CommissionerSam.com - Downtown Portland

Art in Our Future: Youth Art Show at City Hall!

Pollyanne Birge — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:17:18 -0700

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Art in our Future:

City Hall Youth Art Show

Thursday May 1st 5-7pm

City Hall 1221 SW 4th

FREE and Open to the Public

Featuring work from:

* Buckman Arts Focus School

* The Children's Healing Art Project

* Young, Gifted, and Black Art Competition in collaboration with the African American Visual Arts Scholarship project.

Performances by:

* Buckman Chorus
* Buckman Marimba Ensemble
* Boys Dance Group, (led by Keith Goodman)

From painting and drawing to sculpture and performance, the night's spotlight will be firmly focused on the rich talent of Portland's young artists. City Hall is excited to open its gallery space for the next generation of creative thinkers to exhibit their amazing work!

Free refreshments, delicious food, youth produced art and great performance-be sure not to miss this event!

Partner Descriptions:

* Buckman Elementary School Arts Focus, a Portland Public School located in inner Southeast Portland, offers an innovative arts-integrated academic curriculum, in addition to intensive arts classes in dance, drama and music, and visual art. At Buckman, Portland's premier arts elementary school, students internalize their academic learning through these varied forms of creative self-expression, resulting in increased self-esteem, absorption of academic material, creative thinking, and understanding and acceptance of the self. Combining a love of the arts with high academic achievement, Buckman is both a neighborhood school and arts focus option program that is open for admission to all elementary students in Portland. Buckman was recently given the Creative Ticket School of Excellence Award by the Oregon Alliance for Arts Education in conjunction with the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network.

Children's Healing Art Project (CHAP) brings the healing power of art to children in crisis and their families with a mobile team of teaching artists working in Portland's children's hospitals.

CHAP has created art classes tailored to the needs of the children we serve in each partner facility: Doernbecher Children's Hospital, Shriners Hospital for Children, Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital & at Art Club (CHAP's out-of-hospital art camp in our Pearl District studio). In 2007, CHAP served over 5,000 children & their families. CHAP offers one-on-one classes for children in isolation and group classes in playrooms, lobbies and waiting rooms. CHAP classes include drawing, painting, sculpture, computer animation, mask making and jewelry. CHAP classes offer a place where nervous energy is transformed into creative energy. Our common language is based in the creative process of making art, which crosses all gender, age, and cultural, religious and ethnic boundaries. CHAP classes offer an art experience that engages and inspires -- where children can be seen for their artistic talents and not for their disease, diagnosis or disability. CHAP is a 501 (c-3) non-profit.

* African American Visual Arts Scholarship:
Visual Arts express the hopes, dreams and history of a people. As guardians of memory and gatekeepers of history, artists are often silently at the heart of resistance and revolution, consciously and unconsciously responsible for changes that have shaped our world. The artist is at once a griot, a teacher, a philosopher. African American Visual Arts Scholarships was created to recognize and support developing African American artists.
www.aavas.com

Young, Gifted, and Black Art Competition:
African-American/African Diaspora high school students 14-19 years of age from the Portland Metro area in Public, Charter, Private, Alternative or Home School.
To encourage the study of a rich cultural history as a living legacy and inspire the creation of original works of art.
Throughout time, the study and knowledge of history has given artists a foundation to fashion their visions as they chronicled and interpreted past and present people, places and events.
Each entry will be accompanied by a typed 100-200 word essay/outline from readings that provide the basis for your art.

Oregonian: Tech Firms Flock to City's Core

Kimberly Schneider — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:53:26 -0700

By Jonathan Brinkman

It turns out that empty-nesters with excess discretionary income are not the only ones who gravitate to Portland's urban core. To attract top talent, software companies are briskly filling large, open spaces in older downtown Portland buildings with fresh faces, ideas and energy.

In the past two years, dozens of software companies have taken root or expanded in downtown. Some have kept adding space in the district even amid worries of a broad economic slowdown. The trend has
gradually given downtown a burgeoning tract of the tech scene, traditionally concentrated in Portland's western suburbs.

Two crucial factors are driving the trend: Software companies -- particularly those focusing on social networking, online advertising and finance -- are thriving. And a hip office in a central location can be a
competitive edge in attracting top-notch staff. "Software companies have always tended to go toward these types of creative spaces, but this is now a fullgrown phenomenon," said Harvey Mathews, executive director of the Software Association of Oregon. "I get calls from people from all over the place, and all of them want this Old Town, downtown, brick funky
space."

The spate of downtown activity also supports the recent conclusion of new economic development group Greenlight Greater Portland, which lists the software industry among the metro area's most promising job engines.
The biggest recent deal came in February, when Jive Software announced it was taking three floors and 38,000 square feet of the vacant former Federal Reserve building at Southwest Ninth Avenue and Stark
Street. The move is slated for this summer. Jive, formed in 2001 in New York City, came to Portland in 2004. It has 145 employees at its current
location at Southwest Third Avenue and Alder Street.

The new building "has the potential for a lot of creativity," said Dave Hersh, Jive's chief executive. "We would kill the company in one fell swoop if we tried to move out to the suburbs."

Among other software companies expanding in Portland:

Galois Inc., specializing in computer security, is moving July 1 from a 12,000-square-foot space in Beaverton to a 19,000-square-foot space at 421 S.W. Sixth Avenue.
PreCash Inc., a Houston financial software company, moved its 40-person technology team from a 17,000-square-foot space on Southwest Broadway to a 20,000-square-foot office in the same building that Galois is moving into, called the Commonwealth Building.
An e-mail marketing software and Web company, eROI, moved Dec. 1 from a 6,200-square-foot-space inthe Albers Mill building at the west end of the Broadway bridge to a 10,000-square-foot spot in a renovated building on Northwest Fifth Avenue in Old Town. It plans to pick up an additional 7,500 square feet in the building early next year.

"This is a very important evolving industry," said Sandra McDonough, chief executive of the Portland Business Alliance, the city's chamber of commerce. "For them to see the central city as the place they want
to be is great for Portland."

The state's tech bubble burst in 2001, and it's only been in recent years that the industry has gained new steam. Statewide employment in the software industry grew by 16 percent from 2004 to 2006, the most
recent year for which data is available.

Chris Elsenbach, a managing principle for corporate real estate adviser CresaPartners, said that's partly due to the tech bust survivors.
"Software firms struggled through 2002, 2003, 2004, but the good firms are coming out of that," he said. "The companies that survived the tech downturn are now profitable. They are selling their products, making
money, adding desks."

The hard part is getting good employees to fill those desks, said Joe Cortright, a Portland economist who co-wrote "The Young and the Restless," a study of the so-called creative class.

"The chief asset of a software company is the talent it attracts," he said. Being centrally located -- easy to get to by public transportation -- and having coffee shops, good restaurants and cultural amenities nearby
help attract creative young workers, he said.

That's what convinced Jay Haladay, owner and chief executive of Coaxis Inc., to move last April from Tigard into a 50,000-square-foot space in a converted warehouse in inner Southeast Portland. "I wanted to create a recruiting magnet," he said of the LEED-certified building at 1515 S.E. Water St. he helped develop. "Being downtown lends itself to the kind of people we're looking to attract."

Jill Bruhn, a Web developer at eROI, lives by the Lloyd Center -- just across the Willamette River from work. She moved from Ashland six months ago.
"I moved here to work in a company like this in the city center," she said. "I didn't want to work in the suburbs. This is kind of the lifestyle I want."

Art Spark Thursday April 17

Pollyanne Birge — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:23:12 -0700

Every Third Thursday

Join us at Art Spark on April 17th!

Living Room Theaters 5-7pm

Click here to learn more.

Art Spark Mission:

A Monthly Mingling of Artists of All Sorts to Meet, Discuss, Blather, Applaud, & Plot the Growth of the Arts in Portland.

Join us for this monthly meeting to encourage conversation and advocacy in the creative community. The events are every 3rd Thursday--so if you can't make this one--put next month's on your calendar!

This month's host is the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA). PNCA President Tom Manley will lead a brief discussion about students' work and future plans for the college.

The Art Spark event is a way to continue the work of the Creative Capacity Strategy, which has been ramping up efforts starting with last year's Creative Capacity Town Hall, roundtable discussions, and the work of both the CC strategy and steering committees.

Living Room Theaters

Special thanks to: Regional Arts and Cultural Council, PNCA, and Living Room Theatres, who is graciously hosting the event.

Second Annual Comic and Illustration Art Show @ City Hall

Pollyanne Birge — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:38:28 -0700

Alan Rose

Second Annual Comic & Illustration Show!

First Thursday April 3rd 5-7pm

City Hall 1221 SW 4th

FREE and open to the public!

Portlanders are so very lucky! Our town is busting at the seam with top-notch illustrators and comic creators. Please join us at City Hall to highlight these hip Portland artists and their amazing work!

Featured Artists:

Graham Annable

Alan RoseDylan Meconis

Elana Pritchard

Patrick Hilton

MUSIC by:

Floating Point

Hymns for the Drowning

Caroyln Main

FREE Concert--The Great Wall Youth Orchestra @ City Hall

Pollyanne Birge — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 14:42:28 -0700

Great Wall of China Youth Orchestra

Great Wall Youth Orchestra

Wednesday March 26th 5-7pm

City Hall 1221 SW 4th Ave.

Please join us in welcoming the Great Wall of China Youth Orchestra at City Hall!

World Music with a Chinese Twist!

The Great Wall Youth Orchestra and Chorus of Laney College, in Oakland, California, will tour three Northwest cities for the first time this month, as part of a regional tour sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. The youth orchestra brings together young people from diverse backgrounds to play both world music and classical Chinese songs on traditional Chinese instruments-including such popular Western favorites as Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer" and Johann Strass's "Radetsky March."

The Great Wall Youth Orchestra and Chorus is a program of the Purple Silk Music Education Foundation, an Oakland-based nonprofit that provides free music education to inner-city schoolchildren. The organization was founded in 1995 by Sherlyn Chew, a music instructor at Laney College and at Lincoln Elementary School, in Oakland, to help fill a gap in arts programming in the public schools.

The youth orchestra was catapulted into the public eye in 2004 by a front-page article in the Wall Street Journal, which cited it as an innovative model for music education and promoting cross-cultural understanding. The article focused on Tyler Thompson, a (then) nine-year old African American boy from the chorus who sings Chinese opera solos. As a result, Tyler and the youth orchestra have been featured on CNN, CBS Sunday Morning, and ABC Good Morning America, and received media coverage worldwide.

Last May, Tyler was invited to Washington, DC to perform at a U.S. State Department meeting between Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and China's Vice-Premier, Madame Wu Yee. The youth orchestra has just received an invitation to perform in Ireland next year, which will mark its first international tour.

Tonight! Art Spark Thursday March 20th

Pollyanne Birge — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:19:15 -0700

Every Third Thursday

Tonight March 20th--Join us at Art Spark!

Living Room Theaters 5-7pm

Click here to RSVP

Art Spark Mission:

A Monthly Mingling of Artists of All Sorts to Meet, Discuss, Blather, Applaud, & Plot the Growth of the Arts in Portland.

Join us for this monthly meeting to encourage conversation and advocacy in the creative community. The events are every 3rd Thursday--so if you can't make this one--put next month's on your calendar!

Living Room Theaters

Special thanks to: Courtney Spousta, Christi Denton, the Regional Arts and Cultural Council, and the Living Room Theatres who is graciously hosting the event.

Local Downtown Retailer Celebrates New Home

Kimberly Schneider — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:37:37 -0700

Congratulating the TeamYesterday Sam joined Victoria and Mayor Potter for the opening of the Mercantile's new location downtown at the corner of 7th and Alder. Owner of the Portland's own classic specialty boutique, Victoria, thanked PDC for the storefront improvement funds she received and applauded Sam for being the City's champion for small businesses: "I'm a beneficiary of Sam's support - and the store's a testament to it." Sam commended Victoria and her team for taking on a location that required serious seismic upgrades and their commitment to remaining in the heart of Portland.

The beautiful new location, immediately off Broadway, features cutting edge and classic fashion choices for women. Go check out this great example of a local small business that represents the best in local retailing and world-class architecture and design. Whether you are shopping for hip, sophisticated, fun, or special occasion dressing, you will undoubtedly discover something special at Mercantile!

KEEP PDX WEIRD Art Show March 6th

Pollyanne Birge — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 16:38:12 -0800

Gwenn Seemel Keep Portland Weird Art Show!

March 6th 5-7pm

City Hall 1221 SW 4th

FREE and Open to the Public

A fun mix of what makes Portland unique, this show offers the sights and sounds of our city's finest weirdos. Featuring great local art, music, interactive sculpture, performance and voodoo doughnuts!

Alan Mevis

Featured Artists:

Extremo the Clown
Pasha Productions
Bryan Grimes
Gwen Seemel

Alan MevisRichard Schemmerer

Sarah Henderson
Pat Bognar
PM Shore
Addie Boswell

Nance Paternoster PM Shore

Performance by:

Trashcan Joe

Batty's Hippodrome

Mr. Statue

Refreshments by:

Voodoo Doughnuts
Bridgeport Brewing Company

Come by to get your Keep Portland Weird shirts, stickers and more!

Addie Boswell

pashaproductions.com

Will You Be My Valentine? The New Oregon Domestic Partnership Law

The Office — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 15:12:07 -0800

Portland State University, SMSU 298, 1825 SW Broadway
Thursday, February 14, 2008, Free and open to the public

Student Legal and Mediation Services (SLMS) at Portland State University, in partnership with the Queer Resource Center (QRC), proudly presents "Will You Be My Valentine? The New Oregon Domestic Partnership Law" workshop featuring Attorney Beth A. Allen of Allen2 Law. This event will take place in the SMSU 298 at 1825 SW Broadway, on Thursday, February 14, 2008 from 12:00-1:00pm. This workshop is free of charge and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided.

Beth A. Allen attended Willamette University College of Law, where she graduated Cum Laude in 1996. She clerked for Chief Judge of the Oregon Court of Appeals Mary Deits. She is a partner at Allen² Law, a firm she opened with her sister in January 2006. Beth has been a vocal advocate for gay and lesbian rights for decades, and has won several awards for her involvement in protecting this community. She focuses her practice on adoptions, donor and surrogacy agreements, partnership agreements, and other family law matters of particular importance to the GLBT community. She also represents employees and employers in employment matters.

About SLMS & QRC

SLMS provides confidential and professional assistance to students on a wide range of legal issues. Funded by student fees, these services are available to PSU students who are currently enrolled for 4 or more undergraduate credits or 3 or more graduate credits at PSU. In addition to providing legal advice and mediating disputes for students, it is SLMS's objective to provide legal education of preventive nature. SLMS offers students a large supply of free literature on various legal issues. SLMS also presents workshops on legal issues for student groups or PSU classes.

QRC strives to provide a safe space for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning students, staff, faculty and their allies to be, to learn, and to work together. Located in SMSU 401, QRC has a resource hub where individuals can gather information on topics ranging from personal health and safety to local agencies serving the GLBTQ community in the greater Portland Metro area, a lounge where students can hang out, study, and get to know one another, and a library with books on a wide variety of GLBTQ related topics available for checkout.

For more information about "Will You Be My Valentine? The New Oregon Domestic Partnership Law" workshop, please contact JR Tarabocchia at 503-725-4556.

This Thursday--Light Night Social at the Downtown Bike Gallery

Pollyanne Birge — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 11:34:24 -0800

Light Night Social

January 17th 6:30pm

Bike Gallery Downtown

1001 SW 10th Ave.

Are you in the dark about night riding? Time to light -up! On Thursday January 17 (6:30-9:00pm), the Downtown Bike Gallery is hosting the Light Night Social. Lights are the law after dark, but we love them for the safety and fun they add to evening rides.

So, Downtown Bike Gallery will keep the doors open late this evening in order to answer all of your bike lighting queries. We'll have plenty of the See and Be Seen 15% off coupons on hand so you can buy all of the lights, reflective tape, and blinkies you need to be safe and seen.

Special guests from two of the Portland Office of Transportation's programs - See and Be Seen and SmartTrips Downtown - will join the fun with great information about commuting. You're invited to, learn shop, socialize, or just linger and have a glass of wine, beer, juice, and some snacks before you head for home.

1,130 Transportation-Related Citizen/Biz Requests Handled in 2007: Whew!

Cevero Gonzalez — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:12:52 -0800

As Sam's Public Advocate for transportation, the year 2007 continued to provide me with abundant opportunities to assist citizens with their questions and concerns regarding City services and projects. Specifically, the insightful and passionate inquiries we received challenged me, along with other bureaus throughout the City, to "think outside the box" and in turn to provide action-oriented responses to citizens seeking results.

Generally speaking, over 1,130 requests for assistance were received in our office this year [see table below]. In addition, but not included in the table below, we also received and responded to over 1,000 constituent inquiries relating to the proposed renaming of N. Interstate Avenue, as well as over 300 e-mails, letters and phone calls from citizens concerned about improving cyclist safety on Portland City streets. All tolled, we had a very busy but exciting year - addressing and resolving issues to the best of our ability. A brief listing of the types of concerns we addressed includes - but is not limited to:

• Parking enforcement, including suggestions regarding ways to improve parking access;
• General assistance and referral - to internal bureaus within the City, and other external partners throughout the city and county such as local non-profits and housing agencies;
• Motorist and pedestrian safety improvements;
• Paving and other street maintenance concerns;
• Street signage and street lighting issues;A break-down of the 1340 or so annual constituent contacts and requests, by month

* Requests for assistance through December 16, 2007.

Of course, every request for assistance or direction is unique. That being said, however, an in an effort to better highlight the types of concerns and issues addressed this year, following are a few brief examples of inquiries for assistance received in 2007.

OVERVIEW

Abandoned Autos: Priscilla in Northwest called the Public Advocate to request assistance with an abandoned auto that she indicated had remained parked on her residential street despite several attempts to contact the City's Abandoned Autos Program to have the vehicle removed. Not only was the vehicle an eyesore, Priscilla offered, but there was a potential that the debris surrounding the vehicle presented a safety and public health risk. Working on Priscilla's behalf, I contacted the Abandoned Autos Program and investigated the matter further. As a result, the vehicle in question was "tagged" for tow within four hours of Priscilla's call, and shortly after removed from her street altogether. Priscilla called back, once the vehicle had been removed, to thank me for working so diligently and speedily to address and resolve her concern.

Crosswalk Request: Tony in Northeast contacted Commissioner Adams to request his help with the installation of a crosswalk near his neighborhood. The challenge, as Tony indicated, was that the Office of Transportation (PDOT) continued to refuse his request for assistance specifically indicating that no safety improvement was warranted - however, Tony and others in his neighborhood believed otherwise. Working with PDOT engineers and managers, the original request for a crosswalk installation was reinvestigated and surprisingly a final determination was made to rethink the original decision. A crosswalk was eventually installed in the neighborhood. In acknowledgement of our efforts, Tony and others in the vicinity contacted our office to offer their thanks for all the work initiated on their behalf.

Garbage Pickup: Ken in Southwest called to ask for assistance in dealing with garbage collection services in his neighborhood, specifically indicating that his attempts to address and resolve the issue on his own had proven unsuccessful. On Ken's behalf, I contacted several departments within and outside of City bureaus and eventually identified the neighborhood's garbage hauler. Then, after consultation with Ken and his building's management staff, I contacted the garbage hauler and informed them that they might not be in compliance with City guidelines regarding refuse pickup times and other policies. Ken called back after two months time and informed me that the call on his behalf had "done the trick," since he had not experienced any further disruptions since my initial call.

Parking Control - Construction: Dan in Northeast called to request assistance with parking and construction issues in his neighborhood. Specifically, Dan indicated that PDOT had blocked off access to the street in front of his business resulting in a significant loss of parking and easy access to sidewalks. Further, Dan indicated that PDOT had not provided advance notice to affected businesses, in turn causing unneeded disruption to business operations. I spoke with PDOT staff about Dan's concerns and indicated that communication regarding any parking or construction disruptions was paramount to ensuring that alternative plans by affected parties could be considered. Additionally, I asked PDOT to reopen sections of the street - and more pointedly to restore parking - in areas not currently needing to be restricted. Dan called back, once the corrections had been made, and thanked me for working so quickly and thoroughly to resolve his complaint.

Parking Control - General: Michael M., a business owner from the Lloyd District, contacted me to request assistance with parking challenges his patrons were experiencing as a result of an abutting property owner removing parking without property City authorization. Working with PDOT staffers we were able to quickly identify the potentially offending parking removal and return it to its original state. Michael M. called me back once the correction had been made and thanked me for working so quickly - and thoroughly - to resolve his complaint.

Parking Control - Handicapped Access: Helen and her husband John, residents of the Hollywood District, called to request assistance with the installation of handicapped parking near their residence - indicating that they contacted me because they had received a denial of their request by PDOT. As senior citizens with disabilities, they offered, it was difficult to find available parking near their residence. I contacted PDOT staffers on Helen and John's behalf and challenged them to rethink their original assessment. Thankfully, and after much negotiation, PDOT reconsidered their initial decision and agreed to install handicapped parking near Helen and John's residence. Once the installation was completed, Helen sent a thank you letter - with pictures attached - acknowledging our offices efforts on her behalf.

Parking Enforcement: Robert called to voice his concerns about inappropriate treatment he believed he experienced at the hands of a Parking Enforcement Officer. Specifically, Robert indicated that while he did not dispute the validity of the parking citation he had received he did not believe that the citing officer needed to act in a matter unbecoming of a City employee. I investigated the matter further by contacting the Manager of the Parking Enforcement Office and we spoke at length about Robert's concerns, identifying strategies that might be used in the future to improve customer service for all. Once my investigation was completed I contacted Robert again and updated him on the status and result of my inquiry. Robert acknowledged his appreciation of my efforts on his behalf, again acknowledging that he did not dispute the issuance of the parking citation.

Paving: Paul from Southwest called to request that certain street and paving improvements be made on W. Burnside, leading from Tichner to the Multnomah County line. Further, Paul offered that previous attempts to get this matter addressed by City staff had proven fruitless. As a result, I called and e-mailed several staff within the City to find out the status of Paul's request. Surprisingly, I discovered that the street improvement Paul had identified was scheduled to be implemented later in the year. That being said, no one within the City had responded to Paul about his request. I informed Paul of the impending improvement and too, offered my apologies for the lack of response he had received from various City bureaus he had contacted, including PDOT. Paul thanked me for providing the requested information and indicated that it was nice to simply receive a response to his inquiry.

Permitting - Construction: John in Northwest contacted the Public Advocate to voice a concern he had about impending construction in his neighborhood. Specifically, John indicated he was concerned that a developer in the area would not fulfill his obligation to complete repairs to an unimproved street. Further, John indicated that attempts to secure a response from PDOT regarding this matter fell on deaf ears. On John's behalf I met with PDOT staffers to determine the status of the request. We determined, after reviewing contracts and permits, that the developer would be required to make the agreed upon improvements and to guarantee that such improvements were made the City had required that the developer sign a performance bond. John was grateful for my efforts on his behalf and the matter was closed with no further action.

Permitting- Sidewalk Vendors: Jeff in Southwest called to share a concern he was having with the City regarding his street vendor cart and the location of said cart on the City street as a result of downtown construction. Of note, Jeff indicated that attempts to secure a response from the City had not been successful. First, I met with PDOT staff to identify the lack of response Jeff was receiving regarding his original request. Second, I worked with staff to secure a proper location for the vending cart. The matter was resolved within four hours of receiving the complaint. Jeff contacted me to offer his thanks and praise for working so quickly on his behalf.

Pothole Repair - Commercial: Roy in Southeast called Sam to complain about the lack of response he had received from PDOT regarding his original request for a pothole improvement near his business. After investigating the matter further, I was able to send out a PDOT crew to make the requested improvement; all within 48 hours of Roy's direct request to Sam's office. Roy called back once the pothole had been repaired and thanked me for such a prompt reply.

Pothole Repair - Residential: John in Southwest called to request the repair of three potholes in his neighborhood. Too, John indicated that he had received no response from PDOT regarding his original request. That being said, John's request was investigated by me immediately and crews were sent out to the identified area within 24 hours. Days later I received a return call from John thanking me for working so quickly to resolve his citizen's complaint.

Referral - ODOT: Tina from Southeast called to request assistance with a few traffic calming concerns for her neighborhood, specifically at a street that intersected with Powell Blvd - a state owned highway. I contacted ODOT on Tina's behalf and shared her concerns with ODOT staff. ODOT in turn contacted Tina and to this day they continue to work with Tina on possible and future solutions to the traffic calming issue she brought to our collective attention. Tina e-mailed recently to thank me for working so diligently on her behalf to address her concerns, and further for helping to steer her in the right direction.

Revenue Bureau: Greg from downtown Portland called to request assistance from the Public Advocate with a situation he continued to experience with the Revenue Bureau. Specifically, Greg indicated that he continued to receive billing statements from the City for a business that he had no association with. I contacted the Revenue Bureau directly to discuss the matter further and after considerable review it was determined that the billing statements were being sent in error. As a result, the Revenue Bureau indicated that they would make the correction immediately and cease sending inaccurate billing statements to Greg. For his part, Greg called to thank me for working so quickly to address and resolve his issue - which he indicated had been going on for several months.

Sidewalk Access: Nick in SE contacted Commissioner Adams to request assistance with a business in the neighborhood that was blocking proper access to the public right of way. Additionally, Nick indicated that he had, in the past, contacted City staff on several occasions in hopes of addressing his concern but had been told "nothing could be done." On Nick's behalf, I worked quickly to find a reasonable solution to his complaint. City crews were called upon to notify the offending business of the need to ensure proper access to sidewalks and within days the business was in compliance. Nick called later to offer his appreciation for the quick results.

Street Cleaning: Emily in Southwest contacted me to voice her concern about street sweeping procedures in place within the City whereby businesses are often left with little, if any, parking access as a result of the sweeps. Working with PDOT crews I was able to get the street sweeping crew to better manage their efforts so that minimal parking was impacted. Emily called me back after the sweeping had occurred to thank me for making her issue a top priority.

Street Signs - Directional: John in Southeast called to request improved street signage on a couple of streets in the Hollywood District. His intention in making this request was to help motorists navigate and manage parking while shopping in the area. John also indicated that his original request to PDOT had been denied. I consulted with PDOT about John's request and after some additional conversations regarding the need to make any improvements PDOT reevaluated their original decision and improved street signage per John's request.

Street Signs - Safety: Jerry in Southwest contacted Sam to request assistance with a safety problem he believed existed on his residential street. Further, Jerry indicated that attempts to resolve this safety issue through PDOT channels had proven unsuccessful - specifically because PDOT did not consider the requested improvements were warranted. After considerable debate with PDOT staff and a plea to have them "think outside the box," Jerry's suggested improvements were finally made. Jerry contacted me once the improvements were implemented to thank me for continuing to work so diligently on his behalf.

Street Striping: Tom in Old Town e-mailed Commissioner Adams to request his help with much needed upgrading to street striping in the area. Specifically, Tom indicated that he and other businesses in the area were concerned that the striping in front of the Portland Police Precinct station needed to be improved and better identified so that motorists would be able to accurately determine available parking and not risk being towed. At my request, this matter was investigated immediately by PDOT staff and striping completed. I e-mailed Tom later to verify that he was satisfied with the work performed by the City. Tom indicated that "yes," the City had acted quickly. He also expressed his thanks to Sam for taking this concern so seriously.

Traffic Calming: Mary K. from Southeast called to request assistance with an issue she confronts on a daily basis as a commuter. Specifically, Mary indicated that when exiting from the Morrison Bridge and onto 3rd Avenue the streets are not clearly marked and because of this motorists experience confusion regarding appropriate travel lanes. According to Mary K., her efforts to address this issue in the past have proven unsuccessful. Working with PDOT staff the area was investigated immediately and PDOT eventually determined that lane improvements should be clarified. Mary K. called me after the improvements had been implemented to offer her thanks to me and Sam for working so quickly to resolve her traffic safety concern.

Traffic Signaling: Jill in Southwest called to complain about traffic lights not synching properly during her morning commute in Southwest. Working with the Street Systems group within PDOT we were able to address the synching concern immediately. I contacted Jill to let her know the final outcome of her request and she in turn contacted me to let me know that her morning commute had improved significantly.

SUMMARY

The role of Public Advocate continues to provide me with many rewards and opportunities for assisting and connecting with the public. Mind you, while not every issue can be resolved to the satisfaction of the citizen, I will continue to make it my goal to work on behalf of the public. I look forward to the challenges and blessings of 2008.

Cevero Gonzalez, Public Advocate for the Office of Commissioner Sam Adams

More transparency in government by reducing the threshold for lobbying registration

Shoshanah Oppenheim — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:11:00 -0800

On Wednesday August 8, Portland City Council unanimously voted to reduce the hourly threshold that triggers a lobbying entity's obligation to register with the auditors offices. The City Council believes that the threshold reduction will require more entities to disclose their lobbying activities. This action builds on Commissioner Adams' efforts to "daylight" political decision making and create a more accessible city government.

Under the changes, lobbying entities who spend more than eight hours "attempting to influence the official action of City officials" must register with the auditor. Under the original ordinance sponsored by Sam, elected officials and bureau directors must publish their official calendars. This is an effort to disclose who is meeting with city leaders and whose interests are being represented in the decisions of the council.

Sam is pleased with the threshold reduction and said that "Portland is a very engaged City. Residents deserve to know how their money is being spent, how decisions are made, and why."

Please give us your feedback on this issue and how we can make the city more accountable to you.

Related Documents

Copy of Ordinance

Media Mentions

Blogs

Council Unanimously Votes to Reduce Threshold for Lobbying Activities

Roll and Stroll with Portland Citizen's Disability Advisory Committee (PCDAC)

Roland Chlapowski — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:47:49 -0700

Roll and Stroll with Portland Citizen's Disability Advisory Committee (PCDAC)

To raise awareness of how people with disabilities get around Portland, the Transportation Subcommittee of Portland's Citizen's Disability Advisory Committee (PCDAC) is hosting a special "Roll and Stroll" event from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, September 14, outside City Hall. City Commissioners Sam Adams and Dan Saltzman, along with PDOT Director Sue Keil and PCDAC members, will have a chance to use mobility devices that include but are not limited to wheelchairs and goggles along with white canes to assimilate what people with disabilities use daily to access Portland streets and sidewalks.

The event will bring attention to how the built environment can impact mobility and livability for people with disabilities. Concerns among people with disabilities include limited mobility, loss of control over the environment, isolation in community, and limited access to education, employment, and other opportunities. The goal of this event is to raise awareness how the built environment and travel options influence these issues to some extent.

When: 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Friday, September 14

Where: 4th Avenue entrance to City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave

Who: Scheduled participants:
City Commissioner Sam Adams
City Commissioner Dan Saltzman
Sue Keil, Director, Portland Office of Transportation
City Hall staff
PDOT staff
PCDAC members

Last Friday, September 7th, PCDAC sponsored another "Roll and Stroll" with the Chiefs of Staff from both Commissioner Erik Sten and Sam Adams' offices. PDOT staff as well as Commissioner Adams' Senior Policy Director for Transportation also participated.

For more information about the event, contact PCDAC Vice Chair Michael Levine at 503-504-2585 or levine.ada@gmail.com. Levine is also Chair of the PCDAC Transportation Committee.
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The Community Advisory Committe has Spoken: Now it's your Turn to Talk!

Kimberly Schneider — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:08:40 -0700

Proposed changes to the City of Portland's Transportation System Development Charge (TSDC) program, as well as the list of improvement projects, reflect the direct involvement of several hundred stakeholders over the course of the TSDC Update study. The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) -- representing a broad spectrum of Portland's residents, business community and interest groups -- oversaw the project from its inception.

The project to update the TSDC program is nearing its final destination: a public hearing before the Portland City Council on Sept. 5. Culminating a year-long study process, the CAC will present to Council its recommendations for TSDC program changes that will be effective through 2017. This includes a recommended list of "capacity-increasing" transportation improvements eligible to receive TSDC funding over the next 10 years.

You're Invited to voice your opinion online and/or at the Public Hearing:
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 5 Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Council Chambers, 1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland

The Council will consider the following CAC- endorsed TSDC program changes during the public hearing:

Phase out an existing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) discount over four years.
Apply the principles of geographic equity - make sure projects are spread throughout the City - when determining a list of TSDC-qualified improvement projects, while also supporting projects that have identified leverage and/or are regional in nature.
Keep TSDC rates charged to new development comparable to current 2007 rates, recognizing that the phase-out of the TOD discount will generate additional TSDC revenue.

Proposed Project List:

The Council will also consider a list of 43 proposed capacity-increasing transportation projects. Besides 41 projects recommended by the Citizen Advisory Committee, the project list includes a Twenties (Avenue) Bikeway project and a proposed Flanders Bike/Pedestrian Bridge to serve areas with high potential for future non-motorized trips. (The full list can be viewed on the project's Web site.)

The TSDC project list was developed to maximize funding opportunities from local, state and federal sources in order to fund as many projects as possible. All TSDC projects require some amount of matching funds because none can be fully funded by TSDCs. Realistically, inclusion on the final TSDC project list is no guarantee of funding or construction.

Community Involvement:

Meeting 12 times over 16 months, the Citizen Advisory Committee worked with Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT) staff and the project team to evaluate rates, discounts and exemptions, geographical and modal equity, and prioritize a list of projects qualified to received TSDC funding.
To ensure affected citizens among Portland's business community, neighborhoods, and special interest groups had a voice in the process, interviews with 20 key stakeholders were conducted in September 2006. These included developers; property owners; business associations; bicycle, pedestrian and freight advocates; City staff and elected officials. These interviews were followed by presentations to 21 neighborhood and business groups. Information gathered during interviews and presentations provided important input to the Citizen Advisory Committee.

Finally, to involve other interested citizens, two public open houses were held in February and May, 2007. Those attending the first open house were asked to comment on project priorities and economic/equity issues, which later helped the Citizen Advisory Committee refine the TSDC project list. At the second open house, participants were asked to comment on TSDC rates, geographic equity and the TOD discount. Again, this feedback helped the Citizen Advisory Committee draft its final recommendation to Council.

The project team wishes to thank all those who participated in the TSDC Update Project.

If you have questions about the project, contact Kathryn Levine, PDOT Project Manager, (503) 823-7085, Kathryn.Levine@ pdxtrans.org. You can also learn many details about the project on its Web site: www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=40692.