The record · Transcript
Council Session — 2025-06-03
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Session summaryEditor-reviewed
The Arts and Economy Committee met on June 3, 2025, at 9:30 a.m., with roll call and a statement of conduct read at the outset; one co-chair was noted as absent due to a prior appointment. The committee first approved minutes covering meetings from March 11 through April 22, 2025. The main item of business was a resolution urging the mayor to make the city a signatory to the Swimmable Cities Charter. Opening remarks described the Willamette River's history, cleanup efforts, and its role as public space. Invited testimony followed from representatives of the city's public works administration, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, the Portland Metro Chamber, Prosper Portland, the Black Swimming Initiative, the Lloyd EcoDistrict, and the Human Access Project, addressing environmental infrastructure, tribal fishing rights, river restoration, economic activation, equity in swimming access, and river programming. No public testimony was recorded. An amendment to the resolution's third "whereas" clause, adding additional organizational names, was moved, seconded, and voted on, with outcomes recorded in the vote ledger. The amended resolution was then moved for adoption and referred to full council, with votes again recorded in the vote ledger. The meeting closed with announcement of the next session on June 24.
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Procedural markers in this session
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0 Good morning. I call the meeting of the arts and economy committee to order. It is June 3rd at 9:30 a.m. Diego, will you please call the roll?
1 Good morning, brian Clark here. Jackie.
2 Here.
3 Smith here. Green here.
4 Claire, will you please read the statement of conduct?
5 Good morning and welcome to the meeting of the arts and economy committee to testify before this committee in person or virtually. You must sign up in advance on the committee agenda at Portland gov slash council agenda slash arts and economy committee. Or by calling 311. Information on engaging with the committee can be found at this link. Registration for virtual testimony closes one hour prior to the meeting. In person. Testifiers must sign up before the agenda item is heard. If public testimony will be taken on an item, individuals may testify for three minutes unless the chair states otherwise, your microphone will be muted when your time is over. The chair preserves order disruptive conduct such as shouting, refusing to conclude your testimony when your time is up, or interrupting others testimony or committee deliberations will not be allowed. If you cause a disruption, a warning will be given. Further disruption will result in ejection from the meeting. Anyone who fails to leave once ejected is subject to arrest for trespass. Additionally, the committee may take a short recess and reconvene virtually. Your testimony should address the matter being considered. When testifying, please state your name for the record. If you are a lobbyist, identify the organization you represent. And finally, virtual testifiers should unmute themselves when the clerk calls your name. Thank you.
Procedural episode · turns 6–14
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6 Thank you. Claire. Before we get going, I'd just like to say that the co-chair, councilor Ryan, couldn't make it today. He had a pre-scheduled appointment. As you may know, that we rescheduled this arts and economy committee meeting to this day because we really wanted to accommodate the schedule for the swimmable cities issue. So it was really important to kind of have it today. So his absence is not for lack of interest. Okay. So today we have we have two items of business. We'll have to do our approval of the committee meetings. But then we're going to enter into a discussion around swimmable cities. Clerk can you please call the first item.
7 March 11th through April 22nd, 2020 five minutes.
8 Can you briefly tell the committee about your process for compiling minutes, and how often will we need to approve minutes?
9 Committee meeting minutes include the disposition agenda, which documents the actions committees take on each agenda item. The minutes also include the closed caption file, a speaker list, and audio files for each meeting. Minutes are presented for approval once a month for the previous months meetings. Minutes are approved by unanimous consent.
10 Thank you diego. Colleagues, I would ask for unanimous consent, so if you have any objections to the meetings, let me know. Otherwise, I'd like to just approve or go forward on unanimous consent. That's fine. I'm not seeing any objection. So the meetings are approved. The minutes are approved. Diego, can you please read item number two?
11 Two urge the mayor to make the city a signatory to the swimmable cities charter.
12 Thank you. This is this is a really great resolution. Before I invite you up to speak to the resolution and sort of give a give an appeal to, to the committee why it's so important. I'd just like to say it's going to be a really hot summer, guys, and every summer is going to be hotter than the last because of climate change. And we have this crown jewel of the city called the Willamette river. When I was a kid, you didn't get to swim in the river. I think I swam in the river one time and I stubbed my toe on something sharp. And then I got an infection at Willamette park. But that's those days are behind us. So thanks to the hard work of everyone working to keep this river clean, I mean, it's okay. You can laugh. We like to do a little self-deprecating humor sometimes, but I'm just really excited and I'm just really grateful for the work that has gone into making this an asset for our community. So at this time, I'd like to offer councilor Clark the opportunity to provide any opening remarks, and then we'll we'll hear from the speakers.
13 Well, thank you, mr. Chairman. Can I also speak to the resolution? At this point? I just I'm really excited that you're here. I'm excited to be a co-sponsor of the resolution with our chairman and to bring Portland into the international swimmable cities alliance. Yay! Really in support of the urban swimming that you were referring to. As willie has told me before, and we've met several times, the Willamette river is our strongest liquid public space. I love that, and the human access project has really led heroic efforts to transform our relationship with the river from the big float, multiple big floats to poets beach, the city's first official public beach in 100 years. Pretty remarkable. The tom mccall bowl, excuse me, which really hopes to redevelop into a world class toes in the water park and popular swimming spots like the eastbank esplanade, cathedral park, Sellwood park, as well as ongoing rubble removal. Close to me, where I live in the cottonwood bay near my home on the south waterfront. So by becoming a swimmable city, we're really sending a message from the arts and economy committee that the river, the Willamette river, needs to remain a safe and accessible destination for everyone to enjoy. Whether you're swimming, paddling, kayaking, boating, or floating or just putting your toe in, as I often do, it's good for our economy, it's good for our environment, and it's especially good for our personal health. So I'm thrilled that Portland can join the 72 cities around the world and in our country from annapolis, maryland. Sheboygan, wisconsin, melbourne, australia, and vienna, where my best friend lives. So we I think we'll get back to the amendment a little bit later. The resolution. Thank you.
14 Thank you, councilor Clark. So before we talk about the item before us, we're going to hear from some invited speakers today. And we have nine speakers. I would ask each speaker to keep their remarks to three minutes. But let's start with and if you're present in the room, there's five chairs. So as I call you up, just kind of fill up the five chairs. The first is dca, priya paul. Then we have jeremy five crows with columbia river inter-tribal fish commission. Elaine is it plus placedo? Thank you, lower columbia estuary partnership, michelle emmons of Willamette riverkeeper and john isaacs of the Portland metro chamber. So those are the first five names. I'm not sure I see everyone present, but why don't you come on up to the dais and take a seat if you're here? And then I see that dca donna paul is online. So as you guys are coming on up, why don't you begin your your remarks dc identical. Thank you.
15 All right. Good morning. Chairs Green and Ryan and councilors. My name is paul and I'm the deputy city administrator for public works. And coincidently I'm tuning in from bass columbia boulevard treatment plan today. Thank you for the opportunity to speak in support of this resolution. Portland has long been a leader in integrating environmental innovation into urban infrastructure, and one of our clearest examples of that leadership is bureau of environmental services big pipe project, a transformative investment that made the idea of swimmable Willamette possible, and that success didn't happen overnight. This was a 20 year, 1.4 billion investment by portland's ratepayers, the largest public works effort in Portland history that I'm proud to say was completed on time and on budget in December of 2011. Before the big pipes, Portland experienced an average of 50 combined sewer overflows each year, often lasting for days, sending billions of gallons of a mix of storm water and sewage into the Willamette. And today we only see a handful of overflows each rainy season, and they are shorter and far less severe. The system now prevents 94% of overflows to Willamette and 99% to the columbia, slough and portland's complex. Wastewater and stormwater systems don't just include tunnels, pump stations and treatment plants, but also Green streets and rain gardens and natural areas, all of which work together to protect public health and the health of our rivers and streams. And because of the big pipe project, the Willamette river is healthier than it's been in decades and has become one of our largest public spaces, a place where people paddle, celebrate, and yes, swim. Portland parks and recreation has also played a role in expanding equitable access to the Willamette, including the support for human access project and the restoration efforts along the river. In the recent years, those efforts have removed over 160 tons of concrete and riprap, restored shoreline habitat, and improved recreation access through projects like the new dock at cathedral park, and cities around the world have taken note. Portland is recognized as a trailblazer in reclaiming its liquid public spaces, creating a model that others are now following. Recently, the boston globe mentioned Portland relative to boston's efforts to clean up the charles river, and last year there was the much publicized efforts to make the sand river in paris swimmable in time for the olympics. Joining the swim, joining the swimmable cities charter would reaffirm that success and recognize the efforts investments portlanders have made to the rivers and streams, placing Portland in a global network of more than 125 organizations across 72 cities in 27 countries, all working to make urban rivers healthier and more accessible. Portland led the way once, and let's lead again. I urge your support for this resolution. Thank you.
16 Thank you, don and paul. I'll just note that I remember when the, the project for the big pipe was being proposed and people were worried about how expensive it was going to be, no question that it was costly, but we are realizing the benefits of that today. So when we think about infrastructure, there's costs. Yes, but there's also benefits. I think next, we would like to hear from jeremy crouse of columbia river inter-tribal fish commission.
17 All right. That's maybe maybe city councilors. And my name is jeremy fife. I'm a member of the nez perce tribe. And I'm also here to speak today on behalf of the columbia river inter-tribal fish commission, whose members are the yakama, umatilla, warm springs, and nez perce. These four tribes all have treaty reserved fishing rights and all their usual and accustomed places, which includes the Willamette river. We support the city joining the city's charter. This effort represents more than environmental policy. It's also an acknowledgment of the sacred relationship between our communities and the waters that sustain us. For thousands of years, our tribal ancestors gathered just upriver from here at Willamette falls to fish for salmon and lamprey. They fished standing in the river or surrounded by the mists of the falls, and they would drink directly from the Willamette when they were thirsty. The river was not simply a resource to be managed, but a living entity that provided for every aspect of life, sustenance, ceremony, and spiritual connection over time that once pure river was harmed as its health declined, so did the people's connection to it. But today, thanks to the hard work of so many passionate community members, environmental groups, the city of Portland, metro tribal nations, and local, state and federal government agencies. The Willamette river flowing through the heart of Portland is once again clean enough for people to enjoy swimming and playing in its waters. Clean water is fundamental to all life, but it is also fundamental to community. When people can safely enter the water, they forge physical connections that translate into deeper emotional and spiritual bonds with the river. A child who learns to swim in the Willamette will grow up understanding their responsibility to protect it. An adult who can cool themselves in the river during summer will fight harder to keep it clean. Swimmable cities recognizes this truth that swimmable water creates engaged stewards by making our urban waterways safe for human contact, we restore not just ecological health, but cultural and community health as well. Our tribal nations have never stopped caring for these waters, even as development and pollution made them unsafe. We continue to fight for salmon runs, for habitat restoration, and maybe even the day when the Willamette will once again run clean enough to drink. Swimmable cities aligns with this ancient responsibility and offers hope that future generations will experience the profound connection that comes from being in the water, not just beside it. By being part of the city's charter, the city will be honoring the past, protecting the present, and ensuring that our children's children can know the river as our ancestors did, as a source of life, joy and deep connection to this place that we all call home. Thank you.
18 Thank you so much, jeremy. And I think we I hope we all keep those comments to heart when we think about how we approach the north reach of the Willamette river as well in our policy making. Okay, next I'd like to hear from elaine. Please introduce yourself for the record. Thank you.
19 Good morning. Councilors. My name is elaine placido and I am the executive director of the lower columbia estuary partnership, a nonprofit national estuary program currently celebrating our 30th year of restoring and caring for the waters and ecosystems of the lower columbia river and its and its tributaries, including the Willamette. For current and future generations of fish, wildlife and people. As a program of the clean water act, we were established along with our 28 sister nep's national estuary programs and congressionally recognized estuaries of significance in a program administered by the EPA. The clean water act directs us to restore and maintain the ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance by addressing the quantity and quality of their waters, habitats and living resources, with the goal of making waters fishable and swimmable. Here in Portland, we are fortunate to have the Willamette not as a backdrop, but as the centerpiece of our city. The human access project has led the charge to identify, create and restore places where people can interact directly with the Willamette and swim safely. People are naturally drawn to riverbanks and beaches. We know there is no better way to make people care about something than to introduce them to it. And what better introduction than swimming in the Willamette, bringing people to and into the Willamette is one of the best ways to ensure that this beautiful resource thrives for all of the people, fish, and wildlife who use it. Councilors, please consider supporting the city of Portland to become a signatory. Swimmable city and one of the leaders of the swimmable cities movement. Thank you very much for your time.
20 Thank you so much, michelle. Or I'm sorry, elaine. Next up we have michelle emmons.
21 Please. Isn't able to make it a personal matter.
22 Oh, okay. No problem. Next in the queue then would be mr. Isaacs of the metro chamber. Please go ahead.
23 Thank you, councilor Green. I'm on. I'm on line today. Thank you for that. I needed to drop my son at school. I live on the east side. Could never make it down there in time for you guys. Councilor Green and councilor Clark and chair co-chair Ryan. I'm very pleased to be here today to support the resolution. My name is john isaacs. I'm the executive vice president of public affairs for the Portland metro chamber. I'm a resident of southeast Portland, and I prefer he him pronouns. It is my honor to submit this testimony on behalf of the Portland metro chamber in support of the resolution to bring Portland into the international urban swimming movement, and formally make the city of Portland a signatory to the swimmable cities charter. Portland metro chamber is greater portland's chamber of commerce and represents the largest, most diverse network of businesses in the region. The alliance advocates for the health of our economy at all levels of government to support commerce, livability, community, and the region's overall prosperity. More than 80% of our members are small businesses. I want to commend this committee and councilor Clark for bringing another resolution to council that, frankly, should have been an action taken years ago. Simply put, Portland is behind and has been for years in following the lead of river cities around the world and making our waterfront and our river a primary source of cultural and economic vibrancy. As you know, the chamber is both very worried about the dynamics driving our current economic cycle, but we are also optimistic about the economic future. If we act with urgency, lean into our natural economic assets and advantages, and get to work promoting them to portlanders, Oregonians, visitors from around the country, in the world. I enjoyed the work session conversation yesterday about the future of parks and the upcoming levy. There were many great comments, but I particularly want to point out the support expressed by councilors Clark and Novick for the need to expand public private partnerships to generate vibrancy, sustainable revenue and, yes, make our parks and natural assets like the river, economic drivers. Activating the river and the waterfront is one of the most simple, actionable and impactful strategies we can implement immediately. Partnerships. Just like the one here, primarily with human access project and other organizations, this action today is also a strong companion to two of the chamber's biggest priorities. This legislative session, I would like to quickly mention them both. House bill 2291 will provide badly needed infusion of one time stabilization funds to our signature festivals, which are all on the financial razor's edge, and funding for human access project to expand its river activation programs, which this resolution encourage, encourages. This bill will put our primary waterfront and river activation partners on stable financial footing and allow them to begin talking about possible modernization and expansion in future years. This resolution supports that work. Secondly, we strongly support house bill 3314, which will provide the final funds led by human access project that will clean up the harmful algae bloom blooms that form in the ross island lagoon. This project is essential to both expanding our river activation as encouraged by this resolution, and to our work toward bringing a major league baseball and a world class baseball stadium to Portland. We don't want to be hitting home runs into a river that is damaged by harmful algae. Simply put, the action you are taking today is essential to portland's current economic revitalization and the sustainability of our economy for future generations. We strongly urge your support and thank you for your leadership.
24 Thank you, john, and thank you for making the connection to the economic nexus. Can you repeat again for the record, what the first house bill that you mentioned was? I, I missed that in my.
25 291 house bill, 2291. It will provide what we consider to be emergency funds for our signature festivals like the blues fest, winter lights festival and the rose festival, which are all running on deficit funding right now. And emergency funding had to be secured for the blues fest in order to keep it alive. This year, when we will be hosting the largest conference in the history of the city with the national education association. It will also provide some funds for a study that will look at ways to modernize the activation of waterfront park so and provides funding for river activation. So again, it's a nice companion to this resolution.
26 Thanks, john, and thanks for your commentary today. Thank you. Okay. Next up we do we have nest zolan from prosper Portland in the room. Come on up. Thank you.
27 Yeah.
28 All right. Good morning councilors. For the record my name is nest zolan, project manager in the office of events and film at prosper Portland. I'm honored to be here today with such a stellar group of individuals and organizations supporting this swimmable city's work, and particularly this resolution, the Willamette river is an untapped resource. I think we can probably all agree on that. It is clear that having a healthy river is critical to having a healthy community that lives, works, and plays around the river at prosper Portland and nexus of our work to the Willamette river waterfront is both current activities and events, such as what john mentioned, events like the rose festival, blues festival, pride parade and festival, and newer investments like the rockstar energy open and project pabst, plus activations like lloyd live at the dock, which I'm sure you'll hear more about later. These are critical events that are both economic drivers that support our businesses and community builders that enrich the lives of portlanders. They rely on our waterfront and our river. The river is also a current and future driver of tourism, with 10 to 40% of attendees at those events mentioned coming from out of town. Prosper also supports river activation with ambitious projects such as actualizing the omsi district plan, and I believe we are on the path toward building a city with additional future waterfront development. Just imagine all of these event goers safely swimming and enjoying the river. Human access project is doing great work with strong partners, and we support the city of Portland becoming a signatory swimmable city as part of the international swimmable cities movement. Thank you.
29 Thank you ness. Next up we have morgan spriggs of black swimming initiative.
30 Thank you, honorable city council members. My name is morgan spriggs and I am the co-founder of black swimming initiative. Our organization is dedicated to expanding meaningful participation in water sports and water recreation. But by providing a strong sense of belonging for bipoc individuals of all backgrounds, abilities, and lifestyles through safe and accessible water safety and swimming instruction, portland's rivers and waterways are integral to the city's identity. And yet, yet historically, not all of the communities had have had equal access to the natural resources there. Prior to world war two, the black community in Portland faced discriminatory practices that limited their access to swimming pools and lessons. Although there were no specific ordinances prohibiting use, prevailing social norms effectively barred black families from public swimming facilities. Scholarships from the us. The united states swimming association, based on 2023 studies, estimated that nearly 64% of black individuals in the united states lack basic swimming skills, a stark contrast to about 40% for white individuals. This disparity has led to drowning rates for african American children ages 5 to 9, that are two and a half times higher than their white peers, and for ages 10 to 14, the rate is three and a half times higher than their white counterparts. Based on a 2023 and 2024 provisional data in the cdc and councilor. I think you mentioned it. Oregon still remains top ten in the nation for drowning deaths across all populations. This charter, though, represents an opportunity to address these disparities by promoting equitable access to safe, clean and welcoming waterways. By endorsing this charter, Portland can take a significant step forward towards rectifying historical injustices by formally declaring its waterways are an inclusive environment where all residents can enjoy the benefits of swimming and water recreation. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to experience the joy and freedom of swimming. Endorsing this swimmable city's charter is a meaningful step towards making this vision a reality. Thank you for your for your consideration.
31 Thank you so much morgan and couldn't agree more. And I think it's also why we need to prioritize our community centers, which is where we have access to our swim lessons and our in our city as we as we move forward in our budgeting. Next up we have kristen leber of lloyd eco district.
32 Good morning. I am kristen leber, executive director of lloyd eco district, and we're a small nonprofit that works with community and climate in our one square mile of lloyd. It took a single bike ride in 15 minutes of conversation at the kevin j. Duckworth dock to say yes to what became duckworth's summer wednesdays three years ago. It's now lloyd live at the dock because we're not just on wednesdays anymore. What started with a sunset and a dj and a lifeguard is now an twice weekly live music event all summer long. Every Wednesday and Thursday, we have about 500 people who gather at the car free dock at duckworth dock to cool off, connect and reclaim public space. Bikes line the esplanade as far as the eye can see, and my perception is that it is climate adaptation that looks like joy. I. This transformation has been made possible this year with support from travel Oregon, travel Portland and prosper because revitalizing our city for residents and welcoming visitors is are not competing, but they're deeply intertwined. I just returned from the Portland best practices trip to norway and the netherlands, and in cities like rotterdam and oslo, we got to see and study swim platforms that were next to museums. We saw water taxis that linked neighborhoods. We saw innovation hubs alongside electric cargo docks, cruise ships and mini vessels just used for evenings with friends. And we saw restaurant patios that spilled onto sunny riverbanks and bridges. These cities don't just use water, but they center it. And because of that, as culture and as economy and in their daily lives, and because of that, they're meeting their climate goals while creating some of the most irresistible, community rooted public spaces in the world. Here in Portland, duckworth dock has shown that a little investment a dj, a lifeguard, an artist can shift how people reimagine the river. If a few small nonprofits like us can do that, imagine what an entire city pulling in that direction can do. So by signing the swimmable cities charter, Portland can declare what many of us have already learned over the past few years that the Willamette is not a barrier, but it's a lifeline. Thank you.
33 Thank you so much, kristen and I look forward to joining one of those duckworth evenings very soon. Soon as we get out of this budget season, which occupies all my. And then last up, we have willie levinson with human access project. Come on up, willie.
34 Thanks. Excellent.
35 Hello.
36 Thank you. Thanks for having this resolution. Councilor Dunphy. Councilor Smith, who I had a chance to visit with briefly yesterday. Councilor Green councilor Clark. Thank you, councilor Green and Clark for championing this resolution. It's been something we've been working on for close to 4 to 5 months. And thanks to all the presenters. I mean, I think probably the thing I'm most proud of with human access project is building teams.
37 Willie, just real quick. You need. The record. Yes.
38 Thank you, willie levinson, human access project. Thank you, thank you. Yeah. The thing that I'm most proud of with human access project is just convening cooperative, capable, committed, inclusive and fun people. So this is just an example. The people who came up here today, I mean, wow, what a representation of, you know, jeremy, with the indigenous community, the business community, environmental nonprofits. Morgan, with his great work with helping people swim. But it's just a really exciting moment. And, you know, this, I think really does reflect 15 years of work, of cultural change. That is the work of human access project. We're really driven by the simple words of jacques cousteau. People protect what they love, and getting people into the river will create river stewards. So the things that human access project now has in the pipeline, we are have a big initiative to have Portland discover audrey mccall beach this summer. This is an area between Hawthorne bridge and omsi that removed 200 tons of concrete over four years. We had to get permission from eight separate agencies to remove these concrete chunks. We got a yes with the stipulation that we could not use heavy mechanized equipment, so we worked with volunteers and inmate work crews over a four year period to remove it. Now we're going to be activating it with dj carlos food carts, and I'm just really excited to roll this out. Duckworth dock, we're going to be adding a second day. As kristen mentioned, wednesdays and thursdays. Tom mccall bowl is super exciting. I imagine at some point we'll be back in front of this committee talking about progress we're making on that. A couple of years ago, human access project got a $15,000 grant from travel Oregon to put again, another dream team together to develop some concepts to help kick off a public planning process. And it's great to see that going. And as john mentioned, the number one thing we're working on is the ross island lagoon. Harmful algae bloom. It's not an option for us not to fix this. This has been something we've been working on and leading since 2017. In that time, we've raised $1 million. We're presently working on 30% design to put a channel in that will also come with a cost estimate. We are working on house bill 3314 in Salem right now. It's $1 million bill that will get us to 90% design, which is as far as you can take design before permitting. But ultimately, it's not an option for us to not solve this problem. And for hap, it's just a really interesting dance between getting people to love the river while we can get into it, and then just feeling heartbroken when it's taken away from us, so that people really see the importance of fighting for this. And in a time of climate change and uncertainty, you know, I think it's the responsibility of us, as pete seeger said, as being links in a chain to just keep this thing going and what we can contribute in our generation as adults right now is fixing the ross island lagoon. Harmful algae bloom, and there'll be plenty of environmental challenges in front of us. But I hope I'm able to get all of you guys out to duckworth dock. Thank you so much for your work to bring this resolution and for your support of this resolution. And it's just very special to be here and celebrate with all my friends and our these different organizations and as nonprofits to with the Willamette river and all these different things that are done. I just view all of these organizations as different departments working for the same river. We're all rowing in the same direction, trying to do the same thing. And we have some board members here too. So many thanks for your support of this resolution.
39 Thank you so much, willie. Something tells me this is just the tip of the iceberg in your friend network. Okay? At this point, diego, do we have any public testimony on this item?
40 We do not.
41 Okay. Thank you. Colleagues, I'd like to move into now, considering the item and councilor Clerk. So I think we have to move it. Well, there's an amendment that has to be considered. So you want to talk about that?
42 Sure. Thank you, mr. Chairman. We do want to make an amendment. Do we need to do the amendment before we do the resolution? I'm not sure what the order is, is that we do the amendment first. Okay. So I would like to amend the resolution to actually include additional organizations in the third, whereas it should read Portland owes much to the tireless advocacy discussions, gathering community connection and love for our river provided by the human access project black swimming initiative. I believe we already have the Willamette riverkeepers columbia river tribal fish commission, lower columbia estuary partnership, Portland metro chamber, and the lloyd eco district. If we can add that to the third, whereas. So you move this.
43 I'm sorry. Yes, I move this amendment. Thank you.
44 Second.
45 Okay. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on that? Third. It's the third whereas clause. Correct. Yes. Yeah. Not seeing any. Diego can you call the roll.
46 Clerk. Hi Dunphy.
47 Hi, Smith.
48 I Green. Hi with four eyes. The amendment is accepted.
49 Yale.
50 Okay, so now we have an amended motion for consideration. Colleagues, any comments or any questions on the amended motion or resolution? I should say.
51 Can I just I just like to applaud the perseverance of willie levinson and his activism and his ability to pull together an amazing coalition to do the work that he's done over these years. It's to the benefit of the entire city. And I just how much I appreciate all the work that you've done. And now, in bringing this forward to us today is terrific.
52 Thank you.
53 And with that, can I make a motion?
54 You may.
55 I'd like to move that we adopt the resolution. I'm not sure what the number is. 2020 5-2 19.
56 Sure.
57 There's a script. Sorry.
58 I have to be more specific. All right. I move to adopt the amendment. We already did the amendments. Part of the top part. Sorry. I moved the resolution. And I urge the mayor, the urge the mayor to make the city a signatory to the swimmable city's charter to be sent to the full council with a recommendation that it be adopted.
59 Second.
60 Okay, we have an amendment, amended resolution, and a second before us any discussion?
61 No discussion. But I do have a statement. Should this be before or after?
62 I think it's appropriate to make your statement during discussion. Okay.
63 So I want to thank everybody for coming today and really educating me. I got it like a one minute elevator speech yesterday about what was going on with the Willamette. And I really appreciate you all bringing all the stakeholders together, making sure that everybody has an opportunity to be able to swim and to have access. And being a part of this, of making sure that this happens after we take this vote. But I just want to say thank you because this is so important, especially to bipoc communities who historically, just like the chair said, swimming pools for us were only in the in the public swimming pool areas and we didn't get out to the, to the ocean very much or to the lakes. And so this is huge and it's important and it's critical. And I'm glad we're doing it right now. Thank you so much for your leadership.
64 Thank you for your comments. Councilor Smith. At this time, you know, I'll just say I'll just take the privilege here. I think we're gonna have a great summer ahead of us when we talk about the what we're calling it the bloom loop. Now, I think the Willamette river and a swimming during a hot summer. The Willamette river is going to be a cornerstone of that, and I really look forward to it. So at this, this time, diego, can you please call the roll?
65 Clark Dunphy.
66 I just want to say that I'll admit I have a normal fear of deep water and an abnormal fear of fish, so I don't actually swim in the river. But I'm so thankful for the activism and the urgency around this that willie, you've continued to bring for so many years. So I'm thrilled to vote I.
67 Smith. I Green.
68 Thank you so much willie and friends. I vote aye.
69 With four eyes. The resolution as amended, is referred to the full council, with the recommendation to be adopted.
70 Yeah.
71 So we should take up a collection. And by councilor Dunphy, a really big life preserver.
72 Yeah.
73 We're we're we're talking we're going to find a gentle way to get Jamie in the water. But is there any chance we could get a quick photo with you guys?
74 Yeah, I think that's appropriate when we've concluded our business, which I think is just about now. I would love that. Okay, so I think we don't have any other agenda items. I think what I would like to say in closing is our next meeting of the arts and economy committee is on Tuesday, June 24th. Until then, we will be mired deeply in adopting a budget. Thank you so much for your time, colleagues, and also for everyone who came today to speak in in support of this. So after I gavel us out, let's do that picture at this time. This meeting is adjourned.
75 Okay.