Helen Berg
Encyclopedia
Helen Berg was an American
statistician and politician. Berg served as the first female mayor of Corvallis, Oregon
, from 1994 until 2006. She was also the longest serving mayor of Corvallis to date.
in statistics
in 1973 from Oregon State University
. She was in her 40s at the time. Two years later, in 1975, she became the director of the Survey Research Center at Oregon State. She continued to work as the center's director until her retirement in 1993.
, a forestry
professor
at Oregon State, in 1983. Berg, who had been active in civics, took an interest in her husband's political career. Alan Berg had previously served on the Corvallis city council
from 1973 to 1978. He was also elected as mayor of Corvallis for two terms from 1979 to 1986. The couple's marriage lasted six years, until his death in 1989.
Helen Berg served on the Corvallis city council for two consecutive terms from 1991 until 1994.
Under Berg's three-term tenure, four new fire stations were constructed. The city's largest public works
project in its history, the $30 million sewer overflow remediation project, was completed, which stopped sewage
and storm runoff from being dumped into the Willamette River
. The city completed a long term development plan called the Corvallis 2020 Vision Statesmen.
Berg oversaw the planning and construction of the Howland Plaza at Riverfront Commemorative Park, which opened in May 2004. The Corvallis Police Department was also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
, a distinction shared by only 2% of American police departments at the time.
Helen Berg retired from office in 2006 after three terms. She was succeeded as mayor by Charlie Tomlinson. Berg had previously defeated Tomlinson in the 2003 mayoral election.
, in 2007 soon after leaving office to be closer to her family. She died on August 13, 2010, in Portland, Oregon, of the asbestos
-related disease peritoneal mesothelioma
at the age of 78.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
statistician and politician. Berg served as the first female mayor of Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
, from 1994 until 2006. She was also the longest serving mayor of Corvallis to date.
Career
Berg received her master's degreeMaster's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in statistics
Statistics
Statistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
in 1973 from Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
. She was in her 40s at the time. Two years later, in 1975, she became the director of the Survey Research Center at Oregon State. She continued to work as the center's director until her retirement in 1993.
Political career
Helen Berg married her third husband, Alan BergAlan Berg (politician)
Alan B. Berg was an American politician and forestry professor at Oregon State University. Berg served on the city council of Corvallis, Oregon, from 1973 until 1978. He later served as the Mayor of Corvallis for two terms from 1979 until 1986.Berg married his wife, statistician Helen Berg, in...
, a forestry
Forestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Oregon State, in 1983. Berg, who had been active in civics, took an interest in her husband's political career. Alan Berg had previously served on the Corvallis city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
from 1973 to 1978. He was also elected as mayor of Corvallis for two terms from 1979 to 1986. The couple's marriage lasted six years, until his death in 1989.
Helen Berg served on the Corvallis city council for two consecutive terms from 1991 until 1994.
Mayor of Corvallis
Helen Berg successfully ran for her first term as mayor of Corvallis in 1994 when she was 62 years old. Berg became Corvallis' first female mayor and would ultimately become the longest-serving mayor of the city to date. She would hold office for three consecutive terms, until her retirement in 2006.Under Berg's three-term tenure, four new fire stations were constructed. The city's largest public works
Public works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
project in its history, the $30 million sewer overflow remediation project, was completed, which stopped sewage
Sewage
Sewage is water-carried waste, in solution or suspension, that is intended to be removed from a community. Also known as wastewater, it is more than 99% water and is characterized by volume or rate of flow, physical condition, chemical constituents and the bacteriological organisms that it contains...
and storm runoff from being dumped into the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
. The city completed a long term development plan called the Corvallis 2020 Vision Statesmen.
Berg oversaw the planning and construction of the Howland Plaza at Riverfront Commemorative Park, which opened in May 2004. The Corvallis Police Department was also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., is a credentialing authority , based in the United States, whose primary mission is to accredited public safety agencies, namely law enforcement agencies, training academies, communications centers, and campus public safety...
, a distinction shared by only 2% of American police departments at the time.
Helen Berg retired from office in 2006 after three terms. She was succeeded as mayor by Charlie Tomlinson. Berg had previously defeated Tomlinson in the 2003 mayoral election.
Later life
Berg moved to Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, in 2007 soon after leaving office to be closer to her family. She died on August 13, 2010, in Portland, Oregon, of the asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
-related disease peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma
Peritoneal mesothelioma is the name given to the cancer that attacks the lining of the abdomen. This type of cancer affects the lining that protects the contents of the abdomen and which also provides a lubricating fluid to enable the organs to move and work properly.The peritoneum is made of two...
at the age of 78.