City Council Candidate Bio: Mike Caughey

Council President Mike Caughey

Current Title:  City Council President

Name:  Mike Caughey

Current Term:  Jan 1, 2017 to Dec 31, 2020

Pending Term:  Jan 1, 2021 to Dec 31, 2024

Council/Government Experience:  Mike ran for office in the general election in November, 2012, with a term to start on Jan 1, 2013.  However, Mayor Duncan first appointed him to a vacated Council seat, for the month of December 2012.  He has served the City of Harrisburg for almost eight years. 

Current Committee Assignments:  Mike has served as Council President since Jan 2015.  (The President serves as the Pro-tem Mayor in the Mayor's absence), and is still a member of the Personnel Committee.  In addition, Mike served as the Chairperson of the Government Committee, from 2015 to 2017 and also was a member of the Public Works Committee from 2013 to 2015.  As a City Councilor, Mike also serves on the Harrisburg Budget Committee.  Mike is also the primary Board Member of the Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (OCWCOG) for the City of Harrisburg; a position he has hel since 2019.

Bio: 

Mike Caughey and his wife Kay chose to retire to Harrisburg, after considering numerous areas in Oregon, at the end of their second 20+ year careers as Realtor-Brokers in Washington State.

Mike was born in Maine, lived in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and finished High School in Hawaii. After serving a 4-year enlistment in the US Navy, he was employed by a telecommunications company in Hawaii.  During his 25-year career there, he held various positions of electronic technician, systems engineer and manager of electronic repair facilities.  Upon relocating to Washington state, he began his next career in real estate, before retiring to Harrisburg in 2011.

Education: Earned a BS in Business from Hawaii Pacific College in 1982 and a MS in Systems Management at USC in 1985, each while holding a full-time job. 

Experience:  Volunteered with Big Brothers/Big Sisters as a fundraiser and events planner.  Facilitator for Junior Achievement. Served on Board of Directors for Learning Disabilities Association.  Served as adjunct faculty at University of Hawaii teaching electricity and electronics.  Served as a usability tester for Microsoft software. 

Current: Served as a City Councilor since 2013 and as Council President since 2015. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments since 2019. Member of the Planetary Society, National Space Society and American Mensa.

Hobbies: Travel, reading, electronic projects, alternative energy, science in general and space programs.

Most significant accomplishment as a City Councilor in Harrisburg is supporting the water bond issue.

Ongoing goals: Maintain good fiscal controls of our city’s finances. Seeing the new water system completed and providing our citizens with clean, good tasting water.  Continue to improve our infrastructure. 

He is thankful for the outstanding staff of our City and each of the folks who donate their time to make our wonderful little city what it is and improve life for all of our citizens.