May 09, 2004

Comments (23)

1. M on 09 May 2004

   Hey, b!X, what would you think of occasionally posting an open thread? I'm sure there are plenty of readers who have something on their mind.

2. Rob on 09 May 2004

   Yuk B!X....You really have the time to cover not one, but two of these gatherings? You'll have to enlighten me on how and when these people bring about positive change for our city. I surely couldn't get those answers from their website.

   The only thing I found of interest was an upcoming forum:

   Neighborhoods in the Crossfire: Is Portland Trigger-Happy? with John Canda, executive director of Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods; LaSeanta Jones, a teen voice "from the middle of it all"; Michael Stradley, Portland Police Officer, Northeast Precinct; and moderator S. Renee Mitchell, columnist for The Oregonian

   I guess I'm glad to some extent you'll be covering these two gatherings if only to enlighten me on what I expect to be a gathering of pompous, monied (as you referred to them) indiviuals of a former "good 'ol boys club", (they didn't allow women until 1973 after starting their club just after the turn of the century) who probably use these gatherings to make deals behind the scenes to benefit them personally.

   That may not be fair. All the more reason I'll be interested in seeing what you have to report.

3. sioen on 09 May 2004

   Oh lord, b!X, you have much more intestinal fortitude than do I.

   These are exactly the sort of elitist, out-of-touch power-broker wannabes that make the world so aesthetically unpleasant to live in.

   (As the previous poster said, that may not be fair... no, actually, it is. Nevermind.)

   Nonetheless, I am delighted that someone will attend who can tell me what they talk about ("How many different chutneys can everyone name???" giggle giggle) and why it doesn't matter to real Portlandians and the real world we inhabit.

   Bless you, my son.

4. M on 09 May 2004

   During KGW News at 6:30 today, I saw a new version of Nick Fish's "Working for Us" ad. Now, after pledging to "end backroom deals, like PGE Park," Fish says (approximately), "Sam Adams, Mayor Katz's Chief of Staff, now admits he didn't do his homework on the deal, costing us millions." This is the first ad I've seen that criticizes another candidate in any race in this election.

5. Elaine of Kalilily on 09 May 2004

   Heh. Maybe one of these monied Portlanders would like to become that Communique "patron" you're wishing for.

6. The One True b!X on 09 May 2004

   Well, I wouldn't judge City Club based upon these salons. They are fundraisers, after all. While it's true that City Club did not admit women members until lamentably late in its long history, they have a solid tradition of examining critical issues facing Portland in ways that no one else does. Just randomly coming to mind is their researched indictment of what had become of community policing under Mark Kroeker.

   And their Friday Forums aren't something to be dismissed either. Real tickets may cost more than I would ever pay (or could) but non-member cheap-seat tickets are only $5.

7. aero on 09 May 2004

   Ya. I recently covered one of the Portland City Club's Friday "Forums". The speaker was Gen. Ed Eberhart. It was disgusting. He verbally stroked Bush for a while then they had an "open" Q & A session, of which only PAYING city club members were allowed to take place. My Journalism professor was actually happy I commented on the exclusion of non cuty club members in the actual meat and potatoes part of the "forum"..... The City Club needs to work on a few things...

8. aero on 09 May 2004

   BTW.. on the other hand, the Communications Director for the City Club treated me very well. He got me in for free since I was covering it for a journalism assignment. He even offered to get me one of the overpriced lunches for free :) nice guy, helpfull. He should go look for a job with a more worthy organization....

9. Tiffany Lee Brown on 10 May 2004

   b!x, i think it's appropriate for you to attend these things, find out what's being said, let the rest of us know, and for heck's sake partake of some righteous yuppie food. your soul will not be sullied unless you want it to be.

   i do think the City Club is obnoxious, though. a few years back they tried to invigorate themselves into relevance with a drive for "young" members -- by which they meant people like me, actually in our early thirties, who were involved in various Portlandy things but who'd all somehow brought ourselves to their attention. i attended one of these Gen-X meetings and felt completely out-of-place. i may have been younger than many assembled, and regardless of age, most people seemed to already know each other, wear the right khaki pants, be involved in the right programs and non-profits and stuff. i felt like i'd landed on an alien ship; now, having spent a little time w/ City people, i would probably find it less bureaucratic, insidery, and scary. i know they were trying, but it felt contrived.

   then they'd invite us to attend exclusive stuff that cost a freakin' buttload of dough (ooh, gross image). what's sad, to me, is that the properly hip and therefore poverty-stricken citizens of PDX can't get a competing forum together, one that is not so exclusive. but i guess the best way to get people interested in politics is to entice them with chutneys and cheese.

   as for the rest of the citizenry? let them eat cake!

10. hilsy on 10 May 2004

    Wow. I'm pretty taken aback at the "elitisim" of these comments calling the City Club elite. Just because something costs money (which is not surprising since the dinners aer fundraisers), does that make an event elitist?

    City Club has a long tradition as a non-partisan civic group that has been active in Portland, effectively, for decades.

    Don't knock it until you know more about the details of City Club. I applaud their efforts to take enough initiative to get involved in the civics of Portland. Like B!x's comments earlier in the city politics campaigns, not every group fits every single person in this city. X-Pac worked for some and City Club has worked for others.

11. Wendy R-W on 10 May 2004

    I’m surprised at the level of venom directed at an organization that, for almost 90 years, has dedicated itself to non-partisan citizen participation. Over the years, City Club has published reports on race relations, sustainability, domestic violence, and community policing, along with many others. A City Club report is widely cited as instrumental in preserving Forest Park and another is responsible for exposing a wide-reaching corruption scandal within the police bureau and City Hall.

    This year alone, City Club has sponsored large and small forums on issues like the ownership of PGE, No Child Left Behind, tax reform, the USA Patriot Act, as well as mayoral and city council forums.

    Of course, none of this is free. Like every non-profit in town, City Club struggles just to keep its doors open and to keep providing its services. Rather than sponsor another “rubber chicken” dinner in a downtown hotel, City Club decided to hold its fundraiser this year in members' homes, with the hope that we could spark real conversation while also raising support for the Club.

    Far from being a member of the “monied class” (I am a non-profit director now and was a criminal defense lawyer until a year ago), I opened my home and asked my friends to do the same because I believe in that it is really important for Portland to have a non-partisan public forum.

    Membership is open to everyone. Feel free to call me if you have questions or suggestions

    Wendy Radmacher-Willis
    Executive Director
    City Club of Portland

12. Chris Smith on 10 May 2004

    I am a member of the City Club board of governors, a neighborhood activist (NWDA) and a regular reader of b!X (and also a patron, having made a contribution to b!X).

    I fully agree with Wendy's comments and will go one step further. I will be happy to host any reader of b!X at the May 21st City Club Friday Forum as my guest (maximum of 10 guests, I'm not as monied as some of you think I am).

    This forum is "Neighborhoods in the Cross Fire" (full description below). Please come and form your own opinion of the value of City Club.

    Neighborhoods in the Crossfire: Is Portland Trigger-Happy? with John Canda, executive director of Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods; LaSeanta Jones, a teen voice "from the middle of it all"; Michael Stradley, Portland Police Officer, Northeast Precinct; and moderator S. Renee Mitchell, columnist for The Oregonian

13. John on 10 May 2004

    When I moved to Portland years ago, after seeing the status accorded to reports/etc coming from the City Club, I assumed it had a fairly broad-based and progressive membership. Upon investigating a membership for myself, however, I was shocked to find that there was no membership option for low-income people. This --I think-- ought to be shocking to any progressive, whether or not they as individuals can afford the membership.

    Since becoming aware of this problem, the Club's opinions have carried significantly less credibility with me. It is an open secret in this City that if one wants to do progressive, community-building work, one should join any of the dozens of groups doing that type of work. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a way to invest a sizeable amount of money to gain networking opportunities with other wealthy downtown liberals, the City Club is where you go.

    Perhaps that makes membership a shrewd career move, but the City Club holds itself out as being more than that.

    So, Wendy, is your club more than just a networking opportunity? (Are you saying that that's all the Club can afford to be?) If so, that's fine, but if it's goal is to be the voice and conscience of the community, ask yourself: how well does it accomplish that? Can it ever succeed, given the sameness of the views at the table?

14. Wendy R-W on 10 May 2004

    John:

    I hear what you are saying about City Club dues, and I know they are a hardship for some people. It is a constant source of discussion amongst City Club staff and Board members about how to make sure we can fulfill our mission (and pay the bills) and still be accessible. There are reduced rate dues for members under the age of 30, and we offer a monthly dues option so that the dues payment can be split up over the year.

    Moreover, members who pay their dues, along with contributors and corporate sponsors, essentially underwrite our programs and events so that we can make them accessible to as many people as possible. With the exception of these fundraising Salons (which make other programs possible), members of the public can attend the vast majority of our programs either for free or for $5 or less. While the programs themselves are costly, we fundraise to keep them affordable to the public.

15. Dylan Parkins on 10 May 2004

    As a member of City Club I am surprised at the amount of misunderstanding and anger towards City Club. I am a 24 year old, recent college graduate. I would hardly consider myself “monied, or elitist.” What I am though is a concerned citizen, and one who cares about this city and is unwilling to sit on the sidelines and complain as so many people do.

    What surprised me the most though, are the comments made about City Club’s attempt at fundraising. In order to make the fees as low as they are, City Club must seek other sources of income. And yet, the very same people who criticize City Club for charging member dues are disgruntled at the fact that they are trying to fundraise.

    Research costs money and so do the staff of City Club. Like any other non-profit organization, they struggle on a daily basis to pay the phone bill, the payroll, among other things. Lastly I want to say that John’s comment about there being no option for low-income people, is false. I pay $6.80 a month to be a member, hardly a “sizable amount of money.” Not to mention the New Leaders Council which is FREE.

16. John on 10 May 2004

    I won't defend other people's comments, since I never used the term "elitist" and never claimed that all members are "monied."

    But I will respond to Dylan's claim that there are low income options for membership. There are not. While I appreciate that there is an affordable option for those under 30, this is not the same as a membership option for low income people. (Indeed, it's a loss-leader, granted on the assumption that you will pay the full rate eventually.)

    I hope that, as a new member, you will understand that merely mixing in a few recent graduates for a discounted rate does NOTHING to bring in the persectives of the low income community. I have no doubt that you've had difficulty making ends meet over the last few years, but that's just not the same thing.

17. tomhiggins on 10 May 2004

    B!x going to the City Club is just one of the many things he should be doing so that he gets an overviews of the many aspcets of Portland's gestalt. For better or worse City Club is one of the many parts that makes up Portland as is Portland Indi Media, co-ops, late night backroom Texas Holdem for committe membership and all the other thigns slivers that create its great mossaic.

    I can think of no better fly on the wall than B!x
    and look forward to his reporting and retelling of the events he bears witness to, no matter where they happen.

    -tomhiggins

18. myrln on 10 May 2004

    Jeez, bring an appetite with you. Will they give out doggie bags, too? 'Twill be most intriguing to read the report.

19. Billy on 10 May 2004

    No options for low income people? How do you figure? And I quote "Anyone can become a member of City Club. City Club offers a monthly dues payment system. Members can join for only $6.88 (age 30 and under) or $13.75 (age 31 and up) per month. There has never been a better time to join Oregon's most lively forum for discussion and debate on current affairs and issues of civic concern!"

    If you are under 30 that is two bags of potato chips a month. And, if you are over 30 that is two bags of potato chips at Wild Oat's. I make $900 a month. This is not out of my reach.

    Please check out their website and read attentively. http://www.pdxcityclub.org/membership.php

20. Dylan Parkins on 11 May 2004

    Well I think we all make decisions about how we spend our money, regardless of how much or how little we have. Will it be one martini or City Club membership? Will it be two mochas or City Club membership? Will it be three PBRs or City Club membership? Will it be one CD or two months of City Club membership? I have a very hard time believing that most b!X posters don't piddle away at least $6.80 a month without even realizing it. If you don't like the influences of City Club on Portland, make the intentional decision to redirect that $6.80 to be a voice for the change you'd like to see. After all, it is a membership organization, not a grand conspiracy of the Portland elite, which brings me to my next point. I suspect that 98% of City Club members would laugh at the notion of being “monied,” and the handful that are "monied" by anybody's standards, are probably more likely to feel like a fish out of water at a City Club event than those that post on b!X. But then again, I'm just making wild assumptions about a bunch of people I've never met. Well now that hardly seems right, does it?

21. brett on 11 May 2004

    > But then again, I'm just making wild assumptions about a bunch of people I've never met. Well now that hardly seems right, does it?

    Never posted a comment before, have ya?

22. Gary Marschke on 11 May 2004

    Not a member - could marginally afford membership but still not able to justify the expense when compared to other options - but been to CC events and I have to say that there is nothing wrong with being a monied club of elitists (not that they necessarily are) if you're not trying to pass yourself off as anything else.

    As an outsider, I've actually never perceived that City Club thought of themselves as anything but the collective voice of thoughtful and concerned citizens who happened to have sufficient funds and common interest in current events to support such a club. They have always seemed clear on and true to a mission of informed discourse and developing reports that distilled their research and offered the occasional conclusion for the benefit of anyone who chose to partake. They've never presumed to represent any particular constituency other than their membership and never seemed to expect anything other than to be accepted as themselves. I suspect that they're entitled to at least that.

23. tiffany on 20 May 2004

    > If you are under 30 that is two bags
    > of potato chips a month. And, if you are
    > over 30 that is two bags of potato chips at
    > Wild Oat's.

    ha! love that. (except your 30+ Taro Chips would likely be coming from New Seasons or your nearby co-op, cuz you like to shop local. boo Wild Oats.)

    personally, i love good food & totally respect the need for non-profits and other worthy groups to throw fundraisers. (speaking of which: sliding scale to get into the BOOBIE AUCTION fundraiser tonight! see www.2gyrlz.org for details.)

    the City Club members who are dismayed by this thread and who feel that their organization is not elitist *should* defend themselves, sure. but they might also ask: hm, how the heck could we have given so many people the wrong impression?

    there's more to it than money. outreach is involved with things like the bag-o-potato-chips membership fee. (i had no idea cheap memberships were available.) there's also a social factor to consider. if we don't meet any CC members in our various communities, then we only have media mentions of the Club to go by. it's called a "club," it costs money, it has lots of politicians and influential people and self-congratulatory talk surrounding it: of COURSE people are going to think it is elitist. we hear about it on NPR; we don't hear that it sponsors KBOO (at least not on the shows i listen to). that kind of thing.

    many of us don't meet CC members--at least, none who talk about it--in our parts of the world. i mostly meet Portland people at performance events, indie shows, & doing independent publishing/writing/readings, going to art happenings & parties. if the CC community is there, i'm not hearing about it.

    there's a simple, social angle to this. if i go to a group that is supposedly not elitist or exclusive and everyone there seems to speak the same language (one i don't know very well), have the same dress code, and know each other, i'm gonna think it's exclusive and insidery.

    i like to see those bridges bridged as much as possible (and what better place to do it than Bridgetown?) (har har). being involved with 2 Gyrlz Performative Arts, with the Mayor's creative class/economy stuff, and with the giant community/city-building experiment known has Burning Man has made a big difference for me, personally; i feel much less alienated by and suspicious of local politics and policy discussion than i used to. truly life-changing stuff. i urge everyone to find ways to be involved with their communities.

    but if you've ever been the only blue mohawk or token tattoed freak in a room full of nice professionals who all seem to know each other, you know how hard it is to even BE in the space, much less feel like you can participate and be heard. maybe they're shallow, but the social aspects of this do matter.