Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

(He/Him) councilor.dunphy@portlandoregon.gov

Bluesky @councilordunphy Instagram @councilorjamiedunphy

A Message from Council President Dunphy:

Council President Elections

Hi friends,

Has your January been as much of a whirlwind as mine?

You’ve probably heard by now, but I was recently elected as the new President of the Portland City Council. It’s not a role I was trying to get, or particularly wanted to have. While I may have been reluctant, I’m ready for the challenge, and I’m ready to lean into this moment.

I’m stepping into this role out of service to this Council and to the wonderful City of Portland who I love so much. We need the Portland City Council to work. We have multiple real crises in our community, and we must be able to respond. I am humbled, and deeply committed to this work, and will use this new role as a facilitator to the healthy functioning of our legislative body.

You all watched as the City Council was stuck in an extended tie for the role of Council President. At times it was ugly. But honestly I believe that this is all part of the growing pains we should be expecting. It’s all part of what charter reform was designed to accomplish, bringing many disparate voices to the table through district representation. And while it took 13 rounds of voting, this process shows that our council can work through differences and ultimately come together to do hard things. 

I came to City Hall to do policy work, to represent East Portland, and to fight for communities that have too often been overlooked. And my dedication to those three topics remains my top priority. But I am dedicated to the success of this body and to the project of a more representative Democracy. I was hesitant to take this job, but I am incredibly honored to take on this role and will serve this Council and this city to the best of my abilities. 

I want to thank Councilor Kanal and Councilor Pirtle-Guiney for supporting my nomination. Councilor Kanal would have made an excellent president, and I’m incredibly grateful for his leadership and the way he showed up in this process. Councilor Pirtle Guiney was the leader we needed in our first year and I’m in awe of her bravery in serving as President as we launched this new system of government. Their willingness to participate in this difficult process with such grace reflects their commitment to public service and the democratic process, and I greatly appreciate their support as I transition to this new role. 

As Council President, my goal is not to consolidate power, but to distribute it. I’m going to share agenda-setting authority transparently, ensure every Councilor is treated fairly, and build systems that serve this body and this City. 

In order to fully serve the City Council, I have stepped away from the progressive caucus, and I will invite my sharpest critics to help advise how we improve how this Council operates. I’m determined to lead fairly and ensure that every voice is heard as we tackle the challenges ahead.

I also want to acknowledge the significance of this moment for East Portland. It’s a HUGE deal that the second City Council President in this new form of government is from East Portland, even if it has to be me. I carry that responsibility with humility. Representation matters, and it must be matched with collaboration, fairness, and results.

I don’t want this presidency to become a yearly ritual of hardened battle lines. What we experienced this week took a toll. Not just on the Council, but on public trust. My hope is that by stabilizing this moment, we can refocus on the work ahead, including housing policy, neighborhood safety, governmental accountability, and real results for Portlanders.

This role is not about ambition for me. It’s about stewardship. I will serve for this year, do everything I can to help this Council meet the challenges of this coming year, and then step aside, knowing that the work of governing is always bigger than any one person or position. Wish me luck. I’m gonna need it.

Policy Preview:

The All-User Restroom Ordinance is coming to the full Council on February 4th! This ordinance builds on work I began nearly a decade ago, when I wrote Portland’s original all-user restroom policy back in 2015, sponsored by the late Commissioner Nick Fish.

That 2015 resolution was an important first step, but it was limited to changing the signs outside of single-stall bathrooms on City-owned property. In 2017, the private sector stepped up and converted more single-stall restroom signs than the City, more than 1000 individual bathrooms. In 2020, State Building Code changed to require gender-neutral signage on all new single-stall restrooms. This new ordinance closes that last remaining gap: existing public gender-specific single-stall restrooms in private businesses. 

This policy is about focusing on what’s behind the door of a single stall restroom, a toilet, rather than who can walk through the door. This benefits all kinds of folks, whether you’re a parent with a young child, an older adult or an individual with a disability who has a caregiver, our trans or non-binary neighbors, or anyone who just wants a private place to do their business.

When we remove simple access barriers in public spaces, everyone feels more welcome. With this ordinance advancing to full Council, we’re closer to making inclusion the norm rather than the exception. I look forward to finishing this work next year.

The only opportunity for verbal public testimony is at the first Council reading next Wednesday, February 4th at 9:50 a.m. The Council agenda for the meeting will be live this Friday, January 30th, and you can sign up for verbal or written testimony through the item link.

If you’d like to submit written testimony now, you may do so here.

Dunphy in the Community:

ICE Shooting in the Community

Two people were hospitalized this month after being shot by federal immigration agents in the Hazelwood neighborhood of District 1. I stand in solidarity with our immigrant and refugee community in the wake of these violent events. What happened that night was not an isolated incident. This shooting took place one day after Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis mother, was murdered by ICE. What we are seeing on our streets is a coordinated campaign of state terror and tyranny.

Fortunately, the two folks shot by these federal goons have both survived. But this tragic incident serves as a grave warning that now is the time to speak up. Due process is a requirement of democracy that’s guaranteed to both citizens and non-citizens alike. Now is the time to take decisive action against these reckless forces operating in our city.

Community members across Portland have demanded that the city unmask all law enforcement agencies, and take more initiative to verify agents’ identities and investigate any unlawful activities. My colleague Councilor Sameer Kanal has championed an ordinance to meet these demands.

Since the shooting occurred, I have rallied with people all across Portland not just as an elected official, but as a neighbor and ally. While local policy is essential, it is not what will ultimately save us. The real power to dismantle this tyrannical system lies with the people.

BottleDrop Site Visit

Earlier this month, my team and I joined Multnomah County Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards for a night visit of the BottleDrop Site on 122nd and Glisan. I’ve heard from a lot of neighbors about bad behavior at this site, and I wanted to see what it was like at night firsthand.

The Glisan center is incredibly busy, with the line still stretching out the front door after 5:00PM. About 5% of all bottles and cans in Oregon are returned at this site, and many folks in our community have come to rely on this service to help pay for food, bills, and other basic living expenses. We saw people from all walks of life, including families with children, senior citizens, and people just coming off of work. This site does a lot of good for the community, and the staff at BottleDrop are clearly working hard to create a safe, efficient, friendly service. However, there’s some achievable safety improvements that can be made.

The City will be working with Oregon Bottle Recycling Collective to help make this site a safer place for our communities by working on the following three items:

1. Improving the sidewalk safety on 122nd. When this building was built out, Bottle Drop was required by code to expand the existing sidewalk from 5 feet out to 10 feet, with the eventual goal of having all the sidewalks along 122nd be 10 feet wide. This 10 foot sidewalk meets with the 5 foot sidewalk coming from the McDonalds immediately south of their building. This means that there is a sizable section of the sidewalk that is unusable for pedestrians because it doesn’t go anywhere, and continuously draws campers or other bad behavior to this corner. We are going to close this part of the sidewalk on 122nd.
2. Additional street lighting along 122nd. This stretch of road is particularly dark, especially on rainy nights. The BottleDrop will be installing additional lights on their building to ensure no dark spots are on their property along 122nd.
3. Removal of the existing parks spaces on 122nd in front of BottleDrop. The BottleDrop has their own private parking lot, so the parking spaces along 122nd are almost exclusively used by individuals who are bringing bad behavior. These spaces are going away anyway when PBOT does the 122nd Ave Repainting Project, and the folks at BottleDrop are supportive of getting rid of them sooner than later.

City of Portland Legislative Breakfast

Ahead of February’s State Legislative Short Session, an amazing group of State Legislators from the Portland area joined the Mayor and City Council to talk policy priorities, share support, and show solidarity during these weird times. It didn’t take long for the conversation to turn towards immigration enforcement.

I’ll never forget when Senator Lew Frederick described an “impromptu town hall” he had with neighbors who told him their friends and neighbors, who are immigrants, are afraid to leave the house and buy basic survival necessities like food and hygiene supplies. Representative Willy Chotzen plans to introduce an immigration legislation package to help bring more support to folks like this, but it isn’t enough.

Councilor Avalos brought up an excellent point during this conversation, and mentioned that a lot of legislative packages like this don’t ever truly reach the people most impacted by these policies. Her ultimate point is that outreach will be absolutely crucial for this legislation to be a success. I agree with her, and support any and all efforts to bring some relief to our immigrant community during this unconstitutional attack.

I am grateful to sit alongside such brilliant, capable, and committed colleagues, and I look forward to any and all opportunities to support our immigrant and refugee communities in ways that will make lasting differences in their life.

Thrive East PDX Immigration Enforcement Listening Session

I attended a listening session hosted by Thrive East PDX at the Historic Parkrose Office to let a handful of elected officials hear directly from community members about the impact ICE is having on their lives. I was joined by Councilor Candace Avalos, Mult Co Commissioner Megan Moyer, and US Representative Maxine Dexter. We heard horrifying accounts from immigrants and their families, who live in constant fear of being deported to countries where they have no family or community, or where they would face certain harm or death.

Some shared that this fear has driven loved ones to commit suicide rather than risk being hunted in the streets while traveling to and from work or school. We heard about children in after-school programs being robbed of their innocence after encountering real-life “boogeymen,” and about pregnant refugees foregoing prenatal care out of fear that their medical records could be accessed by DHS.

This is a crisis situation we face. If you see ICE in the community, please, report to the Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition by calling 1-888-622-1510. I keep this number saved in my phone for easy access. And if you’re an immigrant and need resources or support, PIRC and many other resources are there to help you navigate these crazy times. I stand in solidarity with the immigrant and refugee community. We’re stronger together, and it’s up to us to keep each other safe.

Winter Light Festival Comes to East Portland!

This year the Portland Winter Light Festival will feature three Eastside locations: Lents’ 5th annual Lights in Lents, Lite it Be at CORE Bar & Food Carts hosted by Canton Grill, and for the first time ever, Parkrose will have its very own winter light festival installation - Mechan 42, a giant robot sculpture that will be watching over Parkrose Hardware and Grocery Outlet. 

Historic Parkrose will be hosting its official launch event on Friday, February 6th from 6:00pm-8:00pm featuring live music, vendors, and lights displays. We hope to see you there!

Help care for our bike path!

Join SOLVE for a fun and meaningful volunteer event picking up litter along the I-205 Multi-Use Path near NE Airport Way in Portland.

• Date & Time: Saturday, February 7th, 10:00AM-12:00PM
• Meeting Location: Home Depot parking lot (SW corner, behind 7-Eleven)
• Address: 11633 NE Glenn Widing Dr, Portland, OR 97220 
• Sign up and find more info here!

Live closer to Lents, but still want to help your community? SOLVE is hosting another volunteer event on the I-205 Multi-Use Path in Lents!

• Date & Time: Saturday, February 21st, 10:00AM-12:00PM
• Meeting Location: Home Depot parking lot (SW corner, behind 7-Eleven)
• Address: 9320 SE Woodstock Blvd Portland, OR 97266
• Sign up and find more info here!

Resources:

• Virtual Know Your Rights training from the Oregon Justice Resource Center
• Virtual Know Your Rights training from the Immigration Legal Resource Center
• Virtual Bystander training from MIRA Coalition
• How to Document ICE from Witness Media Lab
• Protect your Family Guide from Latino Network
• Printable Know Your Rights Cards from PIRC
• Accompaniment Program from IMIrJ
• Adopt a Day Laborer Corner from National Day Laborer Organizing Network