For Immediate Release
Contact: Kathryn Harrington
971-238-8183
June 28, 2017 – Today, Kathryn Harrington kicked off her campaign for Chair of the Washington County Board of Commissioners, vowing to continue to work on transportation solutions, job creation and housing affordability. The strong early support of local residents from Timber to Tigard makes Harrington a frontrunner in the race.
“A high-tech job brought my husband, Marc, and me to Washington County almost thirty years ago, and it’s been my chosen home ever since,” Harrington said. “I love this community. That’s why I left my career in engineering over a decade ago to dedicate myself full-time to giving back to this community that has given me so much.”
For more than a decade, Kathryn has been a full-time community advocate for Washington County, working to protect the unique character of this area. As Vice Chair of a County Citizen Participation Organization, she pushed for fairer, more effective land use policies and increased citizen input on the county issues that impact us daily.
In her decade on the Metro Council, Kathryn championed job creation, reinvesting in downtowns and small businesses and growing Washington County in a way that protects and serves our way of life. She championed Safe Routes to Schools, smart transportation options and worked to protect family farms and nurseries in our communities.
“As a parent and a teacher in Tigard, I know that Kathryn will be a strong community advocate at the helm of the County Commission,” said Jeff Powers, an elementary school teacher. “She understands the challenges working families face – whether we work in the tech industry, run a family farm or teach our local students. We can trust her to find commonsense solutions that work for all of us.”
Washington County has grown and changed dramatically in the last few decades. The next County Commission Chair will need to see the opportunities the future will bring, while also understanding and appreciating what is so special about our county today.
“From our small towns, to our unincorporated areas, to bigger cities like Beaverton, Washington County has a lot of promise, but also some critical challenges that need to be addressed. Kathryn is the kind of leader we can trust to listen to all sides, be thoughtful about finding a solution and work with each of our communities to make sure that solution fits for all of us,” said Denny Doyle, Mayor of Beaverton.
“I’m grateful to have earned the strong, early support of my friends, neighbors and people I have worked alongside for over a decade to keep Washington County the extraordinary place it is,” Harrington said.