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If anyone can attest to the challenges that Portland Mayor Charlie Hales faces in the coming year, it’s a fellow tri-county mayor and Hales’ chief of staff, a political veteran in her own right. Both say Hales is just the person to lead Portland through those challenges.

Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle had rave reviews following Hales’ speech before the Westside Economic Alliance in January. It was the first time the alliance, which represents business interests in Washington and Clackamas counties, had hosted a Portland mayor.

鈥淭he fact that he was there despite his busy schedule, after I asked him if he could make the meeting last December, spoke clearly that he will readily take on a dual role of Portland mayor and a major regional spokesman, which is so critical in today’s global economy,鈥� Doyle said.

He noted that Hales’ extensive experience in the private sector complements his public service record.聽Hales has worked for the Homebuilders Association of Metropolitan Portland and served three terms as a Portland city councilor. In 2002, he left his councilor’s seat before his third term ended to join HDR Inc. as senior vice president for transit planning.

After winning his mayoral bid last November, Hales hired Gail Shibley as his chief of staff. Shibley, a former Oregon state representative who most recently served as the Oregon Health Authority’s public health administrator, calls Hales one of the best listeners she’s ever met.

鈥淚’ve seen this attribute at work in a variety of settings, from one-on-ones to big meetings and formal discussions,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou can tell he’s not simply waiting for a pause so he can claim the floor and center stage. He views the topic under discussion as the focus, and an observant participant can see him actively working to understand the issue and the points being expressed by each person. That is a remarkable gift for any person 鈥� and especially valuable for today’s public leader.鈥�

As Hales negotiated the quagmire of Portland’s budget problems in early February, both Doyle and Shibley acknowledged that there was no honeymoon period for Hales when he took office. Doyle said balancing the budget was Hales’ most significant and necessary task.

鈥淎 second challenge is determining how to implement the changes that are being asked of the city’s police department,鈥� Doyle said.

Shibley summed up those challenges as 鈥渂reaking through the natural tendency of people and institutions to proceed as they have in the past (inertia), and managing the understandable resistance to change.鈥�

鈥淓ach of the mayor’s big priorities 鈥� reforming the police bureau culture, ending the state’s constant emergency of inadequate school funding, and maximizing the city’s investment in core urban services while cutting at least $25 million to close the expected shortfall 鈥� depends on successfully maneuvering these challenges,鈥� Shibley said. 鈥淎s I put it to bureau directors last month, 鈥楤usiness as usual 鈥� isn’t.’ 鈥� 鈥� Melody Finnemore