Troutdale council interviews dozens of applicants, forwards committee appointment recommendations

Troutdale City Council members spent a multi-hour session interviewing applicants for multiple advisory committees and then agreed on a set of recommendations to forward to council for formal appointment.

Mayor Ritma opened the meeting’s process explanation by saying, “we’re going to ask everybody the same questions, to be fair to all the applicants.” The council heard from people seeking seats on the Budget Committee, Historic Landmarks Commission, Parks Advisory Committee, Public Safety & Equity Advisory Committee (PSAC), Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), Planning Commission and the Town Center Advisory Board (TCAB).

The interviews were largely structured around a standard set of questions about applicants’ backgrounds, availability for evening meetings and what they would bring to the specific committee. Applicants described volunteer and professional experience as well as neighborhood ties. Donna Landers, who applied to the Historic Landmarks Commission, introduced herself during her interview as “Donna Landers, and I am the current owner of the Troutdale Barber Shop.”…