Morrisette, William

From Lane Co Oregon

Bill Morrisette is the former mayor of Springfield (1989-1999). He was born October 18, 1931 in Anaconda, Montana. He became a Springfield resident in 1961 and taught Social Studies at Springfield High School from 1962 until retiring in 1990. He earned a bachelor's degree in Economics and Political Science from Carroll College in Helena, Montana and a master's degree in Education from the University of Oregon. He was in the Springfield City Council, 1987 to 1989. He then was mayor for 10 years. At sometime he was Chair, Lane Council of Governments and on the Executive Board, National Associations of Regional Councils

Morrisette and his wife, Janice, have eight children, 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren and is Catholic.

In addition to being mayor of Springfield, Morrisette has served on the Lane County Council of Governments. He has also sat on the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority as Chair, the Metropolitan Waste Water Commission as Chair and the Metropolitan Policy Committee. Since 1999, he has been State Senator for District 6 of Oregon as a Democrat.

Morrisette currently serves as chair of the Senate Human Services Committee and also serves on the Senate Health Policy and Education committees, as well as the Joint Ways & Means Subcommittee on General Government. He chaired the Senate Education Committee in the 2003 session, and was a member of the House Education Committee in the 2001 session, and sponsored numerous education-improvement bills in all three sessions.