Office of Neighborhood Involvement Director Given $143,811 to Resign

Severance agreement shows Amalia Alarcón de Morris, who left as of March 20, resigned in exchange for a year's pay.

Portland City Hall with Portland Building at right. (Beth Slovic)

The longtime bureau director of the Office of Neighborhood Involvement abruptly announced her resignation earlier this month without explanation, but a severance agreement obtained under a public records request shows she was offered a year's salary in exchange for her resignation.

Amalia Alarcón de Morris agreed to resign or retire as of March 20 in exchange for a year's salary. That's not a unique severance package for bureau directors who are nudged out.

Commissioner Chloe Eudaly "was interested in change at the bureau," says chief of staff Marshall Runkel. "In recognition of years of service, Council approved being able to offer these severance packages."

Runkel says Alarcón de Morris has earned "universal respect in the community."

City bureau directors are at-will employees, meaning they can be fired without cause, but a severance is often considered a way to avoid litigation. Runkel says there was no threat of litigation as far as he's aware.

Alarcón de Morris came under fire after a scathing audit in November. Mayor Ted Wheeler called the bureau the most in need of reform (outside of the police bureau) and re-assigned the office to Eudaly.

She did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

David Austin, who is now serving interim director of ONI and was until this week Eudaly's deputy chief of staff, declined to comment on her departure.

"We had our first all staff meeting today,," he says. " I think the hardworking ONI staff are eager to look at ways that we can improve on the important work we do. I'm excited about working with the ONI team, and the work ahead, and I think the staff are too."

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