Diversity Leadership Academy - Applications being accepted

Diversity Leadership Academy

We are contacting you to let you know about an exciting new program encouraging civic involvement and leadership development for emerging new leaders in community-based organizations of color, immigrant and refugee organizations in Portland. Applications are being accepted to participate until spaces are filled in the new Diversity Leadership Academy.


What is the Diversity Leadership Academy?
Portland's Diversity Leadership Academy is a joint project of Oregon Action, the Center for Intercultural Organizing and Latino Network funded by the Office of Neighborhood Involvement at the City of Portland. Up to 40 community members from diverse immigrant/refugee community organizations and community organizations of color in Portland are being recruited to participate in this 12-month leadership training program.

The goal of this program is to support efforts to build the organizational capacity and leadership skills of community organizations serving populations traditionally not engaged with City of Portland civic issues. The hope is for participants in this program to become more effective organizers and advocates for their community's best interests. In addition, the City will encourage participants to consider serving on a wide array of City boards, commissions, and advisory committees. We hope to encourage the development of collaboration between community and neighborhood organizations on community livability issues.


What skills will I be able to learn?
Only some of the best organizing and leadership training there is in Portland! You will learn the basics of:
• Community organizing
• Politics of oppression
• Power analysis
• Issue selection and campaign planning
• Media planning
• Cross-cultural movement building and conflict resolution

In addition, participants will gain valuable field experience by putting their training into practice by learning how to testify at City Council, hold press conferences, attend public meetings and implement short-term issue campaigns or community projects.


What do I need to commit to?
A commitment to social change in your community. There is no fee. This is a 9 month-long program with monthly training sessions. These sessions may be evening or day-long weekend sessions. You will be asked to commit to participate in program events through March 2008, including completing a hands-on project for a community organization of your choice.

Those selected will be part of the Oregon Action training module. There will be several joint cross-cultural training sessions with participants from the Center for Intercultural Organizing and Latino Network. You do not need to be a member of Oregon Action, Latino Network, or Center for Intercultural Organizing.

Deadline for applying:
Applications will be reviewed and selected by Oregon Action. You are encouraged to apply by Monday, July 23rd. The first class starts July 26th. If the 10 available spots are not filled by that time they will be filled on a first-come basis. The other 30 participants have already been recruited through the partner organizations.


For more information or to sign up please contact:
Geri Washington
Leadership Academy Organizer
Oregon Action
503-282-6588
geri@oregonaction.org

Send completed applications to:
Oregon Action
Attn: Geri Washington
6601 NE Martin Luther King Blvd.
Portland, OR 97211

EMAIL: geri@oregonaction.org
FAX: 503-282-7266

General information on the program at:
Jeri Williams, Office of Neighborhood Involvement
City of Portland
1221 SW 4th Ave., Room 110
Portland, OR 97204
503-823-5827
http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=44961&

PSU Class for Neighborhood Activists

Dear Neighborhood Association Leaders,

I am working on the Portland Office of Transportation & Portland State University "Traffic and Transportation Class." The class has many scholarships available for Portland citizens and we'd like to inform your neighbors about this great opportunity. Can you let people in your community know about the class? Inclusion in your newsletter and/or on an email distribution list would be most welcomed! Please don't hesitate to contact me or visit the website for more information. Below is a short, bullet-point style description and a narrative. If you received this email twice, I apologize and will do my best to keep emails to a minimum. Thanks very much!

Scott Cohen
SmartTrips Downtown Coordinator
Portland Office of Transportation
(503) 823-5345

Calling all transportation activists! Learn how the city that works, works! And how you can affect change in your neighborhood.

Work with decision and policy-makers, planners, scholars and engineers to get your neighborhood transportation project moving.

This interactive Portland State University class is open to all Portland citizens and full scholarships are available to qualified applicants.

Go to www.gettingaroundportland.org and look under the "What's New" section

Or contact Scott Cohen at 503-823-5345 or scott.cohen@pdxtrans.org

The class will take place at PSU's downtown campus, Thursday evenings, 6:40 - 8:40, beginning September 27th

Led by Rick Gustafson, transportation planning consultant and former Metro executive officer.
__________________________________________________________________________________

Title: Calling all transportation activists!

Body: Take advantage of a chance to learn from policy and decision-makers, planners, and engineers in a ten-week course sponsored by City of Portland Bureau of Transportation System Management and Portland State University Urban Studies Program. This course is designed for the neighborhood activist, new or experienced, who wants to make a difference and learn how the city that works, works. Limited space is available. Full scholarships are available to qualified applicants for the non-credit course. To be eligible for a scholarship applicants must be Portland residents and must not be a transportation or law enforcement professionals. Deadline for scholarship applications is September 14, 2007. If you choose to take the class for credit, tuition is $147 for one regular credit and $283 for a graduate credit. The class occurs at PSU's main campus, Thursday evenings from 6:40 - 8:40, beginning September 27th, 2007. The course is facilitated by Rick Gustafson, transportation planning consultant and former Metro executive officer. To register or get more information on this popular course, call Scott Cohen at 503-823-5345 or email scott.cohen@pdxtrans.org. To register online go to www.gettingaroundportland.org and look under the "What's New" section.

The Ivy School design team.

I just wanted personally share with your neighborhood of our recent Ivy School activities:

We've created a new Community Survey to help us better understand the community and allow the community to help share our direction (after all The Ivy School is for the NNE Portland community).
http://www.theivyschool.com/Main/asp/announcements.asp?page=detail&announcement_id=79

The Ivy School website home page includes our updated mission statement:
http://www.theivyschool.com/

The Ivy School website now includes a whole bunch of links about Montessori:
http://www.theivyschool.com/Main/asp/page.asp?ppid=20&page_id=1000053

The Ivy School website has added more detail on the Admissions Procedure page:
http://www.theivyschool.com/Main/asp/admission.asp

Best regards,
Andy Idsinga

May Minutes of VNA

Vernon Neighborhood Association
May 8th, 2007
Minutes

Lindy opens with sign in and introductions

Minutes and correspondence that are posted on the blog
www.vernonneighbors.blogspot.com

Good in the Hood Music Festival
Vernon Neighborhood Association April 10th minutes
School Board Candidates On Health Care Reform


Announcements . . . Lindy

Sign up clipboards for volunteers for the June 2 clean-up from 9a.m. to-12 noon.

Announcements of 8th Annual Alberta Street Art Hop is May 19th were passed out.

Shared the Boise Newsletter and talked of possibly doing that someday.

Meeting at Arcadia Ballroom night before (May 14th) concerning the incident on Alberta’s Last Thursday. Disrespect from youth toward Police was clear to see. Lots of booze. Lots of trash. Not enough cops. Discussion included stepping up warnings with tickets to follow if you are drinking openly on the streets. Closing the street makes it too hard on residence and is a very complicated issue. Mary Tomkins is the person suggested to set up and attend workshops that train the people who would wear vests and help security.
Importantly, NECN is going to resurrect it's Public Safety Committee
to start working on the crime spree we've seen on Alberta, and around
the NE. We should have someone interested in that being the contact person for VNA. Is someone interested? Contact us @ 503 284-4316

The Good in the Hood event is June 23. We have been asked to supply a Vernon Neighborhood table for the day. We have a table and brochures to hand out, but do not have anyone to “man” the table.

Every Last Thursday at the Tin Shed they are throwing a benefit concert, collecting suggested donations and giving the money to folks who need it.

In May, a band of 12 year olds (the hats) are playing a show. The tin Shed let’s the kids pick the charity, so of course, those chose the Portland School of Rock! Makes sense. Emily Post, an all female vocal group will be headlining that night.


Andrew Idsinga for the Ivy School Design Committee spoke to us about a
Free Monissorri school opening in the N.E in a few years. Letter of support is appreciated.

Next board meeting is June 6th, Wed. evening @ 7:00 @ Lindy and Oma’s
Next general meeting is, June 12th, Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m. @ Enterbeing

Organicare is now Davey-Organicare!

Dear Homeowner,

I'd like to welcome you to our homepage in conjunction with The Davey Tree Expert Company. We are excited about our new relationship with Davey, and I'm thrilled to be aligned with a company that shares the same expertise, reputation and professionalism that you and my employees deserve.

Together with Davey, we provide organic lawn care, organic plant health care, and complete tree care services for the Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, metropolitan districts. We continually test new products and upgrade the quality of the products that we use to provide you with the most advanced organic programs available anywhere.

The most important thing is our ongoing concern for the environment and what we should and should not be releasing into that environment. This philosophy is brought to every landscape we visit. The higher the organic matter in the soil, the more nutrients are available, keeping it alive and keeping your plant roots alive.

Davey-Organicare offers three programs to care for your valuable landscape; two of which are 100% organic, and a lawn care program that includes weed control. Please see the Tree Care Section for our 100% organic Plant Health Care program, and visit the Lawn Care Section for the other two programs.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (503) 287-2282. Again, thank you for your confidence in Davey-Organicare and our services.

Sincerely,
Paul Drake, district manager

5th Annual Wellness Within REACH Walk to Help Fund Free Physical Activity Classes in N/NE Portland

For Immediate Release Contact:
Kimberly Mathews
503-413-1850
kimberly@aahc-portland.org

Roy Jay, President and CEO of the African American Chamber of Commerce Leads 5th Annual Wellness Within REACH Walk to Help Fund Free Physical Activity Classes in N/NE Portland

Portland, August 18 – Roy Jay, longtime community resident and businessman, will serve as Grand Marshal and kick off the African American Health Coalition's 5th Annual Wellness Within REACH Walk, Saturday, August 18 at Dawson Park in North Portland. Over five hundred are expected to walk in celebration of our community's health and in support of AAHC's free physical activity classes program, which serves more than 4,000 Portland-area African Americans.
The free physical activity classes are part of AAHC's federally funded Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH 2010) program. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death for all Americans, and African Americans die at a disproportionately higher rate from CVD than other groups. AAHC's REACH program seeks to reduce risk factors associated with CVD among African Americans in the Portland area through education and increased physical activity. REACH is part of the federal Healthy People 2010 objective to eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities by the year 2010, and the goal of AAHC is to make Portland, Oregon the healthiest African American community in the nation.
"We want to make physical activity a cultural norm in our community, and I'm proud that we can offer a service that is truly needed and embraced by the community," said AAHC President Corliss McKeever.
The Walk starts at 9 a.m., with event-day activities beginning at 8 a.m. There will be a DJ, refreshments, and registration. This family fun event will also have loads of children’s activities, including face painting, giant bubbles and a bounce house. Pre-registration is encouraged at the AAHC Web site (www.aahc-portland.org), or your can mail or drop of registration forms to the AAHC office (2800 N. Vancouver Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97227).
Sponsors of the 5th Annual Wellness Within REACH Walk are Legacy Health System Providence Health System Kaiser Permanente, OHSU, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, and New Seasons Market.
Contact the AAHC for more information at 503-413-1850 or www.aahc-portland.org.


The AAHC promotes health and improves wellness for African Americans in Oregon. Our nonprofit organization provides health education and promotion, and is actively involved in advocacy and research. Our vision is to be the healthiest African American community in the nation. Our goal is to help reconfigure health and social services to meet the needs of African Americans.

###

Status of proposed condos at NE 20th and Alberta

Hello Everyone:

It has has been a while since you received an update re the proposed condos on Alberta at 20th.

Since the developer decided in January to pursue a smaller building, there has been nothing to update until now. There have been two developments.

First, it appears that the developer attempted to swap square footage rights with another project somewhere in town in order to get around some square footage restrictions in the Community Design Standards. It is unclear if this FAR swap was successful.

Second, according to the Bureau of Development Services planner assigned to this project, the development is "being stalled due to financing concerns." That is the extent of the information provided today.

And, it appears the neighborhood association and the surrounding neighbors will have to be notified again when and if this development moves forward.

Thanks.

John Fall
Land Use Chair, Vernon Neighborhood Association

Nt. Night Out Block Party!

Greetings All:
Yes, summer is upon us, and that means it is time for a National Night Out BLOCK PARTY! NNO parties are a great way to celebrate successes, meet and greet new people, or just plain have fun!
What will your party theme be?

National Night Out 2007
Tuesday, August 7th, 2007
Register your party now!
http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=28986

(July 19th is the registration deadline.)

National Night Out is a unique community event, celebrated in the United States and Canada, which focuses on prevention of crime and drug activity, and is held the first Tuesday of August every year. This year, NNO falls on August 7th.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT is designed to:
• Heighten community awareness of crime and drug prevention;
• Generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs;
• Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and
• Send a message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back
• Promote emergency preparedness awareness

Want more information? Visit the links at left or call your Crime Prevention Coordinator .

1. Would you rather have your party on a different date than Tuesday, August 7th (the official day of NNO 2007)? That's fine. Parties happening between August 4th and August 12th can be registered as official NNO events. However, most people throw their parties on the official day.

2. Does your group want to close the street for your party? If so, call your neighborhood coalition . Also, visit our block party page . Street closures are free for registered NNO parties.

3. Do you want to hold your party in a park? If so, visit the Portland Parks and Recreation website to learn about making a reservation . There are no fees for registered NNO parties, so be sure you mention National Night Out.

4. Do you plan to make a little extra noise? If you plan to have amplified music, or use a bullhorn, you will need a noise variance. There are no fees for registered NNO parties, and the information for the variance is collected when you register your party here at the ONI website. Your information will automatically be submitted to the noise control office.

5. How do you feel about the media knowing about your event and having your contact information? Sometimes, small community newspapers want to publish lists of parties to help get the word out to neighbors. In addition, TV crews and big newspapers sometimes want to visit parties. If you do NOT want us to release information about your party to the media, please be sure to indicate that on the registration form.

6. Do you want police officers and/or fire fighters to visit your party? We give lists of parties to both the police precincts and the fire stations. The police are committed to getting an officer to visit every NNO party. Fire stations have fewer personnel, and it is not possible for them to visit every party. If you would like firefighters to visit your party, we recommend that you directly call your local station as soon as possible to specifically invite them.


Want more information? Visit the links at left or call your Crime Prevention Coordinator.


Celeste Carey
Office of Neighborhood Involvement - City of Portland
Crime Prevention Program Coordinator
Organizing & supporting community partnerships to prevent crime and the fear of crime.
4815 NE 7th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97211
Office: 503-823-4764, FAX: 503-823-3150
ccarey@ci.portland.or.us
ONI: www.portlandonline.com/oni/cp

Good in the Neighborhood Mulestivalticultural Music f

Good in the Neighborhood
Multicultural Music & Food Festival
FACT SHEET

The 15th Annual Good in the Neighborhood Multicultural Music and Food Festival is scheduled for June 23rd and 24th, 2007, 12 noon at King School Park located on NE 6th and NE Humboldt Streets, adjacent to King Elementary School. The Festival attracts over 6,000 people during the two days of fun, music, food and festivities. The Annual Good in the Hood Community Parade is scheduled for Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 11 am and will begin at Emanuel Hospital parking lot. Pre-registration is required. On Thursday, June 21, we will once again host a spectacular evening to kick-off the 2-day Festival featuring live entertainment in a family-friendly atmosphere. The location is yet to be determined.

The Festival continues to feature some of the Northwest’s finest entertainment such as The Linda Hornbuckle Band, Patrick Lamb, Norman Sylvester Band, Andy Stokes, Brothers of the Balladi, Ocean 503, and many more. In addition to the Main Stage, our Multicultural Stage will entertain our audience with youth groups and gospel choirs, Reggae Music, Cambodian, Mexican and Indian dance, just to name a few. We invite festival goers to enjoy a variety of ethnic cuisine, clowns, storytellers, our famous “Kid Space” area, and arts & crafts from around the world. Our “Information Village” features 22 booths that will offer, Job and Housing Opportunities, Health Screenings/Activities and a host of local, business and social service resources. Entry to the Festival is FREE to the public!!

Our Community Sponsor/Partner is The Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (NECN). NECN brings 30 years of experience to the planning committee, and provides leadership to approximately 12 neighborhood associations. Proceeds from this year’s festival will benefit NECN’s neighborhood-based programs. The Festival is also a 2007 Rose Festival Sanctioned Event.

The annual community parade welcomes individuals from all ages and cultures. Last year over 2,000 people participated in the parade by showcasing their antique cars, floats, marching bands, dance troupes, and bicycle clubs to name a few. We have been honored in the past to have the participation of extinguished Grand Marshals such as, City of Portland Mayors Tom Potter and Vera Katz, Paul Knauls, Sr., Portland Trailblazers, and Rose Festival Queens. We are currently accepting nominations for the 2007 Grand Marshal.

The Good in the Neighborhood Planning Committee is comprised of dedicated volunteers whose mission is to build community and provide resources for neighborhood needs. Volunteers contribute more than 2,000 hours each year to help make the festival a huge success.

Info line: 503-282-1288 or www.goodintheneighborhood.org

Vernon Neighborhood Association April 10th minutes

Introduction by Oma (the chair Lindy couldn’t make it)
sign in and introductions

Oma goes over minutes and correspondence that are posted on the blog

Posted on www.vernonneighbors.blogspot.com the following . . .

Keeping $$ in the Neighborhood
Rolling out the green carpet on MLK Blvd
VNA Minutes
Extreme Makeover for Vernon Elementary

Larry Holmes of Land Use
Condo at 20th and Alberta has submitted no plans. No permits have been issued. Killingsworth and 14th to 17th was zoned residential for 25 years, leaving the business’s unable to expand or make improvements. After six months of attending meetings we have a commitment of city planner. This means that these businesses will be able to expand and have options they don’t have now, and vacant lots can be developed. PDOT has recognize the Killingsworth corridor and will be looking at the transportation issues: side walk bump outs, safety issues, cross walks etc.
Nell re: Directory Outreach
Nell handed out fliers “Keeping $$ in the neighborhood” and clipboard with a sign up sheet. (We filled it right up!) She explained that this was so we could know what services were available within the neighborhood.
Larry re: Clean Up
June 2nd in the Redeemer Parking lot. Motion made by Larry that 10% of proceeds to go the church. We are very grateful to be able to use Enterbeing for our meetings and passed the vote based on the many other contributions they offer our neighborhood.

It’s always nice to have the Police drop in. Officer Mark Piombo stopped by and was available for Questions and answers. Interesting questions come up and always good to know the “street” news! Much appreciated!

Planned Parenthood As you may have heard, Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette is seeking to purchase a PDC-owned lot on MLK Blvd for a new Regional Service Center and N/NE Portland Health Center.


Next board meeting is May 2nd, Wed. evening @ 7:00 @ Lindy and Oma’s
Next general meeting is May 8th, Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m. @ Enterbeing

Looking for a tuition-free Montessori Elementary School for your child?

A group of parents, educators, and community members are in the process of applying for charter school status within the Portland Public School system for The Ivy School, a 1st – 8th grade Montessori elementary school.

The school will be located in NE Portland, providing an educational opportunity previously unavailable in a Portland public school. The school is proposed to open in September 2008 with 60 1st-3rd graders. It will grow to a total enrollment of 240 students in 1st-8th grade.

Montessori schools have a 100-year old tradition of bringing world-class education to children by allowing them to make their own educational choices in a thoughtfully prepared classroom environment. Students study math, language, physical education, science, art, gardening, and community and peace education. The Ivy School will also have a bilingual element (Spanish) in every classroom. Montessori classrooms are multi-age, allowing all students the natural opportunity to become mentors and leaders.

Come help make a difference in the education of our children and the Portland community by coming to a public support and informational meeting to be held on Tuesday, June 5th at 7pm at Augustana Lutheran Church – 2710 NE 14th Avenue. Childcare will be provided.

More information can be found at www.theivyschool.com or by emailing tammy@theivyschool.com.

School Board Candidates On Health Care Reform

On May 15th elections for School Boards will be held throughout our state. Successful candidates will be hired by voters to exercise a legal and fiduciary duty to taxpayers to spend large sums of public money in the best interests of the tax paying community. A significant portion of public funds spent by School Boards will be dedicated to public employee health insurance costs. Those payments have a direct connection to the moral and economic health care crisis that affects Oregonians and Oregon's public institutions.

Bobbie Regan, Portland School Board member, voted against the recent contract with the Portland Association of Teachers because it did not include a cap on health care costs. Bobbie Regan is an exemplar of the well meaning but misguided public official. Employer side health care caps are NOT a solution merely a shift of burden sharing to employees. Those who are forced to carry this additional economic weight almost always react by seeking higher wages or other items of value to compensate. It is the most obvious, uncreative and common approach taken by those with the power to negotiate with public employees. It is a failed model.

Our state's moral and economic health care crisis affects Oregonians and Oregon's public institutions, including its public schools. The solution to Oregon's number 1 moral, social, economic and political issue must be found in the Oregon legislature not at the individual school district, city or county level. To that end, I ask every Oregon voter to confront the candidates for School Board (and in the future candidates for every publicly elected office) in your community with the following three questions:

1. The profit oriented private health insurance industry which has failed to deliver affordable health care to Oregonians and Oregon's public institutions must NOT be the model upon which a solution to Oregon's moral and economic health care crisis should be based:
A. Agree
B. Disagree

2. Should Oregon elected officials - public employees - voters - taxpayers have equal access to the same level of health care or should we perpetuate a multitiered health insurance class system in Oregon:
A. Equal access to same level of health care
B. Multitiered health insurance class system

3. Would you be willing to add your name to this letter?
A. Yes
B. No

March 12, 2007

Dear House Speaker Merkley and Senate President Courtney:
The current legislative debate over health care reform in our state does not include our view that the profit oriented private health insurance industry must not be the model upon which a solution to Oregon's moral and economic health care crisis should be based and that Oregon elected officials - public employees - voters and taxpayers must have equal access to the same level of health care not a perpetuation of our current multitiered health insurance class system.

We request that you find a place holder bill in each chamber which would substitute in its entirety the language of the Oregon Community Health Care Bill (see attached) so that an alternative choice may be discussed and debated this session. The Oregon Community Health Care Bill is the only current fully formed piece of proposed legislation which supports our vision of health care reform. We would welcome others that also meet our requirements.

Thank you for your attention.


Sincerely,
Richard Ellmyer - Oregon Community Health Care Bill author
Sam Adams - Portland City Council
Jeff Cogen - Multnomah County Commissioner
Edwars "Chip" Enbody - Hubbard City Council
Darrell Flood - Mayor of Lafayette
Bill Hall - Lincoln County Commissioner
Jim Needham - Mollala City Council
Michelle Ripple - Wilsonville City Council
Mary Schamehorn - Mayor of Bandon
Pete Sorenson - Lane County Commissioner


The answers from School Board Candidates now (and answers from future candidates for every publicly elected office later) will tell voters what they need to know about candidates' fundamental views on health care reform and how they might be expected to act upon those opinions if elected.


Richard Ellmyer
Oregon Community Health Care Bill author and project champion
President, MacSolutions Inc. - A Macintosh computer consulting business providing web hosting for artists and very small businesses.
Writer/Publisher - Oregon Health Watcher commentary - Published on the Internet and distributed to 17,000 readers interested in public health care policy in Oregon.
http://www.goodgrowthnw.org/health.html

Note to readers: Oregon Health Watchers is written, distributed and published with the intent of changing government policy on public health care. It follows the path laid out in the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America which guarantees both free speech and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances. Oregon Health Watchers is political free speech with no commercial interest in product or service. Political free speech is at the heart of our democracy. Without it we have no democracy. Technology gatekeepers beware that you do not become censors and spies as your counterparts in China. Commentaries seeking a change in government practices, such as Oregon Health Watchers, are specifically exempt from the federal regulatory legislation called the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography And Marketing Act of 2003 also known as the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003.

It is counter productive to the goal of changing government actions to send Oregon Health Watchers to those who are not interested. Any recipient of a Oregon Health Watchers email, with the exception of public officials and their personal staffs, who does not want to receive Oregon Health Watchers need only ask to be removed by replying to any Oregon Health Watchers email and writing Remove in the subject of the reply. Requests for removal MUST be made from or include the same email address to which Oregon Health Watchers was sent in order to be found and deleted.

Occasionally new lists of names are acquired and added to the email database. This may cause some email addresses that have previously been removed to reappear. I apologize for any inconvenience. Please follow the removal procedure to be taken off the list.

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************


Oregon Community Health Care Bill

Whereas every Oregonian should have the right to affordable health care,

Therefore be it resolved that the following revisions are made to the Oregon Health Plan:

1. The Oregon Health Plan shall allow state, county, regional and municipal governments as well as all public educational institutions in the state of Oregon to pay to enroll their employees.

2. Governments and Public Educational Institutions shall pay 80% of the premium paid in 2004 for an individual covered by their previous health insurance providers times the number of individuals covered for the first year of membership. The individual rate shall be determined by dividing the total amount paid for health insurance in 2004 divided by the number of individuals covered in each public entity in 2004. [Total number of employees times 2.5 shall be an acceptable default if precise numbers are unavailable.] The 80% rate shall continue until such time as a government or public educational institution formally requests an increase or decrease in the rate for that entity. A majority of paying member organizations of the Oregon Health Plan shall agree to the proposed increase or decrease before it can become the effective new rate for the requesting jurisdiction. It shall be the goal, over a period of time, to achieve equity of individual payments among all participating organizations.

3. The Oregon Health Plan shall allow any person who has been a registered voter in Oregon for at least one year to pay to become a member. 18 year olds registering for the first time are automatically accepted. All children 17 and under are automatically qualified provided they are the dependents of at least one adult in the household who is a registered member of the Oregon Health Plan. The cost to join will be determined by a sliding scale based on taxable income and number of dependent children 17 and under.

4. The Oregon Health Plan shall allow Oregon businesses to enroll their employees provided that each employee submitted for enrollment meets the standards for individual enrollment mentioned in section 3 above.

5. The Oregon Health Plan shall not allow smokers to join. This includes government sponsored as well as individual applicants. However, the Oregon Health Plan shall respond to every Oregonian that asks for help to quit smoking. A special non-member category shall be established to support smokers who want to quit. The cost to participate in this program will be determined by a sliding scale based on taxable income. A limited list of medical procedures intended specifically to enable a patient to stop smoking shall be the only medical procedures available to Oregonians who are smokers, that is those who smoke an average of five or more cigarettes per day. Upon certification by a physician that an individual has successfully quit smoking for one year that person may apply for membership in the Oregon Health Plan. Serious penalties shall be imposed upon those who are untruthful about their smoking habits when making application to the Oregon Health Plan or at any time they are a member.

6. The legislature shall budget for 2006 a payment into the Oregon Health Plan fund of $75,000,000 plus the amount contributed in 2004. An additional $5,000,000 shall be added to this budget item each year until the amount equals the total of all payments made by participating members.

7. The legislature shall transfer into the Oregon Health Plan fund all revenues in excess of the 2% state revenue forecast thereby eliminating the so called Oregon kicker.

8. The Oregon Health Plan shall be the exclusive health plan for a) The governor and every employee in the executive branch of state government under his authority, b) Every employee of the judicial branch of state government c) Every member of the state legislature and all of their staffs.

9. Allowing for procedures specific to male and female anatomies, everyone enrolled shall have exactly the same benefits. No exceptions.

10. Payments by governments and individuals into the Oregon Health Plan shall remain in an Oregon Health Plan account which shall be the source of payments to physicians, hospitals etc. for allowable procedures.

11. Oregon Health Plan financial managers may only invest in low risk financial instruments with a prudent amount of available capital. All investments shall be made only in Oregon.

12. The Oregon Health Plan may be administered by contract with a private business or by a state government agency depending on which is deemed more likely to deliver the most cost effective high quality service to Oregonians.

13. Every two years the number of procedures covered by the Oregon Health Plan shall be reevaluated and shall include more or fewer procedures from the existing list as determined by the amount of money available in the Oregon Health Plan fund to pay for them. It is the goal of the Oregon Health Plan to annually spend on benefits what it annually receives in revenues.

14. Mental health, dental, optometrical, chiropractic and acupuncture shall be included in potential procedures of the Oregon Health Plan especially those of a preventative nature.

15. Every five years the list and rankings of procedures shall be reevaluated.

16. Every listed procedure shall have a capped price. Members may seek medical care from any licensed health care provider in the United States of America. Members who choose health care providers that charge less than the capped price for any procedure shall receive a credit toward their health plan premium valued at the difference. Members choosing health care providers charging more than the capped price must make up the difference themselves. Every bill sent to the Oregon Health Plan for payment must be signed by the member involved in the medical procedure appearing on the invoice before payment can be made.

17. Health care providers licensed by the state of Oregon shall accept Oregon Health Plan patients for approved procedures.

18. Patients that choose to participate shall have the opportunity to critique the care given by their health care providers directly into an online database. 10% of the health care providers with the highest patient satisfaction ratings per year will receive a $10,000 cash incentive bonus. A minimum number of 300 votes or 60% of a health care provider's patients will be required to qualify.

19. No member of the Oregon Health Plan may sue a health care provider for malpractice of a procedure allowed under the Oregon Health Plan without the express approval of five members of a nine member committee established for the specific purpose of determining the legitimacy or frivolousness of the proposed legal action. That committee shall be comprised of five permanent members serving four year terms namely, two retired judges, two retired physicians and the governor. The remaining four shall be chosen at random from the Oregon legislature each quarter prior to that quarter's meeting.

Vernon Neighborhood Association Minutes

Introduction by chair; Lindy
Sabin Comm. Development has not responded to phone calls and e-mails requesting continued conversation about possible property improvements along the space between the side walk and chain link fence on Alberta and 19th.


Oma goes over minutes and correspondence that are posted on the blog
Posted on www.vernonneighbors.blogspot.com the following . . .

March agenda
Feb Minutes
Rally and march against Iraq war
Art on Alberta St safety Project
Portland Parks and Rec

Report from John Fall, Chair of Land Use on how to advocate for the Killingsworth Street Transportation Safety Corridors study.
This is the study of traffic along Killingsworth that Land Use and the NECN Livability Committee would like the Department of Transportation to fund this effort in the upcoming budget. This grew out of the neighborhood tours conducted with Debbie Bischoff. John handed out info sheets on how we need to advocate to PDOT. He also passed out information with a web link to enable us to put in our testimony on line about this project being included on the budget.

Brain Simms neighborhood response, NE precinct
Passed out handouts with statistics on what is going on in these neighborhoods He works King, Vernon and Sabin neighborhoods. 17th and Killingsworth was cleaned up of drugs originally and it needs to be revisited.
We were informed of many of the successful arrests recently and also of the extended boarders that is served by only 28 police.

Vernon Elementary Judith Scott
We want to extend an invitation for all of
the VNA board members to join us at the Garden Community meeting on
March 21st (Vernon Extreme Makeover) Vernon School will be 100 years old this fall. Hands On Volunteer/Donation Signups:
Hands On-Volunteer Sign Up for the Vernon Earth Day celebration can be made at info@handsonportland.org. You will find a link to Vernon School project under “featured projects” on the right hand side of the page. Click on the “Extreme School Makeover Day: Vernon”. Scroll down to the bottom and click on “register now”. We are looking forward to many students, parents and friends of Vernon participating.


this gift from the Hands On Network will support us tremendously in
beautification of the school grounds, painting the interior of the
building and designing and building two beautiful gardens as learning
centers for our students and the Vernon community.

Pastor Moe re: sale of parking lot
Arvela speaks on behalf of Pastor Moe. The focus is on Social Justice, actively working on the causes of injustice. To work on things that improve life in general. One of the issues that comes up is affordable housing. They are now looking at a developer that has a common mission. She passed out flyers that had a map showing the parking lot that is going to be sold to provide more affordable housing and to give the church more support.
They are doing a parking exchange with the school next door. There were no objections.

Bishop Harry Daniels parking expansion
They have needed more parking for a long time. Existing traffic flow with be the same. Native planting, hedging and fencing will go in. Possibly more lighting will go in. Adding 11 spaces. Some questions, but no objections.


No Announcements or any items to be added to next months meeting.
Next board meeting is April 4th, Wed. evening @ 7:00 @ Lindy and Oma’s
Next general meeting is, April 10th, Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m. @ Enterbeing

Extreme Makeover for Vernon Saturday, April 21, 2007-9:00AM-6:00PM

Vernon School and Hands On of Greater Portland Come Together to Host an
Are you dreaming of a spring garden? Vernon School has been dreaming about a learning garden for our students and community for a long time. Hands On of Greater Portland has selected Vernon School for an exciting Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 21, 2007. We hope you can join in the fun. Hands On will join Vernon staff, students and parents and many community volunteers to help our school develop two school learning gardens as well as a number of big “makeover” projects. The project will include the painting of the interior of the school, improvements to our playground, soccer field and cleanup work around the landscaping at Vernon. We hope you can join us for this exciting day!

Hands On Vernon Project
Community Meeting
March 21, 2007—Wednesday-6: 30 Multipurpose Room
On Wednesday, March 21, Principal Mrs. Miller and 7th grade teacher Mr. Reeves will join our Hands On Project Manager Cheryl Paul in celebrating this partner project at a Vernon Community Meeting. Plans for the “Extreme Make Over” day will be shared with our community just prior to our 6/7th grade curriculum night on the evening of March 21st. Please plan to join us in the multi-purpose room at 6:30 PM. Refreshments will be served.

Hands On Volunteer/Donation Signups:
Hands On-Volunteer Sign Up for the Vernon Earth Day celebration can be made at info@handsonportland.org. You will find a link to Vernon School project under “featured projects” on the right hand side of the page. Click on the “Extreme School Makeover Day: Vernon”. Scroll down to the bottom and click on “register now”. We are looking forward to many students, parents and friends of Vernon participating.

If you would like to make a donation, please contact Hands On at 503-413-7787 or e-mail Hands on at infor@handsonportland.org with “Donation for Vernon Extreme Makeover” in the subject line. You can also contact Gage Reeves at greeves@pps.k12.or.us. Come and join in the fun on March 21st at the Community Meeting and at the Earth Day event on Saturday, April 21st. See you there!

. . . rolling out the green carpet on MLK Blvd

. . . April 28, 2007

Event Registration Site:
Friends of Trees
3117 NE MLK Jr. Blvd
When:
April 28th
8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Businesses, community members, and citywide friends are invited to help beautify the
streetscape (NE Broadway to Lombard Street) and show pride on the boulevard in the
center of our diverse community!
Volunteers come join us for a FREE:
Continental Breakfast – 8 a.m. to 9 a.m
&
Celebration Lunch – Noon to 1 p.m.
* Graffiti removal * Trash & street debris pick-up * Node property clean-up
Put the glitz on MLK Jr. Blvd with city officials & GET INVOLVED!
Be a crew leader
Contact Katherine Krajnak
krajnakk@pdc.us
503-823-3242
Be a volunteer or a Team
Register online at www.solv.org
or call SOLV at 503-844-9571,
or Hands on Portland at
www.handsonportland.org
Be an event sponsor
Contact Gary Marschke at
gmarschke@comcast.net
503-284-9013

Keeping $$ in the Neighborhood

New Directory of Services urges Vernon residents to call on each other when contracted services are needed
By Nell Johnson
Want to know where you can get a massage, within walking distance? Want to know who can design your new kitchen while you have a cup of coffee in hers? Frame your artwork? Put an addition on your house? WE can!!!!
A new directory of services is being created just for “Vernonites,” listing the many talents and skills that we can provide each other. The directory will appear in the VNA monthly online newsletter and will be excellent way for us to get to know each other and strengthen our bonds. It’s also a good way to keep our hard-earned dollars in the neighborhood, giving work to our cherished neighbors. Bartering is encouraged. The possibilities for creative deal-making are limited only by your imagination. Teenagers may participate (babysitting, lawn mowing, computer help, etc.). Hey, I’ll trade you two hydrangeas for a Spanish lesson!
If you have a service that you can offer your neighbors--from dog sitting to web design—send an e-mail to vernonservices@hotmail.com and provide the following information:
1- your name
2- the service you provide
3- the phone number you would like clients to call
4- Optional: the e-mail address you would like clients to use to contact you
5- Optional: a link to your professional website, or a short paragraph describing your service and what you can offer Vernon residents
Look for the directory in the VNA newsletter as soon as we have ten or more services to post. The list will be kept up-to-date with services and contact information. Fees or other contractual details will not be a part of the database information. The directory is limited to Vernon residents. The Vernon Neighborhood Association accepts no liability for any service listed in the directory or any transaction between client and provider.
Background: The Vernon Neighborhood Association just keeps getting better and stronger. From the few meetings I have attended, I sense that just as we are coming together as a community to face issues, we are learning who we are, collectively. Just recently, my partner, Tom Thompson, and I dug holes, grunted and groaned on a beautiful late winter afternoon to plant a remarkable collection of parking strip trees for Friends of Trees that will benefit Vernon Neighborhood for decades to come. We got to know other volunteer tree planters and learned that there are remarkable people right here in our immediate surroundings who can help us with our daily work challenges. Thus sprang the idea for the Vernon Services Directory.

Agenda for March

Vernon Neighborhood Association
March 13, 2007
Agenda


7:00 Introduction by chair; Lindy
sign in and introductions
Sabin Comm. Development
Muralist

7:10 Oma goes over minutes and correspondence that are posted on the blog

Posted on www.vernonneighbors.blogspot.com the following . . .
Edit

We are a Village Building Convergence site!!!


7:15 Report from John Fall, Chair of Land Use on how to advocate for the Killingsworth Street Transportation Safety Cooridor study.
This is the study of traffic along Killingsworth that Land Use and the NECN Livability Committee would like the Department of Transportation to fund in the upcoming budget (grew out of the neighborhood tours conducted with Debbie Bischoff).

7:20 Brain Simms neighborhood response, NE precinct

7:30 Introduce Vernon Elementary Judith Scott
We want to extend an invitation for all of
the VNA board members to join us at the Garden Community meeting on
March 21st (details in attachment). In the meantime, you can help us by
referring folks to the Hand On Network link for online registration for
the April 21st big event. Vernon School will be 100 years old this fall
and this gift from the Hands On Network will support us tremendously in
beautification of the school grounds, painting the interior of the
building and designing and building two beautiful gardens as learning
centers for our students and the Vernon community.

7:40 Introduce Pastor Moe re: sale of parking lot

7:50 Introduce Bishop Harry Daniels parking expansion


8:00 Lindy –
Announcements or any items to be added to next months meeting?


Next board meeting is April 4th, Wed. evening @ 7:00 @ Lindy and Oma’s
Next general meeting is, April 10th, Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m. @ Enterbeing

Feb. minutes

Vernon Neighborhood Association
Feb 13th, 2007
Minutes


7:00 Introduction by chair; Lindy
sign in and introductions
Reminder that suggestions from community members regarding what we need to focus on this coming year is:
Crime Prevention
Alberta Park
Clean up
19th & Alberta *VBC site
Business involvement
(additions?) Remembering that each of these concerns needs to be adopted by someone who would like to take that step towards shaping the sustainable urban community we want to live and work in.

-Monday Feb. 19th 6:45 PM ---- Place Making Meeting #1 ---- after this date every Monday all sites are encouraged to attend the place making meetings


7:15 Oma goes over minutes and correspondence that are posted on the blog

Posted on www.vernonneighbors.blogspot.com the following . . .
Edit

We are a Village Building Convergence site!!!
Community-Created Sustainability: A gathering in the Commons
Oregon Convention Center, Urban Renewal Placemaking
Budget time again at the City of Portland!
Organizing to Win: Building an Issue Campaign
Citywide Parks Team’s Feb meeting
Liquor License Application
Vernon Neighborhood Association Minutes

Report on City Repair meeting
We have been chosen as one of 30 City Repair sites for the Village Building Convergence (May 18th through 27th)


7:30 Lindy; announces Office of Transportation is putting in Crosswalks on Alberta 15th to 31st.

Application for a Liquor License @ Allison speaks on behalf of the Zilla Sake House, (Japanese sytle working class pub) 1806 NE Alberta
They want to represent Japanese artists on Last Thursdays Art Walk. Will serve Home made Miso. Looking for other Japanese food. Hopes to open last of March, early April. Hopes to be open later, midnight or so and Friday or Sat to 1:00 a.m.


7:35 Introduce Jean Morton “Cease Fire Oregon”
Safe deposal of guns and education on safe gun storage and how to keep kids safe. Announcement of dates and locations for safe gun turn in.
$50.00 gift certificate is given for each gun. Asks for volunteers.

7:40 Christian Volunteer Resource for Neighborhood Associations

This is a work opportunity for people with developmental disabilities. Needs to happen on week days from 8 to 4. Trainer is always with them. Lots of clean up.


8:00 Lindy –
Announcements or any items to be added to next months meeting?

Member who has been living here for 8 years on Killingworth and is wondering about if anything can be done about the crime issues in his neighborhood.
Larry explained about the zoning keeping the businesses from making improvements. Killingsworth from MLK to the Hwy and to get the city to look at making that area available for redevelopment.



Next board meeting is March 7th, Wed. evening @ 7:00 @ Lindy and Oma’s
Next general meeting is, March 13th, Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m. @ Enterbeing

Rally and March on the 4th Anniversary of the Iraq War

!!NEW LOCATION!!
Join the Rally,
Sunday, March 18, 2007
South Park Blocks, Portland
(SW Madison St. & Park Av.)
Noon-5 PM Action Camp
1:30 Rally and March

AFSC is working with dozens of organizations to build a mass mobilization against the war in Iraq.
After meeting with the city and police, we have decided to move the event from Pioneer Courthouse Square to the South Park Blocks.

Mark your calendar now and ask your friends and family to come with you to act to end the war!

Action Camp Includes Activities to End the War for All Ages:
DRAW: children’s art for peace (sponsored by School and Community Reuse Action Project--SCRAP)
WRITE: letters to congress to defund the war (sponsored by Oregonains Against the War, Oregon Peaceworks, American Friends Service Committee and others)
SPEAK: youth speak-out against war (sponsored by United Voices Youth Program of AFSC)
ACT: learn about nonviolent direct action (sponsored by Code Pink and Students for a Democratic Society)

Read more and get involved!
Check out the new website http://www.pdxpeace.org to volunteer, donate or find out more. We'll see you on March 18!





Kelly Campbell
Portland Area Peace Director
American Friends Service Committee
2249 E. Burnside
Portland, OR 97214
503-230-9427
kcampbell@afsc.org
http://www.afsc.org/portland



Stop the War! Bring the Troops Home Now!
**NEW LOCATION**
March 18, 2007 - SOUTH PARK BLOCKS - Action Camp 12pm - Rally 1:30pm
(SW Park & SW Madison)
www.pdxpeace.org

Art On Alberta Street Safety Project

Hello Everyone,

Today I had a chance to speak to Seanna Kerrigan and Dr. Kerth Oâ??Brian of PSU regarding the Alberta Street Safety Project, and I wanted to forward to you the gist of our discussions and the status of this project.

In the process of our discussions amongst the AonA Board and with our friends at PSU this project will have 3 distinct stages following a specific timeline.

First Stage.

In the 2^nd Wednesday of May of 2007 AonA Board Of Directors, and all other interested parties in this discussion, will meet with members of PSU, most likely with individuals from Dr. Oâ??Brians Psychology Dept, and possibly from an individual from the PSU Urban Planning Dept. a well to go over the planning of this project, and to hammer out an details that need to be considered. Then in June 2007 PSU will begin the development of the basic format of the Street Safety Questionnaire, in conjunction with AonA Street Safety Committee, with the possibility of even a Pilot Questionnaire sent out to a small group within the community as a test vehicle, but this will be determined as the process develops.

After the finalization of the Alberta Street Safety Questionnaire, and only after it meets with approval of Art On Alberta and the other interested parties, will be the Second Stage.

Second Stage.

Art On Alberta in conjunction with all interested parties and with Brian Monberg of the Post Grads of the PSU Urban Planning Department and, will be the distribution and collection phase. This will be the dissemination of the Alberta Street Safety Questionnaire, then the collection of the Questionnaire data, and then the review of the data, and then any subsequent Questionnaire (if necessary). This phase will require mailers, and feet-on-the-ground to distribute and to collect the questionnaire from the community. Ideas have been suggested that we can leave copies at major points of community interest i.e., Stores, Salons, Churches, etc. Any volunteers that AonA can acquire would be useful in this stage.

Third Stage.

If the community accepts the idea behind this project, then this will be the implantation phase, most likely either late 2007 or early 2008 with the PDX City, Trimet, and PDX Police, etc.

Because of the PSUs class scheduling the bulk of the project will take place over the summer months.

Please contact us if you have questions for comments regarding this issue and thank you everyone for your efforts in this matter.

Sincerely,

Joseph Blanchette
President
Art on Alberta
2215 NE Alberta Street
Portland, Oregon 97211
info@artonalberta.org
www.artonalberta.org

Portland Parks and Recreation

Hello!

As you probably well know, upgrades to several playgrounds were included in the 2003 Portland Parks Levy. The projects have been put out to bid three times and I am happy to say that three times does indeed appear to be a charm! The Bureau of Purchasing has confirmed that we have an acceptable bid so now we can finally move forward with these improvements.

The contractor should be onboard by mid-March and the construction schedule will be developed shortly thereafter. We expect that construction will be scheduled at several locations simultaneously. As soon as we know about the schedule, we will let you know.

For now, we wanted to let you know that we're back on track and to remind you of what work will be going on at each site:


Whirl safety surfacing at:
∑ Albert Kelly Park (Bridlemile Neighborhood)
∑ Alberta Park (Vernon Neighborhood)
∑ Bloomington Park (Lents Neighborhood)
∑ Fernhill Park (Concordia Neighborhood)
∑ Gammans Park (Arbor Lodge Neighborhood)
∑ Mt. Scott Park (Mt. Scott Arleta Neighborhood)
∑ Mt. Tabor Park - Harrison Playground (Mt. Tabor Neighborhood)
∑ Powell Park (Brooklyn Action Corps)
∑ Westmoreland Park (SMILE)
∑ Wilshire Park (Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood)


Additional work is scheduled at the following parks:

∑ Columbia Park (Portsmouth Neighborhood) - Whirl safety surfacing and lead abatement-related replacement of two swingsets, slide, teeter-totter, chin bars

We are a Village Building Convergence site!!!

TODAY, February 6th @ 5pm I will be on KBOO (90.7) for five minutes shouting out who the sites are for VBC7! You have received this e-mail because your site has been approved to be a part of V7. At this time we have confirmed just under 30 sites for this year, but we expect that over the course of this week we will pull in some last minute stragglers. This VBC is going to be bigger than ever before and I'm glad that all of you are a part of it!


IMPORTANT DATES: (for your planner)

-Thursday Feb. 8th 6:45 PM ---- Site Vision Sharing ---- A meeting designed to get all sites together and share

-Monday Feb. 12th 6:45 PM ---- Advanced Training for public, private, school sites ---- (for all of you)

-Monday Feb. 19th 6:45 PM ---- Place Making Meeting #1 ---- after this date every Monday all sites are encouraged to attend the place making meetings


~Josiah

Community-Created Sustainability: A Gathering in the Commons

Community-Created Sustainability: A Gathering in the Commons

An citywide event co-sponsored by the Boise Neighborhood Association. Please forward to email lists.

February 17th, 2007
1 pm to 6:30 pm

February 18th, 2007
1 pm to 6 pm.

The Cathedral, 3810 N. Mississippi Ave
Portland, OR


A cooperative effort in support of community empowerment, the Boise Neighborhood Association, the City Repair Project and the Co-intelligence Institute are hosting two days of community dialog and visioning , including a demonstration of the Wisdom Council, a faciliated process of community dialog to restore and empower The Commons.

February 17th will begin with a panel presentation on the building the true wealth of communities and the power of neighborhood engagement.

Mark Lakeman will provide brief overview of how The City Repair Project builds social, economic and environment capital through Placemaking, the transformation of public spaces into welcoming places.

Mark Anielski will describe effective assessment protocols to measure the components of community wellness and socially-based wealth.

Adin Rogovin will discuss the Co-Intelligence Instititute's work empowering communities to evoke the collective voice of "We the People" with Wisdom Councils and integrate their vision into effective interface with local government.

Following the panel presentation, the panelists and local experts will lead small groups in active and lively discussions of options for sustainable living at the local level including true wealth assesment, social resource mapping, Wisdom Councils, permaculture design, peak oil preparedness, locally based economies, conflict resolution resources and consensus-based decision-making

"An Inconvenient Truth" will be screened from 5pm to 6:30 pm.

On February 18thfacilitators from the Co-Intelligence Institute will lead volunteer participants in a demonstration of Wisdom Council process . The results of the Wisdom Council will be presented to the community at large, followed by a general discussion at the Boise Neighborhood Association meeting on March 12th.

These events are free, but donations will be requested.

For further information contact:
Kathleen Walsh, 503.233.6350, Walsh@SpiritOne.com
or go to:
http://www.cityrepair.org/wiki.php/wow/main

Subject: Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Plan - 16th Amendment

Dear Community Leader:

PDC staff is proposing an amendment to the OCC URA Plan to allow the possibility of using Tax Increment Financing on a potential publicly-owned Headquarters /Convention Center Hotel. A decision on the amendment does not constitute a decision on whether a hotel will be built. Should the hotel project progress there will be opportunities at community forums to address and discuss the specific project.


ORS 457.085(2)(j) states that an urban renewal plan may authorize spending tax increment resources on public buildings. However, such action requires an amendment to the urban renewal plan that explains how the building serves or benefits the urban renewal area. The intent of the 16th Amendment is to provide the explanation of the benefits to the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Area of a publicly-owned Convention Center Hotel.

The 16th amendment to the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal Plan makes the following changes:

§ Inserts into the Urban Renewal Plan a section explaining the benefits to the urban renewal area of financial participation of a proposed publicly-owned Convention Center Hotel across the street from the Oregon Convention Center. The Portland Development Commission anticipates its contribution for the development will include a 2-block parcel of land, and potentially tax increment financing.

You are invited to attend a special meeting of the OCC Urban Renewal Advisory Committee on Tuesday, February 13, 6:00-8:00 pm, at the Ambridge Events Center, 300 NE Multnomah Street. The plan amendment will be presented and discussed at that time. (See attached agenda)

A public hearing regarding this proposed plan amendment is scheduled before the PDC Board on Wednesday, March 14, 3:00-6:00 pm at OAME, 4134 N Vancouver Ave. and before the Planning Commission on Tuesday, March 27, date and time TBD.

If you have any questions or comments please contact me.

Thank you,


Irene Bowers
Senior Project Coordinator, OCC URA

Portland Development Commission
222 NW Fifth Avenue
Portland, OR 97209-3859
P 503 823.2419
F 503 865.3877
E BowersI@pdc.us

It’s Budget Time Again at the City of Portland!

www.portlandonline.com/mayor/
Office of Mayor Tom Potter
City of Portland
January 6, 2006 Contact: Laurel Butman
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (503) 823-6806
It’s Budget Time Again at the City of Portland!
Mayor Tom Potter and the Portland City Council invite you to get informed and involved
Dear Citizens,
I want to make sure our community has the opportunity to help the City of Portland decide which
essential city programs and services we must fund while also staying within our budget. I hope you
will join me and my fellow commissioners to craft a budget that matches your needs and priorities.
To learn more and get involved:
􀂝 Plan to attend a budget forum (see Save the Dates information below!)
􀂝 Visit our community budget web site: www.portlandonline.com/communitybudget
􀂝 Attend meetings of Council teams where public comment will be sought
􀂝 Take a look at the current City budget online
􀂝 Learn more about City financing by reading our online “Guide to City Financing”
􀂝 Review my Proposed Budget in May and testify at a hearing
Save the Following Dates Now!
• January 31 - Citywide Community Budget Forum #1, 6:30-8:30 PM
• February 28 - Citywide Community Budget Forum #2, 6:30-8:30 PM
• March 31 - Council Budget Team recommendations released
• April 8 - Citywide Community Budget Forum #3, 10:00-Noon
Locations are still being determined; please check our website for updates.
Together, we can figure out a way to meet our budget priorities while maintaining the livability for
which Portland is known. All public meeting locations will be accessible. For special needs, please
call (503) 823-4519 in advance. For more information, call (503) 823-5288 or TDD: 823-6868.
Thank you,
Mayor Tom Potter

Organizing to Win: Building an Issue Campaign for Your Neighborhood or Community Organization

Monday, February 19, 2007
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
2209 N. Schofield at Brandon
Historic Kenton Firehouse
North Portland Neighborhood Services

Please forward to appropriate email lists.
Workshop is free and open to the public.
Pre-registration is required as space is limited to first 40 registrants.

Information online and registration at:
http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=43947
Or simply www.portlandonline.com/oni

Learn introductory strategies for organizing campaigns to win on neighborhood or community issues important to your organization. Community organizing is about building powerful movements of people to win concrete victories. Anyone can organize. Being strategic about organizing builds your group's power, builds new leadership, and addresses your constituency's interests around real neighborhood issues.

Community and neighborhood leaders who've led successful organizing campaigns will join us to share their experiences and insights on what's worked and not worked for their organizations.

Basic introductory skills you'll learn:
• Choosing issues as vehicles to building organizational power
• Developing your goals, objectives, and messages
• Identifying and securing resources you'll need for your campaign
• Recruiting allies/supporters
• Knowing your opponents
• Identifying targets, those with power, who can give you what you want
• Developing tactics as part of an action plan to get what you want


Who should attend:
• Neighborhood or community leaders who want to organize a campaign on an issue important to their community


To register online or for more information:

https://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?login=1&show_message=1&c=37246&category_id=553&action=UpdateItem
Complete contact information and select this workshop to register. You need to have a PortlandOnline account. If you don't you will be prompted to set up an account.

Or contact via phone or email:
Brian Hoop, 503-823-3075 or bhoop@ci.portland.or.us
Jeri Williams, 503-823-5827 or jeri.williams@ci.portland.or.us

Transportation:
Trimet Bus #6, MLK Jr. - Get off at N. Denver and Watts, walk .1 miles west
Bus #4, Fessenden - Get off at N. Kilpatrick and Brandon, walk 1 block south
Take Max Yellow line. Get off at Kenton/Denver Ave. station. Walk .3 miles southwest.

Accessibility:
Call 7 days in advance to request special assistance with translation.
Limited number of childcare vouchers available.
Wheelchair accessible.
TTY, 503-823-6868
To help ensure equal access to City programs, services and activities, the City of Portland will reasonably modify policies/procedures and provide auxiliary aids/services to persons with disabilities. Contact Jeri or Brian above.

Co-Sponsored by:
City of Portland, Office of Neighborhood Involvement and North Portland Neighborhood Services.

Citywide Parks Team's February meeting

Citywide Parks Team Meeting
Thursday, February 15, 2007
7:00 - 8:30 pm

Portland City Hall
Rose Room (3rd Floor)
1221 SW 4th Ave

Topic: Portland Parks' Draft Sponsorship Policy and Draft Naming Policy

Portland Parks and Recreation (PP&R) is a bureau of the City of Portland whose services are primarily funded from the City's general fund. In recent years demands upon such funds have increased, a trend that is expected to continue.

To maintain and enhance the city's park and recreation system, Portland Parks and Recreation is actively seeking to establish alternate revenue streams that will increase its ability to deliver services. One of the alternate funding sources being pursued is sponsorship.

Portland Parks & Recreation has developed two draft policies: one for Sponsorship and one for Naming. These policies will be the focus of the February meeting of the Citywide Parks Team.

Speaking on the topic will be Bob Schulz, the new Marketing and Business Development Manager at Portland Parks and Linda Laviolette, Executive Director of the Portland Park Foundation.

The draft policies are posted on the PP&R web site for community review. Comments may be submitted online through February 23, 2007. After review of public input, the policies will be finalized, then referred to City Council for adoption. Because this is the only public meeting scheduled before the policies go to City Council for adoption, we hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to clarify any questions you may have about the policies before you prepare your comments.

To view the drafts and submit your comments, go to
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=43957

The Portland Citywide Parks Team is an ad hoc citizens group, formed in February 2005. Monthly meetings provide a forum for information-sharing and an exchange of ideas -- and for respectful discourse on park issues and policies. There are also opportunities to network with others who are working and volunteering to make Portland's parks even better than they are today. It's citizen-initiated, citizen-led, citizen-owned, and intended for all Portlanders who care about getting things done in and for parks in Portland.

The Citywide Parks Team meetings are open to anyone. The group doesn't have designated members or a formal committee structure. Interested individuals are encouraged to drop in whenever they can. It's a self-selected, ever-changing group that meets monthly, from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on the third Thursday, in the Rose Room at City Hall. Attendance has ranges from 5 to 40+ people, depending on the topic. For more information about the group, go to http://explorepdx.org/pcwpt.html and/or sign up for the e-mail listserve by sending a blank email message to: Team4PortlandParks-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

In March, we'll discuss policies/issues regarding surplus land -- decisions about the sale and/or lease of land owned by Portland Parks and Recreation.

-- Linda

Linda Robinson, Chair
Citywide Parks Team
503-261-9566
lrobins@pacifier.com

Liquor License Application

I am contacting you to introduce ourselves to the
neighborhood association. We just leased a space on
Alberta and 18th, right next to Random Order
Coffeeshop! We are primarily a sake bar, focusing on
sake education with samples, tastings, and a large
selection for both take-away and hanging in. In
addition, we are asking the OLCC for a full liquor
license so that we can serve a variety of drinks; we
will also serve Japanese tapas, perhaps a little punk
rock karaoke now and then and Japanese film night once
a week.
We wanted to contact you early in the process to build
a positive rapport and troubleshoot any concerns or
questions the neighborhood has for us.
About us: We are two people, Allison Lowe and Blaine
Cline-friends since high school. We both live in the
Alberta neighborhood. I am currently looking to buy a
house in Concordia or Albina neighborhoods (both in
Grant high school district-I have 14 year old twin
daughters). Blaine's background is in film/production.
I was a high school Humanities and art teacher at an
art charter school in Phoenix, Arizona and involved in
creating community events and teaching art in Ashland,
Oregon last year.
We'd love to stop by your next meeting and meet in
person. Is it still next Tuesday?
Thanks,
Allison Lowe

Vernon Neighborhood Association
Jan 9th 2007
Minutes

7:00 Introduction by chair; Lindy
sign in and introductions

7:05 Oma goes over minutes and correspondence that are posted on the blog

Posted on www.vernonneighbors.blogspot.com the following . . .
Edit


Salmon Safe Certification
Coalition for a Livable future
River Renaissance Calendar
Report on Sept 16th Neighborhood Leaders Meeting

7:10 Muriel’s adventures (husband’s ordained on Feb 4th @ 4:00 p.m.) and grateful welcoming of Larry Holmes


7:15 Introduce Kathe Swaback of Art on Alberta Board and the“Art Up” project

ART UP has received a Project Grant from Regional Arts and Culture Council.

Project Look Up collaborates with guest artists Lillian Pitt, Adriene
Cruz, and Roslyn Hill as well as with Alberta Street galleries,
organizations, and neighbors to research past, present, and possible
future contributions of women of color: in our history, in the Alberta
Street neighborhood, and in individual lives. Through artwork,
students will explore themes of identity, separation, racism,
gentrification, connection, success and dreams.

From January until June 2007 Art Up will be working with 10 young
women ages 13-18 who dare to make large scale ART, collaborate with
amazing artists and mentors, and begin to build their own future along
with the future of their community. Full scholarships are available.

Applications are due January 18th, 2007. Groups begin January 29th,
2007. For more information and to download an application go to
www.artup.info or contact Kate at 503-704-2476.

7:25 Lindy –
Commissioner Sam Adams Hosts Neighborhood Town Hall Meeting.
Happy hour book and Alberta Dist.
Goals for the year (and participation)
Suggestions from the board:
Celeste Cary, Crime Prevention
Alberta Street Closure during Last Thursday
( this is being taken up by Alberta Arts)
Drug dealing and prostitution.
Alberta Park
Clean up
19th & Alberta
Business involvement
New e-mail list needed
Take poll in the neighborhood on issues to galvanize neighborhood (closing off Alberta?)
Volunteer team to distribute flyer. It is agreed that Oma will call Sue Christiance and see if she can come to a meeting and inform us about her Non-profit volunteer services and have Q and A.
(Info)

7:55 Announcements or any items to be added to next months meeting?


Next board meeting is Feb 7th, Wed. evening @ 7:00 @ Lindy and Oma’s
Next general meeting is, Feb 13th, Tuesday @ 7:00 p.m. @ Enterbeing