Council approves three‑month retention for 31 PP&D positions; delays deciding larger $4 million reserve

Portland City Council approved an amendment (Perle Guinea 1) to allow Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D) to draw $450,000 per month (totaling $1,350,000 for three months) to retain 31 full‑time equivalents that had been cut. The amendment’s purpose, sponsors said, is to maintain staffing while the city monitors potential permitting demand driven by policy changes (for example, SDC waiver discussions) that could increase permit applications.

Councilors discussed a second, larger proposal (Perle Guinea 2) that would have earmarked roughly $4 million in contingency to preserve positions for a longer period; councilors expressed concern about identifying and securing the source of that $4 million in the general fund. Because the larger, multi‑million dollar item lacked a clear funding source, the sponsor agreed to withdraw or bring it back later; the three‑month package passed with 10 yes votes and 2 no votes on roll call.

Why it matters: Proponents said a short stopgap preserves capacity so the bureau can respond quickly if permitting activity rises; opponents said a $4 million earmark without a funding source would force broader cuts. Budget staff and the deputy city administrator described how contingency and reserve policies work and said identifying a specific funding source is required to place money into a policy reserve.

Implementation: The amendment allows the bureau to use contingency resources to retain staff for the July–September period; if additional funding is needed later, councilors said they expected to revisit the question with a clearer funding plan.