Wednesday, April 13
9:30 a.m. — City of Portland council meeting
Portland’s city council meetings are broadcast live on YouTube. The agenda for this meeting is online and includes a settlement for property damage due to a motor vehicle collision involving the Portland Police Bureau, approving a request to the U.S. Department of Justice for $2 million to outfit PPB with body-worn cameras, and reauthorizing Clean and Safe Inc.’s provision of police for the Clean and Safe Program. The city council will also have both a Wednesday afternoon (to adopt the Spring Supplemental Budget) and a Thursday afternoon session (to adopt the Environmental Overlay Zone Map Correction Project) this week, although it is unclear if Mayor Ted Wheeler will be present for Thursday’s session.
12:00 p.m. — Deborah Kafoury’s State of the County
Multnomah County Commission Chair Deborah Kafoury will deliver her final State of the County address to members of the City Club of Portland, as well as members of the public. The event will also feature Barbara Roberts, former governor of Oregon. The event will take place online and attendees must register in advance through Eventbrite.
7:30 p.m. — How Do We Get Home? Abundant Housing for a Sustainable, Equitable Future
The final session of the YIMBYtown conference is open to the public and will take place at Revolution Hall. The panel will cover the overlaps between a lack of affordable housing, the continuing climate crisis, and ever-increasing system inequality. The four panelists speaking are Jerusalem Demsas, a policy reporter for The Atlantic, Rukaiyah Adams, the chair of Albina Vision Trust’s board, Sam Diaz, the executive director of 1000 Friends of Oregon, and Dr Marisa Zapata, the director of Portland State University’s Homelessness Research and Action Collaborative. Dave Miller, from Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Think Out Loud, will moderate. While the session is included in YIMBYtown tickets, people wishing to attend just this session can purchase tickets for $13. Please note that while Revolution Hall encourages attendees to wear masks, but are not required to do so.
Thursday, April 14
9:30 a.m. — Multnomah County Commissioners Board Meeting
Multnomah County Commissioners board meetings are broadcast live on YouTube. The agenda for Thursday’s meeting is online. It includes the first reading of an ordinance to prevent the display of human remains for profit and the naming of a new interim designee for Multnomah County Commission District 1 (to handle the seat until an election can be held in the event anything were to happen to Commissioner Sharon Meieran). Meieran’s new designee is Cynthia Castro, her chief of staff and a former candidate for Portland City Commissioner.
6:00 p.m. — Bull Run Filtration Neighbor Update
Portland’s Water Bureau is holding a meeting to update the community on the design process for the Bull Run water filtration project, which is intended to reduce lead in Portland’s water. The meeting will be held on Zoom and registration is required.
Friday, April 15
DEADLINE — Comments on health care interpreter rules
As part of the process of implementing legislation passed in 2021, the Oregon Health Authority’s Office of Equity and Inclusion is accepting public comments by email on new rules for health care interpreters until 5:00 p.m. One of the key issues not appropriately addressed by the new rules is the certification of Indigenous language interpreters, who may not be able to obtain certifications available to other interpreters.
DEADLINE — Survey on Oregon high school graduation requirements
The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with Oregon’s Kitchen Table, are conducting a survey to learn about community members’ views on graduating high school. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and four other languages. It includes twenty questions. Answers are not tied to names or contact information.
DEADLINE — Applications for the Portland Parks Foundation’s Spring Small Grants
The Portland Parks Foundation offers five grants of $2,000 each spring to community organizations who foster equitable access to green spaces. Another five grants will be available in the fall. Applicants must complete an online application, which is available in both English and Spanish.
12:00 p.m. — Interrupting Violence: From the Holocaust to Modern Hate Groups
The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education will cohost a panel discussion on extremist violence and public health with WorldOregon. The panelists include Dr. Gary Slutkin, an epidemiologist and the founder of Cure Violence Global, Daryl Davis, the author of Klan-Destine Relationships, and Ryan Lo’Ree, a former right-wing extremist and program director at Parallel Networks. The panel will be moderated by Randy Blazak, the vice-chair of the steering committee implementing new bias crime legislation in Oregon. The panel will be held on Zoom and attendees must register in advance.
Saturday, April 16
9:00 a.m. — Canvassing for Eviction Representation for All
The Eviction Representation for All campaign is collecting signatures to ensure their measure is on the ballot in Multnomah County. They’re looking for volunteers to canvass for signatures at the PSU Farmer’s Market. Even if you’re not able to volunteer to canvass for signatures, show up and sign the petition. The ERA campaign will also have a canvassing training and open meeting on Friday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m.
10:00 a.m. — City of Portland FY 2022‐23 Budget Community Listening Session
Portland’s city council will hold a listening session for community comment on the budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year on Saturday, as well as another listening session on Monday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m. Community members wishing to speak must register by Friday at 2:00 p.m. for Saturday’s session and Monday by 9:00 a.m for Monday’s session. The sessions will be held on Zoom, as well as broadcast on YouTube.
2:00 p.m. — Starbucks Workers Solidarity Caravan and Sip-In
Portland DSA is organizing a car caravan to support workers at three of the Starbucks locations in Portland that have filed to unionize. The caravan starts at the Westmoreland store at 7001 SE Milwaukie. Attendees may register in advance. Signs, streamers, balloons, and other car decorations are encouraged.
Monday, April 18
DEADLINE — Federal and state tax returns; Portland Art Tax
Due to Emancipation Day, we have an extra three days to complete our tax returns this year, including the Portland Art Tax. Portland residents can pay the art tax or request an exemption online.
CONTINUING — TriMet mask mandate
Because TriMet’s masking policies are governed by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, their masking policy remained in place when the statewide mandate ended in March. The TSA’s current directive was scheduled to end on April 18. However, the TSA extended the mandate to May 3 on Wednesday. As a result, TriMet’s mask mandate will continue past April 18, as will mask mandates for other public transportation and at transportation hubs.
12:00 — Portland Community Engaged Policing Committee Youth Speak Out
PCEEP is looking for perspectives on policing from Portland residents aged 16 to 22. Lunch will be provided, but attendees must register in advance through Eventbrite.
6:00 p.m. — Portland Techno-Activism Police Intelligence Gathering and Surveillance Audit review
Portland Techno-Activism will review the recent city audit of police actions during the George Floyd Uprising. Elizabeth Pape, a member of the City of Portland Auditor’s Office, will speak about the audit process and its conclusions. The event will be held online and attendees must register in advance through Meetup or by email.
Tuesday, April 19
3:30 p.m. — TriMet Reimagine Public Safety Advisory Committee meeting
TriMet’s committee responsible for providing feedback on new public safety programs will hold its monthly meeting. An agenda is not available at the time of writing, but past meetings have covered the Safety Response Team’s role, partnerships with Multnomah County’s Behavioral Health Crisis Team, and RFPs for TriMet trainings.
5:00 p.m. — Charter Review Testimony 101 Workshop
The Coalition of Communities of Color is hosting a workshop to help attendees prepare testimony to share during upcoming public hearings on the Portland City Charter Commission’s proposals for updating the city charter. A second workshop will also be held on April 26 and will cover the same material. The workshop will be held on Zoom and attendees must register in advance.
Wednesday, April 20
DEADLINE — School Exclusion
Students attending public schools in Multnomah County have until April 20 to be current on their required vaccinations or to provide proof of an exemption. Otherwise, they will be unable to attend public schools. While the school exclusion deadline is usually earlier in the year, the Oregon Health Authority allowed counties to delay deadlines this year due to medical staff shortages. Other counties in Oregon may have different deadlines. People under the age of 18 can receive vaccinations for no cost at Multnomah County’s Student Health Centers. Portland Public Schools is also holding a free immunization clinic on April 13 to help students get up to date on vaccinations.
5:30 p.m. — Multnomah County Charter Review Commission meeting
Multnomah County’s charter review commission will hold a meeting that includes a a presentation on potential ballot measures by Katherine Thomas, the assistant county attorney. The agenda for this meeting is online. Attendees who wish to testify must register before 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 19. The meeting will be held over Zoom.
Looking forward
April 21 — Public comments on PPB use of force policies due
The Portland Police Bureau is updating their policies on various aspects of force of use. Policies go through two feedback phases, during which members can suggest edits or propose additional related content, though individual comments will not receive responses. Three policies are currently in the first feedback phase, with another three in the second. Public comment on all six policies are due by April 21.
- 1015.00 Less Lethal Weapons — This directive defines types of ‘less lethal’ force and when PPB officers is allowed to use each type. While PPB describes the following types of force as ‘less lethal,’ these forms of force routinely kill people: batons, kinetic impact projectiles (plastic bullets, rubber bullets, pellet rounds, sponge rounds, and bean bag rounds), chemical incapacitants (including HC smoke and TPA smoke), conducted electrical weapon systems (such as tasers), canines (dogs), and restraints (including handcuffs and hobble restraints). PPB has a form for feedback on the Less Lethal Weapons directive.
- 0910.00 Use of Force Reporting, Review, and Investigation — This directive describes a decision-making framework for investigations of use of force. Depending on which of four categories an incident falls into, an officer’s direct supervisor has varying levels of discretion around reporting that incident. If, say, an officer tases a person once or twice, that incident would be considered a Category III incident, where the officer’s supervisor must complete a ‘after action’ report that will be reviewed by members of that officer’s chain of command. But! If that officer instead tases a person three times (or more), that’s a Category II incident, and the officer’s supervisor must contact a detective with the bureau, in addition to filling out an ‘after action’ report for review by higher-ups. PPB has a form for feedback on the Use of Force Reporting, Review, and Investigation directive.
- 0025.00 Procedural Justice — This directive defines ‘procedural justice’ as a practice of engaging with people respectfully and policing in a trustworthy manner. It suggests that PPB officers should identify themselves, explain their actions, and limit the length of police encounters, provided that the officer finds doing so reasonable and practical. PPB has a form for feedback on the Procedural Justice directive.
- 0835.20 Managing Public Spaces — This directive was formerly titled “Established Campsites on Public Property.” Under its new title, the policy sets out PPB officers’ roles when supporting sweeps of encampments on public property. It states that “…PPB, in support of City Bureaus having authority over City of Portland property and their agents (i.e., the Impact Reduction Program [IRP]), shall interact with individuals experiencing homelessness with compassion and understanding,” as well as offering referrals to social services. Some of the definitions in this particular policy are overly broad, even when compared to other PPB policies intended to give officers as much latitude as possible. ‘Insanitary property,’ for instance includes items that could endanger health, but also “items that have no apparent utility,” making it easier to dispose of personal belongings during a sweep. PPB has a form for feedback on the Managing Public Spaces directive.
- 1010.00 Use of Force — This policy has changed substantially from earlier forms, including splitting out directives on Less Lethal Weapons and Use of Force Reporting (which are discussed above. Aside from a brief section suggesting that PPB officers try deescalation when feasible and describing alternatives to deescalation as “reasonable action,” this directive is a list of actions that PPB officers shouldn’t take. It’s not hard to match lines in the directive to specific lawsuits against PPB. Line 7.1.5.4, which lists actions that must be completed before PPB officers can use tear gas against crowds, for instance, was a key point in U.S. District Court Judge Marco Hernandez’s restraining order against PPB’s use of chemical weapons on protesters in 2020. PPB has a form for feedback on the Use of Force policy.
- 0630.50 Medical Aid — Previously titled “Emergency Medial Aid,” this policy describes processes for PPB officers needing to provide medical care in a variety of circumstances. One of the key positions in this policy is that officers should always prioritize ‘neutralizing immediate threats’ and ‘apprehending dangerous subjects’ before providing any medical aid. From there, PPB officers are instructed to call emergency medical services and then consider if there is any medical aid they can provide. The policy does not discuss allowing others to provide medical aid, although PPB officers have routinely prevented protest medics from providing aid even in life-threatening situations. PPB has a form for feedback on the Medical Aid directive.
Updated to reflect the TSA mask mandate extension on April 13, 2022. Previous versions of this article are available on the Internet Wayback Machine.
