Although it doesn't get a tremendous amount of publicity, the Metro regional government plays an important role in Portland and in Multnomah County. Serving almost a million-and-a-half people across a wide area, Metro was first convened almost 30 years ago to help manage and maintain issues that affect our land and environment: land-use planning, the urban growth boundary, transportation planning, recycling, garbage, preservation, restoration, and many tangential areas.

It was with an interest in these areas that I applied to serve on the Metro regional government's Committee for Citizen Involvement (MCCI). On January 31, I was appointed to that committee as an at-large representative for Metro's region.

Metro's mission is uniquely-Oregon, to tie together common areas and common peoples for a smart, sustainable future:

As far back as the 1950s, Portland area civic leaders saw an unfilled need to provide region-wide planning and coordination to manage pressing growth, infrastructure, and development issues that cross jurisdictional boundaries. They also saw a need to protect adjacent rural lands from urbanization and to provide particular services that are regional in nature.

With those goals in mind, Metro first convened the MCCI in 1997, noting how "effective citizen involvement is essential to good government" and that "cooperation among the Metro government, local governments and citizens results in the best policy decisions." It is with those ideas that the MCCI, and I, serve. The other committee members and I represent various regions within the Metro boundaries, attempting to ensure that Metro's public involvement is as thorough and active as it can be. The principles of the committee, found here, are straightforward: value citizen input, and work to engage and effectively facilitate such input.

From my past work in political volunteer coordination, neighborhood activism, and outreach, I've learned one immutable truth: without public involvement, government is neither effective nor fair. And engaging the public is one of the most important and necessary tasks to any elected official or governmental agency. That's why MCCI was created, and that's why I sought to become involved: to engage the public in monumental decisions for our regional future.

Over the coming months and years, Metro will be involved with many projects. Many will help to shape our region, county, city, and state for decades to come, and many will directly relate to our present and future land-use planning.

As a member of the MCCI, I will do my best to serve as a conduit, through which information can flow. Of my own effort, I'll keep you up-to-date about ongoing projects and how you can both have your say and get involved. As always, I encourage you to take the initiative: join up with your local neighborhood associations, business groups, or whatever other outlet suits you best. To learn more about Metro and what it does, please visit the government's website.

Together, we can shape a bright future for Portland, and for our region.