Next Up at City Council, 5/14/08

The Portland City Council’s Agenda for this coming Wednesday begins with four speakers testifying on the protest of homeless people outside City Hall, in Citizen Communications (the first slot is taken by someone speaking about Scientology). Mercury Blogtown is covering events in the demonstration/camping/shelter issue with commendable detail and timeliness.

The City Budget is the main item on the Agenda, with a 9:30 a.m. Time Certain designation (which means it will start after the Citizen Communications, at about 9:45 a.m.). Again, I caution you that I’ve only skimmed the Agenda, so please click on the link yourself, and comment if there’s something important I missed.

On the Consent Agenda, several contracts from the Bureau of Housing and Community Development, providing money to help renters. Good. Except, I wonder why they all need the asterisk indicating an emergency ordinance. Were all these expenses unexpected, and if so, why?

*608 Amend contract with Housing Authority of Portland by $6,684 to administer the Ready to Rent program and provide payment (Ordinance; amend Contract No. 37529)

*609 Amend subrecipient contract with Portland Impact by $16,684 to administer the renter relocation program and provide for payment (Ordinance; amend Contract No. 37535)

*610 Amend subrecipient contract with Portland Development Commission by $1,012,455 to develop additional rental housing and provide for payment (Ordinance; amend Contract No. 37805)

*611 Amend subrecipient contract with Housing Development Center by $30,000 to deliver affordable housing policy support and provide for payment (Ordinance; amend Contract No. 37577)

*612 Amend subrecipient contract with the Portland Schools Foundation by $47,000 to administer the Community Grants Fund to support the citywide Schools Families Housing Initiative and provide for payment (Ordinance; amend Contract No. 37537)

On another item, did I miss something, or did others? I wonder why is this still on the Council Agenda:

640 Authorize application to the Oregon Department of Transportation, Transportation Enhancement Program for a grant of up to $1,000,000 for the NW Flanders Bike Boulevard (Second Reading Agenda 596)

Is this for improvements other than the re-use of the Sauvie Island Bridge?

On Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m., a report on Pesticide Free Parks will be presented.

649 TIME CERTAIN: 2:00 PM – Accept the report Pesticide Free Parks (Report introduced by Commissioner Saltzman)

This is an excellent program, relying on volunteers to pull weeds by hand (and with a flame thrower, although I’ve never had a chance to use it) instead of using chemicals. There are several test parks in the pilot program, all of which look in good shape even before the work parties I’ve participated in have started tidying up. I am looking forward to going back to spending Saturday mornings pulling weeds, after May 20.