Jul 21, 2025 7:00 PM at Cascadia Health Garlington Center

Attendees

Board

Laura Fay – Co-Chair
Pat Montgomery – Co-Chair
Cassie Muilenburg – Community Outreach
Serena Li – Community Outreach
Andrew Champion – Recorder
Jennifer Wilcox – Treasurer
Kathryn LePore
Alice Newman
Allan Rudwick
Bliss Suh
Jimmy Wilson

Guests

Alex Garcia – MCDA
Sgt. Dan Romanowski – PPB
Cpt. Chris Burley – PPB
Max Nash – Resident, Families for Safe Streets
Maimuna Uzzell
Kirsten Sessions
Alyssa Whitesides – Resident

Approve Minutes from June 16 meeting

Added Jimmy Wilson (fils) as guest

Motion: Laura | Seconded: Alice | For: unanimous

Neighborhood Safety

Alex says that the Donald Sharma (Stop N Go) case is moving along with the first of possibly 2-3 settlement conferences upcoming. County budget cuts have eliminated the neighborhood DA position originally used to prosecute this case.

Alex and Chris had an extensive discussion about high standards for both burden of proof in drug cases and release on security (bail).

Multiple approaches are being taken toward safety around the park, apartments, and clinic on N Morris. PPB is trying to disrupt activity before the clinic opens. Many are trying to connect with apartment management. Resident protection remains a delicate balance.

ENA Activities

Dawson Park Summer Party

This Party On Portland event is on 8/2/25 from 11am-5pm with ice cream sandwiches, basketball, dominoes, and more. Laura called for volunteers. Special guests are lined up, but more promotion, sponsors, and prizes are needed.

Byrne Grant next steps

Serena collected the poll results, and the top two items were programming, e.g. concerts and movies and support for existing organizations interrupting violence, both in Dawson Park. Laura will bring the priorities list to Safe Blocks.

After discussing the best way to present these ideas, consensus coalesced around several action items: share the list of requests with Safe Blocks, inquire other Byrne Grant neighborhood associations about how much input they have had in spending decisions, invite Molly Esteve to the next board meeting/summer event, and draft a letter to District 2 councilors asking to fund Dawson Park concerts in summer 2026.

Joan Ivan Memorial

Serena extensively researched memorial options: a park bench is extremely cost-prohibitive, but a planting with Friends of Trees is feasible, although specifics like cost, location, etc. will take time.

Motion to allocate allocate up to $300 for memorial: Allan | seconded: Laura | Approve: unanimous

Instagram

Board members were happy with Brittany Davidson’s work. Laura will invite her to the next (September) meeting.

Soul District Business Association

Cassie met with Fawn Aberson of the Soul District Business Association. Fawn says that the former Nike Factory Store is leased, the SBDA is looking for support for its annual Dream Run event, and that she will ask the Russell & Williams project to potentially add a representative to the board.

Neighborhood Updates

NECN Update

Jimmy: coalition held its leadership election.

Treasurer’s Report

Jennifer: switch to banking with OnPoint Credit Union remains in progress.

LUTC Update

Allan: next month’s meeting will be a walk down NE 7th. The Rose Quarter event parking district will have meters active on event days.

Community Outreach

Cassie: topics have been covered by previous items.

Public Comment

Max shared concerns about conflict between vulnerable road users and vehicles on NE 7th and poor visibility at Russell. She would like to see more active or passive enforcement to daylight this intersection, preventing drivers from parking too near the corner and obscuring cross traffic.

Adjournment

Adjourned at 8:33 pm