Council debates principles for rebuilding Portland's engagement system

Council members offered a range of principles they want Civic Life to follow as it rebuilds and integrates engagement across bureaus. Vice President Clark framed the resource issue bluntly: "That's absolutely bananas," she said of relying on a single staffer to support neighborhood associations across a large district, and urged more staff, training, and distributed offices. Several council members argued the new district-based representation presents an opportunity to reconnect neighborhood associations with elected officials and to make engagement more accessible to renters and younger residents.