Metro Knows

The November general election is around the corner, so we thought we'd check in with some of the players in a weekly pop quiz. This week, WW put the two Metro President candidates--David Bragdon, who has been at the agency since 1998, including one year chairing its council, and Kate Schiele, who admits to having little contact with Metro before deciding she wanted to run it--on the spot, junior-high style. We asked the two a few things someone running Metro--the tri-county agency dedicated to planning, parks, trash disposal, recycling and operating public facilities like the Oregon Zoo--might want to know.

1. What does Metro charge for dropping off trash?

Kate: "I don't have a clue."
David: $65 a ton.
Real answer: $66.25 a ton.

2. What is the southernmost city within Metro?

Kate: Wilsonville
David: Wilsonville
Real answer: Wilsonville

3. What is the regional recycling rate?

Kate: 38 percent
David: 42 percent
Real answer: 45 percent

4. What was the last birth at the Oregon Zoo?

Kate: "I think it was a hippo."
David: "I think the sea otter."
Real answer: A duiker, a small, rare, African antelope, was born in July and is yet unnamed. Also, 500 silverspot butterfly larvae hatched last week.

5. What is Metro's current overall budget?

Kate: $1.4 billion
David: $327 million
Real answer: $364.4 million

6. Who was the first Metro Executive?

Kate: "I don't know."
David: Rick Gustafson
Real answer: Rick Gustafson

7. When was Metro formed?

Kate: 1982
David: 1978
Real answer: 1978, in its more-or-less present incarnation

8. How many employees?

Kate: "About 700."
David: "About 600."
Real answer: Metro has budgeted for 731.63 employees, of which 538 positions are filled.

WWeek 2015