Friends,
As we start the new year and the annual legislative session, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the opportunity to represent you once again in Salem. My highest priority continues to be that I will be your voice and represent your priorities and needs as your representative in Salem, and it is an honor to serve.
There are many changes this year as we head into the legislature including a slightly different geography for House District 60 due to redistricting, a new governor, Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, over a dozen new legislators, and different challenges our state in facing. The session begins Tuesday, January 17 and as we learn and adjust to these changes and tackle new challenges head on, we will continue to keep you informed on what is happening and welcome your insights and inputs along the way.
Today, we’re sharing some important elements to the new session, our incredible office team, and some opportunities for engagement with us. We are eager to get started, and I personally am looking forward to working with my colleagues on all sides of the aisle in the Senate and the House to ensure we are putting the best policies forward for Oregonians and the future of our state.
Most importantly, I want to make sure you know we are here for you at any time. You can contact my office with questions, needs, comments and ideas, and anything else that is important to you. Reach us via email at rep.markowens@oregonlegislature.gov or (503) 986-1460 and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you and be safe.
Mark Owens
State Representative
House District 60
|
I am fortunate to have a strong team to support the work we are doing in and for House District 60. It would not be possible to do this job without them. Thank you, Stacy, Harmony and Ella, for all the work you do - and will do - to make our legislative and district offices function successfully.
Stacy Clark, Chief of Staff
stacy.clark@oregonlegislature.gov
Stacy Clark serves as Representative Owens’ Chief of Staff and has been with him since 2020. She has more than 20 years experience in business administration and operations, including working as an executive assistant, marketing manager and customer service specialist. In addition, she serves as an Executive Manager with a top political strategy firm in Oregon.
Stacy is a life-long Oregonian, lives on small acreage with her family, and enjoys reading and learning to garden in her free time.
|
Harmony Burright, Water Policy Advisor
harmony.burright@oregonlegislature.gov
Harmony Burright joined Representative Owens’ office in 2021 as Water Policy Advisor. Harmony has been working in water management for nearly 20 years with training and experience in collaborative natural resources management, public participation, and alternative dispute resolution. She most recently worked with the Oregon Water Resources Department to oversee the pilot phase of a water planning program that gives Oregonians a greater voice in their water future. She has a Master’s degree from Oregon State University in water policy and management and a bachelor’s degree from Whitman College in politics and environmental studies. She enjoys gardening, photography, playing with her preschooler, and sailing on Oregon’s rivers and lakes.
|
Ella Draper, Executive Intern
ella.draper@oregonlegislature.gov
Ella Draper has been an intern with Representative Mark Owens since March of 2021, She is specifically responsible for the Student Spotlights program we run through our office. Ella is a senior at Nyssa High School, and when she isn't working on her 4.0 GPA, she is running track, playing soccer, singing competitively, teaching piano, and working part time. She loves to spend time with friends and family and read romance novels. She plans to attend either SVU or UTU this fall and major in accounting, and one day become a lawyer.
|
I am a champion of homegrown collaborative approaches as well as bringing diverse interests together to find common ground. In March 2022 our office was able to attend a tour hosted by local stakeholders that brought agencies, legislators, and the Governor's office to the basin to learn about how drought and wildfire have affected the watershed and community. In August 2022 our office brought together local stakeholders and conservation groups in Bend to learn from each other and begin exploring the possibility of future collaborative work.
Below you will find a link to the Chewaucan Watershed Collaborative (CWC) website with a video that the CWC produced in the late spring of 2022. The purpose of the video was to give a holistic view of the entire Chewaucan/Abert system and the pressures faced by all parts of the system. The video features local experts and agency partners with many years of experience.
Chewaucan Watershed Collaborative
I encourage you to visit the website and learn more about the CWC.
Beginning in March of 2020, Senator Lynn Findley and I have now hosted over 20 virtual town halls reaching nearly 10,000 Oregonians from all corners of the state. These town halls have been informative, engaging, and helpful as we serve you in Salem.
We invite you to our first virtual town hall of 2023 on Monday, January 30 from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM PST. We'll discuss the upcoming legislative session, what to expect on the policy horizon, issues in our communities and your priorities for the legislature this year.
Most importantly, we want to hear from you and give you an opportunity to ask questions, share what's on your mind and how we can help represent you. Questions can be submitted in advance when you register, using Q&A during the event or asked live during the virtual town hall.
The virtual town halls are hosted in Zoom, the event is open to the public and media. you must register prior to attending the event. please invite others to join as well by sharing this newsletter with friends, family, neighbors and colleagues.
Register by clicking the image below or going to this link. Don't forget to include a question or a comment for us to address during the virtual town hall. We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks.
During the 2023 legislative session, I will serve on the following committees. In our next newsletter, we'll share information on how to track bills and testify, not just for these committees, but for anything and everything in the legislature.
House Committee On Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water
Vice Chair
Tuesdays and Thursdays; 3:00pm
In person in Hearing Room D
Committee webpage
Joint Committee On ways and Means; Subcommittee On Natural Resources
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays; 1:00pm
In person in Hearing Room E
Committee webpage
House Committee On Climate, Energy, and Environment
Mondays and Wednesdays; 3:00pm
In person in Hearing Room C
Committee webpage
In 2021, the Oregon Legislature went through the constitutionally mandated process of drawing new district lines for legislative and congressional representation based on population changes.
In that process, House District 60 changed slightly. Similarly to Senate District 30, of which HD 60 is half of, our district still includes all of Baker, Grant, Harney, and Malheur Counties, but now includes all of Lake County and a small portion of Deschutes County.
You can find a more detailed map here. If you have questions about whether you are in our district or you know you live outside of it, but aren't sure who represents you now, use the Find Your District and Legislators tool on the bottom left-hand side of the Oregon Legislature's homepage.
|
Capitol Phone: 503-986-1460
Capitol Address: 900 Court St NE, H-475, Salem, OR 97301
Email: Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/owens
|
