Parks Levy Oversight Committee (PLOC) Meeting July 2021

Year 1, Meeting #1

AGENDA

Attachments Shared with PLOC

• Draft PLOC Charter and Bylaws
• Parks Levy Resolution and Exhibits

Attending

• Oversight Committee Members – 
  • Alescia Blakely
  • Judy Bluehorse Skelton
  • Maria Velez
  • Paul Agrimis
  • Silas Sanderson
• PP&R Staff – 
  • Adena Long, Director
  • Todd Lofgren, Deputy Director
  • Sarah Huggins, Sustainable Future Program Manager
  • Melissa Arnold, Community Engagement Manager
  • Claire Flynn, Levy Coordinator

 
Welcome and Introductions

Director Long opened the meeting by welcoming all members and thanking them for their commitment to serving, their insight, and their time. PP&R staff introduced themselves and their role. All committee members then introduced themselves, shared their background and experience, and listed their favorite park or community center. Following group introductions, committee members and PP&R staff split and mixed into breakout rooms for informal networking and sharing what excited them about joining the PLOC.

PLOC Orientation

Claire Flynn gave a presentation to orient committee members to where PP&R falls in the overall structure of the City of Portland, how Parks is structured internally and our other advisory bodies, and the history and priorities of the Parks Levy. Key points included:

• Where the PLOC falls in the context of the overall City bureau structure as an advisory body to the PP&R Director 
• PP&R organizational structure and division responsibilities
• Overview of the parks system and current strategic planning efforts

The overview of the Parks Local Option Levy (Parks Levy), expected to raise $48M annually for five years, included a timeline of the planning and Sustainable Future work sessions, polls, and resolution leading up to the November 2020 election. Claire also covered the main goal categories of the Parks Levy and how PP&R will be aiming to fulfill outcomes in each of those categories: Recreation for All, Protect and Grow Nature, and Community Partnerships. A priority of the presentation was to reiterate the role of the PLOC: 

• Reviewing information to verify general compliance with and progress towards the purposes of the Parks Levy 
• Receiving and reviewing the financial audit; and
• Producing a committee-specific annual report to City Council of activities including advising on adherence to Parks Levy language, fiscal accountability, and transparency.

Members asked if the Racial Equity Lens could be shared with the PLOC and PP&R staff confirmed that is possible and noted that Claire would send to the group.

Charter/Bylaws Debrief and Discussion

Committee members received a draft charter document and draft bylaws prior to the meeting. Claire Flynn presented key points from the draft documents and asked members to further review before the next meeting. The overview of the documents included:

• Main purpose and responsibilities of the committee (see above) being to review information produced by PP&R to verify general compliance with the purposes set forth in the Parks Levy as approved by the voters – calling out that this committee serves an oversight and advisory function, not direct decision making (such as budget decisions, funding appropriations, or program prioritization).
• Public body and meeting best practices including simple majority quorum for decision making, consensus building in decision making, and posting meeting info and notes on the committee webpage. The ethics policy and disclosure of conflicts of interest were also reviewed. 

Committee members were asked if they were okay with using “PLOC” as an abbreviation for the “Parks Levy Oversight Committee.” In any document where the group title is mentioned, the full name, Parks Levy Oversight Committee, would be stated followed by “PLOC” in parenthesis. All committee members confirmed that the abbreviation was reasonable and could be used moving forward. 

Committee members were also asked to consider the method by which meetings would be scheduled each quarter. Members requested that there be a regular scheduled window of the first two weeks of the quarter (i.e. the first two weeks of January, April, July, and October) in which to expect a meeting to occur – with a Doodle poll sent out to select the exact date and time to maximize convenience for all members and PP&R staff. 

Claire then listed considerations and decision points that will need to be made before formally adopting the Charter and Bylaws at the next PLOC meeting:

• Committee members were asked to consider and decide at the next meeting whether they would like the committee to have a Chairperson. The Chair’s role would be to assist in conducting the meetings and setting an agenda, assisting in the process of building consensus, and ensuring all participants abide by the group’s operating procedures.
• Community agreements and ground rules will be brainstormed and agreed upon by committee members at the next meeting.
• Committee members who have not previously served on a City Advisory Body will complete trainings specific to harassment/discrimination, equity language, and public official training. 

Members did not have any additional questions or comments.

Community Engagement Debrief

Melissa Arnold gave a presentation on PP&R Community Engagement work – including work leading up to the Parks Levy referral and passage, the work that PP&R has done since then, and the work that is being planned for. Key points and take-aways were:

• Prior work central to the Parks Levy included a 2017 Community Survey that identified barriers to equitable access and services, polling in spring of 2020 around support for a levy, and information and Listening Sessions to both share relevant information about the referral and hear how PP&R could better serve marginalized communities.
• The passage of the Parks Levy is allowing PP&R to rethink and expand Community Engagement’s efforts – hiring additional staff and building an ongoing, transparent, and cyclical feedback structure to better listen to communities and incorporate that guidance into decision-making.
• The Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland framework (PP&R strategic planning) will implement a Listening and Learning plan and is already underway – meeting with community members from East Portland, PP&R advisory councils, and scheduling upcoming conversations with key community partner groups. 

Budget and Fall BMP

Todd Lofgren gave an overview of the budgeting and planning that has occurred to date around Parks Levy funding, upcoming budget decision points, and how these processes will be used to track Parks Levy outcomes and progress. 

The budgeting and planning that has occurred to date is primarily captured in PP&R’s Supplemental Budget Ordinance, in which up to $9M was able to be spent in fiscal year 2020-21, and the Interfund Loan Ordinance that allowed funding to be spent prior to when the first property tax resources become available until November 2021.

Todd outlined the process/timeline for the upcoming Fall Budget Monitoring Process (BMP), PP&R’s priorities for the Fall BMP, and the decision support tool that will evaluate alignment with the priorities:

• Ensure year one of the Parks Levy budget allocations fit within the Five-Year Forecast, which is the City-wide five-year financial forecast for the General Fund
• Utilize the Racial Equity Lens and Empowerment Tool for new or enhanced services and programs
• Align with Parks Local Option Levy priorities as presented to voters on the November 2020 ballot
• And support Bureau values of racial equity, safety, care, and sustainability

Todd also highlighted the role of the PLOC in this process would be to:

• Review the process and alignment of the Fall BMP budget lines with Parks Levy commitments
• Potentially draft a letter to City Council about PLOC review, transparency in the process, and consistency with Parks Levy goals – to be included in the Council Fall BMP presentation

Brainstorming Upcoming Priority Items

Committee members agreed that the timing of the next meeting in late September or early October meeting would work for the group.

Claire walked through a list of upcoming priority items for the PLOC to address at the next meeting:

• Adopting PLOC Charter and Bylaws (including a decision on having a committee Chairperson and setting community guidelines)
• Overview on matching Fall BMP budget lines to Parks Levy commitments
• Draft Fall BMP letter to Council

Committee members shared their interests in certain topics that they would like to see highlighted and discussed at future meetings:

• How the bureau is looking to build climate resiliency for communities that have been underserved in the past
• Current community partnerships and where PP&R can look to existing community organizations to lead/build efforts
• Clarity and more information about what PP&R is doing on Ecological Sustainable Land Management Practices
• Workforce Development and summer jobs programs including keeping track/collecting data on who PP&R is hiring (including applying Racial Equity Lens)
  • Todd clarified that, with the Parks Levy and activities opening up again, 1,850 casual and seasonal hires could be brought back on this summer
• Additional information and presentation on the Racial Equity Lens
• Deeper dive on Community Engagement
• Pay What You Can model and the statistics/demographics of who is taking advantage of the program (age-range, income, etc.)
  • Melissa noted that PP&R has received 400 responses to the survey on Pay What You Can and that will provide some data and understanding of who is using the program
  • Todd shared that, this summer in ending the reliance on fees, Director Long challenged PP&R to have 50% of their registered participants be Black, Indigenous, people of color, or people living with low income.
  • Members noted that transportation in how users get to Parks can also be a barrier and ADA accessibility should be considered in equity. PP&R staff shared information about engagement with Parks Accessibiltity Advisory Committee and avenues for users needing additional assistance at parks or during programs. 

Claire thanked all members for their commitment to the PLOC moving forward and reminded members on next steps (trainings, scheduling next meeting, and documents to review).

Meaningful Access Statement

It is the policy of the City of Portland that no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any city program, service, or activity on the grounds of race, color, national origin, disability, or other protected class status. Adhering to Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II civil rights laws, the City of Portland ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities by reasonably providing: translation and interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, and auxiliary aids and services. To request these services, contact 503-823-2525, or for Relay Service or TTY, contact 711.

Traducción e Interpretación (Spanish)
Es política de la Ciudad de Portland que ninguna persona sea excluida de participación, se le nieguen los beneficios, o esté sujeta a discriminación en ningún programa, servicio o actividad de la ciudad por motivos de raza, color, nacionalidad, discapacidad u otra condición de clase protegida. En cumplimiento con los Derechos Civiles Título VI y con las leyes de derechos civiles del ADA Título II, la Ciudad de Portland asegura el acceso significativo a programas, servicios y actividades de la ciudad al brindar de manera razonable: traducción e interpretación, modificaciones, adaptaciones, formatos alternativos y ayudas y servicios auxiliares. Para solicitar estos servicios, llame al 503-823-2525, al TTY de la ciudad o al servicio para las personas con problemas auditivos: 711.
Solicitud de traducción o interpretación de PP&R

Biên Dịch và Thông Dịch (Vietnamese)
Chính sách của Thành Phố Portland là không ai bị loại khỏi, bị từ chối phúc lợi, hoặc bị phân biệt đối xử trong bất kỳ chương trình, dịch vụ hay hoạt động nào của thành phố dựa trên chủng tộc, màu da, nguồn gốc quốc gia, khuyết tật, hoặc tình trạng khác được pháp luật bảo vệ. Tuân theo Đạo Luật Dân Quyền (Civil Rights) Khoản VI và Đạo Luật ADA Khoản II, Thành Phố Portland đảm bảo sự tiếp cận hiệu quả đối với các chương trình, dịch vụ và hoạt động của thành phố bằng cách cung cấp một cách hợp lý: dịch vụ biên dịch và thông dịch, biện pháp điều chỉnh, sửa đổi, hình thức thay thế, và thiết bị và dịch vụ phụ trợ.  Để yêu cầu các dịch vụ này, hãy liên hệ 503-503-823-2525, Dịch Vụ Chuyển Tiếp: 711.
Yêu Cầu Dịch Vụ Biên Dịch Hoặc Thông Dịch Liên Quan Đển PP&R

口笔译服务 (Simplified Chinese)
波特兰市的政策规定，任何人不得因种族、肤色、国籍、残疾或其他受保护的身份状态而被禁止参与任何城市计划、服务或活动或享有任何城市计划、服务或活动的福利，也不得被歧视。根据《民权法》第六章和 ADA 第二章“民权法”的规定，波特兰市须确保市民能够平等参与城市计划、服务和活动，为此要根据需要提供以下各项：口笔译服务、方案修改、住宿、替代格式、辅助工具和服务。如需申请这些服务，请致电 503-823-2525，转接服务：711。
要求 PP&R 笔译或口译

Устный и письменный перевод (Russian)
Политика администрации Портленда запрещает отстранять от участия в городских программах и мероприятиях, отказывать в обслуживании и льготах или иным образом подвергать дискриминации на основании расы, цвета кожи, национальности, инвалидности или иного защищенного статуса. В соответствии с разделом VI Закона о гражданских правах и разделом II Закона о правах американских граждан с ограниченными возможностями администрация Портленда заботится о полноценном доступе жителей к городским программам, услугам и мероприятиям. При необходимости доступны устный и письменный перевод, адаптивные меры, специальные устройства, материалы в альтернативном формате и иные вспомогательные средства и услуги. Для заказа этих услуг свяжитесь с нами. Телефон: 503-823-2525; служба коммутируемых сообщений: 711.
Запрос на письменный или устный перевод информации о PP&R

Turjumaad iyo Fasiraad (Somali)
Waxaa kucad siyasada Mgalaada Portland in qofna loodiidi karin kaqaybgalka, loodiidi karin gunooyinka, ama aan latakoori karin wax kamid ah barnaamijyada magalaada, adeegga, ama shaqo sababo laxariira isirkiisam midabkiisa, wadankiisa, naafonimadiisa, ama xaalad kale oo sharcigu difaacaayo. Ayadoo raacaysa Sharciga Xaquuqda Madaniga ah ee Title VI iyo ADA Title II ee sharciyada xaquuqda madaniga ah, Magaalada Portland waxay xaqiijinaysaa barnaamijyo lawada heli karo oo macno leh ayna bixiso magaaladu, adeegyo, iyo shaqooyin ayadoo si sax ah ubixinaysa: turjumaad iyo soojeedin, isbadalo, adeegyo caawimaad ah, noocyo kaladuwan, iyo caawimaado iyo adeegyo dheeri ah. Si aad ucodsato adeegyadaan, wac 503-823-2525, Adeegga Caawimada: 711.

Письмовий і усний переклад (Ukrainian)
Згідно з політикою міста Портленд, жодну особу не можна позбавляти права на участь, відмовляти їй у матеріальній допомозі або піддавати її дискримінації в будь-якій програмі, службі чи діяльності міста на підставі раси, кольору шкіри, етнічного походження, інвалідності або іншого статусу захищених класів. Дотримуючись законів про права громадян, а саме розділу VI Прав громадян і розділу ІІ Закону про права американських громадян з обмеженими можливостями, місто Портленд забезпечує значний доступ до програм, служб і заходів міста, надаючи такі послуги: письмовий і усний переклад, модифікування, адаптування, альтернативні формати, додаткову допомогу й інше. Запитати ці послуги можна, скориставшись контактними даними: 503-823-2525, служба комутаційних повідомлень: 711.

Traducere și interpretariat (Romanian)
Este politica orașului Portland ca nicio persoană să nu fie exclusă din programe, servicii sau activități ale orașului, să nu i se refuze acestea și să nu facă obiectul unor discriminări pe bază de rasă, culoare, naționalitate, dizabilități sau alte situații vizând categorii protejate. Respectând legile privind drepturile civile „Civil Rights” (Drepturile Civile), articolul VI, și „ADA” (Americans with Disabilities Act - Legea privind americanii cu dizabilități), articolul II, orașul Portland asigură acces adecvat la programe, servicii și activități ale orașului oferind, în mod rezonabil: servicii de traducere și interpretariat, modificări, cazare, formate diferite, ajutoare și servicii auxiliare. Pentru a solicita aceste servicii, contactați 503-823-2525, Serviciu de retransmitere: 711.

अनुवादनतथाव्याख्या (Nepali)
पोर्टल्यान्डको शहरको नीति हो कि कुनै पनि व्यक्तिलाई जाति, रङ, राष्ट्रिय मूल, असक्षमता वा अन्य संरक्षित वर्गीकरण स्थितिको आधारमा कुनै पनि शहरका कार्यक्रम, सेवा वा क्रियाकलापमा सहभागी हुन भेदभाव गरिने, वञ्चित गरिने, लाभहरू प्रदान गर्नबाट अस्वीकार गरिनेछैन। नागरिक अधिकार शीर्षक VI र ADA शीर्षक II नागरिक अधिकारको कानूनहरूको पालना गर्दै, पोर्टल्यान्डको शहरले शहरका कार्यक्रमहरू, सेवाहरू र क्रियाकलापहरूमा बराबर पहुँच निश्चय गर्नको लागि निम्न प्रदान गर्दछ: अनुवादन र व्याख्या, परिमार्जन, आवास, वैकल्पिक ढाँचाहरू र सहायक सामग्री र सेवाहरू। यी सेवाहरू अनुरोध गर्नको लागि 503-823-2525, रिले सेवा: 711 मा सम्पर्क गर्नुहोस्।

Chiaku me Awewen Kapas (Chuukese)
Mi annuk non ewe City of Portland pwe esap wor emon esap etiwa an epwe fiti, esap angei feiochun, are epwe kuna iteingau non meinisin an ew tetenimw kewe mokutukut, aninnis, are mwich nongonong won i chon ia, enuan, chon menni muu, weiresin inis, are pwan ew tapin aramas mi auchea are pisekisek. Fan itan an fiti Civil Rights Title VI me ADA Title II annuken pungun manau, ewe City of Portland mi ennetata pwe epwe wor etiwaoch ngeni an ewe tetenimw mokutukut, aninnis, me mwichren an aworaochu: chiaku me awewen kapas, ekkesiwin, etufich, sokonon napanap, me pwan ekkoch minen awewe me aninnis. Ika ka mochen ekkei pekin aninnis, kokori 503-823-2525, Fon Fan Itan Ekkewe mi wor Ar Osukosukan Manau: 711.