Eliot Neighborhood Association Board Meeting Minutes 5/16/22

Posted on by Allan Rudwick

Submitted by Jennifer Wilcox,   APPROVED at the June board meeting

Board Present:

  • Jimmy Wilson
  • Jennifer Wilcox
  • Eliot Armstrong
  • Shireen Hasan McFarlane
  • Eric McFarlane

Others Present:

  • Greg Stone, Program Director of the VOA MRC, 
  • Amelia Harris
  • Marjorie Ferrini
  • Eric Bloch, Circuit Court Judge in Multnomah County, supervising the STEP Court Program
  • Jake Wicks, LCSW Behavioral Health Clinician at Randall Children’s Clinic
  • Sean Kelly, VOA
  • Caroline Wong (Mult co DA office)
  • Andrew Champion
  • Cassandra Muilenburg
  • Pam Kelly, VOA
  • Serena Li
  • Elisabeth Sheard, (office of DA Mike Schmidt)
  • Mike Schmidt (DA of Mult Co)
  • Keith Rice
  • SV
  • Steffanie I

Welcome and Introductions – 7:00pm, 

  • Volunteers of America – 
    • change to Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) and discussion
    • Currently then GNA says that a person would be ineligible if they have charges of stranger to stranger violence in the past year.  They would like that language stricken.  Potential residents with any history of violence would be referred to Eliot screening committee.
    • Staff shared some history of VOA and their involvement with the neighborhood. If you are interested in a tour of the facility please contact Greg Stone at 503-841-1643. They are located at 2318 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.
    • VOA specializes in working with individuals who experience substance use disorder in addition to mental health challenges and criminal justice involvement. They are services are most effective when they are able to work with consistent judicial partner (drug court). It is a very accountable model with maximum incentives.
    • A presentation was also made about Step Court: Multnomah county started the second drug court in the nation. It is a collaborative criminal justice model where everyone comes together to promote change through incentivized good behavior and sanctions to bad behavior. This model has been studied for 4 decades and has been found to be highly effective for certain populations. The court would like their clients to have the benefit of the VOA men’s residential treatment center.  With the current GNA, some individuals would not be able to access those services. 
    • STEP court serves no gang members, Sex Offenders, homicide, or domestic violence cases.  They are very selective of participants because they want it to succeed. Send very few people to come to this court to keep the community safe.
    • It was decided the board would like additional written material overviewing the court and with specific information about demographics of individuals being served.  We will wait to get written materials and vote next month. 
  • Stop and Go letter round 4:
    • Andrew Champion presented a letter he would like the ENA to send to Stop and Go, including endorsements for the letter. There was much discussion of what the next steps should be. 
    •  There was a different letter which had also been drafted a letter to invite the Stop and Go to the community safety meeting
    • A question that was raised was: Has office of civic life done a safety assessment on the corner?  Where there actionable suggestions?
    • JW moved, Eliot and Eric seconded that we will send the letter drafted by Eliot and Steffanie to businesses in the neighborhood to invite them to the community safety meeting. Motion passed 
  • Dawson Park Concerts 2022
    • The city has agreed to host one concert, Jennifer suggested we could do a second one.  There was discussion and it was suggested we could have a job fair or a training fair in the park instead of a second concert.  
    • We will discuss a job and or training fair at the community safety committee on the 24th. 
  • Alcohol Bylaws (skipped)
  • Neighborhood Updates
    • Eliot News (call for articles for next issue) Deadline is June 8
    • LUTC update (skipped May meeting)
    • [Announcement] Safety and Livability- citizen led (not NA) meeting 5/24 (Tuesday) at 6pm
      • This is a follow up meeting that is community led, outcomes will be reported back to the city.  The hope is to come back with a stronger consensus and coordinate with existing resources and lobby the city for the support we would like to have.  Invites have been sent out to people that shared their email in the initial session. Please share widely.
  • Public Comment
  • Approve Minutes from past meetings Jennifer moved, Eliot seconded that minutes be approved as amended. Motion passed
  • Adjourn 9:03