Redmond has been my home since 1979. I have been the city attorney (1979-1996), a private attorney (1983 to the present) and, together with my wife Susan, we raised our sons Andrew and Alex here.

In the late 1990s Redmond was experiencing significant growth. Redmond’s downtown was suffocating from noise and exhaust fumes because 5th and 6th streets were Highway 97. In 1998, I successfully ran for mayor to address this challenge and other emerging issues. I worked with our state and federal representatives to procure the funds to move 97 out of downtown. We also split Highway 126 into more of a boulevard, the Glacier/Highland couplet, instead of a 5-lane highway on Highland. I also initiated the Maple Avenue bridge project.

I convinced a majority of the council to defeat, once and for all, efforts to develop the Dry Canyon by private developers. Finally, I helped lead the way to pass the Deschutes Basin mitigation program to put more surface water into the Middle Deschutes and to make sure Redmond had sufficient mitigation credits for additional groundwater. I served as mayor from 1999-2001.

I took a break from the city in 2001 so that Susan and I could focus on our family. From 2001 to 2020, I continued to be involved, however, serving on the Economic Development Commission and the South Highway 97 committee. In 2020, I was elected to the council. But it became evident that unless the mayor was willing to open the agenda to all matters of concern, realistically address the homeless on our streets and deficiencies in our transportation planning, we were not going to make much progress on a number of pressing issues.

In 2022, I was again elected mayor. With the new council, we rolled up our sleeves and went to work. With the help of our nonprofit partners and Hayden Homes, we procured state funding to construct Oasis Village. I also worked with our CORE3 partners to fund NE 21st. This street will provide safe access to CORE 3, OASIS, a transitional housing project and a managed homeless camp. I also initiated the eastside arterial to relieve congestion on Highway 97 by connecting NE 9th with Veterans/Airport Way. This will open more industrial and commercial land for family wage jobs. We are also working to procure funding for a roundabout at Highway 126 and Helmholtz and a traffic light at 35th and Highland.

Finally, I opened the process to include items of interest to the community on the council agenda so all matters can be discussed openly by the council with input from the public. And, earlier this year, I led the effort to put three charter amendments before the voters. They all passed by wide margins. These will provide more access to council positions by imposing term limits and prohibiting members of the same family from serving on the council at the same time.

More work is needed, including updating our transportation plan and planning documents to ease congestion, protecting neighborhood integrity, funding critical projects, finalizing our resolution with the state regarding water, developing family entertainment facilities, attracting family wage jobs, procuring more funding and working with partners to construct more affordable housing and establishing a managed homeless camp to alleviate its impact in NE Redmond.

The track record I have in getting important projects initiated and completed will help. Together, we can move forward for Redmond. I respectfully ask for your vote this November. See our website at edforredmond.com.