03/21/2013
The so far skinny on Portland NETs
If you haven't heard of the Portland Neighborhood Emergency Teams, it's because the program withered in a political tug-of-war about a decade ago, and is being resurrected as the threat of a hefty earthquake looms. Arbor Lodge is particularly light on NET volunteers, so I deployed to the first of seven Saturday trainings with my neighbor Angela March 16.
We hope to be among the first christened with a hardhat and vest on behalf of Arbor Lodge. Meanwhile, we'll have learned basic first-aid and crisis management skills to help first responders in an earthquake, flood, volcanic eruption, tsunami or other catastrophic event.
Oregonians have known since the '80s that the state is in line for a major earthquake. And a recent report by a panel of experts underscores how devastating such an event would be. That quake is about 40 percent likely to happen in the next 30 years. Portland NETs are beefing up to assist for this and other reasons, trained by Portland's Bureau of Emergency Management using FEMA's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) curriculum.
It's a lot to get prepared, both at home and in the neighborhood. This first class focused on what it is we're even preparing for. The three-hour session covered disasters facts until those of us who think we're smart were feeling pretty silly. Did you know volcanic ash can scratch steel? That it can weigh enough to crush a roof? That you should never store your emergency supplies in a basement? I sure didn't. Hopefully you're already smarter than me.
If you're super smart, then you're started on an emergency kit at home. For more ideas about how to round out your kit, have a look at prepareoregon.org. If you'd like to go further and help us prepare the neighborhood, please think about joining me, Angela and other neighbors as NET members. It requires 17 short videos and a quiz to qualify for training, then 21 hours of instruction and a four-hour field exercise. It's worth it, and its kind of fun. Now even I know what a Japanese shake table is.
03/19/2013
Volunteers needed!
Would you consider donating a little of your time while you're out walking around the neighborhood? We need 20 amazing volunteers to drop off flyers.
ALNA is looking for ways to reach out to our entire neighborhood and let them know about what's happening in our neighborhood, such as the cleanup event, Movies in the Park, monthly happy hour, etc. We've divided the neighborhood into 20 walking zones that we estimate would take about an hour or so to flyer each house. We would like to form this flyering team, as needed (maybe three or four times per year), and we'd get you the stack of flyers in advance and a one-week time frame, then you would deliver the flyers at your leisure anytime during that week. For questions or to sign-up, please email ginger.edws@gmail.com.
Sign-up for the zone of your choice before it's taken!
03/14/2013
Neighborhood Association Board Meeting Next Thursday
All are welcome to attend our upcoming board meeting next Thursday, March 21st.
6:30 at the Histroic Kenton Firehouse8105 N. Brandon Street
Topics for this week's meeting include neighborhood cleanup, tree inventory, movies in the park, Sunday parkways, parks and schools updates, and volunteer opportunities galore!
Hope to see you there.
03/06/2013
Please show up to support your neighborhood - City of Portland Community Budget Forums
City of Portland Community Budget ForumsPlease show up to support Neighborhoods and the Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI)
Now you can testify—bring yourself (and a couple of friends!)
The Forums provide you with the opportunity to offer testimony before City Council and express which service priorities are most important to Portland residents for next year’s FY 2013-14 budget which begins July 1, 2013.
ONI, and all city bureaus, were required by Mayor Charlie Hales to submit a 10% cut to each of their budgets. The ONI Budget Advisory Committee (BAC), on which neighborhood and other civic involvement groups are well represented, is proposing ‘add-back’ restoration to those cuts.
Your testimony at these public hearings will indicate to the new Council that there is community support for the restoration of funds for neighborhood and community involvement services.
Tues., March 12th6:30pm-8:30pmGeorge Middle School10000 N Burr Ave.Portland, OR 97203
Thurs., April 11th6:30pm-8:30pmMontgomery Park2701 NW Vaughn StreetPortland, OR 97210
Thurs., May 16th6:30pm-8:30pmCity Hall – Council Chambers1221 SW 4th Ave.Portland, OR 97204
What is at stake? What is proposed to be cut?
· Reduction or elimination of Neighborhood Small Grants program: The program has funded 536 community building grants over seven years totaling $1,025,554 in resources going out to neighborhood associations and other community-based organizations. Due to cuts in previous years the current year’s funding level is down to $93,855 and designated as a one-time allocation, which may be eliminated completely.
· Significant cuts to newspapers and social media communications: Most of the coalitions would likely scale back or eliminate communication allocations to neighborhood associations; coalition staff who provide support for producing websites, newsletters and other targeted outreach materials; and capacity of District Coalitions to produce coalition-wide newsletters and maintain dynamic websites and events calendars.
· Reduction or elimination in neighborhood outreach staff support: Several of the coalitions would scale back FTE dedicated to assisting neighborhood associations with community projects including neighborhood cleanups, summertime events, outreach and membership building, technical assistance on land use and transportation issues, community forums on hot-topic issues and leadership trainings.
· Elimination of two Crime Prevention positions: ONI would lay off two crime prevention specialists reducing the program’s capacity by 17% to respond to community requests for lower level problem-solving issues, trainings, enhanced property safety efforts, and Neighborhood Watch formations.
Messages City Council needs to hear about these services:
· Neighborhood Associations are getting people involved who were not before.· Small grants are making possible many more grassroots community events bringing residents together for the first time promoting community relationships.· Funding for newsletters and coalition staff support for use of new media tools – websites, Facebook accounts - are expanding the ability to reach more neighbors.· Small grants are helping District Coalitions and Neighborhood Associations engage in more partnership projects that are creating positive change in the community.· Neighborhood volunteers are developing leadership skills they didn’t have before resulting in new community building projects.· Expanded District Coalition staffing has improved their ability to be responsive to community needs, providing more effective community leadership and resolution of community problems.· Crime Prevention plays a key role in the local public safety system. Crime Prevention staff teach and assist neighbors to work closely with public safety bureaus and other neighbors to reduce and prevent crime.
Core messages about why investing in civic engagement should be a core City service:
· Now more than ever investing in people infrastructure is just as critical as brick and mortar projects – if not more so.· ONI’s mission, goals, programs and services are critical to support the City’s goal of achieving equity in delivery of services.· Community engagement is increasingly seen as a critical core function of good City governance.