Committee refers two Mount Hood Cable Regulatory Commission appointments to full council

The Portland Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted unanimously to send to full City Council the appointment of Asad Bhatt and the reappointment of Leslie Goodloe to the Mount Hood Cable Regulatory Commission (MHCRC).

Laura Dyer, a compliance analyst in the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability's Community Technology division, told the committee the MHCRC is a quasi‑governmental body created by an intergovernmental agreement in 1992 that represents Portland and nearby jurisdictions. She said the commission regulates cable franchise obligations, negotiates and enforces franchise agreements, oversees consumer complaint escalation handled initially through 3-1-1, and administers public benefit resources including community technology grants and PEG (public‑educational‑government) media funding for community media centers such as Open Signal and Metro East.

The committee heard brief statements from the two candidates. Leslie Goodloe, the incumbent Portland commissioner who works in the city's Housing Bureau and has served on the MHCRC since 2022, said she values the commission's grant and community media work and expressed willingness to continue volunteer service. A prerecorded statement from Asad Bhatt described him as a Portland‑based startup advocate and media professional who runs the Metro Region Innovation Hub and operates a media company focused on elevating diverse voices.

Dyer told the committee there are three Portland seats on the MHCRC and that the commission recruits for a mix of experience, including residence in the jurisdiction represented, an interest in local governance and digital inclusion, understanding of cable and media, and lived‑experience perspectives. She said the commission's chair, Julia De Grama, had interviewed Bhatt and provided a strong endorsement based on his industry experience and community connections.

Committee members asked about consumer complaints and staff handling. Leslie Goodloe said only a few complaints reached the commission level during her tenure — “probably less than 10.” Dyer added that staff track complaints through 3-1-1 and a database, aim to resolve complaints within seven days, and that since the committee last met in March there have been four new Comcast complaints; she said Ziply Fiber has relatively few remaining subscribers in the jurisdiction and most current complaints are about Comcast/Xfinity.

A motion to refer the appointments to full City Council with a recommendation for confirmation carried by roll call: Councilors Koyama Lane, Murillo, Green, Smith and Chair Clark all voted aye. The committee record shows the appointments were sent to full council with the recommendation that the nominees be appointed.

The committee and staff emphasized the volunteer nature of the commission and the workload that includes negotiations of franchise agreements, oversight of consumer complaint resolution, and stewardship of community technology grant funds.

The committee took no additional formal actions on MHCRC program funding or franchise terms; those subjects remain within the commission's oversight and future franchise negotiations.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Refer the appointment of Asad Bhatt and reappointment of Leslie Goodloe to the Mount Hood Cable Regulatory Commission to full City Council with recommendation for confirmation. Outcome: Referred with recommendation (5–0). Voting: Koyama Lane — Aye; Murillo — Aye; Green — Aye; Smith — Aye; Clark — Aye.