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To honor, recognize and celebrate the life and times of former Columbus City Council Member Maurice D. Portman and to extend our sincerest condolences to his family and friends on the occasion of his passing, July 3, 2003.
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Maurice (M.D.) Portman was born on April 4, 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio to Max and Rose Portman. Raised by these hard-working Ukrainian immigrants, Maury (as he was fondly known) learned the value of commitment, dedication and satisfaction in a job well done.
Arriving in Columbus on December 1, 1945, Maury took his first steps in this, his adopted city, at the old Union Station. Little did he know that when he took his last step more than fifty-seven years later what a remarkable legacy he would leave behind.
During his lifetime he worked at many different jobs - delivery-boy for a grocery store and a newspaper, shoe maker and salesman, public relations reporter, newspaper reporter, radio news editor and commentator, AP correspondent and editor, soldier/company clerk for the Army in WWII, freelance writer, real estate agent, government employee, business/government consultant, stock broker, and, of course, public official.
His meeting and ultimately serving as campaign manager then executive assistant, budget manager and Finance Director to former Mayor M.E. Sensenbrenner was a turning point in his life. During Mayor Sensenbrenner's first term (1955-59), Maury assisted in establishing a revised budget process, a new treasury investment program and a Department of Finance for the City along with making annexation, urban renewal and capital improvements important agenda items; which included the Goodale slum clearance project, completion of Hoover Dam, expressway startups and expansion of Port Columbus.
We are very fortunate that Maury's second attempt at winning a seat on Council in 1965 resulted in a victorious outcome. His major effort during his first term was to sponsor and create legislation establishing the...
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