Multnomah County commissioners hear annual briefing on historical-organization levy; renewal to be placed on May ballot

Multnomah County commissioners received the Board’s annual informational briefing on the local historical-organization levy and heard presentations from leaders of the Oregon Historical Society and four East County historical organizations about how levy proceeds were used for archives, exhibits, operations and public programs.

The levy oversight committee’s co-chair Diane McKeel said the oversight committee found recipient organizations comply with levy requirements, including reporting and free admission for Multnomah County residents. McKeel and co-chair Jan Dilts asked East County museum leaders to highlight recent uses of levy funds.

Crown Point Country Historical Society Treasurer Sandy Cardoceur described using levy funds toward site acquisition, architectural design and a debt-free new museum in Corbett. Cardoceur said levy funding helped build a climate-controlled archival room, install a backup generator, purchase archival supplies and fund exhibit republishing and interpretive elements.

Sylvie Andrews, executive director of the Gresham Historical Society, said levy funding supports one permanent staff position and helped the organization process donations and expand online collections. Andrews said Gresham Historical Society served more than 4,500 visitors so far this year, runs monthly public programs and recently hosted an Indigenous Arts Festival that drew around 3,000 people.

Christopher Garza, executive director of the Troutdale Historical Society, said levy support underwrote free family programs, technology upgrades after a security breach, and critical building repairs—Garza said water damage repairs at the Barn Exhibit Hall are expected to cost about $50,000. Peggy Olin, president of the East County History Organization, told commissioners levy dollars helped maintain the Heslin and Zimmerman House museums and pay for a new furnace and planned roof bids.

Oregon Historical Society (OHS) Executive Director Kerry Timchuck told the board OHS remains in compliance with levy language requiring public access and representation of Multnomah County’s diverse histories. Timchuck highlighted OHS exhibits, including a new permanent Portland history gallery and temporary exhibits on the Yasui family’s experience of Japanese American incarceration, the history of women pilots in Oregon, and photography focused on 20th‑century lesbian feminism.

Chair Vega Peterson and several commissioners praised the museums and volunteers and said the board will act this year to authorize placing a levy renewal on the May ballot. The chair asked staff to place the levy renewal on the board’s calendar for approval before the end of the calendar year.

The briefing included audience invitations to tour OHS and East County sites and a request from museum leaders for continued voter support, should the board move forward with a renewal placement. No formal vote on a renewal or new funding was taken during the briefing.

Ending: Commissioners also used the briefing to note logistical issues (a projector outage in the boardroom) and to thank museum staff and volunteers; the board will consider placing the levy renewal on the May election ballot later this year.