 Governance Committee
It has been an incredible year on Council, and I am so proud to be part of defining this new form of city government. With the transition to the new mayor-council form of government and district-based representation, there has been a need for clarity and coordination. As Council Vice President, I have been chair of the Governance Committee, where we have spent this year working to improve city code and establish working agreements for Council.
At Monday’s meeting, two especially important pieces of legislation that I introduced were passed out of the Governance Committee, with a recommendation for passage by full Council. The first, “Add Appointed Boards, Commissions and Committees Code”, addresses the City’s advisory bodies program. Volunteers and staff who work to advise our city government deserve clear expectations and meaningful outcomes. This improvement to code will address that, and make the advisory bodies program more cost-effective and equitable. A huge thank you to Amanda Garcia-Snell and Julia Meier for all their hard work put into improving this code.
A second top priority for my office and the Governance Committee this year has been to develop a Portland City Council Governance Handbook. It has been a months-long process, with countless meetings and edits, but I am delighted by the resulting document and the improvements it will facilitate. An enormous thank you to Aubri Qian on my staff and Kraig Cook from Council Operations for their work making this foundational document.
I look forward to seeing both of these essential items passed by the whole Council early in the new year!
Full Council and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
It was a full week of committee and Council meetings. In the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee I appreciated Chair Olivia Clark’s coordination of a report on options for alternative funding for transportation. There are definitely some innovative ideas that could help fund making our streets safer for everyone.
In full Council on Thursday, we passed a resolution I co-sponsored that will help develop an annual strategic planning process for the City Council that will include a shared set of strategic priorities, objectives and outcomes. The more we can get our Council working together, the more Portland embodies its motto, “The City That Works!” I look forward to continuing to strengthen our systems moving forward.
Flood Conditions
A Flood Warning is in effect for the Johnson Creek area. The City of Portland and partners are monitoring the area along the Johnson Creek and low-lying areas until further notice. As part of that process, through a regional partnership Scapoose Fire will be deploying a drone to support real-time and follow-up decisions in the area.
Emergency Services is encouraging residents to monitor local weather updates and be aware of any fast-rising creeks or streams in their area. Please do not walk or drive on flooded roadways or through moving water! Information about sandbags and sand and other resources is available at Landslides, flooding, and sandbags | Portland.gov. You can report downed trees or limbs on roads and sidewalks in Portland to (503) 823-TREE (8733). For clogged street drains and flooding on roadways, contact 3-1-1. For more information, visit Portland.gov/flood-safety.
 Oregon Tsuru for Solidarity
It was an honor to speak at a meeting of Tsuru for Solidarity Oregon on Sunday. ACLU Executive Director Sandy Chung and I presented about the authoritarian state, defending democracy, and what the moment calls for now. More than two dozen elders and activists met at Ikoi no kai, the Japanese American elders’ meal and cultural site in District 3.
Sunday was the one-year anniversary for Tsuru Oregon, an organization that lifts up Japanese Americans with a lived experience of incarceration to make sure that never again is now, and to work in solidarity for reparations for African Americans.
 Director of Public Utilities
Congratulations to Dr. Ting Lu, who will serve as Portland’s first Director of Public Utilities starting Jan. 2! The new position will oversee both the Portland Water Bureau and the Bureau of Environmental Services under the City’s One Water initiative, and was created to strengthen coordination across drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater systems. Dr. Lu currently serves as the Interim Director of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services. She is nationally recognized for her utility leadership and has held leadership positions in major water organizations. We had a wonderful meeting this week, and I wish her all the best in her new role!
 Mount Tabor Middle School Visit
It was so fun to spend this morning with students in my friend Laura Waksman’s science classes at Mt Tabor Middle School! A definite highlight was helping some of the kids make hot cocoa for the class – using science and math methods of course. Today is the last school day before winter break, and it was wonderful to connect with students. I also got to talk with Principal Tonya Arnold about how awesome middle schoolers are! I’ll be back at Mt. Tabor for career night in the new year, as well as to visit a sixth-grade leadership class. I’m looking forward to it!
On my way to Mt Tabor I ran into some Sunnyside parents who were bringing thank you cards to their kids’ teachers, and it reminded me of how grateful I am to those who care for our children every day. I’m wishing all teachers, aides, school staff, and others who care for kids a relaxing and well-deserved break!
Preschool for All
I am delighted to share that Preschool for All has almost doubled its possible enrollment numbers for next year! Multnomah County announced that Preschool for All has allocated 7,460 free preschool seats for the next school year, nearly doubling the program's current enrollment of more than 3,800 children and moving the program much closer to its goal of universal free preschool. Seats are spread across 192 providers operating 364 sites, including 66 new providers. I am excited about what this means not only for families with young children, but for early education educators, small business owners, and the city as a whole.
Council Recess
Portland City Council will be on recess December 22 - January 2. I will be meeting with constituents in-district, but there will be no committee or all-Council meetings. I wish you all a restful holiday season full of warmth and connection!
Peacock Lane
Just a reminder that tonight and tomorrow are pedestrian days at Peacock Lane! The neighborhood event will continue from 6 to 11 pm through December 31.
Constituent Coffee and Cocoa
Our next constituent coffee and cocoa will be from 9 to 10:30 am Saturday, January 10. More details to come soon!
 Safe Ride Home
Portland Bureau of Transportation is once again offering its Safe Ride Home program on New Year’s Eve. Coupons for $10 off taxi, Uber and Lyft rides can be downloaded here. Safe Rides Home is a Vision Zero initiative that aims to reduce impaired driving. During the past year the program has funded 3,000 rides to help people get home safely. Rides on TriMet will once again be free systemwide after 8 p.m. through the end of service on New Year’s Eve. Buses will run on their regular schedules, with extended late-night service on the MAX Blue, Green, Orange and Yellow lines. LIFT paratransit service will also be free after 8 p.m. on New Year's Eve. Be safe, and have a great night! One idea to celebrate is the drone show that will happen at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Happy New Year!
Snowplow Naming Contest
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has announced its annual contest to name five more of the city's 56 total snowplows. The deadline is January 5 to submit ideas for new Portland snowplow names. For inspiration, last year’s winners were Beverly Clear-y, Salt & Thaw, Brrrnside, Plowy McPlowface, and The Big Snowplowski. Portland Bureau of Transportation employees will narrow the selections to 20, which people can vote on from January 12 to 21.
Your Two Cents
Your 2 Cents PDX is a citywide campaign to bring participatory budgeting to the November 2026 ballot. If passed, community members would be in control of 2% of the city’s operating budget. Charter reform has given Portland voters a more representative City Council, and community budgeting could be another way to give neighbors a voice in City Hall. It especially offers a way for those who have not been heard, including young people and non-citizens, to be meaningfully involved in government. By allowing residents to weigh in on citywide budgeting, the spending of public funds becomes more transparent and accountable, and would make the government more responsive to needs identified by the community. For more information check out their website.
Tell us what you think!
What would you like to see included in the newsletter? Email councilor.koyamalane@portlandoregon.gov to let us know!
If this was forwarded to you by a friend, you can sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
|
