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Why me, why now.

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My name is Matt Roberts.  I moved to the Rogue Valley in 1988 and to Medford in 1995.  I've been a business owner and employer as well as a business manager, and have worked in and around law enforcement for a couple of decades.  As a homeowner, a husband, and a father, I recognize and am affected by the issues our city faces that many of my Ward 4 neighbors will be, or already are, encountering.

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Over the past 30 years,  I've watched the town I call home change,  get more worn and dirty; watched my neighbors suffer from increasing property crime; seen great, local businesses struggle under extraordinary regulation; and unchecked, illegal homeless encampments overwhelm our green spaces and streets.

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Early in 2021 while driving along Interstate 5 through town I, like so many other Medford residents, could no longer ignore the homeless camps that had cropped up along the Greenway.  The trash and blatant disregard for a public space designed to bring our community together in recreation and health was heart-breaking. In an effort to raise awareness, invite conversation and ideas, and ultimately find solutions - both for the un-housed population residing on the Greenway, and the rest of Medford's residents, I founded the Greenway Recovery Project.  The movement now has nearly 4,000 followers and has generated interest from and collaboration with local law enforcement and the city, as well as partnerships with organizations like Rogue Retreat that offer real-life solutions and resources to help those living on the streets to change their life for the better.  I believe in helping those who need help but I also believe in personal accountability.​

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I urge you to talk with your friends and associates about the issues we are facing.  Talk about how fractured and divisive party politics have made us as a society.  Talk about what really matters. 

 

Then ask yourself: If you visited Medford for the first time today, is this a city you’d choose to live in?   If the answer is "no", but you think we can change for the better, maybe my ideals align with yours.  If they do, please vote accordingly this November.

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About me
Emergency Response

Emergency Response Qualifications

It makes sense to elect a council member with real life experience.  

Medford faces a variety of threats: from wildfire, Cascadia earthquake events, flooding, and other natural disasters, to hazardous spills along I-5, supply chain disruptions, water shortages, and more.
 

Our civic representatives need to be not just willing but well-equipped to lead in times of crisis.  I am the only candidate with the skills and experience to effectively assist our city through the unthinkable.

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I have been a Search and Rescue volunteer, dive resecue/recovery specialist, swift water rescue technician, and CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team) volunteer.  I hold more than 20 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) certifications, and currently serve on the Emergency Operations team at SOU.  I am also an emergency preparedness instructor.  My certifications include:​

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CERTIFICATIONS INCLUDE:

  • IS-0001: Emergency Program Manager, An Orientation to the Position

  • IS-0007: A Citizen”s Guide to Disaster Assistance

  • IS-0015: Special Events Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies

  • IS-0022: Are You Ready?  An In-Depth Guide To Citizen Preparedness

  • IS-0042: Social Media in Emergency Management

  • IS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System

  • IS-200: ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents

  • IS-235: Emergency Planning

  • IS-240: Leadership and Influence

  • IS-292: Disaster Basics

  • IS-320: Wildfire Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff

  • IS-322: Flood Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff

  • IS-323: Earthquake Mitigation Basics for Mitigation Staff

  • IS-360: Preparing for Mass Casualty Incidents: Guide for Schools,  Higher Education, and Houses of Worship

  • IS-700: National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction

  • IS-800D: National Response Framework, An Introduction

  • IS-907: Active Shooter: What You Can Do

  • IS-2200: Basic Emergency Operations Center Functions

  • CERT (Citizen Emergency Response Team) certificate

    CERTIFIED TRAINER:

  • CRASE (Citizen Response to an Active Shooter Event) Train the Trainer

  • “Stop The Bleed” Trainer

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