MADRAS, ORE. — Last November, 27-year-old Jason Hale (then 26) was elected mayor of this town in central Oregon, defeating 65-year-old incumbent Frank Morton by nearly 30 percentage points. Hale was already a successful businessman, as the owner of a convenience store, Ahern’s Grocery & Deli, and a bar, the Back Street Pub, before deciding to tackle the position of mayor of Madras, a small but developing community of about 7,500.

Born in Pocatello, Idaho, Hale and his family moved to Seoul when he was 4 years old. Six years later, they relocated to the Dallas area, where Hale lived until he attended college at the University of Texas at Austin. He relocated to Madras a few years ago, and fell in love with the city. Today, he’s not only a young mayor — who even has a MySpace page — but he’s also one of a handful of Korean Americans who call Madras home.

KoreAm caught up with the busy mayor to find out how he’s adjusting to his new political life.

 

 

 

What made you decide to run for mayor?

There were a lot of people in our community who were frustrated with our local government. There were some suspicious deals that our city was involved in, and rumors were flying. It actually came down to people saying that I should run. I thought about it for a long time, every day when I ran around the track at the high school. I finally decided that if anyone could make a difference, it would be me.

What is Madras like?

Madras is a small town, but it’s the most charming place I have ever lived. I mostly grew up in large cities, so it was the first small-town experience that I have had, and I must say that I love it. Everyone says hello when they see you, and they take time to ask you about your day.

As a young mayor, what are some of the unique challenges you face?

The learning curve is the biggest challenge I have. There is a lot of city and county history that I have a general knowledge of, but at times it is insufficient. 

Has anyone ever joked about you being a Korean liquor/convenience-store owner?

Most people do not know that I am half-Korean. In fact, there was one time when I was working the register, when two men said how thankful they were that the previous Korean “chink” owners had sold. I was not exactly shocked because I have lived my entire life with racial comments coming at me from all directions. Stereotypes do not faze me. I am proud of who I am, and if it was a big issue to that many people, I probably would not have won the election.

What’s your favorite Korean dish?

This is impossible to answer. This is like asking me who my favorite president was. They are all good in their own ways. I will eat anything.