April 7, 2016

Last week, Venture Portland awarded $34,000 to our wonderful neighborhood business districts for 13 Spring/Summer Grant Projects.

The projects include delightful summer Street Fairs, building dynamic new websites, the Festival of Nations, and much more. The grants are expected to leverage over $220,000 in private business investment – that’s nearly a 7-to-1 match!

Nick is proud to serve as Council liaison to Venture Portland, which is focused on investing in the smart, strategic growth of our neighborhood small business districts.

Our neighborhood small businesses are the backbone of our community. They bring character and strength to our neighborhoods, create jobs, and encourage economic growth. For every dollar spent a local small business, nearly 70 cents stays in Portland’s local economy.

Check out Venture Portland’s website for more information and a list of grant awardees.  

Council to consider lobbying ethics reforms next week

Jim Redden in the Portland Tribune

Hall Monitor: Campaign Operatives, Catalogued

Dirk VanderHart in the Portland Mercury

Is Portland's Tap Water Toxic?
Marty Smith in the Willamette Week

Polluters – the City Included – Have Filed A Massive Records Request That Some Worry Will Delay Willamette River Cleanup

Dirk VanderHart in the Portland Mercury

EPA delays Portland Harbor cleanup plan

Kelly House in The Oregonian

Long history of Johnson Creek pollution winds back to Precision Castparts

Paul Koberstein in the Portland Tribune

Commissioner Dan Saltzman Wants a New Shelter at Portland’s Terminal 1

Beth Slovic in the Willamette Week

‘Zombie’ houses: Portland signals more aggressive approach to vacant, abandoned homes

Luke Hammill in The Oregonian

Portland signals more aggressive approach to ‘zombie houses’

Laverne Sterling in Maine News Online

April 12, 2016

Join the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) on April 21^st for Art Spark!

Located at the wonderful Portland Mercado in southeast, Art Spark is celebrating its 8^th year connecting artists and art lovers from all around our community.  

This year’s Art Speak features the RACC Arts Education Program. The Program provides resources and support to local artists, organizations, and schools to strengthen arts and culture learning experiences for youth in our community.

Artists and teachers will be on hand to share their experience of how Arts Education is making a huge difference in our local schools.

Art Spark is partially funded by RACC. Nick is proud to serve as Council liaison to the RACC, as it’s committed to funding diverse and accessible arts programs that reach all people in our community.

Check out Art Spark’s website for more information.

Art Spark

Portland Mercado

Thursday, April 21, 5:30 – 7:30 pm

7238 SE Foster Rd.

Photo courtesy of Art Spark.

April 12, 2016

The City of Portland is committed to open, transparent and accountable government.

Tomorrow, Nick will bring an ordinance to Council, establishing new disclosure and reporting requirements for “Political Consultants.” It builds on ethics reforms adopted by the City to cover lobbyists, and is modeled after reforms pioneered by the City of San Francisco.

Political Consultants help to elect City officials, and enjoy privileged, confidential access to them. Locally and nationally, they increasingly play an important role in shaping public policy. Consultants who provide advice to elected officials may also act as registered lobbyists.

Nick’s proposal would require disclosure of the relationships between City elected officials and their Political Consultants.

In developing this new policy, Nick worked with the elected City Auditor and the City Elections Officer, as well as public interest groups including the Oregon League of Women Voters, Represent Us, Common Cause Oregon, Portland Alliance for Democracy, and the ACLU of Oregon.

The public has a right to know who is influencing the City Council’s public policy decisions. This reform will bring more sunshine to the City’s work. 

Ordinance

Ethics Reform FAQ

Proposed ethics rules at City Hall deserves Council's support

The Portland Tribune Editorial Board

Council to consider lobbying ethics reforms next week

Jim Redden in the Portland Tribune

Hall Monitor: Campaign Operatives, Catalogued?
Dirk VanderHart in the Portland Mercury

April 13, 2016

This week is National Work Zone Awareness Week. It brings national attention to motorists, bicyclists, workers safety, and mobility issues in work zones.

With the dry weather ahead, travelers in Portland will likely see more construction work. The majority of the work is to upgrade water mains and sewer pipes and repair roads, which may increase traffic delays.

National studies indicate that driver distraction is the biggest factor in work zone collisions along with excessive vehicle speed.

The Portland Water Bureau recommends the following safety tips to keep in mind while you’re cruising down Portland streets:

• Use an alternate route. When you can, avoid streets with posted work zones.

• Expect delays. Plan to leave early so you can drive safely through the work zone and avoid having to rush.

• Be alert. Pay attention to the driving task and watch the cars ahead of you.

• Obey all speed and warning signs. They are there for your safety and will help prevent a collision.

• Do not tailgate.  Double the following distance

• Carefully move over.  When possible give workers more room between them and your vehicle, but do not veer into on-coming traffic lane.

• Watch for vehicle access. Be aware that temporary construction may impact either side of the road, or adjacent streets.

• Stay clear of construction vehicles.  Heavy vehicles travel in and out of the work areas and can make sudden moves

Check out the Water Bureau’s website for more information.