For more than a decade, Troutdale’s outgoing city manager has approached the role like the aperture of an hourglass.

Small, nearly indiscernible to the naked eye, but a key component in the middle that balances and keeps everything running smoothly. On one side, Ray Young has a talented and dedicated staff within City Hall. On the other side are the elected members of the city council, citizens, and local businesses.

“Your job as manager is to orchestrate all that,” Young said. “I don’t take credit for anything good that happened in Troutdale while I was here. It takes a team effort — everything coming together around me in the middle.”

Because of that team, his job has been easy in many ways. Troutdale has approximately 70 employees, and they tend to remain with the company for a long time.

“Employees stay in Troutdale because the size is just right,” Young said. “You don’t get lost in the shuffle, but there are also opportunities.”

But it’s the camaraderie and effectiveness that have made everything so difficult for Young. After more than eight years in the role, he has made the difficult decision to step away.

For a self-described “workaholic who loves being busy,” that can be a stomach-twisting choice. But there were too many tempting opportunities.

The best is the birth of his fourth grandchild last fall. They all live in Denver, so retirement will allow Young and his wife, Lauri, more time to travel and spend with their grandchildren.

“I’ve had jobs where I’ve been on duty 24/7 for 42 years,” Young said. “It is time to enjoy another part of life; to not have that stress and worry.”

Decision to leave

This was the right time to transition leadership. While there are big decisions on the horizon, Young felt there was a perfect window to take his municipal bow.

“You want to leave before they want you gone,” he said with a laugh.

But it is still a choice that leaves him apprehensive. He has had many family and friends take the retirement plunge. They warn that the most challenging part is noticing “nobody wants you anymore.”

“I’m used to getting calls all the time, requests to be involved in stuff,” Young said. “It will feel different.”

One of Young’s city manager mentors was Erik Kvarsten. He led Troutdale for eight years and Gresham for more than two decades. When Young told him about his retirement, he (half) jokingly asked Kvarsten if he wanted to come back.

“Erik described retirement to me as finally taking off a huge winter overcoat you have been wearing for decades,” Young said. “You can’t know what it will feel like until you do it.”

The next Troutdale city manager was unanimously selected on Thursday, June 26. Mike Weston claimed the role, coming to East Multnomah County after serving at the helm in King City. It is a selection that excites Young, who believes Young will be a worthy successor.

“I’m really excited for Mike because I think he will be really good for the city,” Young said.

Weston’s first official day is Aug. 25. Young agreed to remain a month longer to aid the transition.

“I know where all the bodies are buried, and I wanted to have a good handoff to Mike,” Young said.

East County law

Young is an East Multnomah County boy through and through.

He grew up on a farm in Boring and later in life bought his own home in the rural community. Young graduated from Sam Barlow High School (the Bruins), married a Gresham High School graduate (the Gophers), and worked his whole life in this area. He loves being so close to the natural beauty of the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, and going on runs.

“Between July and October, there is nothing more wonderful than the weather in Oregon,” he said.

Young started practicing law with his dad’s firm in 1983 in Downtown Gresham. It was that family connection that sparked the interest.

“I have a strong nature of wanting to help people — that is what an attorney does, you go to them when you have problems,” Young said. “There are also all the skills needed in the profession. Communication is important, writing and speaking.”

He cut his legal teeth in the 1980s, working on wills and trusts, as well as corporate matters. Then he joined Gevurtz Menashe when it opened its Gresham office, where he practiced family law.

Backing into government

His legal journey ultimately led, in a roundabout manner, to a career in government work.

“City manager was never on my ‘Top 100’ list of things to do in my life,” Young said with a laugh.

In the spring of 1983, he began serving as the city prosecutor of Troutdale. He did his first jury trial in the old city hall building — it was a driving while under the influence case. A few years later, after that contract was ended, the city asked Young to serve as a fill-in municipal court judge. That was a role he held for 27 years.

While he was forming these relationships in Troutdale, his professional life began to develop his managerial skills. He was the managing partner for the Gresham law office. Then he joined East Hill Church as a manager and outreach pastor.

“Both of the bosses I had at East Hill were students of leadership, former Marine officers, so I learned a lot from them,” Young said. “I was overseeing 100 employees and a huge congregation — one year we had 9,000 people on campus for Easter, which is like the Super Bowl for churches.”

He left his position with the church in 2016 and was unsure what the future held. Then, “out of the blue,” one evening, former mayor Doug Daoust gave him a call. They needed someone to serve as an interim manager as a stopgap during a nationwide search.

“I said, ‘Sure, why not?’” Young said.

He was already on a first-name basis with the local legislators and knew all the major players. It allowed him to hit the ground running, leaning on those relationships.

Looking back is surreal for Young. He still remembers the first time he joined the monthly meeting between the four city managers.

“Back then, I was the newest one,” he said. “Now I am the old hand, and I have wisdom from the mistakes.”

Celebrating the small things

Some moments stand out. He is thankful for the partnerships he formed with the councilors and three mayors during his tenure — Casey Ryan, Randy Lauer, and current Mayor Dave Ripma.

“You hear horror stories from other cities, but we always had a good mix of experienced people and new blood coming in,” Young said.

During his leadership of Troutdale, at the urging of voters, the city sold its decrepit city hall building to put prime real estate in Downtown back on the market. While the plan to have Away Days Brewing fell through last year, Young said refurbishment continues to have it be a future brewery.

They sorted out the urban renewal property, The Confluence, which is north of Downtown. The major hurdle was getting it all under Troutdale ownership, ending a decade-long dance with Junki Yoshida through a buyout. They also completed a necessary $3.5 million cleanup to address the mess left behind by the sewage treatment plant and sheep carcass harvesting.

“It was a complete environmental disaster,” Young said.

They are nearing completion of the Sharon Nesbit Heritage Park. That has been in the works since 2006 and will offer unparalleled views of the Sandy River, along with three play areas, a meadow, and more. Young led the rebuild of Imagination Station, which had been destroyed in a fire before he was hired.

The city worked with the Port of Portland to bring major industrial companies to town, as well as a primary substation that added 400 MW of battery storage.

Troutdale also maintained key partnerships with McMenamin’s Edgefield, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and the Reynolds School District.

But Young is most proud about the small things, like having a working sewer and water system.

“Nobody pays attention to those things until they fail,” Young said. “It takes a lot of work to make sure those services happen.”

“It isn’t the most romantic, but keeping things running well is an accomplishment,” he added.

There is still plenty of work for the future Troutdale city manager. When you get Young going, you can see his mind racing and his eyes light up as he considers all the partnerships and ideas that would continue to make the city such a special place.

Troutdale continues to negotiate with Gresham on fire service, and the idea of forming a new district builds into a thunderous clamor. The parks across the city need more care. A Downtown bike hub is about 5 years away, creating a go-to destination for cyclists across the region as they venture into the Gorge. A dream remains to bring back the Troutdale Police Department. The city can entice new businesses and housing.

Then he sits back.

“The best thing you can do is set the table for the next person,” Young said. “You have to create a situation where things move along without you.”

“This is a continual job — the city will be here in 100 years and I will be gone,” he added.