Secretary of State Kate Brown and Senate President Peter Courtney spoke at the unveiling of a special memorial plaque for Cecil L. Edwards. The plaque commemorates his service as perhaps Oregon’s longest serving employee. Cecil started working in Oregon in 1933 as a floor secretary and became the Chief of Staff to Governor Charles Sprague, Chief Clerk of the Oregon House, Secretary of the Senate, and finally Historian of the Oregon Senate. In addition, then-Secretary of State Norma Paulus dedicated the Oregon Blue Book to Cecil in 1983. Photos: http://ow.ly/7cwEJ
Monthly Archive for October, 2011
PolitiCorps Year of Service Luncheon, 10/21/2011
Secretary of State Kate Brown spoke today to The Bus Project’s PolitiCorps Year of Service Fellows about her ideas for the future of Oregon.
The Bus Project’s PolitiCorps Fellowship attracts some of the smartest and most effective young organizers from across the country for a ten-week intensive leadership training. PolitiCorps Fellows are college seniors or recent graduates who have demonstrated a commitment to progressive values and a deep interest in forward-thinking public policy and the political process. They come from every state in the nation, and from a wide variety of experiential and cultural backgrounds. The Year of Service Fellows dedicate at least one year to work for the public interest in Oregon.
The Bus Project Wheelies Awards, 10/10/2011
Secretary of State Kate Brown was honored to present the Legend Award at this year’s Bus Project Wheelies Award show. Secretary Brown has been affiliated with the Bus Project for years in no small part because their grassroots work registering young Oregonians to vote is crucial to democracy in this great state.
The Wheelies Awards recognize leaders, volunteers, organizations and businesses which are changing Oregon for the better. This year the Legend Award went to all living former Secretaries of State for their efforts to make Oregonians some of the most active and engaged citizens in the nation. According to Secretary Brown, “Oregon has been blessed with Secretaries of State who believe democracy should be for everybody, voting should be accessible and every vote must be counted.”
This year Secretary Brown and Joe Smith, former Umatilla County District Attorney, presented the Legend Award to Norma Paulus, Barbara Roberts, Phil Kiesling, and Bill Bradbury.
Norma Paulus, who served from 1977 to 1985, was the first woman in Oregon to win election to statewide office and protect the security of Oregon’s voting by stopping the followers of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh from stealing a local election.
Barbara Roberts, who served from 1985 to 1991, passed election reforms and worked closely with county clerks throughout Oregon to create ADA-accessible polling places.
Phil Kiesling, who served from 1991 to 1999, was Oregon’s knight in shining armor for vote by mail.
And Bill Bradbury, who served 1999-2009, increased elections transparency by hosting ORESTAR reporting for campaign spending and contributions.
Secretary of State Kate Brown joined Patrice Thramer, Nike’s Director of Sustainable Business and Innovation, and Kathleen Cornett, the Oregon Community Foundation VP for Grants and Programs, to present the Nike Employee Grant Fund’s contribution back to the Portland metropolitan area. This year, 27 non-profits and schools are sharing the Nike Employee Grand Fund gift of $300,000.
Most of the $300,000 is going to projects that relate to sports or physical fitness. However, significant grants also 
go to long-term investment in the environment and the health and well-being of children and families. “These 27 organizations and their programs embody the kind of community-building efforts that are vital for creating a strong, healthy Oregon,” said Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown. The foundation has provided more than $500,000 in support since its start in 2010.
Speaking at the event, Secretary of State Kate Brown quoted Studs Terkel: “Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better.”
Secretary of State Kate Brown is leading the effort to develop Oregon’s Central Business Registry which provides an online one-stop-shop for those looking to do business in our great state. This online system will enable entrepreneurs to create a business and comply with all state and federal regulations. The goal of this online registry is to save time and money as well as create jobs in Oregon.
Addressing members of the Salem City Club today, Secretary Brown described how the Oregon Central Business Registry will enhance the ease of doing business.
SPED Design Lab Presentation
Friday October 7, 9:00AM-10:00AM
Eugene Hilton Conference Center
Secretary of State Kate Brown is the first Secretary of State in the nation to sponsor a design lab in her role as the Auditor of Public Funds. A design lab fosters creativity and innovation to run programs more efficiently and effectively. She will present on some breakthrough ideas for delivering special education services and meeting customer expectations at the 2011 Fall Conference for Special Education Administration.
According to Secretary Brown, “I want an education system where every child can shine.”
The Oregon State Archives will hold an open house Saturday, October 8, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, as part of the celebration of Oregon Archives month. Tours of the building will be offered on the hour and will provide visitors with a chance to go “behind the scenes,” see the records storage area, learn more about the Archives and its holdings, while being guided by an Archives staff member. Tours will last about thirty minutes and include the opportunity to see some of Oregon’s most significant historical documents, including the original Oregon Constitution. In addition, visitors will also have an opportunity to conduct research as additional staff will also be available to assist them and make records available to them to use.
The lobby gallery will be open and is currently showing a collection of scenic photographs from around the state. We will also be showing a video in the lobby celebrating 100 years of the Oregon Blue Book. The Blue Book is published by the Archives Division and both the 2011-2012 edition and a facsimile edition of the 1911 Blue Book will be available for purchase at the event.
Please join us in celebrating National Archives Month and take advantage of this special Saturday opening. Light refreshments will be served.
The Oregon State Archives is located as 800 Summer Street NE in Salem. Normal operating hours are 8:00 am to 4:45 pm Monday through Friday.
Contact: Andrea Cantu-Schomus
503-986-2368
I’m so delighted to meet with retired members of the Oregon Education Association in Salem today. I have the deepest respect for these folks because for years they had one of the most important jobs in the world; they were teachers. As times get tough and budgets continue to shrink, I share with them the passion that keeps me excited to work in state government. As Oregon’s chief elections officer, I have made it my mission to engage Oregonians in the political process. I ran for Secretary of State because I truly believe we can make the lives of Oregonians better through the ballot box. Your vote is your voice.
Secretary Brown joined families, other elected officials, and military leaders at the mobilization ceremony honoring Oregon Army National Guard’s 1186 Military Police company. The company is deploying to Afghanistan to support Operation Enduring Freedom. Video, photos, and article at http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20111002/UPDATE/111002003/Ceremony-honors-Oregon-soldiers-set-deploy-Afghanistan
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