O’Brien Takes West End School Board Seat

West End Neighborhood Association president Robert O’Brien was elected on November 7th to represent District 2 (West End) on the Portland School Committee. O’Brien defeated incumbent Stephen Spring 1,948 (52.89%) to 1,735 (47.11%). Spring was elected to the Committee in 2003, defeating current Parkside/Bayside State Representative Herb Adams.

In his term on the Committee, Spring was responsible for that board taking on student representatives as non-voting members, helped institute a policy limiting military recruitment in City schools, advocated and secured free passes for students to use METRO public buses, and was a leading voice in opposition to a school task force proposal to close the Reiche School.

O’Brien initially announced that he would run for the State Legislature from District 118 (West End), but backed out of that race, citing other commitments. He is also vice-president of Portland’s Irish-American Club.