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Kevin Fitts, executive director of the Oregon Mental Health Consumers Association, has filed to run for the District 1 seat on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners.
That district, which covers the westside and part of inner Southeast Portland, is currently represented by Commissioner Sharon Meieran. Meieran is term-limited from seeking reelection.
Fitts, 58, has worked for Cascadia Behavioral Health, Mental Health Services West, and a number of other service providers. He has also served on several local and statewide panels related to mental health issues.
A first-time candidate, Fitts joins Meghan Moyer, a former Service Employees International Union official and construction contractor now working as the public policy director for Disability Rights Oregon, as the first two candidates to file for the seat. Vadim Mozyrsky, a federal administrative law judge who ran for Portland City Council in 2022 (losing to incumbent Jo Ann Hardesty and now-Commissioner Rene Gonzalez), told The Oregonian he is also running for the seat but hasn’t yet filed his candidacy. (Update Jan 26 at 11:45 am: Mozyrsky has now filed.)
Fitts says he’s eager to put his 30 years of experience with various aspects of the mental health system to work for county residents.
“My No. 1 priority is to lessen human suffering, especially at the crossroads of mental health, addiction and homelessness. I’ve proven myself in this field by creating laws, making jobs, changing coordinated care organization contracts, and demanding transparency and accountability in our local and state mental health systems,” Fitts said in a statement.
“Secondly, I’m committed to representing and supporting those with disabilities and those in poverty. A third of Multnomah County relies on food stamps and public health insurance. These people are our citizens and neighbors, and I believe in building strong communities and support for them. Finally, I’m focused on the future of Multnomah County. What does a livable county look like? How can we boost tourism and support our small businesses countywide?”