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Council restores Noise Office coordinator position with $146,000 budget amendment
Summary
A budget amendment moved by Councilor Dunfee restored one coordinator position in the City’s Noise Office (Permitting and Development) with $146,000 drawn from bureau contingency; councilors discussed the role and scope of the position before approving the amendment.
Portland City Council voted to restore a Coordinator I position in the Noise Office within Portland Permitting & Development (PP&D), approving a $146,000 amendment from PP&D contingency.
The amendment (Dunfee 7) would increase bureau program expenses by $146,000 in fiscal year 2025‑26 to restore the coordinator position and decrease the bureau’s contingency by the same amount to balance the change. Councilor Dunfee said the position supports permit issuance and the city’s regulatory capacity for nighttime and music‑related activity, allowing the noise officer to respond to complaints while a coordinator handles permits and plan review for events.
Deputy City Administrator Donnie Olivera and PP&D staff answered questions about contingency balances and impacts; Olivera said the bureau’s contingency was forecast to end the fiscal year with roughly $13 million, a projection staff described as dependent on upcoming revenues. Council discussion touched on whether this restoration interacts with other amendments proposed by the council president to temporarily restore multiple PP&D positions.
Vote: The roll call on Dunfee 7 recorded 11 yes votes and 1 no; the amendment passed. Councilors noted immediate operational needs for permitting and event permitting and framed the action as restoring regulatory capacity rather than creating a permanent guaranteed ongoing allocation in this single amendment.
