Meeting Minutes

NIBA May Meeting Minutes May 11, 2023

May meeting conducted at Portland Kettle Works starting at 7:30 am until 9:10 am on May 11, 2023.

Guest Speaker:

Jacob Falkinburg, McKenzie Malone from Venture Portland

Discussion:

In 2011 Venture Portland (previously Alliance of Portland Neighborhood Business Associations) continued the process of working with volunteer associations. Communications Director Jacob Falkinburg shared that there are roughly 97neighborhood associations and 30-35 active Business Districts

Services offered by Venture Portland are:

• Biannual grants- $3,000.00-$6,000.00 (next one in September)

• New Summer grant program $250,000.00 over two years to be distributed in $5,000-

• $50,000.00 amounts. Details to be released June 28th. Funds are to be used for staffing, infrastructure improvement, and livability Cam be a combination of these.

• Monthly training Webinars (all recorded and available on VP’s YouTube channel)

• Resource library available on VP’s website (VenturePortland.org)

• Marketing Arm

• Instagram page

• Weekly emails- (Wednesday-What's happening Nationally), (Friday- Business District News)

New Events Hub- McKenzie Malone’s responsibility. Launched February 2021, Provides support for events-

• Information on permits, insurance, etc..

• Boots on the Ground-

• Vision and planning for events

• Consulting, eg. Marketing plan, Rentals, Coordinator. $60.00/hr. Fee to VP Members

Member Meetups-

Next one is 5/25 @ Montavilla Brew Works 5:30-7:00 pm

Venture Portland is working with Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center on a project that creates summer internships for Youth ages 16 and up.

Thad Fisco from Portland Kettleworks graciously allowed us to use his venue for today’s meeting. Portland Kettleworks started in 2011. According to Thad in 2011 there were 1200 breweries and now there are 10,000. Portland Kettle works outgrew their former facility and are now housed in a 6,200 sq foot

building with room to grow. They also have a facility in Mexico. The Portland facility currently employs 20 people. Thad competes with China but has a reputation of being one of the best tank builders in the area. Thad’s company also deals in used equipment but it must be manufactured in the US.

Thad has been incredibly vocal and a decent squeaky wheel at city hall when addressing crime, theft, vandalism, graffiti, etc.

Thad shared some details that he has learned about Portland Police.

Our district gets 50 hours per week of policing and those hours are daylight and weekdays. According to Sargent Kelly there are currently no more than 100 officers actively on the streets. And during the late night/early morning hours that drops down to 10. The department has hired approximately 300 people that are awaiting training to allow them to be on patrol.

The end of the year will probably show a mass exodus of senior officers that will be receiving a one-time offer to leave.

Thad suggested that we bring together the 35 business district leaders and board members with Venture Portland’s assistance for an informal meet and greet. The purpose of the meeting, apart from meeting other district leaders, would be to agree and report to the city what businesses in Portland really need. What are businesses’ top priorities?

Thad also encouraged NIBA to think about what values the MP2H streetcar might bring to our district.