Margaret Strachan
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Margaret Strachan
| image =
| caption =
| alt =
| birth_name = Margaret Darcy
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1935}}
| death_date =
| birth_place = Helena, Montana
| death_place =
| office = Portland City Commissioner, Position 3
| constituency =
| successor = Bob Koch
| predecessor = Frank Ivancie
| term_start = 1981
| term_end = 1986
| known_for =
| profession =
| occupation = Teacher, campaign manager, City Commissioner
| alma_mater = Carroll College
| footnotes =
| party = Democratic
}}
Margaret D. Strachan (born 1935) is an American politician who served on the Portland City Council, in Portland, Oregon, from 1981 to 1986.{{Cite web|title=City Elected Officials Since 1913|url=https://www.portland.gov/elections/city-elected-officials|access-date=2021-11-12|publisher=The City of Portland, Oregon}} She was the first woman elected to the Council (Connie McCready and Mildred Schwab were appointed).{{Cite web|title=Donor Profiles|url=https://www.pdx.edu/cupa/donor-profiles#:~:text=Margaret%20Strachan%20served%20as%20a,of%20planning,%20transportation%20and%20housing.|access-date=2020-06-14|publisher=College of Urban & Public Affairs, Portland State University}}{{Cite news|first=Beth|last=Slovic|date=April 19, 2012|title=For women, history shows winning office in Portland is no easy task|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/2012/04/for_women_winning_office_in_po.html|access-date=2020-06-14|newspaper=The Oregonian}}
Early life and education
She was born Margaret Darcy{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Linda |title=Activists of differing backgrounds meet in council runoff; Strachan emphasizing 'perspective of citizen' |newspaper=The Sunday Oregonian |date=March 22, 1981 |pages=D1, D4}} in Helena, Montana. She graduated from Carroll College with a degree in English and became a high-school teacher. She taught in Montana for three years until she moved to Portland in 1973.
Activism and political career
She worked as a neighborhood activist, including as a coordinator for the City of Portland's Office of Neighborhood Associations and later on the staff of Commissioner Mike Lindberg as a liaison to neighborhood organizations.{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Linda |title=Strachan, Blumenauer stage last-minute blitz |newspaper=The Sunday Oregonian |date=March 29, 1981 |page=B1}} She was the campaign manager for Charles Jordan's first run for election to the city council, in 1974, after Jordan was initially appointed to the council.
She was elected to the Portland City Council in March 1981,{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Linda |title=Strachan's 'packaging', ability to project image credited in council win |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=April 2, 1981 |page=A25}} and was sworn in on April 9, 1981.{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Linda |title=Acclimatizing hectic for new commissioner |newspaper=The Sunday Oregonian |date=April 12, 1981 |page=B7}} Her 1981 election was to a partial term only, to fill a vacancy on the council created in November 1980 as a result of Frank Ivancie's succeeding Connie McCready as mayor, but she won re-election in May 1982.{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Linda |title=Both Strachan, Schwab coast to easy victories |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=May 19, 1982 |page=B1}}
She ran for re-election again in 1986, but lost to Bob Koch{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=New City Council's inexperience debated |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=November 10, 1986 |page=B1}} and her time on the council ended at the end of 1986.{{cite news |last=Oliver |first=Gordon |title=Strachan leaves office; future undecided |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=January 1, 1987 |page=C4}}
She was instrumental in the redevelopment of the Pearl District from an industrial district to a high-end neighborhood.{{Cite web|title=Chloe Eudaly Portland City Commissioner|url=https://www.facebook.com/ChloeEudalyPDX/posts/1512124462278724|date=March 9, 2020|access-date=2020-06-14|website=www.facebook.com|language=en}} During her term she was also involved in developing the Central City Plan and building public housing along the Park Blocks.
In 1988, she became the Executive Director of Central City Concern,{{cite news |last1=Laatz |first1=Joan |title=Strachan new chief of Central City Concern |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=February 20, 1988 |page=D1}} a Portland non-profit that provides resources to homeless people. She left the organization a year later, in March 1989.{{cite news |last=Rollins |first=Michael |title=Agency board affirms Strachan's departure |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=March 16, 1989 |page=D6}}
Personal life
Margaret Darcy married Jim Strachan in 1954, at age 19, and became Margaret Strachan. They divorced before she moved to Portland. In Oregon, she married Sumner Sharpe. She is currently retired and living in Montana.
References
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Category:Portland City Council members (Oregon)
Category:Carroll College (Montana) alumni
Category:Politicians from Helena, Montana