Sellwood Moreland Improvement League

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May 2017 SMILE Newsletter

SMILE -- "The Neighbor"

McLoughlin repaving underway to rebuild sections of the highway

The McLoughlin Boulevard “full makeover” is underway – an extensive ODOT repaving project running through the summer – which includes widening the highway foundation in some areas (particularly between Harold and Tacoma Streets) and improving drainage in others. The paving project extends from S.E. Harold Street south to Harrison Street (at the south end of S.E. 17th) in the City of Milwaukie. There will be three midsummer weekend closures of the northbound lanes between Tacoma Street and Harold Street to allow replacement of the Crystal Springs culvert under the state highway opposite the Westmoreland Union Manor, with the requested detour for northbound traffic during these weekend closures being to take Highway 224 east to Interstate 205 and proceed north from there. The southbound lanes of McLoughlin Boulevard will remain open during this closure.

Community survey about Sellwood Community Center

A committee of SMILE, the “Friends of Sellwood Community Center”, is reaching out to the community with an online survey to get ideas for future use of the Community Center. This year is an especially important year for such a survey, because the proposed Portland Park Bureau budget for 2018 would end preschool programs at ALL of the city’s Community Centers. Committee Chair Gail Hoffnagle remarks, “Over the years, many of you, or your children, have participated in Sellwood Community Center’s preschool programs and/or elementary school programs and/or adult programs – or perhaps you would like to participate in one or more of these in the future. Whether you are new to the neighborhood or a current or former participant, or if your children have been involved in the center, we want your feedback!”To take the survey, simply enter this address into your browser: http://tinyurl.com/n95yxbu

Annual Sellwood-Westmoreland “clean up” day is May 20

The 38th annual neighborhood clean-up is Saturday, May 20 – 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. only – in the parking lot at the south end of Westmoreland Park, S.E. Nehalem at 23rd. Throw-away junk accepted include appliances, tires, yard debris, unwanted furniture, metal, aluminum, block Styrofoam and Styrofoam peanuts (no meat trays) – and e-waste from households but not businesses. NOT accepted are any Metro prohibited materials, including food garbage, plaster, concrete, dirt, sheetrock, batteries, construction or demolition materials of any sort, and hazardous materials. No material accepted which could possibly contain asbestos. Cost depends on volume dumped; $7-$13 small sedan or station wagon, $13-$20 small pickup, $20-$30 large pickup, $30 and up for larger vehicles. $15 extra charge for appliances containing Freon. Up to five tires per vehicle, free; no tires over 21 inches. Curbside collection for seniors and disabled: call 503/794-8212, and pay fee to driver. Proof of Sellwood-Westmoreland residency required – driver’s license or utility bill will do.

Report from the SMILE Land Use Committee

Please visit the SMILE Land Use Committee meeting on Wednesday May 3 at 6 p.m. at SMILE Station at S.E. 13th & Tenino to learn about and discuss three proposed

developments:

5434 S.E. Milwaukie Avenue in Westmoreland: Neighborhood contact meeting for a proposed 4-story 29-unit apartment building. The project will follow the community design standards. The architect, Ralph Tahran, will present plans.

8145 S.E. 6th (Sellwood Bridgehead): Christopher Staggs of Ideas Collaborative will present plans for a new five-story, 150,000-square-foot mixed-use development. The project would include 100 apartment units, 100 below-grade parking spaces, and ground-floor commercial space. They have requested an early assistance meeting with the City. They have requested an adjustment (increase) to the 45-foot height limit allowed in the CS zone, for which a type II land use review with public comment is required.

1944 and 2006 S.E. Tacoma Street in Sellwood: Michelle Shaheen of Works Progress Architecture will present plans for a 12-unit development. The project will be requesting design review.

The complete agenda for these meetings is always available online at: www.sellwoodmoreland.org.

Help plan the biggest party all year, in Sellwood and Westmoreland!

It’s called “Sundae in the Park”, and since 1979 SMILE has presented it to bring the community together in upper Sellwood Park on the first Sunday afternoon of August for a day of live music, cheap ice cream sundaes, lunch items, local history, informational tables, and games of various sorts. In the last few years, Portland Parks has joined in with evening entertainment followed by an outdoor showing of a hit family movie to end the day (sponsored by the Sellwood Westmoreland Business Alliance). It’s fun, it benefits the Meals on Wheels People service, and it really draws a crowd to the park. YOU can help plan and present it! Join the members of the SMILE Sundae in the Park Committee at its monthly planning meeting on the second Wednesday evening of the month, through July, at SMILE Station (8210 S.E. 13th at Tenino Street), 7:30-9 p.m.

Consider joining the SMILE Board May 3!

The annual Board election for this Sellwood and Westmoreland all-volunteer neighborhood association is at the General Meeting on the first Wednesday in May – it’s on the 3rd, this year. All four officer positions and four of the eight at-large Board seats are up for election. Anyone who lives in, owns property in, or is represents a business in, Sellwood and Westmoreland is eligible – and the main obligation is attending the General and Board meetings on the first and third Wednesday evenings of the month as often as possible. Nominations can be made from the floor before the election on May 3. A nominations committee has been seeking candidates, but any eligible person is welcome to nominate themselves, or someone else who is interested and qualified.

Attend a SMILE meeting!

You’re invited to attend SMILE meetings every month at SMILE Station, an historic building on the site of the original fire station for the old “City of Sellwood”. The May General Meeting (and the annual Board election) will be at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, May 3rd – and the next regular Board meeting will be at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, May 17th. SMILE Station is on the southeast corner of S.E. 13th at Tenino, a block south of Tacoma Street, at 8210 S.E. 13th in Sellwood. Meeting agendas beforehand, and draft meeting minutes afterward, are posted online at: www.SMILErecords.org.

Rent SMILE Station – or the historic church!

SMILE is the renting agent for the historic and picturesque Oaks Pioneer Church, on S.E. Spokane Street at Grand, just north of the Sellwood Bridge – overlooking the Willamette River. The church is available at very attractive rates for weddings, memorials, christenings, and other events. In addition, SMILE owns its own building – SMILE Station, S.E. 13th and Tenino, at 8210 S.E. 13th – which is also for rent at very attractive rates for business meetings, parties, wedding receptions, and special events; it will seat up to 100 and has tables, chairs, and an industrial kitchen facility. See more at: www.SMILEstation.org. For information on renting either building for your event, call 503/234-3570, and leave a message for Lori Fyre; she will return your call. To research Oaks Pioneer Church and what it offers, visit its own Internet website: www.OaksPioneerChurch.org.

Community volunteers serve on SMILE committees, too!

SMILE is also looking for neighbors to serve on one or more of SMILE’s committees, including:

Transportation Committee
Land-Use Committee
Stewardship of Natural Amenities Committee (“SNAC”)
Sundae in the Park Committee
History Committee
Emergency Preparedness Committee
Crime Prevention Committee
Friends of Sellwood Community Center
Historic Pioneer Church Committee
SMILE Station Committee
Finance Committee
Communications Committee
Various ad-hoc committees as needed

Attend a SMILE meeting, and find out more about what we do!

Websites for Sellwood-Westmoreland

SMILE offers two complementary websites as a resource for the neighborhood. One is the neighborhood’s blog: www.SellwoodMoreland.org – posting neighborhood news, and regularly updated. A second website contains SMILE’s agendas, minutes, announcements, documents, resources, and much ongoing and regularly-updated neighborhood reference information – it’s online at: www.SMILErecords.org. In addition, SMILE maintains an informational website for the Oaks Pioneer Church on Spokane Street at the east end of the Sellwood Bridge, for which it is the renting agent: www.OaksPioneerChurch.org. For more on SMILE Station: www.SMILEstation.org.

Neighborhood survey: What your neighbors think

Many thanks to the hundreds who completed last year’s SMILE Neighborhood Survey. It was a fantastic success, with over 700 people filling out the questionnaire! Your neighborhood association, SMILE, is using the results of this survey to help give direction to our stances on neighborhood issues facing our community. It will also help recruit much-needed new volunteers for SMILE’s various committees. Thanks once again. We have a great neighborhood!! Go to this Internet address to view the detailed results of the survey: http://tinyurl.com/nzymuw3. It is also posted on both SMILE websites: www.sellwoodmoreland.org, and www.smilerecords.org. A Southeast Uplift presentation, from the July 15, 2015, SMILE Board Meeting on Land Use Training, is also now posted for downloading on the latter website for those interested in the subject.

Who SMILE members are

SMILE members are everyone living in, working in, or owning property in, Sellwood and/or Westmoreland – unless they specifically exempt themselves. All SMILE members are welcome to volunteer for any of the SMILE committees of particular interest to them.

SMILE is a 501c3 nonprofit

Of the 95 recognized neighborhood associations in Portland, SMILE is one of the few to be authorized by the IRS as a nonprofit “501c3” organization. This means that donations made to SMILE are tax-deductible – and are very welcome!

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SMILE 2017-18 Board election results!

At the May 3, 2017, Annual General Public Meeting, SMILE's annual Board election was held. The results were:

Officers (1-year terms):

President: Joel Leib

Vice President : Gail Hoffnagle

Treasurer: Pat Hainley

Secretary: Eric Norberg

At-Large Board Seats (2-year terms):

TERM EXPIRES 2018

Elaine O'Keefe

Elizabeth Milner [Elected to fill this vacant seat at a special election on October 5, 2016]