WASHINGTON COUNTY

OREGON

Honorable Governor Kate Brown
Office of the Governor
900 Court Street NE, Suite 254
Salem, OR 97301-4047
March 22, 2020
To the Honorable Governor Kate Brown,
It was just over three weeks ago, on February 28, that Washington County learned of our first positive result for
coronavirus in our jurisdiction.
Since then, we have moved as quickly as possible as individual jurisdictions and jointly, as the tri-county region,
to protect our residents. Now we believe it is time for us to act as a state.
As the Chairs of Washington, Clackamas and Multnomah Counties, we represent more than 1.8 million residents  
— nearly half the population of the State of Oregon. We are home to five institutions of higher education, host
the state’s two major sporting teams, and are the home for the largest manufacturing plants in the state. We also
are home to the state’s largest port of entry, the major airports, as well as one of the largest and most productive
agricultural centers.
But we are also home to the largest homeless population and during the very best of times, have struggled to
provide the services needed for the most vulnerable among us. During this crisis, we will need every tool
available to us to serve our community’s most vulnerable.
That’s why today, we have joined together to support the Metropolitan Mayors’ Consortium (MMC) letter dated
March 21, 2020. We ask that you move boldly to protect the residents of this great state by issuing a clear
Stay at Home, Stay Safe Executive Order.
As the Chairs of the most populous region in the state, we are preparing to be hit hardest. But here’s what we
know: our public health officials, as well as our hospital systems, are telling us that the time to act is now.
We agree with the direction being requested by the MMC and look forward to working with you and your staff to
ensure we are taking every measure to protect the health and safety of our residents.
Sincerely,

Kathryn Harrington, Chair
Washington County Board of Commissioners
Board of County Commissioners
155 North First Avenue, Suite 300, MS 22, Hillsboro, OR 97124-3072
phone: (503) 846-8681 • fax: (503) 846-4545

 Jim Bernard, Chair
Clackamas County Board of Commissioners

Deborah Kafoury, Chair
Multnomah County Board of Commissioners