Keizer City Councilor Roland Herrera became the first Latinx member of the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) during its recent elections for the board of directors.
“I may be the first, but I don’t want to be the last,” said Herrera. “I’m honored to be part of a board committed to digging down on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The LOC selected its 2021 board of directors last week during its 95th Annual Conference, which was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. The new officers and directors were elected by the LOC’s general membership at their annual business meeting on October 15. Herrera won a seat on the board in the first vote.
Herrera joins an incoming group of board members that included Arlene Burns, mayor of Mosier, Beach Pace, a city councilor in Hillsboro, John Walsh, city manager of St. Helens, and Steve Callaway, mayor of Cottage Grove.
Founded in 1925, the LOC is a voluntary association representing Oregon’s 241 incorporated cities. The League helps city governments serve their citizens by providing advocacy services, policy consultation, intergovernmental relations assistance, networking and training, technical assistance and publications.