Metro Committee for Citizen Involvement Regular Committee

Call to Order & Approval of Agenda.

Members Present:  

Norm Andreen, Kay Durtschi, Dennis Ganoe, Kathy Henton, Dick Jones, Jim Kimball, Ted Kyle, Leeanne MacColl, Darren Pennington, Bob Pung, Ray Sherwood, and Meyer Siegel.

Others Present:  .

Ron Klein, Regional Parks and Greenspaces Public Affairs Specialist; Christine Roth, Clackamas County Committee for Citizen Involvement member; Camrynne Six, Auditor’s Administrative Assistant; and Cary Stacey, MCCI Staff.

Members Absent:  

Joe Annett, Gil Cobb, Andy Kelly, Keith Parker, Pat Russell, Scott Seibert, and Shannon Turk.

Chair Kyle opened the meeting at 7:03 p.m.

Introductions.

Chair Kyle recognized Christine Roth, an appointee from the Clackamas County Committee for Citizen Involvement.

Mr. Ganoe nominated Mr. Pennington to be timekeeper. Mr. Pennington accepted the nomination.

Approval of Agenda.

Chair Kyle asked for any additions to the agenda. Hearing none, he recommended proceeding forward.

Approval of July 18, 2001, Minutes.

Public Comment.

Mr. Pung recommended that MCCI members ride the streetcar to evaluate its functionality, especially for people with disabilities.

Council Liaison Report.

Ms. Stacey announced that Councilor McLain was unable to attend the meeting as she was fulfilling citizen involvement duties at the Clackamas County Fair. She gave a brief report on the Washington County Fair Metro Booth’s success.

Mr. Klein presented the Metro’s Open Spaces Land Acquisition Report to Citizens and GreenScene special edition, reviewing six years of acquisitions. He announced an upcoming get-together to celebrate these achievements and to provide a chance for citizens to meet local stakeholders and Green Ribbon Committee members.

Auditor Liaison Report.

Ms. Six extended Auditor Alexis Dow’s gratitude for a letter commending the recent Auditor’s Office awards. She presented the June 2001 report on the Metropolitan Exposition-Recreation Commission’s food service contract and financial controls. She also presented the July 2001 report on Metro’s Financial Trends 1993-2000.

Discussion on Table Talks Program.

Chair Kyle recognized that the program had been renamed as “Coffee Talks”.

Ms. Withrow gave a brief history on how MCCI had been apprised of the Coffee Talks program over the last year and a half. She said that the project was a direct result of feedback received from MCCI. She outlined the three project phases:

•  Research

•  Listening & Dialogue

•  Outreach on Specific Recommendations

Ms. Peck said that Coffee Talks were part of an integrated outreach effort regarding future decisions for the region. She reviewed the research done in the first stage and passed out relevant materials. She addressed the upcoming next stage, which would provide a variety of opportunities for people to get involved, and announced that News Channel 8 was a sponsor.

Mr. Ganoe asked what was being done to rectify the increase of “don’t know” responses on the survey. Ms. Peck responded that the analyst’s opinion was that people weren’t as sure as they had been in the past since they were more aware of the diverse issues. She said awareness would be increased from the KGW coverage.

Ms. Withrow announced that Starbucks was an in-kind sponsor of Coffee Talks. She said the second stage would involve talking to people about the most important characteristics of their community, and what trade-offs they would be willing to make. She said that soliciting input to factor back into the technical processes in the agency was part meeting public involvement requirements, part Urban Growth Boundary periodic review, and part check-in regarding the 2040 Growth Concept. The Council would receive public feedback as early as possible, although the decision would not take place until December 2002.

Ms. Withrow reviewed the primary and secondary audiences for Coffee Talks, and asked for volunteers to test the Discussion Guide. She said that all jurisdictions would be approached to ensure geographical coverage and to accommodate local government participation requests. Ms. Peck added that Coffee Talks would be presented in four venues: through local jurisdictions, at Starbucks coffee shops, through community groups, and at individual homes.

Chair Kyle asked about the Coffee Talks format. Ms. Withrow explained the Coffee Talks format, the Discussion Guide, and the Coffee Talks kit.

Mr. Pennington recognized that the next stage would be self-selected, and asked if there would be scientific research after this stage. Ms. Peck responded that any additional research would be dependent on funding.

Ms. Henton asked how a group could have a Coffee Talk if they didn’t want to host one. Ms. Withrow said that facilitators would be available for existing groups.

Mr. Pung suggested that neighborhood associations should be involved on an ongoing basis. Ms. Withrow responded that mailings and communications went out to neighborhood associations five or six times a week.

Mr. Andreen complimented the effort, but said that MCCI should have been involved in the process. He said that citizens should be given options outside of what was in the Coffee Talks guideline. Ms. Peck responded that the Coffee Talks topics could only fit within what was already established by the 2040 Growth Concept.

Ms. MacColl said that the Coffee Talks, as structured discussions, would have educational value.

Chair Kyle asked if the group would be interested in participating in and evaluating a Coffee Talk. Ms. Peck said she would prefer that MCCI become involved before the discussion guide was printed.

Mr. Kimball asked if any focus groups would be conducted. Ms. Peck said they were planning on doing at least one.

Business.

Subcommittee Reports.

REM.

Mr. Pennington said that a list of projects was being reviewed with the liaison to identify which would require a PIP.

Parks.

Mr. Ganoe encouraged members to read the reports that Mr. Klein had brought to the meeting. He said that the Blue Lake Master Plan was scheduled to go to the Natural Resources Committee on September 5, 2001. He announced that the next Green Ribbon Committee meeting would occur August 20 at 7:30 am. He listed the committee members, saying he felt it was weighted towards Clackamas County. He had concerns with the speed with which it was going forward, and felt it was a committee designed to rubber stamp a solution. He was disappointed that no councilor was there to hear his concerns. Chair Kyle suggested letting the task force run its process and then evaluate it once it was finished.

Growth Management. Transportation. Membership.

None.

MCCI Staff Report.

Ms. Stacey said that Mr. Ganoe’s concerns would be brought back to the Council. She also announced that Christine Roth’s appointment would not become official until, ideally, the October meeting.

Chair Report.

Chair Kyle announced that the Water Resource Policy Advisory Committee was prepared to make a policy recommendation, without any outreach, regarding utilities and creek corridors. He asked for a motion that he write a letter of inquiry regarding this procedure.

Chair Kyle announced the upcoming retreat taking place September 8, 2001.

Round Table.

Mr. Pung thanked everyone for their well wishes while he was ill.

Ms. Roth said she had enjoyed the meeting, and looked forward to becoming a member.

Ms. MacColl recommended an architectural tour of the West End Territory downtown.

Ms. Henton commended the city of Gresham for hosting Connection 2001. She announced that the city had already been contacting citizens about Coffee Talks. She asked that communication issues be addressed in the upcoming retreat workshop, especially e-news.

Ms. Durtschi said that her neighborhood would be hosting a grade school reunion.

Mr. Siegel said his neighborhood was having an informal meeting regarding a proposed Tibetan cultural center.

Mr. Pennington encouraged everyone to read How Cities Work: Suburbs, Sprawl and the Road Not Taken by Alex Marshall, which included a chapter on Portland and Oregon.

Ms. Durtschi added that the Metro Policy Advisory Committee had done a Willamette Valley study similar to the 2040 study.

Chair Kyle said he’d been meeting with individual Councilors, with interesting results.

Adjourn.

There being no further business before the committee, Chair Kyle adjourned the meeting at 8:54 p.m.

Prepared by,

Cary Stacey

Council Assistant

ATTACHMENTS TO THE PUBLIC RECORD FOR THE MEETING OF AUGUST 15, 2001

The following have been included as part of the official public record: