Ethnography

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Council Meetings: City Government and Citizens Perform to Reinforce and Create New Culture Victoria Dinu Portland State University Ethnography of Portland Council Meetings

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Dedicated in Memory of Bing Sheldon

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CITY GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENS PERFORM CULTURE

Index Ethnography………………………………....………..4 Field Note First Submission ……………….……….20 Field Note Second Submission ……………………. 27 Field Note Third Submission ……………….…….. 41 Field Note Fourth Submission ………………...…. 66

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The four story Italian-renaissance inspired building is surrounded by the Trimet transit mall, as transit stops are planted around the building. I walk past the recently pruned roses towards the rotunda and enter City Hall. Although it’s still early on a winter morning, the light from the skylights above fill both lobbies. The floor is made of marble, and you can hear every footstep echo. I continue to walk in and see a small coffee shop to my left where two women are preparing for the day’s business. They look up and smile. There are no security guards present, just people bustling to their intended destination. ​The stories of floors in the building are touched with natural light as many of the internal walls are made of glass. Even the elevator is transparent. You can see the functioning parts of the elevator as it moves up and down. Next to each elevator, there are several recycling bins between the stairwells. The elevator is barely being used as majority of people coming in are taking the stairs. A woman walks past me as I sit and write on the third floor. She smiles first and says “Hello”​.​ I respond in return with a smile and a soft “Hi”. I finally see a security guard. He is an older man dressed in full security attire and regalia. He has black slacks on, a finely pressed grey button down along with a badge. He is wearing a hat that was a blend between a western cowboy and a park ranger. I look back down to jot down notes of his description and as he approaches. “Hello”. I look up and smile. “Hope that you have a wonderful day!” he says jubilantly. “You too!” I chime in. Several more people climb up the stairs. Some in dapper business attire and some wearing bike gear carrying their bikes up the stairs. ​A man walks over from my right, out of the Mayor’s office. It’s the Mayor’s chief of staff, Joshua Albert.

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“I spoke with Rachael, she said that you gave me the okay to take notes?” I explained.

“Yes of course,” he exclaimed, “make yourself at home.”

The city of Portland is currently updating its comprehensive plan which will involve many interconnected planning goals to come together. All of these intricate levers; whether they’re transit, housing, business, education, arts, health or any of the other parts must fit into a cog to make an integrated, seamless system of networks. According to the Oregon’s state definition of the “​comprehensive plan" they define it as “a generalized, coordinated land use map and policy statement of the governing body of a local government that interrelates all functional and natural systems and activities relating to the use of lands, including but not limited to sewer and water systems, transportation systems, educational facilities, recreational facilities, and natural resources and air and water quality management programs.” Because the city and the comprehensive plan for the future is complexly interconnected, the success of each area depends on the success of other parts in the system. An embodiment of that, is Portland City Hall which serves as a central processing unit. The elected officials, government staff, community organizers and citizens all have the option to come together at least once a week for several hours for a city council meeting. These meetings offer a glimpse into what it’s like to partake in the democratic process. Through these meetings, culture is communicated through performance.

The government and the community participate in the procedures recommended by the city government in order for others to participate. “Reality is subjectively and socially constructed; hence society is dominated by ideological factors that individuals create and maintain” (Putnam, 1982). Through procedures, symbols, and verbal/nonverbal inclusive/exclusive communication; constituents and city officials show their identities and values through performance. Though this

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falls under the sociocultural theoretical tradition, performance ethnography observes how culture is cultivated through challenging issues, looking at the behaviors of a culture and how they perform. This theory argues how important it is for people of a community to discuss their ideas and beliefs through dialogue. According to authors Foss and Littlejohn, “Through the scope of this theory life is an ongoing production, it’s constantly emerging through actions, practice and doing” (Foss & Littlejohn, 2011, p.390). Just as a city or an organization changes over time, the theory with change with it.

Since 2000, the City expected there to be a population increase of 40% through 2035.

The Oregonian reported in June 2014 that by 2035 Metro predicted a population increase by 725,000 (Metro 2014). With the massive expected population increase the culture of the city will change, and with each election cycle, our city’s leadership will also change. In Portland, civic engagement is a centerpiece of the culture and a part of its DNA. “Portlandia”, a popular television show uses symbols, and stereotypes to identify assumptions and values about the city and its culture. One example of this, is Portland’s infatuation and intentionality given to food.

This is shown in a comedic skit on “Portlandia” showing a couple verifying with a restaurant server that their food was locally sourced, and that they would not eat it unless the chickens were locally raised. These cultural norms and values of being able to access fresh, reasonably priced food and know exactly where it comes from, is all too normal for native Portlanders and Oregonians. There is a more indepth understanding of these stereotypes “Portlandia” portrays in the show. Decades ago, the dialogue between government and citizens paved the way for the environment to be protected against urban sprawl by a land-use bill passed in the 1970s. Many of our popular restaurants get their meat, produce and ingredients locally because of that law which

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lends itself to why Portland has such a rich food culture.

Performances ethnography has a deep history in Portland. ​The 1970s, Portland paved the way with its inventiveness to save public space, as citizens rallying together to create more accessible public space in the city’s urban core. Portlanders were getting tired of not being able to access appropriate public space in the city. More and more citizens expressed their frustrations with each other and soon they had a movement on their hands. Portlanders took to the highway with their picnic baskets, friends and families and sat in the median strip between lanes of traffic on the highway that ran alongside the Willamette River. After protesting, attending city council meetings, and demanding that a public park be made, the city along with state leadership agreed that there needed to be public space along the river which we now relish as the Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Pioneer Courthouse Square is another incredible example of activated citizens performing and working together in with city and state leadership to influence change for public space.

What we now consider “Portland’s Living Room”, was originally a hotel that was torn down to be a parking lot. This parking lot’s location was in the very heart of downtown Portland and once again citizens and city government believed that the space could be used more effectively. It was soon made into what we know as the Pioneer Courthouse Square, designed with the intention to seat thousands of people on the ascending, circular staircase but also had a designated flat in the center in order to put up a stage. Both the Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Pioneer Courthouse Square were a result of the community performances, and cultivating a dialogue. The process of performance ethnography of the breach, crisis, remedial procedure and finally reintegration was

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highly identifiable in the 1970s and is still happening today, specifically at city hall.

CONTEXT: Overview of Portland City Hall, Council Chamber Meetings Housed in Portland City Hall are the offices of the four city commissioners, along with the Mayor’s office. City Hall serves as the headquarters for city government. The building also houses the office of neighborhood involvement and city government relations. The largest feature of city hall is the Council Chambers where every Wednesday morning four several hours, all four commissioners and the Mayor sit down with the public and topic about issues affecting the city. The individuals that lead their bureaus were elected in their office for their expertise but also how well they performed well campaigning to get elected. The citizens and registered voters then perform by supporting a candidate and vote. Portland, Oregon has a different hierarchy of power than most cities in the United States. It is called the weak mayor system. This is where the Mayor doesn’t have as much power in making and vetoing decisions like mayors across the country. Instead, the only difference between the mayor has from the other four city commissioners is that the mayor can decide what bureaus to assign to which commissioner, and is charge of managing the city’s budget. In a vote, each commissioner gets one vote along with the mayor, meaning the mayor doesn’t necessarily have a stronger vote or decision making capability.

SYMBOLISM: Structure, Identity and Indicator of Values, Assumptions and Meaning.

The symbolism in city hall does several things; it communicates structure, indicates organization’s culture, its meaning and values along with the ability to make assumptions from them. City Hall and the council meetings offer any ethnographer a treasure

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chest of endless symbolism. From the eco-friendly Prius that is designated for the mayor signifying consciousness about the environment in a sustainable minded city, to the rose bushes planted outside, tipping its hat to the official flower of the city that has a long heritage and historical meaning. The architecture of the building itself offers enormous and significant understanding of the environment, culture and values of city employees and the city citizens as well. Transparency is an underlying theme in my field notes and I will use it here under the umbrella of symbolism as the building design and interior details were designed to be transparent with many glass features, even the elevator is transparent. This is a symbolic, designed and infrastructural metaphor for the democratic process in City Hall. Citizens can come in and have access to the people representing them and voting on decisions that impact their life.

In one of the council meetings a woman testified on behalf an organization she is a part of. The organization was her community neighborhood and she was frustrated by the individuals in her community being messy and not being responsible for their garbage and noise. The Mayor tells the woman, “If you have not already done so, if you are here in the building, could you stop upstairs and talk to Bob Kita in my office.” As Keyton explains, “Symbols are powerful physical indicators of organizational life, and they are the foundation from which organizational members draw meanings for and understandings of artifacts, values, and assumptions” (Keyton, 2011). An example of this in city hall is that on each floor by the elevator is a trash can, a recycling bin, and a bin for glass bottles. Each are marked in bold lettering. This is a representation of policy passed through the city to encourage sustainable practices, and the serious effort to get Portlanders to recycle. This example of seeing many recycling bins with information is a performance modeled by the people in city hall. These recycling decisions also came from the citizens as they played a

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huge part in making recycling a way of daily life. From physical objects sharing symbolic meaning, nonverbal actions can be symbolic as well. “Symbols influence behavior by triggering internalized values and norms. Organizations can use artifacts to help guide people’s appropriate selection of behavior” (Keyton, 2011). By choosing to recycle after watching a peer or friend do it, their performance symbolizes their intentionality and mindfulness of the environment and learning the culture through watching someone else perform it. City employees and anyone that enters the building is encouraged to recycle not only by the opportunity being available but the heavy signage and information on how to recycle and by watching others pick out which bin to place the item they’d like to dispose. “Symbols facilitate organizational members’ communication about their organizational experiences. Organizations can rely on logos to identity information from or about those organizations” (Keyton, 2011). It also affects several layers of culture; the culture within city government but also helps along with city residents reinforce culture outside the city that affects our policy and daily life. It is cyclical cycle in an ebb and flow current of values and assumptions between inside city hall and portland government and the community. These performances reinforce values and assumptions. Another way of putting this is that both citizens and government, and elected officials “walk the walk, and talk the talk”. If the sitting is pushing for more bike lane infrastructure, they must lead by example and ride their bikes to work. If a citizen is testifying in front of city council and trying to push policy for more funding and investment of bike infrastructure in outer East Portland, they must also perform in ways that show they value it. In a way, these become part of their identity and a part of their ideology. In city hall I found that biking and being a biker was a culture of its own.

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Two individuals climbed up the staircase. They both have similar bike backpacks and walk into the same office. Another man turns the corner of the staircase with a slender bike he is carrying. He is dressed fully in bike gear, looks at me and nods his head and continues to an office.

Portland is known as a bike city and is currently trying to pass policy to help reduce driving by creating and investing in bike infrastructure. The city is also trying to create “walkable neighborhoods”, thus incentives and designing neighborhoods to be more active and healthy. By many employees arriving to work on bike is role modeling what they hope the rest of the city will follow. The symbol of a bike is used by citizens and business as symbol or logo as a way to communicate being a part of the city. On community murals bikes are painted in the forefront and the Portland skyline resides behind. Even a Portlandia episode has a dedicated character who is a bike fanatic. These values of citizens and the local government sharing ideology on biking has become a literal symbol and logo representing the city.

INCLUSION: Verbal, Nonverbal and Infrastructural Cues Performed to Reinforce Culture When an organization has practices that convey ​inclusive or exclusive actions and communication, it communicates that there is either an “in crowd” or a group of people encouraged to participate and an “out crowd”. In a government, this theme is especially important because the more diverse the people participating, the more innovative the ideas are.

Deliberation is a core piece to democracy; that all can participate, be heard, and move forward with the best and most robust idea. ​According to Keyton, “Through their communication,

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organizational members are simultaneously responding to and creating the social and symbolic reality of the organization’s culture. Thus, organizational culture is communicatively constructed by all organizational members (Keyton 2011). This would argue that city hall and the government is more than just the employees, it is necessary for citizens to engage and share their beliefs to be taken into consideration. It is part of the government's job to illustrate and communicate ways to involve citizens in the democratic process as much as possible. ​Here I will explain the verbal, nonverbal, design and infrastructural ways the city of Portland attempts to be include people in the dialogue and decision making process, and how that in return creates culture. i INCLUSIVE VERBAL COMMUNICATION: In council meetings individuals can testify in response to an agenda item framed by the government or they can testify for three minutes regarding a topic they wish to raise. During one of the council meetings, two women were testifying to the council regarding housing options for the homeless.

City Commissioner, Amanda Fritz: “I would hope that there would be truly an open solicitation and encouraging lots of different providers to see how much value that they can give to us and the program because obviously I am a big supporter of it.”

Rochon: “We think that’s important as well.”

Westbrook: “I agree. We want an open and fair and transparent process.”

This example shows inclusion in terms of agenda setting by discussing a group of individuals who are often times the fringe of society: the homeless. It also speaks to the practices to include these individuals in a way of how to best service them. The way Commissioner, Amanda Fritz

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speaks to the two women is encouraging. Although she is sharing some of her skepticism and wanting them to do their job in a certain way, she frames it around being in favor of what they are doing by saying “obviously, I am a big support of it.” She includes the two women testifying in an inclusive dialogue by listening to them talk without interrupting them and then when she shares her opinion she is encouraging to them. In return the two women testifying listen to Commissioner Fritz speak and respond with the same pleasantries. This performance of dialogue between an elected official, a commander in the city police department, and an employee for the government is witnessed by everyone in the room. Citizens, employees and even other commissioners watch how this is done. Due to all council meetings being recording, even an individual who was unable to attend can find a video of the meetings to watch how this performance was taken place, how people were treated, and what was said.

Another meta example of being inclusive while discussing inclusion is the example of an individual testifying on behalf of the hearing disability community in favor of closed captioning.

Commissioner Fritz explains to the woman that in her own practices outside of city hall reflect that of her professional life as an elected official. ***************** long field note ************************* Anne McLaughlin, Citizen Testifying:​ ​Having captions displayed, as you do here every week, is an excellent practice that I hope will soon become commonplace. I am thankful that captioning is provided on nearly all television programs and many movies, and that more movie theaters are offering their patrons ways to watch movies with captions. Thank you, all, for your unanimous approval of the ordinance requiring captioning on televisions in public places in Portland always be turned on, and that became effective two months ago. I particularly want to

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recognize Commissioner Fritz for her efforts in introducing the ordinance, working with the community, and with the other members of the council to ensure its passage. I encourage you to visit captions on now, to learn about that ordinance, and to help encourage local establishments to comply with the ordinance and turn on the captions. We appreciate all the local captioners for providing this great service to our community, and I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

City Commissioner, Amanda Fritz: “I will just mention that one of my favorite family dinner places, the captions were not on, and it was a sporting event and I was not able to follow it without ignoring my companions, so I asked for them to be turned on. I experienced what people with hearing difficulties must experience because they could not find the remote. They couldn’t figure out how to do it, and they said they would do it, and that was one of the reasons that we just said, turn the captions on and leave them on. Thank you.” *******************end of field note*********************** The woman presenting her gratitude to the council also reinforces the council that she believes that they are performing well in making the city more inclusive. Commissioner Fritz shares a story explaining that in her personal life she performs inclusiveness by being a role model by requesting inclusive practices be used, even at a local bar. They both, through dialogue communicate and perform. “Organizational cultures are symbolic performances, as organizational members are simultaneously responding to and creating a social and symbolic reality from which the organizational culture emerges” (Keyton, 2011). When the two women testifying made sure to reference the person (Amanda Fritz who is the city commissioner), they always referenced or named her as Commissioner Fritz, which is performing acknowledging

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identity and hierarchy. ii INCLUSIVE NONVERBAL / DESIGN When considering and looking at nonverbal and designed communication cues, we are also in the realm of symbolism once again. Outside of city hall there are signs pointing in both direction with an image of a black silhouette of someone pushing a stroller, the person next to the stroller is in a wheelchair, then a person walking and texting, followed by an older woman walking with a cane and a man casually walking by all in one image. This sign is posted to communicate and inform pedestrians to be mindful of foot traffic. The words on the sign say ““This sidewalk is for pedestrian movement only. PLEASE KEEP CLEAR.” In much smaller letters below it states, “The sidewalk is designed for pedestrian use only per city code 14A.50.030www.portlandoregon.gov”.

The intentionality to design shows that pedestrians can look differently. The design is inclusive as it portrays that pedestrians are not only individuals walking by but to be mindful of those who need assistance from a cane, or a wheelchair or maybe to be mindful of a parent pushing a stroller with a child inside. It symbolizes that “the street is for everyone”. It also communicates the culture of inclusiveness at city hall. ​ One of the theoretical foundations of performance ethnography is its purpose to revealing individual selves and social worlds, with the goal of creating an aware populace, eager to reflect and be critical of itself (Vannini, 736). Furthermore, performance ethnographers have argued that a commitment to social equality and the eradication of injustice is of the utmost importance. (Vannini, 738). iii INCLUSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE/ PROCEDURES

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Inclusiveness can also mean how individuals and actually able participate and be a part of the process. How can all ideas be heard if not everyone is at the table. What if there isn't even an invitation to the table? The procedures in council meetings are extremely important to look at because it is can either be beneficial to the democratic process or insidious. Some practices used to “bring people to the table” include how individuals are actually getting to council meetings.

City Hall is strategically centered in downtown Portland which is very accessible. City hall is flanked by all side by public transit. There are bike lanes and bike parking outside, along with a parking structure across the street. Anyone can testify for three minutes. Regardless of who you are, age, or even if you have an address you are granted three minutes of speaking if you follow protocol by not being offensive. In the council chambers there are several reserved open areas that are marked with a blue and white symbol of someone in a wheelchair.

LACK OF INCLUSION: I would be remiss if i didn’t mention how the city has an issue with inclusion at the leadership level. Registered voters and citizens of Portland can elect who they want to represent them and the city. In the Mayor’s office there are portraits of all of the fifty two of the previous mayors. Only three of the fifty two are women, and not a single mayor was someone of color.

Currently, the entire commission is all white middle aged individuals. Out of the five members in leadership only one is a woman. This is not representative of the population or a realistic reflection of the citizens of Portland.

PROCEDURE: Maintaining Order and Cultural Norms by Repetitive Performances Through organized processes and procedures hierarchy, identity, and channels of communication can be seen. In council meetings, everyone participating as assigned a role.

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Before the meeting begins the Mayor, with his authority lays out the expected procedures and roles of how to participate.

Mayor Charlie Hales, “We have some folks signed up for public communications. We'll take those first, and then some time certain items after that, followed by our regular council calendar. If you are here to speak on a council item, please let our clerk know, and she will make sure that you get called We typically allow three minutes for public testimony on council decisions, and it doesn't look like we're going to have any trouble sticking to that standard today.

If you are here and want to speak, you just need to give us your name. No need for an address or any other information, just your name. We always maintain the rules of decorum in this chamber so if you agree with someone, give them a thumbs up or a wave of the hand, and if you disagree, a polite has not gesture to the negative is ok, but we ask you do not make demonstrations against your fellow citizens so everyone can be heard. We make exceptions for visiting dignitaries and school children, and if you are one of those you will probably get a round of applause.

Welcome, everyone, and let's please, before we do, let's take a look at the consent calendar and see if there are any items to be removed. There are only two on the consent agenda. Nothing to be removed -- ok. Let's take item 143, please.”

The mayor describes how individuals can participate. The procedures structure how, when, and what can be communicated. The city shows that in planning the communication infrastructure they are at the top of the hierarchy of presenters. Anyone attending and participating are well aware of their role because of how the meetings is framed. Keyton describes “an awareness of the roles of all organizational members in creating and sustaining the organization” (Keyton, 2011, p. 148).

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The City of Portland was a very complex organization to do my research on because their are many layers of historical and contextual information to first understand. It is also a difficult organization to study because it operates with many other organizations and members that are not their employees. Essentially one of the biggest differences between city government as an organization than most other organizations is that underlying its success and ability to work and get things down, it is in partnership with non-employees: the public/citizens. Through sharing experiences, and performance the city learns from its citizens, and through dialogue between city employees and elected officials the citizens learn how to more effectively participate. The culture is created by producing and reproducing performances that show values, assumptions and identity. Ensuring that the process remains inclusive will ensure for a better, more dynamic outcome.

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Keyton, J. (2011). Communication and organizational culture: A key to understanding work experiences. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Putnam, L. L. (1982). Paradigms for organizational research: An overview and synthesis.

The Western Journal of Speech Communication: WJSC, 46(2), 192-206.

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Field Note No. 1 Focus: Scene description in detail 40 min observation Victoria Dinu Outside + Inside City Hall: The sidewalks are thicker than usual, the building is built closer in so that the building in more approachable because of more space allowed for the pedestrian. There is a large very visible sign that displays the words, “This sidewalk is for pedestrian movement only. PLEASE KEEP CLEAR.” In much smaller letters below it states, “The sidewalk is designed for pedestrian use only per city code 14A.50.030 www.portlandoregon.gov​”.

Above the arrow pointing in both direction that is above the text is a black silhouette of someone pushing a stroller, the person next to the stroller is in a wheelchair, then a person walking and texting, followed by an older woman walking with a cane and a man casually walking by all in one image. ​On both sides of city hall the streets go “one way”, one westbound and the other eastbound. ​Both sides flanked with a bus stop with roughly 4 or 5 buses that frequency that stop.

Just behind city hall on 5th is a light rail stop immediately out the back door.​ ​Through the back door there is a small inlet for a car to pull through. There are three metal barricades/poles that can be pulled up Currently there is a o​ff gold older Prius model sitting outside which I know historically is used by the mayor in office.

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I walk around city hall to the public entrance where I see a​ small garden flanking the right side of the building where I see several rose bushes planted. I​ continue into the building passing several large columns on my way in. No one stops me or asks for any identification or purpose for being in city hall. I look to my left and see a coffee shop set up with two individuals working.​ ​The first is a young woman with her hair pulled back and an apron on. She looks over at me and smiles. I smile in return and walk over.​ I see another woman who is a couple years younger also in similar dress preparing for the day. ​I look at the logo and see it’s a local coffee company names “Happy Cup” which I recognize as a company that has a mission to provide competitive wage employment to adults with disabilities​. I continue to walk around the counter and walk more into the lobby. I walk up the staircase to the level where the Mayor’s office is on.

As I climb the staircase, there is a ​significant amount of light for a cloudy day. Overhead are class skylights. The interior of the building and the lobby is touched with natural light as many of the internal walls are glass. Even the elevator is transparent. You can see the functioning parts of the elevator as it escalates up and down.

It’s now 7:50 in the morning and I sit down on a bench against a wall so I am able to see all the action or inaction as employees and people enter the building. I can see both elevators that face each other along with the staircases that face each other. This seems to be the main nervous system to the building. It’s in the center and has open space carved out around it where you can hear the echoing of voices, walking, and activitie​s from the main floor lobby. On each floor by the elevator is a trash can, a recycling bin, and a bin for glass bottles. Each are marked in bold lettering.

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A woman walks past me as I sit and write on the third floor. She smiles first and says hello​.​ I respond in return with a smile and a soft “hi”. She is dressed professionally but more on the casual side. Another man shortly after climbs the stairs and “gets off” on this floor. He smiles and proceeds to the auditor's office. I can hear more and more chatter in the building from either the main lobby floor or the arms of the open hallways on other floors where their voices echo through the rest of the building.

I finally see a security guard. He is a much older man dressed in full security attire and regalia. He has black slacks on, a finely pressed grey button down along with a badge. He is wearing an almost western cowboy hat with a blend of park ranger added to it. I look back down to jot down notes of his description and as he approaches he says “Hello”. I look up and smile.

“Hope that you have a wonderful day!” he says jubilantly.

“You too!” I chime in.

As he walks past I notice that both elevators are in use. I don’t see anyone getting off on this level but see more activity in the building. ​A man walks over from my right out of the Mayor’s office. It’s the Mayor’s chief of staff, Joshua Albert.

“I spoke with Rachael, she said that you gave me the okay to take notes?”

“Yes of course,” he exclaimed, “make yourself at home.”

A woman and a man climb the staircase, both in professional slacks and colorful raincoats. They are talking and laughing​.​ They both have similar bike backpacks and walk into the same office.

Another man turns the corner of the staircase with a slender bike he is carrying. He is dressed fully in bike gear, looks at me and nods his head and continues to an office.

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The Mayor’s office is to the right. It has tall wooden framed doors with clear glass inserts so you can see completely through it. At the very top it says “MAYOR” in all capital gold san serif type. On the door itself smaller lettering reads “Commissioner of Finance and Administration”. Upon entrance there are two flags flanking each side of the very short entry way. One is the Oregon flag and the other is the Portland flag. On one side of the wall are two nicely upholstered chairs separated by a small table in between. On the table are several handouts of numbers and bureaus to call regarding getting help on a variety of topics. The resources on the table come in different bright colors. Directly across from the chairs is a wall with dozens of small framed portraits of former mayors. Only three out of the fifty-two pictures are female mayors. There is a thin long side table in front and just below the framed portraits. On the table is a very detailed carving of a bedazzled boat that looks like it might be a gift from an international delegation.

I am then greeted by a man sitting behind the front desk. There are two layers of desks.

The first is for the receptionist, and the line of two desks just behind him an older man is seated who is a security that is not dressed in security attire. There is another younger man seated at another computer directly next to him. I noticed that all of them had small white badges with their face and name on it. They first say hello and ask if I can be helped. I told them I was just taking notes. They smiled and I took a seat. I noticed a intricately carved wooden case filled with trophies and accolades. The handles and hinges are gold with fine detailing. The biggest and most eye catching trophy reads “2014 US - China” The two younger men sitting at their computers have headsets on and are answering phone calls. When the calls would stop they would talk to each other and crack jokes. Behind the

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door to the actual office where government staff work I can hear talking and an eruption of laughing here and there.

A woman walks in and the receptionist asks a question to her. I didn’t quite catch what it was. The woman in professional attire and a raincoat responds.”

“Well, it is raining outside.”

The receptionist responds “safety first”, they both laugh. She said that she would come back again to check in the next day.

Receptionist 1: 60% of people misread where to call.

Receptionist 2: I’m going to call her back now.

The phone rings and Receptionist 2 answers it. Receptionist 1 dials a number.

Receptionist 1: Hello Ma’am this is “M” from the Mayor’s office giving you a call back regarding the change on Foster Road.” He pauses for her to respond. “This is not handled by our office. This is being handled in the Bureau of Transportation which is in Commissioner Steve Novick’s office.” He gives her the phone number. “I hope you have a great rest of your day, Ma’am.” He hangs up and begins to dial another number.

Receptionist 1: “Hello Sir, this is “M” from the Mayor’s office. I’m calling you back upon your request.” There is a very long pause and then responds “I get where you are coming from. They are taking specific testimony for that.”

Receptionist 2 turns to the security guard and says, “you know this will only be the second male intern we’ve gotten since I’ve been here.”

Security Guard: “Great, now another young person to make fun of my white tennis shoe!” He says laughing. I began to giggle and they both turn their attention to me.

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Security Guard: “No really, “D” always tells me that my sneakers don’t match my outfit and that they aren’t the coolest, but I swear he came in here one day with pretty much the same shoes on.” He then turns to Receptionist 2 “D” and laughs. “D” swivels on his chair, and looks around and laughs. ***************************************************************************** Council Chambers: The council chamber is grandiose. There are pillars dispersed throughout the inside of it holding up a second story balcony that has raised seats like a auditorium. There are chairs all along the back wall. Closer in towards the center of the circular chamber there are chairs are layered in a rippling, cyclical circle. There are several reserved open areas that are marked with a blue and white symbol of someone in a wheelchair. In the very center of the room, visible to both stories of the chamber is a long, thick, rectangular wooden table. There are three wooden chairs pushed up against the table. In front of each chair is a small black microphone. Flanking both ends of the long rectangular table were wooden desks. At each desk was a woman, one was the city clerk and the other was the city auditor. They both also have microphones. Directly in front of everyone on a slightly elevated platform is a very long, substantial wooden platform and 5 chairs behind it; one for chair councilperson. Each seat has a microphone and a small digital screen.

There isn’t much artwork in the room other than the detail in the craftsmanship of the wooden furniture. Immediately above the council's seating is a large screen where a live feed of the council can be seen in a larger format, and everything is recorded. All of the words spoken have closed captioning on the screen to accompany the live feed of the meeting. Above the screening of the council session there is a wrap around painting of a forest and through the trees overhead

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you can see the city skyline. Just behind the last aisle in the inner circle in the chambers there is a massive clock the size of an average adult standing up.

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Field Note #2 F​ocus: gender and power 40 min observation Victoria Dinu FEBRUARY 17, 2016 9:30 AM There are many people sitting in the city hall. There are several people standing outside of the hall talking with each other. The begin to walk towards the council chambers. Outside on a low table there is a sheet of paper and a pen. It is a sign-up sheet to testify during the council meeting. In the council chambers people are finding their seat. Only two council members are seated. The Mayor walks in and sits down. In front of each council commissioner there names is written out in gold in graved on a wood name plate.

Hales:​ The meeting of the Portland city council, would you please call the roll. [roll taken] Fritz: ​Here Fish: ​Not Present, Late Saltzman:​ Here Novick:​ Here Hales:​ Here Hales:​ Good morning, and welcome, everyone.

Commissioner Fish is here, as well.

Although I do not see Commissioner Fish, he appears to be late to council meeting.

Hales: ​We have some folks signed up for public communications. We'll take those first, and then some time certain items after that, followed by our regular council calendar. If you are here to speak on a council item, please let our clerk know, and she will make sure that you get called We typically allow three minutes for public testimony on council decisions, and it doesn't look like we're going to have any trouble sticking to that standard today. If you are here and want to speak, you just need to give us your name. No need for an address or any other information, just your name. We always maintain the rules of decorum in this chamber so if you agree with someone, give them a thumbs up or a wave of the hand, and if you disagree, a polite has not

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gesture to the negative is ok, but we ask you do not make demonstrations against your fellow citizens so everyone can be heard DDD We make exceptions for visiting dignitaries and school children, and if you are one of those you will probably get a round of applause. Welcome, everyone, and let's please, before we do, let's take a look at the consent calendar and see if there are any items to be removed. There are only two on the consent agenda. Nothing to be removed -- ok. Let's take item 143, please.

Field Note: The council clerk who is a middle aged African American woman responds to the Mayor request for item 143 to be read As the clerk reads the item number, a woman walks to the large brown long rectangular table that is seated directly in front the council members. She sits down and introduces herself.

Hales:​ Good morning.

Anne McLaughlin: ​Mayor hales and commissioners, thank you for the opportunity to speak.

My name is Anne McLaughlin. I am a Portland native and resident. I am here today in recognition of national court reporting and captioning week. I am also a person with hearing loss, and an active member of the local chapter of the hearing loss association of America, which is a self-help support and advocacy group. I am very aware of the importance of captioning as an accommodation that helps us participate more fully in our community The woman that has stepped up to present then expresses her thankfulness that she has accessibility to read the closed captioning on all council meetings.

Anne McLaughlin: ​Having captions displayed, as you do here every week, is an excellent practice that I hope will soon become commonplace. I am thankful that captioning is provided on nearly all television programs and many movies, and that more movie theaters are offering their patrons ways to watch movies with captions. EEE Thank you, all, for your unanimous approval of the ordinance requiring captioning on televisions in public places in Portland always be turned on, and that became effective two months ago. I particularly want to recognize Commissioner Fritz for her efforts in introducing the ordinance, working with the community, and with the other members of the council to ensure its passage. I encourage you to visit captions on now, to learn about that ordinance, and to help encourage local establishments to comply with the ordinance and turn on the captions. We appreciate all the local captioners for providing this great service to our community, and I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

Hales:​ Thank you. Thanks for your advocacy.

Fritz: ​I will just mention that one of my favorite family dinner places, the captions were not on, and it was a sporting event and I was not able to follow it without ignoring my companions, so I asked for them to be turned on. I experienced what people with hearing difficulties must experience because they could not find the remote. They couldn’t figure out how to do it, and they said they would do it, and that was one of the reasons that we just said, turn the captions on and leave them on. Thank you.

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McLaughlin: ​You are welcome.

She gets up and leaves to her seat.

Hales:​ Thanks very much. Ok. 144.

The clerk once again reads of the details of the next two individuals who will be speaking to the city council people. A woman in all black professional attire walks up to the table and sits down at the mic as a young African American man joins her also in professional attire.

Item 144.

Hales:​ Good morning.

Terri Mundt: ​Good morning, mayor hales and commissioners. I am Terri mundt, and I have been a court reporter since 1975. I am here to celebrate national court reporting and captioning week, and I do want to thank you for being a leader in having your meetings captioned, as you can see up here, and encouraging the other cities in Oregon to do the same. We really appreciate that. Also, the court reporters in the course, as you probably know, we don't have reporters in our state courts any more, but we are encouraging attorneys to, who have important cases, especially aggravated murder cases, to hire -- they do hire reporters to go in and report those cases, so that's an issue that's important to us. Thank you again for your time.

Hales:​ Thank you. Good morning.

Item 145.

Tevin Green: ​Mayor hales and council. I am Tevin green. I am finishing my last couple of months at Sumner College for court reporting. I wanted to say a bit about my path and the excitement to go on. Within the next five years, we're expected to lose nearly 5,000 court reporters, in terms of losing, retire.

Hales:​ Right.

Green: ​I am excited to start my career in it and see the offers I have. It is a great -- it has been really cool because I enjoyed high school, it was fun by I didn't really have any plans to go outwards and see anything and do my four-year thing. It was not really my vibe so I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do, and court reporting has provided a, a really cool way for me to use my hands and really find a new craft. I like working with my hands, and this is a good way to make a good amount of money and be part of something bigger than myself, and find a way to work with other people, but not necessarily be a lawyer, an attorney or a judge. I love all of the legal world, but I was not trying to be an attorney, necessarily. Court reporting has given me the chance to be close to it, but not too close in a way that I can still enjoy it and get to know a lot of people and make a living for myself at the same time. It's really exciting to see the growth of it because it's very -- it's becoming more and more modern. A lot of my friends seem to think that it's, you know, a chisel and really, it's archaic, and really, it's modern now and we are learning

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new ways to do it, and it's progressing well. I am taking it upon myself to kind of help to push it, as well because it's something that I can see myself doing, and I would love to further it to the best of my ability because I am really enjoying it. Thank you for your time.

Hales:​ It's great to hear from you and to hear this advocacy for and people refreshing the idea of making the public process, whether it's the judicial or legislative process, accessible for everybody, so thank you FFF Mundt: ​It's an exciting career, so if you know someone looking for a career change, look into court reporting and captioning because there are jobs.

Fritz:​ What kind of pay scale does it offer?

Mundt: ​It's hard to say, captioners are paid by the hour and by the jobs, the shows that they caption. Court reporters out in the field doing depositions are paid by the hour, and then paid by their transcripts. It's pretty much, you know, as hard as you want to work, that's how much money you can make, but the work is out there.

Fritz:​ And what kind of education do you need in order to get it? What qualifications, high school diploma, how long?​ AAA Mundt: ​High school diploma, and in Oregon we have one school, Sumner college, which is where Tevin attends, and I am actually teaching there, teaching court reporting now. And it takes at least two years. It's an intensive course. A lot of it is computers because it does -- it is all computerized now, so you are learning to write, to 225 words a minute, plus legal and medical terminology and all the things that might come up and increasing your vocabulary.

Hales:​ That's great. Thank you very much. ​ III Mundt: ​Thank you.

Novick:​ I want to say that as a former trial lawyer who was heavily dependent on the talent and dedication of court reporters, I appreciate your service and I appreciate your willingness to enter this field. It's great. Thank you. ​ III Mundt: ​Thank you very much for your time.

Hales:​ Thank you. Thanks. morning.

All right. Item 145, please. Oh, he came up. 146. Good

An older gentleman steps up to the table. He is much more casual than previous presenters. He has a backward black hat on and is still wearing his black raincoat although all other presenters thus far. He is looking down primarily at his papers when presenting.

Item 146.

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Lightning: ​Good morning. My name is lightning, I represent lightning watchdog pdx. As you know, Multnomah County hasn't been able to do anything with the wapato property for the last ten years. They have allowed it to sit empty. They have come up with various ideas. They failed on every idea. I am asking you, mayor hales, to look at purchasing wapato. You have proven you know how to open up shelters. You have proven that you know how to provide transportation to get them to and from various locations. You brought in very good management, tpi to manage these facilities. You have the ability to create a surplus budget.

Make an offer on wapato to purchase wapato for the largest shelter, transitional shelter in the history of Multnomah County. Take it under your control and the city of Portland, do an iga, also with Multnomah county, and metro. Begin to operate this. Bring in Portland business alliance, neighborhood associations, various other people to figure out how to get this open and to begin running this on a pilot project to see how we can go. Again, Multnomah County has failed for the last ten years. They have very big projects out there. The new Multnomah county courthouse, they have to bring all the bridges up to the seismic standards. They also need to build the new Multnomah county health department. They have too much on the plate.

Purchased the property. Have a sustainable, permanent shelter facility, wapato. Make an offer.

It's up for sale. Transfer it to the city of Portland. Thank you. Now, pertaining to the legacy project, centennial mills, and the United States post office project. I understand you are trying to come up with 88 million to purchase the post office project. I understand the centennial mills has been put on the shelf. In my opinion, the reason why it has been put on the shelf is because you are looking at not necessarily you, personally, to purchase the post office project. My recommendation to you is this we have a great developer that tried to step up on centennial mills, and we have had speakers in here stating that it would be interesting to have a single developer step in on this project up front. In my opinion, Jordan schnitzer is the developer, to come in at 50% on the u.s. Post office. $44 million to bring to the table.

Filed note: During Lightning’s talking, Commissioner Fish joins the council discreetly and sits down.

Lightning:​ That will still allow additional money to be focused at centennial mills of $38 million on public subsidies. Allow him the chance to step in, also, and take a controlled position alongside the city, which I think he's earned that right, and allow him to choose certain lots near pnca if he wants to develop those out in the future, to expand that whole campus there. I think that he's the perfect developer to bring in, and at least have the discussion with him. Let him say yes or no. Can you come to the table with $44 million and work alongside the city to do both legacy projects. Thank you.

Hales:​ Thank you. Thanks very much. Ok. Item 147. Good morning.

A older woman approaches the testimony table in all black, semi professional attire.

Item 147.

Trena Sutton: ​Good morning, mayor. My name is Trena Sutton. I am not here to talk about my backyard today. I am here to talk about, on behalf of a group of homeless campers camped along the spring water trail, over in southeast Portland. I am having a bit of trouble. I just had a

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tooth pulled, and its swollen pretty bad. I am having trouble talking so please forgive me. But, we have an issue behind cartlandia. I've been able to move most of the people to another area that's been quazi-sanctioned by the city during this state of emergency. They have requested that the city be very active in removing the people that are causing the trouble, the ones that are making the garbage. They are also the ones that are making the trouble. That's kind of surprising coming from me, but my folks do not like them any more than anybody else does.

We would not object at all to having them removed, if they cannot clean up and behave themselves. We would very much like to ask for a dumpster and at least a couple of port-a-potties so they can live like human beings for even temporary, a temporary site. This has been requested by police and by other people that know that these folks really do need a bit of help. Those who do not comply and clean up the mess, they need to go. We don't want them there. I would really appreciate if the council and you, Mr. Mayor, would address this, and help me and others help the people that really do need the help. They want to go into a better life. I appreciate it very much, your time. Thank you.

Hales:​ Thanks for being here this morning. If you have not already done so, if you are here in the building, could you stop upstairs and talk to bob kita in my office.

Sutton: ​I can do that, Mr. Mayor. Thank you.

Hales:​ Thank you. Ok. Thank you all very much. We'll move on to consent calendar. Unless there is anything to be removed, we'll take a roll call vote on the consent calendar, as printed.

Fritz:​ Aye. ​Fish:​ Aye. ​ Saltzman:​ Aye. ​ Novick:​ Aye. Hales:​ Aye. [gavel pounded] 148, and you just have to read it because it's being rescheduled.

Item 148.

A man gets up and walks around to take pictures, he is wearing casual attire such as jeans and a black rain coat. He is a tall slender white man in his thirties. He takes a few pictures and then sits back down.

Hales:​ If there is no objection I will reschedule that to march 2, as requested, commissioner, is that right? Ok. [gavel pounded] and 149. No, we can't do it yet. We'll go to the regular calendar. Item 153.

Item 153.

Two women approach the table. One is a woman dressed in Portland Police attire. The other woman is dressed professional with a sling over her right arm. They both approach the table and sit down.

Hales:​ Thank you very much. Come on up, commander, and Emily, and this is a good news story about stretching dollars a little farther to get more good results, so we appreciate that, and

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we hope that the stretching doesn't cause the injury, but welcome. *****: ​That's a better story than what I had. Good morning.

Sara Westbrook, Portland Police Bureau: ​Good morning. Thank you for having us here.

The Portland police bureau is proud of our service coordination team, and all that it has accomplished since the program began in 2006. The service coordination team is going to focus on people living on the street, whose behavior is primarily driven by alcohol and-or drug addiction. And are persistently the cause of calls for service. Ppb contracts with central city concern to provide housing and access to mental health and addiction treatment. Just in 2015, we had 204 Individuals come through our program. Since its, its inception, we have successfully graduated 130 people. In 2014, Portland state university conducted a capstone study is, and they found that our cost benefit is for every dollar we spend, we're saving $10. And they also found that there is a 91% recidivism reduction amongst program graduates, and they followed them up to a year after they graduate from the program. In our annual cost, it is 1.7 million, and this year, our current contract expires at the end of the fiscal year, and it's time to ask for your approval to continue the good work of the service coordination team.

Hales:​ Thank you. Good morning.

Emily Rochon, Portland Police Bureau: ​Good morning. Thank you.

Hales:​ Anything you want to add this morning, Emily?

Rochon: ​No, I am just open to any questions that you guys may ask.

Fritz:​ Tell us your name and what you do.

Rochon: ​Emily, rochon, I’m the service coordination team manager.

Hales:​ So the basic situation here is that we're going out for competitive solicitation, but we also have this good news about taking some unused start-up funds in the program, and using it to add eight more beds in the system, and want to make sure that the council understood how that was accomplished because that's particularly good news.

Westbrook: ​I misunderstood that. Yes, how much money was that?

Rochon: ​100,000.

Westbrook: ​That was unused, that -- Because we transferred over to central city, the whole program going to central city concern, it took a few months for them to get the program up and running, and so, instead of not using that money, they have come to us and asked if we could authorize $100,000 to help upgrade the area in which the service coordination team houses people and gives the services. Part of that was being used for office space and some other things,

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and they are going to turn it into the whole floor, where it's able to give service, which will increase our capacity by, at least 8 beds.

Fritz:​ What does that mean for the ongoing contract? Does that presuppose it is going to stay with central city concern?

Westbrook: ​Well, either way they would want to continue giving that service to someone. As we know, beds are at a premium, in our county, in order to house people and to give services.

So, of course, they will be moving forward and with their proposal when it comes time, but it's not presupposing. It is just part of the overall upgrade of their ability to serve the community.

Hales:​ It is still going to be a competitive solicitation even though we just awarded the, less than a year ago this contract to central city concern, and they are performing well, which is why we're able to deliver more beds for the same dollar. Want to make sure that people knew about that.

FFF Fritz:​ What kind of outreach has been done to the previous provider to help them to be competitive in the new solicitation?

Westbrook: ​We have not contacted anybody about the new solicitation, excuse me, solicitation until we get approval from you all. HHH Fritz:​ I would hope that there would be truly an open solicitation and encouraging lots of different providers to see how much value that they can give to us and the program because obviously I am a big supporter of it.

Rochon: ​We think that’s important as well.

Westbrook: ​I agree. We want an open and fair and transparent process.

Fish:​ One of the concerns that I have, and thank you commissioner Fritz, for raising that. The way you structured this solicitation, the applicant must be able to offer all of the services that you are seeking, and that, actually, limits the number of people who could compete. Why have you chosen that path versus breaking up the various components and giving people whose expertise and skills are in service delivery, housing or some other part, a chance to compete on their home field.

Westbrook: ​Right. Great question. III What we have discovered is that any barrier, any extra challenge that is put in front of someone who already is struggling, with their addictions and mental health, can create an impediment and have them no longer participate. The easier we can make, make it for folks to be in the same building, get up from where they are living, get services in that same area, Without having to take a bus ride back and forth, is more likely they are to stay in the program, and it keeps our recidivism rates at a better

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Fish:​ That presupposes, commander that a provider wouldn't be willing to co-locate. I think the problem is, that I see in this solicitation, is it is structured so that there is really only one party that is going to compete for it. And that, technically, complies with our public contracting laws, but it does not give us the ability to measure their performance and their proposal against other options. And whether we choose to require co-location or not for example, in the housing bureau, we have all kinds of different providers that provide services to homeless people throughout a continuum, and we don't have one provider that manages shelters or does transitional housing or other things, what we do is coordinate it. And so, it sounds like you have made an initial judgment that this has to be coordinated by one entity under one roof, but the net effect of that is, I don't think that you are going to have a competitive solicitation because you have, essentially, cleared the field, and anyone looking at this is going to say that the incumbent, that is providing all these services, has the inside track anyway, so why would someone, why would some other entity compete for this?

Rochon: ​I, actually, in the initial request for proposal, you know, we were looking at that, and we Were, actually, asking that question, as well, and you can build into the request for a proposal either you know, at least having housing in one location, you know, that is part of it.

Right now, we have low barrier housing in one location, and the alcohol and drug-free housing in one location instead of being spread out. That's a transitional housing piece. We see that is very important because it's really about their next door neighbor. It's, you know, not just the services that they are getting provided, but it's going along the path, with the same folks, throughout the process. So, that location piece, we think, is really important. But, we can build into the request for a proposal, the part where you can highlight that if you can't provide the access to treatment services, at least highlight that you have a history, and a relationship with another entity that you can kind of collaborate with in the request for proposal.

Hales:​ I am a little mystified by these questions and maybe I misunderstand the situation.

Mayor Hales turns to look at commissioner Fish to clarify. Hales appears to be somewhat agitated while asking more questions.

Hales: ​It's normal in for profit entities, when responding to a public solicitation, to form teams in order to propose, right, having worked in that world for ten years and been on all kinds of different constellations of engineering and planning firms that teamed up to respond to a public solicitation. I don't believe that there is anything in this solicitation that would prevent a group of nonprofits from forming a team, and proposing, right? It does not have to be a single entity that responds. It could be nonprofit A with nonprofit b and c, as subcontractors. Right? So, I think that there are lots of ways that people could slice and dice the package of services that we are asking for proposals for. I think.

Fish:​ That's a fair point, mayor, so let me tell you the two questions I am going to ask when you come back with a contract.

Commissioner Fish looks over to Mayor Hales and appears to be agitated

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First question I am going to ask is, how many proposals did you get in response to this? That will help us understand whether the community of people bidding on this felt that this was structured in a way that invited them to put together those teams. The second thing is -- have -- this is a related question -- have you done a formal assessment and performance review of central city concern under the existing contract?

Rochon: ​I mean, with corollary reports and it's written into the current grant, the exact performance measures, outcomes and the report on a quarterly basis.

Fish:​ Have you done a performance evaluation? Have you evaluated -- I am a fan of central city concern -- but do we have an evaluation of their performance?

Rochon: ​Yes, yes, on a quarterly basis, we do that. They have been meeting the requirements outlined.

Hales:​ Would you like for Emily to share that with council?

Individuals sitting in the hall begin to be loud and talk as the council and person testifying are speaking to each other. Mayor Hales calls them out saying Hales: ​Please, folks. DDD Fish:​ There has been in the past, as you know, a question about what are the goalposts and what are the expectations. So, I am heartened to hear that there are clear expectations, quarterly reports, and monitoring of that because that's been an issue, as you know, in the past. My only concern here is we're saying a competitive solicitation, and our job is -- we're referees, not here to advocate for any particular outcome. If what you are saying, this is structured so that anyone in the community could put together a team, and they could propose even off-site services or on-site services, that would be response of to the application, I think what we should wait to see is who responds, FFF and if no one responds, we can raise the question about whether the criteria that we established was a barrier to people competing fairly for this contract.

Mayor Hales tries to clarify the conversation for commissioner Fish, and synthesize what is going on. Hales seems to be irradiated.

Hales:​ It sounds like from this discussion, that members of the council want to make sure that we do a good job of outreach to potential proposers, rather individuals of organizations or teams.

III Fish:​ Mayor, there is a history of this project that predates you III , so I am especially sensitive in making sure that we treat everyone fairly, and there is a level playing field, and -More noise continues in the chambers, Hales calls out once again Hales:​ Please, don't interrupt. ​ DDD

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Fish:​ Taking nothing away from the deep respect that I have for central city concern and the provision of services, but there is coming as a competitive solicitation. So, I just want to make sure that this is designed to solicit the best ideas in the community FFF or what we have done is just, essentially, rolling over the existing contract because they are the only ones that have the ability to respond to this.

Fritz:​ I would like some additional information about the $100,000. When the contract was -came to us to say that the central city concern was going to take over, there was a promise that said all the current clients were going to be taken care of and there would be a seamless transition. I am wondering where this $100,000 came from, and concerned about putting it into a facility rather than into the services. Yes, I understand that will provide more beds, but the services coordination team works because they are providers and because of the relationship that they have, so if you can give me some, some solicitation, I would like more information about how did that transition go? Were people taken care of and have continuing care from providers?

And why do we have this $100,000 surplus? The question is, whether we should put that into facilities or use it for other services.

Hales:​ What's your response to that?

Rochon:​ would you like me to respond now or later?

Hales:​ If you can now, that would be great.

Rochon: ​When the new contract for the fiscal year -- there was, actually, a portion of the program that we went from 54 beds to, actually, 60 beds with the new beds, and so the development and implementation of that program, because it was truly kind of a whole separate program, so everything was, with the service coordination team, 54 beds, which is traditional service coordination team, everything was very similar. The -- again, the kinds of development of the new program, it just took a bit longer, so with 24-hour staffing, making sure that the there was rooms, we wanted to make sure that they were in the same location at the golden west, so they had to do a lot of work to kind of get them open. That is where the $100,000 came from.

It’s just that we—we thought…. I’m sorry that’s a bit distracting.

A woman in the audience yells out a question that I couldn’t really quite understand.

Fritz:​ We should move to public testimony.

Hales: ​If you have something to say about this, you will be given a chance but don't interrupt who is up here speaking, and we will make sure that you are not interrupted, either, thank you.

Rochon: ​The services, with the 54 beds that was not interrupted. It was the money that was for -- slotted for the expense.

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Fritz:​ I would like more information on that because it seems like shuffling the money around when what we approved before was an extension to provide services to the extra bed people.

Hales:​ What's the pleasure of the council? We'll take public testimony but would you like to hold this over or would you like to proceed with follow-up? I am open to either scenario.

Fish:​ I defer to my colleagues. We're authorizing a competitive solicitation. The question for me at this stage is -- does this -- is this structured so people can fairly compete for this contract?

Commander Westbrook has said that it does and that people can respond to it either as a one-stop provider or as a consortium of services, and it's designed to be flexible, and we'll consider the most qualified, low-cost option. And Commissioner Fritz has asked that you do outreach to make sure that people know about it and have a chance to compete. At least at this point, largely that satisfies my concerns, although I will just tell you I will be disappointed if you come back and there is only one applicant. That will be the test of whether this is a competitive solicitation in my mind.

Fritz:​ I concur mayor you have heard our concerns. There is nothing in the ordinance about the redirection of the 100,000, so I think that that should be separate.

Hales:​ Yeah, that's not before us.

Hales tries to explain, seemingly frustrated Fritz responds Fritz:​ No. It was authorized for a specific use, and there is a question about whether it should be used for facilities rather than services.

Westbrook: ​Can I ask a question?

Hales:​ Please.

Westbrook: ​a comment and question, and particularly for you, commissioner Fish. We have learned, and certainly, Emily, who has worked in the business for a number of years, that the -having things in one location does help increase the effectiveness of the treatment and I am absolutely for people putting together a product that says you know, we can subcontract here and here and here is our goal, but our goal really is that we want to have a holistic approach to somebody where they don't have to get on a bus and go back and forth, and we can make this clear when we are letting people know what is the -- what we're looking for in the rfp is to have that holistic. It does not have to be an absolute. If you cannot do this, that you are out, but a preference. I would like to have the preference be that the holistic approach either through, you know, you take care of making sure that I will get you there, or -- you know, I will just put you on a bus and have it be up to you to get there kind of thing.

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Fish:​ Commander I have great respect for you and I hear what you are saying. I don't disagree with the logic of what you are saying. I will point out that that's currently not the policy of the city's housing bureau. We don't require that everything be under one roof, and in fact, we have different providers that have uniquely strong skill sets that are not, necessarily -- we have people who do great work on service we have people with great work on transitional housing, and housing placement, and they are not necessarily the same entity, and if you are structuring this, and it says you get extra points if it's all one-stop shopping, you have to be clear to the -- in your solicitation. You can't have that as a guiding value and then not be clear in your solicitation that that's a preference. Then, as the mayor points out, if you are putting together a team, you know that there is a preference for having co-location of teams. And that seems to me is fair if you believe that that's an important value.

Westbrook: ​That was part of the question. I want to make sure that we're meeting your expectations, too. I just wanted to put it out there that that's our belief, is that the better services are offered when it's located. I understand how the housing bureau has different contracts with different provider and is they don't all have something under one roof. But, it depends on what the service is, that they are providing, and the intensity of the service you know, what we're doing here is providing a service to some of the most difficult people to provide services to in the city. Traditionally, which is why, as you know, this program was under the police bureau because we could not get people to give services to this group of folks without us contracting specifically with them to make sure that they did so that we could -- they are very hard to serve, so we're just trying to use our own experience here of knowing what works, but we also are committed to the transparency and being fair.

Fish:​ It's not my place to second-guess your judgment about what's the best treatment , the best way to configure the services but we're referees, so we want to make sure that we're doing a competitive solicitation saying that we're going to solicit the best and most competitive ideas out there, and if someone -- mayor.

Hales:​ Come on.

Hales:​ This is not ok. I have told you a couple times that you cannot interrupt. If you interrupt again I am going to ask you to be excluded from the council chambers. You will be given an opportunity to speak, but please don't interrupt again, do you understand? Thank you. I hope so.

Fish:​ You can do transparency but, if someone -- if a consortium of our distinguished nonprofits want to come together and say that they can compete for this, I think that they need to know that you want co-location of services but you are not going to be taking points off if they don't provide all of those services themselves. Directly.

Westbrook: ​Ok. Thank you.

Hales:​ Other questions for commander or Miss rochon? Ok. Thank you both. I want to ask if there is any public testimony, but to ask that you follow up along with Diana Mitchell from my

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office with the council members to make sure that they are briefed on how you are proceeding because, obviously, there is a strong interest here.

Westbrook: ​Ok, absolutely.

Hales:​ Thank you very much.

Rochon: ​Thank you for your time.

Hales:​ Take testimony, please. Folks, we're not going to take interruptions here but we will take testimony. We're going to call on you or anyone else that signed up to speak. Folks, we're not going to do this, have heckling and people talking through other people. So, if you want to speak, let our clerk know and you will get a chance to come up and speak.

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Field Note #3 F​ocus: Gender, race, and class 60 min observation Victoria Dinu FEBRUARY 18, 2016 The room is packed. Both floors of the council chambers are filled. There are several individuals in wheel chairs.

Hales: ​Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to the February 18th afternoon session of the Portland City Council. Would you please call the roll?

Fritz: Here.

Fish: ​Here.

Saltzman: _ Novick: ​Here.

Hales: ​Here.

City Commissioner Dan Saltzman is currently absent.

Hales: ​Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome. We have three items that we’ll take in order this afternoon on the Council’s calendar. You’re welcome to testify on those items as we take them up. They are different from one another, the subject matters differ, and we will explain that as we go forward. If you’d like to speak on one or more of these Council calendar items, please let our Council Clerk know, and she’ll call you from a list of folks signed up to speak on each one.

If you have not testified here before, there are some basic ground rules. First, you need only give us your name, you don’t need to give us an address. If you’re representing an organization, please let us know that as our code requires it. And we follow obvious and common sense rules of decorum here in the Council chambers. That is, we want to make sure everyone has the chance to be heard. So, we limit testimony in time -- and I think because of the number of people we have here to speak this afternoon, it’ll probably be two minutes per person.

This time timing is an issue so each person gets less time to speak.

We also ask that we respect other people’s points of view. So, if you agree with someone and feel the need to indicate your agreement, feel free to give them a thumbs up or a wave of the hand. If you disagree with them and also feel compelled to show that, a polite hand gesture to the negative is OK, but we ask that we not applaud or heckle or make any verbal demonstrations in favor or against our fellow citizens’ points of view in this room so that everyone can be heard.

We make exceptions for visiting dignitaries and school children, so if you’re one of those, you might get a round of applause from us.

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So, that’s about it in terms of procedure. Let’s turn to the first item. I’ll ask Karla to read it, and then I’ve got some explanation and procedure to talk about it as well.

Item 161.

Dan Saltzman arrives tardy to the meeting Hales: ​OK, so this is the first of the items on the calendar this afternoon. This is to determine whether the City should vacate a public right-of-way at 3rd and Harrison. It’s also in subsequent action this afternoon going to be a matter of discussion about whether or not Right 2 Dream Too should be located on this site. But the first item is the street vacation itself, and that needs to happen no matter what the ultimate use of the site. So, the first item is the street vacation, and the question is simply, should this street right-of-way be maintained as a street right-of-way or be vacated so that the piece of land owned by the City of Portland can be used in some useful way?

It’s important to remember the distinction. The second item on the calendar is a zoning confirmation letter about Right 2 Dream Too’s use of the site. The first item is simply, should there be a street there or not? Should there be a street that runs into the viaduct at the back of the property or not? It’s a simple ministerial question that we get to answer lots of times about streets, and in this case we need to decide it in the case of this little fragment of street.

Saltzman: ​Mayor?

He interjects, the mayor answer.

Hales: ​Yes. Saltzman: ​I requested that someone from the Transportation department walk us through the decision-making criteria with respect to street vacations.

Hales: ​I believe they are here and prepared to do that. Commissioner Novick?

Novick: ​Yes. Christine Leon is here, and co.

Fritz: ​We wanted continue explaining first what the process is.

Saltzman: ​Sure, OK. That’s fine.

Hales: ​So good afternoon, and walk us through that place.

Fritz: ​Well, actually -Hales: ​Did you want to make your comments now, or did you want to wait?

Fritz:​ ​Yes. Because we wanted to be very clear that the first part -- as the Mayor was explaining -- that this was about whether there should be a public right-of-way on that portion of the

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property. ​Commissioner Novick is the Commissioner-in-Charge of that. There will be an opportunity after that -- if the Council decides, we will take a vote at the end of the hearing on the street vacation. If it turns out that the street is vacated, then we will have testimony on the proposed use of the site. But this first section is about whether to keep the public right-of-way remnant on the site that the City owns. We’re going to be asking you to speak only to that under the first item.​ ​Commissioner Novick?

Novick: ​I also just wanted to put on the table that due to an oversight, we didn’t have an emergency clause on this item. I wanted to propose an amendment simply adding that section five, the Council declares an emergency exists because any further delay in the vacation of this property no longer needed for street purposes would harm the public welfare, therefore this ordinance shall be in full force and in effect from and after its passage by the Council.

Hales: ​Is there a second?

Fritz: ​Second.

Hales: ​Further discussion on adding the emergency clause to the proposed ordinance?

Saltzman: ​I prefer we vote on that after we vote on the vacation.

Hales: ​On the emergency clause itself?

Saltzman: ​Well, I guess I’m not prepared to add an emergency clause until I know whether I’m -Fritz: ​That makes sense, actually.

Hales: ​This is only to the vacation -Saltzman: ​Yeah, but you’re pre-judging where my decision may come because you need unanimity for an emergency clause.

Fish: ​He’s saying why don’t you hold off on that?

Saltzman: ​Yeah, hold off on the emergency clause.

Hales: ​OK, alright. We’ll delay action.

Fritz: ​And just so folks know so you can testify about that, an emergency means that the ordinance would go into effect immediately. A non-emergency would be voted on next week.

Regardless, my understanding from the City Attorney is that street vacations take 30 days to go into effect whether or not it was 30 days from today or 30 days from next week. So, that’s part of the issue, also.

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Hales: ​OK. Other Council questions or comments? Take it away, Christine.

Three adults join the table two men and a woman sitting in between. They all look very professional with monotone colors.

Christine Leon, Portland Bureau of Transportation: ​Good afternoon. Just before you get started, I want to remind you that there was another amendment to the Council from the Mayor.

Hales: ​Oh, right. Let’s see -- walk us through that. I’m looking for my copy.

Leon: ​Sure.

Hales: ​The sewer issue?

Leon: ​Right. Would you like me to read it off?

Hales: ​Yes, please.

Leon: ​OK. It’s a memorandum dated February 16th to City Council from Mayor Charlie Hales that amends Item 161. This memorandum requests that Item 161 directive C.2.ii be amended with the following language. Petitioner will determine whether the sanitary sewer and lateral line at SE Harrison are active or not. If these lines are not active, petitioner will accept ownership over the facilities in their current condition, will transfer ownership of the facilities if the property is ever sold. This will be accomplished in the conveyance document. If the lines are active prior to or at the time of any sale, petitioner will either 1) grant an easement to the abutting property owner in a form satisfactory to the Bureau of Environmental Services for the existing facilities, or 2) relocate the lateral line to a location and in a manner improved by BES. Hales: ​So moved.

Fritz: ​Second.

Fish: ​Has this amendment been cleared with BES? Karl Arruda, Portland Bureau of Transportation: ​Yes, Commissioner. We ran it through the BES staff person who commented on the street vacation initially Hales: ​Because normally we’d deal with that kind of sewer issue now, but because it’s a City-owned property, we don’t have to.

Arruda: ​Correct.

Hales: ​Further discussion on the adoption of the amendment? Roll call on adopting the amendment, please.

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Roll on amendment.

Fritz: ​Aye. ​Fish: ​Aye. ​Saltzman: ​Aye. ​Novick: ​Aye. ​Hales: ​Aye. DDD Hales: ​OK. Leon: ​So, again, good afternoon. My name is Christine Leon and I’m the manager of PBOT’s development, permitting, and transit group. With me is Karl Arruda from our right of way section, as well as Bob Kieta, who’s Office of Management and Finance’s facilities manager.

The purpose of today is to consider the final hearing for a portion of SE Harrison Street street vacation. It’s a right-of-way situated between SE 3rd Avenue and SE Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

They find it very important to reiterate who they are and what they do.

This street vacation was initiated by the City Office of Management and Finance, and OMF is the owner of the parcel that is immediately to the north of this public right-of-way that abuts the Harrison Street right-of-way on its northern boundary. If approved, after a minimum of 30 days after the second hearing if it’s not an emergency ordinance and the conditions are met, the vacation is filed with Multnomah County. The City would release its underlying interest in this right-of-way to the underlying property owner, which in this case is the Office of Management and Finance.

The purpose of the request was to assemble the right-of-way to the parcel to the north for the adjoining parcel’s development. I’m going to go through and describe a little bit of the details of the parcel, and then Karl’s going to talk about the process, and Bob can get to some of the accommodations made before we end the hearing for the street vacation.

The clark the proceeds to pass out paper regarding the information being shared to each commissioner.

Saltzman:​ Is somebody going to explain the decision criteria that the Council undertakes in making the decision?

Commissioner Saltzman asks the question in a patronizing manner Leon: ​Yes, we'll go through that. So, the parcel itself is a 60-foot wide public right-of-way, it’s approximately 150 feet in length and approximately 9250 square foot in size. It's partially paved.

It's crossed by a publicly-owned storm sewer system on the east side which is close to the Martin Luther King alignment. It also contains a sanitary sewer and lateral in SE Harrison. That was the subject of the amendment that was read earlier.

The transportation street classification of SE Harrison as well as SE 3rd and Division in its

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location -- it's a local service street for all modes, but it is in a freight district. Like I mentioned, the parcel abuts the OMF -- the right-of-way abuts the OMF parcel to the north. On all other sides it is public right-of-way.

Further north of OMF’s parcel is another wedge-shaped property which does not abut the Harrison right-of-way. And this wedge-shaped parcel is owned separately by East Side Plating.

East Side Plating has accessed the Harrison Street right-of-way in the past across over on to the OMF parcel from which they deliver goods to their business by truck.

Again, part of my role this afternoon is to mention -- this is the ordinance for the street vacation, not for the development of the parcel itself. When we consider a street vacation, we don't give consideration to what the final use is gonna be. We're going to go through the process of how we got here, what the criteria for the street vacation was as contained in the report for the Planning and Sustainability Commission as well as the City engineer's report. After which, again, Bob can answer some questions about the accommodations for access, and then we'll be ready to answer questions.

But just in general, PBOT's recommendation to Council has been evaluated using the criteria contained in the engineer's report and Planning and Sustainability report to make a recommendation that this street vacation move forward. We've also considered through a notification process of other bureaus and agencies what conditions should be included in the street vacation. So Karl, you want to go through the conditions and then the overview of the process for the government-initiated street vacation?

Arruda: ​Sure. So, during our notification process, we received comments from other City bureaus and agencies, utilities. And using those comments, we prepared conditions for the engineer's report and for the final ordinance. In this case, Christine already mentioned a little bit that BDS asked for a custom conditions because there are several active storm sewer lines on the east end of this piece of Harrison Street which need to stay in place, and so the ordinance would reserve a 35-foot-wide easement to protect those storm sewer lines.

And then in addition, there was the sanitary sewer line that goes right down the middle of Harrison Street that leads up to a lateral pipe that heads north, and BES was not totally sure if those lines were active or not. And so in that amendment that Christine read off earlier, BES asked OMF to determine if that line is still active or not. If it's not active, it's not really an issue.

BES would agree to abandon its interest in those pipes and they would become OMF's property and responsibility. If they are still active, then BES wants to sort of work with OMF to figure out the best future of those pipes -- whether to leave them as they are or to eventually have OMF reroute those pipes to a different location. BES and OMF agreed it could be decided later, and so that was the subject of that amendment.

Another minor condition that came up was that Portland General Electric noticed they have some electric lines that cross 3rd Avenue and then cross just a very small piece of the southwest corner of Harrison Street. And so, as they often do, they ask for a general easement to protect those lines so that nothing that might be built in that Harrison right-of-way in the future would

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interfere with those lines. And that's pretty common that PGE or Pacific Power ask for an easement like that.

Another condition that's pretty typical is that PBOT asked for OMF to basically construct a sidewalk, pedestrian right-of-way, along 3rd Avenue to close off the Harrison Street entrance and curbs so that the general idea is to -- if it's not a street anymore, to make it not look like a street. PBOT's permit engineering and development review would work with OMF to give them the guidelines to construct the standard sidewalk right-of-way to close off Harrison Street. *The speaker's speech slows down as if he might be lost in where he is presenting.

Those are the main conditions that were required during our notification process.​ ​So then those were prepared -- so, our summaries that went to the Planning and Sustainability Commission and then were put into the engineer's report and then were placed into the ordinance for your consideration today.

Hales: Thank you. Questions? Do you want to keep going? Sorry.

Leon: ​I was just wanting to comment to drill in a little bit more to your question, Commissioner Saltzman, about the criteria we use for the recommendation. So, the evaluation really is based on the role of SE Harrison as a right-of-way serving the adjacent properties and the larger transportation system. And there are five criteria out of the comprehensive plan that we look into in addition to the concurrently in use actions and the transportation element in the neighborhood plan.

So, the five comp plan policies are 6.20 connectivity; 6.21 right-of-way opportunities, which is basically the need for the right-of-way; 8.14, which is natural resources, and that's chiefly focused on view corridors; number 11.11,​ ​which is a street plan requirement to have a logical connected system of public rights-of-way, and the underlying criteria there is 330 feet for a bicycle or a pedestrian spacing for a street as well as 530 feet for a street spacing; and then the last one is to provide for pedestrians with enough circulation and access to light and air, and that's under criteria 12.4.

Saltzman: ​Right-of-way opportunities means what again?

Leon: ​That's the basic need for the right-of-way. Let's see here -- “to preserve the existing right-of-way, unless there is no existing or future need for them, established street patterns will not be significantly interrupted and the functional purpose of nearby streets will be maintained.”

So, this is a short segment of right-of-way that is constrained by the existing facilities. We look at rights-of-way for the movement of goods and services, and this will not connect in the near future to any larger system. The street spacing that exists for accommodating vehicles as well as the pedestrian connections that exist meet the connectivity standards.

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Saltzman:​ So these five criteria then are the same criteria that the Planning and Sustainability Commission applied in their decision?

Leon: ​In doing the report, they received the findings from these criteria, yes.

Saltzman: ​So I don't want put words -- I don't want you putting words in their mouth, but I’m curious -- was anything in these five criteria the basis of their decision to turn down this vacation? The Planning and Sustainability Commission?

Saltzman seems to be skeptical how he asked his questions along with his facial expressions.

Leon: ​I think we can read off to you what the Planning and Sustainability Commission's recommendation was. They ultimately voted to deny the vacation, but they denied it with conditions and they had three conditions mainly related to the access for the East Side Plating, which again is not part of the street vacation. That’s a separate parcel. I think part of the reason it was brought up is because East Side Plating had accessed the Harrison right-of-way to get to the adjoining parcel to then get to their door for access.​ ​Do you want to read off in summary the conditions that Planning and Sustainability -Arruda: ​Their suggestions? Yeah.

Leon: ​Suggestions, excuse me, not conditions.

Arruda: ​Well, the PSC recommends if the City Council chooses to approve the street vacation, then the following conditions should be included in the approval. Continue to allow access to East Side Plating on the south end of their building, provide for liquid chemical deliveries at the south end of their building or in a similar way, and three, require a good neighborhood agreement between East Side Plating and Right 2 Dream Too. *Arruda again seems almost bored when he is reading. This is very different than previous presenters who seem very passionate or excited about presenting or testifying. His lacking of enthusiasm makes it challenging to listen to.

Leon: ​So, OMF has considered the Planning and Sustainability suggestions and worked with our office to provide a buffer along their parcel as well asking to us consider additional on-street parking spaces with frontage improvements and maybe some restriping of 3rd Avenue there. I can get into more details.

Saltzman:​ That's sufficient for me for now.

Leon: ​OK. Thank you.

Fritz: ​I’d like Bob Kieta to continue.

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Bob Kieta, Office of Management and Finance: ​Bob Kieta, Facilities Services with OMF. First, OMF has reviewed the conditions -Fish: ​It’s hard to hear you.

Hales:​ Microphone a little closer, there you go.

Kieta: ​OMF has reviewed the conditions that are included in the vacation request and accepts those conditions. With regards to the Planning and Sustainability Commission comments that you just heard, we went further in meeting with the owners of East Side Plating as well as some of their safety employees and others. Had a wonderful tour of their facility, you know, got an idea of how the operation works and the need for the access to their side door, which actually opens up to the OMF parcel. Because of that, we looked into the code requirements. The only code requirement for their business operation was that they have an egress through that door. So, we started our planning just to create an egress along that side.

With the Planning Commission's review, we determined and had PBOT perform an engineering study. And with the information that East Side Plating had provided us about the size of the delivery truck, we did a couple different scenarios to verify whether or not a truck could actually make the maneuver if we provided a buffer alongside the south end of the building there. So, we’ve created in our planning and we're going to intend to create a buffer from their building 15 feet out. The buffer will include essentially a driveway, a curb driveway and fenced area to secure that area to accommodate their delivers to the same door that they have been receiving deliveries. It'll change the method the delivery comes in -- they’ll have to back in rather than pulling in and turning around and backing up -- but the maneuver is possible and we have that verified.

Hales:​ Other questions or any of our staff? Anything else you need to add at this point?

Leon: ​No. Thank you very much.

Hales: ​Thank you very much.

The group quickly begins to get up but Commissioner Fish interjects.

Fish:​ I have a question. I recognize we're talking about a street vacation and later we're talking about a siting opportunity, but what I want to avoid is breaking them up arbitrarily and then having questions later that are sort of germane to both. I'll just give you an example. The user agreement -- excuse me, the space use agreement talks about water, sewer, and electricity services to the site. Is that relevant at all to the question of the street vacation? Are there any code issues that come up in terms of how we're going provide those services and where, and whether this action has any bearing on that?

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Kieta: ​That would actually be the development. If we were to develop the parcel by itself or the parcel with the street vacation, the same development criteria would apply to how we get water, sewer, and utilities to that site to supply whatever we need for the proposed development.

Fish: ​And Bob, what work has been done scoping out what that would require?

Kieta: ​We haven't got into the actual engineering development of any site plans at this point but the standard water line, sewer line, and electric services are what we expect to have to provide to the site.

Fish:​ Is that -- have you put cost estimates on any of that?

Kieta: ​No, sir.

Fish: ​OK. Hales once again jumps in as the mediator on the council and moves the conversation forward.

Hales:​ OK, other questions at this point? Alright, thank you very much.

Arruda: ​Thank you.

Hales:​ Again, let's prepare and receive testimony from those that want to speak on this item.

Again, this is only on the street vacation itself.

Moore-Love:​ I have 14 people signed up. The first three, please come on up.

Due to the number of people attending and wanting to testify they brought up multiple people at once to be more efficient Fritz: ​We do appreciate you sticking just to the street vacation. Obviously, you'll get a chance to testify on the proposed use later.

Andy James: ​Andy James, WYSE real estate advisors. Mayor, Council, the proposal to vacate a portion of SE Harrison east of 3rd Avenue is a terrible idea and should not be approved based on the follow reasons. First, the underlying reason for the vacation is an illegal use for the property based on the current zoning. Tent camping is a residential use -Before the person can continue he is interrupted by both Commissioner Fritz and Mayor Hales Fritz:​ That’s not germane.

Hales:​ No, sir, this is on whether that street should be maintained by the City of Portland as a public right-of-way for street purposes. The use of the property is a separate decision we get to shortly. We own this property, that is the OMF property, and there is a street right-of-way in

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front of it. It is a street right-of-way that runs into a 10-foot tall concrete viaduct that carries the streetcar. The question before the Council is, will we ever build a street there and why? That's the only question in this item.

James: ​But the adjacent permitted use is an industrial use -Hales: ​Uses are a separate question. How the property is zoned what, uses are allowed on the property, those are completely separate decisions. The only decision before this Council is, should there ever be a street there and why? Given the transportation network that the street system is supposed to create -- so streets connect to each other. This one can't. It can connect to 3rd, but it can't physically connect to Martin Luther King anymore, other than by a sidewalk which already exists. So the question is, why would the City of Portland ever want to put -- to put the question in different words than the code, why would the City of Portland ever want to build a street there?

James: ​Because it'll allow for turning movements in a safe manner so you won't be backing people down for their use on East Side Plating's use. You can't say that the circulation around the site is going to be improved by vacating the street. In fact, it's going to be made worse, it’s going to be made more dangerous.

Hales: ​You can build a driveway on a piece of property -Debbie Kitchin: ​Are we doing testimony, or debate?

Hales: ​Go ahead, but​ ​I just want to make sure we're sticking to the subject.

James: ​Absolutely. But it's one thing if you're backing bread trucks down adjacent to Benson high school and people are out there flagging -Fish:​ Sir, can I call a halt to this for a second? Because I think Debbie has an excellent point.

You signed up for three minutes, and I’m interested in hearing your testimony, not having a discussion at Council. You’ve given him the limitations of his testimony, but I'd like to have each witness given the chance to testify and then we can ask questions.

Hales: ​That’s what they’re doing. Go ahead.

Fish: ​Actually, he's responding to your point. I'd like to hear the testimony. There's how many people, Karla?

Moore-Love: ​14 on this item, 161.

Fish: ​And how many on the next?

Moore-Love:​ About 40.

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Fish:​ Thank you.

Hales:​ Go ahead.

James: ​So, the circulation -- if the streets there are for circulation of goods and services and people, to vacate the street and reduce access to anybody who would use the adjacent property and create a greater hazard not just to the drivers but anybody occupying that property is a bad idea.

Kitchin: ​OK, I am Debbie Kitchin and I’m here representing my business, InterWorks general contractors. I’m a property owner and business owner in the Central Eastside. The original intent of the land is a transportation-related use. The end use of the land should result in a transportation related use, either as parking to alleviate districtwide parking pressures or as a roadway providing access to the surrounding properties. *While she is speaking, a man in business attire walks up to Commissioner Fish and whispers in his ear during her testimony The proposal to allow a 15-foot wide access for delivering chemicals to adjacent businesses is not sufficient to assure a safe delivery, and you’ll hear more from East Side Plating being that.

The existing right-of-way serves as a viable access for emergency vehicles needing direct access to the adjacent site. This is an important life safety issue for the employees for the adjacent businesses, as well as potential residents of a homeless camp. The inability of adjacent businesses to use the right-of-way for safety, egress, and safe delivery of chemicals creates a liability for the City's general fund. It's not prudent for the City to pursue vacating this street.

The right-of-way -- preserving the existing right-of-way for movement of goods is part of the Comprehensive Plan, and this street has been used for that purpose for 40 to 50 years. It'll impact businesses that are in the area and that won't be able to have adequate space, even with the modifications that were made after the Planning and Sustainability Commission ruling. This will create an irreparable harm to the adjacent businesses by vacating the street. So, I am opposing the street vacation.

Hales:​ Thank you. Good afternoon.

Gary Rehnberg: ​Questions?​ ​Hi. My name's Gary Rehnberg. I serve as president of East Side Plating. ESP has been operating at the 3rd and Stephens site for 70 years. We have 130 employees in Southeast Portland.

For the past 50 years, the area to the south of us has been used for transportation purpose. In 1963, ODOT bought the property and there was a condemnation proceeding to use for a planned east-west freeway. Harrison Street has been both a parking area for employees and customers for adjacent businesses. It serves as a key access point for critical regular chemical deliveries to our

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treatment department occupying the south end of the facility. ODOT has represented over the years that the property would remain for stormwater management for the viaduct following the MLK rebuilding and would continue to be available for parking.

According to the City Auditor’s notice of the proposed street vacation, our facility is in the affected area of the street vacation. The loss of Harrison will cause significant damage to our firm in terms of our ability to operate, improve our processes, and continue serving northwest manufacturers from this facility. I understand communicating the opposition and potential damages is required by Oregon state statute that rules on street vacations.

I had a chance to testify back on December 15th when the Portland Planning Commission recommended denying the vacation of Harrison. Nine volunteer citizens devoted themselves to considering the same topic and voted 6-3 to deny the vacation. It's my understanding that the Council regularly denies vacation proceedings for City streets that serve a transportation use.

Why is the Council disagreeing with the Planning Commission recommendation and changing is usual stance on streets that serve a transportation use? At the St. Philip Neri meeting on 1/30, Commissioner Fritz indicated that without the vacation, the R2DToo plan won't work. I’m concerned that the street vacation consideration is missing the core of Harrison’s existing transportation use and the benefits to East Side Plating and adjacent businesses. Please do not vote for the Harrison Street vacation, I need it for my business.

Fish:​ Mr. Rehnberg, I have a couple questions because I want to make sure I understand. You saw the handouts that we were given. Were they up on the big screen?

Hales: ​The truck maneuvering diagram?

Rehnberg: ​I did not see anything no.

Fish:​ Well, Mr. Kieta was talking about a buffering between the consolidated property to allow a tanker come in and make -- are you familiar with that?

Rehnberg: ​Yeah. We brought a video, Commissioner, with us that'll show the truck access, as well as the vendor is here to be able to comment on that.

Fish:​ I guess I have two basic questions. With the current proposal, could you just describe what kinds of vehicles need to have access to the lane that's created? And what kinds of product are they carrying?

Rehnberg: ​The tanker truck delivers -- it's usually got 2000 gallons of concentrated sodium hydroxide. It’s a caustic soda material that we use to raise the pH of materials. It also has 2000 gallons, usually of hydrochloric acid, and is delivered directly to an insulated double-contained tank within that south door.

Fish: ​Hydrochloric acid. And how do you -- once the truck comes in and makes a delivery, how does it get out under this proposal?

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Rehnberg: ​I’m sorry, which proposal?

Fish: ​The proposal that we're considering. I understand without the street vacation, apparently you can go in and curl around Harrison. How does the truck get out?

Rehnberg: ​There’s no current way for the truck to get out. I’m not aware of proposal is. I haven't seen any alternate proposals.

Fish:​ Commissioner Novick, what's the current proposal as you understand it for egress -- for access of any chemical trucks with East Side Plating?

Novick:​ I'd like to ask staff to come up and respond.

Saltzman:​ Mr. Rehnberg, how frequently do you have those deliveries?​ ​Daily? Weekly?

Rehnberg: ​They’re regularly. Weekly would be a good measure, yes.

Kieta: ​So, the actual -- as proposed, what they demonstrated to us is a double tanked truck, so we did an analysis using a double tank truck pulling back, backing into the 15-foot buffer. What currently happens is the truck pulls across the OMF property, turns then on to Harrison, and then backs up towards the door to then get to the 50 foot of the door. So, what we're proposing the truck would do the maneuver on 3rd backing into the buffer to then get the 50-foot length to the door. The 50 feet is the critical piece because the hose length -- they don’t want to go further than 50 feet of hose length. That's what we've created to make sure we have that type of a buffer to get the truck in. So, Commissioner, to answer your question, in this proposal the truck pulls forward out onto the street.

Fish: ​So you back in the truck. The truck's width is about eight feet?

Kieta: ​The truck’s width is about eight feet.

Fish: ​You're proposing a 15-foot roadway.

Kieta: ​That’s correct.

Fish: ​That the truck would back into. OK. And what's the -- OK. We haven't discussed the physical barriers. Bob, have we done some kind of safety assessment about that as a procedure for delivering chemicals backing into the site? And are we regulated at the federal, state, or local level when we think about these kinds of chemicals being delivered to this facility?

Kieta: ​Our research could not find anything that showed that there was a requirement that it could not back into a facility. The owner has indicated that -- the hauler has indicated that they’re not willing to back into a facility because of the double tank situation. But again, the design we did shows that a double tanker could actually perform that maneuver and within the boundaries we've created.

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Fish: ​The tanker here I take it is a third party company?​ ​It’s not your company, sir?

Rehnberg: ​That's correct.

Fish:​ So if the company that delivers the chemicals is not willing to back in for whatever reasons -- and I don’t know as I sit here whether it's safety reasons, federal transportation reasons, common sense, I don't know. What would be the alternative to delivering chemical to the plant?

Rehnberg: ​We -- for 70 years, the waste treatment facility has been at the south end of that facility. So, we have a huge investment at that lower end. That’s where all the effluent treatment occurs. The safest way to deliver chemistry has been through dedicated, double contained, heated tank that’s accessed through that door. It was recently permitted through a big addition in 2013 through the City with that specified chemistry storage right inside the door.

Fish:​ If that wasn't available to you, sir, what alternatives would you explore?

Rehnberg: ​We would explore -- caustic soda weights about 15 pounds a gallon. A 55-gallon drum would weigh 750 pounds. My waste treatment operator is about 160 pounds of pure strength, but he would have to manually -- instead of being able to deliver up to 500 gallons of material at a time -- do 500 gallon individual shots through the western end of that lower building.

Fish:​ You've lost me on that.

Rehnberg: ​We would have to set smaller units. It would be a handling challenge for the weight of the material.

Saltzman: ​You'd be using a forklift, right?

Rehnberg: ​Yes. It would be more costly. Fewer containers, more frequent deliveries.

Fish:​ But at least -- I’m just going off the diagram. I’m trying to stay within the confines of the question before us and I have this chart which has a 15-foot roadway I guess that assumes that a truck backs in. So your testimony is that your truckers -- this does not meet the specifications of whoever you hired to deliver the chemicals or pick up the chemicals because they’re not going back a double tanker into that location.

Rehnberg: ​That is correct, yes.

Fish:​ Have you shared that concern with the City as part of this process?

Rehnberg: ​I have, yes. And you'll hear from the vendor. They are signed up to testify shortly.

Fish:​ OK, thank you.

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Hales:​ Other questions? Thank you very much. Have you got slides?

Rehnberg: ​Yes, I have video.

Hales: ​Have you got that, Karla? I want to make sure we can get our PA system to cooperate.

Scott Henriksen: ​My name's Scott Henriksen, I’m with East Side Plating, the environmental and health safety manager. I have a short two-minute video showing the Northstar truck delivering the bulk caustic. [video playing] What you'll see is this truck pulling in off of 3rd Avenue onto the property that is adjacent to Harrison Street. The building on the left that’s about to come into view is our East Side Plating facility. It is a high-hazard group H4 occupancy due to the presence of corrosive and toxic chemicals. This truck, as you'll see, is going to make a turn onto Harrison Street which is much wider than a 15-foot radius. So, what we do is we're delivering this bulk sodium hydroxide into that facility. *A video is now being played to show proof of the truck attempting to mak Touching on some of the earlier questions, this type of delivery occurs once a month currently because we're using telemetry to monitor the level in our tank. Prior to the use of that telemetry, we were getting a delivery like this once a week. If we were to use the ability to do this bulk caustic delivery, we would have to go to possibly at least once a week and possibly more frequently. This is the turn the truck is making onto Harrison Street. You can see him grazing up against the far edge of it there as he's trying to make that turn. Now he's going pull forward all the way up to 3rd Avenue before he stops and reverses to start backing up to our facility. At this point, he's backing up. He's used the entire length of Harrison Street, he’s now backing up to the corner of the property adjacent to it. You'll see the door that we're going through here momentarily.

As you can see here, East Side Plating has been using this method for years. Harrison Street has been a regular part of that. And that pretty much brings it to the end here of what -- just showing how the truck delivers chemicals.

Hales:​ So, a couple of questions come to mind seeing this. First of all, most of the space that Mr. Kieta -- could we leave that up? Most of the space that Mr. Kieta described as a potential alleyway for the truck to be able to back into is now occupied by parking? Employee parking, I must assume?

Henriksen: ​Some of it is our employee parking. Some of our employees do park there. Some of it is the adjacent businesses. There is a tow truck facility across the street that usually pulls in there to stage their vehicles. There are other neighborhood businesses that their employees park in this same area.

Hales:​ And obviously from this video, the truck has entered -- the truck entered here.

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Henriksen: ​It's pulled in forward right about that space, turned around or Harrison Street and backed up on Harrison.

Hales:​ So this is a fee simple piece of real estate which the state of Oregon has sold to the City of Portland.

Henriksen: ​Yes, and Mr. Renberg previously was testifying that back in the 1960s, Oregon -the state had acquired that property and that it would be available if they had no use for it, which has been the practice since 1963.

Hales:​ Right. But it is a piece of fee simple real estate, which they have sold -Henriksen: ​I am not familiar with “fee simple.”

Hales: ​It means you can own it.

Henriksen: ​OK. Hales: ​So, they owned it, they sold it to us the City. They might have sold to it a private owner, because this is now surplus property. It was purchased to build the Mt. Hood freeway. And so, your business has been relying on the use of this piece of real estate and this public right-of-way to conduct the truck maneuver that you just described. If the State of Oregon had sold that property to a private party and they proposed an industrial use for that site, we would have to approve it if it met our building code requirements because it's an industrial district and this is a piece of land that you or I or anyone else could buy.

Henriksen: ​Would that also require you vacate Harrison Street to add to that property? Which is what this meeting is about.

Hales:​ Not necessarily. I’m saying the video you just showed us shows you relying on the free, available use of a piece of real estate plus the free and available use of this unbuilt City right-of-way in order to conduct -Henriksen: ​Yes, we are showing the use of the City right-of-way and we're taking advantage of the property that's been available for sale since the 1960s when it was taken from the original owners through legal processes.

Fish:​ Can I follow up on something, Charlie?​ ​The video also shows the truck backing up. Can you help us understand why in the video they are able to navigate by backing up, but under the proposal that's before us it would not be feasible?

Henriksen: ​Right. It's based on the view the truck driver has. When he's at Harrison Street, he's able to pull into there and straighten out and then back up essentially straight. As he's coming down 3rd Avenue, 3rd Avenue curves at the point of East Side Plating around this property

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underneath the overpass for the -- I believe it's the light rail. And so, there's a very different -- it's no longer a straight line of sight. He would have to pull in past the point and then start to make a curve on an already curved part of the street. So, he no longer has visibility as he's backing up and there's traffic coming around a relatively blind corner at that point that may not see him as he’s -- or he may not see them either as he's trying to back up. So, it’s visibility from the 3rd Avenue and Division Street -Fish:​ I’m not trying to argue the point, but I wanted to ask you -- if this is a monthly occurrence or even a weekly occurrence, couldn’t there be measures put into place including having a flagger or some group of people assisting to make it work if that was required?

Henriksen: ​Theoretically, I believe that is possible. But who would the flagger be? And do they have the right to actually stop people and will people always do that as they’re coming around through the -Fish:​ I’m not -- I'm just asking. Can you tell us in plain English tell us what sodium hydroxide is?

Henriksen: ​Sodium hydroxide is a -- its common name is caustic soda. It's a high-pH chemical.

It's basically -- sodium chloride is table salt, sodium hydroxide is a sodium ion with hydroxide. It has a really high pH, around 14. Sodium hydroxide is as close to a common term as I can come up with. I don’t know what else -- Drano would be the most close thing.

Fish: ​So it's a toxic chemical?

Henriksen: ​It depends on how the define toxic. If you go to the emergency response guide, the criteria that this would be categorized would be considered toxic, yes. Under the fire code, it is corrosive, not toxic.

Hales:​ I live in Southeast Portland and I pass by this site pretty frequently. I didn’t keep a log, but for much of the last year, the site was periodically occupied by sort of randomly parked group of recreational vehicles, which I believe might have had people living in them. How did that -- did that interfere with your deliveries? And how do you respond to that interference?

Henriksen: ​Yes, it did interfere. It got to the point where those RVs that were parked in the area had blocked the access for that truck, so the truck driver for safety reasons refused to deliver there anymore. What we ended up having to purchase drums of caustic soda, the sodium hydroxide, and maneuver it through the plant manually and stop using the bulk heated tank that we use.

Hales: ​OK, thank you. Questions? OK. Please.

Mike Steeprow: ​Mike Steeprow, Northstar Chemical.​ ​And to reiterate Scott’s point, the ability to back in the truck is not the issue. I mean, backing the truck is not the issue. It's backing in off 3rd street on the corner that’s the issue. It’s a visibility -- because in a sense, not being able to

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make the U-turn. We have to stop on 3rd street and back in off that corner where the visibility is low. That's where the real issue is -- the safety.

Saltzman: ​So it's not a DOT regulation.

Steeprow: ​No -Saltzman: ​It’s nothing like that that says you can’t back in -Steeprow:​ No. Saltzman: ​OK. *​Three men sit down.

Jeremy Horn: ​Hi, my name is Jeremy Horn, I’m the technical director at East Side Plating. I’m a chemical engineer with over 18 years in the electroplating metal finishing industry.

As we have clearly shown, Harrison Street is currently being used for transportation purposes at East Side Plating. We use numerous chemicals in our facility to process parts, treat waste streams, and maintain or regulatory requirements. We use hazardous solids and liquids to precipitate heavy metals such as copper, nickel, and zinc from our wastewater discharge. We use chemicals in our treatment systems in order to take an environmental hazard and create clean water that we discharge to the city's sewer systems. We use strong acids and bases to neutralize corrosive liquids and convert them to a noncorrosive state. These processes occur in the southern portion of our facility immediately adjacent to the ODOT right-of-way the City recently acquired.

Without the use of these chemicals, we cannot operate our business or be able to maintain our permitting requirements. This proposed street vacation would cause irreparable harm to the way we conduct our business and put a huge problem on East Side Plating to be able to come up with riskier and more difficult methods of maintaining compliance with local, federal, and state regulations. Please do not vacate Harrison Street because we actually use it. That's all I’ve got.

Hales:​ Questions? Thank you all very much.

Fritz:​ Who were the first three?

Moore-Love:​ The ----Tracy, Tim, and Linda.

Hales:​ Thanks, folks. Good afternoon. Who would like to go first? Go ahead.

Tracy Finck: ​Good afternoon, my name is Tracy Finck and I’m the plant manager of East Side Plating. Thanks for listening to the following points concerning the vacation of Harrison Street. I am responsible for 19 employees currently working at the Stephens plant. We work hard to keep

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our employees safe by providing hazardous materials training, providing personal protective equipment, and regularly drilling our evacuation procedures and working with the local fire departments.

When the fire department visits with us to understand where hazardous materials are located within our facility, they park their fire engines on Harrison Street. We use the area to the south of our building, south of Harrison, as our evacuation meeting area. We have busy streets on the east and west side of the building, and Eastside Distilling directly to the north. There's no other place to congregate in the event of an emergency evacuation.

This area to the south of our building has been chosen as our muster area to also avoid potential interference with emergency response vehicles. Employees park on the property to the south on Harrison Street and on Stephens. The ODOT right-of-way property is accessed via Harrison. We purchase parking permit for the employees each year. I have worked with the ODOT and PBOT contractors for the MLK viaduct replacement in 2010 and the streetcar extension in 2011 to verify there were no plans to keep my employees from being able to park on the adjacent probability. Please help me preserve the parking for emergency access and do not approve the vacation of Harrison Street.

Hales: ​I’m sure as the plant manager, you might be the right one to answer this question. On the west side of your business here on your property, there's this parking area here.

Finck: ​Mm-huh.

Hales: ​And there are cars parked here, but there's a 20 by 18 foot loading dock door here and there’s a 10 by 18 foot loading dock door there. What are those loading docks used for?

Finck: ​That is access to the processing lines.

Hales: ​And can the chemicals that we're discussing here that are now being delivered on the City property be delivered through those doors?

Finck: ​By forklift, yes.

Hales: ​Not by any other means?

Finck: ​Well, there's not enough room there to park a tanker truck.

Hales: ​If there weren't cars parked there, there would be.

Finck: ​No. Hales: ​Does that loading dock not extend into the interior of the building?

Finck: ​Yes.

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Tim Lamb: ​It has processing in parts right up to the doors.

Hales: ​OK, so those doors are not for deliveries?

Lamb: ​We deliver the parts to be processed into that door and then after they’re processed, they’re removed out of that door. So, the parts are actually staged right in the entrance of the doors.

Hales:​ Alright. Other questions? Go ahead.

Fritz:​ I just have a comment, Mr. Finck. In light of some of the other issues that are going on in industrial businesses in the southeast quadrant, I just want to compliment you. Everything I’ve heard about your business and its safety procedures are outstanding. I just want to thank you for running a good business in the Central Eastside.

Finck: ​Thank you.

Lamb: ​Thank you. My name is Tim Lamb and I am a business owner of East Side Plating and I genuinely appreciate this opportunity to be able to speak to you guys today. The reason I wanted to testify is because I’m really concerned about the vacating of the 3rd street and the connection it has. And I understand we're going to talk about it after this, too, but it does connect in the sense that it really affects East Side Plating’s ability to be able to serve or customers.

East Side Plating does not manufacture parts but actually services a lot of manufacturers by offering polishing and plating and coating and anodizing to these customers. So, there are a lot of businesses that we all know that East Side Plating supports that may not be able to do business as easy or even do business in Oregon if we are unable to provide these finishes for them. The thing is our customers dictate all the processes that we have. We offer four times as much as any of our competition does, and that’s because customers come with needs so we look and ask whether we can actually put this in.

So, with this being said, it's important for us to be able to have the ability to be able to change our processes. And by changing these processes, it means we change some of the chemicals. And that's what we've done in this last thing here. We actually put in this anodizing line in 2013. And there was an assessment that had to be done by engineers to be able to say whether we could put something in within 200 feet around this area. And based on the -- because of the hazardous chemicals that are going to be used in this process. With this being done -- and I saw this was just ODOT property to the south of us -- it was really approved for us.

Hales:​ I’m sorry -- approved by whom?

Lamb: ​It was actually approved for us -- the City approved for us to be able to have the permit to put this in based on that. [beeping] So, we did put it in and we've operated it. I guess my concern is without the street to deliver chemicals, I’m going to be limited to what kind of

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processes I can offer to customers. Today, we're doing these. It may be something different in the future.

And if I can clarify just a little bit about the sodium hydroxide, too. Because, you know, I hear the laughs and the snickers in the audience that says, “oh, gosh, why can't they just deliver it another method?” The thing is it is a very blind corner. Even when I’m driving in there as a person not driving a big truck, I end up going out on Harrison Street because the traffic comes around there very, very quickly. There’s a berm that you can’t see very well. It is really blind. So that's part of the reason of using Harrison Street is to exit, to be able to get out.

But the other thing about the chemicals that they snicker about -- backing the truck in would be hazardous. But having it in drums is not as simple as just being an inconvenience to us. It has to be heated -- so 58 degrees. What's our temperature today? It can freeze if it goes below that temperature. When they’re in drums, how do I keep all these drums from freezing? How do I move all this stuff and keep them warm? So with this situation in the back, it actually is liquid pumped in. It’s heated hoses. The chemical is brought in and it's not going to freeze into a tank that's heated. It's not just as simple as can someone use a forklift just to move this in the back.

Hales: ​And again, we're trying to understand -Lamb: ​Sure.

Hales: ​-- the operation. And frankly, it's hard to credit this problem from our point of view.

Lamb: ​I understand.

Hales: ​Because you've been relying on the free use of an adjacent piece of land aside from this street vacation issue.

Lamb: ​Yes. Hales:​ And so, ODOT could have sold that land to anybody.

Lamb: ​We would have loved to be able to talk to them about that.

Hales:​ But they could have sold it to anyone, or they could have built something on it.

Lamb: ​We didn't have that opportunity, but you’re right, they could have built something.

Hales: ​Are you telling us that it's impossible to move this product through a 100-foot hose instead of a 50-foot hose, and the City couldn't provide you a pull-out? We accommodate industrial processes all over -Lamb: ​We appreciate that.

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Hales: ​We're making steel and box cars that have to be moved across city streets. We have all kinds of industrial processes in the city.

Lamb: ​Yes. Hales:​ But it's pretty hard for me to credit a situation in which you've made a major investment in the reliance on trespassing on an adjacent property, regardless of who owns it. So, instead of relying on the City providing you access and perhaps permits for a 100-foot insulated conduit that would take the product from a pumping station at the pullout at the curb to the interior business -- again, I don't understand the plating business -Lamb: ​Sure, sure.

Hales: ​-- but​ ​I've been around construction a little bit. Seems to me there might be an engineering solution to the question of moving product out of a truck into a business that doesn't rely on trespassing on a conveniently-located adjacent piece of property. So, why did you as a businessperson rely on that?

Lamb: ​Well, because of the past in 1963. They had indicated this would always be a parking lot that you guys would be able to park your vehicles on. That is why we have used it -Hales: ​Do you have any sort of assurance in writing from ODOT about that?

Lamb: ​No, they have not given us assurance in writing. But that was confirmed again when they were doing the streetcar -- ODOT also confirms the same thing, too. That’s why. The question is “why?” That's why.

Hales: ​Well, they took the property to build a freeway there. They might have done that.

Lamb: ​Yes, they would have. And they said it would not affect you guys because it would be overhead and you guys would be allowed to park underneath it. So, that's what we were told.

Maybe it’s a different story. And I understand you not understanding the planning part. I appreciate you trying to understand that. To answer the question about the 100-foot hose, I believe our supplier said they are not willing to be able to do that. I think the other question about, you know, is there another way -- why would we do this? Why would we be doing chemicals? If we knew this situation would have come in 2008, I don't think we would have put this process in here. We wouldn’t have had as much of a need to have this chemical in here now.

We made a huge investment in this new process and this new line that I need to have this chemistry here.

Fish:​ Can I just jump in for a second -Lamb: ​Yes.

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Fish: ​-- because this is a great discussion. We recently had two pretty extensive hearings on something called Ivy Island in North Portland. We talked about all the logistics of how we were going to build out a corner lot and all the safety issues. We take these things very seriously. I think one of the questions is, as you look at this proposal -- and again, all we're talking about street vacation -Lamb: ​That's right.

Fish: ​We’re not talking about the use of the property. They Mayor is correct, it could be developed for many purposes.

Lamb: ​We'd be in the same boat.

Fish:​ You’d be in the same boat. I guess the question is, for me, are there mitigation measures that are not currently before us that would make this easier for you? For example, Mr. Kieta has said this would be a 15-foot wide dedicated strip. I’m not an engineer. We've got engineers up here. We’ve got lots of smart people in this room. But are there reasonable things we could do to work with you to mitigate the impact of this decision so you could continue to be a successful business? And the Mayor has said -- the Mayor and the Transportation Commissioner here -there might be something we could do on 3rd. Could be some dedicated something. I haven't heard Mr. Kieta say the 15 foot is locked in stone. Do you foresee a possibility if this passes where over a particular period of time, you could work with the City to mitigate the impact and come up with something that actually work for you? Because I think you're also hearing from this panel that this concept is not designed to put you out of business.

Lamb: ​And we appreciate that, thank you for asking that. I do appreciate -- to be able to stress the point. I know we're talking about the vacating of this, and I know the R2DToo thing a big thing and everyone wants to keep it separate, but it’s together. What I’m trying to say is this is the underlining. I don't know of anything, but we'd definitely want to look at it. I’m up here trying to say there's a concern, there's a safety issue. It’s a safety issue for people coming around that corner, it’s a safety issue for that truck for people running into it, it's a safety issue for us hauling that chemical back into the back of our plant.

Fish: ​Sir, I take the safety issue very seriously because later on today, we're going to talk about putting human beings adjacent to that turn. So, the safety issue -- particularly in light of the Bullseye and other things in the news -- we take those very seriously. You've got my full attention on that. I’m trying to figure out off of this phase whether within a reasonable period of time the City working with you could come up with an alternative plan that allows you to continue to be successful.

Lamb: ​And that's what I was saying. We're concerned about the safety. I don't know what those would be. But absolutely we would want to talk to them about it. Absolutely we would want to figure out a way to do it. We don't want to go out of business. I believe that you don't want to put us out of business. And we want to find a solution. But I honestly do not know of something to

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do that. I am concerned about the safety. And if we can address those safety issues, let's find a way to make things happen.

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Field Note #4 F​ocus: communicating identity 60 min observation Victoria Dinu FEBRUARY 24, 2016 Hales:​ Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the February 24th meeting of the Portland City Council. Would you please call the roll?

Fritz: ​Here.

Fish: ​Here.

Saltzman: ​Here.

Novick: ​Here.

Hales: ​Here.

Hales: ​Good morning, everyone, and welcome. We have some communications items up front.

We have a process by which citizens can sign up to speak to the Council on a subject of their choosing, and we have five people signed up to do that. Then, we will get to our regular calendar. If you are here to speak on one of those items, just let our Council Clerk know and she’ll make sure that you have the opportunity to speak. We typically allow people three minutes to testify unless it’s a huge hearing with lots of people to speak, and it doesn’t look like we’re over that threshold this morning.

When you do speak and testify on a Council item, you just need to give us your name, you don’t need to give us your address and all that. We follow the basic rules of decorum here, and that is we like to give everyone a chance to have their say. So, if someone is speaking and you feel compelled to show your agreement with them, feel free to give them a thumbs up or a wave of the hand. And if you disagree with them and still feel compelled to show that, feel free to use a polite hand gesture to the negative, but we ask that we not have applause or demonstration in favor or against our fellow citizens’ points of view in this room. We make exceptions for students and visiting dignitaries, so if you’re one of those or both, you might get a round of applause for all of us. That’s about it in terms of procedure.

We have a consent calendar. I want to check with the Council to see about items being pulled off the consent calendar. I see two that are being pulled to the regular calendar -- namely, and 174. Any others? Anyone else want to request that? OK. So, let’s proceed, please, to Item 164.

Clerk: Request of Crystal Elinski to address Council regarding historical and chronic corruption paid for by taxpayers Item 164.

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A woman wearing jeans, a red leather jacket and a thick woven scarf with over the head, headphones sitting on top of her scarf approaches the table and sits down.

Hales: ​Good morning.

Crystal Elinski: ​Good morning, Mayor, Commissioner Fish, Commissioner Novick, Commissioner Fritz, and Commissioner Saltzman. My name is Crystal Elinski, and I represent 10,000. This is not an idle threat, it’s a wakeup call. Have you read those books I brought to you some years ago, the Portland Confidential and Wicked Portland? You have read those?

Hales: ​Oh, yeah.

Elinski: ​You read them?

Hales: ​I read Portland Confidential. But keep going, please.

Elinski: ​Saltzman?

Hales: ​Crystal, go ahead.

Elinski: ​Oh, sorry. Have you read those books, the Wicked Portland and Portland Confidential?

Fish: ​We’re actually here to hear you -Hales: ​Yeah, we’re here to hear from you, so go ahead, Crystal.

Elinski: ​I mentioned them in my three minutes some years ago, and I was wondering what the status was on that. Have you read them yet?

Hales: ​Why don’t you go ahead, and Council members can get back to you later about that. Go ahead with whatever you want to say this morning.

Elinski: ​Unfortunately, I don’t have -- I can’t purchase you all a copy, but it’s important that you read them before you leave your positions here. And there’s been two more that have come out since then, so we have a lot of catching up to do. But to understand the history of the city, it’s pretty vital, and I just wanted to know if you’d bothered to read them since the last time I asked you.

Fish: ​I’ll say this -- Phil Stanford has never gotten so much free press.

Hales: ​Right. Keep going, Crystal. You made your point about that.

Elinski: ​Well, also, on September 4th, 2013, you said here in Council discussing the Fire Bureau that you would look into -- Mayor Hales -- that you would look into the fire code and the new

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building across the street, the Federal Building when I said that the bunker that I was kept in didn’t have the sprinklers. Have you been able to find anything out on that?

Hales: ​Crystal, you don’t get to cross-examine here, you get to make your points.

Elinski: ​You said you’d look into it on that date and I -Hales: ​Crystal, make whatever points you want to make in the time that you have.

Elinski: ​Well, I’ve tried multiple times to get you in your office. You said that you would meet with me, and each time, your staff has given me the runaround. They’ve told me to speak to different people. When you came through, you said you would. You said it here in Council on camera, and I still haven’t been able to meet with you, so this is my only chance to talk with you one-on-one. You still haven’t met with me. So, have you looked into that?

Hales: ​This is not for one-on-one, this is for you to make your points, so do that. You have -Elinski: ​But you haven’t met with me one-on-one and this is my only chance to ask you if you have followed up on your promise.

Hales: ​Thanks for coming this morning. Thank you very much. Next person, please?

Item 165.

Hales: ​Come on up, please.

Crystal Elinski: ​So you don’t have an answer to that?

Hales: ​Crystal, you need to leave and let someone else speak.

Elinski: ​It’s a yes or no -Hales: ​You need to leave and let someone else speak. Thank you very much.

Elinski: ​[inaudible] Hales:​ Crystal, you need to leave or you’re going to be excluded, OK? So go.

Elinski: ​[inaudible] Hales: ​Crystal, there’s someone behind you who’s ready to speak who wants to speak just like you got to. Let them have the chance. Come on up, please.

Elinski: ​[inaudible] -- you made a promise that day -- [inaudible]

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Hales: ​Crystal, you’re going to be removed from Council chambers if you’re disruptive. You’re being disruptive.

Elinski: ​I’m asking you -- a citizen wants to know the answer to the question -Hales: ​Crystal, this is your last warning. You’re being disruptive. Other citizens want to speak.

You’re being disruptive by taking space and time that other people need to use. You can leave the Council chambers now.

A man approaches Elinski who is dressed in light brown slacks, a black blazer jacket and a red tie that has a name tag swings past the commissioners and approaches the woman and she finally gets up and joins him Elinski: ​[inaudible] Two individuals approach the table both with purple cotton t-shirts on that have a “rock-on” hand gesture on them. They both have more ellabrate and dramatized hairstyles. The white female who is wearing a black leather jacket over her purple shirt has purple highlights in her hair. The male has a electric purple mohawk.

Hales: ​I’m sorry, Crystal, you’re going to have to leave. I’m going to ask our security guard to escort you out of the chambers. Good morning.

Stephanie Vlachos:​ Good morning. Y’all look very familiar because I’ve done a lot of research and your names come up. My name is Stephanie, and I’m here to represent Horns for the Homeless.

Winter 2013, my friend shared with me a moment that he had with his son. They were walking the streets of Portland when they passed a man curled up on the ground. The son asked his father why the man was just laying there with no shoes on his feet, and the father shared about homelessness. The son then asked his father, “What can we do?” Two years later, four outreach events, over 75 volunteers, 1600 meals served, multiple contributions made by local businesses, and unlimited amount of compassion through the power of music. Ladies and gentleman, I am proud to introduce a nonprofit that not only impacts my life but builds bridges in the city of Portland. Give it up for horns for the homeless. [applause] Hales: ​Alright, we can break the rules for that.

Vlachos: ​Thank you. I’ve been an active member since the creation, and my purpose today is to bring the awareness of Horns to you, our leaders.

Last fall, Mayor Hales declared a housing emergency, and a press release from October 2015 states, “Mayor Charlie Hales today announced that an additional $66.7 million in funds will be directed to affordable housing projects in five urban renewal districts over the next five years.” We applaud these efforts, yet it’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll. One

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person can make a difference in another’s life, but imagine what a city can accomplish. Visualize the influence our success rate can have on cities across our nation. Like an instrument in an orchestra, horns play the melody. Alongside our government and successful programs like Transition Projects and New Avenues for Youth, together, we are a symphony.

Horns for the Homeless are public servants. We strongly advocate for activation of public space for community events. These special events bring artistry and culture to our city, providing the homeless a sense of belonging, eliminating segregation, and reintroducing them to society. It is then that we can set them on a journey to self-sufficiency. I’m honored to be here today and share this amazing non-profit.​ ​Horns motivates through special events, and we need our leaders to support art to collaborate our goals. Through our government, we provide food and shelter.

Through music, we provide compassion. And combined, we lead them to self-sufficiency. Like the closing of a live entertainment show, please give it up one more time for Horns for the Homeless.

Hales: ​Thank you. So, who’s your colleague here?

Vlachos: ​This is Mr. Kevin Rankin. He is a drummer getting ready to sub in for Flock of Seagulls. He’s also in a local tribute band here representing AC/DC tribute band, Bon Jovi tribute band. He’s actually been on the board for the Oregon Music Hall of Fame as well.

Hales: ​Great. We appreciate what you’re doing. Thank you very much. Thanks for being here this morning.

Vlachos: ​Thank you for your time.

Novick: ​I have to say, we don’t have enough AC/DC quotes in Council meetings. [laughter] Hales: ​Yeah, Steve quotes rock lyrics a lot when he votes, so you never know!

Vlachos: ​[laughs] Well, I did provide the Clerk with my card, so if you want my autograph, I’ll be outside afterwards. Thank you so much.

Hales: ​Alright, thanks.

Item 166.

A woman approaches the mic. She is older wearing pearls. Very well manicured and wearing pearls. She’s wearing a black and white top and a Livestrong bracelet. She seems very comfortable and confident.

Hales: ​Good morning.

Holly Whittleton:

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Good morning, Mayor Hales, Commissioner Fritz, Commissioner Novick, Commissioner Saltzman, and Commissioner Fish. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you this morning. My name is Holly Whittleton, I’m the Executive Director at SE Works, and I’ve brought the most amazing gentleman with me this morning. Thaddeus [indistinguishable] -- is here representing the SE Works youth center, and he’s going to speak on behalf of almost 30 youth that we have here today who are participating in a civics lesson. So, thank you for that as well.

I’m here basically for two reasons. I’m here to support the budget request for the PDC economic opportunity programs -- and this is the adult and youth workforce development programs -- and also to request continued funding for the SE Works youth career development center. However, I’m respectfully asking that if you do support the SE Works youth program again this year -- we were allocated $40,000 for a case manager and I’ll talk about that in a few minutes -- that that not impact the allocation to the EOI programs that are critical for adult workforce development and for youth workforce development.

The youth center this year has served 120 youth -- all out of school youth. We serve those annual, 17 to 24 years of age. They are in our GED program, but they come with a host of issues.

Many of them are homeless, couch surfing, hungry. They are suffering from trauma from foster care. They have drug and alcohol issues, behavioral problems, mental health issues. The funding that you give us funds the case manager who really works with every single youth that comes through the program door to connect them to the required services in the community so that they can get well, they can get healthcare, they can get housing -- we work very closely with NAVI on that -- and so that we can also connect them to workforce development. So, finding them jobs and also doing some college and career-readiness work so that we’re ready for them around their post-secondary transition.

The gentleman, Thaddeus, that you’re going to hear from this morning is aiming in magical thinking in Berkeley University, and we’re going to help Thaddeus get there through the support of the case manager and through the fantastic teachers that we have who give their lives to these youth every year. So, I’m talking too much and I’m going to pass over to Thaddeus and he can speak on behalf of the group.

Hales: ​Welcome.

Thaddeus [spelling?]: ​Thanks. Nice to meet you guys. My name is Thaddeus. I would just like to start out by asking all of my peers at my school to stand up really quick.

Hales: ​Ah, great. Good morning.

Thaddeus: ​There are the lives that for the most part have been drastically changed due to the undying selfless nature of the staff of SE Works. Thank you.

My freshman year, I went to Benson and due to personal reasons and other things, I did not get to finish my schooling there. My next year, I went to Grant High School and had another case of just not working out -- [beeping] -- um --

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Hales: ​We allow extra time for students, so we’ll do that here. Go ahead.

Thaddeus: ​Thank you so much. The next year, I decided to attend the NAYA early college academy, but unfortunately that did not work out either. That would be the end of the story if it were not for SE Works. These people gave me hope for my future. I didn’t think I’d be able to attend college or get my high school diploma until they took me in and helped me with my education.

Funding programs such as these create opportunities for kids like me and unlike me​. ​And it’s incredible -- these kids have their lives completely changed due to the people who can help them just because of the funding they can get through their schools. There’s thousands of these kids and there’s gonna be thousands more just like me, and I don’t know what we would do without these programs.

Hales: ​Thank you so much. As I said, we occasionally change the rules in here. We spend a lot of time in this room solving problems, not enough time celebrating successes. So, we appreciate SE Works and students like Thaddeus who are striving for a great future. Let’s hear it for them.

Thank you. [applause] Fish: ​Mayor, since we have so many guests, my recollection is that this issue usually comes up during the PDC budget proceedings, so maybe we give them a primer on where it lands on our budget process?

Hales: ​Yeah, the PDC budget comes -- I’m sorry, you mean where it lands chronologically?

Fish: ​I think this is funded through -Hales: ​Through the general fund portion of PDC. Fish: ​It goes to PDC. Hales: ​Right.

Fish: ​So, we take this up both in our general fund discussions and in PDC when they come before us, so there’s two opportunities for the public to weigh in.

Hales: ​Right. We’ll make sure you know when that comes up.

Whittleton: ​Wonderful. Thank you.

Hales: ​Thank you so much for coming, and good luck to you.

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Whittleton: ​Thank you.

Fritz: ​So, the message that my colleague just said, students, is that it’s great that you showed up this morning and we need you to keep showing up. Participating during the budget process makes a huge difference. 90 percent of success is showing up.​ ​ So, please come and you’ll get the opportunity to sign up under the Portland Development Commission budget, which means you may not have to wait hours and hours to get to the end of the City budget sessions. There are generally fewer people testifying for Portland Development Commission. So, please come. We’ll let you know. There are usually a couple forums in the community and you’re certainly very welcome to come and testify.

Hales: ​And some of those forums are at night, too, so maybe have less of a conflict with whatever else in terms of work or study that you’re doing during the day.

Whittleton: ​Thank you. Thank you so much, Mayor Hales and Commissioners.

Hales: ​You bet. Thank you for being here this morning. Thank you all.

Item 167.

A dark haired woman in professional attire approaches to testify. She has several prepared papers in her hand and confidently takes a seat.

Hales: ​Good morning.

Monica Enand: ​Good morning. Thank you all for allowing me to be here. My name is Monica Enand, and I’m the founder and CEO of Zapproved. We are a software startup here in Portland and we sell legal software to large corporations. I’m here to talk about the importance of the City funding for the PDC economic development efforts. It’s exciting to hear about all the good things going on, but I can’t think of a more important time and place for the economic development efforts that are going on here than in the software industry right now in Portland.

There is truly something very exciting happening here. My own company has doubled in size over the last 18 months in terms of job count and employee count, and I foresee similar growth ahead, if not more​.

Last year, in order to grow the company, we actually relocated from Hillsboro to Portland and the PDC was extremely helpful in those efforts. Knowing that we needed to grow and hire quite a large number of people, we were able to successfully do that. They also work with many technology startups to get early adopter customers, and Zapproved has benefited from that as well. The City and the PDC worked with us, and the City of Portland has actually been a customer of us for over five years. They were an early customer, and that’s especially important in Portland because startups don’t have access to a whole lot of large businesses to have early adopter customers. ​ ​One of those larger indicators of success if having close customers nearby that work with you to get your products off the ground.

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When I think about the growth that we need to experience in attracting the talent we need to fuel that growth, I’m really thankful for the diversity and inclusion efforts that I’ve been a part of with the PDC. We signed the tech diversity inclusion pledge that you might have heard of along with many of my other colleagues at software companies, and we’re working to educate ourselves so that our workplaces are very inclusive places to work and attract the right talent. As I think about what’s happening and the growth, we’re going to need all genders, all races, all walks of life to fuel this exciting time. And so, I think the work they’re doing is critical to let our software companies grow.

The other thing I’ve worked with them on is our inclusive fund and picking a fund manager and allocating funds to attract entrepreneurs of different genders and races and being more inclusive there, and I think, again, a critical effort to get the next generation of growing companies. Thank you.

Hales: ​Thank you very much. It’s great to hear that progress report after your move from Hillsboro and all this growth. How many employees are you now?

Enand: ​We’re now 75.

Hales: ​Wow, that’s great. Thank you. OK, let’s hear the final communications item.

Item 168.

A woman approaches to testify wearing a bright lilac long blazer jacket over a white long dress.

Hales: ​Good morning.

Paige Hendrix Buckner: ​Good morning. My name is Paige Hendrix Buckner, founder and CEO of ClientJoy. We make gratitude easy by managing gifting for companies. In 2014, my company was chosen to participate in the Startup PDX Challenge, a program that helps diverse startup founders by giving them $15,000, a free office space, mentorship, and a plethora of legal, accounting, marketing, and business advisory services. Historically diverse companies – those started by women and people of color -- have struggled to find funding for a variety of reasons.​ ​We often hear that we aren’t scalable and that we won’t make enough money. This program moved beyond those excuses and invested in companies that are creating living wage jobs in our community. And in my experience, the program is transformative.

Having previously worked in education and public policy, I had a great deal to learn about building a really successful business. And during the year-long program, we used the funds for a variety of important reasons. We purchased local products, connected with mentors to receive critical advice, and accessed resources to improve our brand and financial structure.

Because our business is deeply rooted in featuring the work of local artisans, the funding provided through the Startup PDX Challenge actually worked its way in to local businesses when

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we purchased products from them. It was an awesome ripple effect that we want to see continue as we scale our business.

While the data is hard to quantify, the most important impact to the programs were the relationships that we formed with the other startup founders, NoAppFees, YellowScope, Society Nine, Design+Culture Lab and With Love, From PDX. We purchased product from each other, learned lessons that were very hard, and taught each other how to use tools that would make us more effective and efficient. Even though the program came to an end last year, we continued to collaborate in really important ways that help our companies scale and be successful.

Outside of the business, the challenge has given me the tools to return to the classroom as an educator and bring entrepreneurship to high school students. Last fall, entrepreneurs hired me to adapt curriculum by two, brilliant volunteers. We’ve brought this curriculum to Benson High School, and each week, I’m honored to work with two incredible teachers to teach their tech algebra class how to think like entrepreneurs. It has been an incredible experience. Some of the inventions our students have come up with are showing up in global tech shows around the world, and they’ve expressed they’re improving in other classrooms because they feel empowered to fix the problems that they’re having in those classrooms.

All this magic in the classroom has caused me to wonder, why aren’t we teaching how to dream, build, test, and iterate at every grade level and in every subject? What powerful and innovative ideas would sprout out of an environment where students are encouraged to identify problems in their community and build solutions for the rest of their lives? The Startup PDX Challenge has had immediate impacts in the lives of business owners who have participated, and will continue to echo for years to come in the people who now have living wage jobs because of those companies, the profit margins of businesses who become vendors, the customers for whom they’ve solved a pain point, and the students who are now empowered to solve problems. Thank you so much for funding this incredible program.

Hales: ​Thank you.

Fritz: ​Thank you to both of you and the previous speaker. I’m struck by the emphasis on technology and your work in the classroom, so I have a request to tack on the end of your discussions with students that the City is a good source for technology jobs. I was looking at the gender makeup of various City bureaus and I noticed that the Bureau of Technology Services is over 70 percent men, and I know there are a lot of women who are very involved in technology and software development. So just let them know that if they’re not interested in the entrepreneur-making-a-million-bucks route and they just want a steady City jobs that pays good benefits and is a career for 30 years, please have them think about coming to work with us.

Hendrix Buckner: ​Absolutely. They would really loved to have been here, but they are actually on another field trip today. They’ll come visit you another time.

Fritz: ​Thank you.

Hales: ​Thank you very much. OK, let’s take action on the consent agenda, please. Unless there

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are any other requests for items to be removed, let’s vote on the balance of the consent agenda minus items 173 and 174.

Roll on consent agenda.

Fritz: ​Aye. ​Fish: ​Aye. ​Saltzman: ​Aye. ​Novick: ​Aye. ​Hales: ​Aye. Item 169.

This time three women approach the table to testify together. They all look incredibly polished, sharp edges on their apparel and attire.

Hales: ​This is an amazing program, and we’re pleased to have a presentation on it this morning.

I think we’re starting with Kali Thorne Ladd, Jessica Howard, and Karen Kervin. Come on up, please. It’s great to have you here.

Fritz: ​And as they’re getting settled, I’d just say to the SE Works students that this is an amazing program that the City sponsors to help with scholarships in community college, and anybody who graduates from high school is eligible for it. So, listen up, and we hope that you’ll apply, too Hales: ​Yeah, this is a good combination this morning. Good morning.

Kali Thorne Ladd: ​Good morning. I think I’m starting. Thank you, Council members, for the opportunity to present on future connect. My name is Kali Thorne Ladd, and I’m a member of the Portland Community College board of directors representing district two, which is North and Northeast Portland and goes up into Columbia County, Scappoose. On behalf of the board of directors, I wanted to thank the City of Portland, Mayor Hales, Commissioners Saltzman, Fritz, Fish, and Novick for your support for this cornerstone program at PCC. Through our newly-adopted strategic plan, PCC is committed to providing not only access to educational programs, but also success for communities of color, for first generation college students, for low income students.

Future Connect is a pride point for PCC and has become a statewide model for new models of engagement that involve local government, colleges, and the philanthropic community. As a board member, I must say this is exciting because the national conversation continues to be about how do we provide both access and success, and right here in our own backyard we have created a program that is doing that.

As many of you know, I have a history with Future Connect and have had the privilege of working on it with the City of Portland to bring this opportunity to students in Portland. The vision was to provide greater access to higher education to historically underserved groups with the belief that by investing in our human infrastructure, we would help build and strengthen this evolving city. So, we thank you from the bottom of our heart for your support. We believe that as the city continues to grow and change, Future Connect is providing opportunities for all members of Portland’s community to access living wage jobs, to access opportunities within this thriving city. With that, I would like to turn it over to President Dr. Jessica Howard, who is the President of Southeast Campus.

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Jessica Howard: ​Thank you, Director Thorne Ladd. Mayor Hales and Commissioners, it’s a great pleasure to be with you today. III PCC is committed to Future Connect because of the positive impact that it creates in our communities. Over the past five years since its inception, Future Connect has enrolled 1200 students, well over 900 of whom have been from Multnomah County, through your support.​ ​This has provided a positive impact not only for the students, but for the families and communities from which they come. And through the outreach of Future Connect staff, thousands of high school students now know the many options for them to go to college.

When we speak about the income of Future Connect -- I know you’ve all received this wonderful handout. I’d like to just point out a few things on the handout. First of all, on both sides when you open it, the big takeaways really are that the Future Connect students are out-performing their national counterparts by at least two times and in a shorter timeframe -- in a three-year time frame versus a six-year time frame -- in terms of completion rates. Twice as good as their national parts, who are low income and first generation. That is quite something.

When you specifically look at first-year retention rates, what you have on the brochure are averages. But some of these outcomes are continuing to improve. For instance, on the lower left-hand side, the retention rate in the first year going from entry to one year into the program, Future Connect students last year returned to their second year at 84 percent. Compare this to the national statistics, which show that 40 percent of first-generation college students return for their second year. You’ll see that not only is this a spectacular program, but it is getting better as it develops.

In the lower right, there’s a chart that shows retention data for students who have completed a certificate, a degree, or have transferred; those who are still attending; and those who have exited the program since its inception. Each group of these bars shows where each cohort is as of the current term, Winter 2016. If you look at the 2001 cohort, the medium blue on the right, you’ll see that 31 percent of that 2011 cohort completed within four years. To give a sense of what that means, we can compare this number to the national income of low income first generation students who attended a two-year college and then transferred to a four-year institution within six years, and that rate is 14 percent. If you look at the 2012 data, you’ll see that number of completion is already higher than the initial year. For students who are not first generation, the transfer rate is 50 percent in that same six-year period, and that is what we strive for, because we want there to be no disparity between these groups of students.

The impact of Future Connect, however, goes beyond the numbers. It’s impacted how we look at support and advising at PCC. As Director Thorne Ladd indicated, it’s a statewide model.

It’s something that the state has recognized as a best practice and is hoping can be a part of communities across the state. The critical component of partnership in making the Future Connect model work for communities have created further synergies and further linkages to create more opportunity for students.

The momentum created by the City of Portland as our first partner in this work has been absolutely outstanding. As you probably know, the cities of Beaverton and Hillsboro are now also our partners. And I will give you a very short list of some of the other partnerships and

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synergies that have come out of Future Connect. For the past year, we’ve been working in Columbia County through a grant with the Ford Foundation to develop a Future Connect partnership. We’ve worked with WSI here in Multnomah County to provide summer internships for Future Connect students -Commissioner Fritz interjects and asks Fritz: ​What is WSI? Howard: ​WorkSource – WorkSystems. It’s the acronym-heavy world that we’re in. We’ve worked with universities to create scholarships to support specifically Future Connect students.

Future Connect students have studied abroad through a partnership with Carpe Mundi. We’ve partnered with PPS on a gear-up grant that creates paid leadership opportunities for Future Connect students in middle and high schools.​ ​So, it’s inspiring work. It’s work that we’re doing together, and we’re supporting a collective population which is our students and our future. I really thank you all for your continued support, and I’m pleased to be joined by Karen Kervin, who is vice president of community relations for US Bank.

Karen Kervin: ​Thank you, and good morning. I am here on behalf of US Bank and the US Bank Foundation and also the PCC Foundation, which I was pleased to join earlier this year. US Bank has been a strategic partner of PCC Connect over the past five years or so, contributing $27,500 to support the great work that’s being done at PCC and Future Connect.

The US Bank Foundation work pillar or category of giving supports programs that help students graduate from high school ready to go on to their post-secondary college or career training to gain the skills they need to earn a living wage. We are so pleased with the work that’s being done by Future Connect in that regard. Future Connect is one of the reasons why I decided to join the PCC Foundation board earlier this year.

I would like to share the Future Connect remains a top fundraising priority of the PCC Foundation board. Since launching Future Connect with the City of Portland five years ago, the foundation has raised more than 2.2 million for more than 400 individuals, foundations, and corporations. This does not include the generous support from the cities of Portland, Beaverton, and Hillsboro. I’m pleased to share that just two months ago, the foundation received its single largest cash gift ever, a five-year pledge of $475,000 from a Portland business woman to help hire additional Future Connect coaches.

As you have heard from others, Future Connect works. On behalf of US Bank, the US Bank Foundation, we thank you for your leadership in creation of the program and for your ongoing generous support. Lastly, I hope that you will join us on April 17th at the PCC gala where we will celebrate the fifth anniversary of Future Connect. Governor Kate Brown, Thomas Lauderdale, and members of Pink Martini will be joining us, too. We now would like to have Tobias and the students come up.

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Fritz: ​Before you do that, I think I made a mistake in saying you needed to have a high school diploma. In fact, students with a GED are also eligible for this program, right?

Thorne Ladd: ​Yes. Fritz: ​And what benefits does the student get? If they get a Future Connect scholarship, what does that get them?

Thorne Ladd: They have an opportunity to not only get the scholarship dollars, but they get a career coach or a college coach that works alongside them to ensure they’re able to complete their goals. For some, it’s an AA degree, for some it’s transfer, for some it’s a certification. Our objective is to make sure they’re successful at PCC. Thorne Ladd: ​And I just wanna say, I remember five years ago when we had the first sort of graduation of Future Connect scholarship recipients, and the chamber was filled with families and parents who were tearful and who were talking about how they never thought their child would go to college, they never thought they would have this opportunity. To look at it five years later and see that 1200 students have benefitted and they have been successful, it’s really incredible . And Portland was courageous to step into that space. And because of your courage, Beaverton and Hillsboro and all these other cities are realizing, wow, we need to invest in our future as well. I just wanted to bring that. I remember, Commissioner Fritz, you standing beside shaking hands with the students, and it has meant so much.

Fritz: ​They were not the only ones who were teary-eyed. And Kali Thorne Ladd, while you’re at the podium, I just want to recognize this was really your brainchild in partnership with Mayor Sam Adams, and Commissioners Fish, Saltzman, and I funded it at a time when we were cutting budgets left and right during the recession. This is why. Because we believed in the students, we believed in investing in them would help our city as well as the students and their families. So, thank you for your leadership.

Fish: ​Before we lose​ the panel, I had a question for Director Ladd.

Hales: ​Please.

Fish: ​You know, the City has embraced a big equity vision, and at the heart of it is creating opportunity for unrepresented people and looking to leadership positions in the City, combined with the fact that we’re projecting a huge wave of retirements over the next 10 years. There’s a bubble of really skilled and seasoned people in the City that are going to be moving on. We’re investing in the success of young people that are chasing their dreams. Are we also through WorkSystems, Inc. and other tools thinking about aligning graduates with opportunities in local government, and are we doing enough to facilitate that?

Thorne Ladd: ​Well that’s a big question. I may look to my colleague here. I know that there have been efforts to provide internships to Future Connect students to really align folks with job

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market opportunities. So, there is intentionality around doing that. Whether we have done that successfully for the public sector and government jobs, that I could not speak to, and I don’t know, Jessica?

Howard: ​There is always room to do more KKK, and I think that our focus in terms of creating success beyond the credential is something that is a part of the entire PCC success plan.

Fish:​ And I’ll just give you one example. The very talented woman at the Bureau of Environmental Services who is looking at our long-term needs and recruitment has put forth a proposal that is heavily based on going into the high schools and colleges upstream and identifying talent, bringing people in for internships and experience-based learning, and then identifying talent and then connecting with them. Because the really good students have lots of options, so we want to be a preferred employer. And I would just say that as you think about where these students are going, and the kind of careers that they’re preparing for, I think that all of us up here would be interested in making sure that we’re capturing the talent that might be interested in careers in our bureau. And so push us on that, because it needs to be intentional.

Howard: ​Thank you.

Mayor Hales calls a career coach and two students to join the panel.

Hales:​ Thank you very much. Yes, let me call up a panel of Tobias Sherwood, Carlos de Jesus, and Jordan Collins to talk about the program a little more. Good morning.

Tobias Sherwood: ​Good morning, Mayor Hales and Commissioners Novick, Fritz, Saltzman, and Fish. My name is Tobias Sherwood. I am a college success coach with Future Connect since 2012, the second year the program was in existence. I’d like to start by answering Commissioner Fritz’s question. What do I do? Well, I met Jordan down here in a career classroom at Franklin High School, met Carissa at David Douglas when she was a senior in high school, and it starts there by getting students excited to come to Portland Community College. It really starts with filling out FAFSA, learning about what programs are offered at PCC. So, my job at the start is building a relationship with these students and letting them know that they belong in higher education and that they belong in our scholarship program, they deserve scholarship money and the opportunities that will come from being a part of something bigger.

You know, I’m thinking right now, at 11:00, I teach a class called CG130, Today’s Careers, so I won’t speak for too long because I know we’re pushing a 10:00 already, but I do just about everything a student might possibly need. Clarissa, her brother Carlos was supposed to be here this morning. It’s so nice to have a sibling in the program who can step in for her big brother and represent for our program. So yesterday, I was texting with Carlos, who’s a transfer students at Portland State University receiving the Future Connect scholarship there which is $3400 for two years ago. He’s pursuing a business degree like Jordan is, but I was also working with second term first-year students, who have no idea what they are doing still even though I’ve been putting in a lot of effort and energy, and they’re getting there, and they will get there and get to a place that Clarissa is and where Jordan is and where Clarissa’s big brother is. And so, I help with

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financial aid, I am an academic advisor, when crisis occurs I can help the students navigate those challenges, and I’m basically just the go-to person.

As a coach I have a privilege that some folks higher-up who are focusing on the big picture don’t always get to experience, and that is to see young people develop themselves as leaders , to develop themselves as folks who are going to enter the professional world with a network of people to support them and the confidence to really go for what they want and get what they want from PCC and from their life as a whole. So, Clarissa de Jesus, I will pass it to you in just a moment.

I want to say one thing about her. She’s one of the most responsible people that I have ever met. She has a ton of responsibility at home with her family. She takes on a lot of responsibility in her community of faith. She is a Future Connect leader, she was nominated by me last year to be a part of the leadership cohort, and she’s trying to figure out what she wants to do. She wanted to be a naturopathic doctor, now she’s shifting toward neuroscience. I am confident whatever she ends up landing on, she’ll be successful. So, thank you very much for having us all here today. I’ll pass it over to her.

A young hispanic woman begins to speak at the microphone. She is wearing a casual top.

Clarissa de Jesus: ​Thank you, Tobias. Good morning, Mayor Hales and City Commissioners.

My name is Clarissa de Jesus, I am currently a second-year student at PCC after four successful terms in which I have earned a 3.7 GPA -Fish: ​I think that deserves a round of applause. [applause] Hales: ​Hear, hear.

De Jesus: “​I took the winter term off so I could go to Mexico. I went to Mexico to visit my family, but most importantly, I went to spend time and take care of my abuelito, which means grandfather in Spanish. My abuelita, which means grandmother in Spanish, passed away on February of last year, so it has been very hard for him and he has even been diagnosed with depression and he wanted me and needed me to be with him since he was alone down in Mexico …” *she pauses and tries to hold back tears “and also because none of his grandchildren wanted to or had the opportunity to go to Mexico and be with him.

On the prior trip to Mexico, six months before my abuelita passed, she told me that she wanted to be someone in life and to be happy. She also said that she could see me being a doctor or a lawyer. *she pauses and tries to hold back tears

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Those words are still in my heart and will always be in my heart. Even though we didn’t have a special relationship, I felt that immense love she had forever with me whenever I was with her.

Sorry, guys.

Hales: ​It’s OK. De Jesus:​ Although I had been crafted myself into a successful student even before hearing my abuelita’s words, after she passed away, I found a new purpose for my education and I decided to dedicate my academic career to her and she is the reason why I am in school right now. In high school at David Douglas, I honestly did not have a reason or an inspiration to go to college. I felt like I was forced to go to college. I did not do my best because I knew that I was going to pass.

At the end, my ending GPA at David Douglas was a 2.68 and I still graduated on-time. Not having any support or encouragement from anyone made me discouraged, but I quickly realized once I was accepted into the Future Connect that I would have someone to help guide me and support me my entire time at PCC. This was important for me for a few reasons. For one, my brother and my cousins and I represent the first generation of our family to go to college. We are the ones the younger generations look up to, and we should set the example for them. My brother Carlos and my cousin Johnny both receives the Future Connect scholarship. My brother decided that he wanted to get his degree despite the struggles while my cousin, Johnny, decided school was not important to him and dropped out. Both are on the same path, but each one had a different mindset and at the end, they made their own decision.

At that time, I applied for the Future Connect scholarship, and I had no idea my brother and my cousin had received the scholarship. After I had received the scholarship, I was excited because I was going to be assigned a coach. I did not know what I was going to get myself into when I was going to start college. Thankfully, my coach Tobias has been an amazing person since day one. He is not just a coach, he is like family. Tobias and the rest of the Future Connect staff are very nice and very helpful and are always motivating everyone to keep going. That extra motivation I have gotten from my coach and the rest of the Future Connect family has helped me to get where I am today.

I have a cousin who just graduated last year and she went straight to a university. After starting school, she realized that she had no one to help her out and give her that extra motivation. If it wasn’t for Future Connect, I would have already dropped out of college. Going to school, working, having church responsibilities, and having house duties has been very tough.

At the end, I did my best to be responsible for all of the things that I do.

At the moment, I have a GPA of 3.71. It hasn’t been easy, but getting that extra help and encouragement from Future Connect has made the college experience less hectic. I was also nominated to be a Future Connect leader from Tobias because he saw something in me. I never considered myself a leader but after taking the leadership class, I realized I have potential, I just needed to step out of my shell. It has also helped me to grow as a person and view life differently.

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Thanks to the Future Connect, I know now which road that I am taking, and that is the road to success. My academic goal is to get my transfer degree and go to a university and get my doctorate in neuroscience and psychology. My end goal is to move to Mexico and have a little office space and help people with -- like a little office space and be a doctor down there and help all the people who can’t afford paying the expensive doctors down there -- either for a low cost or for free. Thank you for continuing to support the students like myself, my brother, and Jordan Collins, who will be speaking next.

Fish:​ Can I just also observe, colleagues, that when you began your beautiful remarks, you mentioned that we were a City Council, but then you were kind of trying to figuring out why we’re Commissioners. I have to say, after seven years on this body, I can’t answer that question -- [laughter] -- because if you’re at the County, you are considered a board of County Commissioners, if you are at the City, you are considered a City Council, and I’m not sure why we’re also known as Commissioners other than the charter says so, but you hit upon something that is a pure anomaly in Portland.

Hales:​ One more way we keep Portland weird. [laughter] Thank you for being here. Good morning.