Oregon’s state economist, Mark McMullen, is leaving at the end of May to join the Common Sense Institute of Oregon as vice president of policy and research. Berri Leslie, director of the Department of Administrative Services, named McMullen’s longtime colleague, senior economist Josh Lehner, to fill the role on an interim basis. Then-Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber appointed McMullen as state economist in 2012. In his April 19 resignation letter to Gov. Tina Kotek, McMullen wrote, “after preparing 54 quarterly economic and revenue forecasts under four different governors, it is time for me to move on to a new challenge.” He will give his 55th and final forecast on May 29. In a press release, Kitzhaber, who now is unaffiliated with a political party, and former Republican House Speaker Lynn Snodgrass, a CSI Oregon board member, praised McMullen’s joining the think tank.

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission could name a new agency director as early as May 10. Twenty-three applicants met the minimum job requirements. Several commissioners and representatives from Gov. Kotek’s office will select finalists on May 3. The finalists will meet with Kotek and tribal representatives by May 9, and then participate in a public Q&A at the commission’s May 10 meeting in Salem. Davia Palmeri is interim director following Curt Melcher’s April 1 retirement as Fish and Wildlife Department director.

Darlene O’Keeffe was named interim deputy director of the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services, Oregon Department of Human Services. She has been managing the office’s Quality Management Unit since 2017. Shannon Myrick is on a one-year job rotation from the Oregon Youth Authority to fill a new position as ODDS chief of staff. A 16-year-veteran of OYA, Myrick has been chief of operations for Development Services.

Sherril Kuhns was appointed interim director of the DHS Office of Tribal Affairs. She joined DHS in 2000 as an administrative assistant and in 2008 moved into management. Adam Becenti, who was tribal affairs director at the department, began work this week as Portland’s tribal relations program manager.

The Oregon Health Authority’s Tim Nesbitt will be workforce manager for the new Behavioral Health Division. 

House Speaker Julie Fahey, D-Eugene, rearranged several policy committees and who chairs them for the 2024-25 legislative interim. Fahey said her goal was “establishing succession plans for committees with departing chairs and identifying opportunities for new leadership in key roles.” She said she consulted with new Senate Majority Leader Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, and House Republican Leader Jeff Helfrich, Hood River, on the committee assignments. Committees next will meet during Legislative Days, May 29-31.

• Mark Owens, R-Crane, moves up from vice chair and joins Ken Helm, D-Portland, as co-chairs of Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water. Annessa Hartman, D-Gladstone, remains vice chair.

• John Lively, D-Springfield, replaces Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, as chair of Climate, Energy and Environment.

• Marsh replaces Maxine Dexter, D-Portland, as chair of Housing and Homelessness.

• Zach Hudson, D-Troutdale, replaces Lively as chair of Higher Education.

• Gambling Regulation, chaired by Lively, goes away

• Business and Labor, chaired by Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, also is gone. Dacia Grayber, D-Portland, chairs the new Labor and Workplace Standards Committee with Holvey as vice chair.

• Nathan Sosa, D-Hillsboro, chairs the new Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee. Holvey and Virgle Osborn, R-Roseburg, are vice chairs.

• Thuy Tran, D-Portland, chairs Emergency Management, General Government and Veterans, switching with Grayber, who becomes vice chair.

• Daniel Nguyen, D-Lake Oswego, chairs the renamed Economic Development, Small Business and Trade Committee. Janelle Bynum, D-Happy Valley, moves down to vice chair.

• Bowman replaces Fahey as chair of Rules and joins the Legislative Administration Committee.

• As speaker, Fahey replaces former Speaker Dan Rayfield, D-Corvallis, on three committees and is co-chair: Legislative Administration, Legislative Counsel, and Legislative Policy and Research.

Senate President Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, did not change any committee assignments.

Wagner and Fahey co-chair the Emergency Board, which handles financial issues when the Legislature is not in session. Senate members are Fred Girod, R-Silverton; Wlnsvey Campos, D-Aloha; Lynn Findley, R-Vale; Lew Frederick, D-Portland; Bill Hansell, R-Athena; Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro; Tim Knopp, R-Bend; Elizabeth Steiner, D-Portland; and Kathleen Taylor, D-Portland. House members are Helfrich; Paul Evans, D-Monmouth; David Gomberg, D-Otis; Susan McLain, D-Forest Grove; Mark Owens, R-Crane; Tawna Sanchez, D-Portland; Greg Smith, R-Heppner; Andrea Valderrama, D-Portland; and Kim Wallan, R-Medford. Co-chairs of the E-Board subcommittees are General Government, Sen. Deb Patterson, D-Salem, and Smith; Human Services, Campos and Valderrama; and Public Safety, Sollman and Evans.

Retiring Congressman Earl Blumenauer of Portland, D-3rd District, this week received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the city of Gresham.

Jason Jordan will become president of the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, which operates the BottleDrop system, on May 27. He has been a general manager at Republic Services for nearly nine years and previously worked for Cintas Corp. John Andersen, OBRC’s interim CEO, will continue his role for another year. The interim president, Troy Ballew, will return to being chief operating officer.