Q&A with Ted:

Q: Why Curry County?

Living in San Diego, Seattle and San Francisco for several years was fun, but nothing compares to the beauty and peace of Curry County. It’s a very special place, with its unique history and resources. I’ve always been passionate about helping to preserve and improve everything the area has to offer its citizens and visitors.

Q: What motivates you?

I’m a natural problem-solver. Clients call me to help them navigate every kind of difficulty, from routine problems to managing crises and sorting out legal issues around business partnerships. Over many years, I’ve developed a diverse set of skills to meet a wide array of challenges facing individuals, businesses, organizations and the community.

I’ve always been closely connected to local government. My parents both served as port commissioners and my father was a county commissioner for four years while I was in school in Brookings. I’ve also served on numerous boards and local committees.

Q: How exactly do you help these entities?

When I’m called upon to help, I take a holistic look at the situation and identify core problems while developing strategies and action plans to solve problems with cost-effective solutions. My work is distinguished by its transparency and clear communication of goals and methods to achieve the most appropriate solutions within reasonable timeframes.

Q: What unique issues do you see in Curry County?

Curry County is ideally positioned to grow and thrive, but for many years it’s been hampered by antiquated systems and technology, and a lack of balance and fair representation between its more rural north and central zones and its more populous southern area. 

Q: How did you get into local government work?

When the Port of Brookings Harbor became insolvent in 2008—it had accrued $6.5 million in debt to the state—the board approached me for help. I agreed to serve as interim executive director while we addressed the crisis. As part of the state’s agreement to hold off on foreclosure, I was asked to remain in place to enforce fiscal responsibility over the near term.

A different challenge emerged when the Great Tohoku Earthquake struck Japan in March 2011, triggering a tsunami that damaged port facilities. I spent the next several years guiding the rebuilding of port infrastructure through FEMA grants and with help from the state of Oregon, and in 2013 my position as executive director became permanent.

During my tenure at the port, we increased annual gross revenue from $2 million to $4 million, by tapping existing and new sources, and by charging for routine services and eliminating graft.

Three years ago, Curry County faced a set of new crises and I was approached to serve as county legal counsel, which I agreed to do on a part-time basis. The Commissioners hired me and eventually added the title of Director of Operations, due to the scope of problems they wanted to tackle using a top-to-bottom method bringing transparency and clarity to entrenched and confused bureaucratic systems.