David Gonzalez's blog

Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard and Sam joined workers and executives from Thompson Metal Fabricators, Bigge Crane and Rigging and tram staff here today to send off a giant piece of one of the new Portland Aerial Tram towers. The 90 by 30 foot structure is making its way down the Columbia River this afternoon.  The structure, locally produced by Thompson, is more that twice the size of the Portlandia statue that was barged into Portland in 1985.

Speaking from the barge on the Columbia River today, Sam said, “Now that the costs and funding of the tram have been finalized, it’s exciting to see the construction finally taking shape.” Sam continued, “In addition to spurring the development of the new South Waterfront, it is becoming clear that the tram will be a landmark for the entire region.”

At 4:00pm today, the barge started down the Columbia River, winding its way up the Willamette River through the evening and overnight. The structure is expected to arrive in the South Waterfront area of Portland on Saturday morning.   

On Monday, April 10, Sam joined about a thousand people in downtown Portland and hundreds of thousands of people across the country in a call to action for Congress: Pass Sensible Immigration Reform Now!
Here are some excerpts from his comments.
"I am the grandson of Irish immigrants. I am here today to urge congress to pass an immigration bill that is just, fair and compassionate. I believe that the legislation that the House, has passed (HR4437) is extreme. I support moving in the direction of the Senate - a direction that lays out a clear path to citizenship. Your presence here sends an important message of the positive contributions  that immigrants make to our City, State and Nation. Si Se Puede"!

The Portland Community Vision Project is a city-supported, community initiative to create a vision for Portland for the next 30 years and beyond. The project provides an opportunity for people from all over Portland to share their hopes and ideas for the future.

The Vision Committee is conducting a grant program available for innovative outreach ideas.  The Community Grants will support nonprofit and government community outreach programs to conduct information gathering and publicity for the Community Vision Project—informing and asking Portlanders about the future of Portland.  Grants are due Jan. 31!  See website for more information or Download VisionUpdateJan2006.pdf

for the committee's latest update!

Today, at the final City Council meeting of the year, Commissioner Sam Adams, along with Commissioners Saltzman and Sten passed a landmark ordinance that requires many City Hall lobbyists to register with the City Auditor.

Passing the ordinance was a hard-fought battle for Adams, who made lobbyist registration a cornerstone of his campaign to shake up city hall. “Although it took a full year of consistent work to pass this into law, I have always remained steadfast in my commitment to day-lighting the conversations lobbyists have with city officials,” Adams said after the vote. “The public deserves this transparency. When you know it’s good for the city, you work until you’re done.”

Adams’ extensive outreach has included:
·    Soliciting input at six public meetings attended by a broad range of stakeholders including representatives of City Council staff;
·    Sending nine drafts out for public comment to more than 5,000 email recipients; and
·    Hosting three rounds of face-to-face meetings with the each of the City Commissioners.

Key supporters of the ordinance include: Money in Politics Research Action Project; League of Women's Voters; OSPIRG; Sam Chase, Community Development Network; Robert King, Portland Police Association; Jack Finders, Portland Fire Fighters Association; Michael Dehner, Laborers Local 483; and Chris Smith, NW neighborhood activist.

Adams reminds us that shining light on city hall conversations does not end with the passage of this ordinance. “Like all legislation, it’s a work in progress. It’s just the beginning. With today’s vote, we’ve entered the pilot phase. We’ll evaluate its performance over the next year and based on our findings we’ll work to make a good process even better. Portland wants accountability and transparency; this helps deliver it.”

Sam Adams sits on the Portland City Council and is currently
Portland’s Commissioner for Transportation,
Environmental Services, Arts and Workforce Development. Sam’s office is
currently looking for smart and driven individuals to join our team as interns.
Our office is diverse and dynamic. Applicants should thrive in
such environments.

 Interns work with the Commissioner and his senior staff on implementation
of the office agenda and priorities. Typical intern tasks may include
responding to constituent requests and letters, maintaining our blog, assisting
on projects as directed by senior staff, attending events and meetings with the Commissioner as well as providing front desk coverage and routine
administrative support.

Please check out what our previous interns have said about working here! And here too!

 We currently have internship opportunities in the following
areas:
*Assistant to the Citizen's Advocate

Commissioner Adams provides equal opportunity to all
qualified individuals without regard to their race, color, religion, national
origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, source of income or physical
or mental disability not constituting a bona fide qualification. People of
diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

This is an unpaid internship. We ask interns to commit at least 10-14 hours per week for at least 3 to 4 months.

A resume and short letter of interest should be sent to:
David Gonzalez, Operations Manager
Via e-mail: dgonzalez@ci.portland.or.us
Via fax: 503-823-3017
Via post or in person:
Office of Commissioner Sam Adams
1221 SW 4^th Ave, Room 220
Portland, OR 97204

City Hall 1st Thursday- November 3, 5-7pm
Sam's office will be featuring the work of Kirk Botero.
Commissioner Leonard is welcoming guitarist, Alfredo Muro.
Commssioner Saltzman will be featuring urban design work by Bill Badrick.

Light refreshments donated by Safeway.com.
Wine tastings by Hip Chicks Do Wine.

In Sam's office, for the month of October, we'll be featuring the steel creations of Portland artist Stashu Smaka.

Open House/Artist Reception:
Thursday, October 6, 5-7pm

Commissioner Sam Adams Invites You to City Hall First Thursday

Thursday, September 1, 2005 5pm-7pm
Portland City Hall
1221 SW Fourth Ave.
Portland, OR 97204

-The Susan Komen Foundation UP CLOSE in PINK Art Show

UP CLOSE in PINK is a body of works exploring the artistic and creative expressions of those affected by breast cancer. This event is part of the Paint Portland Pink! Campaign of the Komen Portland Race for the Cure to further Komen's mission of eradicating breast cancer as a life-threatening disease.

The UP CLOSE in PINK show will be on display in the North Atrium of City Hall for the entire month of September.

-A special performance by Oregon Public Broadcasting's Live Wire!

Live Wire isn’t just a show, it’s a happening. It’s a place where you’re never quite sure what might happen next. From radical cheerleaders popping in at unexpected moments, to audience members dressed as giant evil bunnies, to on-air head shavings, it’s Talk Show meets Sketch Show meets Side Show. And it’s something you truly need to see/hear to believe.

Live Wire will be performing throughout the evening in the South Atrium and will be featuring some City Hall surprise guests.

-"Mind States" paintings by Megan Scheminske

Megan's work deals with a clash between controlled construction and random occurrence, and the internal struggle between the two she observes in her daily and artistic life. "I pay attention to my mind as I paint, observing the tension that arises when I force myself to accept a messy, 'unexplainable' or unintended brushstroke instead of perfecting it by molding it into something deliberate. In this way, my paintings are exercises in meditation and expressions of mind states. I can only hope they'll get simpler as time passes…"

Meg’s work will be on display in Commissioner Adams’ office for the entire month of September.

Also joining the City Hall 1st Thursday activities:

-Works by Shu-Ju Wang

Born and raised in Taiwan, Shu-Ju Wang settled in Oregon after stays in Saudi Arabia, California, and New Jersey. Trained as a Software Engineer, she started taking classes at Oregon College of Art & Craft in the late 80’s (then Oregon School of Arts & Crafts), and had her first solo show in 1996 at the school’s Centrum Gallery. In 2000, she left the high tech industry to become a full time studio artist. With one foot firmly rooted in her adopted home in the Silicon Forest and the other in the artistic traditions of East & Central Asia and the Middle East, Shu-Ju paints a portrait of her sometimes wonderful, sometimes unsettling, first generation American life. Whether it's a bird in winter or a chrysanthemum in full bloom, there are always layers of meaning waiting to be discovered.

Shu-Ju's work will be on display in Commissioner Saltzman's office for the entire month of September.

Photography by Tony Sibley will be featured in Commissioner Leonard's office.

Sam invites you to an open house and art exhibit:

Color of Life
Sculpture and Paintings by David Herbold

First Thursday reception:
July 7, 5-7pm
City Hall, Room 220 -
light refreshments provided.

Artist Statement
Woven together from the materials, people, thoughts, rhythms and breath that surround me.  This body of work explores two main themes.  The presence of primitive human spirit which still resonates in us no matter how suffocated by our modern lives.  And what it means to be a part of the American stew with our tainted history, spirit of freedom and individuality and fractured hope.

About David
David Herbold was raised in the Northwest, and two years in Germany with his family.   He studied sculpture in Florence, Italy and Bozeman, Montana where he received a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Montana State University.  David has recently returned to Portland from living in the San Fransisco bay area. For the last five years, David has been a working artist maintaining a studio as well as running art programs for youth in community centers and high schools. David's work has been exhibited in galleries in Portland, OR, Bozeman, MT, Berkeley, CA, Oakland, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Italy (Florence and Sienna). David's work continues to be influenced by his travels and the human spirit which threads community together.

In May, we'll be featuring the work of Portland artist Lisa Kaser. Come celebrate at our opening reception on May 5 from 5-7 p.m. at City Hall, 1221 SW Fourth Ave. Room 220 or stop by our office during May to check out her work.

I have been working in the medium of textiles and sculpture for nearly twenty-five years and drawing all my life. My fondness of texture, and handwork is a compelling factor in my work.  All the three dimensional pieces with the exception of the wood carvings are handsewn onto armatures bent out of street sweeper bristles I find on my daily walks, the materials are a mix of hemp, linen, recycled cloth or wool felt that I produce and embellish with found objects and lastly encase in layers of natural beeswax.     -Lisa Kaser