Next Up at City Council, 10/29 – 30, 2008
Here’s the Portland City Council Agenda for the coming week. I’ve been following the details of the Council’s Agenda items, every week, for almost two years now. I’ve learned a lot. Even on weeks where nothing catches the attention of newspaper journalists, there always seems to be something of interest to me.
This week starts with a Time Certain report (which means the item won’t start before the stated time, but might start later).
1448 TIME CERTAIN: 9:30 AM – Portland Police Bureau Gang Resistance Education And Training program (Presentation introduced by Mayor Potter)
From the linked explanation:
“Gang Resistance Education And Training (GREAT) is a school based, law enforcement-taught classroom curriculum. The program is designed to help middle school students become responsible members of their communities, by setting goals for themselves, resisting pressures, learning how to resolve conflicts and understanding how gangs impact the quality of their life. GREAT culminates with a certificate of graduation, a new philosophical outlook towards police, and the tools needed to resist gang pressure.
The Portland Police Bureau was chosen by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms as headquarters for the GREAT Program’s Western Region, which is one of five regional training sites in the U.S. It covers ten states including: Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska and Hawaii.
This report will focus on the work done in Portland schools.”
Gresham Police Chief Carla Piluso said in a forum a week or two ago that the County is no longer able to fund the companion program, D.A.R.E. – Drug Abuse Resistance Education. Both of these programs claim proven results in helping keep students from starting unhealthy, illegal activities. I wonder whether funding is allocated for the GREAT program in the upcoming proposed budget.
First on the Regular Agenda:
1469 Accept the Response to 2008 City Audit on Limited Tax Abatements and the 2007-2008 Annual Report on Residential Tax Exemption Programs (Report introduced by Mayor Potter and Commissioner Fish)
Good to see an Audit being accepted and discussed, with recommendations implemented. The link on the Council Agenda includes a cover letter by Commissioner Fish, the Audit Report, and itemized plans to respond to recommendations. Good work, Commissioner Fish and staff. It’s especially helpful to see Mayor Potter encouraged involvement by the Bureau of Planning, so results are folded into the Portland Plan.
More evidence Commissioner Fish is pursuing strategies to provide affordable housing, following in Erik Sten’s position:
*1474 Assign City Section 108 Revolving Loan Pool Application to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to create the Portland Housing Preservation Fund (Ordinance)
From the Ordinance: “The creation of the $15million Portland Housing Preservation Fund through an application to HUD for a Section 108 Revolving Loan Pool would require no City general obligation and would effectively leverage current federal resources to meet citywide housing preservation goals.”
HUD is the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The $15m will be used to save properties whose subsidies are expiring, to buy and rehabilitate properties with rental units, and to help Community Development Organizations.
No hearings on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday afternoon:
1475 TIME CERTAIN: 2:00 PM – Adopt and implement the North Pearl District Plan (Ordinance introduced by Mayor Potter; Previous Agenda 1332)
1476 Adopt the Action Charts and additional implementing measures of the North Pearl District Plan (Resolution introduced by Mayor Potter; Previous Agenda 1333)
The Council will adopt Findings, which state how what the Plan will do complies with State land use law and other regulations and policies. Sometimes the adoption of Findings is termed a “Second Reading”, with no public testimony, but Mayor Potter appears to be giving the opportunity for public comment on these.