The Portland City Council made headlines last week with a vote to overhaul the structure of the city’s tree regulation team.
This team, previously under the Urban Forestry division, will be moved to the centralized permitting office.
In conjunction with this move, the council has also decided to reallocate $2.1 million from tree enforcement funds to address cuts in parks maintenance.
This controversial proposal was initiated by Councilor Eric Zimmerman, who has been vocal about the Urban Forestry division’s enforcement practices, suggesting that they have been unfair to Portland residents.
He expressed the need for action, stating, ‘In a place where I think we’ve got a city program that’s being administered in an either unfair manner or is not treating Portlanders well, we do have a duty to act.’
The current team is expected to transition by October 1, with this change signaling a significant shift in the management of the city’s Tree Code.
In related news, Governor Tina Kotek has signed a pivotal piece of legislation aimed at combating illicit massage parlors in the Portland area.
On June 12, Kotek approved House Bill 3819-A, which aims to address the troubling rise in these establishments, many of which exploit undocumented women.
Recent reports indicated that the number of such businesses in Portland had surged by three times over five years, reaching 114.
The bill alters the legal consequences for repeat offenders, elevating the penalty from a misdemeanor to a Class C felony.
This could result in prison sentences of up to five years and fines reaching $125,000.
State Representatives Thuy Tran and Senator Kathleen Taylor sponsored the legislation, which gained momentum following extensive reporting by Willamette Week.
Eliza Aronson, a contributor to WW, played a significant role in uncovering the issues surrounding these massage parlors, bringing the matter to the forefront of legislative action.
Meanwhile, Multnomah County’s Homeless Services Department has faced its own challenges as it decided to cut ties with a local shelter provider.
The county ceased funding for Rockwood Community Development Corporation after allegations surfaced regarding questionable billing practices.
Rockwood CDC had been responsible for housing homeless families in 50 units at Rockwood Tower.
However, county officials discovered irregularities, such as requests for reimbursement of unapproved expenses and double-counting costs.
Additionally, there were charges for rooms that were not available due to repairs.
This development is noteworthy, given that Multnomah County allocates over $1 billion in services through various nonprofit organizations, including Rockwood CDC.
In response to the dispute, Rockwood CDC claims that a recent change in county policy has led to misunderstandings about funding.
Savannah Carreno, a spokeswoman for Rockwood, stated that their initial understanding was that funding would cover not just the designated rooms, but also the necessary infrastructure to maintain them.
However, the county has reportedly narrowed the interpretation of funding eligibility, limiting it to direct expenses for the specified rooms.
Rockwood CDC is led by President Brad Ketch, who received a compensation of $228,000 in 2023, according to the organization’s tax filings.
His wife, Lynn, fills the role of executive director with a salary of $143,000.
These developments reflect significant shifts in policy and oversight within Portland and Multnomah County, as officials grapple with enforcing regulations and ensuring transparency in funding.
image source from：wweek
