Politics & Government
Portland City Council Postpones Vote On Behavior Rules
The council, which is considering new rules it hopes will impose some order, puts off voting until next week.
The Portland City Council, which is considering new rules that it hopes will allow them to impose some order on meetings, postponed voting on those rules on Wednesday.
The council heard testimony - mostly from people opposed to the new rules but also from some in favor - before adjourning. The mayor wants to meet with the ACLU to discuss their objections.
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The council has seen several meetings in recent weeks shut down by protesters upset with issues including whether the city needs to do more on the issues of homelessness and police relations.
There has also been a vocal group demanding the resolution of Mayor Ted Wheeler who they feel has been a disappointment in his eight weeks in office.
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Wheeler proposed several changes to the way the council operates including allowing whomever is running the meeting to have the power to exclude someone for disruptive or threatening behavior.
The council will also have the power to exclude people for longer periods but will be required to first give them written warnings.
Wheeler says the change is necessary.
"Over the past few years, City Council meetings have been repeatedly interrupted by the disruptive or aggressive behavior of some individuals of the public attending the meetings," the supporting documents to the proposed ordinance say. "This loss of civility and disruption has become more frequent, almost to the point it has become the new 'norm'
"Such disruptive behavior not only delays the ability of the City Council to effectively conduct City business, in some cases the behavior creates a hostile or threatening environment for Council members, City staff, and other members of the public in attendance."
Charlie Hales, Wheeler's predecessor, had passed a rule that allowed the council to exclude someone based on previous behavior.
A federal judge ruled that violated peoples First Amendment rights.
The council will now likely consider the changes next week.
Photo Colin Miner
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