Mayor Shane Bemis of Gresham, Oregon

8/02/2017

Mayor Shane Bemis

c/o Office of the Mayor

Gresham City Hall

1333 NW Eastman Parkway

Gresham, OR  97030

Dear Mayor Bemis,

My name is Matt Winick from Ann Arbor, Michigan with a strong interest in learning history including public policy.  In these subjects, I like to learn the importance of making Civil Rights stronger to reduce discrimination, protect the environment from pollution, and many others. Mayor Bemis, the main reason I’m writing you a letter is to explain how I find your work as current Mayor of Gresham, Oregon to be very inspiring to me.

In your current role as Mayor of Gresham, Oregon, I like on how you are a strong supporter of Civil Rights by advocating for people with disabilities’ rights, pushing for funds to help women including minorities businesses to help them compete in the economy, and expanding laws to combat against hate-crime to help protect minorities including people who are different.   On criminal justice reform, I like on how you are working with law enforcement agencies to find ways to reduce racial profiling to help protect minorities from being oppressed, pushing for community policing to help police officers be engage with the community, and improving services to help victims of domestic violence or victims of crime get resources they need from law enforcement.   Your approach on improving education by like fund special education to help students with disabilities get educational accommodations they need to assist them to learn, push for after school programs to have tutors help youth on their assignments, and provide schools with more arts including diversity classes to make education diverse in learning is common sense.  On the environment,  I really like on how you are pushing for more renewable energy sources to reduce addiction to oil with gas while reduce pollution,  implementing a goal for the city of Gresham to use  100 percent renewable energy  for 2030, and working with businesses to help them use energy efficient products to help reduce high energy cost while making jobs a safe environment for the community, and creating Clean Start Team to help improve city services along with teach people how to reduce littering while improve trash/recycle services.  Expand job training programs to help train youth including workers to develop job-skills to help them be prepared for the economy and create the garage to store front an initiative for businesses who are in civic neighborhoods and Rockwood area where the city government wave different charges on a business that is 5,000 square feet or reside in these areas for a few months to help small businesses improve the community are great ways to improve the economy.  Another thing that I like about your work as Mayor of Gresham, Oregon is how  you are pushing for funds to help restore while improve historical sites including the historical downtown to improve tourism while educating people and working with other U.S. Mayors in the U.S. Conference of Mayors on improving society ranging from Civil Rights, social justice, and the environment.

Mayor Bemis, I have autism with a learning disability. Having a disability is hard for me because I have trouble comprehending on learning different subjects, sometimes I struggle to communicate my thoughts, and get teased. Your commitment to be a strong supporter of Civil Rights including people with disabilities’ rights really inspires me to work hard on autism.  On Youtube, I enjoyed watching “Mayor on the Rise: Shane Bemis” because I had fun learning about your life going into public service and did a great job explaining that both parties need to protect the environment, and highlighted some of the achievements that you have done. Another thing is your work as Mayor of Gresham, Oregon and your approach on working with different U.S. Mayors on improving society motivates me to continue to learn history with public policy and even develop an interest in learning about different U.S. Mayors along with The US Conference of Mayors. My future goal is to someday work in history or public policy to help emphasize the need for Civil Rights to be stronger, protect the environment, and many others.

I strongly believe that you are making a great difference for society.  Also I’m very proud on how a moderate Republican is working with other U.S. Mayors  ranging from both political parties to find solutions to improve society and even protect the environment. You have inspired me to work hard on my disability,  learn more about your work as mayor on youtube, and to continue to learn different subjects while develop an interest in learning about U.S. Mayors. Thanks for taking the time to read my letter, making a great impact on society, and inspiring me.  I wish you well to continue to push for common sense ideas.

Sincerely,

Matt Winick