I want to thank everyone for taking the time to attend either personally or virtually.

Just as a reminder, this is a work session and there is no public comment.

But at 7 p.m., we will move over to the auditorium where we're going to have the city council meeting, and that's where community members are invited to speak.

If you are here in person and would like to speak during the public comments section of the city council meeting, which again begins at 7 p.m., please fill out a yellow card.

You'll be able to find those yellow cards in the auditorium on the left-hand side of the room.

And when you do, you can give it to Aubrey right over here.

And then you'll be able to speak during the city council meeting again at 7 p.m.

But again, we're in the work session right now.

Okay.

So I'll turn the time over to Robbie Hammond to begin the work session.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Pace.

Good evening, everyone.

Nice to see you all.

Tonight we are going to give you all some updates on our uh plan to do with the impact advice in our community.

So if we can go ahead and go to the next slide, unless you're hean that's going to be managing it.

Thank you.

So here's the agenda for tonight.

I'll address a couple of things that we've gone over a few times in the past, talking about our shared values and goals.

We'll go over Hillsboro's plan.

And then there's two areas of that plan that we're seeking direction from the council on tonight.

The first is implementing the sanctuary, the city's sanctuary status in the city's code and policy, and also talking about uh the human rights office and getting final direction from the council on that.

And then I do have a slide at the end with some other updates just to keep keep you all updated on some of our progress that we're making.

Uh next slide.

So a reminder, I know I show this each time, but I think it's important to remind ourselves uh why we're doing this work and that we have shared values and goals as we seek to try to help our community right now.

These goals come from the council's guiding principles and equity statement.

We have our strategic plan.

We have heard from our community at length about this.

We know how important it is to them.

Um, our council's goal of promoting accurate information, and then that last one is the new Hillsborough plan that the council has um brought forward over the past couple of months.

This is kind of the that plan in box form.

You can see the ones in blue, those are the areas that we have either already begun or made substantial progress in some cases uh cases we've actually finalized.

Those two in green are the ones we're gonna be going over tonight uh to see uh direction from the city council.

And so with that, uh we'll begin talking about the sanctuary status in code and policy, and I'll turn it over to Chad Jacobs.

Good evening, uh Council Chad Jacobs from the city attorney's office.

So tonight um I'm gonna go over the I uh the proposal to codify the city's sanctuary status.

And before I begin, I just want to say a couple of things.

First, I just want to take a moment and thank Councillor Sinclair.

She took the time to meet with staff and myself and really demonstrated a strong partnership and leadership on this issue.

I just want to acknowledge that publicly and for spending the time with us.

I really appreciate that you took that time to do that.

Um, I also want to um say that I I know we've got a lot to talk about tonight, so I'm gonna rely heavily on the staff memo that sort of went through everything, and I'll just go over it uh on a high level overview.

If you have specific questions, please let me know.

I'm happy to answer those.

And then finally, I just want to say that um I I think if you look at what we're proposing, what staff and myself have proposed for codifying the sanctuary status, that what we've done is try to truly implement everything that's in the proposal.

We're just doing it in different ways than necessarily codifying everything.

While we're we're seeking to codify as much as possible, there's nothing in the proposal that we're not actually implementing.

We're just implementing it more, some of these more administratively, than actually putting them in the city's municipal code.

So I think on a on a grand scheme, it's not that there's any disagreement about doing the things that we're talking about tonight.

It's just how we are doing those things that we're talking about.

So I just want to make sure that we're all clear that on that front that for the most part we are all on the same page, just a difference of opinion about how we do that is is the issue that we're talking about tonight.

Um, and so what we want to do is uh review the specific items that were presented, um, provide recommendations of what we believe uh staff believe should be in the municipal code versus implemented through policy, and then um based on your discussion and consensus, bring back uh something for a codification at a future meeting or not if you decide not to.

Um obviously, this is ultimately the council's call as a body to make, um, not staff's call, but uh what we've done is provide you with a proposal that uh can uh codify things as necessary.

Um so the ordinance that we drafted uh does three things, three basic things.

It mirrors the requirements set forth in the state sanctuary promise act.

It defines certain terms that are left undefined in state law, and it expressly authorizes the city manager to take certain actions necessary to implement codification, including providing training to staff and creating signage for city properties and city facilities.

Um, on that last front, providing uh training to staff and and signage.

Uh, this is something that the city staff is already working on.

It's something that was in the emergency resolution that you passed.

So it is stuff that we are already working on and currently implementing.

So I just want to make sure that that is obviously known to everyone out there.

And um, staff is uh today, uh, emails were floating around about finalizing training for staff.

So that is it's not just the beginning of the process, they're they're deep into that process already.

Can I ask a clarifying question?

Just the process.

Um, and Simone, you probably or Raheem able to answer to this.

Um, you also let us know when you were contacting CBOs about.

I know you were in communication, but I'm curious.

We've gotten here to the 20th of January.

Have we gotten feedback from the CBOs that we want to partner with, which is what I read partnership and collaboration.

Have we contacted them to ask them specifically?

I can take input about um about our plan and what they propose.

Yeah, I can take this one if you don't mind.

Um, so I'll go back for a second to the first slide when we met to talk about what our plan was back in November, at the end of November.

Um, Robbie mentioned those different boxes.

I think it's important to see kind of just remind us how we got here.

Um, the direction that we got from council at the time was to review the specific items requested.

That was consensus from council to review the things that councillor Sinclair had proposed, um, provide recommendations and bring that back to you all for review.

And that's where we are in the process today.

And um, Chad was probably going to mention some of these points.

This is the timeline on how we've got here.

Um, that doesn't mean we can't do what you suggested and have uh conversations with CBOs.

That can happen at your direction, or you can decide to go in a different direction.

Our goal was to just follow what you had requested of us.

So that's how we got here today.

Okay, thank you.

I'll be brief.

Um now we're at this point, and we have a proposal that we're going to consider and talk about tonight and maybe vote on next month.

We didn't have this put together back when we talked to those CBOs.

I think it's important to have them in the room to let us know what they think of our proposal and to make recommendations.

That's what I'm suggesting.

So is that possible to do before we actually vote on this in February?

So we we're not proposing to vote on anything today.

Um, what we're just introducing to you all today is based on the direction you provided us, and this is a draft based on that.

Um, like Chad mentioned, we have um generally done all the things you've asked us to do, which is memorializing counselor sinclair's proposal in different ways.

Now, if there are new things you want us to do or different things you want us to do, like that's part of the conversation today.

So the intent today was have to have a dialogue about like what do we do next, right?

Because this is the first time you've also seen this first proposed codification.

Um, if we need to take more time to digest it, if you're looking for input from others, happy to do that.

That's what we're looking to discuss today.

I I would like to.

And I personally want to be vulnerable and open to what others might believe and think about what we should be doing, not inside the city organization or in the council, what people feel we should be doing.

And I feel that doing that will give those orgs a level of um transparency from us, establish some trust.

And I think that community would appreciate it if we had that kind of conversation about our proposal.

That's just what I'm gonna recommend.

Yeah, and thank you, Raheem and Counselor Alcair, and and to this slide, you know, and this is the history of how we got here.

Uh back in November when we had this discussion, the direction from council was for staff, including myself to work with Council Sinclair to come up with a proposal of things that we think you could codify, things that we think should be done through policy, and then bring that back to you for discussion.

And that's where we're at tonight.

And certainly, if based on this discussion tonight, if it's the will of the council that they want to move forward with this and they want to get input from the public before you all vote on that, that's absolutely something we can do.

I mean, at the end of the day, we can basically do whatever it is that you all want to do.

We just need direction from the council as a body.

And the direction we received previously was to work with Council Sinclair to come up with a draft proposal, which is what we brought to you tonight.

Yeah, and I want to recognize yes, you have done exactly as we have asked.

You have done that.

I'm pushing us to take a different kind of step.

Yep, which is a hundred percent.

Yeah, absolutely.

Um, and so tonight we're gonna have the this discussion.

Um, and and then depending on what you decide to do, we'll we'll move forward.

So um we've got the proposed ordinance, and a couple of things that I want to point out about the proposed ordinance is we've worked closely with the city of Beaverton, and Beaverton also has an ordinance that is um almost identical to this ordinance.

We and they uh first reviewed it at their meeting two weeks ago, and as I understand it from their city attorney's office, they are planning to vote on the ordinance tonight.

And so, well, we we did that for two reasons.

One is to sort of have some regional consistency, and two, um, I think going along the lines of what Council RKAR was saying, we we don't think that we know everything, and and with more minds together create a better work product.

So we figured to the extent that they're working on the exact same thing that it made sense to collaborate with them.

So we we collaborated closely with the CD of Beaverton in coming up with what we thought would make the most sense um in codifying uh proposed sanctuary status.

Um I just want to um say that every city is figuring out what to do.

Nobody has a blueprint.

Um, no public safety has a blueprint and a way to go forward without having some conversation.

How do we do that safely?

And um, we urge us to look at a city other than Beaverton.

We already have that.

Let's look at another city.

Let's look at Forest Grove.

Let's look at um uh Cornelius.

Let's look where these activities are happening a lot.

And um there's an unfortunate social media post that was shown on um Beaverton Police Department building when an officer said he wasn't aware of ice activity, and so people showed a video of ICE activity on the wall.

And I don't want that.

I don't want that here in Hillsborough.

So I'm just saying really to think about how we're gonna move forward.

If I could just add one really quickly, just so you all know too.

I I mean pretty regularly with the city managers that you mentioned of those cities and others, all in Washington County.

We also meet on a larger um regional basis at times.

So we are coordinating.

Um, not specifically on the codification, because I think to my knowledge, at least in our region, we're the only cities working on that piece right now.

Um, but we are always happy to share notes and work with other cities and learn as well.

And for what it's worth, our office also represents Cornelius and Forest Grove, and I'm in constant contact with the attorneys to work with them.

So we're all on the same page there.

And and and honestly, they are following Hillsborough's lead quite a lot.

I mean, Hillsboro really is the leader in this area, frankly, in the entire state, as opposed to not just Washington County.

Um, okay, so going through the proposals uh real quick because I want to give you all time to talk about this.

Um, so there's various proposals.

The first is affirming the jurisdictional scope of the sanctuary ordinance and applying to all city controlled spaces, and we believe we fully implemented that in the draft ordinance.

We've completely um, although it's not set out directly as specifically as state law, it basically captures everything that's in state law.

Um, and we and additionally we define um city-owned property and city facilities in a certain way, so it's very clear what types of spaces we're talking about.

Um we've integrated resolution 2552 into the municipal code, resolution 2552, if you recall is the resolution that was passed in 2017 declaring Hillsborough as a sanctuary jurisdiction.

Um, we've uh moved basically that into the municipal code with this draft ordinance.

Um we've imposed enforcement limits consistent with ORS 181A 20 through 826, and that's basically basically the city's sanctuary promise act.

So that is included within this draft ordinance, so that is also full fully implemented, and then finally the training and public signage that I was talking about before.

We believe we've partially implemented that in the code by having language in there authorizing the city manager to take those actions.

As I mentioned, we are already working on that and implementing that based on the resolution, the emergency resolution you passed late last year.

And so um, that's why I say partially because we have that language in there, but it's not codifying it as a requirement, it's just authorizing the city manager to do that.

And for the reasons set forth in the staff memo, we think that is the better process to follow here.

So the the aspects of the proposal that we recommend implementing via policy are mandatory logging and reporting of ICE activity, training for all city employees, public signage access protocols and language access standards, like appliance tracking and quarterly reporting system.

And then there was finally a request uh about continue to explore long-term institutional institutionalization, which we will do.

Um for the policy issues, again, you know, for the reasons set forth in the staff memo, uh, staff and I believe that it's just a better process to be able to implement that via policy, just based on the city's general overall structure, some of the hurdles that we would have to get through, such as collective bargaining to actually codify those things.

Um it's just for the reasons basically set forth on staff memo, we think it's better to implement those through policy.

Again, they're all being implemented, it's all being done, it's just not being required in the municipal code, it's just being being required by policy as set forth in your resolution.

And so you've already set that policy, it's already being implemented.

Um, and so the overall structure of what's happening, everyone's in full agreement with and it's happening.

Just the difference of opinion is whether or not to actually put that in the municipal code versus leaving it in policy.

So tonight, um, I think the next next slide.

So tonight, what we're really asking for you all is to have a discussion about should we implement the proposed codification language as presented?

Should we modify the proposed codified language and bring back another proposal?

Or do you all just not want to codify the city sanctuary status?

And so that is counselor, all kinds.

Can you go back a slide?

Well, you can I can't.

Um sorry, I appreciate this, but I'm gonna ask a question that asked you and Robbie, and here we go.

Um right now when volunteers are showing up at a detainment and documenting and taking video, they're being told, you know, you could be arrested for interfering.

You are but it's it's it's subjective to who is deciding that.

And I asked Robbie and Jim.

Um whatever we decide with HPD, will they also have a challenge showing up to it attainment and documenting what's happening and uh comfortably that they can do that without threats uh being arrested, etc.

And um I think Robbie, you and Jim were still exploring that conversation.

I'm bringing that up because if we decide to do this, it would be important to know the commitment of HPD staff regarding this, and I'm bringing it up because all of us could be perceived as not supporting whatever this initiative is, but when it comes down to in the moment when something is happening, I want to understand what is possible that can happen.

And on the other side of this, and I don't know what this happens.

If a call comes over the dispatch, and there's a hesitancy to want to take a call related to ice, I don't know.

I don't know what goes through people's minds.

I don't know.

I'm not in a police officer's job, but I want to have some clarity around that first bullet.

Um, I will take that uh first crack at that gym, and then please give any more detail you want.

So back in November, and I think this might be in your packet, you you all receive the actual directive that the police chief gave to the entire police department, and that is when you show up, it clarifies specifically what they're supposed to do in those moments.

So it's recording, it's it's um uh logging uh that information into a system so that um there's a record of what happened.

So I think to answer your question, our police officers, if there's ever a call, and I know Chief Coleman's been very adamant about this.

If there's ever a call, even if it's unknown if it's IC or not, if there's a call, they will go and they will be there.

Uh and then when they get there, they'll assess the situation.

But they we don't have officers that are that are um concerned about um witnessing and being there to see what happens.

So they would they do go, they they will always document it and there's a police directive that they will actually record that, and there's so there's a an entire record of that.

Jim, is there anything else you wanted to add to that?

Yeah, just a clarification.

Uh I'm not aware of any circumstance where our officers have threatened people that have been bystanders with arrest.

Um as a matter of fact, we have been present at very few uh detentions.

It's just uh nature of when we find out.

Not you guys, not you guys.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Um so um, yeah, we may get very clear.

I I will say, I mean, nobody looks forward to getting a call about this because it's uh very politically charged and emotionally charged, and they know it's an important situation, and and sometimes uh it's it's not the easiest call to handle, but um we have taken all calls related to ice.

We have not um declined to take any of them.

Um even calls related to immigration that don't have uh ice necessarily involved.

Just one more, and I promise.

Um there are times when HPD doesn't show up.

There are times.

And I am at oh, sorry.

And I think um we talked about capacity and where we are.

IS is definitely added on more onto you.

Um but I I guess I want to have that clarity.

Yeah, thank you, counselor.

Um, we suspect that there is a lot of immigration enforcement activity that uh we never are um made aware of uh and don't respond to.

Yeah, it we certainly are not capturing all of it.

Um counselor Sinclair, then Counselor Solgato.

Thank you.

Um Chief Coleman uh and and Robbie.

Uh the mandatory logging and reporting price activity, in my perspective, is so important because all of our codification of jurisdiction in support of ourselves as a sanctuary city, um it's geared internally towards staff, and it is the one tool reporting that we can provide to the public to create accountability, oversight, and future uh a future tool for litigation.

Um in seeing this, I'm I'm I'm concerned.

The reason I want that codified is for greater aspect of public record as a tool for the public.

And so in looking at this, and I've had to learn to through numerous meetings, and it's continually evolving.

Um I'm wondering if things are underreported because there's not clarity with with how things are classified in code uh when calls come in.

Are we teaching the public what to say when they see a mass man uh that's unidentified, that's armed, that's pulling people over, because they're we have a right as a public to understand um to create clarity on who this is conducting enforcement on our residents.

And so I'm wondering is that a barrier to way things are coded in our clarification when 911 calls come in because we're ran as criminal is based off criminal and public safety concerns, not civil.

And I is that narrowed down our nexus enough to understand the needs of our community to get proper reporting.

Counselor, if I if I could just step in really quick, um and then Jim, what whatever you want that as well.

I think it's important to distinguish the difference between the coding that happens like with the the WAC, which is the Washington County Consolidated Community Communications Agency, right?

That's the 911 system for anybody else listening.

When someone calls 911, it goes to WAC and WACA then distributes that call out to the relevant um uh jurisdiction and uh reporting agency.

That coding is not what we're talking about.

And so our coding, our municipal code, um, if we put this into the code, I think that's our point is it doesn't matter if it's in our code or not.

What matters is it's in policy.

Like our our officers and our employees, they they um they're expected to uh obviously they they adhere to all municipal code as well, but it's the city policies that determine how they work, how they do their job.

And so that's why to us, having it in policy, which is what Chief Coleman has done, is much more effective in making sure the employees are doing what they're supposed to do, and that's why we're confident in this approach.

Jim, anything else you wanted to add?

Yeah, um it's an extremely complicated operation over there at WACA.

Um, and they they do a very good job.

It's essentially uh to be very short about it, it's a filtering system.

So a call can come in non-emergency or can come in 911, and you know, the first thing it gets filtered for is a police fire or EMS.

And so in that process, sometimes they can answer a question or they can start to send it down the proper avenue, but they don't um I don't think calls are getting lost over there.

It's just uh what level they come out.

It's um a lot of the filtering has to deal with how um already engaged the field units are, so sometimes things hold because there's a higher priority call in situations like that.

But um, I have I don't really have any reason to believe that when somebody calls in, it isn't getting handled in some way or another.

Uh that's not to say that all of them make it to us because sometimes people just want the answer to a question, and it's again a way of filtering it and getting those folks an answer as quickly as possible.

Um because it's uh to pause that for a walker numerous times as we refer to that as who creates a policy for intake and uh dispatch.

And so can you give I don't want to go on the weeds here, but how do we provide better reporting to the public on our end for record?

Yeah, um quickly, WACA uh does report to user groups and governing a governing board, so they don't have an arbitrary power to dictate policy.

It's uh it's again it's many, many agencies, both us and Hillsborough Fire belong to it.

Um we we have done a lot of education in the community over the years about reporting, and some of it has been focused on uh communities that uh don't have English as a first language and have unique issues.

So uh we even sometimes see that some of our crime stats are higher than other communities because we have a higher rate of reporting than other communities.

That's not to say that we're 100% successful in that, but um, you know, all that education and push has not been related to ICE because this is a relatively new uh era that we're in, it's been related to being the victim of a crime and and not being afraid uh to report a crime because of some kind of repercussions.

So we're we're still adapting to that, and right now it's kind of boots on the ground.

We're going to community meetings, we're we're showing up at um functions, we're making videos, things like that.

We're trying to help people feel comfortable about what a Hillsborough police officer looks like.

Um it's those are the ways, those are the roads that we've traveled before and have proven fruitful.

And uh, counsel, if I may add one more thing, just Chad mentioned like some of these things are already happening.

So a perfect example is in the emergency declaration resolution 2906.

Um, you asked us to report.

And um the first time in us reporting was the memo you received and and the information that's in the packet.

So if you look at the memo that um the HPD staff put together, they also documented the number of incidents that had uh interactions with ICE.

So if there's a different format or or a different place you want us to share that information, we're happy to take that feedback.

But um, we've already started doing that.

Right.

And I and please forgive me.

I'm so sorry, Mary.

Um please forgive me for signing pressure because I um in having all these weeks that are now months that we've had discussions of this, um, and to now see that like this is a part of our role to create this codification due to it being an internal policy aspect.

I find it frustrating.

And I and it's due to the legalities of it.

And I just regardless of being able to codify or not, I want to be able to provide the best ample amount of reporting as public record as a tool.

And that is the greatest piece that's a tool for our public, and that's why it's so important.

Thank you.

Um, counselor Sogato.

Well, yeah, I was gonna recommend that we adjust the sanctuary status, uh, but before that, I want to get some clarification from Chad.

So on the third page of the memo under codify mandatory logging and reporting of ice activity, you wrote various members of staff express safety and other concerns with having to perform such duties.

Can you elaborate on that?

What are those fears?

What are those concerns and if you can share what departments those are coming from?

Yeah, sure.

I I don't know that I can share which departments they're coming from just to be able to protect the employees themselves, but we have uh a couple of issues.

Well, so that's let me let me explain.

Um we have a we have um some employees who are not US citizens, they are here legally working and they they have their work visas and other sorts of documentation that allow them to work.

But given the fact that they're not US citizens, they are they've expressed concern about if they are involved in certain things, what repercussions that could have on their ability to stay in the country and whether or not they would be targeted for removal because of those kinds of actions.

So that's one of the issues that has been expressed.

Another issue can we pause it for a second?

Yes.

So the memo is uh citing an Oregon law that we are required to report, right?

So help me understand how if is that a real concern that they should be concerned about?

Because it sounds like it's like there's contradicting information here.

One is an organ law saying, as the as a local jurisdiction, you are required to do this, and then an employee is saying, Well, if I do this, I could be at risk of deportation.

That doesn't make sense to me.

So can you just help me understand that a little bit?

Yeah, absolutely.

And and I think it goes to what we mean by reporting.

And so reporting under state law, what we're required to do is when we have a direct interaction with federal immigration officers.

So a federal immigration officer comes to a city employee and presents an administrative warrant or a judicial warrant trying to get information, or they just frankly request information from us.

When we have that direct interaction with them under state law, we are required to report that.

What we've been talking about, otherwise, as far as reporting goes beyond what state law requires.

And what we're talking about is anytime you see or notice ICE activity, you should record it, you should document it, you should, you know, even if there's not that direct interaction.

So we're not required to report that under state law, but it's sort of taking the next step and saying, okay, what should we be doing as city employees to be out there and sort of documenting these things in a way that goes beyond what's required under state law, and that's where there was concern expressed.

And where are we saying that?

So can you remind me where we state that that's what we want as a council?

Is that in the sanctuary propos proposal that's being made?

That's part of that was part of the proposal is to have that additional reporting and have that codified.

So, from your understanding, what we're asking, what counselor Sinclair is asking in the sanctuary city proposal is that if you see a car that might look like ice that you report that, is that what you're understanding from what she's proposing?

Well, I can defer to Counselor Sinclair to say that but I can tell you what my understanding is that is that it may not just be a car that looks like ICE, but it's it's more like you actually see some sort of activity that you believe is immigration.

Yeah, what we've been saying, well, and correct me if I'm wrong, but what I feel like what we've been communicating is when we see an actual detention, like in you know, against one of our residents to record that, that's not a random like reporting advice.

That's a very specific thing that we're asking for.

So that's why I'm asking to clarify on you know what that is what I'm asking for.

Because the reason I brought up Waka and the classification of code, since we run on criminal aspects and public safety, um, this with the ICE agent enforcement is civil.

And so I fear that we are I want any action because when we first started this conversation, we it implemented through state guidelines that if I were to contact us, we were not doing what we see.

So we could have legal uh observers, rapid responders be out and and reporting things, and it sounded like those aspects weren't getting reported initially when we first started this five six months ago.

And as it's evolved and we've all worked together to better ourselves and create better policy, I want to ensure that it is classified correctly so that when any person calls and says, there is an arm man with a mask that we don't just assume is an agent and nothing's happening, and we're not gonna report on this, and we're not gonna I I want as much documentation on lobbying of this as possible.

So, yes, I am referring to that because we did not talk in those words that we were report creating reports or or uh dispatch to those types of reporting.

Yeah, and I I think it's important to clarify a couple aspects of this.

First is um what was required under state law.

I think Council Sinclair is exactly right.

When back in January and February, when we were creating training materials and initially training staff and supervisors and everything else like that, we were focused on the reporting that was required by state law that I just explained.

And that's where all those materials you're 100% correct.

That's what those were focused on.

Since those since those training materials were created and and and implemented with staff, obviously things took a drastic turn.

And you know, the federal government started taking actions that I don't think most of us expected that they would be taking and in the manner in which they're taking them.

And so we've had additional discussions about okay, well, what else can be done, just as Councillor Sinclair was saying, you know, you know, can there be observers?

Can there be other sorts of things to and how do we report that?

And what do we do with that?

And so far, the way we've implemented that mostly is through HPD.

And so HBD has a new policy, which has been shared with you all, which talks about how you document those things because previously we weren't documenting those in the same way that we are now.

So we have evolved in that manner to make sure that HPD was doing that.

What we're talking about for the codification proposal is requiring all city employees to do this.

And so whether that's a member of you know an officer from HPD, it's a library employee, it's a maintenance worker for parks and rec, you know, having all those employees do that sort of observation and reporting.

And that's where there's concerns raised by members of staff about their vulnerabilities and their ability to engage in those activities without putting themselves in that in a position that could potentially result in ramifications for them.

There's also been some safety concerns expressed by people who weren't trained to do that, such as police officers are to be able to say, you know, is that really a position I want to be in because that's not the job I signed up for.

Um and although it hasn't been expressed, at least that I'm aware of, I'm sure given the size of the city that we are, there's some employees who just feel that you know uh opposed to that kind of situation.

And so these are all sorts of you know, policy considerations for you all to decide.

That's not necessarily a legal issue, the legal issues are sort of you know, the collective bargaining and being able to being able to actually implement that type of codification and whether or not we can do that legally, you know, without having to go through bargaining and everything else.

There are some legal aspects there, but most of this is the policy decision.

And for the reasons that we you know I'm talking about now and stuff in the memo, um, staff and myself are recommending from a policy perspective that we just implement this through these policies in the way that we're already doing instead of codifying them.

And part of that reasoning is this idea that when you codify something, it becomes a law.

And so our municipal code for the most part regulates the general public and says general public, here's what you can and can't do within the city of Hillsboro.

It doesn't necessarily regulate how staff does their job, policies regulate how staff do their jobs, and if staff doesn't do their jobs correctly and violate policy, they go through the disciplinary process that we have within the city.

If you violate the municipal code, that's a completely separate process.

You can be cited, you can be brought into municipal court, and that's just not something that you know we think we should be doing with our employees, you know, citing our employees and setting them municipal court for not doing their jobs.

We think we should stick with the disciplinary process.

Again, that that's a policy call, and that's the policy recommendation that we're making, but you all as the body get to decide the that policy decision.

Thanks for explaining that because I was misunderstanding the I thought what Councillor Sinclair was proposing that if there was ICE activity in other buildings or questions from ICE agents, for example, they come and ask a librarian that that would get reported.

Not that they would be forced to randomly go out there and look for iCE activity, exactly, which I think is what I'm hearing.

The fear is from the staff.

Correct.

So is there a misunderstanding on the staff side of what we're asking?

Or is it under misunderstanding on mine and what we're asking?

Can I offer some clarity?

Yeah.

Um, so as we sit today, there is guidance already to staff.

If use that example, counselor, if if an ICE agent shows up to the library and has an interaction with the library employee, or even if they just show up and the library employees there, they're supposed to document that through a process that we've already set forth.

Now that's guidance right now, and we can strengthen that through formal policy, but that exists today to get to the same outcome that you're hoping to get to.

So we document the interaction, we have the information.

So at some point in the future, should we need it for whatever purpose we have?

So that exists today.

Okay.

Um, I want to keep us on track.

We have quite a bit to cover still, and we need to let staff know whether we want regarding uh city sanctuary status and code, whether we want to do one, two, or three.

We've only heard from one counselor so far, counselor Sogani.

I want to add to that.

So thanks for answering that.

Um, hang on a second, because counselor all care wants to make a comment as well.

I still I thought I think it's still my time because I said I want to modify and I want to talk about one other thing.

Okay, go ahead.

So I just want to say it's very quick.

Uh, we saw the this proposal that came in by Barry Johnson.

Yes.

Looks very well thought out uh and written.

And so I would just like to recommend that we review that because it highlights some points that we've discussed as a council in regards to what the REM could like what's left behind after like an ICE agent breaks a window and leaves a car on the side of the road, right?

I feel like it addresses some of those things that I would recommend or ask the staff to look into that and see what things we can incorporate into it from that suggestion.

That's it.

Great, thank you, counselor all care.

So um in relation to the staff and the memo and all of that.

I think that memo came out and we heard um prohibit, not required and other language.

And so I guess I'm wondering are we allowing this to be subjective for people?

And whether or not they want to report and do that.

That's that's just a question.

You don't have to answer that right now.

Oh, but the other thing that um that I'm wondering is we, you know, PERC and MegroWatch already do a good job.

We know where ICE is around in our city.

And so why aren't we partnering with them?

Why aren't we collaborating with them?

PERK is gathering data from the state.

Why aren't we collaborating with them on their data?

Why are we sitting here thinking that we need to start from square one?

And because as a city, we're gonna decide process.

I think as I mentioned earlier at this meeting at the beginning, we need to do some listening, have a discussion and hear from CBOs before going forward.

What I'm hearing about reporting and documenting is I want um right now HPD shows up when they're called.

Um I kind of would like HPD to before just getting called, be aware of where ICE is.

So, like if men have rifles and are behind the Albertsons or the Safeway or the Target area, that you were aware of that, and that um as a safety, you're aware of that, and that I will just say that inside Sunset Esplanade at one of the stores, I showed up and it was chaotic in the parking lot.

So we know where they are.

Why can't we be ourselves a little more transparent about understanding movement and activity and a little bit more prevention for people?

Those are just some of my thoughts at this point, but um I'm urging us to sit down with the CBOs and hear what they want about this.

So, Counselor Alcare, are you uh recommending number two to modify with with the intention to meet with the CBOs?

CBOs and stronger language around reporting and documentation.

Okay, thank you.

And counselor sinclair.

I I second both uh Council Salvadors and Council of Care's suggestions specifically around Blaine's Alamani Kerson and Jesse O'Donnell, along with Barry uh Johnson Smith's uh proposal that they submitted around the uh the city will publish HPD's federal interaction log and the city will publish a report summarizing emergency 911 calls reporting suspected ice activity and the subsequent result.

Thank you, Councilor Ambry.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Um yeah, so yeah, so I I don't think we should have it in the code.

And then so what would the timing be?

So that means if we were we wouldn't be doing anything this meeting, like the actual meeting.

Uh not on this.

Yeah.

So it would have to be February.

It would um probably the that the not the next meeting, but the following to do what what I'm hearing now, just so we can do a good job with it, right?

Yeah.

The memo that was referenced that we received last night.

There's just a lot of some of that we're already doing.

There's some of it that we could do, there's some of it that may have some legal risks.

That's just gonna take a little bit of time to kind of work through all that.

So I would say it's gonna take us a little bit of time to um to get to that point, and also to counselor Alcare's point, meeting with the CBOs and involving them just to do a good job with that, it would be a number of weeks and I I think we should have an emergency meeting with the CBOs before February work session, a special work session with CBOs like PERC, like ACLU, Cent uh Central Futurada, Adelante Mujeres, PERC, ECO, uh, MigroWatch, Vienastar.

And are you talking about a meeting just with the staff of them?

Council and CBOs and staff can be present, but I think it's an opportunity for them to tell us what they think of this plan.

May I offer a suggestion?

Um, there's obviously a need you've expressed a desire to make sure that the CBOs get to weigh in on this, right?

So if it's okay with you, could we reach out to the CBOs and see what works for them?

Uh uh I know that you do that, but no.

I want us together and in a room and having this conversation.

Just just for clarity, I wasn't saying we wouldn't do that.

I know I would just suggest, like before we formulate some next steps.

Maybe the first step is for us to have a conversation with them.

And obviously, you've shared your desire to have a conversation with them as well.

But if your goal is to make sure they get to weigh in on this, let's talk to them and start with that.

That being said, to Robbie's point, that does take more time, which is legit.

Like we do if you want to go to that engagement process, engagement does take time.

So we might not be able to bring this back next week.

Um, sorry, at the following meeting.

Um it would depend on their schedule as well when they're available.

But we can have an emergency meeting before that.

Before February.

I'm just saying that I'm just saying it's we can do that.

It's not February yet.

And I think we can do that and have that information from those people and consider that and be mindful about it with the proposal that we want to have and do the right thing and not just have something to be fast.

I would just say, yes, we can do a special meeting if that's what the council wants to do.

Um and even with a special meeting, I'm just saying it it's still gonna take some time uh because we have a lot of analysis on our own and to do besides what we hear from the CBOs as well.

So yeah.

And then so uh if if we do that between now and whenever we pass uh this uh but has that will the reporting what has your the boarding has already changed, right?

And so what will be the difference between now and at that point?

Uh no real difference.

Uh, everything that we're talking about doing, we're already doing.

Yeah, um, it's just not in the actual code, right?

So that's the difference.

So either policy or or correct.

Yes.

Yeah, we've already made policy changes.

Um, so we're already doing these things.

Yes.

So I think that's uh the the important point is while we don't want to delay it, right?

I I don't think there's a reason to rush on this because we're already doing the things we're proposing.

It's just really a matter of putting it in the code or how to put in the code and whatnot.

So I think we have time to do that because we're already doing those things.

So and with the recording, we are doing this.

What we're asking for is more.

Okay.

Can we get everybody a mic next time?

This gets annoying to kind of go back and forth and seems kind of rude trying to interrupt.

Um, couple of questions.

So I think there's a point here that we brought up that I feel like the staff need direction on uh, right?

And that's the question of whether the direction for staff to report is a policy or codification.

I feel like that's a very easy one.

We could all answer to right now because I feel like that's a very clear answer, right?

Um, and I feel like we don't have that yet.

The second part is I would actually the first question to the CBO should be do you want to come and talk to us about codification?

We need to know if they're interested in coming and giving us their feedback.

And number two, I'd like to know what the goal would be because you know, we do have our attorney looking it over.

We've had a lot of feedback and a couple of work sessions.

So I would under I would like to understand what the goal is because the time of CBOs is very valuable.

They're performing a service to the community and coming in and sitting for three to four hours to kind of inform us on things that we should already know what to do.

Seems a little bit unreasonable to me.

So I think understanding the goal would be really important for me uh before we call a special emergency session on that.

So I don't think that we would be wasting your time.

And I have heard from people, and they would be interested in coming to have this conversation, and we cannot go forward with this until we talk with them about our plan.

We can't do that.

That wouldn't be right.

It wouldn't be right.

It's not democratic, it's not the process we want to do, which is tell people we're gonna do this and then seek out their support.

I think that's the wrong way to go.

They are working with communities who are an impacted and in need right now.

And we really need to understand and listen.

And like I said before, open ourselves and be vulnerable to their guidance.

So, Councilor Arco, are you saying that you've talked to all these CBOs and they've told you they wanted to come and talk to us about this?

Is that what you're saying?

Oh, this specific question tonight, I've talked to them about codification and reporting.

No, I'm asking about coming to an emergency work session and inform.

You haven't.

I haven't talked to them about coming to an emergency meeting.

I'm proposing that here with my council.

Okay, and what I'm proposing is that we ask them first if they want to come.

Okay, well, when we call them on the phone and we can ask them, do you want to come to a special meeting to discuss our plan and the impact they can have on your communities?

Yes, let's listen to what they want to respond to.

Counselor Sinclair.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, we have so much to get through, and we haven't even hit the tip of the iceberg yet of what we need to get through.

Um I do think it's important.

I think the reason the CBOs are being brought up right now for a special session is because of the letters that we receive today from the different CBOs.

And so we are still working out the details and there is a little bit of confusion.

Um, and I think they provide some clarity potentially as long as we have clear goals.

Okay, and counselor case and then counselor Harris, I'd like to know where you stand on one, two, or three.

Um, probably or anything that's been discussed.

Um, I think we're gonna hear a lot in public comment tonight.

Um, so I'm not I'm I I'm somewhere between two and three, right?

I'd like to hear from the community this evening, and then I think there is some information that came in today from some or um some CBOs, and so um I would need to propose, I would need to kind of hear all that before I'm sure where to where to which way to move forward if we're to move forward or to or to not move forward and so a 2.5.

2.5, counselor Harris Thank you.

Excuse me.

I've had a cold, so I apologize.

Um after going through the memorandum provided by the city stuff, I'm largely in agreement with that.

Um, in general, I'm not for codifying things that are already in state law because you're just repeating the same things over again.

Um my concern is gives people a false sense of security if we just put it in a code when it's already in state law anyway.

Uh I like the idea of putting things in policy because it's more flexible.

State statutes change, codes change, policy a lot gives the staff and the uh police chief and other folks, the managers in this city more flexibility to change policy when conditions change.

So I like that.

Um, that being said, I have no particular objection to what's being proposed largely.

I could see there's a lot of support for it here.

Those are just simply concerns, and I do want to get more information as counselor Alcair mentioned.

There's probably some more information we should at least check in with our partners and see if they have any additions.

I also, however, understand we are the elected officials ultimately, it's our decision.

Um, and we're largely gonna be probably informed by the city lawyer here as to what we can and cannot do because this is managing a code, it's not necessarily managing policy for us.

Um but I don't think it's ready today to give a thumbs up or thumbs down on, is what I'm saying.

I agree we need more time to gather more information and make the best decision we can for everybody in this city.

Thank you.

Um, regarding this particular topic about codification, um and then we'll have to stop and move into city council.

So I I don't think that we should codify.

Respectfully, counselor Sinclair.

I love your passion for this community.

And I I know that we are all trying hard to find solutions, and I think what we all really want is to stop ice, and we can't do that yet.

Um, but codifying restricts us.

And uh, if somebody is not following policy, we put them on an employee improvement program, and then you know, you mentioned disciplinary action.

And so if we codify it, the only thing added to that is a ticket, it's a municipal ticket.

And and that doesn't, I don't I don't think that helps.

Um, I do agree with the reporting, and I'm glad we're doing it with the um training.

I'm glad we're already doing that.

The public signage, I've already seen that.

That all makes sense to me, and I think that's a great idea.

But codification doesn't get us what we really want.

Um, and then regarding bringing CBOs in, um, I think personally, Counselor Alcair, I think it's a phone call uh about does the CBO think that we should codify or not.

I I don't think there should be a work session regarding that.

I respect your opinion though, too, and wanting to bring people together um as we're going around the room, that's my opinion.

So did you want to make a comment, Counselor Alcair?

I think it's important for all of us to know where we stand and for the public to know where we stand because that's who we answer to.

We don't answer to Chad.

Chad just provides some guidance and recommendations, but he's not overseeing us and telling us what we should do.

He's letting us know our options of what we can and can't do.

And I think it's wrong to make an assumption that making a phone call.

Then more than a phone call, our partners.

So we want to have trust in this.

I don't recommend a phone call.

Thank you.

Counselor Sinclair.

I'll make this brief.

The reason in my mind, codifying jurisdiction is so important.

This has a trust and accountability within our community for us as a city.

There's no way to slice it, but it is eroded.

And that's not to our doing, it is to the federal administration's doing with ICE enforcement.

And we have done such a good job at serving our community so often, it will go speak volumes to continue that process when there's no mistaking as local government in affiliation with state government and federal government, who we have intergovernmental agreements with to provide that certainty that this is law, and that's why that's so important because people want transparency and they want accountability, and then we eliminate that, eliminate that when there's been so much conflict in other cities in their city control spaces, who's reporting what that wasn't phoned in.

I don't want that for our city, and I don't want that for our residents, and that's why I suggest that.

Thank you.

All right, let's uh um oh uh Raheem, go ahead.

Um, may I offer just a path forward so we can please maybe get a closure on this particular topic.

We seem pretty divided on this.

Yes, yeah, um so what we've obviously heard is not one today and not three today, but somewhere in two where you're asking us to maybe get some more feedback and review the material that was submitted to us over the weekend.

Um that could at least be our next steps so that we're not just waiting.

Is that seem like a reasonable approach where I'll be more clear?

Um review the material that was submitted to us and get in touch with obviously the folks who submitted it to get some more clarity, and then find a way to get some feedback from our CBOs and bring that back to you, um, whether it's a special meeting, whether it's some other form.

We can obviously have those conversations via email.

Um, I just don't want to just leave us in a point of stagnation.

So I'm I'm proposing something as a next step.

Does that seem reasonable?

Thumbs up, thumbs to the side, or thumbs down, please.

Sure, I'll be more clear.

I'll be more clear.

So we will take what we've presented um and share that with our community-based organizations.

At the same time, we will also review the material that was presented to us.

Okay, and we will reach out to the community-based organizations to gain some feedback from them, and then we will start there.

And that might result in a special meeting that might result in some other things, but at least for us to move forward with something.

Can we just agree on that today?

Absolutely.

So we are not agreeing on what we're striking, whether it be blind two or three, we're agreeing on what you've proposed to move forward.

Yes.

Yes, it works for me.

Okay, yeah.

Thank you.

Okay, so there's a second half to this um work session to discuss Councilor Sogato's idea.

We'll do that after the meeting tonight, before the two executive committee meetings.

And uh we'll yeah, excuse me, executive sessions.

Sorry, not executive committee, executive sessions.

Um so uh we'll hear from Councillor Sogato, or actually from the staff about Councilor Solgado's idea after the city council meeting.

Thank you.

This meeting is being recorded.

Thank you for joining us this evening for translations.

Thank you.

Hello everyone, welcome to the January 20th, 2026 City Council meeting.

Thank you for joining us this evening.

For translation services, please use the QR code on the poster to the left of this room or on the front page of the agenda.

To begin this meeting, I invite you to join me in the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the United States of America and to the Republic for which we nation under God with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

May I please have a roll call.

Mayor Pace?

Here.

Councillor Harris.

Here.

Councillor Sinclair?

Here.

Councilor Salgado.

Here.

Councilor Ambry.

Here.

Counselor Alcair.

Aki.

Counselor Case.

Here.

That's awesome.

Um there are no presentations or appointments this evening.

So we will go straight into public comment.

Item three.

Uh persons wishing to speak will be recognized at this time.

And if you are here in person and wish to speak, please fill out a yellow card and hand it to the city recorder right over there.

When I call on you, please join us here at the tables in front of the room and speak into the microphone so those on Zoom can also hear your comments.

Because of the translation tool, community members can speak in their language of choice, and the city recorder can display the translation on the screen.

Valoramos a todos los miembros de nuestra comunidad.

Se desean hablar ante el consejo en español, pueden hacerlo.

Rayenin La Tarjeta Amaria, que se encuentra en la mesa a su esquierda y entregüela, uhrivenir.

We have zero persons registered to speak virtually, and the deadline to register has now passed.

If you were unable to sign up to speak prior to the deadline, you are always welcome to email your comments to the city council at any time of day.

This is called public comment because it's time dedicated for you to inform the city council about your views.

And per our city uh council policy and charter, City Council will not comment during your testimony or after.

And I would ask all counselors to abide by that.

Um if you have signs, you are welcome to have the signs, but I ask you to keep the signs low so everyone can see, and I ask you not to yell out or to clap, because that will interrupt people who are doing testimony, and then we cannot hear that.

If you would like to snap to show support, that's fine.

Um and we'll begin by hearing from Callie Peters.

Uh and the next one after Callie is Sandra.

Sandra can also come up.

And then Sam or Samantha Richards is on deck.

So we have Callie, is that you?

Welcome.

Just hold on one second.

Do you prefer to testify in English?

Yes.

Okay.

Great.

And Sandra, is that you?

Hi, welcome.

Would you prefer to testify in Inglés or Espanol?

English, you got it.

Okay.

Callie, welcome.

Uh you have three minutes.

Good evening, Mayor Pace and City Council.

Oh, hang on one second.

I'm sorry, I forgot to give you one bit of information.

Press that button, and when the light turns green, then it's live.

So press that button there.

There you go.

Can we reset the clock?

We're good.

Okay.

Go ahead, Kelly.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor Pace and City Councillors.

My name is Callie Peters, a resident of Hillsborough.

I'm here because I care deeply about the safety, dignity, and well-being of our community.

And I strongly urge you to adopt an ordinance that codifies the Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act officially declaring Hillsborough Sanctuary City.

Today, fear dominates daily life for many of our neighbors.

Immigration enforcement actions have caused real lasting harm.

Immigrant families, particularly Latino, Hispanic, and people of color, are terrified to leave their homes.

They avoid work, grocery stores, school drop-offs, and even medical care.

That last one really hurts as a PA in the community.

Volunteer groups that try to help are being tracked by federal agents, turning humanitarian aid into a tool for immigration enforcement.

This climate of fear has led to severe financial hardship, food insecurity, and emotional distress.

Parents are being violently taken from their children, leaving families without caregivers, stable housing, or food.

Loved ones disappear without any way to locate them.

On January 8th, 2026, Luis David Nino Mancata, fled a traffic stop by U.S.

Border Patrol in the Adventist Hospital parking lot in Southeast Portland.

He and his passenger Yolenes Bezabeth Zambrano Contreras.

Who is the intendant target?

We're shot and wounded.

Border Patrol used lethal force to merely charge her with illegal entry, a federal misdemeanor.

When incidents like this occur in Hillsboro, Hillsboro, not if, but when, will our leadership respond reactively or proactively?

Is this city prepared to take unprecedented action in unprecedented times?

Resolution 2096 was a crucial first step towards protecting hardworking residents.

However, emergency powers must be paired with immediate accountability, not delayed until a charter amendment, state law or congressional bill passes.

Historically, city policy defers to state policy, which in turn defers to the federal government.

We must recognize that an immigration reform bill is unlikely to succeed in Congress.

And we cannot rely on federal action to safeguard our community.

Passing this ordinance is not the end of the journey.

It is an essential beginning.

It affirms that Hillsboro will stand up for its residents when higher levels of government excuse me, government fail to do so.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Next speaker is Sandra.

Thank you, Kelly.

Next speaker is Sandra.

Hold one second.

Sam can come up and take uh Callie's seat.

And then Vanessa Samoano is next, is on deck.

Okay.

So Sandra, you have three minutes.

First of all, I want to thank Christian for all of his work with CISEPUEDE.

And for putting immigration reform at the front end, because you're right, it has been on the back burner for way too long.

Um I do want to remind everyone that immigrants are not the issue and that they are your neighbors, your friends, and people you love.

Um immigrants have been demonized for way too long, and it really is because of misinformation and lack of understanding.

Immigrants are not the issue.

Um my name is Sandra, and I have been a resident of Washington County for six years, and I do want to mention that I have two jobs, and I'm fucking tired.

I'm really tired.

Um in the little hours I have left in the middle of the city.

I would ask you to do not use explicatives, please, but I understand that you are tired.

Please continue.

Okay, so you took 10 seconds of my time.

Um the little hours I have left in my day, I spend trying to make my community safer.

I don't tell you this because I want pity.

I tell you this because this is the reality of commun of a community member that deeply and genuinely cares.

I actually briefly searched the supremacy clause, and from what my understanding is that when the state and the feds go at it, federal power always wins.

And to me, that sounds like complicity.

And I don't have the power yet, but when I do, I will make sure that we do something to make sure that we are safe.

You have the power to make us safe.

I don't use it.

Um, I do work at a school, and my focus is on student social and emotional needs.

And there was a project today where students were working on drawing Martin Luther King Jr.

in court part of his speech, where he says, I have a dream.

Um do you have any idea how heartbreaking it is to see 10-year-old children say that their dream is for ice to leave their city, for ice to leave their families alone.

It is so heartbreaking that this is the dreams of 10-year-old students.

Do better.

Do better.

Their dreams should be going on roadblocks.

Their dreams should be getting V-Bucks.

Their dreams should not be for their families to be torn apart.

Remember, you guys all have the power.

I don't yet.

You do.

Use it.

Next up is Sam.

Sam, is that you?

Yep.

Okay, and then Vanessa Samoano.

Is that you, Vanessa?

Great.

And then on deck is William.

Uh Sam, go ahead.

You have three minutes.

Thank you, Ms.

Lan.

Okay.

Yes.

Uh good evening, counselors, and thank you for being here.

My name is Sam, and I am a resident of Hillsborough.

Uh Mayor Pace, you say you can't do anything about ICE yet.

What does yet mean?

What are you waiting for?

What needs to happen for you to do something about ICE?

What harm does codifying sanctuary city status do?

It's literally the bare minimum you can do to tell your citizens that you stand with them.

Are you worried about funding being revoked?

Because it's probably on that way anyway, because we're in a sanctuary state.

Uh and I don't know that we need to be worried about funding when we are looking at what's happening with Minnesota.

So I just I'm asking you to stand with your citizens and your neighbors and your constituents and the people who put you in power today and codify sanctuary status.

Thank you.

Okay, uh Vanessa.

Again, if you could stick to snaps, that would be helpful.

Vanessa, you are next.

William.

And then uh on deck is uh Dirk Kenudson.

Uh Vanessa, is your mic on?

Yeah.

All right, you're all set.

You have three minutes.

Hi, great.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Uh my name is Dr.

Vanessa Samoano.

I'm a licensed clinical psychologist and research investigator at the Portland VA healthcare system.

Uh my role as a psychologist at the VA is helping veterans with uh post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.

Um as a member of the Latino community myself, uh oftentimes many Latino veterans um elect to work with me because of our shared cultural understanding that can bolster you know stronger uh therapeutic relationship.

Um a key part of my work as a trauma therapist is to help veterans re-learn in their minds and their bodies the difference between safe environments and dangerous environments.

Um to learn that a Saturday at Costco is not an ambush in the desert.

Um it's no small feat to go through this kind of a treatment, and it takes months of hard uh and emotional work.

Um I felt compelled to share this today.

Um Latino veteran that I've had had the honor to work with since May has made some huge improvements in his functioning.

Um up until very recently.

Um I had a check-in with appointment with him, and unsurprisingly, his symptoms are back in full-blown um PTSD because of the increase increased activity of uh ICE in his neighborhood.

Um and sadly, as his therapist, I could not give him reasons why his hypervigilance is unjustified.

Uh I could not tell him that his fear is not aligned with a relatively safe reality because for him it's not.

Um I could not tell him to not isolate.

Um I had to tell him to stick with his instincts because those are on point right now, sadly for him.

Um in our streets right now, there is a real threat to him, his family, and other Latinos in our community.

Um I know that this veteran signed up to serve um and protect the rights of civilians in this country.

And I would be remiss not to speak up for him right now, for myself and for all other Latinos um in his same situation and urge our elected officials to do the bare minimum and codify sanctuary status in our cities and protect our communities from this reign of terror that is in our streets, our grocery stores, our schools, our churches, and on our front doors.

Thank you.

Excuse me, Dirk, you can come up.

Uh William.

Yeah.

You are next.

Yeah, hold on one second.

And then Barry Johnson Smith, you are on deck.

Uh William, welcome back.

You have three minutes.

Yeah, thanks, guys.

Uh, everyone, my name is William, and I live near downtown.

I drive school buses for Hillsborough School District.

Uh bus 32, so you can wave at me, and I'll probably wave back.

I'm really excited to be here with everyone tonight and listen to the public comments.

I missed the start of the work session, but my friends are well educated and engaged in civil work and have told me about the ordinance to codify the Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act.

And I totally agree that you need to pass it now.

And I'm not familiar with the legal processes in Hillsborough, but what I and everyone else can do is compare reality to the Hillsborough mission statement for the city to provide city services that support a safe, sustainable and inclusive growing community while cultivating Hillsborough's hometown livability.

So that's a great promise, but for the past few months, the news and public testimony, we know that the city hasn't been living up to its promises.

The explanation between the gap of your promises and what's actually happening is that the explanation is that it's slow.

It's really hard to listen to, that it's uncertain, or we need to make sure, make sure before the next step.

Um maybe even like wait some time to document things now for justice in the future.

Um but that doesn't work for me anymore anymore.

We need action now, we need justice now.

If you delay justice, that is denying justice.

Delayed justice is denied justice.

What justice is there for families who have already left, who have already been deported, or for people who have been killed?

There's no justice for them, but we have justice for people who are here now.

And personally, I like to follow up any criticism with advice and to clearly state the purpose of the criticism.

When I see the city council drag their feet to help their citizens, it makes me think they're using legal processes as cover for an action, which makes me furious.

When you encounter any procedure or policy that slows you down, bend it.

If there's any policy or procedure that stops you, break it.

I want you to have the same audacity and creativity that the people out here have.

Think of the audacity it takes to bring a 3D printed whistle to go toe-to-toe with an ICE agent.

That's the kind of audacity and risk taking and creativity that I need to see all of you do.

And that means stay late, work late, get to work early, cancel brunch.

I don't know what y'all do in your spare time, but it's canceled.

This is what you need to work on.

And as a specific idea, since y'all are asking about ideas, use all the city resources than you can.

Publish the hotels that I stays at.

Publish their cars, publish their names and their addresses.

And I promise you, ICE will be ran out of town the next day.

No one wants to serve ICE.

People will spin their food till they get out of the restaurants and run it out of time.

Um I talked to some of my students, and I said, if I can tell City Council anything, guys, what should I tell them?

And it's that they're scared.

That's that they're scared.

And I forget who wanted a goal, but the goal is to get ICE out of town.

Ice agents equals zero.

It cannot be more clear unless you are refusing to see.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um Barry Johnson Smith, you can come up.

And Myra Contreras, you are on deck.

Right up there, Barry.

And then uh Mr.

Knutson, you have three minutes.

Thank you, Mayor Pace.

Um, I think we gotta codify you guys.

This thing's a freight train coming at you just like the emergency declaration.

I'm not hearing good reasons not to codify hearings kind of excuses, it would make it difficult for us.

We gotta do it.

But I'm here to talk about the Oregon Jobs Act.

Um, you're gonna all be hearing a lot about this.

Everybody in the room is gonna hear a lot about this.

It really should be called the expand Hillsborough's Urban Growth Boundary Without Public Input Act.

It's the biggest UGB expansion that has will ever happen if it happens outside of the systems we have, which are time tested and make Oregon special.

We did this once with the grand bargain.

We brought in 1100 acres because we needed high paying jobs for something called Project Azalea.

Everybody was in a panic.

10,000 jobs, do it now, and we did it.

And guess what?

Project is it didn't come.

They weren't even real, according to people in New York City working on this.

But uh 1,100 acres came in and 50% of it's gone to data centers.

We screwed up.

We didn't get the high-paying jobs.

This act would also extend the enterprise zone to 10 years from five.

I mean, how badly are we gonna get fleeced as a city or a state?

This is ridiculous.

The process is also not legitimate.

For Hillsborough to be involved in this process with no public input, not so much as an open house, not so much as maps or master planning, or hey guys, we're gonna triple the size of Hillsborough's industrial footprint, which is already massive.

It's not legitimate for you guys for you, any of you to push this.

I also think this process is conflicted because those of you leading this took money directly from landowners for your campaigns.

These landowners stand to make 1.7 billion dollars when your work moves that boundary.

And you're gonna have to own up to that.

You should step back and let somebody else take the reins on this one.

Data centers have taken our water, they've doubled our power rate.

They've taken all the land we could have put high-paying jobs on it, so now we're screaming we need more land.

There's 30 now, there's another 10 in planning.

Jeanette Solman said there'll be no standalone data centers, but what she didn't say is if you put a little tiny workforce training center up, you'll be able to build another huge data center, and we lose more farmland.

And we're losing our sense of place out there on Jackson School Road.

We're not going to recognize it, just like we don't recognize old Arenko or um the toilet and plains where the data centers are now.

We have to do master planning, and Mayor Pace, you said when you went to Salem last week that we've invested 120 million dollars in infrastructure to make this work.

How about we invest three million in what's going on in this town?

Okay?

It's not always about industry and jobs.

I know you're working hard on this, and I know we need to be in that space where we have land, but let's have public process.

We have to.

Okay?

Thank you, guys.

Uh next up is uh Barry Smith and Myra.

You can Myra Contreras, you can come up.

Here you are.

And then on deck is Lutiades.

Uh Barry.

Yeah, you have three minutes.

I cool.

All right, good evening, Mayor, City Councilors.

Um, glad to be here today.

For those who don't know me, my name is Barry Johnson Smith.

I've been a resident of Washington County for six years.

Before I get into my testimony, I just do want to give a huge shout out to Christian Salgado for organizing the Cisce Puer rally yesterday for MOK.

I had an honor collaborating with you.

Um it was really inspiring to see the youth there, and you inspire them to want to address the injustice of facing today, so you should tip your hat off for aspire and the youth yesterday for what you did.

And I also want to thank uh Council Claire for attending there as well.

Um here today uh talk about my support for the codification of the Oregon Statistic Promise Act here in uh Hillsboro.

Um, but I just want to preface that like codification is not enough.

Um we need to make sure our sanctuary law is enforceable, transparent, impaired with real accountability.

Like Christian Sagato reference, I sent a proposal to y'all last night um with policy that I worked with some of the attorneys and in fact the community members of how to do some of this work while be consistent with supreme with the supremacy clause.

Um there are practical safeguards that protect public safety and civil rights.

Um I said the documents I share were outlined by another attorney, Blaine Soleiman Pearson, and here are some of the policy recommendations.

First, traffic safety must be enforced and parsley.

Reports of unmarked vehicles driving recklessly or aggressive boxing drivers should be treated as part of prior uh priority public safety hazards.

Officers are verified that these situations are safe and that drivers are per properly congenital regardless of federal status.

Public safety law applies to everyone.

Second, the city must investigate excessive force.

The Oregon Attorney General has made clear that the supremacy clause should not shield federal agents who insult or endanger the public.

If city staff or other or officer witness or receive reports of windows being smashed or misused against non-violent individuals, those instances must be investigated as potential violations of the Oregon criminal code.

Third, she should document these instances and refer them to the Washington County District Attorney for review, consistent with the attorney general's attempt to evaluate cases for prosecution when appropriate.

Fourth, we need transparency.

I urge the city to publish a monthly federal interaction law, documenting calls for services related to suspended federal activity.

This law should include the date and location, the nature of the support, such as on marked vehicle or suspected adduction, and how the police department responded.

This data should be in a report easily accessible by the public and consistently reported in city council meetings.

The public deserve transparency about when and how city staff interacts with federal agents regarding immigration.

Finally, codification must include mandatory training for all city staff developed with legal experts and community organizations on know your rights, proper handling of immigration enforcement requests, and correct application of the sanctuary ordinance.

Passing a sanctuary order is an essential beginning, but it cannot be the end.

Sanctuary laws only works if it's enforced.

Accountability protects public safety and transparency builds trust.

Thank you for your time and your service to our community.

Okay.

Luz Gutierrez.

Luz.

Hola Luz.

Quiere blancar in Espanol or English.

Okay.

One momento.

We have that espanol, but I can't.

Espanola or English.

Um I think I'll do 50-50.

Is that okay?

Um is that okay, Aubrey?

Can we do that?

You're welcome to do that.

Just know that the language on the screen, it will take a moment.

So as you toggle back and forth, it there will be hiccups, but it will do it.

Okay.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Okay.

You have three minutes.

All right.

So tonight, I didn't um write a speech or anything like that.

Um I just came in.

Like somebody said tired.

We're tired.

Um, but that doesn't mean we're giving up.

You know, though there's so much to be done.

And um, you guys do hold the pull on this.

And whenever you guys make a choice like a decision, we are here to back you up too.

I mean, just because you go out and approve something, don't believe that you're gonna receive retaliation everywhere.

You will have at least the community support, the community that put you here.

Um today, I want to basically uh thank all the micro businesses that followed me in.

Um I honestly I I never thought I'd be here.

Never thought I'd make this movement.

Um to be honest, I was scared.

Um the first night I couldn't even sleep.

I was I was kind of juggling in my mind, where did I get myself into?

But then more people started coming coming to me, asking me questions, asking me how things work.

Questions, some some questions I didn't even know the answer, but that didn't mean that I was just gonna, you know, pitch ball something that wasn't true.

I did my diligence and I gave them the right information.

Um I do want to thank um and bear with me.

Uh I do want to thank El Potrillo, Pati jumpers, Ti Picos Valides, Rolitos Toys, uh Rolitos Wireless, um, Latía.

Um, I also have other people from paisanos, and we're here and please see us, because we there are a lot of businesses here that need the support.

But microbusiness have a long ladder to climb.

And sometimes that ladder, better yet, most of the time that ladder is laddered with oil.

That makes it hard for us to climb.

With your guys' help, we will climb that ladder.

But please, please help us.

Be the rag in between us and that oil.

And I know you guys can.

Um again.

Muchas gracias.

Ustedes tienen voz.

Hagan como comerciantes why the negotiation and the personal, because you're con the micronegocios.

Entonces, for favor, this is the moment when you're clear and not need, because the community.

Come on up, Andrews.

Luz quiere in Spaniel, see?

I do.

Okay, one moment.

So we're gonna switch.

I wanted also to be able to understand what I'm seeing right here.

English is fine.

English, okay.

Um, you'll go after Luz.

Okay, thank you.

And then on deck is Maria.

Okay.

Are we good?

Yeah, she can go ahead.

It'll catch up after a sentence or two.

Okay, Luz.

Nuevamente me encuentre.

The first time I went, I sent me respetuous for exiging and the poder.

But the six that we appoint.

Not responding to you.

Not escogging for a young.

Uh traveling with me to enter that divided and necessary for the campus that they necessitely.

You know, for my community latina, but uh communities, abuse physical and mental quees pade.

No solamente solo negocios uh pequeños or grandes, los que están sufriendo, es todo mundo.

The primera vez también que yo vine, let's say that su inactividad nos iba a llevar a la ruina, and it's precisamente lo que estamos viendo ahora.

Let's dije yo que las companhias of construction, landscaping technologia, hospitality, salud y todo se está yendo a la quiebra.

Aquí tenemos también los negocios de peluquería, que mencionó Mayra, los cinco restaurantes que apoyaron atrás para proveer comida, más de 400 familias aquí insta community that no hacerlo, pero son nuestros hermanos, ando comida tocadora in su momento and hasta ahora los siguientes necesitando.

You no quiero la verdad que vaya a pasar algo como la que passó in Minneapolis.

But the verdict no queremos que vaya a pasar algo, porque se está cansando todo mundo.

Pareciera que ustedes están dormidos, necesitamos ayuda.

Le quiero dar gracias también al señor Salgado porque creo en él, porque sé que él con sus palabras and su actividad está anexo.

But the problem.

Si this is a santuario, no está para siendo que it's untuario.

Immigration is the señora Mayer también yendo a hacer outreach at the tiendas, pero so no quiero decir que están las tiendas protegidas, porque a ver si ya se va, llegan these personajes and what they can say with our families.

And so let's pedest ayuda, que ahí estábamos.

Si ustedes necesitan más de nuestra ayuda, diganolo, porque estamos listos también para eso.

Andas de verdad su reacción.

Gracias.

Andres, you're up Maria.

Um Andrés Pérez Lata.

One second, Andreas.

Yeah, I'm sorry.

Um Abigail Ramirez.

You are on deck.

Okay, one moment.

Después Andres.

Okay.

Andres, go ahead.

I'm Andrés Perez, I'm a senior at Glencoe High School, and I wanted to talk about the encroachment of data centers in our community.

As you know, and as many people know, data centers uh both before and after this recent AI boom over the previous years are in but one an eyesore on our beautiful Oregonian fields, and as seen as under other cities will lead to higher power bills and problems with water pressure and supply.

I ask you to think about how you plan to monitor and or regulate this encroachment on our land to make sure that the priorities lie with your constituents and not these large tech companies.

Thank you.

And then on deck is S M.

S M is on deck.

Okay, and then are we ready to switch?

Yeah.

Okay, Maria, estamos listo.

Buenas noches.

Gracias por estar aquí.

Pues repetitivo, ¿verdad?

But ayuda economica, queremos ayuda in todos los sentidos, porque nos sentimos acosados, nos sentimos perseguidos.

Estamos endeudados, no tenemos, y luego todo sube, la luz, la renta, la renta de nuestros negocios.

Y ahorita ya está subiu.

No, no queremos que nos regalen, pero tan siquiera que nos bajan poquito, organize, como esto suba.

No hay negocio, no hay ventas, la gente no llega, la gente tiene miedo.

Y es lógico, todos tenemos miedo, porque aquí con papeles or some papeles los están llevando, los están maltratando.

Gente anglosajona, gente blanca, que se espera uno que es de color.

André.

Si nos han dicho que nos van a ayudar, pero no vemos cuando estamos nada.

Estamos viendo cómo se llevan a la gente, ando.

Porque ni siquiera la policía would intervene.

Yo le dije one policy, como es possible que están viendo que están maltratando a la gente.

Y ustedes no pueden hacer nada.

Yo no estoy diciendo que intervention in el arresto.

Pero sí pueden decir no maltrates a la gente.

Pero si pueden decir, tienes una order for that lo lleves.

Están encapuchados, no se les ve la cara.

In those senties.

Abigail.

Do you want to uh testify in English or Spanish?

Um, I'll do English.

English, okay.

Thank you, one second.

And SM.

You're next.

And then after SM is Erica Villa.

Uh Abigail, you have three minutes.

Hello, City Council.

My name is Abigail Ramirez.

I'm Manny Travis's sister.

Yesterday I attended a protest on Martin Luther King Day for two important reasons.

To support my brother as he spoke, and to stand up for the right of my people.

The protest was supposed to be a peaceful gathering of families and community members honoring Dr.

King's legacy.

We came together for justice, equality, and dignity.

My family and I participated respectfully, holding signs, standing together, lending our voices to a cause greater than ourselves.

But peace was shattered that day.

A man arrived not to join us but to provoke an intimity.

From the moment he appeared, he directed racist slares at me and others creating fear where there should have been calm.

We should have been a safe, honorable gathering quickly turned into chaos because of his aggression and refusal to respect the rights of those around him.

During the incident, he tried to take my mother's Mexican flag and waved it in a way that struck her, yet she was blamed.

At one point, my brother Manny was punched in the face.

And I know this man has multiple felony convictions, yet his actions went largely unchecked by law enforcement.

This isn't the first time that I felt the racial sting.

Over the years I've been judged, threatened, and marginalized simply because of the color of my skin.

And the heritage and the heritage I carry with pride.

Each time it leaves a mark, fear and frustration, a sense that even when we do everything right, we are still vulnerable.

And yet I continue to stand, speak and fight for justice, not just for myself, but for everybody whose voices has been silent.

During the protest, I watched in disbelief as my brother Manny was the only one held aggressively.

At least ten officers surrounded him while the man who was attacked faced little to no restraint.

I couldn't help but wonder if we were white, what would we have what would the situation have unfolded to?

Or would justice have been applied fairly and equally?

The fear and confusion and pain that of the movement were overwhelming, and it highlighted deep troubling disparities in how people are treated based on the color of their skin.

I'm running out of time, but so I asked this court, how can we claim to protect justice if those who peacefully exercise their rights are treated as the aggressors?

How can we honor equality and prejudice still decides who is safe and who is blamed?

Every voice deserves to be heard, every right deserve to be protected, and every person deserves to be treated with dignity.

Yeah, just one second, please.

Yeah, that you're more than welcome to do that.

And just know that when you're speaking in Spanish, some of us will be looking at our screen.

Um and it takes a minute to switch over.

Okay.

And are you, Erica?

Yeah.

Great.

Uh so you'll speak after SM and you'll have three minutes to speak.

And do you want to speak in English or Spanish?

I'll do Spanish.

Spanish.

Okay, so just English and they'll Spanish.

Okay, sounds good.

Okay, SM, go ahead.

I'm gonna switch to English now.

In the work session, I heard a city official say that this is a politically and emotionally charged time.

No one looks forward to getting that call.

Trust me, you don't have to remind us.

Yet the community is in the front lines and is responding.

Why aren't you?

Release the data from Waka and show the community how many ICE-related calls have come in and how many have been handled by sending an officer out.

Trust begins with honesty.

One last message for everyone.

Our children are watching.

Thank you.

Carter Calhoun.

Carter Calhoun.

Carter, you can take a seat at the left side, and then you'll speak after Erica.

Erica, you have three minutes.

Okay.

Hi, my name is Erica again.

I'm here for the I think second or third time coming here to advocate for the community of Hillsborough, coming here with all the um MNM marketplace members.

Um like me, I have a small business, and it is you know heart harmful that they're losing their businesses.

And I'm here to advocate for them.

You know, I come from Salem.

I try to come here every Sunday or Saturday twice a month to help them, not only to do content with them, to get their business going so people can know they're still working.

A lot of people don't want to come, they don't want to show up, they're scared that they're gonna get detained in the meantime from their house to the MM marketplace.

I am like them, you know, a Hispanic Latino person, and I'm here to advocate, you know.

We need to do something.

They are scared, they're frightened, they don't they want to change.

We've been waiting since November.

We haven't seen anything.

They're here.

I talked to them in person on the weekend and I told them, hey, you guys need to come, you guys need to be heard.

The more of you guys here, you know, maybe changes will come.

Changes will, you know, eventually come one day or another.

And I also am also here because yesterday, Monday we went to the march in Salem, which was a peaceful march.

There was a MAGA guy, uh, about 40 plus years.

He decided to hit two teams.

I was there the whole time when the incident happened.

By the time the guy was trying to get away, Mani was trying to be arrested by three to four officials.

When my me seeing it from the background, as I was there, I was seeing everything.

I was screaming in my speaker, you know, two teens just got hit.

The police didn't show up till later.

When they show up, they try to arrest money, and I'm like, what is happening?

He is the victim, and there's the MAGA guy 40 plus years, just you know, out there loose.

They didn't want to arrest him, they didn't want to put charges on him.

After 40 minutes, they did tell him to leave that he wasn't allowed there.

After 40 minutes that we were there advocating for money when he was already surrounded by eight to ten police officers.

And like I said, they were trying to arrest him.

I did tell them he's a minor.

I was there speaking up.

A lot of people weren't there.

A lot of people didn't care.

He was a minor, so I did tell the police, what if this was your kid?

What if this was your kid and he got kick he got uh you know, hit by a 40-year-old.

Would have been different.

They were just laughing at us.

They didn't care.

It was Salem police and uh state troopers from Salem.

So we need a change and we need it now.

Gracias a todos.

You know, come lesive, uh negotiations.

I have a hair salon, you know, and I closed it three times and I know how hard it is to reopen.

So you say this pierden sus ingressos ya no van a poder abrir.

So we need a change, you know.

Most of them won't be able to reopen.

I myself have opened three times my business here.

And most of them can't.

So we need a change.

Thank you.

Uh next up is Carter Calhoun.

Carter, um, just press that button in the middle when your light turns green, you're on and you have three minutes to speak.

All right.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

Um, I'm Carter.

I'm a junior at Glencoe High School, and um I think that Hillsborough's codification as a sanctuary city is the absolute minimum you can do to help immigrants in our community, and you're refusing.

You saw the turnout at the school walkout in December, just made of students.

Imagine if that were everybody who was standing with the cause.

Students whose parents, family members, and friends' parents have been affected and taken by ice.

It's breeding fear in the minds of everyone, from elders to children in elementary school.

They're killing people across the country like terrorists.

How long will it be before something like that happens here?

By not passing this, you're basically just telling ICE that they're welcome in our city.

And they're absolutely not.

They're not welcome in Hillsborough, they're not welcome in Oregon, and they're not welcome anywhere.

And we may not be able to change it across the country, but we can make the step forward by making this a sanctuary city.

You're putting our entire Hispanic community in danger.

Codify our city as a sanctuary for all immigrants, documented or undocumented, and most importantly, enforce it.

Use force in response to these armed federal agents spraying tear gas on unarmed protesters and shooting people in the face.

Do you have the guts to tell everybody in this room right now that you're not going to protect them?

You are complicit, Mayor Pace.

You serve the people and you serve the citizens of Hillsborough.

And I urge you, please to never forget that.

Thank you.

Okay.

Uh thank you to everyone who came in tonight.

Uh moving to item four, the consent agenda.

The items on the consent agenda are normally considered in a single motion.

Any item may be removed for separate consideration upon request by any member of council.

Is there a request to remove any items for separate consideration?

Okay.

Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda?

So moved case.

Thank you.

Is there a second?

Second Annberry.

All right.

Is there any discussion?

May I please have a roll call.

Councillor Anvery.

Uh yay.

Councillor Alcair.

Councillor Case.

Hi.

Councillor Harris.

Aye.

Counselor Sinclair.

Councillor Salgado.

Hi.

Thank you.

The motion passes.

Moving to item eight.

We have uh no other business to consider this evening.

So I'll turn the time over.

And I want to be clear.

We have no other business to consider this evening in this city council meeting.

We will be going back to work session after this.

So I just want to be clear.

All right.

Um so I'll turn the time over to Robbie Hammond for the city manager report.

Thank you, Mayor.

Good evening, everyone.

Uh three items that I wanted to announce uh and share with the council and with the public tonight.

Uh we had an exciting announcement last week that Hillsboro is the home of the newest women's professional softball team, the Portland Cascade.

The Cascade will be part of the Athletics Unlimited Softball League, or the AUSL, and will play their first home game at Hillsborough Ballpark on Thursday, January uh June 18th.

Uh other AS AUSL teams include the Carolina Blaze, Chicago Bandits, Oklahoma City Spark, Texas Volts, and Utah Talons, and some games are going to be aired on ESPN.

Uh, this is gonna be a great draw for our tourism.

As fans of softball players of all ages visit Hillsborough and watch the only West Coast team in the AUSL.

As Mayor Pace said during the uh announcement, the Cascade, the Thorns, and the fire will make Hillsborough a regional hub for women's sports.

Thanks to the Parks and Recreation Director Kendall Reid and Senior Parks and Recreation Manager Darrell Singleton for all of their hard work uh in Hillsborough to secure this opportunity.

Second, I thought it'd be interesting to share uh and thank first of all our public works department staff for another another incredible uh job serving our community through the annual street leaf collection program.

Um in 2025, our crews are more removed more than five thousand cubic yard of street leaves.

Uh they also collected about six hundred pounds of food during two food drive events.

Um this program helps everyone by keeping more than three hundred miles of city streets and the stormwater system clean and reliable.

It also reduces flash flooding and can be which uh can be caused by street trees leaving uh clogged uh uh clogging catch basins.

Uh big thanks to our Parks and Rec team, excuse me, public works team led by Tom Arnold, our public works director, uh, and all of his team.

And then finally, uh I wanted to share with community members that are watching tonight.

We are excited to invite you to join us again here in the Shirley Huffman Civic Center Auditorium for the 2026 State of the City on Thursday, February 19th.

Mayor Pace will lead the evening with a speech that begins at six PM.

Once again, we are offering free supervised child play at Outdoors Inn for those who attend to the state of the city, and we hope to see you there.

But if you cannot make it, it will be um live streamed both in English and in Spanish on the city's Facebook channels.

Thank you.

Thank you, Robbie.

Uh moving to item 10.

Uh community members who want to be informed and engaged on city council matters can sign up to receive the happening in Hill Hillsboro email newsletter.

Spanish language updates are also available through our Crescian de Juntos email newsletter.

Please note the city council will be holding one executive session.

Is that right, Robbie?

We're gonna switch it.

Um so there were two scheduled.

So we're gonna do um one on legal action and the one on safety, we will push off because we're gonna be continuing our work session.

So the city council will be holding one executive session after the work session under ORS 192.6602H is in hotel to consult and counsel uh to consult with council concerning the uh legal rights and duties of a public body with regard to current litigation or litigation likely to be filed.

Um let's see.

No action may be taken in executive session.

If action needs to be taken, council will do so in regular session.

So immediately after this meeting, we'll be going back into the other room to continue our work session, and you are all welcome to be there.

After our work session, we will be going into executive session, and that's when uh only the city council and certain staff can be there.

All right, with that, uh the city council meeting is adjourned, and we'll begin in our work session at 8 10.

Thank you.

We'll try to do that um soon and come up with a good plan for you all.

The second part that we wanted to talk about tonight is um the human rights office.

So we've had discussions with the council a couple of times.

Um, this was a proposal uh by uh counselor salgado.

Um we put together a plan of how we could uh put uh uh bring this forward, uh, which I shared with you all a couple of weeks ago.

Yeah, there you go.

Thank you.

So a couple of parts of that, just as a reminder, some of this will be repetitive, but I think it's important to set the context.

Uh, one of the the those proposals was to establish a community advisory committee, which by the way, we've already done we're we're doing that now.

We have a charter set up.

We've invited uh CBOs, they're excited to be a part of it.

So um that's gonna be something moving forward that's gonna be really helpful for the city.

We have uh options to bring back uh we wanted you asked us to bring back options to form this kind of uh human uh rights.

I keep calling it a human resources office.

I apologize.

Human rights office.

Um it would be staffed by a human rights uh manager position, and I'll go over the um the organizational chart in a second.

Uh and I'll go through the goals as we go get into that.

I have other slides that will go through those goals, and then also bring back proposals, which would be kind of phase two of this to establish a human and civil rights commission.

Uh next slide.

I have a question.

Yes.

Um for the for the CAC, what is uh was the charter sent to us?

I'm sorry if not.

Was it sent to you?

If not, could you send it?

We certainly can.

Yes, Simone has it, and we can send that out.

I think we talked about it at the last one, but I don't think we actually sent the charter.

So happy to do that.

Yeah, and we've tried to make that flexible as well.

Right now, obviously, we all know the main purpose, but three years down the road, it could be a different purpose that we would want to use that CAC for.

So we try to make it flexible and and uh you know have CBOs come and talk to us, whatever the the issue is that we need to hear from our community on.

And maybe oh, yeah, go for it.

Yeah, sorry.

I gotta go back in and have it.

Yeah, go ahead and counselor sinclair.

Okay.

Um picking and uh connecting with the CBOs or to participate in the community advisory.

Is there will they be acquainted?

I know you just talked about sending out the charter, but I think it's really important that council's aware of who that is because we all this is new for all of us.

We all have perspectives on what we're hearing in the community and who's loses on the ground, uh, to be aware of who that is before committing who that community advisory hearing is.

Yes, we can share that.

Uh we have we have um who those uh CBOs are.

That that they will probably fluctuate too, right?

Depending on what issue we're talking about.

So it's not necessarily an appointment by council, it would be just we we're proposing a wide variety of different voices and CBOs that would come so we can share who we're talking to.

Similarly, yeah, I can talk just on um just a little bit about it.

So we're developing a planning committee first.

So Adelante Bujares has been invited along with PD and CMO to just develop the planning committee, which talks about like meeting length, the meeting location, just some of those how is it going to function?

The charter outlines the response purpose, scope, and responsibilities.

Um, but in the the resolution outlined kind of the categories of types of organizations like immigrant rights advocates, um social service providers.

So obviously a lot of our CDOs, even culturally specific CDs provide a number of services related to housing and um food assistance, and so there's various categories, and you'll see that in the charter.

Um, but the committee itself can be up to 30 individuals, and we've kind of outlined that by category, but we'll have we'll be working with kind of the planning committee to try to focus that a little bit more.

So it's still very much in the development phase.

Okay, thank you.

So you mentioned one organization, adelanted, right?

That's been our first outreach.

Well, we have been meeting um as we've been working on the partnership agreements for the funding.

We've talked to Central Adelante, we're meeting with the NSR tomorrow.

Um we've met with community actions.

So this is still the very early phases of like who do we in terms of planning, who do we need to be talking to in order to continue the conversation.

So they're not by any means the only voice that will be in the room.

And could you share what you're communicating with them about what the purpose of the community advisory committee is?

Because we did get a letter from Adelante Mujeres that essentially says they don't agree with us moving forward with the human and civil rights work.

So it kind of feels like there's contradictory uh priorities.

There's a what are the things that we're communicating to them?

So we haven't sent sent the we've only sent the charter to two staff at Adelante.

So when we met with Bridget and two of her other staff, our meeting was actually a pretty packed agenda, and the CAC was at the end because we were really focused on the partnership agreement so we could get the funding out the door, and we told them that we would follow up with them once we were a little further along.

So we're really still in the early phases of this work, and I think you'll have a better sense once we send the charter over.

And I'm I'm gonna do that while we're here in the meeting as well.

So okay, thank you.

It just seems like a little conflicted information.

So yeah, I clarified it.

Thank you for bringing that up because I sent her a clarification that the community advisory committee happens regardless of a human rights office.

Like we've already taken that direction from council to move that forward.

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

Did we give a copy of her email in this packet of testimonies?

Okay, so I just want to because I read it, I read it, and she was supportive of what we're proposing, but she also is recommending um a pause.

As others have stated with us um about the purpose of the human rights officer or human rights office, and um so I think it's important to remember um and examine what it is that they're telling us in these testimonials and in relation to what it is that we want to do and what we think is right compared to what they are saying the community needs now.

Thanks.

Um, what I heard was uh or what I read was that um they wanted the money.

Um that's what what I was taking from it.

So um and I think at the last council meeting where we were all together, we had talked about who's already doing quote unquote the work.

I believe what they're saying in relation to the money is to consider what the needs are right now, emergency needs are needed by people right now, and that's basically to pay rent and to get food.

Those things are not sustainable, but that is what they're asking for.

Put this funding towards food and rent for people first.

Some people are saying um postpone developing an office in a year.

In my opinion, I think that we can develop a commission throughout this county, and that we can be working with people who are already pioneering this work, and that we go in as a participant to this work, and that we contribute to this work, and that our contribution, our state is that we fund a part of that commission, and all cities who want to participate fund that commission and that they work together for communities.

Yeah, I mean, I think they have the right.

Bridget Cook has the right to share her opinion on it.

But my question was about the construction of the community advisory committee, the purpose of the community advisory committee.

And they're gonna be members of the community advisory committee, but they're already coming out before we've even met to say I don't I don't approve of this.

So it just seems like it would be counterproductive to have somebody like that on a community advisory committee if they outright don't already support our approach to this.

I don't know that they don't support this.

I see that they have questions about what we want to do, and I don't see anything wrong with the proposal, but I think we need to be informed and that we need to for me when I think about the city, I think about our collaboration with our partners.

And I believe that we need to go in and listen and understand, because they literally are on the front lines.

We aren't, except for maybe Jim sometimes with details.

But I think that we need to consult with them, and I think we need to listen to them.

Well, I mean, I'm not disagreeing with you.

What I'm saying is that's part of the purpose of the community advisory committee, right?

To get that feedback from the community in a structured way that's consistent, that's tracked, that's documented.

And so if from the jump they're saying we don't support what you're doing, to me, it just seems counterproductive.

And so that's how I'm reading the letter.

And we don't have to spend too much time on it.

I was just voicing that concern with how we're going about selecting members for this and what we're saying, what the purpose is behind the CAC.

Because I think there needs to be alignment, and maybe Bridget Cook is speaking for herself and not other than the mujeres.

And maybe she's speaking for other ones.

I don't know.

It just seems like there's I don't know.

I want this to be done right.

I mean, we've heard a lot of testimony.

It's a real issue.

We need to do something, and we need to do it right, you know.

I would give some grace to the CBOs and and out here, because they have been doing the work.

And I believe uh partnerships important.

One thing that I'm worried about, as I'm worried also about HPD, is that the city staff report to Robbie, and Robbie makes decisions based on what we want and consulting with Chad.

Robbie's going to follow through and do this.

That person still has to report to Robbie and is going to meet requirements within their job within what the city is going to require to participate in this.

A group, we can call it coalition or a commission, but they go to a group and they have reporting to do, and they come back and they inform council about what is going on.

I don't believe that.

I I just think like the amount of money that we're considering right now in this next batch is going to be what 200,000.

Well, that's what we're considering.

And it's not sustainable.

I don't I think we're too far ahead right now in speaking out about this.

I think I just want to finish my thought.

Yeah.

So I would just like to be considering what this amounting money that we would do for this office and what it could do for people.

If I might suggest I've got um maybe five slides, and you've seen some of these slides.

I'll try to give all the background and then there'll be plenty of time maybe to discuss among the council.

Um if you go to the next slide, Raheem.

So this you saw this um a few weeks back.

So this is kind of a zoomed out version.

If you go to the next one, you'll see what we would propose here.

Um, this would be a uh an office created within the city manager's office, essentially.

And so it'd be a new position, a human rights manager.

Um the position would port directly to Simon Brooks, the assistant city manager.

We do see there would probably at least need to be one more position, some type of a community services coordinator position that would kind of be phase two.

We want to get that manager hired for again.

This is all if we did this, we'd hire the manager first, then they could be involved in hiring, you know, a staff member.

The second part to this that we also talked about would be a communications assistant manager.

We've talked about that as a city for a while.

It's a it's a need already.

And if we were to add this, we would have to do, we'd have to add more um kind of oomph to our our communications team because that would be a really critical part of this human rights office.

Um, at the last meeting of the council, uh, next slide, Raheem.

The council asked us, well, let me go through these first.

We showed these uh again uh last last meeting.

I just want to show just to remind everybody, these are some of the goals that we had kind of pulled from uh Councilor Salgado's uh proposal in partnership with the CBOs.

Um we'd be complimenting the work that they do to record and document ice interactions.

We'd be working with their legal observers to try to make sure we're documenting those, uh, convene a community advisory committee, which we just talked about, which again the council last meeting asked us to move forward with that anyway, regardless of what happens here.

So that's why we're pushing that forward.

Uh community education and outreach to support community members to create that welcoming city, training on know your rights, anti-discrimination, fair housing, uh accessibility, language access.

Uh again, that's because right now our focus is ice, right?

But a couple years from now it might be something else.

We don't know.

So we want this office to be kind of set up to be able to adapt and handle those types of uh areas.

Um, act as a resource connector for community members impacted by immigration enforcement uh activities and individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

And then on the next slide, just to wrap up this kind of goals of the human rights office working with CBOs to identify emerging issues and assist the development uh developing strategies to respond.

Uh what I just mentioned about being adaptable, right?

As we as we hear new things come up, because there will be new things come up that you aren't anticipating now.

Uh coordinate internally with their DEI manager and human resources department and other departments to assure employee training is responsive to CBO recommendations, lead the promotion of accurate information in English and Spanish related to the activities of the human resources office, and then finally partner with other city departments and external agencies to coordinate these beyond immigration related items.

So at the end of the last meeting, the council asked us to talk about uh the costs.

So we had sent this out to the council earlier.

I wanted to just include it here.

Hey, sorry for interrupting, Robbie.

I just want to before we move ahead.

I want to hear from the rest of the council.

If you can you go back a couple of slides.

Uh one more.

So see right there, the second big bullet point, convene a community advisory committee.

So I want to hear from the rest of the council what they think about what I brought up.

Because we've had BNSR, SOAR, and Adelante Mohere is right in testimony saying they don't support us investing money in this office yet.

That's one of the goals of the office is to convene a community advisory committee.

So am I off the rails here and thinking that that's kind of contradictory that we're recruiting people that are actively like providing testimony against it.

I'd like to hear the from the rest of the council on this.

Well, can I just urge you to talk to all those organizations and ask them directly?

You don't have to wait for staff to be able to do that.

They wrote a testimony.

I would give them a call.

You wrote this testimony.

I want to talk to you about it, and I want to explain my idea about having this and ask them.

Don't assume that they aren't because this got submitted.

I think you should talk to them.

I I I would like to give input.

So we received four letters today from community-based organizations.

I'm a little frustrated because we as a council don't know what the charter is.

But yet, and it's very clear to me one of the testimonies we received.

I think there's confusion, even understanding that there's solely a committee versus actually a human rights office.

So it's not fully bait, but yet there's clearly communication going out to these CBOs.

Uh that have been completely informed since we're still developing this as a council.

I think that that creates a bias, and I think that it's um it's it's not starting out with all of us.

Um how we process this, and that's where the frustration comes in.

Certainly, council uh counselor sinclair, thank you for that.

I um so my understanding is at the last meeting when the council gave us direction to move forward with the community advisory committee.

Um, I think everybody knows that.

Uh we've reached out already.

Uh, so we're moving forward with that because that was council direction.

Um, I think at least the way I interpreted the the memos uh or the letters that came in over the past couple of days, there's talking specifically about the human resources office um and not I did it again, I'm sorry.

I was HR director for several years, so it's gonna just keep happening.

Um that's what I think they're talking about in those in those memos and not specific to the CAC.

We I don't think we've had any pushback, Simone.

Please chime in about the CAC.

That's been uh everybody likes the idea of gathering everybody together.

Uh it's the human resource, the human rights office that uh people at least that's how I read those memos.

But for us as a council for example, oh, I'm so sorry.

I just apologize, counselor.

No, this is on me.

This is a typo, and I just have to own it because I just copy and pasted the slide from the previous work session.

I did not take out convene a community advisory committee because you'd already given us direction on it.

So I just don't want to misconstrue that the goals of the human rights office would include that because you've already told us to do that.

I just want to add that context.

Yeah, but thank you for that.

Well, but rather regardless whether it's in the bullet point or not, it's part of the work related to the human rights office, right?

So I want to hear from everybody how they feel about that because I feel weird because I don't have any other words to describe this feeling that we're asking them to jump on this, but at the same time, they're providing testimony against it.

You know, so I just want to hear from the rest of the council on that.

I want to say that we have the Latino Policy Council here tonight.

We have the council council president.

And they are part of Central Culteral.

They support it.

They sent in the uh Mariah Maria Rubio sent in an email in support of this office.

So I'm not talking about Central Cultura.

Yeah, I am gonna talk about that.

And I think that they all had something to say about the office.

Some were saying to delay, postpone.

Some said this isn't the right time.

So we can sit here and talk about all we want to and our ideas and our influences.

I'm saying here's a nonprofit sitting here in the audience right now.

If you're saying it seems unclear, like people are contradicted, we can ask them.

Are you contradicting this?

Do you believe this or do you believe that?

If we're not willing to ask those questions of the people, we are well, then we need to need to.

Um I hear both my counselors, both Salgado and I think that we just haven't worked this out yet.

I think we're too far ahead of ourselves through this as a body and complete the information we have in front of us.

And I do think it's important to talk to the CBOs collectively and locally because it does seem like there is a narrative prior to us even developing this.

And so I said go forward, learn more about it to where we can make decisions counsel how to go forward, and then we'll talk about the CBO's participation.

Okay, I'll I'll reword it.

So one of the reasons we wanted to convene a community advisory committee is to get their feedback on the work that the human rights office.

We're already getting that opinion, so why why convene them if they're already giving us that opinion?

Because I asked Robbie for a timeline about what we're doing right now.

So I don't know how many of you started to ask questions that ultimately led to yes, we're gonna have a work session on ice.

It has taken time to have that, it's taken time to get to this point where we're not talking about a plan.

At no point did I hear that CBOs are just interested, don't trust us, don't want to work with us, don't want to collaborate with us.

And I'm not saying that that's being suggested here, but they do have an investment, and they are reliant on us, just like they're reliant on the county, that they need that support, but it's not just uh businesses, it's not just projects, etc.

We're talking about people who are struggling right now, fearful of open their doors, won't go to the store.

I'm in schools, I can see fear on parents' faces.

I see kids, I see it's hard to concentrate.

I see my neighborhoods, I we had businesses here tonight.

I've gone around and around and asking people how do you feel about things?

And honestly, we are not the leader in this.

It took us a long time to get to this.

I'm glad that we're here.

I'm glad that we want to do this.

I'm glad that you have this passion to want to create this.

I just I'm looking at how much money you flashed up here, and I'm thinking, wow, I wonder how many rents that could cover.

I wonder how much food that could buy.

I wonder how uh we can enhance our uh capacity for HPD to respond and provide more safety and document what's going on.

That's what I'm thinking of.

I would love to have this office, but right now I'm agreeing with these people, and it's not like they came out of magic, they've been following us, they've been listening to our conversations, our meetings, right?

And they have talked to us.

You have gone around to them, I've gone around to them.

I've asked what do you need, right?

You have talked to people, you've talked to people, right?

They're seeking us out.

That's not like they're hiding and and and disinterested and wanting to work with us.

They want us, they need us.

We need to be there, and we need to respond in a way, and we need to do in a thoughtful manner.

Um, real quick.

So, Counselor Sinclair, you want to make a comment, and counselor Solgato, but we haven't gotten to the deep end of where you want to get to, which is the point you're trying to make.

Exactly.

Yeah, so did you want to say something and then yeah, I mean, this isn't as a zero zone game, right?

It's not a zero-sum game, like we can do both things.

We've we're already investing, yep, nonprofits, we're already investing in small business.

I think we're getting close to a million dollars, counselor out here on that.

We are so we can do both things, and then you know, last uh the first work session, we're making good progress on uh codifying, and you know, we're obviously it's taking longer than expected, but then you throw in another process that is gonna extend the timeline on that work, and you've heard the testimony we heard today, we need to move with urgency, and you threw in another process that's gonna extend it, and you're trying to do the same here.

And I'm trying to understand why you're doing that.

Like you're extending the time that it's taken to accomplish.

I think I need to understand what your reluctance is to want to work with CBOs.

I need to understand that.

If I can understand that, then I can be on board with you.

Did you get my opinion?

Let me finish mine.

Did you get them?

Let me finish.

No, did you read them?

Did you get them?

Um because this has turned into a dishonest conversation because this clearly right now testimony.

I don't come here, and I'm not speaking like this without having reviewed material.

I'm not, but I am going to say this, and I'll leave it.

And you can act the way that you want to with CBOs, and you can have your own opinion about this.

And I believe this conversation right now is exposing a lot about what we feel and not what we hear from what they have to say.

And and I believe that we are working in um in a vacuum, and that's not a comfortable place for me.

So I am going to speak up and I am gonna speak out.

Counselor Sinclair.

And then and then let's finish up with the slide.

Um the objective here is to create municipal code.

That is what we're talking about.

And this is an outside of the box thinking where we want to lead our community.

I know it's not gonna protect them from ice, but we are trying to create solutions that create tools for our community outside of internal staff.

And I don't want us to get off topic here.

We let's go through the process, let's get on the same page, and I want to serve our community.

I come up with solutions that summer community, and we can bring CBOs.

It we want the same objective.

Uh okay, and um I just want to say before we get going.

Um we're all trying really hard.

We all want to serve the community.

I just want to acknowledge that.

I've talked to other mayors and other cities where the council is very divided.

And so just I would encourage us all to take a deep breath and know that we're all trying to help, and uh, which I really appreciate.

I just want to say that out loud.

Okay, Robbie, keep going.

Um next slide for you.

I think this is actually the last one, and then we can uh get into uh more discussion.

So I sent this uh to the council.

We were asked to kind of uh quantify how much this would cost.

You can see the human rights manager, which we put at essentially the same level as like our um DEI manager annual salary of 154,000 a year.

We always include benefits and taxes that are uh included because that's also expensive.

So it's about 250,000.

The second position that would be higher would be that community services program coordinator.

Um that total would be about 190,000, so a total cost of 440.

Um, I was asked to also include what it would look like if we we do have a vacancy in the city manager's office.

We've been holding on to that position for a little while to try to we have other plans for it, but if the council wanted, we could put that in here, which uh we could essentially reclassify that position, which would have some savings that you see up on the screen.

And if we did that, it'd be a total of about 321,000.

Um, that other position I wanted to include separately because again, it's not technically part of the human rights office, but that communications position.

I just trying to be realistic, it would be necessary, and that position would be about 231,000 if we did that as well.

So the total for those three positions um after they were all hired would be about 553,000.

Um quick question on that.

Yeah, yeah.

So the assistant communications manager is a from what I understand is a position that was already planned for, and you would just move it over to the responsibility of the um no, uh kind of.

Uh it's a position that at some point we need to ask for, but we don't have it planned, it's not in the budget or anything.

It's something that in the last couple of years, uh communication staff has been very tapped, and then everything with ice is just obviously made it even more impactful.

So if we were to add this, it would just maybe bring up the urgency for us to add that position.

Yeah, because what I'm trying to get an answer from here is what was already budgeted for for this year, and what's not budgeted for.

So, what's the extra move that we have to make if you have that?

So if the council wanted to move forward with this, um, there would be three new positions that would need to be added.

The first two, the human rights manager, the community services program coordinator.

Now, if you wanted to use, we do have that vacancy, the admin support position.

That's a vacant position we have now.

We could also take that vacancy and reclassify it to one of those other two if that makes sense.

So it's it's um it would be more money that we need uh to have the the council approve.

But that's where you get that 321,000.

Is those uh it would be essentially um either two new positions or one new position and a reclassification, and then the third position down below is the assistant communications manager, which also has not been budgeted, it hasn't been actually requested by the council at all.

It's just one that we I'm just trying to be as transparent as possible that that's probably uh coming down the line as well as something we would need as a result of this.

Um so this office could cost us as little as 440,000 or as much as 553,000.

Uh the as little as 321.

So if we didn't hire the communications position and we used that vacancy to reclassify it, then it would be approximately 321,000.

Okay, thank you.

And this is a year?

Correct, yeah, the year.

Oh, just one year.

Um little over half a million a year.

If we did uh the three of them, uh yes, that's correct.

So um that was the last slide.

I just I again that was the council that had requested that we kind of show that.

Um one thing I just want to clarify again uh the the community advisory committee.

Um I understand the confusion there.

We're moving forward as staff because the council said, yep, go go put that together.

Um councillor Sagala's correct that it was originally it's specifically about the human rights office, but we're trying to use it really just as a way to talk to CBOs more in general about whether it be this or other topics that might come up.

So that's moving forward.

Um, and unless the council wants to change that, let us know.

But otherwise, tonight, really what we're looking for, Raheem.

If you want to go to that next um next slide, is just feedback if you want us to fully uh fully fund and uh uh organize that new human rights office, or do not establish the office and give us other direction about uh working with CBOs or however you all want to do it.

Um with that, I'm happy to answer any questions uh or open to any conversation you want to have.

Okay, so and I I will go down the line to ask if you want to do one or two, or you can modify or whatever.

But um, I see councillor case and then counselor sinclair uh have a question.

I do.

Thank you.

So I just want to clarify.

So we're gonna um we can start the uh community advisory committee with existing staff, and it won't cost us anything in our budget.

So we could move forward with that right now, and I think we already are moving forward with that.

Okay.

And then I guess for me, yes, minus the stipends.

Minus the stipends.

Yes, right.

We would include the stipend option for the yes, of course.

Relatively minimal.

Right.

Thank you for that reminder.

Um then I I mean it seems to me that we need the CBOs, especially especially the ones that reached out to us specifically with with their thoughts already on the potential for this office, um, that they need to be a part of that group and those conversations.

Um, and it and it feels to me like we can't move forward with an office until we have a community advisory council who can give us some recommendations on that.

And I will say I I have big concerns about a half a million dollars being spent on an office on an annual basis when there's nonprofits that seem to be CBOs doing a lot of that work already.

Um that could get started tomorrow.

So um, but I just wanted to I think that was kind of what my thought process right now with this is community community advisory council, or there's so many acronyms.

I'm sorry, community advisory committee.

Um then and kind of take their lead on conversations around the office.

Would it be helpful for me just to I know you all haven't aren't looking at your email because you're discussing, would it be helpful for me to read the purpose in the charter of the community advisory committee that we're that we're already staffing up and have capacity for?

Okay.

So the human rights community advisory committee is a multidisciplinary advisory body to the city manager that will use community informed feedback perspectives and recommendations to inform the city's human rights initiatives, including opportunities to further address current and emerging impacts of federal immigration enforcement actions and to remove barriers and create accessible opportunities for all in alignment with resolution 2906, the city's equity statement and strategic plan.

So that that's the broad purpose, and then there are responsibilities.

So when you actually have an opportunity to look at the charter, we outline the responsibilities, and then the broad um participation includes um Hillsborough staff, immigrant rights advocates, which I mentioned previously, CBOs that work on eviction prevention, food assistance service navigation, health care homeless service providers, immigration legal service providers, educational institutions, business representatives, and Washington County is listed as optional, just to give you a sense since I know you can't read this right now.

Yeah.

Is there any way we can pause it until we get to review the charter?

Pause the work on the CAC until we we can see it because we did give direction, but we didn't get the charter until now.

So I'd like to take some time to look at it and get feedback on it.

Um we can.

I I it's that's the process that we typically follow when we create a new committee or a council.

And so we just as staff want to put together a proposal to how to do this, and and uh feel like it was a strong proposal.

But if the council wants us to stop and um review the charter before we um meet with them, we can we could do that.

I mean, to me, it seems like it's obvious to bring back the charter for us before continuing with the work, right?

Yeah, I guess uh maybe an important distinction though is this is not uh a committee that we had planned that reports to the council, and so because it was a staff led um committee, that's why we didn't think that we would want to bring the charter back and have the council determine the charter.

That's why we did the way we did it.

But if the council would like to have uh uh time to review the charter and make changes, and we could certainly pause.

Uh so yeah, so I I I don't think we I don't think we need to pause it, but it would be good if we could include um as one of the why not deliverables that it does uh give uh direction on the um the human rights office.

That that would be uh that would be good.

So I can just clarify.

So we changed the language to human rights initiatives in case council did just decided not to move forward the human rights office.

That way we can continue advancing the work without there necessarily needing to be an office.

So that's easy enough to update the charter, but that was the language shifted from advising the human rights office to advising on human rights initiatives.

Yeah, yes.

So I so yeah, so I I was I was saying yes, and uh before that would be advise on the creation of a human rights office to this like g give give their um opinion on on whether each human rights office like give us give the council feedback on whether that will be useful or not.

I feel like human rights initiatives covers it.

If you get too specific, then you're no that's just work that the city is will be doing, but this would be the committee giving us at some you know, maybe a month, two months, coming back to this council and and telling and saying that we think if the city does have a human rights office with these uh uh with you know with with these with this R, that makes sense, or or not.

So I I would like to so it's kind of more more formally uh listening to what the committee says, but yeah, the creation, and of course the initiatives, yes, that's ongoing, that's great.

That that should continue, but just adding that uh would be my suggestion.

Council, for for the benefit of all of you, I think we could take your feedback and then discuss next steps.

But to your point, Councillor Anbury, that could be something that we could ask them if you all decide not to move forward with the uh human rights office.

If you decide to move forward, the human rights office, then you know we wouldn't do that.

But that's where we're seeking consensus, right?

Yeah on some next steps.

That definitely can be one of the next steps.

Yes.

I will add as we um as you look at the charter for the community advisory committee, you'll see like goals and things in there that were um not just informed by counselor um salgado's proposal, but also the discussion you all had at that work session in November.

There were other things around like um how we coordinate with community-based organizations that we said we would do through the community advisory committee.

That's what also pushed that one forward uh as well.

Very cool.

And Councilor Sinclair, you've been waiting very patiently while everybody else cut in front of you.

So I appreciate your.

I appreciate that.

So you can take it up with them.

Thank you.

Um I want to start by asking two questions and then continue forward.

Robbie, as a what does it mean, if I know you'll say this better than I can, to be a full service city, and can you break down the departments that envelops?

Oh, sure.

So a full service city means that we provide all municipal services on our own.

We don't rely on other uh service providers to do that.

As an example, you can compare and contrast Hillsborough and Beaverton.

Uh Hillsboro has our own fire and rescue department, whereas Beaverton contracts it out to Twelleton Valley Fire and Rescue.

We have our own parks and recreation department, they have uh Twelton Hills Parks and Recreation Districts.

So it's just the form that we have as a city.

Um we do all of those services with the exception of Clean Water Services, for example, does it for the whole region.

So we don't do our own um kind of sewer treatment.

Um we don't um and then uh the other one would be garbage collection.

We have waste haulers that do that.

So those are really the only two outliers.

Beyond that, though, we do our own library services, fire, police, um uh parks and recreation.

We do all those services ourselves.

Thank you.

The reason I asked that and asked for clarity is because to me, this is an extension of the services from the city of Hillsborough.

This serves our community as a whole and stands behind our values and our priorities.

And in looking at Simone was gracious to uh align to provide stats today to council uh and correct me, Simone on what this envelops, but um it's all the conversations that we've had pertaining to uh promoting our small uh Latino and immigrant businesses like Posano's Eminem Marketplace, who have received thousands of thousands of views and inputs uh directly with the city.

Um Hills were awarded 200,000 as a poor community member impacted by ICE, and that got like almost 20,000 views collectively and shares and in Spanish is and it got actually more than that, got almost 30,000 views when you include English and Spanish.

Uh, when you look at council meeting recaps pertaining to additional uh approvals of grants, um, an additional nether uh 16 to 17,000, actually almost 20,000 when you include English and Spanish.

And then when you look at uh our website, uh the views it gets for uh main price response and and so on and so on.

My point that I bring this up is is that clearly people are looking to us for a one-stop shop that we have less time, we have more demands on us, and I think that it is important that we lead finding and capacity so that we can be preventative rather than reactive as we go forward for our community who's fearing for their lives, fearing for their livability, filling for their public safety.

Uh I think we have a responsibility, and that's why this should be looked at as part of an extended service to our community.

So you're advocating for number one, fully established the office.

Fully established the office.

Okay.

So thanks for starting us off.

Um, Councilor Allcare, do you lean toward one or two?

Two.

Okay.

Um, Councillor Anbry.

Oh, sorry.

Um, Councillor Solgano.

We have more than enough money to fund this.

This is not a question about budget or not, it's about values.

It's number one.

Okay.

And the last thing, may I like to say, I I do not in any way, because I vote for one push out the CBOs.

They we are at the ground level, they can help us shape what this is.

Yeah.

Okay.

Um, Councillor, Counselor Case is option two.

Oh, ma'am pace.

Yeah.

So uh I would like to see the committee give us advice on the creation of the office.

Okay.

Yeah.

So I I've heard a couple, let's wait and see what the committee does.

Okay, so we have it to Councilor Harris.

So I have a couple of questions, or just to throw them out there.

I don't expect anyone necessarily answering, but they're questions in my mind.

Um, is there any similar community advisory council in this county, another city or the countywide or something similar to that that we could either model or partner with?

Do you know, Simone?

Not the way we have it formulated, but there are other cities.

We've had one of our staff, Michaela Um Kennedy did some research on various offices that exist across the state.

Okay.

Um that that did help inform this, but the focus at that time was really on human rights commissions and not so much a committee that's informed staff on how to advance these particular kinds of initiatives.

So picking up on counselor um all cares suggestion, I think, or at least uh an idea that she had was can we reach out to other cities or the county to see if they'd like to participate in our CAC as we're convening it?

Most of these CBOs are regional or countywide anyway.

Um possibly that could lead to either a county-based or a cooperative-based office.

Uh, that's most of these things are regional anyway, immigration issues.

I mean, ICE doesn't care whether it's Hillsborough or Cornelius or Forest Grove.

Um, and most of the CBOs we're working with are likewise operating outside the city limits as well.

So that was one of my questions.

Um which of the possible areas of oversight regulation, the human rights office would be tasked with doing are already covered by the state attorney general.

Uh they do have offices, they've talked about this area.

I think that would be worth exploring before we decided what to do here, because we don't want to be duplicating things.

And if something should be centralized and at the attorney general's office, for instance, potential prosecution, that would make sense to me.

Also, if we're looking at human rights going forward longer distance, what's covered by state housing bureau or bowl, Bureau of Labor and Industries, which talks about labor rights and things like that.

There's other issues out there that we may not need to cover because they're already being covered by state agencies.

So I guess where that leads me to is I think that we should continue with the CAC, maybe bring some other people and then some of their ideas in to make it regional, as Councillor Alcare suggested, possibly, if that was her suggestion.

Um and explore oversight.

I'm generally in favor of setting something up like this.

I don't know where where it should be housed, probably should be housed in Salem, or maybe the county, um, because these things cross city boundaries quite a bit.

If we have to be the leader, we should.

But the first step is to get the CAC together, get the people on that count council, what do we call it?

Committee committee that have the expertise and the knowledge uh to give us good advice on this, and and I think we may come up with a great product um down the road.

I if Counselor Sogano is correct, if money were no object, probably wouldn't be a bad idea to pursue this.

I've been generally supportive as we've chatted about.

Money is not an object.

Pardon me, money's not an object.

I understand.

And I'm sure if we told the CBO it wasn't an object, it would probably they would probably maybe be more supportive.

We have money in the budget for it.

Okay.

Um those are my questions, but where that leads me to is I hear a lot of people on the council that have still have some questions.

And what I'd like to do is build a broad-based unanimous support for whatever product we have here, not only with the council, with the CBOs.

And boy, if we could uh expand this to the county or other cities, I think that'd be a real positive outcome here.

Um and now would be the time to ask them.

I can clarify that I am talking about a regional county commission.

I I think that makes some sense.

Thank you.

So it sounds like we have uh three people who want to fully establish the office, and two that want to is that right?

You so who wants to fully establish it?

One, two.

Okay, so two want to fully establish it.

And then those who wanted option two.

One, three.

Okay.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, where were you?

Yes, two, but I I want them to tell us what to do.

Okay, great.

Thanks.

Um, I I uh agree with different parts of it.

Um I'm leaning toward two, and uh here's a couple of reasons why.

Um the conversations or the conversations that we've had have been very informative, and I really appreciate everybody's input.

I like the idea of having the council advise on you know which way to go on this human rights office.

I think that's great.

Uh, reading the emails, they seem to want to uh have the investment from the city.

Um, and I I you brought up um Maria Rubio's she wanted to establish a human rights commission.

Uh, and so she she may not be saying commission or office.

Um, but she also was talking about funding from the city of Hillsborough will allow us to serve more families.

If you're gonna call out the communication, call out the other ones that were that seem uninformed about what the human rights office is, because even though opposing emails are not accurate in what the human rights office is.

So just be fair with both of those.

No, that's fair.

The the other ones I read seem to count to want um money, right?

From the city to go to the CBOs.

That's what it that's what it read for me.

But they also shared that it would be a duplicative effort, and it's not a duplicative effort.

So they're they're misinformed about what the human rights office is.

So if you're gonna call out, say they didn't say human rights office, we said human rights commission.

Technically, they didn't accurately describe what the human rights office would do in their in their testimony.

Okay, thank you.

Can you uh discern it?

So let's say that money doesn't go towards a human rights office.

Are we just gonna give are we giving that money to CBS?

Is that what we're saying?

Well, I no, I I don't think that's no, but that's what I'm trying to clarify because that's what that's what I think is a misperceived.

Yeah, that's what we've been talking about.

And I, you know, I've I've made the comment that, and and uh I'm gonna say, you know, I lead a nonprofit, right?

I understand um from that point of view, right?

I just want to call that out and say that.

Um I have stated that when I'm looking at half a million dollars and what that could do for really to your point, counselor all care, rent, utilities, food, they need that now, right now, and the time it would take to set this office up to recruit them to train them to get them together to connect them with CBOs.

The CBOs are already connected, they're already talking, they're already the legal observers are already out there, they're already doing the work, they're already talking to people, and so I feel like that money, if we if we redirected that half a million toward the community-based operations, they could have more legal observers, they could have more rent assistance, they could have more utility assistance right now.

But it's they can do more than what we can do, but as a nonprofit, they can respond more.

Well, counselor is saying well, counselor sinclair is saying you're given a false expectation that that money's gonna be diverted to nonprofits, and that's not what we're saying, but that's what you're communicating.

Right.

I'm not hearing that that money, I you know it's amazing that you came up with that money in the first place, right?

Annual.

Half a million dollars.

Wow, where did that come from, right?

And now the my concern is that we're gonna lose that money.

My concern is that we need to work with them.

And if they're gonna have access to funding, I'm not saying we're giving them a half a million dollars.

No, but that office requires a half a million dollars.

That's irresponsible.

But if that but if that's an option, then that should be number three out there as an option.

There should not be a narrative that we're using to not do something.

I that is false, it is and does that change.

No, I would say what I'm saying.

Okay, council of care.

If there's no money gonna go to those CBOs that equates that same cost, are you going to take away those services to those CBOs if they can't get that money?

I think we don't win all the way around.

I haven't heard that they're not gonna get funding.

I think when we talk, I haven't heard that they're not gonna get funding.

I haven't heard that we're giving out five hundred thousand dollars right now.

I heard we're trying to figure out how to establish this and and how to get it going.

I'm not saying that we're not gonna do it at all, but it's a lot of money.

Uh it's a lot of money.

And to do this every year, I would bet that there's a more efficient way to run that office every year.

It doesn't have to be a half a million dollars.

And if we are working true in partnership with the CBOs who have been doing this work, remember we're coming in late.

This money isn't gonna just disappear.

And this money was never dedicated to the CBOs, that money was dedicated to an office, not CBOs, not for services to people, not to pay rent and not to buy food.

No, I I think we all want to provide that.

But if that money is available, that is a different topic altogether.

This is a different conversation.

Is that the case?

Yeah, so that's it's a provide a little bit of context.

So when we put this together, it was because you all asked how much would this cost, right?

So that was what we went in, it would cost those numbers, right?

500,000 just to say for ease sake.

If the council decided to move forward with the human resource human rights office, then it would be incumbent upon us as staff to come back and say, okay, here's how we're gonna fund it.

We could find ways to fund that.

We could uh we could do that.

However, it's important at that point that we start talking about trade-offs.

What doesn't get done instead of it?

We we haven't got there yet.

We're just proposing this is how much it would cost.

Now, if the council takes the other approach and doesn't um approve a human rights office and says, well, then we want to increase our funding to it, then that's another discussion, and that's something that we would go back.

And we've that's something we've already done to some extent, right?

The council has wanted to do this a couple of times.

We've done 200,000 programs a couple of times.

If the council says we want you to go find other opportunities, or or we have our community service grants that we do every year for 200,000, right?

What if you told us let's bump that up to 300,000 annually?

There's ways we could do that.

We have not done that analysis though, so be really clear that that has not been a part of this.

We were just asked to bring forward what it would cost it to a human rights office.

Can I say something?

Yeah, and I I want to acknowledge I appreciate the the point of it, a false narrative.

Thank you.

That I really do appreciate that feedback.

I don't mean that towards you now.

I just mean in general to serve our community.

Yeah, I just mean that.

Yeah, no, I I'm not we're trying to all again, yeah, we're all on the same side here.

Yeah, yes, right.

And I think it's sometimes it's hard to remember that, right?

Because we're trying to make the best decision.

My thing is is that if this city is gonna put out that kind of money, I think it should go to CBOs.

That's what I'm saying.

So uh Counselor Ambery.

Thank you.

Yeah, I think that the cost is a big number.

However, uh from what I'm hearing, uh the the forum counselors who who have not said that they are behind one, they're not talking about that it's a budget issue, they're saying let's think about it, it is a large number, let's let's give it some thought, let's let's let's do it that way.

So I so I think there's like first, there's a false dichotomy of if we don't like there's not just two choices, first of all, that and then the second one is I I've not heard that anybody has said it's a budget issue.

It's just like, hey, let's be talking about this, and I think that's very good that the you know uh that that's good.

Yeah, counselor sinclair and then counselor Sargana.

Um Robbie, what happens if council decides to not move forward with the human rights office?

How do we serve our community?

Do we only serve our community through another advisory council, and that is all we're offering them?

Um so if the council decides tonight not to move forward with the human rights office, at least based on what I'm hearing, there's a couple of things that would happen still.

We're still moving forward with our community advisory committee.

Um that would continue to move forward.

That is we've figured out how to staff that in the city manager's office so that continue to move forward.

Um, if the council wants us to continue to explore to a couple of a couple of people have said have the community advisory committee explore what a human rights office or human rights commission would look like, then that's what we would put on one of the first agendas, you know, that they that they meet with.

Um I wouldn't the way you characterize it, I can't remember exactly how you put it.

It's not that we would not serve the community in this, we would figure out ways to do that.

But we're talking about municipal code, right?

We're talking about bringing things in to where they become a part of our charter or a part of municipal code.

Yeah, I I don't think this is a municipal code decision because the council can decide this regardless of the code.

Right.

Because we have we have multiple boards of commissions that are not part of the code.

Right.

I know that, Robbie, but tonight for our work session, we've talked about municipal code to actionable and how we serve our community as a sanctuary community and give the fullest extent to local municipal law of what we're capable of doing.

And then we thought outside the box and we said we're gonna do our fullest extent so we can be actionable in how we serve our community and provide tools to our community.

So if we do not say yes as a council to this office, then we are basically just another advisory council, and we're not gonna grow beyond that, and this is what we're offering for tonight's purpose.

Yeah, I there's two separate issues.

Um the code, the codification issue.

I don't I don't think we even talked about in that section the human rights office.

Right.

That that hasn't been a part of it.

And so and I apologize.

I'm thinking about the first half of our work session.

Those are things we're offering our community for municipal code.

Now, part two, we're talking about the human rights office.

How can we create funding to create capacity to create services and to really have our CBOs come together collectively and even set in the goals to even further work with CBOs who work with rapid results rapid responders and legal observers?

This is just the beginning.

So the point is right now we're discussing that as an actionable item to serve our community.

If we say no to this, we are basically diminishing this to an advisory council, and good for us.

But then that council could come back and recommend certain actions.

I I love that.

We had two separate meetings when things were just getting started, and we said we're here for you, we're gonna make this happen.

And ever since then, we have seen trust and communication and expectations of resources and capacity to provide that communication and resources around, and majority of it is because we don't have capacity to communicate with our community to where the resources are, and this office solves that problem to where we are now proactive and not reactive, and I am not understanding the no on this.

It is we have services except for civil rights.

Why would we not do this for our community when they're gonna get a backlash that's worse than right now potentially than what we're seeing on a federal level?

What are we gonna do when it gets worse?

Sorry, guys, we want to know.

Good from the advisory council, let's go.

We can do this.

That it does not match the need.

Can I uh counselor all care?

I just want to say that.

Um we are heroes sometimes, and we're heroes when we can provide big chunks of money to people direct service.

I don't see us stopping to stopping that.

And I don't feel that this is gonna be the solution to helping people further.

I don't the thing that that people need right now is not necessarily an office.

They need support, but you know what they need?

Number one, they need HPD, they need public safety, they need to be able to go to the store, they need to be able to walk around and go to all our city without having to worry who's gonna come and get them.

And kids don't have to worry.

So, is that office more important than our HPD and going out and documenting we didn't get a we didn't get an option?

I'm just saying it is an option.

It's this is an option.

We cannot say we're giving CBOs more made because we would buy them up, let's go.

This is an option.

We are not even offering that.

So why is that an argument?

That's giving us because we're saying in a year.

I don't know, I just said that timeline.

We're saying we want to develop this mindful and with input and with partnership and collaboration.

Not doing that, yeah, won't serve the community, but us not participating in what CBOs are doing right now, they don't need us, they need our funding.

Hey, they've been doing the work.

Can we it's already late?

Can I can I just say something real quick?

All right, counselor all care to your point.

I would like to finish what I would like to say.

I have listened to you guys.

I'm not opposing with what you want to say.

I am I don't know how to make it more clear.

I don't know how many people need to keep coming here to public comment and telling us what they need, and they're telling us they need rent and they need food and they need protection, and we don't give them nothing except more rent money, more food money, and that's not sustainable.

I I wish that uh we could have a level of public safety that we can guarantee that we can rely on, so then maybe we can take a breath and maybe we can look at yes, let's give this money here.

Let's do this.

If this wasn't so violent and intense right now, we know it's just gonna get worse.

We don't have time to stand around and play and develop and create something when we already have a system in front of us that we could support, that we could engage, that we could be participating in, and we aren't.

We're not doing that.

We are not doing that.

We're giving money and we are arguing and we want to have this.

I would love to have a human rights office.

I really would, but right now we need to have a response.

I'm not gonna say yes, I'm gonna say two.

I've already said that.

Uh um, Counselor Sergato.

So from what I'm hearing, the arguments against this are unreasonable.

So I'm not gonna try to convince all of you to vote one.

I think this is more for the public that's listening in and that was waiting to hear how we were gonna act on this.

We do we do have the money, and three counselors did mention money, so it's inaccurate to describe the pushback that it wasn't about money because three people named it, and we do have the money, obviously.

Um, I don't think staff would have moved forward to setting up a budget and the goals if we didn't have the money.

Number two, uh, we've given a lot of money to the CBOs, we have community service grants.

Uh, I would love actually over the five years to see how much money we've been given to CBOs and what for.

I think that would be really helpful for people to know how much we've invested in CBOs already.

And this is about the city setting something up to give us the capacity to do the things that counselor all care is saying capacity, we're building capacity within our city to approach these things that we're hearing about.

The things that you're mentioning, counselor allcare, this is what it's gonna make us capable of if we do codify this is one that's gonna give us capacity to actually follow through on those things.

So I'm sorry y'all can't see the vision on that.

The the feedback I'm hearing from y'all is unreasonable because again, we do have the money, and this is about building capacity to be able to do something more than what we're doing right now, and outside of what other cities are doing, that people in the community, the same people that came in and give testimony have given positive feedback for.

Do you need a hundred people to come in and say vote yes on the office of civil and human rights?

I mean, is that really what you need?

Because we can make that happen if that's really what you need to say yes on it.

Because I have people asking me, do you need me to write in?

Do you need me to go to council and give testimony?

I said, No, the staff is leading the work, they're doing a great job.

It seems like we're moving forward.

Honestly, didn't expect that we would have an argument about values on this council.

Because that's what it's about.

It's about values, it's not about money.

And that's the last thing I'll say.

Um, counselor Sinclair.

The last thing I want to say is I cannot emphasize enough.

We are seeing our CBOs are doing all of the heavy lifting.

They are gonna reach capacity point really quick.

They need that funding and help is consistent and sustainable, and we can develop this into something more than just being it's it's this it's the beginning.

It's capacity.

We're gonna run out of capacity as things are worse.

Okay, so um staff, you asked to know who sorry, counselor Harris, sorry, counselor.

I just I think listening to all the conversation uh been helpful to me here, and I just wanted to add that possibly the charge to the CAC shouldn't be whether we should set up um an HRO, but how we could best set up an HRO.

Yeah, um, what it would look like, time frame, what the duties would be.

Uh because I'd like to know.

I I I don't particularly want them to have them come back and say it's a bad idea, don't do it.

Um I'd like to hear how they would best do it.

So I slightly modify my response to 2A, I guess.

I said that was the last thing, but we already heard from three CBOs.

So if we're gonna charge them to help us say yes or no, they've already given their opinion on it.

That's less than okay.

So um Stan and say one more thing.

Oh, Counselor Oaker, yeah.

Um the communication that we got, the testimonies that we got does not sound to me that they don't want to work with us, or they don't want to support what we want to try to do.

They just don't want to do it right now because they are facing larger issues than this office can solve right now, and it's not together.

The best thing that we can do is to create this in a way that I keep saying mindful, do a good job, don't do a crappy job just to slap something together, not recommending that that is what people are doing.

We don't have to do this fast, we don't.

We do have to do it right, and we don't work, we are not out in the community, we are not doing case management, we are not on the ground, we are not Nancy Lopez, right?

Coordinating, coordinating for on your behalf, doing public safety.

No one I asked, I asked Robbie, do we have spare and surplus bulletproof best so that we can donate them to LOs and Regra Watchers, right?

Maybe that's a reach.

I looked online, it's about a hundred bucks, but people are getting shot, in addition to not paying rent and not being able to buy food.

This is an urgent need.

But an office is not an urgent need.

Council Mayor for a suggestion.

Yeah, so I was just gonna wrap that up here, Raheem.

So we have two who are fully supporting the office, and then other people at uh different levels on number two.

So go ahead.

Yes.

So I don't think we received consensus to set up the office right now.

Yeah, right now, yeah.

So there was a suggestion of having the CAC help inform what the office would look like.

Um, is there consensus on that if we do not form the office right now?

No, because I've stated clearly three of those CBOs have already said they wouldn't support the creation of the office.

So it doesn't make sense for them to be on the council if that is gonna be one of their deliverables.

Okay.

I'm just trying to get gathered feedback on some next steps here.

So thank you, counselor.

It was a no.

Is there any more feedback on this?

Yes.

I think yes, and I would also like to explore the regional or county wide as well, whether they think that would be a best option.

I wanted to bring up funding for the CBOs after this discussion.

So I was wondering to get more feedback from the council on the CB on this community advisory committee helping inform what the human rights office would look like.

So you there was a yes, there was a yes, there was a no, there was another yes, it was a yes, counselor, yes.

Okay, I I feel like they should investigate it.

If that's well, I saying no, no offense, but uh to say like determine how it would work.

I I think it should determine if we should do it, yeah, right, and get their input.

At the end of the day, that's your decision, right?

Once they bring back recommendations on what it could look like.

Um, so maybe at the end of the day, if they're not setting it up, you all would be the ones deciding whether to set it up or not.

So you will still have that decision point um based on their feedback.

So maybe maybe a way to frame it is if it is set up, what would it look like?

So that would give me the option to say it's a really good.

Yeah, so yes or no, and if yes, what would it look like?

Even if it's no, what would it look like?

Our recommendation is no, but if you were going to do it, it would look like this.

So maybe again, just trying to move us forward a little bit, right?

Give us a little bit of time to formulate that second part.

Um, basically to draft the language on what we'd be asking the CBOs.

Um, because we're still forming the CAC.

We have a little bit of time on that, not too much.

But one of the first things out of the gate is this conversation.

So we have a little bit of time to frame what that question would look like.

We don't have to do it tonight.

So we can keep clarifying.

So basically we're not moving forward currently.

So yeah, sorry, Mike.

With establishing a human rights office, but we are moving forward with establishing the uh human rights council.

Advisory council.

So we are moving, we're there was no consensus to move forward with the human rights office today.

And I say today because you might change your mind later on if you hear from the community advisory committee.

But there was consensus to move forward with the community advisory committee.

And once we set up the community advisory committee, the first thing we could talk to them about is the human rights office.

We don't have to answer that question on what we don't have to formulate the exact language and what that question would be.

We can do that at a different meeting.

But just to try to move forward on some direction to staff, would that work for you all?

I would ask that we don't include Bienestar, Adelante Mujeres, Emo, and anybody that wrote testimony against the human rights office.

I would ask that.

I would not.

I think we need to hear feedback, and if it's what it is, then we gotta take it.

We don't get to dictate to people if they're gonna come and work with us.

We don't get to dictate to them to tell us what we want to hear.

Absolutely.

No, we're not gonna do that.

I am against that.

They're already telling us.

Wait, wait, wait, I I already told us the CBOs have they are the heart of our community.

They have an absolute right to give input.

What I'm very disappointed on is that there's been a narrative that was set before council even got to shape this conversation, and that's wrong.

That's political.

And this is a pointing.

We've had conversations.

No, it's public record where we have had this discussion floating around.

It's it's recorded in our meetings that we have had this.

We haven't gone into this much detail, but we have talked about this.

I don't feel like there's a narrative out there that they got wind of this and decided, hey, we're gonna head them off of the past.

I don't believe that that's the way that they looked at this.

I believe that there I didn't talk to Nathan about a human rights office.

I didn't talk to Maria about a human rights office.

If I had heard about that, that's what we want to do, and I would have gotten input.

No, they don't said so.

No, if it's not implied.

We came up with that dollar figure, they didn't come up with that dollar figure.

We don't have a dedicated fund.

You just put together what that cost of the positions would be and the office, right?

That's great.

If that was gonna be 300,000, we'd be arguing about that.

You know, it's not decided that that money was gonna go to people, or that money was gonna go to CBOs.

That's just a figure, it's just a dollar amount.

And no, yeah, we can find the money anytime we want to.

But we don't um look.

We got through and we had uh tiny little bit of will room, and Cezanne was still here, and um at the end of it, because people had asked for it.

I asked for 1.6 million dollars, which is about half of what the surplus was for a meta truck in six positions, remember, Robbie, and the budget committee upset, right?

But a few days later, Robbie found the money.

Robbie was able to locate that funding.

So that is the magic of our finances here.

That yes, we can find the money.

I'm not worried about this dollar money.

You know what?

That 500,000 is not enough for me to give to CBOs.

I'd like to give more, right?

But this office does not solve issues that people have when they can't be safe on the street, when they are afraid, when they can't go to work, right?

I I don't see this is not the solution.

An office is not a solution.

magic of our finances here that yes we can find the money I'm not worried about this dollar money you know what that 500 000 is not enough for me to give to CBOs I'd like to give more right but this office does not solve issues that people have when they can't be safe on the street when they are afraid when they can't go to work right I I don't see this is not the solution an office is not a solution um counselor Harrison and Raheem you need an answer right yeah yeah okay we can help guide the next steps but go ahead yeah go ahead so two things I understand um counselor salgado's concern about a CAC that includes people who may be predisposed predisposed to a certain outcome because it's sort of like a riggury so you don't want that so but I also understand that these three CBOs are some of the primary providers of these services and it would be we we can't exclude them but I think it's really important for them all to understand and and maybe this is going a little too far maybe but the council is committed to providing similar or higher funding as they've been receiving regardless of whether this office opens or not so they know that they're funding even in the even if they haven't been told something between the lines of the back of your mind human nature is that they're concerned about um the city saying well we're spent a whole bunch of money on this you're not not getting as much but I think if we make the commitment as a council to continue the funding at the current level if possible I don't know if I can make that commitment but just to say that whatever we do here is not to affect this the stream of income that will for your funding so they understand it.

I know it should be um understood but so they make sure yes I don't I think that might be the only solution that I'll include them but also making sure they're not predisposed to a certain outcome.

I I feel like they should the human rights office be explained yes um and that way they can weigh the options absolutely yeah whatever the options are at that time yes yeah okay Raheem what do you need so can I just regurgitate what I've heard generally yes you can attempt to do that yes so um there wasn't full consensus on any of this but I'm just gonna share what I think we've heard um move forward with forming the community advisory committee you have had um Simone emailed you a copy of the charter um please take a look at it and provide feedback to Robbie um would two weeks be enough yes okay so please provide feedback um within two weeks uh there was some specific feedback about who should or should not be on there I would just ask directly share that with Robbie um that way we can at least get the community advisory committee stood up and moving forward um the second part was um the there was no consensus to set up the office the human rights office right now um as we set up the community advisory committee we're going to have a discussion with them about the human rights office we can ask specific questions and formulate those at a later meeting because we don't need to really get into that today I'm just saying that because there is still no consensus I'm sensing from the council on what those questions should be we don't have to answer that today.

And then the third part was funding um there was a comment about like making sure we're not setting a false narrative that if we don't you know it's either or you fund one or the other however there was some discussion on looking at additional funding for community based organizations generally I'm generalizing here maybe that's something we can take back and bring back some other options just to share with the council there are three parts to this does that make sense to you all generally so thumbs up if we're good with that I'm sorry mayor I am really frustrated right now that is not I love there's an option to put more funding for our CBOs.

It is not right that you guys tell us this last minute and have that conflict with that counselor just to clarify that we were never that wasn't direction given to us by the council we we're just trying to follow the council direction to create this and come up with a way to do it.

If the council wants us to figure out how to find other funding we that's what's what Raheem is proposing.

But it's it I just want to clarify that that we didn't get that direction from council.

So if you want us to look at that we can just like we've done it already with the other 2000 and the 250 we can do that um but our focus has been on what the council directed us to do.

Can I also add um because we've been talking about CBOs so home plate um serves throughout the county homeless youth and um they are seeing a rise in the number of youth that they're um struggling with capacity to serve kids whose parents have been detained and now they are homeless.

So um I'm saying this because it's another population that we have not even thought about and I think that we should be inclusive of them in this conversation when we're talking about capacity and need of community.

Raheem, do you have what you need?

I I believe generally I do.

I don't think there's consensus on that, but it seemed like there was a majority of consensus here.

If that's the right word to use delay, I apologize.

No, it's okay.

It's it's 9 30.

Yeah.

So there was set up the community advisory committee, share you already have a copy of the charter in your email.

Someone just sent it to you today.

Please share any feedback to Robbie within the next two weeks.

There was some specific feedback on CBOs who should or shouldn't be on that.

Please also share that with Robbie.

The second part is we will have a future discussion on the question on the questions we would ask the community advisory committee related to the human rights office.

And then the third part was look at other funding options to help support our CBOs.

I have a sorry, one thing.

So I I don't know if we said we want to be part of the discussion regarding the questions that will be asked of the commission of the committee.

Yeah.

So can I explain that a little bit more, Councilman?

What my thought process was?

There wasn't general consensus on what whether we should ask them, should we set one up?

Or we are setting one up, what should it look like?

I don't think we've agreed on that yet.

And I'm not sure we have to today.

Go ahead.

So uh I have a couple of thoughts that are gonna take us off for just a second.

So please bear with us.

Bear with me.

Um, so we're we're asking, we're setting a table for community-based organizations, our partners.

And um, as we form with that group and try to build trust as staff with this group, um, I think it's important that we leave space for them to bring what their priorities are to the table and for us to really be learning and listening to them.

That's the approach we've taken with the partnership agreements, is really trying to balance.

We want to give you funding and tell you what to do, except you know what you're doing, so why don't you tell us what that is and we'll craft the partnership agreement so that it meets your needs and the city's needs.

And I think we need to take a similar approach with the community advisory committee, is really making sure we're listening doing listening first before we try to extract their knowledge and lived experience and their responsibilities and just take.

But I also hear the sense of urgency I'm hearing from council, and I don't think I think those organizations will feel the same sense of urgency.

I just I'm I'm being cautious and wanting to temper that going into a room of CEOs and telling them what to do feels um uncomfortable, but we can certainly take a look at the charter, see what the it's it's vague enough that allows wiggle room, yeah.

Um, but it's also has some specifics that outline what the responsibilities are that we can use as a launching point with the with our CBO partners.

So I just wanted to kind of level set that a little bit as staff walking into a room of people who've been doing rapid response for over a year.

Yeah, counselor Ambry and then Counselor Case.

My my concern is uh that uh yeah, my concern is that uh it's just a delay in the sense that if if if we're gonna convene again to figure out what we want to ask of the of the of the CAC uh rather than that's my concern.

That's why I said that.

Yes.

Counselor Case.

Um backing up, backing up a few hundred feet.

Uh what is council's role in establishing committees like this?

It feels like we're getting really in the weeds with the demands that we're making of being able to ask questions and having you know providing feedback on the charter, like is that what we're supposed to do?

I mean, I we're all a lot of us are still pretty new in this job, and I'm not sure how many how many counselors have set up committees at the city before.

So, like this feels like we are getting way too in the weeds, and we need to back up and trust the staff has the experience, the expertise, and the guidance from us um to move forward with that.

And then it's because it seems like waiting two weeks for us to provide feedback just delays delays delays.

Well, we could just get started with it now.

So is this customary or is this out of the ordinary?

Well, customary.

Can I just add?

Yeah, so do we have uh similar experience around COVID and our response?

Uh it's a good question.

We didn't really set up a community advisory committee during COVID.

Um, and there's a difference between a community advisory committee, which is um since it's it's um reporting directly with staff, and then there will be opportunities for that community advisory committee to be in front of council as well.

It's slightly different than for example, a human rights commission, you know, that that was talked about.

That's one that would probably need to be much more informed by council because it would be uh appointments made by the by the by the mayor and the council.

So that's a bit different process than what we would use for a community advisory committee.

Um so we feel like I the the charter that was put together by Simone and herself, I think is very strong.

But we'd if if there's feedback, we'd love to hear it.

Um but I would say for like other commissions, like if we were setting up a new library board or something at that point, that's that's gonna have a lot more council input.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right, are we good?

So I do have uh one last slide.

Uh there's just lots to update you all on.

So if we could go to the next slide, um, some of these I'm gonna really skip over because we've already talked about them tonight, but I did want to give the council an update on the small business stabilization program.

So that's the 200,000 we talked about, plus the other 50,000 for the financial literacy.

Just a heads up on that, we are getting close to finalizing what the the that process and protocols would be and setting up our staff internally to be able to address questions and answer calls.

That should be um we're we're getting close on that.

One change though that I've heard from multiple counselors was the idea of that there was concern about the sole proprietor, right, not being qualified.

So we've heard that concern, we're working on how to address that.

Um, one option that we're actually pursuing is the 50,000 that we were gonna use, it's actually put it towards sole proprietors.

And so we're more to come on that.

Just want to make sure you all know that we heard you and we're trying to figure out how to do that.

We will communicate just for the community.

We will communicate once that process is open.

We're not there yet.

We've got a lot of calls.

I know people are waiting for it.

It's just complicated.

It's a complicated process to figure out how to do that and do it legally and correctly.

Um any questions on that one, Counselor Salgado or not specifically.

I just want to add another potential line of work uh to bring back from the last time.

So I can let you finish your updates and then I'll bring it up.

Okay.

Um the second part, eviction prevention.

This is the 200,000.

Simone already talked about this.

Uh, she has her final meeting with uh Bienestar tomorrow.

So that that's going well.

Uh, we have plans for hopefully that'll be out the door in the next one to two weeks, I think.

We're just finalizing that.

So um community advisory committee, we've talked about it at length tonight.

Training for city employees, we've talked about at length.

We are getting close to finalizing that.

Once it's done, I did have a question from a counselor about can council receive that training, and we're happy to do that as well.

So we've already trained a lot on this.

We're trying to formalize it now so it's something that can be frankly shared with other organizations and um and and kind of uh put into kind of a routine uh process with the city.

Uh general communications.

This is just we uh counselor um sinclair already talked about.

We've done a lot of communication with the with the or with the community uh about all of these uh programs and processes, and we encourage everybody.

I know the mayor says it every time at the end of the council meetings, but please sign up for Graciento Juntos and uh City Um City Views, all of those that's really where we're communicating with our community.

Notar services of the library, this came up uh uh a month or two ago.

Um we were asked to explore, uh, and so we are we're we're actually getting close to finalizing more availability of notary services.

There is one area that's a little bit of a legal um risk for us that we're working on with CIS are our are uh they represent us.

Uh it has to do with whether or not some things let me read the language because I'm gonna get it wrong uh with Leally.

Um yeah, so we're we're working with CIS, whether they staff may notarize a delegation of parent authority forms since it may be considered a power of attorney.

So we're working on that.

That's the only piece that our notaries um may or may not be able to do, but we are working on making sure that we have more availability for public notaries at our libraries.

Um and then let's see, hiring process.

Uh, there's a lot of information in the packet, so we don't need to uh go on this too much, but the question came up about when we hire police officers, for example, how do we know you know what their background was and where they worked, for example.

I think hopefully you saw in there that they're they do a very very in-depth process, and through that process, we would find out where they worked and what they did in that job, and um if there were any red flags, we would know about it.

And so just wanted to give a level of comfort to the council about that.

That uh if uh if we had an applicant who had those red flags, we would find those red flags.

Um can you give an example of a couple of red flags?

Sure.

Uh so specific to this discussion.

If if there was a if there was a candidate that worked for uh, let's say another police department somewhere that maybe didn't have the best reputation, that would be something that would for that would warrant a lot further discussion about why that um maybe they're leaving for a good reason, but maybe they were part of the problem.

That would just be a part of the what our detectives and and background investigators would really dig into.

If there's something in their in their past that is is any in any way concerning uh to police um the police uh department, that's it's it's really wide, uh it's a wide variety, counselor, uh, but they have a very high bar um that people have to pass and they do a very very in-depth analysis uh when they go through that hiring process.

So I know there's a couple people.

Do you want me to stop there uh or keep going until the end?

Oh no, keep going.

Okay.

Um the automatic license plate readers.

There's another memo in the packet that everybody can see as well.

The the police department did a great job on a very detailed audit to make sure that the ones that we were using, by the way, they are not the flock cameras, these are individual um uh cameras that can be used for very specific events.

Um they've gone through that process, they've ensured that we have the right MOUs in place.

One one change they're gonna be making is that uh only state of Oregon entities can actually use those if they sign our MOU because they also have to abide by sanctuary city laws.

And so given that we don't have any other concerns, we wanted to make sure the council knew we were planning on using those again when those times come up.

They're not something that's up 24-7, but we just wanted to be transparent with the council that that is our intentions going forward.

Um, and then the last two things reporting ice interactions.

Again, we talked a lot about this.

The chief already put out a directive to police officers.

We are also working with staff to make sure that there's two separate programs here.

Actually, there's the police uh officer program, and then all other city employees also have that requirement that if they as part of their job see some type of ice interaction, they would go through the system.

Just so you all know there haven't been any of those yet.

So there haven't been like ice interactions within a city facility, but we are prepared in case it happens to make sure it's recorded and documented all uh appropriately.

Um, and then lastly, we also did um we we checked in with our departments to see one of the counselors are brought up to make sure that we're allowing um all services that we can to be done over the phone or online to limit how many people have to come in and do service in person.

And we actually couldn't find really anything that we're not already doing.

Everything is we've made possible online or by phone.

There's very few things, and if there is something that they have to do in person, there's I can't even think of what it would be, but it it's very it's things like going um to show up and take kids to uh parks and recreation classes, right?

So our staff have done a really good job being thoughtful about making sure that we're limiting the times the staff or the people from the community have to come in and do something in person, they should be able to do it over the phone or online.

So that was a lot.

Sorry to throw that all at you, but happy questions.

So counselor Solgato and then Counselor Ambry.

Yeah, so during our emergency work session, I think it was Councilor Alcair or Sinclair that brought up this idea of uh put passing like a eviction moratorium.

And then Counselor Harris brought up his concern about how that could have unintended consequences where landlords raise the rent on others, and I backed them up on that because I thought it was really you know a good thing to think about in that.

But as I thought about it some more and talking about affordable housing uh issues and talking to Chris Hartar about how there's kind of a ceiling and how much they can increase the rent, and those are complexes that would house as we've heard from counselor alt care, a lot of the people that are highly impacted disproportionately by ice, right?

So I would like to propose that we pass a more 20 line invictions on affordable housing complexes, if that's a possibility, so that it doesn't impact the private market, but it impacts the the areas that are already kind of restricted in what they can raise their rent on.

We can uh it's not my area of expertise, but we can certainly look into what that would require.

Um and uh that I'm assuming that with affordable housing, the laws are probably slightly different than market rate housing, but we can come back uh to to give you some more detail on that.

Okay.

During COVID, there was a state moratorium on evictions.

Yeah, and I think that was um statewide.

Um, so if we're looking only at affordable housing, and and and we can check with people like Bienestar and others who are gonna have some expertise in this to get thoughts on it.

It might take a little bit of time, counselor, just a heads up, but we'll we'll do a legal analysis on it.

Uh counselor Andre.

Thank you.

Um, yeah, I wanted to ask uh so there had been some discussion uh you know, we had we've gotten some testimony regarding asados and I think MM market and the rents there was uh I think there was some talk being put into there.

Is there an update?

Um that's where we're talking about that sole proprietor ship uh trying to figure out how we can benefit those types of businesses more directly.

So that 50,000 would go towards something we're we're still putting the it's not finalized, so I can't really I'm not sure I can share exactly what it'll look like.

But those are the types of businesses that we have in mind, the one the very small organizations that have maybe just one employee.

There are some micro businesses that had maybe two or three employees, and because of what's been happening, they've had to lay people off.

And now they find themselves as a single employer.

Yeah.

And we have also we've had discussions with Baizanos and with MM Market.

We'll continue those discussions as well.

Um that where we have to be cautious is making sure because there's other entities as well that maybe we don't hear from as often.

Um just making sure we're uh making funding available to everybody.

But we are exploring that, I guess.

The 50,000 that you're gonna use for education, you're gonna use for education purposes.

Um it was originally gonna be put towards the financial literacy to help essentially help businesses that are trying to deal with um records management and and and whatnot.

So we already do some of that.

We were we were proposing originally that we were gonna beef that up, but those services will continue.

It's actually through like uh Centro Prosperidad, they they do a lot of that uh coursework.

So instead, what we're proposing is taking that 50,000 and just adding it to the pot and being able to put that towards sole proprietors for rent uh uh uh eviction prevention, that type of thing.

So does any of that gonna be inclusive of that um what we can do is not gonna be sustainable.

You need to figure out a plan.

That's gotta be part of our conversation.

And I appreciate that you bring it up because this is um I think we are the only city that I know of that's doing something like this, which is great, but it's also important to clarify this is not a long-term solution for these businesses, right?

It's something that's hopefully you're gonna help them get through another month or two months or three months, but it doesn't it doesn't solve the problem.

And so thank you for bringing that up, and we'll do our best to communicate that as well.

This is kind of like a lifeline that we can put out there.

And candidly, I'm expecting that we're gonna get far more requests than 250,000.

We know that we will have it's not just the city that will be determining this, we're having partners from uh Centro and from uh uh the chamber as well, but sitting on there.

It's like what we did during COVID.

We had multiple perspectives that can help us decide which businesses uh would get it.

So I'm I'd like to recommend if we're already working with some of these partners, but Jonathan Cologne.

Yes, yeah, he's he participated with COVID and we'll hope the folks that do um small business with Adelante.

Um, but also Nancy Lopez, um, as well to get additional input about what we should understand about small businesses needs.

Okay.

Okay.

Um we're gonna close out this work session.

Thank you uh to all of you for being here.

Uh, for those in the audience, we appreciate you being here.

We're gonna switch to executive session, uh, which is just um city council and select staff.

Again, thanks to all of you, all of you for attending, and for those of you who testified as well.

Appreciate you.