Portland City Council Passes Avalos, Dunphy, Kanal Proposal to Move to Weekly Meetings

The Portland City Council unanimously passed an ordinance today to move to a weekly Council meetings schedule. The legislation was co-sponsored by Councilor Candace Avalos (D1), Councilor Jamie Dunphy (D1) and Councilor Sameer Kanal (D2).

The Council will now meet on the first, second, fourth and fifth Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. and on the third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. Evening meetings will adjourn by 9:00 p.m. Any recessed meeting with unheard agenda items will resume at 2:00 p.m. the following Thursday.

"Council has been operating under an artificial scarcity that limits opportunities for the public to access us and the discussion on issues that matter most to Portlanders. Moving to weekly council meetings is not just a procedural tweak. It's about meeting the expectations of the Portlanders who elected us to create a more open, effective, and responsive government that can solve the complex issues we're facing as a city," said Councilor Candace Avalos.

"In just eight months, it's become clear that Council needs a more regular cadence to do the work Portlanders expect of us," said Councilor Jamie Dunphy. "Weekly meetings will give us the structure to move more legislation, advance more ideas from Council, and deliver on the urgent changes our city needs."

"Portlanders are getting a more responsive Council that can accomplish more for our communities. With this change, we will be able to increase public input and prevent process from impeding progress," said Councilor Sameer Kanal.

Councilors expressed a desire to overhaul the meetings schedule to hear more legislation, ensure adequate time for discussion and evaluation of agenda items, and accommodate more public testimony. Retaining the monthly evening meeting will give Portlanders who work during the day an opportunity to engage with the agenda items that matter most to them. The shift reflects the City Council's broader commitment to make government more accessible and center community involvement in decision-making.

The City Council has been meeting on the first and third Wednesday of each month since the new form of government took effect in January. Prior to the charter reforms, which were passed by voters in 2022, meetings were held weekly.

Read the full text of the ordinance