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Rep. Wayne Krieger not seeking re-election

Wayne Krieger_thb

Rep. Wayne Krieger (R-Gold Beach)

It is with mixed emotions that I make this announcement [1] today. It was never my intent to come to the Legislature, but then with much arm twisting I ran in 2000 and won. Originally I planned to run 3 times. Well 3 sessions became 8 and I signed up for the 9th. Since that time several health issues, the ranch, the family, a desire to travel and a new business venture, along with my age, makes me step back and say maybe it is time to step down and let someone new with fresh ideas and more energy step up. I will continue through this year and retire when the new legislator is sworn in January 2017.

It was always my belief that my first obligation was to follow the Constitution and serve those who elected me even before my party affiliation. I hope for the most part that I have done that.

My time spent here in the Legislature has been at times challenging yet gratifying. I was able to accomplish a lot of things good for District 1 [2] as well as the State of Oregon.

Starting in 2005 the new Hatchery Research Center became a big focus of mine, along with Senator Messerle, Representative Morgan and then Director of ODFW Lindsay Ball. We wanted to find the answer to the questions “is there a difference between wild fish and hatchery fish” and if there is, “how do we fix it?” “What management and hatchery practices need to be changed?” The Research Hatchery was established and with a few bumps in the road is now world renowned and is on the road to answering those questions. They are also finding a Geneticist for the Research Hatchery.

District 1 has 5 ports so the importance of dredging was crucial. The Coastal Caucus, which is made up of all the Senators and Representative of the coastal regions, works by consensus. We secured funding and had a dredge purchased and is at this time dredging our small ports.

I have served in the House Judiciary Committee every years since 2001. In that capacity I was able to serve on 4 DHS sensitive review cases involving foster children when there was questionable evidence in the way certain cases were handled by DHS. In some of the instances it resulted in reuniting families and finding places where DHS could improve. Their improvement and the rights and treatment of the children and families has become an ongoing quest. In 2013 my Grandparents Rights bill passed that gave rights to grandparents when their children lost their parental rights.

When I was Chair of the Judiciary Committee information came before us that about 5,000 children had been in homes where Meth was being manufactured and they became the wards of the Court. I formed a bi-partisan work group to get Meth houses in Oregon shut down. This was a great success reducing meth houses from 400 plus to 1 or 2 the following year.
I served on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the Water and Environment Committee and Ways and Means Sub-committee on Natural Resources and the Ways and Means Sub-committee on Public Safety over these last 15 plus years.

We were successful in finding help for Veteran’s with many various challenges.

We served as a buffer for our constituents between them and the Agencies and that is a large part of what a Legislator does.

Having spent 28 years with the Oregon State Police, 6 years on the Board of Forestry, 5 years on the Oregon Water Enhancement Board, 2 years on the of the American Tree Farm Executive Board in Washington DC, 2 years on the Forest Industries Council on Taxation, 5 years on the Lower Rogue Watershed Council and now 16 years in the Oregon Legislature – it is time to come home.

I want to say thank you for allowing me to be here and once again I want to say it has been an honor and a privilege to serve you.

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