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Some Things to Do In and Around Portland

Posted on by Eliot Neighborhood

By Shireen Hasan

Are you looking for places to go or activities to do in and around Portland? Here are a few ideas:

1) MudBone Grown LLC farms, an African-American run farm growing food for the community, is located at 7900 NE 33rd Dr., in Portland. Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to participate. Children, elders, youth, and families can help with planting and general farming for the next upcoming season working with Shantae Johnson and Arthur Shavers – the king and queen of this operation. Contact the Oregon Food Bank email volunteer@oregonfoodbank.org to sign up. Visit http://www.mudbonegrown.com.

Continue reading Some Things to Do In and Around Portland

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Sewer & Stormwater Project Update

Posted on by Eliot Neighborhood

Eliot Sewer and Stormwater Project Map

By Matthew Gough

The City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services has nearly completed upsizing and repairing sewer pipe on Rodney Avenue between Sacramento and San Rafael streets, and on Sacramento, Thompson, Tillamook, and San Rafael streets between Rodney Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. In January, February, and March crews will focus on mainline sewer construction east of Martin Luther King Boulevard between Brazee and Thompson Streets. Night work will be required to connect the new sewer to manholes in Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. To view the most current map that shows where crews will be working, go to http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/eliot.

Continue reading Sewer & Stormwater Project Update

Board Meeting Minutes 2019-02-18

Posted on by Maggie Gardner

ENA Board Meeting minutes Feb 18, 2019
St. Philip Deacon Episcopal Church
NE 120 Knott St

Darren initiate to approve January minutes, Jim 2nd, with one change:

  • remove reference to police report

 

Committee Reports:

Treasury, Jim. budget update. presented profit/loss report for January

    • beginning balance in January was $14,316.53
    • ending balance was $$15,195.56
    • livability budget is $14,108.24

Community Relations, Jimmy

    • Public Safety Action Committee (PSAC) – initiative to reinstate monthly meetings to discuss police presence
      • North Precinct officers and all neighborhoods represented are invited to gather to talk about what police involvement should look like.
      • Goal is to have everyone gather to talk and have ideas represented. give community a voice
      • Meeting will be at Emmanuel Church on Feb 28th – 6-8pm.
    • Chief Outlaw held forums to get community input. Many (including Jimmy) weren’t satisfied with their attempts, so he organized a meeting to gather a wider community representation
      • April 2nd, she will come to Emmanuel Church 6-8pm

Newsletter, Sue

      • She needs articles submitted for April newsletter by March 1
      • any new advertising is welcome. She will share rate card with board.
      • Sue’s suggestion to drive competition from new dispensaries in the neighborhood, no objections
      • adam becker suggests we collaborate with kaia@streetroots.org

LUTC, Jonathan

      • LUTC has temporarily paused Boise border conversation. Dave DelaRoche from Boise wants to come present whenever we’re ready
      • Jere proposes to put solid line along alley between Fremont and Kerby between houses and businesses that face N. Vancouver, then along N. Vancouver all the way to the river.
      • Jere proposes to meet with Boise board to discuss. Johnny 2nds. Jonathan will communicate with Boise neighborhood.

Livability, Jere

      • Friends of Trees will start their big planting in feb and march w/ Friends of Trees
        • we voted last year to subsidize tree plantings in the neighborhood, so we will get a report about how much we owe FOT.
        • toyota is paying for own trees ($2K)
        • would be great if some of our board members represent at plantings.
      • Progress is also being made on traffic diverter and parking

NECN, Jere

      • recap of a larger conversation about how our city commissioners represent the constituents, possibly re-defining this. Possibly hiring a city manager
      • setting up conversations with Community and Civic Life Office (old ONI) to keep NECN voice in the decision-making process about this new org. They might want to get rid of all neighborhood associations.
      • ENA grant committee.
        • Jere propose that smaller subcommittee review all materials to help determine our new grant process. Committee to meet within the month, give update at next meeting. MG to second. (Sue, Maggie, Jere, Jimmy)

ADDITIONAL:

Walnut Park shelter dinner. plans for Feb 22, a number of people volunteer to do it in March

Community Garden

  • Update of current project:
    • Jim states that Heru has not responded to letter
    • The planting team is ready to go! 6-8 beds planned at St. Phillip
    • Native plants grant has been submitted
    • St Phillip’s pastor hoping to give $500 grant as well, and a sanctuary out front with benches and native plants
    • Laura at NECN helping her get a fiscal sponsor
    • Pat makes the motion that give $877.77, and any future money that gets returned from Heru, to be given back to Garden. Maggie to second.

 

NEW BUSINESS

Annual Cleanup

  • not sure it’s worth it.
  • Jere proposes that we skip this year, revisit next year. 2nd by Sue

New webmaster

  • Thursday Graham wants to take it over, she has lots of wordpress experience
  • Sue makes motion that Thursday Graham be webmaster. Maggie to second, board votes to approve.
  • Jim suggests we give thank-you to Clint

Mural

  • RACC, BES and landowner offered us some $$ to do Mural, if it has messaging around
  • we will miss the Feb 20th entry deadline, but there are many more throughout the year
  • Jere proposes we have a committee to help this move forward. Maggie to 2nd. Board votes to approve. Will also include Monica, Maggie, PICA

 

Announcements

  • Neighborhood emergency team. Free training on May 7th if anyone wants to be involved.
  • “Reluctant Radical”, march 13, 7-9pm at Episcopal church. Ken Ward, activists re: fossil fuels and climate change and impact on African American communities, low-income. Ken and the director will be in attendance
  • Adam wants to know about car windows being broken. how are we addressing?
    • South Eliot Action Team has this as a goal
    • PSAC also part of the solution

**from Darren Holcomb: this will be his last meeting, moving out of the neighborhood – later noted he’d like to be involved if he’s allowed, once he’s moved out of Eliot

meeting adjourned at 8:45p

Board Attendance: Jere Fitterman, Jimmy Wilson, Darren Holcomb , Maggie Gardner, Jonathan Konkol, Susan Stringer, JIm Hlava, Patricia Montgomery, Johnny Engleheart Noel, Shireen Hasan, Julio Mendoza

Guest Attendance: 2 visitors from Japan (landscape, economics and neighborhood involvement), Thursday Graham, Linda Kuhn, Adam Becker, Roya (PICA), Kristin

Taxed to Death? Part 1 of 2

Posted on by Mike Warwick

By Mike Warwick

Introduction

It’s winter, a time for holiday cards and, less welcome, property tax bills. This time next year you may look back fondly at your tax bill as the Governor, Speaker of the House, and legislators from Beaverton and Hood River have all indicated they want to revisit our property tax system. Their public justification is that “gentrification” has resulted in “those homeowners” not “paying their fair share.” Of course, “gentrification” is a code word for homeowners in inner N/NE Portland; namely, us. To see how this might affect you and your neighbors, look at the difference between the “assessed value” and “market value” of your home. “Reform” will likely reset assessed value to market value so the difference (currently about 4 times for an older Eliot home), is how much taxes could increase; 400%!

Continue reading Taxed to Death? Part 1 of 2

Carried Away on a Bird

Posted on by Mike Warwick

By Mike Warwick

montse-on-scooter.DPI_600.jpg
Mike Warwick’s scooter partner Montse Shepherd enjoying a fall day
on a Bird. Photo credit Mike Warwick

Being a senior citizen leads me to avoid risky behavior. I was never a skateboarder and my few attempts at rollerblading ended in scrapes and torn trousers. The idea of balancing on a narrow, two-wheeled platform that moved seemed insane. However, the recent favorable report about Portland’s scooter trial forced me to accept a neighbor’s invitation to test drive one. Like many residents, I begrudge riders on sidewalks, scooters blocking sidewalks, and worse, blocking curb cuts for strollers and wheelchairs. However, the report indicated users surveyed believe these could address the “last mile” problem keeping more city residents from using mass transit or their personal vehicle. So, time to put myself at risk to determine the truth for myself.

Continue reading Carried Away on a Bird

Say Goodbye to 2018 and Welcome to 2019

Posted on by Jere Fitterman

Change is the only constant in life” (Heraclitus, c. 535 BC – 475 BC)

We are changing, it’s a fact. We always have been changing. Our neighborhood is one of the six fastest-growing neighborhoods in Portland and we continue to evolve demographically as well as architecturally. A quick search on the web will enlighten all our new Eliot residents. (Check out the list of web pages at the end of this letter)

Continue reading Say Goodbye to 2018 and Welcome to 2019

Eliot’s Suggested Contacts for the Freeway Expansion

Posted on by Brad Baker

The proposed I-5 expansion through Eliot and the Rose Quarter will have a dramatic impact on our air quality, traffic, and safety. ODOT is asking for feedback now through April 1st.

In addition to sending your feedback to ODOT, please also consider sending feedback to our elected leaders who also have sway over the project.

Continue reading Eliot’s Suggested Contacts for the Freeway Expansion

Within and Beyond the Borders of Eliot: Meet Your New Eliot Neighborhood Association Board for 2019

Posted on by Sue Stringer

By Sue Stringer

This column usually features businesses, in Eliot and just beyond our neighborhood’s borders to help our residents learn what exciting businesses and opportunities are located in and around our amazing neighborhood. However, in this issue, we focus on the people that make up the Eliot Neighborhood Association Board.

Our Eliot Neighborhood Association board is made up of 12 members this year. Most live in Eliot but some just work in Eliot and live in other neighborhoods. We have included most of them here so you can get to know them better. Also, you can always stop by a neighborhood association meeting and come meet us in person!

Continue reading Within and Beyond the Borders of Eliot: Meet Your New Eliot Neighborhood Association Board for 2019

Call for New Members for the Land Use and Transportation Committee

Posted on by Brad Baker

The Land Use and Transportation Committee is looking for more neighbors to join our group. Anyone who works or lives in the neighborhood is welcome to join. Whether you’ve been in the neighborhood for a week or thirty years, regardless of if you’re an urban planner or are just curious to know about upcoming projects in the neighborhood, we’d love to have you join. The time commitment is fairly light with only one two-hour meeting a month.

The Land Use and Transportation Committee or LUTC is a group that participates in neighborhood review of land use, zoning, building and transportation regulation and planning. What that essentially boils down to is when a new project or policy is proposed that will affect the neighborhood, the group proposing the change with come to LUTC and ask for our input or feedback. LUTC then voices our opinions on what can lead to the proposed project having the largest positive impact on the neighborhood.

If this sounds interesting we’d love to have you. If you’re worried that you don’t have the right “background,” don’t let that stop you from joining. We’d be happy to train you and get you up to speed on things so that you can be a contributing member.

So if you’re interested in helping shape the direction our neighborhood and city grow, please consider joining. Our meetings are open to everyone, so if you’re interested in checking them out to see if you want to get involved, they’re the second Monday of the month at 7pm at 120 NE Knott. The next meeting is Monday, March 11.

Breadwinner Cycles and Café

Posted on by Eliot Neighborhood

Hey Eliot friends! I’m one of the owners of Breadwinner Cycles and Café on Williams at Page St (one block south of Russell). We have been making custom bicycles for many years, and about a year ago opened a cafe adjacent to our shop. I’m reaching out to just let you all know that we are here. We’re not in the thick of the busy retail part of Williams and we have parking, making it a convenient place to stop, but also easy to miss. Our menu has breakfast and lunch items, coffee and espresso from Water Ave, and beer and wine, all with a view of our little bike “factory.” We’d love to have more neighborhood friends stop by, whether you are into bikes or not, so please think of us next time you are looking for a treat close by. Thanks!

Breadwinner Cycles and Café
2323 N Williams Ave.
503-206-5917
Breadwinnercycles.com

By Tony Pereira

Eliot Houses the BMX Museum

Posted on by Eliot Neighborhood
BMX bike frames hanging from ceiling
Only some of the bike frames and gears at the BMX Museum. Photo credit
Micah Kranz, Niiro Circus

Gary Sansom doesn’t have to go far to visit a museum. He has one of the world’s largest collections of BMX bikes in his house.  There are bikes in the kitchen and bikes in the dining room – which really isn’t a dining room at all, just a room in the middle of the house with custom shelving units built to display different bike parts from different eras.

Continue reading Eliot Houses the BMX Museum