federal uh, legislation

655
00:51:23,760 --> 00:51:30,640
restricting and ending those benefits
for a lot of folks in our district and

656
00:51:28,160 --> 00:51:35,760
including in Senate District 26, what is
your plan as a state senator to ensure

657
00:51:32,800 --> 00:51:40,480
that no resident in Multma County, Hood
River County, Wasp County, or Clackmus

658
00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:45,280
County loses a losses healthcare and
food access benefits. Thank you.

659
00:51:43,839 --> 00:51:50,160
» Thank you, Commissioner. Continue with
our rotation. Miss Drazzen, please

660
00:51:47,359 --> 00:51:55,359
answer first.
Thank you uh thank you uh for that for

661
00:51:53,200 --> 00:52:00,960
that question. These are uh these are
times where the state has a

662
00:51:57,920 --> 00:52:04,640
responsibility to do uh what it can to
be more efficient with the resources

663
00:52:02,640 --> 00:52:09,680
that are available to us. I think part
of the challenges for why those numbers

664
00:52:07,440 --> 00:52:14,240
have been so stark as well is that the
state has in some of those programs

665
00:52:11,520 --> 00:52:17,839
massive error rates where they don't
actually check whether or not people are

666
00:52:16,000 --> 00:52:21,920
eligible which at the end of the day in
some cases means that people that might

667
00:52:20,079 --> 00:52:26,240
not be eligible for some of the some of
those services are taking those services

668
00:52:24,160 --> 00:52:30,000
from people that are actually needy and
actually are eligible for those

669
00:52:27,760 --> 00:52:34,079
services. Um, some of our review periods
are two years and we need to shift those

670
00:52:31,920 --> 00:52:39,280
review periods for eligibility back to 6
months. And those are things that we can

671
00:52:36,240 --> 00:52:44,400
do. And once we get our error rates down
into five and 6% instead of 16%, we'll

672
00:52:42,160 --> 00:52:47,680
actually um we'll actually see some of
those funds return as well. And so when

673
00:52:46,240 --> 00:52:51,280
you look at our state budget, that's
something that we are facing right now.

674
00:52:49,839 --> 00:52:57,200
And we're having those conversations
today about how the state can um can

675
00:52:54,800 --> 00:53:01,520
step up and be responsive to what's an
appropriate federal expectation that

676
00:52:59,119 --> 00:53:05,520
that the eligibility terms are met in
some of these programs and also for the

677
00:53:03,680 --> 00:53:10,079
people that are needy that the state
ensures that we actually are providing

678
00:53:07,359 --> 00:53:14,319
for our needy citizens across our state.
And so yeah, I'm in I'm I'm in that I'm

679
00:53:12,160 --> 00:53:18,000
in that with you to fight that fight and
make sure that folks get what they need.

680
00:53:16,160 --> 00:53:24,319
On the other side of it, I will insist
that the state uh just absolutely abide

681
00:53:22,000 --> 00:53:27,839
by the exact same eligibility standards
that they do across the rest of the

682
00:53:25,839 --> 00:53:31,960
nation and that we don't let the that
eligibility period lapse.

683
00:53:33,040 --> 00:53:40,880
» Thank you very much, Mr. Drezen. Next,
Mr. Grant, please proceed.

684
00:53:38,480 --> 00:53:46,160
» All right. Well, thank you for that uh
that question. Um, you know, it's uh

685
00:53:44,079 --> 00:53:51,440
definitely an
alarming situation to be in. Um, you

686
00:53:49,599 --> 00:53:57,599
know, we don't want to see people that
need benefits and and not be able to

687
00:53:54,000 --> 00:54:04,720
receive them. Um, you know, for as far
as something that I would be able to

688
00:54:00,319 --> 00:54:08,640
provide uh as an answer, um, you know,
simply put is without all the

689
00:54:06,800 --> 00:54:15,200
information, I wouldn't be able to give
a very good answer. And um you know

690
00:54:11,920 --> 00:54:21,599
without the education and and without
the um knowing what the state would be

691
00:54:19,280 --> 00:54:27,200
able to provide at this time I I
wouldn't be able to give you a a great

692
00:54:23,839 --> 00:54:32,400
answer for for this question. So my
apologies. Thank you.

693
00:54:30,240 --> 00:54:35,760
» Thank you Mr. Grant. And finally Mr.
Hellfridge please go ahead.

694
00:54:34,640 --> 00:54:39,760
You know, there's been a lot of
conversation, a lot of thought about

695
00:54:37,280 --> 00:54:45,359
this very uh question when it came to
the budget towards the end of the long

696
00:54:41,359 --> 00:54:50,960
session and the chairs uh the co-chairs
were very um concerned about budgets and

697
00:54:48,559 --> 00:54:54,400
we only have so much left in our
emergency fund and then how do you spend

698
00:54:52,960 --> 00:54:59,119
those dollars and then how do you create
the accountability portion of it? There

699
00:54:56,800 --> 00:55:03,839
is a answer to it but I don't know what
that is right now. Um, Representative

700
00:55:01,520 --> 00:55:07,920
Drezen, you know, spoke eloquently about
some of the processes that are there. We

701
00:55:05,599 --> 00:55:11,680
do know like OA has not done very well
with their accountability when they've

702
00:55:09,760 --> 00:55:14,960
lost hund00 million a couple years ago
and trying to figure out when they're

703
00:55:12,559 --> 00:55:19,280
paying out the dollars for measure 110
and the the services going out there.

704
00:55:16,960 --> 00:55:23,599
So, we really have to look and see where
that money's at, where the money is at

705
00:55:21,760 --> 00:55:27,920
under the couch cushions to get stuff
done. I don't have the answer to you.

706
00:55:25,839 --> 00:55:30,880
Again, I don't have that direct
knowledge of where we're at, but those

707
00:55:29,440 --> 00:55:33,680
are questions are going to be tough
questions to ask and the answers.

708
00:55:32,640 --> 00:55:36,559
They're going to be tough, even tougher
answers to figure out where what where

709
00:55:35,359 --> 00:55:40,559
our solutions are going to be going
from. But that is where we again get the

710
00:55:39,359 --> 00:55:44,559
right people in the room and having
those conversations and be having the

711
00:55:42,160 --> 00:55:47,200
internal fortitude to say yes or no to
these certain programs. But we don't

712
00:55:46,000 --> 00:55:51,280
want to leave anybody behind and we
don't want to sit there and watch people

713
00:55:48,559 --> 00:55:54,720
get kicked out of their homes or um not
be able to put food on the table. We

714
00:55:53,200 --> 00:55:58,200
have to adhere to what the standards are
across the nation.

715
00:55:58,240 --> 00:56:03,520
» Thank you, Mr. Hellfridge. That
concludes Multma Countyy's two

716
00:56:01,280 --> 00:56:07,680
questions. Finally, moving to Clackamus
County. Please proceed with your first

717
00:56:05,280 --> 00:56:10,720
question. Commissioners,
uh, Clackamus County Commissioner Ben

718
00:56:09,200 --> 00:56:15,119
West here. I'll be asking the first
question.

719
00:56:12,400 --> 00:56:19,920
Um, Clackamus County has adopted a
recovery oriented system of care and

720
00:56:18,160 --> 00:56:24,960
infrastructure for our substance use
treatment is still needed throughout

721
00:56:22,160 --> 00:56:30,960
Oregon and within our c and within our
counties. What are you willing to do as

722
00:56:27,520 --> 00:56:35,040
a senator to make sure serving services,
programming, and infrastructure can be

723
00:56:32,720 --> 00:56:38,040
elevated in our communities to meet this
need?

724
00:56:39,119 --> 00:56:43,599
» Thank you. Mr. Grant, please begin.

725
00:56:43,680 --> 00:56:54,640
Um, I think that we've statewide we've
had uh our

726
00:56:49,040 --> 00:57:03,200
numerous problems with uh with the drug
issue and um you know I would definitely

727
00:56:58,960 --> 00:57:11,200
uh love to see our legislation push for
um we we've we've repealed our former

728
00:57:07,359 --> 00:57:17,440
bills which is Representative HR has has
mentioned um you know we we need to get

729
00:57:14,240 --> 00:57:23,200
people as much help as we possibly can.
Um and I don't think that we do that by

730
00:57:20,480 --> 00:57:29,839
being any more lenient. Um I think that
we need to ensure that we have the uh

731
00:57:27,040 --> 00:57:37,200
proper structure in place to get them
help or um let them you know they they

732
00:57:34,799 --> 00:57:44,000
have to hit a certain point of rock
bottom to be able to get healthy again.

733
00:57:40,400 --> 00:57:51,359
I don't think it's a um
I don't think it's very humane to

734
00:57:46,799 --> 00:57:56,640
continue to let people um you know use
drugs and have addiction problems in our

735
00:57:53,920 --> 00:58:02,799
state of Oregon. Um but we also have to
have that infrastructure set up to be

736
00:57:59,040 --> 00:58:05,799
able to do so. So um that's all I got.
Thank

737
00:58:06,079 --> 00:58:13,119
» Thank you, Mr. Grant. Next, Mr. Hridge.
Go ahead, please. Thanks for the

738
00:58:10,319 --> 00:58:19,200
question, Commissioner uh West. For
people's history, when we were looking

739
00:58:15,520 --> 00:58:23,680
at 110, there was people in the room um
for the caucus room and the Republicans

740
00:58:21,040 --> 00:58:27,520
that didn't want to reform 110. They
wanted to sit there and call for special

741
00:58:25,440 --> 00:58:31,040
session, full repeal. I knew we needed
to have a plan and that's why I included

742
00:58:28,880 --> 00:58:34,160
you in that process, writing a good
bill, writing what you had. That's what

743
00:58:32,400 --> 00:58:38,240
we that's why we published what we had
and how we moved it forward. And part of

744
00:58:36,400 --> 00:58:41,760
that conversation was is how do we fund
these things? Do we get it? Does it go

745
00:58:39,920 --> 00:58:45,520
through OA? Does it go through another
nonprofit to get the money out there?

746
00:58:43,839 --> 00:58:48,079
And what we found was when it goes
through the nonprofits, it doesn't get

747
00:58:46,720 --> 00:58:52,400
to the right places at the right time.
And so the money's there. It has to get

748
00:58:50,559 --> 00:58:56,720
to the counties and it has to go to the
places that do the good work. And

749
00:58:54,880 --> 00:59:01,200
Clackman County is the shining example
of not just deflection and treatment,

750
00:58:59,040 --> 00:59:04,880
but also accountability with that. And
that's that's the good work that, you

751
00:59:02,640 --> 00:59:08,799
know, you and I did uh working on that
bill and moving that forward. But it's

752
00:59:06,799 --> 00:59:12,079
always about who's getting the money,
where's it going, and it's going to go

753
00:59:10,559 --> 00:59:14,640
back to OA with the accountability
portion of that. The money didn't get

754
00:59:13,520 --> 00:59:18,000
where it needed to go. And we had to
fight for you guys again to get the

755
00:59:16,559 --> 00:59:21,599
money and get those grants that you were
supposed to get. And we did. We stepped

756
00:59:19,520 --> 00:59:25,280
up and we got we got it done. But it
shouldn't take that to get people help

757
00:59:23,359 --> 00:59:28,319
that they need. You know, I've seen
people in their worst moments just like

758
00:59:26,880 --> 00:59:33,359
you have and every everybody else maybe
has seen this in this on the screen. And

759
00:59:30,720 --> 00:59:36,720
it's not a pretty sight. But we have to
do our job to help people and get them

760
00:59:35,359 --> 00:59:40,079
better. And we have to make sure you
guys have the tools to do that. And

761
00:59:38,000 --> 00:59:43,200
that's most of lot of that is just
really self-governance and self-control

762
00:59:41,920 --> 00:59:48,359
when it comes to the counties and the
cities knowing what's best for them and

763
00:59:44,480 --> 00:59:48,359
how they're going to go about doing it.

764
00:59:48,720 --> 00:59:53,680
» Thank you very much. Finally, Miss
Disen, go ahead, please.

765
00:59:52,079 --> 00:59:57,520
» I'm sorry. Can I ask Commissioner West
to repeat the question? I'm want to make

766
00:59:55,599 --> 01:00:01,520
sure I'm responsive directly.
>> Yeah, no problem. Um, Clactamus County

767
00:59:59,440 --> 01:00:09,520
has adopted a recovery oriented system
of care and infrastructure for substance

768
01:00:04,720 --> 01:00:11,839
use treatment. Um, is and and it's not
it's not there's a typo here, so that

769
01:00:10,960 --> 01:00:14,880
might be part of the confusion.
Infrastructure for substance use

770
01:00:13,280 --> 01:00:19,359
treatment is still needed throughout
Oregon within that recovery oriented

771
01:00:16,720 --> 01:00:24,000
system of care and specifically within
our counties. um what are you willing to

772
01:00:21,599 --> 01:00:29,119
do as a senator to make sure services,
programming, and infrastructure can be

773
01:00:26,000 --> 01:00:32,640
elevated in our communities to meet this
need and crisis?

774
01:00:30,559 --> 01:00:38,960
» Yeah, thank you for that clarification.
So, um I was chair of the Clackamus

775
01:00:35,920 --> 01:00:44,160
Caucus, as you know, when I was a
freshman and have continued to work

776
01:00:42,000 --> 01:00:48,960
collaboratively across the aisle on
issues specific to Clacamus County. And

777
01:00:46,400 --> 01:00:52,960
I really think that that is uh going to
be a gold mine for moving forward is

778
01:00:50,960 --> 01:00:56,319
ensuring that our approach to recovery
based infrastructure that it's

779
01:00:54,160 --> 01:01:00,720
bipartisan. Uh budgets express
priorities and we are facing budget

780
01:00:58,720 --> 01:01:05,760
challenges right now. But unfortunately
what we've seen too often recently in

781
01:01:03,119 --> 01:01:09,839
response to uh addiction in the state of
Oregon has not been enough focus on

782
01:01:07,680 --> 01:01:15,040
recovery. And I think that uh Clackmus
County in particular has been so crystal

783
01:01:12,799 --> 01:01:20,000
clear on the importance of uh
infrastructure that that is built out

784
01:01:17,920 --> 01:01:23,440
assuming that people are going to get
into recovery and they're going to

785
01:01:21,599 --> 01:01:27,280
remain sober long term. And you don't do
that without supports. You don't do that

786
01:01:25,440 --> 01:01:30,799
you don't do that without the beds. You
don't do that uh without the

787
01:01:28,799 --> 01:01:35,040
infrastructure. And I know that you guys
had um a bipartisan supported ask in

788
01:01:33,760 --> 01:01:39,280
this most recent session that didn't
make it across the finish line. and I

789
01:01:37,280 --> 01:01:42,559
will look forward to advocating for that
uh in particular with our partners

790
01:01:40,880 --> 01:01:45,760
across the aisle to see if we can't get
that done in the upcoming short session.

791
01:01:44,480 --> 01:01:49,119
I think it's critically important that
recovery be a larger part of this

792
01:01:47,200 --> 01:01:54,400
conversation. It has not been. You know,
when we talk about beds um and we we we

793
01:01:51,920 --> 01:01:57,680
talk about recovery specifically, I
mean, whether or not it's homeless

794
01:01:55,520 --> 01:02:02,559
services or whatever, it's primarily
focused on assuming that people will

795
01:01:59,520 --> 01:02:05,440
remain in that state of addiction. And I
think Clackamus County has made it

796
01:02:03,920 --> 01:02:08,920
really, really clear that the future
must be recovery.

797
01:02:10,079 --> 01:02:15,839
» Thank you, Miss Drezen. That concludes
all nominee answers to Clackamus

798
01:02:14,079 --> 01:02:19,760
Countyy's first question. Clackamus
County, if you have a second question,

799
01:02:17,520 --> 01:02:25,280
commissioners, please proceed.
>> Yeah. Hello everyone. Uh, Commissioner

800
01:02:22,000 --> 01:02:28,400
Paul Savis here. Um, thank you for the,
uh, people being present here and

801
01:02:26,880 --> 01:02:33,280
answering our questions. I'm going to
qualify my question to give you context

802
01:02:30,960 --> 01:02:39,920
so I get as clear or we all get as clear
as an answer as possible. Uh when HB

803
01:02:36,160 --> 01:02:48,000
2017 passed um it included a transit tax
called STIF stiff um as well as monies

804
01:02:43,920 --> 01:02:54,079
for uh for infrastructure large projects
and help to uh meet the uh the needs for

805
01:02:51,680 --> 01:02:58,079
not only the state but local cities uh
and counties. And in the earlier part of

806
01:02:56,640 --> 01:03:01,359
this discussion, we heard about
businesses and I was a business owner,

807
01:02:59,760 --> 01:03:08,240
but I I always consider myself an
employer first and a business owner

808
01:03:03,359 --> 01:03:11,440
second. And um and I say that because um
you know we are seeing more people

809
01:03:09,760 --> 01:03:17,200
falling in homeless economically.
Economic the economic drivers that are

810
01:03:13,760 --> 01:03:21,599
pushing people out of their homes um or
putting pressure on them financially

811
01:03:18,880 --> 01:03:25,760
really add uh challenges. Businesses are
leaving. uh they're not really seeing

812
01:03:23,599 --> 01:03:30,400
investment perhaps in infrastructure. We
talk about that a lot. Uh and though we

813
01:03:28,160 --> 01:03:35,280
have separate funding streams, um the
one again I'm talking about is the STIF

814
01:03:32,640 --> 01:03:39,039
and I want to bring that back. Um that
had the legislative intent of providing

815
01:03:37,359 --> 01:03:44,559
first and last mile connections.
Basically giving service to areas that

816
01:03:42,160 --> 01:03:49,839
have no service. This area has had a
historic this region has had an

817
01:03:46,160 --> 01:03:54,079
historical um challenge in providing
equal levels of of transportation

818
01:03:52,160 --> 01:03:57,680
transit in this case to all areas. And
there's areas that are served well and

819
01:03:55,599 --> 01:04:02,319
there's areas that are underserved. But
however, the stiff tax uh came the

820
01:04:00,559 --> 01:04:07,839
unique tax that came from people's
paychecks. And the promise was again

821
01:04:05,039 --> 01:04:11,520
more access and people paying in. And
yet there's a lot of people paying into

822
01:04:09,680 --> 01:04:14,880
the system but they're not seeing any
new service.

823
01:04:13,280 --> 01:04:18,480
and the state rules committee changed
the rules and allowed some backfilling

824
01:04:16,640 --> 01:04:23,440
with that. And now it appears as though
some transit agencies, the larger ones,

825
01:04:21,119 --> 01:04:27,280
um are really using it to backfill and
not honoring the intent and the promise

826
01:04:25,200 --> 01:04:34,880
that some state legislators voted for.
So my question to you all specifically

827
01:04:29,280 --> 01:04:39,039
is what will you do either to to to uh
uh get the service promised with this

828
01:04:36,960 --> 01:04:44,079
STI and have that dedicated to that
service to help people that really have

829
01:04:41,200 --> 01:04:48,400
the need? um that it's to help keep them
at their homes because transportation is

830
01:04:45,599 --> 01:04:53,280
getting expensive. What will you do to
again reinstate the purpose, the

831
01:04:50,799 --> 01:04:57,720
legislative intent of those STI dollars
on behalf of the people who need it

832
01:04:54,720 --> 01:04:57,720
most?

833
01:04:58,160 --> 01:05:03,839
» Thank you, Commissioner Savis.
Continuing with our nominee rotation,

834
01:05:01,119 --> 01:05:07,680
Mr. Hell, please answer first.
>> Thanks for the opportunity for this

835
01:05:05,119 --> 01:05:13,359
question. Uh, Commissioner Savis, uh,
that's a great question and I know with,

836
01:05:10,480 --> 01:05:16,880
uh, Commissioner Merleti, uh, she and I
served on the CAT board here in Hood

837
01:05:15,039 --> 01:05:22,559
River, which is the Columbia area
transit division or transit agency, and

838
01:05:20,799 --> 01:05:26,559
know firsthand what those dollars mean
to them and what it means to have those

839
01:05:24,160 --> 01:05:29,760
services. And Clakamus is not immune to
that. You have trime. I was in the

840
01:05:28,640 --> 01:05:33,680
transit police division as a police
officer. saw all the stuff that went on

841
01:05:31,599 --> 01:05:36,880
there and a lot of empty buses and they
are sucking up a lot of those dollars

842
01:05:35,440 --> 01:05:42,000
that need to go there. You have, I
think, three different uh smaller uh

843
01:05:39,359 --> 01:05:46,559
transit agencies, Sandy uh in Cami and
there's another one I believe that all

844
01:05:44,480 --> 01:05:49,200
need these dollars and they're it's
about getting people to the grocery

845
01:05:47,839 --> 01:05:52,559
store. It's about seniors that are
unable to get to uh the grocery store or

846
01:05:51,440 --> 01:05:57,200
get to their medical appointment or
veteran services, all those things. And

847
01:05:54,880 --> 01:06:01,680
so my commitment is to make sure those
dollars get allocated appropriately to

848
01:05:59,359 --> 01:06:05,599
these smaller agencies because it's not
always having a big bus and a big uh

849
01:06:04,240 --> 01:06:10,400
thing to go up and down the freeway to
get to to uh the airport, whatever it

850
01:06:08,720 --> 01:06:14,720
is. But we have to take care of these
smaller communities because these people

851
01:06:12,640 --> 01:06:18,400
depend on that service. And it can be as
simple as a dialer ride. It can be as

852
01:06:16,160 --> 01:06:22,799
simple as a van instead of a large bus
and how that service works. And so it's

853
01:06:20,480 --> 01:06:26,720
not one sizefits-all. And with that, I'm
going to make sure have that influence

854
01:06:24,720 --> 01:06:30,480
to have that make sure you guys have the
agencies, these small these smaller uh

855
01:06:28,880 --> 01:06:33,119
transit agencies, not just in the
district, but throughout the state, get

856
01:06:31,839 --> 01:06:37,119
the appropriate dollars that they need
instead of the big gorilla in the room,

857
01:06:35,039 --> 01:06:41,720
which usually is try getting sucking up
a lot of those funds that shouldn't be

858
01:06:38,559 --> 01:06:41,720
going there.

859
01:06:42,720 --> 01:06:50,240
» Thank you, Mr. Alfred. Next, Miss
Drezen, please answer next.

860
01:06:48,160 --> 01:06:55,920
» Thank you. And uh thank you for the
question, Commissioner. Uh this is the

861
01:06:53,920 --> 01:07:00,880
topic, right? Like you and I have talked
many times about transit and uh and and

862
01:06:59,119 --> 01:07:04,799
we both recognize that doubling the
payroll tax is something that Oregonians

863
01:07:02,960 --> 01:07:09,359
will struggle with. That that will
affect their take-home pay that that

864
01:07:07,280 --> 01:07:15,359
does have a direct impact on Oregon
families. And in the case of this

865
01:07:11,680 --> 01:07:20,880
particular um tax, 60% of it goes to
Trimet. And so I would say that in all

866
01:07:19,359 --> 01:07:25,760
cases whenever right now we're talking
about government, we just need

867
01:07:22,640 --> 01:07:30,720
accountability and we need that not not
in a way that says that government

868
01:07:27,200 --> 01:07:35,119
doesn't have a function but that begins
to set these expectations that when

869
01:07:33,119 --> 01:07:39,520
government is given taxpayer dollars, no
matter what the source, no matter what

870
01:07:36,720 --> 01:07:44,400
the intent, that they will do with those
dollars the absolute best that they can

871
01:07:41,839 --> 01:07:48,559
to meet the mission and and to serve the
citizens. And when it comes to transit,

872
01:07:46,880 --> 01:07:51,680
I think that there are transit districts
that are innovative and they're

873
01:07:50,000 --> 01:07:55,280
modernizing. And then there are transit
districts that are a little bit stuck in

874
01:07:53,200 --> 01:08:00,000
the past. That maybe the transit systems
that were first created have not in fact

875
01:07:57,680 --> 01:08:05,440
done as good a job uh being responsive
to that la first mile last mile u

876
01:08:03,280 --> 01:08:10,480
mandate that everybody expected them to
begin to close that gap with the 2017

877
01:08:08,640 --> 01:08:15,200
dollars. But instead, we're seeing those
same issues. And certainly ridership has

878
01:08:12,319 --> 01:08:19,520
not rebounded after 2020. Um it's
there's no doubt that the world has

879
01:08:17,600 --> 01:08:23,120
changed postcoid and not everybody is
getting on a bus to go to work anymore.

880
01:08:21,040 --> 01:08:27,120
A lot of folks are now working remotely.
Uh work life balance has changed. Uh but

881
01:08:25,600 --> 01:08:31,520
the transit system needs to change with
it. The transit system needs to be

882
01:08:28,640 --> 01:08:34,319
modernized and they need to be assuring
the people that are paying those payroll

883
01:08:32,880 --> 01:08:38,080
taxes that they aren't squandering the
money and that the money is actually

884
01:08:36,000 --> 01:08:41,920
going for first mile last mile and that
people are being served. And so I think

885
01:08:40,239 --> 01:08:46,640
we've got a ways to go in this issue
area. I know that you bird dog this all

886
01:08:43,920 --> 01:08:50,880
the time um in your work uh across
committees. Um and that's certainly in

887
01:08:48,880 --> 01:08:55,799
my capacity as the state senator
something that I would be anxious to

888
01:08:52,239 --> 01:08:55,799
partner with you on.

889
01:08:56,560 --> 01:09:02,880
» Thank you very much. Finally, Mr. Grant,
please proceed.

890
01:09:00,000 --> 01:09:08,560
» Thank you for that question. Um, no, I
definitely with the, you know, that

891
01:09:04,719 --> 01:09:14,560
taxation from um from that bill for
stiff, we're we go back into

892
01:09:11,679 --> 01:09:21,839
accountability and, you know, if we're
not being able to um spread out our our

893
01:09:18,880 --> 01:09:28,719
tax dollars uh to the communities that
that need it or, you know, if these

894
01:09:26,480 --> 01:09:32,960
transportation entities are not being
responsible with their funds, you know,

895
01:09:30,880 --> 01:09:38,480
that that needs to be taken into
consideration. Um, and you know, I'm a

896
01:09:36,239 --> 01:09:48,080
I'm a person that believes in in
teamwork on to uh you know, listen and

897
01:09:42,560 --> 01:09:53,839
and figure out solutions of how um how
to better serve you know, these these

898
01:09:50,960 --> 01:10:01,360
tax dollars that need to go into the uh
transportation um

899
01:09:56,800 --> 01:10:05,920
services. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Grant. Mr.

900
01:10:03,679 --> 01:10:11,520
Chair, that concludes all board
questions for nominees today.

901
01:10:09,040 --> 01:10:15,440
» Thank you, Andrew. Let's move to closing
statements. So, clerk, could could you

902
01:10:13,679 --> 01:10:18,239
please moderate those closing statements
for us?

903
01:10:16,239 --> 01:10:22,800
» Yes, Mr. Chair. As a reminder to the
nominees, you will each have one minute

904
01:10:20,320 --> 01:10:27,520
for your closing statements.
First, Representative Hellfridge, please

905
01:10:25,280 --> 01:10:32,159
begin.
You guys have a tremendous uh heavy

906
01:10:30,400 --> 01:10:34,719
weight on your shoulders to choose who's
going to be the next senator and I'm

907
01:10:33,360 --> 01:10:38,800
asking for your vote to be the next
senator to fill Senator Bonhams and

908
01:10:36,880 --> 01:10:43,440
continue to run in that role. I have a
proven track record in bipartisan work

909
01:10:41,280 --> 01:10:47,520
and problem solving. That is what I've
done for my career from public services

910
01:10:46,239 --> 01:10:50,480
trying to figure out how to solve
problems. Understanding that we're not

911
01:10:49,120 --> 01:10:53,760
going to get there all the time, but we
have the ability to sit and have a

912
01:10:51,840 --> 01:10:57,199
conversation and you can't walk away.
You have to sit there and be at the

913
01:10:55,520 --> 01:10:59,520
table or you can be at the menu. On the
menu. I don't want to be on the menu. I

914
01:10:58,400 --> 01:11:02,960
always want to sit at the table and have
those conversations because it's

915
01:11:01,040 --> 01:11:05,840
important. We understand we're going to
disagree on certain things, but let's

916
01:11:04,320 --> 01:11:10,239
focus on the things that we can get to
and fix the problems and then we can

917
01:11:07,600 --> 01:11:14,400
tackle those bigger issues. That said, I
believe my five years basically in my

918
01:11:12,880 --> 01:11:18,159
five years almost in the legislative
body has helped prepare me for this next

919
01:11:16,320 --> 01:11:20,640
step. Do I know all the answers? No. Do
I know where to find the answers and

920
01:11:19,520 --> 01:11:23,840
look for them and get the right people
in the room? Absolutely, I can do that.

921
01:11:22,560 --> 01:11:27,960
So, I'm asking for your vote to become
the next senator for Senate District 26.

922
01:11:28,480 --> 01:11:37,040
» Thank you very much. Next, Mr. Grant,
please proceed.

923
01:11:33,920 --> 01:11:42,640
» Thank you so much for uh having me
today. Um, you know, I have the utmost

924
01:11:39,920 --> 01:11:46,320
respect for Representative Drezen and
Representative Health. Um, you know,

925
01:11:44,880 --> 01:11:50,239
I've helped out on both of their
campaigns.

926
01:11:47,840 --> 01:11:54,400
um you know, but we know that they're
going to be there in Salem this

927
01:11:52,080 --> 01:12:01,440
February. Uh no matter what the decision
is here today, um I know that I'm not in

928
01:11:58,159 --> 01:12:09,199
a representative position at the at the
moment. Um and sometimes going into this

929
01:12:06,080 --> 01:12:16,640
this uh process can feel a little
overwhelming, but uh I'm no stranger to

930
01:12:13,040 --> 01:12:26,640
adversity and taking on hard challenges.
Um what I do is I I manage things well

931
01:12:22,159 --> 01:12:34,640
and I get results and um I ask for your
vote and uh you know let's hopefully end

932
01:12:30,320 --> 01:12:38,239
this process today instead of going to I
don't know do this process all over

933
01:12:36,000 --> 01:12:43,120
again. Thank you.
>> Thank you Mr. Grant. Finally,

934
01:12:40,159 --> 01:12:48,159
Representative Drezen, please begin.
>> Uh thank you. It has just been um it has

935
01:12:46,400 --> 01:12:52,640
been just a pleasure to be with
everybody today and talk about the range

936
01:12:49,840 --> 01:12:57,199
of issues that affect uh affect your
counties and we've had a great

937
01:12:54,719 --> 01:13:02,480
conversation about transportation, a
great conversation about bipartisanship

938
01:12:59,280 --> 01:13:08,719
and preserving the safety net and making
sure that Oregonians can in fact get the

939
01:13:06,560 --> 01:13:11,840
most that they deserve out of our public
services and with our shared work

940
01:13:10,560 --> 01:13:16,000
together to serve our shared
constituents. Um, the conversation that

941
01:13:14,159 --> 01:13:21,520
we have had has been one I think that
has reflected what Oregonians would want

942
01:13:18,719 --> 01:13:27,840
this Senate district to to work on on
their behalf. And I am anxious and ready

943
01:13:25,280 --> 01:13:32,000
to do the job on behalf of our shared
communities. I'm honored to have the

944
01:13:29,600 --> 01:13:36,320
endorsement of Senator Bonham. I he I'm
sure did not give that lightly and I do

945
01:13:34,159 --> 01:13:41,360
not take that lightly. Um this is a
responsibility uh which I which I would

946
01:13:38,640 --> 01:13:45,199
give uh my full heart and work to and I
look forward to having the opportunity

947
01:13:43,040 --> 01:13:50,159
to to serve Senate District 26 in the
upcoming year. Thank you.

948
01:13:48,080 --> 01:13:53,920
» Thank you very much Mr. Chair. That
concludes closing statements from all

949
01:13:52,080 --> 01:14:00,480
nominees.
>> Thank you. Let's uh take a short recess

950
01:13:57,360 --> 01:14:06,320
before we move on. So it's 2:16 now. So,
let's uh return at uh 2:25

951
01:14:04,000 --> 01:14:12,760
and we'll resume at that time. So, let's
take a short recess.

952
01:14:09,600 --> 01:14:12,760
Thank you.

953
01:14:13,040 --> 01:14:20,159
All right, we'll go ahead and reconvene
and right now it's uh we're going to

954
01:14:18,000 --> 01:14:24,239
move to deliberation. And before we
begin, clerk, would you please remind us

955
01:14:22,640 --> 01:14:28,960
of the process so everybody's really
clear about that?

956
01:14:26,400 --> 01:14:33,199
» Of course, Mr. share. As provided by the
Secretary of State, commissioners votes

957
01:14:31,360 --> 01:14:38,159
are weighted to reflect the share of
voters in Senate District 26 living

958
01:14:35,679 --> 01:14:43,040
within each county. Wasco County
Commissioners will each have five votes.

959
01:14:41,360 --> 01:14:50,159
Wood River County Commissioners will
each have 3.4 votes. Multma County

960
01:14:46,560 --> 01:14:55,760
Commissioners will each have 1.8 votes.
And Clackamus County Commissioners will

961
01:14:52,159 --> 01:15:00,640
each have 13.8 votes. And as an
additional reminder, state law requires

962
01:14:58,000 --> 01:15:05,199
a nominee to receive only a plurality to
be appointed. This means the nominee who

963
01:15:02,960 --> 01:15:09,360
gets the most votes, even if not a
majority of all votes, will be

964
01:15:07,199 --> 01:15:13,520
appointed. That concludes my summary,
Mr. Chair.

965
01:15:11,199 --> 01:15:17,280
» Thank you. So, I just want to make sure,
colleagues, that there aren't any uh

966
01:15:15,199 --> 01:15:23,080
questions or confusion about the voting
structure uh before we begin this

967
01:15:20,080 --> 01:15:23,080
deliberation.

968
01:15:24,719 --> 01:15:31,360
Okay, not seeing any hands raised. Uh
for deliberations, I'll open the floor

969
01:15:29,199 --> 01:15:38,440
to anyone who would wish to speak. Uh
after everyone's had a chance to speak,

970
01:15:34,239 --> 01:15:38,440
I will call for a vote.

971
01:15:39,199 --> 01:15:45,760
So just again as a reminder we have u
many commissioners here today and I just

972
01:15:43,679 --> 01:15:51,360
asked my fellow commissioners to keep
their comments as brief as possible to

973
01:15:48,239 --> 01:15:55,840
be respectful of everyone's schedule and
uh do any of my fellow commissioners

974
01:15:53,600 --> 01:16:03,159
wish to comment and uh just please raise
your hand and our clerk will call on

975
01:15:57,760 --> 01:16:03,159
you. So now's the time.

976
01:16:14,880 --> 01:16:21,199
here. Roberts, I had a question. Is this
the time to make any comments or will we

977
01:16:19,360 --> 01:16:26,960
also have time to make comments as we're
voting?

978
01:16:24,000 --> 01:16:33,120
» Um, this is really the time for comments
and then I'll uh call for a vote after

979
01:16:29,520 --> 01:16:36,719
the comments have been made. um is is
how this is set up.

980
01:16:35,280 --> 01:16:41,520
» Okay, great. Thank you. Thanks for
clarifying that. Um and I'm I'm happy to

981
01:16:39,120 --> 01:16:46,880
make a comment now um at this at this
time. Um so just I I first wanted to

982
01:16:43,840 --> 01:16:50,400
just say how much I appreciate everyone
stepping forward for this appointment

983
01:16:48,480 --> 01:16:56,080
process whether it is Mr. Grant who is
new to elected office or representatives

984
01:16:53,040 --> 01:17:00,800
Halen Drezen. Um stepping into public
service or further public service is

985
01:16:57,679 --> 01:17:04,719
always um both a big sacrifice on a
personal level and family level but also

986
01:17:02,560 --> 01:17:08,880
an incredible privilege of being able to
do that work. So I just wanted to thank

987
01:17:06,159 --> 01:17:13,120
everyone for that. Um and I think we
have some very well-qualified candidates

988
01:17:10,640 --> 01:17:18,400
here. It was great to hear from everyone
um about this. um you know for me I

989
01:17:16,640 --> 01:17:22,800
think that um whether it is an
appointment to fill a term or for long

990
01:17:20,560 --> 01:17:28,320
term you know this district deserves the
best representation it can have and um I

991
01:17:26,000 --> 01:17:31,840
will just say coming into this for me
the experience that I've had um I've had

992
01:17:30,480 --> 01:17:37,440
the most experience I think working with
Repridge um I know that both um he has

993
01:17:35,760 --> 01:17:41,280
um always been available always met with
Multma County staff and our government

994
01:17:39,280 --> 01:17:46,000
relations team and has worked bipartisan
um with us on on issues um and even

995
01:17:43,520 --> 01:17:50,239
though it's only a very small um part of
um Senate District 26. Multma County

996
01:17:47,920 --> 01:17:54,320
still is a part of that and and I um and
I appreciate the way that he has gotten

997
01:17:52,239 --> 01:17:58,480
to know our district and um or gotten to
know our county and um and worked on

998
01:17:56,719 --> 01:18:01,840
that. So, I will be supporting um
Representative Halridge today. Thank

999
01:17:59,920 --> 01:18:05,080
you.
>> Thank you.

1000
01:18:09,840 --> 01:18:14,640
» Right,
>> Andrew? I'm not seeing any other hands

1001
01:18:12,719 --> 01:18:17,840
raised. Do you see any? Am I missing
anything?

1002
01:18:15,520 --> 01:18:21,520
» No, Mr. Chair. Just as a reminder to all
commissioners, if you wish to comment to

1003
01:18:19,760 --> 01:18:26,199
please raise your hand as Madame Chair
Vega Peterson did, and I will call on

1004
01:18:23,199 --> 01:18:26,199
you.

1005
01:18:32,239 --> 01:18:39,920
Mr. Chair, I have two hands. I saw
Commissioner Brim Edwards hands first.

1006
01:18:37,520 --> 01:18:44,080
Please go ahead, Commissioner. you know
what um so we don't have two county

1007
01:18:42,640 --> 01:18:51,360
individuals going in a row. I'll just
defer and I'll follow um

1008
01:18:47,920 --> 01:18:55,679
Commissioner U.
>> Okay.

1009
01:18:53,120 --> 01:19:01,840
Um I would also like to thank the people
who are being considered uh two people

1010
01:18:58,960 --> 01:19:08,320
with the experience and a new face from
Wasco County. Um, because my county

1011
01:19:04,880 --> 01:19:13,040
asked a question about whether or not it
might be distracting to run for a

1012
01:19:11,040 --> 01:19:18,640
statewide office, I've thought about how
I would think about the answer to that.

1013
01:19:15,440 --> 01:19:22,960
And um, I think there's two ways to look
at it. One, that person would be very

1014
01:19:20,560 --> 01:19:27,040
busy. And the other is if you want
things done, ask a busy person. And I'm

1015
01:19:25,440 --> 01:19:32,880
not saying that that's an adage that I
live by always, but um I think the

1016
01:19:30,880 --> 01:19:37,360
confidence that you have the connections
also might to to run might also indicate

1017
01:19:35,920 --> 01:19:44,880
that you have the connections to get
things done. And I'm not saying uh that

1018
01:19:40,480 --> 01:19:48,960
I'm for or against uh either. I'm just
um I'm just pointing out that I think

1019
01:19:47,280 --> 01:19:55,440
that's one of the ways that I would look
at it. is uh the confidence to run could

1020
01:19:53,840 --> 01:20:01,600
indicate
effectiveness. So, I'll just leave it at

1021
01:19:58,000 --> 01:20:04,960
that and thank everybody.
>> Thank you, Madam Chair. Commissioner

1022
01:20:03,199 --> 01:20:07,760
Brim Edwards, I also see Commissioner
Schrader's hand raised. Would you still

1023
01:20:06,560 --> 01:20:10,880
like to defer or would you like to speak
now?

1024
01:20:08,239 --> 01:20:13,280
» Defer. Let um that the counties uh chime
in. I don't I was just going to go

1025
01:20:12,159 --> 01:20:15,600
because nobody else had their hand
raised.

1026
01:20:14,480 --> 01:20:20,640
» Share. With your approval, then I'll
turn to Commissioner Shrader.

1027
01:20:17,120 --> 01:20:20,640
» That's fine. Go ahead.

1028
01:20:23,120 --> 01:20:27,800
Commissioner Shrader, we're not able to
hear you.

1029
01:20:39,920 --> 01:20:45,520
» Commissioner Shrader appears to be
having technical difficulties with our

1030
01:20:42,400 --> 01:20:50,000
audio. Mr. Chair.
All right, we might go ahead to Julia

1031
01:20:48,960 --> 01:20:55,199
then.
>> You want me to go? Okay. Um, I'll go.

1032
01:20:52,560 --> 01:20:59,679
Um, I want to thank all three of the
individuals who stepped up um and your

1033
01:20:57,760 --> 01:21:03,600
willingness to serve the state in this
capacity. I really appreciated hearing

1034
01:21:01,840 --> 01:21:08,640
your opening statements and also the
discussions I had in advance um on some

1035
01:21:05,840 --> 01:21:12,800
issues that are really important to
um Mult County and my district whether

1036
01:21:10,960 --> 01:21:17,520
it was housing, economic development,
public safety, community corrections,

1037
01:21:14,719 --> 01:21:23,440
and also the president's um call to
deploy the military in Portland. Um I

1038
01:21:21,040 --> 01:21:25,600
want to just share that I've um Mr.
Grant, I'm sorry that I haven't had a

1039
01:21:24,640 --> 01:21:29,600
chance to work with you, but I
appreciate that you have stepped up in

1040
01:21:27,199 --> 01:21:33,760
your local community um to volunteer.
Um, I have had a chance to work with uh,

1041
01:21:32,159 --> 01:21:38,480
Representative Drezen. I've seen her in
action. Um, I know she understands the

1042
01:21:35,920 --> 01:21:42,480
legislative process. Um, and appreciate
her willingness to step up. Um,

1043
01:21:40,480 --> 01:21:47,040
Representative Hiltridge, I've also, um,
seen you in the legislative arena and,

1044
01:21:45,520 --> 01:21:51,280
um, also working on behalf of the
constituents and taking in mind um, sort

1045
01:21:49,679 --> 01:21:54,639
of some of the complexities and sort of
the differences um, and our comm the

1046
01:21:53,199 --> 01:21:59,600
differences in our communities across
the state. Um, I really appreciate um

1047
01:21:57,920 --> 01:22:05,199
that you know through your professional
work um my commission district and the

1048
01:22:02,239 --> 01:22:12,000
neighborhoods and the challenges um and
opportunities that exist. Um

1049
01:22:08,639 --> 01:22:19,199
so um appreciate your your prior uh
professional service. Um but I really um

1050
01:22:15,840 --> 01:22:25,280
feel that we um in some ways is no lose
situation. there's going to be um

1051
01:22:21,920 --> 01:22:32,840
effective representation in um that
Senate district and also in the House

1052
01:22:27,199 --> 01:22:32,840
district um with whatever we decide.

1053
01:22:36,080 --> 01:22:40,159
» Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I
believe Commissioner Shrader is

1054
01:22:38,800 --> 01:22:45,360
currently working on solving her
technical difficulties.

1055
01:22:42,960 --> 01:22:48,080
She may need just one more moment. Uh
with your permission, Chair, I'll ask if

1056
01:22:46,800 --> 01:22:51,040
there's any other commissioners who
would like to speak.

1057
01:22:59,520 --> 01:23:04,560
Okay. Can you hear me now?
>> Yes, we can. Commissioner Sher.

1058
01:23:02,639 --> 01:23:10,320
» Okay. Thank you so much. Uh, for some
reason my uh mute was not working on my

1059
01:23:07,920 --> 01:23:14,480
screen touch. So, if it happens again,
I'm going to have to depend on you to

1060
01:23:11,840 --> 01:23:19,360
unmute me. Um, let me just start by
saying that I don't think I'm going to

1061
01:23:15,920 --> 01:23:24,560
say anything earthshattering that um,
the rest of us are thinking and that my

1062
01:23:21,920 --> 01:23:29,920
other colleagues have just said. I want
to thank Mr. Grant uh, for stepping up

1063
01:23:27,360 --> 01:23:35,360
to the plate. this is uh it can be a
pretty grueling experience and as

1064
01:23:32,719 --> 01:23:40,880
someone who is uh looking to serve I
want to thank you for coming today and

1065
01:23:37,679 --> 01:23:47,280
for giving this uh giving yourself the
opportunity uh to begin to hopefully

1066
01:23:44,960 --> 01:23:55,120
longer term begin a life of public
service. Um uh Mr. Hridge, I have always

1067
01:23:50,960 --> 01:24:01,440
admired you. You are a gentleman. you
work tirelessly for the good of the

1068
01:23:57,360 --> 01:24:06,560
people and uh I believe that the work
you have done in the legislature has

1069
01:24:04,480 --> 01:24:12,400
been absolutely stellar. So thank you
for that sir. And uh finally um Miss

1070
01:24:10,320 --> 01:24:19,040
Christine Disen I've known you for so
very long. uh you're a Cambi native as I

1071
01:24:16,560 --> 01:24:24,320
once was
and we've had many conversations uh

1072
01:24:22,080 --> 01:24:28,880
together where I think that we have
worked across the aisle on the issues

1073
01:24:26,159 --> 01:24:34,239
that matter most to Oregonians. So thank
you all and that's all I have to say at

1074
01:24:31,600 --> 01:24:38,800
this time and I would like to hand it
over to another commissioner or the

1075
01:24:36,080 --> 01:24:43,120
chair.
>> Thank you Commissioner Schrader. Mr.

1076
01:24:40,719 --> 01:24:46,880
Chair, I will make a final call for any
other commissioners wish to speak. I see

1077
01:24:44,800 --> 01:24:52,400
no other hands, but I will ask one more
time if any commissioners wish to speak

1078
01:24:48,960 --> 01:24:57,239
to please raise their hands.
I see two hands, Mr. Chair.

1079
01:24:57,920 --> 01:25:04,480
» Yeah,
>> three first. Uh I saw Commissioner Jones

1080
01:25:02,320 --> 01:25:07,760
Dixon first and then Commissioner Savis.
Uh Mr. Chair,

1081
01:25:06,239 --> 01:25:10,960
» go ahead. Great.
>> Mr. Jones Dixon, Commissioner, please

1082
01:25:09,280 --> 01:25:14,000
proceed. Yeah, great. Thank you. Thank
you, chair, and thank you, Andrew.

1083
01:25:12,080 --> 01:25:18,320
You're doing an amazing job. Uh just
want to go go around and just say thank

1084
01:25:15,679 --> 01:25:22,080
you to all of the applicants uh this
this afternoon, especially Grant. I've

1085
01:25:20,400 --> 01:25:26,960
been out to Wasco County, hosted a bull
riding camp out there. It's beautiful

1086
01:25:23,840 --> 01:25:29,840
and amazing. Um Mr. Hridge as well. I
really really appreciate your your

1087
01:25:28,320 --> 01:25:32,800
advocacy for the district, uh
specifically um around the water

1088
01:25:31,440 --> 01:25:36,800
filtration plant and then being out
there with you and the community as far

1089
01:25:34,560 --> 01:25:39,920
as the as far as the roads. Um and then
same with you, Rep. Drazen. Um, thank

1090
01:25:38,480 --> 01:25:43,920
you for your advocacy and your your
thoughtful responses uh this afternoon.

1091
01:25:42,000 --> 01:25:48,000
And it's always interesting, we continue
to think about Baltimore County as far

1092
01:25:45,520 --> 01:25:52,000
as being one county and how we fold into
the rest of the 35 counties here within

1093
01:25:50,400 --> 01:25:56,239
the state of Oregon. And both of you
guys are great represent uh

1094
01:25:54,000 --> 01:25:59,360
representatives of that. So, uh, thank
you again for taking the time and I

1095
01:25:57,920 --> 01:26:04,000
appreciate being being a part of this
process. Back to you, Andrew.

1096
01:26:02,719 --> 01:26:08,480
» Thank you, Commissioner. Commissioner
Savis, I saw your hand next. Yeah, I I

1097
01:26:06,560 --> 01:26:13,280
too want to just just join the join the
crowd here and just say to thank all

1098
01:26:10,080 --> 01:26:20,080
three of you for uh your roles and um
and to um Mr. Hell and uh Mr. Disen um

1099
01:26:17,760 --> 01:26:24,320
thank you for your public service and in
the uh in the state capital. I know that

1100
01:26:22,400 --> 01:26:27,920
no matter what happens here, both be
there serving us all.

1101
01:26:25,920 --> 01:26:30,800
» Um but I do want to say probably more
than anything, this is not an easy

1102
01:26:29,120 --> 01:26:34,480
decision. I know you both. I know you're
all hard workers and I know you really

1103
01:26:32,480 --> 01:26:39,840
care. So, I just want to just say this
is not easy for me. Um, and um I I do

1104
01:26:38,400 --> 01:26:43,040
appreciate you being here and I do
appreciate your your public service. So,

1105
01:26:41,600 --> 01:26:48,360
no matter what happens, I hope that you
will all still be engaged. Thank you.

1106
01:26:50,239 --> 01:26:55,440
» Thank you, Commissioner Savis. Mr.
Chair, I see no other hands of

1107
01:26:54,080 --> 01:26:59,040
commissioners who wish to speak at this
time.

1108
01:26:56,639 --> 01:27:03,679
» Okay. At this point, I'll call for a
vote and I'll ask the clerk to call the

1109
01:27:00,800 --> 01:27:08,880
votes in alphabetical order by last name
ending with the chairs. And as again, as

1110
01:27:06,239 --> 01:27:12,400
a reminder, folks, each commission
commissioner's vote is weighted

1111
01:27:10,400 --> 01:27:18,560
according to their county's population
shares, not one commissioner, one vote

1112
01:27:15,280 --> 01:27:22,960
system. So, clerk, would you please call
for the votes and show them in real time

1113
01:27:20,560 --> 01:27:25,960
on the screen for really clarity and
transpar?

1114
01:27:26,719 --> 01:27:32,639
» Of course, Mr. Chair. And I'll have
Blackmus County Assistant Council Jeff

1115
01:27:30,239 --> 01:27:36,400
Muns. Please share his screen. You will
see the votes tallied in real time as I

1116
01:27:34,560 --> 01:27:39,199
call the votes.
From Hood River, Commissioner Arthur

1117
01:27:38,080 --> 01:27:46,600
Babetts. Uh,
>> thank you very much. I will cast my 3.4

1118
01:27:42,000 --> 01:27:46,600
votes for Representative Hell.

1119
01:27:47,040 --> 01:27:53,199
from Wasco County, Commissioner Phil
Brady.

1120
01:27:50,400 --> 01:27:58,800
» I will cast my five votes for
Commissioner Jeff Hridge.

1121
01:27:56,719 --> 01:28:03,679
» From Multma County, Commissioner Julia
Brim Edwards.

1122
01:28:00,560 --> 01:28:07,239
» Casting my 1.8 votes uh for
Representative Hridge.

1123
01:28:07,520 --> 01:28:15,480
» From Clakamus County, Commissioner Diana
Hill. I cast my vote for Christine

1124
01:28:12,480 --> 01:28:15,480
Drezen

1125
01:28:15,840 --> 01:28:22,000
» from Multma County. Commissioner Vince
Jones Dixon.

1126
01:28:19,920 --> 01:28:26,560
» I'll cast my vote for Representative
Drezen

1127
01:28:24,960 --> 01:28:31,120
» from Wasco County. Commissioner
Jefferson.

1128
01:28:28,639 --> 01:28:34,120
» I'll cast my vote for Representative
Hridge

1129
01:28:34,719 --> 01:28:39,840
» from Hood River County. Commissioner
Leta Moretti.

1130
01:28:38,159 --> 01:28:43,639
» Thank you. I will cast my vote for
Representative Jeff Hridge

1131
01:28:43,920 --> 01:28:49,199
» from Multma County. Commissioner Megan
Moyer.

1132
01:28:47,120 --> 01:28:52,199
» I will cast my vote for Representative
Hridge

1133
01:28:52,639 --> 01:29:00,880
» from Hun River County. Commissioner Chad
Muer.

1134
01:28:55,679 --> 01:29:05,719
» I will cast my vote for Christine Drezen
>> from Clakamus County. Commissioner Paul

1135
01:29:02,719 --> 01:29:05,719
Savis.

1136
01:29:07,760 --> 01:29:12,520
» I will cast my vote for Christine
Drezen.

1137
01:29:12,800 --> 01:29:20,520
» From Clakamus County, Commissioner
Martha Shrader.

1138
01:29:15,679 --> 01:29:20,520
» I'll cast my vote for Christine Drezen

1139
01:29:21,120 --> 01:29:27,920
» from Multma County. Commissioner Shannon
Singleton.

1140
01:29:25,679 --> 01:29:30,920
» I will cast my vote for Representative
Halrich.

1141
01:29:31,760 --> 01:29:37,600
from Hood River County, Commissioner Ed
Weathers.

1142
01:29:35,199 --> 01:29:40,600
» Thank you. I vote for Representative
Jeff

1143
01:29:41,679 --> 01:29:46,480
» from Clackamus County. Commissioner Ben
West.

1144
01:29:44,639 --> 01:29:49,960
» I'll be casting my vote today for
Christine Drezen.

1145
01:29:51,040 --> 01:29:58,600
» Wasco County Sheriff Scott Hedgy. I cast
my votes for Helfridge

1146
01:29:59,440 --> 01:30:05,000
» from Hood River. Chair Jennifer Uer,

1147
01:30:12,400 --> 01:30:15,719
» Jeff Hilfri.

1148
01:30:16,080 --> 01:30:24,800
» Thank you from Malttoma. Chair V Jessica
Vega Peterson.

1149
01:30:22,239 --> 01:30:28,440
» Thank you. I cast my vote for
Representative Hrich

1150
01:30:29,520 --> 01:30:38,120
» and from Clakamus County, Mr. Chair Greg
Roberts.

1151
01:30:33,199 --> 01:30:38,120
» I cast my vote for Christine Drezen.

1152
01:30:39,040 --> 01:30:44,719
» Thank you, Mr. Chair. That concludes the
vote roll call. All commissioners have

1153
01:30:43,040 --> 01:30:48,239
voted.
>> All right. Council, has clearity uh been

1154
01:30:47,280 --> 01:30:54,480
reached?
>> It has, chair.

1155
01:30:50,320 --> 01:31:02,080
» Right. Thank you. So on uh behalf of our
boards uh congratulations to Christine

1156
01:30:57,199 --> 01:31:08,400
Drezen and wanted to give uh Miss Disen
a chance to have any comments if she

1157
01:31:04,159 --> 01:31:13,440
would like uh brief remarks.
>> Uh thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. And

1158
01:31:11,360 --> 01:31:18,880
uh thank you everyone for this
opportunity to really vet the issues

1159
01:31:15,440 --> 01:31:22,960
today and have a discussion uh with both
Representative Halridge and Mr. Grant. I

1160
01:31:21,520 --> 01:31:27,360
look forward to the opportunity to work
with all of you and to uh serve this

1161
01:31:25,120 --> 01:31:30,960
district to the best of my abilities and
certainly to continue my partnership

1162
01:31:28,960 --> 01:31:34,639
with uh Mr. Hellfish moving forward. So,
thank you guys for the time today that

1163
01:31:32,239 --> 01:31:38,800
you've invested in this process and uh
and thank you for giving all of us an

1164
01:31:36,639 --> 01:31:43,199
adequate opportunity to really go
through our approach and our thinking as

1165
01:31:40,800 --> 01:31:46,159
it relates to the central issues for
your counties and this larger Senate

1166
01:31:44,800 --> 01:31:51,199
District. So, thank you today. I
appreciate it very much. I'm honored to

1167
01:31:47,920 --> 01:31:55,600
have the opportunity to serve.
>> Well, thank you very much and thank you

1168
01:31:52,800 --> 01:31:59,120
to all those residents watching today
and provided written comment. It's only

1169
01:31:57,520 --> 01:32:04,320
through community involvement that we
can collectively work to best represent

1170
01:32:01,600 --> 01:32:07,600
you. Colleagues, our board clerk will
coordinate with your staff shortly after

1171
01:32:06,000 --> 01:32:12,719
this meeting and coordinate the signing
of the required documents for the

1172
01:32:09,040 --> 01:32:17,440
Secretary of State and um council. Is
there anything else before closing the

1173
01:32:15,280 --> 01:32:23,679
meeting? Not at this time chair, just
that form for the secretary of state.

1174
01:32:19,760 --> 01:32:28,000
» Right. And uh just again before we journ
I want to thank all of the candidates

1175
01:32:25,920 --> 01:32:33,360
and for their community service for
stepping up and um uh appreciate the

1176
01:32:31,760 --> 01:32:37,840
time and effort that everyone's takes.
So thank you and if there's nothing else

1177
01:32:35,679 --> 01:32:41,080
will be ajourned.
Thank you.