Dirk Rohne was elected to the Port Commission in July 2017. He currently serves as the Commission Secretary. Growing up, Dirk’s family owned two farms— one in Madras, Oregon, where he was born, and one in Brownsmead, just outside of Knappa. He currently resides in the same Brownsmead house that he grew up in, and he and his wife operate a dairy farm which they purchased in 2001. The 200 acre farm has close to 300 cows of different ages. It is a family farm, in every sense of the word, as they are a young family with two children.
Commissioner Rohne has lived in Brownsmead for over 45 years, with the exception of time away at Oregon State University and abroad in Germany and New Zealand. He and his wife live here because “this is very much where we want to be,” and he finds plenty of reasons to love this area. Brownsmead has a “natural splendor” and a strong community feel.
For respite from the hard work on the farm, they go to Astoria, where they enjoy being a part of the vibrant social scene. Dirk’s wife, a native Astorian, has been involved in the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival. They try not to miss any opportunities to enjoy Astoria, from FisherPoets, to Saturday art walks, to just getting together with good friends for the evening. He believes “it’s all about people; lots of good people in our community.”
To serve and support his community, Dirk has been involved in a number of nonprofits and governmental organizations. He has been an active participant in the Knappa Fire Department, Knappa Water Association, Brownsmead Diking District, and the Brownsmead Grange. He has also served on the Clatsop Community College Board of Directors, the Clatsop County Planning Commission, and the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners.