Program date: May 3, 2024
Air date: Amy 6, 2024
From the City Club of Eugene:
Two incumbent Lane County commissioners are being challenged in the May 21st election. Position 3, South Eugene, Commissioner Laurie Trieger, is being challenged by Grace Widdicombe. For Position 4, North Eugene Commissioner, Pat Farr, Sr. is being challenged by Zach Mulholland. What are their positions on the problems facing Lane County? Do they have a plan to combat homelessness, crime, wildfires? What will they say about taxes, economic growth or equity?
Although it is a “primary election” in each of these races, the candidate who gets over 50% is declared the winner, and there will be no contested election for these positions in November. Now is the time to learn what these candidates think, prior to casting your ballot.
Nathan Wilk of KLCC moderates the forum.
Speakers:
Biographies are provided by the panelists and edited for length/proofreading
Laurie Trieger has lived in South Eugene since 1987. The mother of two adult children, she’s put down deep roots in Lane County and is now watching her twin grandsons grow up in this cherished place she calls home. Prior to being elected in 2020 she had a career of more than 25 years as a nonprofit professional and served on the Equity and Access Boards for both 4J schools and Lane County, as well as on Lane County’s Budget Committee. She is currently a Governor’s appointee to the statewide Opioid Settlement Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Board. She was motivated to seek public office in part because of concern for the health and wellbeing of future generations. Laurie is committed to building a community where all residents have equal opportunity to thrive and to ensuring Lane County is a safe, supportive place for everyone to live, work, and play.
Grace Widdicombe graduated from the University of Northern Colorado in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business. Through the years she has invested in many courses in real estate, negotiating skills, and business.
Grace spent most of her career in commissioned sales, from selling computer learning courses in the 90s to industrial lubricants and chemicals in the 2000s.
Grace is now a successful entrepreneur. During the great recession in 2010 she recognized an opportunity to invest in neighborhoods by learning how to purchase and renovate abandoned homes. She continues to rescue houses today, and now teaches others this skill. In 2017 she founded Oregon Real Estate Investors’ Association. Under her leadership many have become successful entrepreneurs in the industry and therefore rehab houses to qualify for first-time homeownership. As a leader, Grace is concerned with the lack of housing, lack of skilled workers, and more in Lane County.
Pat Farr, Sr. has been a Commissioner in Lane County since 2013. Previously, he was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives. As a member of the Legislature, he was Assistant Majority Leader and served as vice-chair of the House Education Committee. Commissioner Farr served eight years as a Eugene City Councilor. He chaired the Council Committee on Homelessness and Youth and served on council committees on Telecommunications, Economics and Environment, Affordable Housing, Citizen Involvement and others. He has served on the Bethel School District Board of Directors and on the Board of Directors for Oregon Food Bank, SELCO Credit Union, Oregon Health Practices Research Northwest, the Home Center Institute Education Advisory Board and others. Zach Mulholland works in policy research and advocacy for the non-profit Beyond Toxics, helping pass City policies to regulate toxic polluters like JH Baxter and connect low-income families with energy-efficient appliances.
He earned a Bachelors’ of Science, with majors in physics and political science with a minor in public planning from the University of Oregon, after he earned an associates’ degree from Central Oregon Community College.
Zach’s prior governmental and community experience includes Lane Community College Board of Education, Eugene Budget Committee, Eugene Sustainability Commission, Sierra Club’s Many Rivers Group Board, and Active Bethel Community Neighborhood Association Board.
About the City Club of Eugene:
The mission of the City Club of Eugene is to build community vision through open inquiry. The Club explores a wide range of significant local, state, and national issues and helps to formulate new approaches and solutions to problems. Membership is open to all, and Club members have a direct influence on public policy by discussing issues of concern with elected officials and other policy makers. The City Club’s mailing address is PO Box 12084, Eugene, OR 97440, and its website is cityclubofeugene.org.
Video and Broadcast
This program will be live streamed, and the videotape will be made available on the City Club of Eugene’s Facebook page and You Tube Channel, in addition to our website. It will be broadcast on Monday, May 6 at 7:00 pm, on KLCC 89.7 FM.
Contact: For more information, visit CityClubOfEugene.org.