For Ali Afghan, serving on City Council is less about politics and more about stewardship—paying attention to the kind of community Lake Oswego is today and the kind of community it will become in the years ahead.

 

Afghan has lived in Lake Oswego since 1990 and says his experience here has always been positive. Over time, conversations with neighbors, community members, and fellow councilors led him to consider becoming involved himself. Then, during a neighborhood picnic, Mayor Joe Buck asked whether he had ever considered serving in a larger capacity.

 

The timing felt right, and Afghan built a campaign around safety and security, sustainability, and equity.

 

After years spent building his professional career, Afghan says he finally felt able to focus more energy on serving his own community. A conversation with a longtime mentor also shaped the way he thinks about service. Nearly a decade ago, Afghan shared that he had considered leaving his corporate career to help develop water systems in Africa. His mentor challenged him to first look closely at his own community and ask where he could make a difference there.

 

That perspective continues to guide him today.

 

Afghan says one of the biggest surprises about serving on City Council was how different local government feels from the corporate world. Instead of quick decisions and direct execution, city government requires collaboration, patience, and public process. Councilors spend hours reviewing reports, serving on committees, attending meetings, and listening to community concerns before decisions are made.

 

For Afghan, staying connected to residents is one of the most important parts of the role. He believes neighborhood associations, schools, local businesses, and ongoing community conversations all play an important part in shaping the city’s future. He also believes effective leadership requires councilors to set aside personal agendas and make decisions based on what is best for the broader community.

 

Afghan thinks often about the generations who helped build the Lake Oswego residents enjoy today.

 

“We’re living today in the vision of those who came before us,” Afghan said. “What do we want future generations to say about us?”

 

He believes the best decisions happen when residents stay connected, involved, and willing to participate in the conversations shaping their community.

 

 

Residents can learn more about City Council meetings, neighborhood associations, and ways to get involved through the City of Lake Oswego website: https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/