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Bowling keeps them rolling
Planners still working on Gateway zoning
Parkrose Barn Dance brings out the best; breaks records
Receiving Center a haven from abuse; strives to put families back together again
Rose PBA Festival Cruise-In gets the checkered flag
Vocational Village threatened with closure

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The Mid-county MEMO is your newspaper. We want to hear from you. Discuss an important issue or address a concern you want to call to the community’s attention. We prefer e-mailed letters to the editor sent to Darlene Vinson, at editor@midcountymemo.com. Please put ‘letter to the editor’ in the subject line. You may also mail your letter to 3510 N.E. 134th Ave., Portland, OR 97230 or fax it to 503-249-7672.

To the Editor:

Woof...woof...woof...my e-mail handle for more than a year. As a member of the East Portland Neighborhood Organization I (bark) volunteered to chair an Off Leash Dog Park Committee for the Portland Bureau of Parks and Recreation...(howl). Members of East Portland neighborhoods met, researched and debated the process of siting an Off Leash Dog Park east of 102nd Avenue. (howl) The Parks Bureau (bark) under funded the process but led us to believe that East Portland neighborhoods could provide more than just revenue to the City, we might actually get park development and maintenance (arf).

The meetings, on site tours, open house, television interviews and newspaper articles notwithstanding (barf)...The City of Portland informed the East Portland Neighborhoods that a dog park would not be sited in East Portland (poop). Once again, the City of Portland decided that the needs of established (and developed parks) west of 82nd Avenue had priority and the funds would go to assist Laurelhurst and Mt. Tabor parks. (arf).

Once again the City of Portland is a scooper late and a license short. Did anyone in the City, let alone the Commissioners (both Multnomah and Portland-scoop....scoop) even read the reports submitted by the Neighborhood Coalitions? Volunteers came up with workable plans, clear guidelines and usable sites for dog parks using direct communication with the neighborhoods, the media and the City. (woof...woof). In over a year of open meetings the Parks Bureau never responded, to either our process or our request for additional information.

The Open House sponsored by the East Portland Neighborhood Committee could not get the Parks Bureau to even attend, although later we learned that a covert Parks Bureau employee had actually been there. Former Multnomah County Animal Control Manager Gary Hendel came-and took a lot of heat (not the dog kind) for his insistence that the License and Lease laws would work if the politicians had the will (maybe the backBONE) to support the laws- it cost him his job. Increasing the percentage of licensed dogs in the County would pay for increased enforcement-not just one officer, but many. The elected top DOGs do not want to enforce leash and licensing laws-for all the statements they make- or it would have happened by now. Any option to make revenue in these times-especially from animal lovers who would pay anything for their pets (meow) would have been tried if they really wanted to. Bark..mayor..arf...mayor...woof...election.....

The last tail wagging should indicate that the Portland Bureau of Parks and it’s (new?) Director have failed to support the neighborhoods in their efforts to establish off leash dog parks for the City of Portland and the enforcement of license and leash laws in Multnomah County. Neighborhood Coalitions have been addressing this situation for more than two years The answers are out there if they would stop sniffing the wrong trees. Let’s call for an audit of the Portland Parks Bureau budget....(bring your own plastic bag).

Alesia J. Reese
Chair-Off Leash Site Selection Committee
Chair-Woodland Park Neighborhood Association
East Portland Neighborhood Organization
alesiajmr@yahoo.com



To the Editor:

How do we get to a neighborhood of maintained lawns, void of graffiti and tidy homes and businesses that will help attract new business to our area and add to the local tax base? In short, how do we restore pride in our area and help teach our children and new residents to value our community?

I suggest we create a prideful motto such as “I live here to create a safe, fun and good business environment for the residents and visitors to our community.”

By creating a clean and respectful area, we will inspire clients to visit and spend money in our area. It’s also evident that the City of Portland will help East Portland with funding.

While there is lots that can be done, and I’m sure you can add to the list, I’d suggest we begin by creating a safe environment.

For example, if you see a car parked somewhere that you think is deserted or up to no good, call your local police for a drive-by. The non-emergency number is 503-823-3333.

Businesses can create sitting areas to draw pedestrians and potential new customers. Always provide good lighting so people will want to be around the area and will feel safe in the evening. The sight of customers enjoying themselves at your place of business will invite more people in. Starbucks is a great example of this idea.

We can all take responsibility for our surroundings. Avoid throwing litter from your car. Keep the exterior of your home or business as clean and inviting as possible. Cut down weeds and maintain sidewalks so the area remains tidy.

In addition, I support joint events that have neighborhood businesses working together to promote one another.

We are the ‘Gateway’ to Portland. We are the easiest area to reach from downtown, Vancouver, Lake Oswego, Gresham and Sandy. Lets get together and make Gateway what we want and not just leave it to planners to put up government-funded housing and not contribute to our business community and the future of our schools and community.

The City of Portland is offering us money again to bring our businesses up to standard. If you can, now is the time to make improvements. My sincere hope is that all of us will succeed and draw more and better businesses to Gateway.

Your neighbor,
Darlene Wilson
e-mail: darcolor@attbi.com
Owner/Operator of The Colour Authority
Salon and Spa
11121 NE Halsey St.
503-255-4510
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