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.
As it turns out, eight bimonthly committees may have been too many. At least, that’s what councilors indicated with their February 19 vote to overhaul the current policy committee structure and reduce the number of committees by three. The new committees, which will meet for the first time at the end of March, could also shake up the City Council power structure.
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…