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