Dr. Owen Smith appointed Rosebud Emergency Management Coordinator

Rosebud Mayor Dr. Marlene Zipperlen has appointed Dr. Owen Smith as the Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Rosebud.  

Dr. Smith is a Rosebud native and graduate of Rosebud-Lott High School and Texas A&M University.  He received his Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from Purdue University.  His career included positions in technical sales, university teaching, product engineering and state government. Smith retired from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services and moved back to Rosebud in 2019.

During his time in Oregon, Smith became involved in emergency management first as an amateur radio operator then as a member of a community-wide emergency management planning group in the city of Canby where he and his family resided.  

He was instrumental in organizing and training the Canby Fire District’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) as its Deputy Coordinator and served as the communications lead during activations of the city’s Emergency Operations Center.  He received commendations from both the city and the fire district for his work.  

Smith also assisted the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit with communications and planning on dozens of search missions in the Mt. Hood area. 

Zipperlen expressed her appreciation to Smith for volunteering his skills and experience to improve emergency preparedness and response for the Rosebud community.  

Falls County Emergency Manager Jeff Watkins stated he and Judge Jay Elliot looked forward to working with Dr. Smith and assisting the city in any way possible.

Smith is married to the former Judy Michalewicz from Lott and they have three adult sons who live in Oregon and California.

For more information, contact Ken Murray, Acting City Administrator, at (254) 583-7926.

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The Rosebud News

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