Category Archives: Community Involvement

Summary of KNA’s January Meeting

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January 12, 2012

Hi all,

Here’s what we decided to do, and not to do, and maybe to do, last night:

KNA voted to appeal any denial of Portland Playhouse’s permit, with the cooperation of the Playhouse and its legal representation.

KNA decided not to oppose a liquor license for Jackson’s mart on MLK. Instead, we will pursue a good neighbor agreement. Jeff has agreed to shepherd this process.

We decided informally to apply for a neighborhood tree inventory project, without committing ourselves to definitely doing it if approved. Alan and Katy will tackle that application.

We’re doing the Movie in the Park application, based on movie suggestions from last night. We’ve got our eye on one movie in particular: The Wiz! Again, we’re not committed to doing the Movie in the Park if approved. However, the Portland Playhouse has offered to help with various aspects of it, we can apply for ‘financial aid,’ and it seems like we can get this done much more inexpensively than last year.

KNA voted to formally request that NECN invite all candidates for mayor and city council to its upcoming candidate forums, regardless of the perceived popularity of the individual candidacies. Alan will write a letter.

We agreed, informally, to go ahead with a neighborhood clean-up this year. Brian of the Playhouse has agreed to take the lead on the paperwork, with an assist from Irek.

We will schedule a food security meeting quite soon! Katy Kanfer and I will figure that out.

We will schedule a land use/economic development (and transportation?) meeting soon – Irek will help us settle on a date for that.

KNA voted to request that NECN invite all candidates for city council and mayor to its upcoming candidate forums, regardless of ‘status’ or publicity their individual campaigns may be receiving. Alan will write a letter to NECN.

Thanks all,

Alan Silver
Chair, King Neighborhood Association

Help your community be selected for a tree inventory

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Walking around your neighborhood, do you see areas available for tree planting, street trees in need of maintenance, and neighbors who are concerned but don’t know where to begin? Urban Forestry is helping Portlanders take action to improve their community’s street trees by conducting tree inventories and creating neighborhood tree plans.

Communities begin by forming tree teams and gathering volunteers to conduct a street tree inventory. Volunteers are guided by Urban Forestry staff, who provide training and tools. Together, information is collected on tree species, size, health, site conditions, and available planting spaces. Data is analyzed and findings are presented to neighborhood stakeholders. Achievable strategies are set by the collective body to improve existing trees, identify opportunities for an expanding tree canopy, and connect the neighborhood with city and non-profit resources. The result is a Neighborhood Tree Plan. The plan identifies the current status and health of neighborhood street trees and provides recommendations for neighborhood action.

How Can I Get an Inventory and Tree Plan in my Neighborhood?
Communities are selected by a competitive process. To apply, submit this application by January 16, 2012.

Expectations
Tree inventories are designed to be fun and educational community events. Requesting communities first work with their neighborhood association to organize a tree team. Tree teams organize three inventory work days, recruit volunteers, and conduct the inventory. Urban Forestry provides organizational and inventory training, supplies, and work day leaders. After the inventory, Urban Forestry will guide tree teams in interpreting data and creating tree plans.

“It was so much fun to participate in such an amazing community project. It was such a pleasure being a part of a project that not only helps to maintain the charming character of the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood but also lays the foundation for a tree plan to help future neighborhood development.” -Kerry Wooddell, Sellwood-Moreland

Questions
Contact Angie DiSalvo at angie.disalvo@portlandoregon.gov
For more information:
Learn more about the Street Tree Inventory project and view past inventory reports at
www.portlandonline.com/parks/treeinventory

Come out for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service

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There will be a second round on the invasive species removal at the King Facility Parking Lot, next January 16th from 10:00-4:00, for MLK day. AmeriCorps seem very interested in helping us in the project. Hopefully they will send some hands the 16th. At the same time the King School PTA will be coordinating a cleanup, weeding, graffiti removal project on the school grounds, playground, and local area.

The Portland Farmers Market is also planning to bring a small crew, a tent and some snacks. Whole Foods has also pledged pastries, snacks and drinks.
So far, it is unlikely that we will have an excavator on this day.

We estimate that now we are around 20 volunteers, but some will come on the 14th and others the 16th. We would love to have 20 more folks helping us. Please join us!

We have a truck to do the trips to Metro on Saturday, but still need more for Monday the 16th.

The land we’re clearing of invasive species, and prepping for later installation of native plant species, borders the King Facility parking lot,

at 4815 NE Wygant at 7th. We are also looking for someone to watch kids so we can provide day care for the volunteers. Let Diego know if you can help.

Diego Gioseffi
808-779-3435

Trace Salmon
King PTA
info@kingpta.org

Rally to Save Saturday Delivery

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From local King letter carrier, Jamie Partridge:

Save Saturday Delivery &
Door-to-Door Mail Delivery
Save Community Post Offices

March & Rally
Downtown Portland
Sunday, Jan. 8th, 2 – 3:30pm

Rally at Pioneer Courthouse Square
March to Portland Main Post Office (NW Hoyt @ Broadway)
*** FAMILY FRIENDLY, BRING CHILDREN ***

Congress is getting ready to vote on HR 2309 & S 1789.  These bills would:

  1. End door-to-door and curbside delivery for 90% of postal patrons
  2. End Saturday delivery
  3. Close thousands of community post offices
  4. Close half the mail processing plants
  5. Eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs
  6. End overnite delivery of first class mail

TIME TO STAND UP AND SHOW UP!

more info: National Association of Letter Carriers 82, 503-493-5903
www.saveamericaspostalservice.org
www.savethepostoffice.com
www.nalc.org

Jamie Partridge
503-752-5112

Occupy Northeast Neighborhood Assembly Jan. 7 at Chapel Pub

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Shiva Markandeya, a self-identified Occupy Portland outreach committee member, has invited members of the Humboldt and King Neighborhoods to attend a meeting this Saturday, January 7th at the McMenamin’s Chapel Pub on 430 N. Killingsworth, 5 – 8pm.

According to the press release:

[T]he Occupy Portland Outreach Committee has created a project to gather various communities in this city who are interested in learning more about this modern movement and to encourage these communities to be more involved in seeing economic fairness and civil rights manifest in Portland neighborhoods. We hope to include every part of the city beginning with a few areas first, like North and Northeast Portland. The name of this project is called Occupy Northeast Neighborhood Assembly where we will come together and discuss our grievances and develop action based solutions among ourselves to address local and national concerns. There are many issues we plan to focus on which includes supporting the amendment to abolish cooperate personhood at the state level, administering education and strong support for those neighbors who have been wronged by our banking system which causes many families to receive unjust evictions from their homes, to create initiatives to remove the wrongful use of money from politics, to help families cope with joblessness and income disparities, and to develop green and sustainable permaculture practices that build community and bring people together.

The release states that this will be the first in an ongoing series of local meetings and that:

We understand that community, friendly associations, neighbors and the trust that is shared between them is power. When we are unified and working together in a common purpose our power is strengthened. We need all of our voices to be raised against the very things that ails us in this society. And we invite you and your associations to join us in making great efforts in trying to better our poor and middle class condition and improve the quality of our lives.

Shiva Markandeya can be reached at:
OPDX Outreach Committee
opdxshiva@gmail.com
503-477-3512