CONDON, OR - Gilliam County Judge Elizabeth Farrar Campbell has announced that she will not seek re-election to a second term in 2024.
"When I ran for office in 2018, I shared a clear vision for Gilliam County: promoting smart economic growth through investments in education, housing, and broadband; modernizing County government by removing judicial functions from the County Judge and building trust and co-equal partnerships with the County Commissioners; and encouraging public engagement through improved transparency and access to government services," said Farrar Campbell. "I have accomplished what I set out to do here."
Judge Farrar Campbell has presided over arguably one of the Gilliam County Court's most challenging and productive periods in history.
"Frankly, I got a lot more than I bargained for: a pandemic that turned life upside down, a failed recall attempt, and a new baby all in the span of about nine months," said Farrar Campbell, who, with her husband Brian, welcomed their first child in December 2020. "It was like trying to catch a tidal wave in a teacup."
Despite these challenges, the Gilliam County Court has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments under Farrar Campbell's leadership.
A partial list includes:
• Developed an orderly, transparent, accountable Competitive Grants Program, which has provided millions of dollars of investment into housing developments, early education facilities and operations, senior housing operations, improved school facilities, and other community projects and priorities;
• Established the Gilliam County Small Business Program, which, in partnership with the Oregon Frontier Chamber of Commerce, has distributed nearly $1 million to support retention, expansion, and development of small businesses. The first-of-its-kind program was instrumental in stabilizing struggling businesses and organizations during the pandemic and became a model for other communities throughout the State;
• Negotiated an agreement with the City of Boardman for improved Building Codes Services;
• Rescued Frontier TeleNet from the brink of financial collapse;
Created the Gilliam County Public Health Department for improved access to public health services for residents;
• Worked with Senators Merkley and Wyden to include a $250,000 earmark to restore Condon's Liberty Theatre in Congressional spending bills;
Launched Gilliam County ROCKET, a partnership of regional organizations focused on addressing the lack of childcare and early education options in Gilliam County;
• Secured a funding commitment for a permanent endowment to support early education access for Gilliam County's children and families for generations to come.
"I am most proud of the work we've done on early education access. The more I understand about child development, the clearer it becomes that if we want adults who are educated, emotionally intelligent, productive members of society, we have to invest heavily in the earliest years of life. It's simple math. If 80% of the human brain is already developed by the age of 3, and 90% by the age of 5, there's only so much ground the K-12 system can make up," said Farrar Campbell. "I'm so grateful to Commissioners Shannon, Watkins, and Wilkins, who all recognized this and gave me a lot of rein and resources to dig into the problem."
Through this work and Judge Farrar Campbell's advocacy, Gilliam County is gaining recognition as a leader in addressing the State's childcare and early education access crisis. In October 2023, Governor Tina Kotek appointed Judge Farrar Campbell to the State of Oregon's Early Learning Council, which is charged with coordinating a unified and aligned system of early learning throughout Oregon.
Judge Farrar Campbell pledged to serve out her term, which ends on January 5, 2025, with the same commitment to finding innovative solutions, forging community partnerships, and embracing needed change that have marked her time in office. Priorities include: developing a plan to deliver fiber-based internet to every home in unincorporated Gilliam County, advancing several planned housing development projects in Arlington and Condon, completing an expansion of the Condon Early Learning Center, constructing a new Public Transportation Bus Barn, and further streamlining and professionalizing administrative functions in County government.
"It's going to be a busy year. Any one of these projects could be considered a signature achievement," said Farrar Campbell. "I have tremendous partners in Commissioner Shannon, Commissioner Watkins, and our talented staff. We trust and respect each other, and we are all deeply committed to doing the right thing for Gilliam County and the people we serve."
Regarding her replacement, Judge Farrar Campbell expressed her hope that a young person will consider running for the open seat.
"There's been a lot of mud-slinging on Facebook in recent months. It's an effective strategy for a candidate's personal and political gain, but it frays the fabric of our little community. Sowing division is not the same as leading with vision. There should be a higher bar for our leaders," said Farrar Campbell. "Millennials and Gen Zers will inherit the decisions the next County Court makes; they deserve to have a seat at the table and a say in the future of their community too."
As far as her own future, Judge Farrar Campbell says she's still weighing the opportunities and employment offers coming in, but running for public office again isn't on her radar.
"I have seen the political system up-close in the Halls of Congress, under the Capitol Dome in Salem, and now as Gilliam County Judge. These experiences have shaped me in so many important ways. I am grateful to the people of Gilliam County for trusting me and working alongside me to make our community a stronger, better place," said Farrar Campbell. "But I am ready to move on to the next chapter, travel with my husband, raise our daughter, and devote more time to the causes and projects I care about. I'm optimistic the best days are still to come."
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