Council directs city administrator to report on unassigned grant funds after procedural gap surfaces

Portland City Council approved an amended resolution on Feb. 19 directing the city administrator to submit a written report to the Finance Committee (and to the full council) detailing unassigned grant funds and recent financial activity in the city's grants accounts. The council adopted the measure unanimously after an amendment narrowed the request to a city‑administrator report instead of a special audit.

Councilor Smith introduced the item after raising questions in a prior meeting about how the city had accounted for certain incoming funds and how unassigned grant dollars had been allocated. The amendment replaces a request to the City Auditor for a special audit with a direction to the city administrator to compile baseline information on unassigned funds, recent transfers and proposed expenditures and to deliver findings no later than April 21, 2025, to inform preparation of the FY 2025–26 budget.

Council discussion focused on committee roles and transparency. Several councilors said the Finance Committee is the appropriate venue for a deeper review; Councilor Kunal and others asked that the report be circulated to the full council as well so all members have the information. Council members and staff clarified that the “whereas” language in the item recites the practice of receiving notice of new funds but does not itself create additional obligations; the amended resolution creates the required directive for the administrator to prepare the report.

Councilors said the urgency stems from recent reallocations and questions about sources — for example, references made during an earlier meeting about opioid‑related funds for services at a site described as Bybee Lake — and the need for council to have a clear, auditable baseline before making FY 2025–26 budget decisions. The resolution was approved as amended and referred to the Finance Committee for follow‑up; the vote was recorded as unanimous.