Happy Thanksgiving Weekend, Overlook!
1) PSAC Meeting This Week (11/28)
2) DEQ – Coal Public Hearing (12/6)
3) Speak Up on Suspension of Metro Grant Committee (12/6 deadline)
4) Santa is Coming to Overloo
k House in just two weeks! (12/9)
5) Adopt A Neighbor
6) Plan Your City Repair Now
7) OKNA January Board Meeting (1/8/13)
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1) PSAC Meeting This Week (11/28)
The North Portland Public Safety Action Committee meeting is this Wednesday, November 28th @ 7:00 pm in the Historic Kenton Firehouse. Please come and meet our new Crime Prevention Coordinator Sara Hussein! Also attending, your representatives in Public Safety.
Wednesday, November 28 7:00 pm
Historic Kenton Firehouse
8105 N. Brandon
There will be no PSAC meeting in December. Happy Holidays!
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2) DEQ – Coal Public Hearing (12/6)
DEQ will present information about the coal export terminal and the three permit applications currently in review. Comments and questions will be accepted. DEQ may answer questions directly or post responses on their website, depending on the scope of the question.
The North Portland Neighborhood Associations approved a resolution asking for both and area-wide Environmental Impact Statement and a review of a Health Impact Analysis before permits for coal export were considered. DEQ is considering permits for the Morrow Pacific Project without an these important studies and without an individual EIS for this project – only a bare bones Environmental Review has been completed.
Thursday, Dec 6th (Rally @ 5PM, Hearing @ 6PM)*
University of Portland, Buckley Center Auditorium
5000 North Willamette Boulevard
*Join us before the hearing at 5PM for a rally against coal exports! Rally Details: Show up in solidarity to oppose this coal export facility and/or provide two-minute testimony. We ask that DEQ deny the permits and conduct a full EIS of this project. Talking points on coal export are on www.powerpastcoal.org under the ‘RESOURCES’ tab. Please wear red to show your solidarity against coal exports.
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3) Speak Up on Suspension of Metro Grant Committee (12/6 deadline)
If you live in North Portland, chances are that you or your neighbors have been touched by one of the 465 local improvement projects funded by Metro’s grant program. The North Portland fund was generated in the late 1980s by fees collected on waste disposed of at the now-closed St. Johns landfill.
Due to no new revenues, low interest earnings and ongoing costs to administer the fund, the committee – comprised of representatives from Arbor Lodge (Chris Duffy), Cathedral Park (Jeff Bissonnette), Kenton (Steven Joiner), Overlook (David Davis), Portsmouth (Cece Hughley Noel), St. Johns (Shawn DeCarlo) and University Park (Anisha Scanlon) – recommends spending the entire $1.6 million fund balance by 2018. Members are unequivocal – the local community will continue to be the primary beneficiary of the remaining funds.
Based on input gathered through a survey of North Portlanders and numerous informal and structured conversations in the neighborhoods and with its many service providers, the committee proposes to dedicate a portion of the fund to the North Portland Greenway trail project and a portion to grant projects proposed by the community. As background, the trail is a regional project that will knit together bike and pedestrian infrastructure from Pier Park to Smith and Bybee Wetlands and Kelley Point Park. Thousands of people live in close proximity to the planned improvements.
The committee wants to take time to explore the best way to distribute funds and to make lasting, positive changes in our community. This is likely to result in a delay of several months to the regularly-scheduled grant cycle.
For more details and to read the proposed Metro legislation and staff report, visit Metro’s website (www.oregonmetro.gov/northportlandgrants). If you have a question about Metro’s staff report, call Stacey Triplett at 503-797-1882.
I commend committee members for their time, energy and thoughtfulness. Having had the pleasure and honor of working with these local leaders for the past 12 years, I believe the community has been well-served.
Before taking this action, the Metro Council wants to hear from you. Do you agree with the committee’s recommendation?
The recommendation will be considered by the Metro Council at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 at Metro Regional Center (600 NE Grand Ave., Portland). You can provide public testimony to the Council in person, by mail or by e-mail before Dec. 6.
- To testify in person at the Council meeting, arrive prior to 2 p.m. to fill out a testimony card and submit it to the Council Clerk. You need to be present when your name is called to testify. Testimony should be kept to 3 minutes. If you require any special accommodation in order to testify before the Council, please make your request to the Council Clerk at least 24 hours before the meeting (503-797-1542).
- Written testimony is welcome too. To testify in writing, include a reference to the agenda item at the beginning of your letter or email message (i.e., “North Portland grants”). Fax your testimony to 503-797-1793. Mail your testimony to the Metro Council, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97232. Send email to metrocouncil@oregonmetro.gov.
The Metro Council and I want to hear from you about this important decision. Your input and insights will be helpful in making this decision. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely, Councilor Rex Burkholder (District 5)
Chair, North Portland Enhancement Committee
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4) Santa is Coming to Overlook House in just two weeks! (12/9)
Overlook House will host a visit from the Jolly Old Elf himself on Sunday, December 9 from 11 am-1 pm. Come get your picture taken with Santa and tell him what you want for Christmas. Write a letter to the North Pole, get your face painted, play some games, and enjoy the special holiday fun with us. Santa is looking forward to seeing you there!
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5) Adopt A Neighbor
REACH Resident Services is seeking Overlook residents who are able to adopt a neighbor for the holidays. Last year Overlook neighbors made a difference to 8 families and a total of 24 children in our first year! Families living with low income are often left out of gift-giving and receiving. Patton Park Apartments (5272 N. Interstate) is home to over 46 children living below median income and our current economy has local service agencies unable to meet the increased demand. This is where you can make a difference in your own neighborhood. To adopt or for more information, contact Erica Tucker, MSW- Resident Services Coordinator at (503)546-1662 etucker@reachcdc.org.
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6) Plan Your City Repair Now
City Repair and the Village Building Convergence (VBC remind us that it is time to start planning placemaking/community involvement projects that can receive support during the VBC. The Village Building Convergence will happen for 10 days from late May and into early June.
City Repair began in Portland, Oregon with the idea that localization – of culture, of economy, of decision-making – is a necessary foundation of sustainability. By reclaiming urban spaces to create community-oriented places, we plant the seeds for greater neighborhood communication, empower our communities and nurture our local culture.
Neighbors will come together to create benches, community kiosks, gardens, street paintings, tile mosaics, and more! Come join your neighbors as they bring to life the natural building, permaculture, and public art projects that they’ve been planning. Learn valuable skills for urban sustainability and social regeneration while celebrating the creativity and diversity of our wonderful city!
If you are interested in an Intersection Repair (painting the streets!) or other placemaking project for your corner of the city, please visithttp://vbc.cityrepair.org/ and get going. Let us know about your project!
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7) OKNA January Board Meeting (1/8/13)
The January OKNA Board Meeting has been moved to Tuesday, January 8, 2013. 7:00-9:00pm at the Historic Overlook House.
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