First, check the blue boxes in the left sidebar. I've customized the "I Want To..." tabs to cover some of the links I have most wanted to use over the years. And you'll find links to each of my bureaus, offices and special assignments in the "Commissioner Amanda's Portfolio" list.
Three of the tabs on the top line of my web site are "Next Up at City Council", "Coming Down the Pike", and "What Happened?" - as I promised in my campaign.
Next Up at City Council has information on the upcoming week's City Council Agenda, with links to background documents and staff contact information. And a quick, easy "Give me your opinion on this" Comments option, because I want to know what you think. Each Monday after I've heard the briefings from staff on the Agenda items, I'll post summaries about what I've heard and what I'm thinking. I'll also invite your comments and participation directed to the particular issues I consider most controversial and/or in need of public input.
Coming Down the Pike is a one-stop information center for important issues being worked on in the bureaus, offices, and programs I oversee. Part of my job as a City Commissioner is to help staff and citizens use time and resources efficiently and effectively, and work together on projects and policies. The information on this page will tell you when you can participate in projects at the stages when you can have the most influence on the final product.
What Happened? is my third issues tab. Here, you can find out what was decided on major City Council items, and what comes next. I'll work at closing the loop by letting you know the next steps, and how you can be involved in making sure what was promised is implemented.
Meet the Team is where you can find out about my staff, who to call for help, and which bureaus and liaison duties are in my portfolio. It's also where you can sign up to volunteer as an intern or community liaison, to become part of the team.
Contact Us has easy online forms you can submit with questions and comments, either using your PortlandOnline account or not. I encourage you to join PortlandOnline by setting up a free account and telling the website to "remember" you. A PortlandOnline account gives you handy-dandy features like online bill paying, and access to reporting forms for many service issues (graffiti, nuisances, noise, streetlights out, etc.). When you have an account, you can also subscribe to many ways of getting new information posted in PortlandOnline directly in your email inbox. The City does not share your account information with anyone. It helps me provide more efficient service to you in answering your questions and responding to your concerns if you use PortlandOnline, because the system directs your message to the correct person on my staff. So please sign up!
Amanda's Blog is where you are invited to participate in community discussions. On other pages of the site, where comments are enabled, they are sent directly to my office rather than being posted online. Amanda's blog is also where you'll find beautiful photographs of Portland and our people, for those times when we all need a break from difficult policy and program challenges.
Calendar is a work-in-progress. I want to be as open and transparent as possible, in telling you who I'm meeting and where I'll be. And I want to tell you before rather than after it happens, as well as providing the required post-dated reporting for lobbying accountability purposes. The web site's software doesn't provide an easy way to do that from my Outlook calendar, so we will be working on patches and personal postings to provide the information. In the meantime, I'll use the Events box on the front page to list significant public meetings where you and I could interact.
Links will become a page with oodles of opportunities to read others' information. For now, I'm paying more attention to posting my own, but you'll find a few useful links including a listing for contact information for all City bureaus. If you want to find out more information quickly, call 503-823-4000, and the friendly Information and Referral Specialists in the Office of Neighborhood Involvement will help you find the right person to talk to at the City, County, or elsewhere.
