Portland City Council Votes To Reshape Its Committee Structure

"Portland's transition to a new form of government last January brought new practices and procedures for the City Council. Among the largest changes, impacting both the Council and members of the public, was the introduction of eight policy committees. The committees, which considered topics including transportation, climate, finance, homelessness, and public safety, were intended to provide a focused venue for councilors to introduce legislation and hold conversations on specific topics, as well as to hear public testimony."

"The restructuring plan, introduced by the newly-elected Council President Jamie Dunphy, created five new committees: Public Works, Housing & Permitting, City Life, Community and Public Safety, and a Committee of the Whole, which will tackle finance and governance issues. The first four committees will consist of five councilors each and will meet for three hours on alternating Tuesdays. As its name suggests, the entire Council will sit on the Committee of the Whole, which is set to meet weekly."

Portland initially established eight bimonthly policy committees covering topics such as transportation, climate, finance, homelessness, and public safety to provide focused venues for legislation and public testimony. Councilors voted on February 19 to cut three committees, creating five new committees that will convene starting at the end of March. The new structure includes Public Works, Housing & Permitting, City Life, Community and Public Safety, and a Committee of the Whole devoted to finance and governance. The first four committees will have five councilors each and meet on alternating Tuesdays for three hours. The Committee of the Whole will include the entire council and meet weekly to increase council-wide engagement and reduce disadvantages from being excluded from conversations in smaller committees.

Read at Portland Mercury