President’s Message
This year’s National Night Out Picnic in Wilshire Park on August 6 was once again a success and offered a chance to connect with fellow B-W residents while enjoying some great food provided by both neighbors and the BWNA. Picnic attendees also had a chance to see the park improvements implemented last year through the efforts of Friends of Wilshire Park, a committee of BWNA. The beautifully tranquil new NatureSpace at the park had been the site of past NNO picnics and thus easily observable for all to enjoy. The band Broke ‘N Hip reprised its performance from a few years ago and provided great music during the event. The Portland Police K-9 unit stopped by, along with a fire truck from Portland Fire and Rescue, and kids were able to enjoy face paint and games. Thanks to all the local businesses that generously contributed prizes for the raffle (their names highlighted in a separate article on page 10), and special thanks to BWNA Vice President Kathy Campbell for organizing the event and BWNA board members, friends, and families for making the event a success through their efforts. Thanks also to the Beaumont Business Association for sponsoring Fremont Fest, which was another highlight of the summer for our neighborhood.
If you’ve been paying attention to neighborhood issues in the media, including those reported on in the BWNA newsletter, you are no doubt aware of the Office of Community & Civic Life’s proposal to change the city code that formalizes the city’s recognition of, and support for, neighborhood associations (NAs). The proposed changes would significantly weaken the neighborhood association system, removing the City’s formal recognition of NAs and neighborhood district coalitions along with the requirement that NAs comply with open meetings and public records rules to ensure transparency, openness, inclusion, non-discrimination, and accountability. The proposal also would eliminate the code-mandate the City oversee and support the NA system.
Like nearly all NAs, BWNA has been very concerned about these proposed changes, since it would leave no formal support for NAs and threaten their ability to undertake many projects and events that enhance livability and to continue to serve as a forum to represent neighborhood concerns to the city. BWNA, like other NAs, supports the goal of increasing diversity and access for other groups to engage with the city and ensure that whether the NA system or by other means all citizens have a meaningful way to add their perspective on city issues. Al Ellis’ article on page 1 highlights that this effort to revise the city code may be stalled at the moment due to NA opposition to the draft proposal.
We’ll learn more about this and other neighborhood issues at BWNA’s next general membership meeting on Monday, October 14, at 7:00 p.m. in the basement of the Bethany Lutheran Church at NE 37th and Skidmore. Please let me or other board members know of any issues you would like BWNA to address. I hope to see you at this general meeting.