Multnomah County approves 23 CBAC appointments, adopts first reading of code changes to widen community input

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners on first reading approved an ordinance to revise county code governing Community Budget Advisory Committees (CBACs) and voted to confirm 23 community appointments to those committees.

The actions are intended to expand and standardize how residents advise departments during the county budget process, add a minimum committee size, clarify diversity and recruitment expectations, and add conflict-of-interest reporting. The board adopted the ordinance’s amendments on a roll-call vote before approving the ordinance’s first reading; the second reading is scheduled for 2025-02-13.

Why it matters: CBACs are one of the county’s formal channels for community input on budget priorities. County officials and community members told the board the existing practice produced uneven recruitment, unclear records of terms, and inconsistent follow-through; the ordinance and the ancillary program changes aim to create year-round recruitment, minimum committee membership, clearer onboarding and reporting, and an option for departments to compensate members.

At the meeting Chair Vega Peterson called up R1, the slate of 23 appointees to departmental CBACs. OCI Director Amada Perez said the new members will serve three-year terms and that departments had followed…