Buckman Community Association
By Susan Lindsay
The Buckman Community Association (BCA) has a new meeting space! Due to construction and remodeling to expand the storage of the Inner SE Tool Library at our previous meeting room at Hinson Church, we have moved. You can find us now in a large, open multi-media meeting room at Imago Dei, 1302 SE Ankeny St. We’ll be there for our July 9 meeting, 7-9 pm and all are welcome. Enter on SE 13th Ave. next to the intersection with SE Ankeny St. We also continue to offer a meeting hybrid option and the link is on our website. Our new meeting space is ADA accessible; however, the restrooms are not and we will continue to seek a fully ADA space in the future.
At our June meeting, we had two separate presentations from representatives of PBOT that covered: 1. Safety and improvements on E Burnside St. from SE 20th to 28th avenues, and 2. Traffic lane removal, intersection safety improvements and creation of a dedicated bike lane on SE 11th and 12th avenues. We also voted to sign up with a notice of intent for comments regarding the big railroad merger so we can weigh in on the impacts in West Buckman. Finally, we held Board elections and welcomed three new members to the BCA Board and re-elected two. Thank you to all who stepped up, and an extra special thank you to outgoing BCA Board members, Nick Olson and Maren Boehmer!!
As summer is here, our two big Buckman annual events are upon us. Saturday August 1, come enjoy Buckman Movie Night at Colonel Summers Park. Hosted with Portland Parks, we’re showing the 1997 classic sci-fi film, Men in Black. Bring the kids! Movie begins at dusk and the BCA will be there at our booth with neighborhood information. The following day, Sunday, August 2, is our annual Buckman Picnic in the Park, also at Colonel Summers, 2-6 pm offering music, games, splash pad fun and some complimentary snacks. As both of these events are expensive to produce and we are all volunteers, we ask for help with both donations and picnic volunteers. Donations are tax deductible, you’ll get a receipt and business sponsors and individuals get recognition at the event! You can donate directly via our Give Lively button on our website, buckmanpdx.org, or via mailed check to SEUL 3534 SE Main St., 97214. In the check memo, you need to put “For Buckman 2026 Picnic” and make check out to SEUL.
Day of picnic volunteers are needed and wanted! Please contact the buckmanpicnicteam@googlegroups.com for information and to sign up. To get on our agenda for our monthly second Thursday (save August) meetings, or first any reason, reach out buckmanboard@googlegroups.com.
HAND
By Jill Riebesehl
HAND opened its June meeting with a much larger Board. Andrew Wilker will be chair, June Suarez secretary, Michelle Sprague treasurer and Alicia Garcia, communications/publicity. We perused the various committees and types of involvement we have been involved in over the years and at present. We said good-bye and thank you to our longtime Board chair, Chris Eykamp, relieved to hear he would remain as vice-chair this coming year. We will miss Karen Girard, our secretary par excellence.
We then took two actions relating to the railroad tracks that bisect HAND. We voted to send a letter thanking our district’s three City Council members who, when made aware of the difficulty using the Bob Stacey bridge over the tracks, volunteered to chip in money to help fix the problem. Anticipating a much larger train problem on 8th, 11th and 12th avenues that now snarls vehicular traffic in a way that affects many more folks than those who live in HAND and beyond, we quickly signed HAND up to be eligible to participate in anticipated public proceedings. Spurring our concerns was a proposed Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger.
Regarding the proposed BottleDrop at SE Milwaukie Ave. and Powell Blvd., plans have changed. From people involved in working on a Good Neighbor Agreement with the People’s Depot, we learned that it would no longer apply for an alternative access redemption center or an OLCC permit, and would reduce operating hours to 2.5 hours a day, five days a week. Grocery stores would still have to accept bottle returns and Groundscore is promising to try a cashless system.
When we heard the city had stubbed off SE Caruthers St., HAND and other interested parties decided it would be a great place to throw a street party. A working group set up by Avery Berchek quickly applied for permits and made insurance applications. The HAND Board offered to provide some financial help. As of this writing, we can look forward to a Caruthers Street Party Saturday, July 11.
Mt. Tabor Neighborhood Association
By Paul Leistner
The MTNA met Wednesday, June 10. Upcoming events include: Center for Positive Aging Summer Block Party Saturday, June 27 and Energy Saving Solutions for Aging Well event Thursday, July 16. The MTNA second annual neighborhood-wide yard sale will be either September 12/13 or 19/20.
Topics discussed at the meeting included coyote awareness and a possible recent attack on a pet dog. Jan Caplener proposed doing another project to clear vegetation from Mt. Tabor crater area. Paul Leistner reported on the success of the Mt. Tabor/Montavilla booth at the Archeology Roadshow May 30. New MTNA Board member John Mertens shared how kids and families on his street are using new “tin-can phones” and walkie talkies to connect with each other and keep kids safe. (bit.ly/4fWQEmi). Leistner provided an update on the rapidly evolving changes to Civic Life and Portland’s community and neighborhood engagement system. MTNA Board members Brad Yazzolino and Alex Roy shared the new MTNA flyer they developed to help the community find out about the MTNA and get involved; Caplener offered to print color copies of the flyer. Roy provided updates on the proposed cell tower at E Burnside St. and SE 52nd Ave., the proposed Dairy Queen redevelopment at SE 55th Ave. and Division St. and the proposed redevelopment of the Mt. Tabor Realty property at SE Belmont St. and 69th Ave. Rob Galankis reported on advice he gave to neighbors on SE Yamhill St. on how to deal with parked cars blocking the street during big events. Leistner reported on the MTNA’s receipt of an AARP Community Challenge Grant for a neighborhood project on innovative housing options for older adults. Kay Hall reported on the “Tabor for All” accessibility project for Mt. Tabor. Nikki Mandell updated the group on efforts to advocate for greater safety at the Critical Energy Infrastructure (CEI) Hub fuel tanks along the Willamette River. Bing Wong reported on the Friends of Mt. Tabor Park, including the expected completion of the picnic shelter reconstruction by August.
MTNA Board members elected officers: Paul Leistner (president), Nadine Fiedler (secretary), Bing Wong (treasurer) and Pastor Drew Hogan (SE Uplift Delegate). Board members reviewed the new MTNA policy on political candidates coming to MTNA meetings and discussed idea for guidance on how to handle ballot measures presentation requests.
Want to make your mark on Mt. Tabor? Join us at our next meeting Wednesday, July 8. The MTNA meets every second Wednesday of the month at 7 pm, online via Zoom and in person at Taborspace, SE 55th Ave. and Belmont St. You can register to participate in the July 8 meeting via Zoom, sign up for the MTNA email list and get more info on our website, mttaborpdx.org. You can contact the MTNA at contact.mtna@gmail.com.
Richmond Neighborhood Association
By Allen Field
The Richmond Neighborhood Association (RNA) Board met June 8 at Central Christian Church, 1844 SE 39th Ave. Meetings are the second Monday of the month, 7–9 pm, except January. Everyone is welcome in person or via Zoom. The Zoom registration link is at richmondpdx.org and on every agenda, which is sent to the RNA listserv. Meetings are recorded and posted on the RNA’s website, richmondpdx.org. To join the listserv, email richmondnasecretary@gmail.com.
The annual RNA Board election took place over two nights, June 8 and 9, 6-8 pm. There were nine candidates for eight seats. At the beginning of the June 8 RNA meeting, seven candidates gave short statements and one absent candidate had their written statement read by the Chair. Elected to the Board were: Kate Connolly, Callie Cooper, Fran Davison. Allen Field, Jascha Lee, Sheryl Lee, Adam Meltzer and Eric Swehla.
Roger Geller, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), presented on PBOT’s Neighborhood Greenway Bike Bus Project, focusing on the District 3 portion of the project than centers on Bike Bus safety issues along the Harrison/Lincoln and Clinton Greenways. The project website is portland.gov/transportation/planning/neighborhood-greenway-bike-bus-project. PBOT’s Survey on the Abenethy safety issues and treatment options closes June 28. The next issue of the Richmond News newsletter will include an article on the Bike Bus Project.
The RNA is continuing its new tradition of holding its August meeting in Sewallcrest Park with an Ice Cream Social, at the picnic table in SE corner of the park Monday, August 10, 7-8:30 pm. We will invite Neighborhood Response Team (NRT) Police Officers, District 3 Councilors and the Mayor/Mayor’s Office. Enjoy ice cream and meet the Board, your neighbors and local officials and officers.
The RNA needs volunteers to deliver its quarterly Richmond newsletter. If you don’t receive it, the route you live on lacks a carrier. Contact rnanewsletter@gmail.com to help with deliveries.
The next meeting is July 13. Join us to get more involved in your neighborhood.
South Tabor Neighborhood Association
By Cathy Kudlick
We hope y’all are enjoying summer! Join us Thursday, July 16 (like every month, the third Thursday) at 7 pm, location TBA. Visit southtabor.org to learn more and to sign up for our low-traffic mailing list. And while there, be sure to check out our quarterly newsletter, The South Tabor Crow, for profiles of local businesses and nifty neighbors.
Sunnyside Neighborhood Association
By Chris Waldmann
The Sunnyside Neighborhood Association welcomed its newest Board member, Ophelia Schechter, at our annual meeting in May. Schechter is not only a new SNA Board member, she is also the new leader of the Sunnyside NET Team! Since the retirement of our previous NET members (NET stands for Neighborhood Emergency Team), it’ll be great to have Schechter help educate the public and keep the neighborhood safe. We also welcome back re-elected Board members Lindsay Cogan-Sant, Dresden De Vera, Tim Quayle and Chris Waldmann.
Land Use and Transportation issues have been front and center for many in the neighborhood. A new 150+ unit apartment building on the vacant lot at 4511 SE Hawthorne is in the early proposal stage. Neighbors are worried about the density, loss of light and the overall design impact to the community. A community-led conversation has also begun about the long-vacant Laurelhurst Village building at SE 30th Ave. and SE Stark St. This eyesore has sat empty for nearly 30 years and is a source of fire danger.
On the transportation side, neighbors on SE Stark St. have successfully lobbied PBOT to install a marked crossing at SE 43rd Ave. However traffic speeds continue to be a problem. The SNA is engaging with PBOT to further study the issue and arrive at solutions that serve community safety. Similar conversations are being had about the speed cushions that were installed on SE 30th Ave. between Belmont and Hawthorne streets—cushions that seem ineffective at mitigating vehicular speeds.
The Sunnyside NA does not have any Board or General meetings in July. Our next Board meeting will be Wednesday, August 12, 7 pm at SE Uplift, 3534 SE Main St. and online at tinyurl.com/sna-zoom. Our next Land Use & Transportation meeting will be Wednesday, July 15 at SE Uplift and online at tinyurl.com/sna-lutc-zoom.