EAST PORTLAND ACTION PLAN

(EPAP)

Draft Meeting NOTES:September 22, 2010

Meeting Attendance:

Tom Barnes (Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Assoc. + East Portland Graffiti Clean-up + EPAPbike + EPAP Powell Blvd. Chair + MAXaction Chair) / Joanna Klick (David Douglas Historical Society)
Shelley Barshaw (Larry Kotan) / Larry Kotan (Parkrose Heights Resident, Hands On Portland + EPAP Economic Development Chair + Grant Review)
Linda Bauer (Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Association Chair + East Portland Land Use/Transportation Chair + EPAP Transportation Representative) / Katie Larsell (NE Resident, EPAP Chair + EPAPbike + City Budget Advisory Rep. + Technical Advisory Committee Rep.)
Grayce Bentley (Organizing People Activating Leaders - OPAL) / Héctor JR. Osuna (El Programa Hispano)
Brooke Chilton Timmons (Metropolitan Family Center) / Robert Penagus (The – TREE Institute)
Frieda Christopher (David Douglas School District + EPAP Civic Development + Gateway Education Center Rep.) / Meryl Redisch (Audubon Society of Portland)
Shirley Craddick (METRO candidate; City of Gresham Commissioner) / Linda Robinson (EPAP Gateway Green + Parks Representative)
Alicia Crain (Portland Bureau of Transportation) / Jackie Safko (Albina Community Bank)
Marie Daniels (MeOutLoud Business Owner + EPAP Economic Development + Youth Chair) / Nick Sauvie (ROSE Community Dev. Corp. + EPAP Economic Development)
Justin Douglas (Portland Development Commission) / Natalya Sobolevskaya(Diversity and Civic Leadership (DCL) + Russian Speaking Network + EPAP Civic Engagement)
Karen Gray (Parkrose School District + EPAP Communication + Gateway Education Center Rep.) / Alyson Spencer (Multnomah County Commissioner Shiprack)
Stuart Gwin (Portland Bureau of Transportation) / Mike Vander Veen (Hazelwood NA + Parklane Church + East Portland Neighborhood Office + EPAP Structures + MAXaction Chair)
David Hampsten (Hazelwood Neighborhood Assoc. + East Portland Land Use-Transportation + EPAP Bike + Economic Development + Structures + Transportation Budget Advisory Committee Rep.) / Mark White (Powellhurst-Gilbert NA + EPO XPO + EPAP Economic)
Sandra Hernandes (The -TREE Institute) / Gloria Wiggins (Catholic Family Charities El Programa Hispano + EPAP Civic Engagement)
Raymond Hites (Lents Neighborhood Association + East Portland Neighbors) / Lore Wintergreen (EPAP Advocate)
Arlene Kimura (Hazelwood NA + EPOffice Land Use-Transportation+EP Parks Coalition + EPAP Chair + Structures + Main Streets Rep.+ Parks Rep) / Dolores Wood (Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Association + EP Parks)

I. Welcome:

A. Katie Larsell facilitated the meeting

1. Recognition of Katie Larsell for picking-up the food

2. Recognition of tonight’s Host Frieda Christopher

3.Introductions

4. The EPAP Structure document was referenced and it was stressed that everyone needs to become familiar with the content so that they understand their rights and responsibilities with the group.

5. The Committees & Representatives document was referenced and everyone was encouraged to consider how their actions on behalf of EPAP might relate to the work being done by others. COLLABORATION was stressed.

6.People who are attending at least a second EPAP meeting were encouraged to sign an EPAP Partnership Agreement and submit an Affiliations form so that EPAPers know when another member has an affiliation that may provide support or guidance.

8. Arlene and lore will be keeping people on time as stipulated by the agenda.

9. An Orientation Session was announced, to be held ½ hour after this meeting with Mike Vander Veenin the adjacent room.

II. Fiscal Year July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011 Budget Project Proposal Updates, Demographic Mapping and Advocacy Planning Next Steps

Updates from Amy Ruiz with the Mayor’s office, were shared (See notes on pages 11 - 15).Nick Sauvie suggested that people look at the Portland Plan Equity page. East Portland can make a strong case that they carry the burden of growth without the benefit of support for growth. Hector Osuna asked why a designated “Equity” group needs to exist for the Portland Plan when each workgroup is to address equity as a component of their ‘tag’/aspect of the Portland Plan. Allyson Spenser said that while equity needs to be integrated into each aspect, there needs to be an oversight body that has specific review of the overriding presence of equity. EPAP members spoke to the related projects:

A. Bureau of Environmental Services (BES): EPAP PriorityProject #5 – Integrated Sustainability Coordinator. Tom Barnes gave background about the need for the position due to demand and un-viability of sustaining the work without a coordinator.

B.Bureau of Environmental Services (BES): EPAP Priority Project # 19 – Friends of Trees I-205 MUP Greenspace – Linda Robinson was under the impression that the project was fully funded. As a 09.29.10 follow-up, lore spoke with the project initiator from FOT, Logan Lauvray. Logan said that the $50,000 is still needed to be raised to meet the required matching funds. He will speak with Brighton West and Scott Fogarty about working with the EPAP on further advocacy.

C.Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BP&S) and Portland Development Commission (PDC): EPAP Priority Project #2 – Economic Development Assessment – Larry Kotan spoke to planning a meeting with Skip and others now that the Economic Roundtable has happened. Larry has some concern that this meeting may be taking a left turn in terms of focus. He will address this with EPAP Economic Development and keep us posted. Linda Robinson asked if there is coordination with PDC. She said that the work with Gateway will provide the stimulus for the area. Larry said, ‘yes’, EPAP Ec Dev is working with PDC, but he also cautioned the mindset that has had us waiting for Gateway for a long time. It was acknowledged that community members have been extraordinarily committed in their work on Gateway, but East Portland needs change now.

D.Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BP&S) and Portland Development Commission (PDC): EPAP Priority Project #7 –Commercial/Industrial Economic Development –Larry said that EPAP Economic Development Subcommittee has not yet developed a strategy on this issue.Frieda Christopher said that zoning needs to change before development of properties will create economic development. David Douglas School District is most likely to support an address of zoning changes sooner than later.

E. Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BP&S) and Portland Development Commission (PDC): EPAP Priority Project #20 – Youth Economic and Workforce Development –Marie Daniels said that the ball is rolling again. She hopes that the right people are being brought to the table. She has said before that Work Systems Inc., the local workforce program that disperses federal funds, should be involved.

F. Portland Police Bureau (PPB): EPAP Priority Project #3 - Civic Development – Gloria Wiggins and Natalya Sobolevskaya again described the El Programa Hispano project that would bring experts from various agencies to interact with community members that are trained to take the information to their communities. We need to use this methodology in other language and culturally specific communities to build citizenship and community involvement. The message needs to be adjusted to the specific community’s needs. Natalya spoke of the serious need for support. Warren Jimenez, Deputy Chief of Staff with the Mayor’s Office, is meeting with Chief of Police Reese tomorrow and this is to be discussed: lore will follow-up.

G.Children’s Levy (CL) and Youth Violence Prevention: EPAP Priority Projects # 14 Reaching and Empowering All People East Project- No update beyond notes.

H.Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI): EPAP Priority Project # 10 – EPAP Communications – lore shared that it appears unlikely that this element will find funding through ONI and the proposal to have DCL partners make the contribution is highly unlikely to be successful.

III. EPAP Prioritization Criteria Review

Katie explained that the EPAP Grants Committee has applied the EPAP Prioritization Criteria that was developed in 2008. In doing so, it was proposed that EPAP again review the Criteria. We last did this in December 2009 when setting EPAP Project Priorities for the Fiscal Year 2010-11 City of Portland Budget.

People read the existing Criteria (See document on page16) and the following input was given:

  1. Add “Changes decision making to create equity in the future”
  2. Equity needs to be spelled-out
  3. Change “High impact on children and total number of people impacted” to “High impact on children and families…”
  4. Change “High impact…” to “High impact on people…”
  5. Identify project correlation to existing Portland Plan, Climate Plan, etc.
  6. Above suggestion will require people who can barely identify an Action Plan item to be familiar with multiple high-level plans
  7. Establish different sets of criteria for different purposes (e.g. small grants, priority projects for each municipality)
  8. When prioritizing for a municipality, have criteria consider agency’s existing plans
  9. Put Equity into a criteria introduction statement
  10. Add criteria: “Supports, strengthens, communicates, and/or enhances diversity understanding and/or awareness

It was determined that the input will be reviewed and we will revisit this issue at the next meeting.

IV.Representative Check-in:

A. Powell Blvd. Transportation Growth Management (TGM) – Tom Barnes – At this point it looks to be a plan for 2 travel lanes, a center turn lane, bike lines on both sides, and sidewalks. Study of crossing, without improvements, projects that in 2035, crossing Powell Blvd will be 103 % - 175% beyond capacity. The project at the stage of formulating alternatives. A planning report is due by June 30, 2011, at which time funding will be withdrawn. Tom emphasized that this is not construction. He stressed that there are never enough $ and they are looking at what could realistically work best. He feels assured that they are on track for public review. If need be, the workgroup will hold bi-weekly meetings in the future.

V. Spirit of Portland Awards – Mark White- East Portland is well represented: Tom Barnes, Powellhurst-Gilbert Neighborhood Association – Emerging Community Leader; Ed Kerns, Lents Springwater Habitat Restoration – Sandy Dietrich Environmental Award; Portland Youth Builders – Non-Profit of the Year; Parkrose Business Association – Business Association of the Year; Lee Po Cha, IRCO – Community Harmony; Ted Gilbert – Commissioner Fish Individual Award; and Barbara Rommel – Commissioner Saltzman Individual Award. Awards will be presented: Monday, November 8 from 7 pm - 9 pm in the Cascade Ballroom at the Double Tree Hotel Portland, located at 1000 NE Multnomah, near the Lloyd Center.

VII. Neighborhood Economic Development Roundtable Update–16 EPAP members attended. Larry Kotan said that the process is being taken seriously by PDC. What is going to come out of it for East Portland is unsure. Mike Vander Veen was impressed with the asset-based language and that they honed at the neighborhood level. The stories reflected the impacts on economic development of community organizing. The PDC spokes person (Erin Flynn) appeared to wrestle with community involvement language and making the concept real. Marie Daniels said, both at the Roundtable and tonight, that it would be very meaningful if PDC would let us help them change to meet the needs of the City. This cannot be a top down transition and they need guidance on addressing economic development. Jackie Safko said that she was on the organizing committee and 2-weeks prior to the forum, PDC was looking shell-shocked. They realize that they need community-based organizations and people with $ to partner. The Roundtable did not adequately involve or address partnering with $ people. The message “We need community $” needed to have been more openly and predominantly expressed. Marie was concerned that there was no law enforcement presence, which is very important. In reflection, she is now seeing who was not there.

VIII. Committee Check-ins:

  1. Bike – David Hampsten
  2. Walt Lersch was the EPAPbike Chairperson for September and Jim Chasse will be the Chair for October.
  3. The City of Portland Bicycle Advisory and Pedestrian Advisory Committees have openings for new members and are particularly interested in representation from East Portland.
  4. The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation set-up a special National Bicycle and Pedestrian Documentation Project count training to be held in East Portland. It was announced as being held on September 23rd, but was actually advertised and held on September 29th at the East Portland Neighborhood Office at 1017 NE 117th.
  5. See Notes on page 17
  1. Civic Development – Gloria Wiggins
  2. See Notes on pages 18 - 19
  1. Communications – lore wintergreen
  2. See Notes on page20
  3. Shirley Craddick shared some information concerning the proposed Metro strategy Action items:
  4. T.7.6: The Urban Growth Boundary is only looking for expansion on the west side of the region, thus T.7.6 is not a concern for the impacts of expansion in the near future.
  5. T.7.6: The “future traffic on Foster” will be addressed through the north corridor study that is to come up with a preferred alternative.
  6. EC.4.5: The goal to bring family-wage employment to East Portlanders is reflected in the Community Investment Strategy.
  7. EQ.2.1: The goal to balance regional affordable housing supply is reflected in the Community Investment Strategy.
  8. NA.3.3: Funding for the Lava Dome area is available through Metro’s Capital Projects Grant. (EPAP simply needs to have a champion developing partnerships and lore can help with the grant writing)
  1. Economic Development – Larry Kotan
  2. Heather Hoell, new Alliance of Portland Neighborhood Business Association Director, joined the Ec Dev Committee.
  3. Ec Dev plans to bring a speaker on EB-5 Visa program to their meeting: “PDC officials hope to use the federal EB-5 visa program to attract between $500,000 and $1 million in foreign investment for a “regional center” or a “targeted employment area.” Investors provide money to create jobs in the designated areas and, in return, are given preference for permanent resident visas (green cards) through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.”
  4. See Notes on pages 21 - 22
  1. Grants Review – lore wintergreen
  2. See Notes on pages 23 - 24
  3. See EPAP Small/Medium Grant Application on pages 25 - 35
  1. MAXaction– Mike Vander Veen
  2. See Notes on pages 36 - 37
  1. Youth – Marie Daniels
  2. See Notes on pages38 - 39

X. Representative Check-ins:

  1. Planning & Sustainability Commission Representative– Karen Gray
  2. The P&S Commission is not meeting until after the October 8th retreat.
  3. Karen thanked Shirley Craddick for her participation with the EPAP.
  4. The Metro Economic Association and Columbia Coordination Association hosted a debate of the Metro President candidates. Many questions were responded to, but the only question that unilaterally elicited the response “ just remember we do not have a lot of money” was the one asking about East Portland’s need for economic development.
  5. Karen stressed that the Metro Council ‘Community Investment Strategy’ is very important (lore followed-up by sending a link so that EPAP members could give input on this document).
  6. The Gateway Educational Center (Reminder: This project is looking at the area near Fred Meyer for a multi-partner center that brings education and economic development together to support East Portland residents to be job ready) is getting support from the National Development Council through PDC, to hook the GEC with funding strategies. The project is gaining momentum.
  7. Congratulations to Kali Ladd from the Mayor’s Office for seeing that David Douglas and Parkrose School Districts are included with the National League of Cities' Institute for Youth, Education and Families work in Communities Learning in Partnership (CLIP) network.
  8. Community and Parents for Public Schools 10th Annual Parent Leadership Conference will be held at Parkrose High School on Saturday, October 16th. Doors open at 8:45 AM. This is the first time Parkrose and David Douglas have been included. You can register at:
  9. The National Office of Civil Rights held an Education NW anti violence and anti bullying workshop on Sept 25 at Parkrose HS.
  1. Recruitment for Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) Budget Advisory Committee Representative – Arlene Kimura
  2. EPAP still needs a Representative to the ONI Budget Advisory Committee. Time commitment is a once a month meeting until the budget crunch time (late May, early June), when it may be escalated to once a month. (Orientation: Monday, October 11th, 5:30-7:00pm, Portland Building, Room C, 1120 SW 5th Ave, 2nd floor. Please see the following announcement for the full background, list of scheduled meeting dates and invitation to participate (if link does not work, copy and paste it into your browser):

Text only version also available at: .)

  1. Nomination of David Hampsten as a Metro’s Transportation Policy Alternatives Committee (TPAC) Rep. – Linda Bauer
  2. David offered to be EPAP’s Representative serving on Metro’s TPAC. This is an advisory group to the Joint Policy Advisory Committee that makes the regions transportation policy and project decisions. For more information:
  3. ACTION: Unanimously endorsed.

XI. Announcements/Information

A.Northwest Health Foundation Convergence Partnership– Gloria Wiggins:

IRCO and partner Catholic Family Charities El Programa Hispano received funding for the grant which received an EPAP support letter. This work complements the Multnomah County Healthy Living By Design project, by providing language and cultural specific involvement in healthy living policy development.

B.Menlo Park Shopping Center event availability–Arlene Kimura: The owner of the shopping center at 122nd and Glisan has put out the word that the unutilized space can be utilized for community needs. If you are interested or have an idea, please make direct contact with him.

C.Audubon Society of Portland Letter of support– Arlene Kimura: A letter of support for a Collins Foundation grant for program and operational support of the next two years was provided to the Audubon Society for their work on behalf of East Portland. (See attached letter on pages 40 - 41)