PORTLAND, Ore. — Wednesday morning marked the final act for many of Portland City Hall's accustomed players. Come January, they'll be replaced by a new mayor, a new and expanded city council, and a new way of doing the public's business.
In the city council's newly renovated chambers, the outgoing members said goodbye to one another and the city's grizzled commission-style government — and with no shortage of technical difficulties.
"I truly believe we have a new mayor and council who believes in the very best of Portland ... my computer just died. OK," Commissioner Carmen Rubio remarked as her parting speech vanished before her eyes.
For others, it wasn't electronic interference, but the emotion of the moment that intervened.
"I am grateful for your service to my office and our city," Commissioner Mingus Mapps said tearfully.
"I'm grieving today a bit," Commissioner Dan Ryan said. "I am grieving because I have enjoyed serving with the four other people I've been serving with."
Ryan is the only city council member to be returning in the new year, having won a council seat in the election. Mapps, who called Ryan the commission's "sole survivor," was unsuccessful in his bid for mayor, as were Rubio and Commissioner Rene Gonzalez.
The new council's 11 new members, plus Ryan, will fill the chamber as they represent Portland's four new geographic districts instead of running city bureaus. A city administrator will oversee the reorganized bureaucracy and work to implement policy passed by the council.
"Life is always about transitions," Ryan remarked. "I've had a pretty long career at this point, and I've enjoyed the opportunities to build something new."
"I will be the last mayor in the history of this city to preside over the Portland City Council," Mayor Ted Wheeler said. "And I'll be honest with you, I think that's good. The mayor should never have been the presiding officer of the city council."
Wheeler said he's working with Mayor-elect Keith Wilson and teaching him the ropes — and there are many to learn.
"(I want to) make sure he understands all the programs that we have in place, the police, the leadership that's in place, the streams of funding, some of the budget issues ... but I'm also working with him on how we can fast-track his agenda," Wheeler said.
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Commissioners also spent some time offering advice for the incoming city council members, who will be sworn in Thursday.
"You are in a fishbowl when you're an elected official," said Gonzalez. "Again, I didn't shy away from tough issues — I was very direct in social media, in communication that garnered a lot of attention, so you just have to be ready for that when it comes."
"I do want to send this truth, though: Being a member of city council was truly a team sport," said Mapps. "You guys are all pulling for the same goals. I encourage you to work together; disagreements are going to happen."
"Follow your values and what you're talking about, and you will be able to make a big impact on the city," said Rubio.
As for what these outgoing commissioners have planned, it's a mixed bag.
"Well, the first thing is to recharge my batteries, take some time off, spend a little time with loved ones and I'll take it from there," said Wheeler. "I don't have specific plans yet in terms of what comes next."
"I'm returning to the private sector," said Gonzalez. "I'll have an announcement that will be public in the next week or two as I negotiate an offer."
"Right now, I'm enjoying the holiday with my family this weekend," said Rubio. "I'm making tamales with my family because we do it every year, and I can't wait for that ... and in January, I will start thinking about what I will do next."
"I'm going to clean my house," said Mapps. "There are portions of my house that have not been vacuumed since 2020, so I'm going to open some mail which has not been opened for a long, long time. I'm going to clean my house, hug my kids, and I'm going to get out there and enjoy a beautiful Portland winter."