What is the AEAF Oversight Committee (AOC)?
When Portland voted to restore school arts and music education and to fund arts access in 2012, voters also established an independent Arts Education and Access Fund Oversight Committee (AOC) as an accountability measure. The purpose of the AOC is to include representatives of the City’s diverse communities to ensure the Arts Education and Access Fund is being implemented as required, to review expenditures made, and to report their findings in a public record to the City Council on an annual basis. (Portland City Code (PCC) Section 5.73.050.) The AOC makes recommendations about the Arts Education & Access Fund to the City Council for its consideration and approval.
What members are needed?
The committee is designed to include members that work or live within each of the six school districts served by the fund. The committee currently has a member from PPS and is seeking members from Centennial, David Douglas, Parkrose, Reynolds, and Riverdale school districts.
What does the committee do?
- Ensure that the Arts Education and Access Fund is being implemented as required by voters and reflected in Portland City Code (PCC) Chapter 5.73.
- Review AEAF Fund expenditures for compliance with voter objectives and Portland City Code Chapter 5.73.
- Advise the City Arts Program and Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan on issues related to the Arts Education & Access Fund.
- Report their findings in a public record to the City Council annually
What is the time commitment?
- Meetings will take place every other month on weekday evenings via Zoom or at an in-person location agreed to in advance.
- Members are involved for a duration of4-year terms,for no more than 8 consecutive years.
- The anticipated time commitment per month is four to eight hours.
- Members are expected to prepare for meetings on their own time.
What is the committee looking for?
We want people from every part of Portland to share their voice on the committee, especially people who have not been involved before. Below are helpful attributes for committee members; we do not expect you to be or have everything listed.
- You believe government is better when community is involved.
- You want to represent your (new) Portland voting district in a fun and meaningful way. You can find out your voting district here.
- You have experience as a K-12 teacher, arts educator or working artist or with non-profit organizations, grants administration or as a grantee.
- You have experience with Citizen oversight or public engagement processes.
- You have experience with program evaluation, data analysis and/or financial analysis.
- You are an advocate for racial equity: you want positive and long-lasting outcomes for racial and ethnic communities who have been left out before. You can bring discussion about racial and ethnic communities who need it the most.
- You have a perspective on navigating the community as a person with a disability.
- You are available to attend all meetings and participate in the discussions.
We Remove Barriers
- Let us know if there are barriers to your participation.
- Public transportation or parking passes will be available if you need those to fully participate.
- We provide interpreters who will translate the conversation in your language during the meeting. Please ask for an interpreter at least a week in advance of the meeting so we have enough time to make arrangements.
- We try to translate the written materials you ask for, but we may not be able to provide translation on all meeting documents.
Volunteer Ethics
People who join this committee will become what we call “Public Officials,” which means that while you serve you must behave fair and ethically. We will provide training on being a public official for committee members. Part of following Public Officials Ethics laws means you must tell the group when you or a relative may financially benefit (or avoid fees) by your recommendations. This is called a “Conflict of Interest.” If you tell us about potential Conflicts of Interest that does not mean you cannot serve, in fact, many committees have potential members with Conflicts of Interest.
Interested in serving?
Please contact City Arts Education Coordinator, Dawn Isaacs at dawn.isaacs@portlandoregon.gov.