Portland Old Town Association gets new blood
Ryan Hashagen and three other newcomers win seats on the board
Leadership of the Old Town Community Association, which has centered on Jessie Burke and her husband, Jonathan Cohen—the current president and treasurer of the organization—is in flux after a May election in which Cohen finished behind newcomer Ryan Hashagen.
Hashagen defeated Cohen 16-14 for the business representative seat of the board, though Cohen will remain on the board in at at-large position. Board incumbents Dan Lenzen and Andrew Simon also ran for the business seat, but finished far behind the leaders.
Hashagen is the founder of Icycle Tricycles, manufacturers of vending tricycles based in Old Town.
Other winners—all newcomers—included Lance Orton for the nonprofit seat, Melissa Arnold for the resident seat and Neil Lee for the cultural/educational seat.
The new board will elect its officers. The next meeting is Wednesday, May 7, 11:30 a.m., at 434 NW Sixth Ave. For an online link to the hybrid meeting, email info@pdxoldtown.org.
Regardless of the composition of this board Old Town will remain a dystopian no go zone for the foreseeable future….it’s ground zero for the cruel enabling of homelessness in Portland. Until that stops the dysfunction will continue.