Anne Hill, Deputy Director of the Portland Environment Management Office (PEMO) and dedicated City of Portland employee for over twenty years, has received a special commendation for her and PEMO’s ongoing efforts to improve livability across the City of Portland.
To express their appreciation for Hill’s work, the Portland Metro Chamber and Downtown Portland Clean & Safe officially proclaimed July 26, 2023, to be “Anne Hill Leadership Celebration Day”. The two local organizations pointed to a series of standout accomplishments that have defined PEMO’s first year.
They specifically call out Hill’s coordination of extensive Holiday Lighting in the Central City core along with her involvement in the Portland Winter Light Festival. These street tree and additional lighting projects have not only boosted the aesthetic quality of the Downtown neighborhood but have also improved safety for residents and visitors by lighting city sidewalks.
Beyond significant expansion of lighting efforts, Hill has also focused on revamping problem areas across Portland. These projects involve the introduction of murals, street painting, signage, and the cleanup of graffiti and trash. Recently, this has included a notable emphasis on the newly created Ankeny Alley Business District.
She has been at the forefront of managing PEMO’s Problem Solver Network, a series of neighborhood-specific meetings that act as platforms for community members to directly interface with City staff on a variety of livability issues.
In their proclamation, the two organizations mention, “Anne Hill and her dedicated team have successfully assumed responsibility for problem-solver meetings city-wide, revolutionizing the process for businesses and community members to address public infrastructure issues efficiently and effectively”.
Hill has been with PEMO since its creation through an Emergency Declaration by Mayor Ted Wheeler in May 2022.