Banks – In August, the City of Banks hired a new employee through Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE), an AmeriCorps program administered through the University of Oregon’s Community Service Center.
Now three months into the job, Michael Walker is enjoying his time with the city. He started work in September. “City governance is really interesting.” says the Beaverton native, who turned 24 on Sunday. “It’s been really enjoyable. Working in a small community, you meet a lot of different people.”
Walker has two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Oregon, one in urban planning and one in business. Walker says he was originally minoring in urban planning but decided to stay an additional year to complete his bachelor’s degree in urban planning. “I kinda fell in love with it.” he says.
Right now, Walker says he works with the city’s Economic Development Commission, working to implement five initiatives from the City of Banks 2016 Economic Development plan, including initiatives in marketing, business outreach, community outreach, regional alliances, and a parking inventory plan. He also does administrative work in the city offices, working with other city staff on day-to-day tasks to keep the city running.
As part of the RARE program, Walker will be with the city until late July of 2018. He’s not sure what will come next when his time in Banks is up, but depending on the local job market, he’d like to stay in the economic development field, and eventually pursue a master’s degree.
Originally Published in Banks Post
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