Community Planning Organization Handbook
Overview: How the Public Meetings Law Applies to CPOs
The Oregon Public Meetings Law (ORS 192.610) requires that meetings of advisory bodies be open to the public. A CPO is a public body with authority to make decisions and recommendations, and therefore is subject to the Public Meetings Law. For CPOs, these requirements enhance rather than restrict the decision-making process. Generally, meetings will be more effective if efforts are make to include all interested parties and encourage their participation. An informed public is aware of the deliberations and decisions of governing bodies and the information upon which decision are made.
Notice of your CPO meeting
The Public Meetings Law requires that public bodies (such as CPOs) provide notification in advance of all meetings.
- Actual notice must be provided to those requesting it - by phone or mail.
- Reasonable notice must be provided to the public at large. To meet this requirement, the posting of a notice is the minimum. The local newspaper should also be notified.
- The law encourages, but does not require, notification of parties known to have a special interest in a meeting.
- Public notification must include date, time and place of the meeting and a brief description of the principle subjects to be discussed.
CPO meetings should be held within their geographical boundaries or at the nearest practical location. Meetings should be accessible to the disabled.
All official actions by governing bodies (such as a CPO) must be taken by public vote. The vote of each member must be recorded unless the body has 26 or more members. Even then, any member of the governing body (such as a CPO) may require that the votes of each member be recorded, ORS 192.650(1)(c). Written ballots are not prohibited, but each ballot must identify the member voting and the vote must be announced.
Executive sessions (where the public is excluded) are never permitted with a CPO. Under law, executive sessions are allowed only when discussing labor negotiations, confidential medical records, property transactions or public investments. None are CPO meeting topics.
Community newspapers generally run announcements of your CPO meetings.
Verify the deadline for submittal of public meeting notices with interested newspapers. Note that most newspapers in the County are weekly; if so, the CPO should plan to notify those papers at least ten days in advance of the meeting. As policies and procedures vary, a list of Clackamas County newspapers is provided for your convenience in contacting your local newspaper.
Don't ignore the potential of follow-up articles on what happened at your meeting. That article can include mention of the next meeting date and place, too. This could encourage even greater attendance at your event.
Clackamas County media
(January 2005)
Newspapers
Canby Herald – Twice Weekly.
PO Box 1108
241 N. Grant St.
Canby, OR 97013
Phone: 503-266-6831
FAX: 503-266-6836
Email: dhowell@eaglenewspapers.com
Editor: David Howell
Publisher: Bill Cassel
Clackamas County News – Weekly.
PO Box 549
224 SW Zobrist
Estacada, OR 97023
Phone: 503-630-3241
FAX: 503-630-5840
Email: email@estacadanews.com
Editor: Clinton Vining
Clackamas Review/Oregon City News – Weekly.
1325 Custer Drive, Portland, OR 97219
Phone: 503-786-1996
FAX: 503-786-6977
Email: dstroup@clackamasreview.com
Associate Editor: David Stroup
Gresham Outlook - Twice weekly.
PO Box 747
1190 NE Division
Gresham, OR 97030
Email: drhodes@theoutlookonline.com
Phone: 503-665-2181
FAX: 503-665-2187
Lake Oswego Review – Weekly.
PO Box 548
111 A St.
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Phone: 503-635-8811
FAX: 503-635-8817
Email: email@lakeoswegoreview.com
Editor: Martin Forbes
Molalla Pioneer – Twice weekly.
PO Box 168
217 E. Main St.
Molalla, OR 97038
Phone: 503-829-2301
FAX: 503-829-2317
Email: sst.amand@eaglenewspapers.com
Editor: Steve St. Amand
General Manager: Jan Lasallette
The Mountain Times- Monthly on 1st.
P.O. Box 1031
Welches, OR 97067
Phone: 503-622-3289
FAX: 503-622-5984
Email: mountaintimes@earthlink.net
Editor/publisher: Steve Wilent
Oregonian/South Metro – Daily.
PO Box 5029
1678 S. Beavercreek Rd.
Oregon City, OR 97045
Phone: 503-656-0083
FAX: 503-656-2417
Email: annportal@news.oregonian.com
Bureau Chief: Tom Wolfe
Reporter: Sarah Hunsberger
Oregonian/East Metro – Daily.
PO Box 1398
295 NE Second
Gresham, OR 97030
Phone: 503-294-5932
FAX: 503-667-9973
Email: east@news.oregonian.com
Bureau Chief: Randy Lemmerman
Oregonian/West Metro – Daily.
10245 S.W. Parkway
Portland, OR 97225
Phone: 503-297-8861
FAX: 503-203-1813
Email: west@news.oregonian.com
Bureau Chief: Jerry Casey
Oregonian/SW Metro – Daily.
15495 SW Sequoia Parkway
Suite 190
Portland, OR 97224
Phone: 503-294-5966
FAX: 503-968-6061
Email: southwest@news.oregonian.com
Bureau Chief: Michael Rollins
Sandy Post – Weekly.
PO Box 68
17279 Bluff Road
Sandy, OR 97055
Phone: 503-668-5548
FAX: 503-668-0748
Email: lwoods@sandypost.com
Contact: Lloyd Woods
City Edition – Monthly.
39320 Evans St.
Sandy, OR 97055-7336
Phone: 503-668-0327
FAX: 503-771-4020
Email: gnn@northwest.com
Publisher: Caren Topliff
Wilsonville Spokesman – Weekly.
PO Box 878
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Phone: 503-682-3935
FAX: 503-682-6265
Email: ckipp@eaglenewspapers.com
Publisher: Bill Cassel (same as Canby Herald)
Editor: Curt Kipp
West Linn Tidings – Weekly.
PO Box 548
111 "A" St.
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
Phone: 503-635-8811
FAX: 503-635-8817
Email: email@westlinntidings.com
Contact: Ray Pitz
The Villager– Monthly.
P.O. Box 516
Wilsonville, OR 97070
Phone: 503-694-5516
FAX: 503-694-5783
Email: villagerkc@aol.com
Managing Editor: KC Weary
Daily Journal Of Commerce - Daily.
P.O. Box 10127
Portland, OR 97210
Phone: 503-226-1311
FAX: 503-224-7140
Email: newsroom@djc-or.com
Publisher: Joan Ray
Editor: Joe Wilson
The Asian Reporter - Weekly
922 N. Killingsworth #1-A
Portland, OR 97217
Phone: 503-283-4440
FAX: 503-283-4445
Email: asianreporter@juno.com
El Hispanic News - Weekly
P.O. Box 306
Portland, OR 97207
Phone: 503-228-3139
FAX: 503-228-3384
Email: hispnews@hispnews.com
The Skanner Newspaper
P.O. Box 5455
Portland, OR 97228
FAX: 503-285-2900
Email: skphotos@earthlink.net
Radio
KEX Radio
4949 SW Macadam
Portland, OR 9720
Phone: 503 225-1190
FAX - 503-224-3216
Email: bradford@1190kex.com
KXL Radio
0234 S.W. Bancroft
Portland, OR 97201
Phone: 503 417-7630
FAX - 503-417-7661
Email: dougcarter@kxl.com
KPAM Radio
888 SW 5th
#790
Portland, OR 97204
FAX: 503-226-3994
Phone: 503-226-3996
Email: news@ kpam.com
KOPB Radio
7140 SW Macadam
Portland, OR 97219
Phone: 503-293-1905
FAX: 503-293-1919
Email: opbnews@opb.org
Television
KGW TV
1501 SW Jefferson
Portland, OR 97201
Phone: 503-226-5111
FAX: 503-226-5059
Email: newsdesk@kgw.com
KOIN TV
222 SW Columbia
Portland, OR 97201
Phone: 503-464-0797
FAX: 503-464-0806
Email: koindesk@koin.com
KATU TV
PO Box 2
Portland, OR 97207
Phone: 503-231-4264
FAX: 503-231-4263
Email: thedesk@katu.com
KPTV/FOX
14975 N.W. Greenbrier Parkway
Beaverton, OR 97006-5731
Phone: 503-548-6550
FAX: 503-548-6920
Email: kptvnews@kptv.com
debbie.curran@meredith.com
KOPB
7140 S.W. Macadam
Portland, OR97219
Phone: 503-293-1905
FAX: 503-224-7140
Email: opbnews@opb.org
