Multnomah County Home

Joint Statement from Chair Cogen and Mayor Hales

May 16th, 2013

We are happy to announce we have reached a budget agreement to preserve key community services that include SUN schools, the needle exchange program, the one-stop domestic violence center, our senior centers and the Crisis Assessment Treatment Center.

Because Multnomah County is in a stable budget position this year, we agreed that the county will pick up the city's share for the needle exchange program and one-stop domestic violence center. And the county will provide one-time-only money to maintain the current level of funding for our community's senior centers and split the cost of three SUN schools for one year, giving both the city and county time to work on a longer-term solution for both of those vital services. [Read more]

Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen on Thursday, May 2 unveiled a proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year that is stable after years of difficult cuts.

Cogen said when presenting his budget at the Board of Commissioners meeting that several factors contributed to the stability in the fiscal year 2014 budget. [Read more]

VIEW: Multnomah County fiscal year 2014 proposed budget

Sinnamon Thomas, center, of Jefferson High School, and members of the 2013 Rose Festival Court introduced themselves and invited the community to attend upcoming festival events during the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, May 9. For more information about the court or local events, visit the Portland Rose Festival's website.

Multnomah County will open a new health clinic and pharmacy for southeast Portland residents on Monday, April 22.

The Southeast Health Center, 3653 S.E. Powell Blvd., will now offer primary care, behavioral health, pharmacy, laboratory and other support services in addition to the existing dental clinic at that location. [Read more]

News and Announcements

Shine on: Announcing the 2013 Multnomah County Employee Award recipients

5/1/13 - 9:19 am

Chair Cogen and the Board of County Commissioners honored colleagues at the fourth annual Multnomah County Employee Awards Ceremony for their commitment to public service on Wednesday, May 8.

Local students share Sellwood Bridge landslide models with county board

4/24/13 - 11:15 am

Five high school seniors from the ACE Academy in Northeast Portland presented two models of the Sellwood Bridge landslide mitigation at the April 23 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners.

Multnomah County Board unanimously approves gun safety ordinance (UPDATED)

4/18/13 - 5:33 pm

Multnomah County's Board of Commissioners on Thursday, April 25 unanimously approved an ordinance designed to keep guns away from children and put some limits on where loaded guns can be carried or discharged.

Multnomah County officials tracking bacterial meningitis closely, say there is currently no higher risk in Portland area

4/18/13 - 11:29 am

Multnomah County health officials said Wednesday that despite reports of bacterial meningitis elsewhere, there have been no reports of the disease among gay men in Multnomah County.

Public health heroes honored for making a difference

4/16/13 - 10:18 am

The first time Alazar Manning raised money to end AIDS in Portland, the 8-year-old boy asked his dad Rob and his neighbor, Selma, to donate to AIDS Walk Portland which benefits the Cascade AIDS Project. Then he went to his dad’s address book and started calling people. He raised $800.

More news

About Multnomah County

Population: Approximately 748,000 residents (the most populous of Oregon's 36 counties)

Geography: 465 square miles (the smallest of Oregon's counties)

Cities: Fairview, Gresham, Maywood Park, Portland, Troutdale, Wood Village

County Employees: About 4,400 people.

Functions: Services for seniors and disabled people, animal services, assessment and taxation, bridges, community justice, courts, elections, health, jails, libraries, marriage licenses and passports, school and community partnerships.

Elected officials: Four commissioners elected to the board by district. Elected countywide are a board chair, sheriff, district attorney and auditor.

Weekly board meetings: At 9:30 a.m. Thursdays, first-floor board room, 501 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd.

County History: Created on Dec. 22, 1854 and named after native people in the region.