Your neighborhood association board has been at work on the following:
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Sept. 12: The board met at Wilshire Park. The executed Good Neighbor Agreement between BWNA and Tacovore was presented to the board. See the January-February newsletter for more details.
At that meeting board member Al Ellis stepped forward to take the vacant vice president position, and Carlos Montalvo stepped in to take over the secretary position from Barb Strunk, who will continue serving on the board. With these appointments the BWNA board currently has no vacancies.
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Oct. 8: The board held a retreat to receive board training from Central NE Neighbors and set goals for the coming year. The outcomes will be reported in BWNA’s January-February newsletter.
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Oct. 10: At this general meeting, the focus was City Charter Reform. Speakers presented for both support and opposition of Ballot Measure 26-228, which proposes to change our form of city government and the election process.
Due to COVID concerns, BWNA will continue to have general meetings via Zoom and meet in-person for regular board meetings. Please see page 3 for meeting dates and check our website for meeting locations, times, and Zoom links.
Crime Prevention & Safety
Property crimes continue to be the primary issue, with continued reports of car theft, vandalism (car windows being smashed), and stolen catalytic converters. While street racing is not a problem in B-W, it has occurred on a nearby stretch of Sandy Blvd. The District Attorney’s office emphasized that their staffing shortage is resulting in release of arrested individuals due to lack of district attorneys to assign to their case.
Friends of Wilshire Park (FoWP)
FoWP now has the funds for water at the off-leash dog park. Fundraising brought in over $17,000 of the $22,000 required. According to FoWP representatives, City Commissioner Carmen Rubio and Portland Parks and Recreation will cover the difference to install a spigot fountain in late 2023. For more information visit FriendsofWilshirePark.org.
Land Use
Land use activity has been limited and land-use notifications have been limited to a few design reviews.
Transportation
Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has not provided an update about when the Alameda/Fremont diverter will be installed. Eastbound vehicular traffic has been eliminated on NE Alameda at 57th with diverters installed in early September. PBOT is actively making pedestrian safety improvements along the Fremont business corridor. Future PBOT work is planned for NE 33rd and NE Skidmore for bikeway improvements. The board is working to schedule a presentation in upcoming months on these future projects.
New Neighbor Welcome Packet Project
BWNA welcomed nearly 10 new homeowners to our neighborhood with hand-delivered welcome packets that include coupons to various Beaumont Village businesses. Efforts are underway to expand welcome packet delivery to new renters in the neighborhood.
BWNA Volunteer Opportunities
The BWNA Transportation Committee would welcome assistance securing artist submissions for our “soft bump-out” street art project on NE Fremont. See related article on page 1. Contact John Sandie at SandieFam@gmail.com.
The BWNA Newsletter Editor is seeking folks with interviewing experience to write short feature pieces about people in our neighborhood. Contact Editor@BWNApdx.org.
The BWNA Neighborhood Helper Group is seeking a volunteer handyman. Email John Sandie at SandieFam@gmail.com.
Scavenger Hunt Winners
Thanks to all who participated in the neighborhood walkabout scavenger hunt, the items of which were featured in our July-August issue. The winners, randomly picked from all submissions, each received a $25 gift certificate from a local business. Drum roll, please: the winners are Paula Frechen, Owen and Jackson Gardiner, and Grace and Elliott Esayian. Congrats to all, and we hope you had some fun while learning a little more about your neighborhood!
Our Two Newest Board Members Joined Because…
Carlos Montalvo: “I wish to better understand our neighborhood and meet with community members and businesses. I’m super passionate about human connections and the positive power of storytelling. I enjoy hearing different perspectives on important topics.”
Susan Trabucco: “By serving on the board, together with my role as the BWNA newsletter editor, I hope to help foster a greater sense of connectedness among B-W neighbors, something I see as very possible in our relatively small neighborhood.”