City Code Section
- As used in this Chapter unless the context requires otherwise:
- A. “Calendar quarter” means one of the four three-month periods of January 1 to March 31, April 1 to June 30, July 1 to September 30 and October 1 to December 31.
- B. “Calendar year” means the period of January 1 through December 31.
- C. “City director” means the director or individual in charge of the following or its successors: the Bureau of Transportation, the Office of Management and Finance, the Office of Government Relations, the Office of Community & Civic Life, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management, the Bureau of Emergency Communications, Portland Fire & Rescue, the Bureau of Police, the Bureau of Parks and Recreation, the Bureau of Environmental Services, the Portland Water Bureau, the Bureau of Development Services, the Portland Housing Bureau, the Bureau of Revenue and Financial Services, the City Budget Office, the Office of Equity and Human Rights, the Bureau of Fire and Police Disability and Retirement, the Bureau of Human Resources, the Bureau of Technology Services, the Division of Community Safety, Prosper Portland, Office for Community Technology, and IPR – Independent Police Review.
- D. “City official” means any City elected official; the at will staff of a City elected official; any City director as defined in this section; or appointee to the Portland Development Commission, the Planning Commission, the Design Commission, and the Fire and Police Disability and Retirement Board.
- E. “Consideration” includes a gift, payment, distribution, loan, advance or deposit of money or anything of value, and includes a contract, promise or agreement, whether or not legally enforceable.
- F. “Official action” means introduction, sponsorship, testimony, debate, voting or any other official action on any ordinance, measure, resolution, amendment, nomination, appointment, or report, or any matter, including administrative action, that may be the subject of action by the City.
- G. “Lobby” or “Lobbying” or “Lobbies” means attempting to influence the official action of City officials. Lobbying includes time spent preparing emails and letters and preparing for oral communication with a City official. Lobbying does not include:
- 1. Time spent by an individual representing their own opinion to a City official.
- 2. Time spent participating in a board, committee, working group, or commission created by City Council through approval of resolution or ordinance.
- 3. Time spent by a City official or City employee acting in their official capacity as an official for the City.
- 4. Time spent submitting a bid, responding to related information requests, and negotiating terms on a competitively bid contract or intergovernmental agreement.
- 5. Oral or written communication made by a representative of a labor organization that is certified or recognized, pursuant to ORS 243.650 et seq., as the exclusive bargaining representative of employees of the City of Portland, to the extent that such communications do not deal with actual or potential ordinances that are unrelated to the collective bargaining process, or implementation or application of any collective bargaining agreement provision.
- 6. Formal appearances to give testimony before public hearings or meetings of City Council.
- 7. Work performed by a contractor or grantee pursuant to a contract with or grant from the City.
- 8. Time spent by any person holding elected public office, or their specifically authorized representative, acting in their official capacity.
- H. “Lobbying entity” means any individual, business association, corporation, partnership, association, club, company, business trust, organization or other group who lobbies either by employing or otherwise authorizing a lobbyist to lobby on that person’s behalf.
- I. “Lobbyist” means any individual who is authorized to lobby on behalf of a lobbying entity.
- J. “Person” means any individual, business association, corporation, partnership, association, club, company, business trust, organization or other group.
- K. “Gift” means something of economic value given to a City official without valuable consideration of equivalent value, including the full or partial forgiveness of indebtedness, which is not extended to others who are not City officials on the same terms and conditions; and something of economic value given to a City official for valuable consideration less than that required from others who are not City officials. However, “gift” does not mean:
- 1. Campaign contributions, as described in ORS Chapter 260.
- 2. Gifts from family members.