Annual honor is given to man who impresses with his tireless dedication

The Boring Community Planning Organization, an advisory arm of Clackamas County government, has chosen the 2013 Boring Citizen of the Year.

While Steve Bates was on vacation in April, the CPO members voted unanimously to bestow the honor on Bates, who has served as CPO chairman for a couple of years. That vote was kept secret until the May 7 CPO meeting, when Bates was honored publicly.

CPO Secretary Norm Rice described the qualifications that convinced everyone Bates was their man.

Rice said the people of Boring, many of whom are on Bates’ email list and others who read The Post, are “persistently reminded and consistently invited to be engaged within our community, county and world.”

Speaking about the way Bates has kept the community informed and involved, Rice reminded all present that Bates has kept the name and influence of Boring in appropriate places.

“Our enlightened Boring community voice,” Rice said, “has reverberated through the governmental halls of Clackamas and Multnomah counties, Metro, ODOT, TriMet and the city halls of Gresham, Damascus and Sandy as well as the legislative chambers of the great state of Oregon.”

The culture and goals of Boring residents are now topics of discussion on radio, TV, newsprint, Facebook and Twitter from the highlands of Scotland to South Africa, from the flatlands of Japan to the heights of Peru and from the chill of Siberia to the heat of the Australian Outback.

“All because of the voice and pen of a dedicated citizen,” Rice said.

In his various roles, Bates has been involved in improving communications around the widespread Boring community, inventorying area businesses, improving the local economy by promoting business and drawing international attention to Boring and Clackamas County.

Spurred by Bates, local residents were involved in communications with some of the people of Dull, Scotland, and the result was the pairing of the two communities.

Through his efforts, Clackamas County declared Aug. 9 as Boring and Dull Day in perpetuity, and through his continuing efforts legislators were successful in gaining unanimous approvals in the House and Senate for the same day. Gov. John Kitzhaber has signed the bill that declares Aug. 9 Boring and Dull Day statewide each year.

Bates also had the beginning thoughts on ways to create a foundation that could receive grants to help build a community center for the area’s elderly and retired.

“Because of the brilliant and centered vision of one man (Bates),” Rice said, “the Boring Oregon Foundation now is on a mission (to fund and build the community center).”

Bates also has set an example in the organized and impartial way he has conducted CPO meetings.

The most recent meeting is a good example, Rice said, where Bates brought people together from all persuasions — conservative, liberal, independent, undecided, union, non-union — to debate the issues and candidates on the next ballot.

“He allows anyone to speak,” Rice said, “anyone with a voice wishing to be respectfully heard.”