Minutes for February 2026 WNA General Meeting

2026-02-19

Minutes for February 2026 WNA General Meeting

Woodlawn Neighborhood Association General Meeting Agenda

Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 6:30 pm

Please make every effort to join us In Person at Classic Foods: 817 NE Madrona

Or join the meeting online via Zoom (now with improved audio): https://zoom.us/j/3014662210?pwd=d3VKbXkzVldqYzNWU2RwVm9OUkZyZz09

Meeting ID: 301 466 2210, Passcode: WNA

Streamed/recorded on our YouTube channel: youtube.com/@woodlawnneighborhoodassoci5818

Welcome and Vision: “In the future, Woodlawn will be a place where people live harmoniously, respectfully, and in support of one another. The neighborhood will be a clean and thriving community… All Woodlawn residents will share and pursue the common values of health, efficiency, beauty, equity, and justice.”

6:30 – 6:40 Social Time

Get to know your neighbors.

6:40 – 7:45 General Business

Approve January meeting notes.

Melissa makes a motion to approve the January minutes. Linde seconds. All are in favor. January minutes are approved.

Special Guest – Portland City Council District 2 Councilmember Sameer Kanal (6:40-7:15)

Sameer Kanal is one of the three city councilmembers representing N/NE PDX. He gave us an update on the progress the council is making on reconfiguring their committees and dealing with issues such as traffic safety, the CEI hub, and climate resilience. District 2 is now the region with the highest number of traffic fatalities; unfortunately no one from District 2 has yet been appointed to the safety committee. There was discussion about reconfiguring MLK Blvd for better pedestrian safety. Safe routes to school and sidewalk safety are also ongoing concerns that are under discussion with Portland Public School Board members. Community engagement on these issues is welcome.

There was also a discussion about what the city has put in place in the event that ICE deploys here like the situation in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Legislation passed in November about facility fees on detention centers that is set to take effect in the coming weeks. There would be fines for use of tear gas out of a rented building.

In addition, the city’s Emergency Management Bureau is working with scenarios if/when ICE deploys to Portland Again. Councilor Kanal said that elected leaders need to regularly hear from citizens in the city with their concerns so it can continue to be taken seriously. Many more conversations need to happen on this complex subject. In addition, Portland is hoping to bring a version of a bill to ban mask-wearing by law enforcement in March. We should all reach out to our representatives if you have concerns about this. There was also discussion about the potential violation of the the situational use permit in the SW Macadam building that ICE occupies. Currently there are four other federal buildings in the Portland urban area. The state legislators also need to be involved in this permit violation discussion as this is a rule under state law. More information about this ICE use-permit situation is available as a flow chart on all of Councilor Kanal’s social media.

You can read and sign up for newsletters from Councilor Kanal here: https://www.portland.gov/council/districts/2/sameer-kanal/kanalnewsletterE-mail for Councilor Kanal is councilor.kanal@portlandoregon.gov. In addition, Matt LAST NAME is his community advocate.

Woodlawn Elementary School Jazz Night—Andy Furgeson (7:15-7:25)

Andy Furguson, co-chair of the event which is the Woodlawn PTA’s largest annual fundraiser in its seventh year. This year it will be held on Friday, February 27 5:30 pm to 9 pm at the Village Ballroom. The event continues to educate and pay homage to the historic North Williams jazz scene and the living history of Black music in Portland. There is also an online auction. All proceeds from the event benefit the Woodlawn Elementary School Resilience Fund. WNA folks and neighbors are encouraged to attend and/or volunteer. You can learn more and sign up to volunteer here: https://event.auctria.com/ad720213-4fa6-464a-9f6a-bf4ba6d36ab5/

Strategic Vision and Approach for WNA and Farmers Market—PZ, New WNA Interim Chair, (7:25-7:40)

PZ, new WNA interim chair, noted that our priority is to engage the Woodlawn community. We currently need to fill open vacancies and maintain the great Woodlawn activities that happen every year in the neighborhood. All events run by volunteers. Presently we are in need of a Vice Chair for the WNA. In addition, there is a new proposal for a revised structure that would include the Woodlawn Farmers Market within the WNA board itself. Nancy suggests that perhaps we should table discussion of this new proposal and have a separate meeting before our March 2026 WNA General Meeting at which we could then formally vote on the new structure/board. PZ will reach out to board members to schedule that meeting.

Update on PBOT Woodlawn Plaza Application—John Tudesco (7:40-7:45)

We applied for PBOT plaza for Woodlawn and have been selected for Round 2. Next step is a meeting with PBOT. Anjala and PZ will be involved in that discussion, and we will get an update after that. Design/planning comes later in the process. Timeframe is Summer 2026. If we are selected they will do a pilot program to temporarily block off the area between Firehouse and Campana to see how the plaza works. Temporary block it off and see how it works.

Time for Neighbor Open Comments/Concerns (7:45-7:50)

Angela Taylor wants signs about WNA events and meetings to put on a utility pole near her house where there are lots of dog walkers going by on NE 22^nd Avenue.

Joy Keen notes that she is maintaining a Little Free Seed Library in front of her house at 6034 NE 9^th. You are welcome to donate any extra seeds that you have. In addition, there are whistles in the seed library as well free for the taking.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt — Dave

The Easter Egg Hunt in Woodlawn Park will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026, starting at 11 am.

About 5 volunteers are needed to stuff about 2000 plastic eggs a week before. And about 10 volunteers are needed an hour before the event to set up the little “carnival” atmosphere and to hide the eggs and then to do takedown after the event ends. We also need a volunteer to wear the Easter Bunny costume! Dave will have sign-up sheets for volunteers at the WNA March meeting. Nancy makes a motion to approve $250 in funds for Dave for the Easter Egg Hunt. PZ seconds it. All are in in favor.

*Feel free to leave or stay for Board business!

7:50 – 8:00 Board Business

Treasurer’s Report – Melissa

We have $ 2226.41 in out account. Melissa went to the bank to start the process of adding PZ to our account. Some logistical issues still need sorting out.

Linde makes a motion to remove Dennis Kennedy from the Farmers Market bank account and add Melissa Jura and Peter Zelenka. Nancy seconded it. All board members in favor.

Melissa needs to start a new Venmo for Woodlawn NA. She has been in touch with Barbara’s son who has access to old Venmo until we get a new one. Once this gets sorted, we will re-activate the Venmo donation button on the Go Woodlawn website.

Melissa ordered a backup battery for PA system so that we can power it in the park. We currently have $285 left in the 2025 communications grant fund. Farmer’s Market Update – Keith

Justin Cooper wants to give back the Farmers Market website. He has been hosting/donating this service for years. We need to figure out what this means and who can take it over. Wants to stop this.

Secretary’s Report – Nancy

NECN has transitioned to a new recordkeeping platform on Google Classroom. There will be a District Google Classroom On-boarding Tutorial at NECN Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 6:30pm to 8:00pm.

Nancy will also write to Shelly about the status of paying for the Go Woodlawn website. It will soon be time to apply for the 2026 NECN communications grant. Can we use that funding to pay for web site hosting services?

Outreach and Community Engagement Report – Linde

None this month.

NECN Report – Anjala via submitted written comments

The ability to request up to $1000 in 2026 communications funds will be announced soon. The small grants process will also be announced soon.

The City budget has announced more potential major cuts; so NECN is creating a professional strategic plan and with that taken care of, NECN can then request major grants from other funders, in a move to make itself more solidly financed, and not dependent on City funding.

Land Use and Transportation Report – Anjala via submitted written comments

Have started working with members of Concordia and Cully Neighborhoods to develop proposals for making Lombard turnoffs safer, especially 15th and Lombard.

Have reviewed and declined to sign on to a letter asking State Reps and Senators to give more money to TriMet so that TriMet won’t cut service to most of Woodlawn because its unlikely that TriMet would change their decision.

The ABCs of Land Use was provided in person and over zoom and can be viewed by going to the NECOALITION.ORG website. More training in zoning and permits will be provided later this year.

There will be a hearing February 5 as to whether the owners of Lloyd Center should be permitted to demolish it to build affordable housing. More details available on NECOALITION.ORG website.

NE Coalition hopes to soon reactivate the NECN LUTC which will pool the issues of all 28 neighborhoods in the coalition and speak with a louder voice accordingly.

Potential Agenda Items for March WNA 2026 meeting