Chapman Descendant Warned City About Occupiers

CHAPMAN

When city officials decided last month not to enforce park regulations that prohibit camping in city parks and allowed Occupy Portland protesters to stay in Chapman and Lownsdale Sqaures for more than five weeks, they opened a historical can of worms.---

On Oct. 12, according to emails WW obtained from the City of Portland, a central Oregon man named Randy Panek emailed Mayor Sam Adams with his concerns.

That threat of legal action drew a response from Chief Deputy City Attorney on Oct. 17. Auerbach asked Panek for a copy of the deed conveying the property to the city.

Panek told WW he was pretty certain the city had a copy of the deed and told Auerbach the same thing via an Oct. 18 email.


Eight days later, on Oct. 26 Panek again raised the prospect of legal action.

Over the weekend, of course, the dispute became moot when Portland police cleared the camps in both squares.

Panek says he's happy with the result, although he wishes it hadn't taken so long.

WWeek 2015

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