News Commissioner Randy Leonard has asked for a $5.2 million loan from the City of Portland's general fund for his Bureau of Development Services, whose reserve fund is dwindling, to help maintain staffing levels and buy a new computer system. As of July, the bureau's reserves stood at $8 million. Leonard's ask comes at an difficult time amid the current recession. Last summer, BDS announced the need ...   More

News Almost a year after announcing drastic layoffs, the City of Portland's Bureau of Development Services is making more personnel cuts. This morning bureau director Paul Scarlett told the 160 remaining workers in an all-staff meeting that he would need to eliminate 15 to 18 more jobs immediately. At this time last year, the bureau had 300 people on the payroll. The cuts come as revenue from construction ...   More

News The City of Portland is still in negotiations with its largest labor group, the District Council of Trade Unions, which represents almost one-third of Portland's 6,000 workers. Much of those talks remain under wraps. But the Northwest Labor Press has a union-friendly account of negotiations thus far. According to the union newspaper, the two biggest outstanding issues relate to outsourcing ...   More

News Today marks the first day of mediation for the City of Portland and the District Council of Trade Unions, the umbrella group that represents about 2,000 city employees. Next week, on Wednesday, Sept. 29, the union will stage a rally at City Hall urging a resolution to the months-long process. Here's a summary from the union [PDF] of significant issues still at play. The city has reached agreement ...   More