The Faces of the MWHI Task Force

Revised: December 2018

By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston 

In January 2016, Salem Keizer, Polk County and Marion County each appointed five individuals to the Mid-Willamette Homeless Initiative Task Force.

 

Kim Freeman, Keizer CC

Mayor Clark

Gladys Blum

Mayor Peterson

Warren Bednarz, Salem CC

Chief Moore, SPD

 

Ron Hays

Mayor Peterson reportedly experienced poverty as a child, was married right out of high school and had a child herself while very young.  Still, she, along with Chief Moore and Sheriffs Myers and Garton (pictured below), are known to view homelessness through the lens of public safety.

Mr. Hays ran the Marion Polk Food Share before going to work for local developer Larry Tokarski.  Hays is reportedly working with First Christian Church and Shaney Starr (below) to determine the feasibility of siting a resource center for adults in what is presently the Department of Energy building.   

Councilor Bednarz's spouse is a social worker, and on the MWVCAA board.  They, along with Ms. Blum have substantial real estate holdings.

Mayor Clark home-schooled her kids and has described Commissioner Carlson's reentry initiative as a model of success.

A reader tells us Patty Ignatowski (not pictured) is on the Oregon Rental Housing Association board.  (Update: Patty resigned in April and was replaced by Kathleen Ashley of Making Homes Happen Inc.)  Kim Freeman administers "affordable housing homeownership" programs for the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department. 

Mr. Bailey is Executive Director of the Union Gospel Mission.  UGM receives County funding, and is reportedly planning to revive its stalled capital campaign to build a new men's shelter at 885 Commercial Street NE.

Steve Bobb, CTGR

Mr. Bobb, a Native American, is an elder in Oregon's eighth-largest charitable organization.  Mr. Reeves directed MWVCAA's Headstart program for many years, and has been MWVCAA executive director for almost a year. 

Jon Reeves

Heidi Mackay

Heidi Mackay is a member of the business community. 

Irma Oliveros (not pictured) is Salem-Keizer's homeless student/family liaison.

Sheriff Myers

Sheriff Garton

Shaney Starr

David Leith (not pictured) is a Marion County Circuit Court judge.

Commisioner Wheeler

Shaney Starr was with the Marion-Polk County Medical Society before going to work for Dick Withnell.

Commissioner Wheeler "takes particular interest in public safety." She also wants "to promote community awareness regarding women’s issues (including domestic violence) and child abuse, as well as behavioral health and homelessness...she serves on the Board of Directors for Sable House (the only women’s crisis center in Polk County), the Mid-[Willamette]Valley Community Action Agency and Community Mediation for Polk County (VORP)."

Verena Wessel has a long association with Northwest Human Services, and probably has more direct experience with Salem's impoverished, and knows more about Salem's social service delivery system, than all the other Task Force members combined.  She is an outspoken advocate for creating a resource center for adults in the downtown area, and for making public toilets available 24/7 downtown.  She is serving on the Task Force in her capacity as a citizen of Keizer.

Verena Wessel (purple coat)

Commissioner Carlson

Commissioner Carlson is expected to control the direction of the Task Force.  She holds advanced degrees in public health. 

Technical advisors to the Initiative task force will be housing agency heads (Andy Wilch, Salem Housing Authority, Shelley Wilkins-Ehenger, Marion County Housing Authority, Christian Edelblute, West Valley Housing Authority) a planner (Lisa Anderson-Ogilvie, Salem Community Development Department) health care agency heads (Rod Calkins, Marion County Health Department, Scott Tiffany, Mid-Valley Behavioral Care Network, Noelle Carroll, Polk County Behavioral Health), and two shelter providers who enjoy the City's special favor (Jayne Downing, Center for Hope and Safety, and TJ Putman, Salem Interfaith Hospitality Network).

[2/5/16 Update:  added to the list are Todd Londin, ABC Window Cleaners; Sue Curths, Berkshire Hathaway; Josh Graves, Catholic Community Services; Tiffany Otis, Congregations Helping People; P. Garrick, City of Salem; Faye Fagel, Marion County Juvenile Department Director; Missy Townsend, Women at the Well Grace House; Marti Palacios, Center for Hope and Safety; Bill Hayden, First Congregational Church; John Teague, Keizer Police Chief; Brian Moore, Mountain West Investment Corporation; Herm Boes, Salem Leadership Foundation; Emily Dayton, Salem-Keizer School District; Sam Osborn, DHS District Manager; Sharon Nielson, The Nielson Group; Kevin Ray, The Salvation Army; Elan Lambert, Westcare.]