[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6527493,"mediaKeyId","3586308-ecc519de5aa83bc739584eb30fea10ef","parentId",3586308,"title","Bend HREC sets 2025 break and holiday meeting dates; August break, Nov. 12 and Dec. 18 selected","audioSeconds",241,"startMs",5555000,"endMs",5796000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3586308-ecc519de5aa83bc739584eb30fea10ef&start=5555&end=5796","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3586308-ecc519de5aa83bc739584eb30fea10ef/thumbnail_5555000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6527493/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Bend-HREC-sets-2025-break-and-holiday-meeting-dates-August-break-Nov-12-and-Dec-18-selected","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527493-0141b2dacd15e10195fadc5fc44a54c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151828&Signature=XIHINoTEG2bunPLpfzFI0uBonnkHKYeDhhuyjl1c-iMGSh8YD38isS6Gh5VrDtkvhgZWkbXO17HIAa-Qx4tjP4ujwLZBd7-0BMAxz-~ptA1KS~DJHnIAJJ6g46mqyDXsx4IA8-gRr5vDR2SXXDokV7GL5YWvMvquoUdE2E7HmWrc0NTBvw6io610h9-sCigERSrM9dfP13mT3o4C0-m4yGenJaAIjHeH8YF6xNwiyXkRLUXeOfj3R9AszNeSdfCUeE-omg4WPZfTsQdVTMZInNMJXAlhoTrnLjxsJCijzr9iKQ~z3M~xf5SC-FIsH1CAhcpEVDCVAT39Pc0JZd5TBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bend, OR","date","2025-05-29T13:49:49Z","article","The City of Bend Human Rights and Equity Commission voted during its May 28 meeting to take its summer break in August and to use Wednesday, Nov. 12 as the November meeting date and Thursday, Dec. 18 as the December meeting date.

Equity staffer Lisa Larson led a roll-call-style poll during the meeting. For the summer break date the group settled on August after commissioners voted by raised hands; the transcript records three commissioners indicating a preference for August during the initial tally. For November the group selected Wednesday, Nov. 12 (five commissioners raised their hands in favor during the roll‑call count). For December the group selected Thursday, Dec. 18 (counted as four commissioners in the chamber plus one online, five in total).

Larson said the selected rooms would accommodate accessibility needs and community members. Commissioners noted that December meetings are often social and the staff typically provides food, and several commissioners said their preference reflected those scheduling realities.

These scheduling selections were administrative decisions for HREC’s 2025 calendar; the commission recorded the choices in the meeting minutes and asked staff to note the dates for public posting and for use when planning subcommittee and community engagement schedules.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bend Human Rights and Equity Commission Meeting - 5/28/2025 - 4:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","At the May 28 meeting the commission chose August for its summer break and selected Wednesday, Nov. 12 and Thursday, Dec. 18 as the alternate November and December meeting dates after a roll-call-style count.","taxTitle","Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon","taxId",2850,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6527498,"Bend HREC debates Robert’s Rules and public‑meeting limits, agrees to explore alternatives",430,2590000,3020000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3586308-ecc519de5aa83bc739584eb30fea10ef&start=2590&end=3020","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3586308-ecc519de5aa83bc739584eb30fea10ef/thumbnail_2590000.jpg","/articles/6527498/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Bend-HREC-debates-Roberts-Rules-and-publicmeeting-limits-agrees-to-explore-alternatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527498-5e094c00d87043f03ed305d2a715e219/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151828&Signature=XyDDTj79OeFLFveokEoDlL4s2aNrqupoR9T1tgcPFD3WmqmJpmdEiPuvNQh8jz7xhF88fuj4L-HS1VRYNNGE3k0~nmZJjcUP1huZmz9kYGBWFaQBkQpADweaYkaLPdw2oLk2TyI6SFS6R8Ms~5PXCQ3qhfDuxsK9xPWr3Hxfw13Fei4Q7JeEgViPCdgClrOAQXc~bgowRCxTq-Nir-4CwGlk3b49AFzNZTQYRNPFCoencczh9zeUxYfRgQvRUQ8d0NP3tqodFCMXjO6EDHFa3eGlU-DiR0BABGACLNxw5reOQVrSym~SGAAOx5RGJqCYQrsbi7AYfF47w6ckpewZ2A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioners at the City of Bend Human Rights and Equity Commission spent a large portion of their May 28 meeting debating whether Robert’s Rules of Order impede inclusive participation and whether to pursue alternative meeting formats.

Commissioner Linda Heamer read a prepared statement arguing that strict application of Robert’s Rules can privilege people familiar with parliamentary procedure and can deter participation. “The rules represent a stale and stiff artifact that emphasizes process and procedure over inclusivity and equity,” Heamer said while reading a letter proposing alternatives such as open space, appreciative inquiry, or consensus methods.

City Attorney Ian Lighthizer told commissioners they are free not to use Robert’s Rules. “It is totally within your power not to use Robert’s Rules of Order,” Lighthizer said, while also reminding the commission that state public‑meetings law requires that formal decisions by a governing body be taken by a public vote with individual votes recorded. He distinguished internal facilitation choices from the statutory transparency obligations tied to official actions: “How you get there… I think is more or less up to you,” he said, “but the vote has to be public, and the individual votes recorded for the minutes.”

Several commissioners said they found the dais setting and a formal motions/seconds structure intimidating, particularly for new or community members. Commissioners suggested alternating regular meetings with working sessions, improving onboarding, sharing materials earlier, and using subcommittees to do deep work outside formal meetings so that the full commission can focus on deliberation and recommendation.

Equity Inclusion Director Andres Portela and staff described logistical constraints around subcommittees and public-notice requirements. Lighthizer explained the difference under state law between subcommittees that “gather information” (which are not subject to public‑meeting rules) and subcommittees that make a recommendation to the parent body (which are subject to public‑meeting requirements). Several commissioners asked staff to propose a subcommittee or small working group to draft an alternative facilitation model and a short operational blurb to guide external appearances by commissioners.

No formal rule change was adopted on May 28. The commission agreed by general consent to explore alternatives, to solicit staff input on feasibility and administrative burden, and to return with proposals and suggested language for council and public notice where needed.","Commissioners discussed whether Robert’s Rules of Order limits inclusivity and whether alternative facilitation models could improve participation. City attorney advised the commission it may adopt alternative procedures but must follow state public‑meeting rules for formal votes.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6527503,"Bend HREC votes to forward amended letter urging state to maintain shelter funding (HB 3644)",1084,6211000,7295000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3586308-ecc519de5aa83bc739584eb30fea10ef&start=6211&end=7295","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3586308-ecc519de5aa83bc739584eb30fea10ef/thumbnail_6211000.jpg","/articles/6527503/Bend/Deschutes-County/Oregon/Bend-HREC-votes-to-forward-amended-letter-urging-state-to-maintain-shelter-funding-HB-3644","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527503-209250db0101d5310be11c4e3a907535/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151828&Signature=HF6xmcbDb~R~m4m4XhQenqgPOM4ZtiAAjnUcOffKD-kZoRutYtjrDraFPciUAFNVWfpTiRPhs0ccqZ6ibsXdr8JGuSNkmxWa~jKP6pWPaGcX265RBKpMZEJreH8OBVStuw9~yqyvTJ3AwRmoPTNZRGE8mJQ9R8-ld2Xmk8aRPggB-oYK9nCsZd~IlwhwPqB5OK7KILaG8RWXWGYpmoglDX8E21NGCBbBaWPFDTmooya49bJ5MQcsniDcTcd7-qAoOEtn2p6dtKZHxnXSIY4SC0TBUv6pNY6KoT9CxdOWqTAn4JFQ1Nw7a~Vf3kokfa57SMFi0F1VEMqvtJZXbaD-dQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Bend Human Rights and Equity Commission voted May 28 to amend and forward a letter asking the City Council to advocate for continued state funding for shelter, rehousing and homeless intervention services proposed in HB 3644.

Commissioner Jen Kovetz, who drafted the letter, told the commission the aim was to prevent “stranded assets” — shelter beds and programs built with state dollars that the city could not sustain if funding is reduced. Kovetz proposed adding local point-in-time count data and operating-cost figures to the draft before sending it to council for inclusion in the council’s advocacy to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means. “When we expand services, we must have a plan to sustain these new offerings over time,” Kovetz said.

The commission’s discussion included data and capacity details from the equity department. Megan Perkins, City Council liaison, described recent council budget deliberations and said the city has used state dollars to expand shelter capacity; she noted council’s interest in protecting federal and state grants that support those operations. Equity Inclusion Director Andres Portela and other commissioners emphasized that recent increases in counted sheltered homelessness reflected both intensified outreach (including Juniper Ridge and China Hat) and the addition of shelter beds.

City Attorney Ian Lighthizer advised commissioners about the commission’s authority. He said advisory bodies like HREC lack direct authority to send testimony to the state legislature; the standard practice is for the commission to forward a recommendation to the City Council, which then may carry the advocacy to state lawmakers. “An ideal scenario would be HREC making a recommendation to council,” Lighthizer said.

After edits were proposed — including reframing the letter so HREC forwards the request to City Council, adding point-in-time count language, and clarifying the governor’s state-of-emergency reference — commissioners moved and seconded a motion to approve the amendments and forward the letter to Director Portela for transmission to council ahead of the council meeting next week. The motion passed on a voice vote; commissioners instructed staff and the letter’s author to finalize the data points and circulate the revision to HREC leadership before transmission.

The adopted action does not itself change city policy; it directs HREC staff and leadership to send an amended letter to City Council and ask council to include HREC’s request in the city’s advocacy on HB 3644.

The commission also encouraged commissioners to submit individual testimony if they wished. Members suggested adding specific shelter-bed counts and the dollar amount of annual operating costs to the letter before council transmits it to the legislature.

The HREC discussion and vote came during a broader roundtable in which staff and commissioners reviewed the recent point-in-time count, shelter capacity, and the limits of local control over housing development and funding.

The commission’s motion and the amended letter will be shared with City Council as HREC’s recommendation; any subsequent testimony filed with the legislature will be transmitted by council or by individual commissioners as private citizens.","The City of Bend Human Rights and Equity Commission voted to amend and forward a draft letter asking the City Council to advocate for continued state funding for shelter, rehousing and homeless intervention services under HB 3644. Commissioners cited the point-in-time count and expanded local shelter capacity as reasons to sustain the funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Bend HREC sets 2025 break and holiday meeting dates; August break, Nov. 12 and Dec. 18 selected

Bend HREC debates Robert’s Rules and public‑meeting limits, agrees to explore alternatives

Bend HREC votes to forward amended letter urging state to maintain shelter funding (HB 3644)