Rogers, Schouten and Gordon Sworn In for Additional Terms

For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 08, 2009

Commissioners and Sheriff Cite Past Accomplishments, Challenges Ahead

Hillsboro, Oregon -- Washington County Commissioners Roy Rogers and Dick Schouten and Sheriff Rob Gordon were sworn into office Tuesday as part of a ceremony to start their latest four-year terms. The three elected officials marked the occasion with brief comments on their past accomplishments and their hopes for the future.

Rogers took the oath of office to represent the county's third commissioner district, including the cities of Durham, King City, Sherwood, Tigard, Tualatin and parts of Wilsonville. The county leader, who participated in his first swearing in ceremony in 1985, is among the longest-serving county commissioners in Oregon. Commissioner Rogers is a past mayor of Tualatin and a current certified public accountant with a practice in Tigard.

"As I enter the twilight of my career here in Washington County, I just couldn't be more pleased and honored to stand beside you another time," said Rogers, after Board Chairman Tom Brian administered the oath. "Much of our work at the county is about collaboration and coordination with our partner organizations—cities, special districts, our neighboring counties and our regional, state and federal partners. I'm hopeful that this collective effort will continue to result in accomplishments over the next four years."

Schouten was sworn in to represent the first commissioner district, including the communities of Aloha, Beaverton and Cooper Mountain. The commissioner, who is beginning his third term in office, cited the county's 10-year Plan to End Homelessness, the need for more green spaces and parks and the creation of livable and likeable communities as three areas of work he would pursue during his new term.

"One of the key points is whether this community is livable and, frankly, likeable in terms of the kind of people we can attract—good, hard-working, entrepreneurial people," said Schouten, referring to Washington County's economic future. "It has been a great eight years and I look forward to the next four years." Gordon is beginning his seventh year and second full term as the Washington County Sheriff.

Gordon has been a part of the Sheriff's Office for close to three decades, including service in such senior management positions as jail and patrol commander and chief deputy sheriff.

County commissioners mentioned that Gordon was recently named "Sheriff of the Year" for the second time by the Oregon State Sheriffs' Association.

"Really we all know that that's an award that the staff earned," said Gordon, responding to references to the OSSA award. "We are just a very fortunate group of people. We all came together and we have an honorable mission and we do it so well."

The Washington County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement, jail and civil process services for the entire county population. The sheriff is charged with overseeing a department of 536 employees with a $68.4 million annual operating budget. The Sheriff's Office has been accredited since 2004 by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

The two commissioners help compose a five-member board led by a chairperson who is elected countywide. Former Tigard Mayor and State Representative Tom Brian is the current chairman. Brian was elected countywide to the position first in 1998 and most recently in 2006. The board sets county policy and gives direction to a professional county administrator and departmental staff. Washington County has 1,842 employees, an annual operating budget of $379.6 million and a total annual budget of $666.7 million.

The board of county commissioners also serves as the board of directors of Clean Water Services, a public utility committed to protecting water resources in the Tualatin River Watershed. Clean Water Services provides wastewater and stormwater services, flood management projects, water quality and stream enhancement projects, fish habitat protection, and more.

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