Councilor Olivia Clark

I had the privilege of welcoming league President Jessica Engelke and board members for a tour of Portland City Hall, where we learned about the building’s history, including a time capsule that will be opened in 2098!

It was a wonderful gathering, particularly in the same week that 15 mayors (Beaverton, Cornelius, Fairview, Forest Grove, Gladstone, Gresham, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Sherwood, Tualatin, W.Linn, Wilsonville, Wood Village, Bend) stood in solidarity to denounce federal militarization in PDX.

As Portland’s representative on the League of Oregon Cities board, I was proud to help the league host its 100th conference last week in the City of Roses. With 450+ attendees, 140 cities were represented, from towns as small as 174 (Detroit) to metropolitan areas as large as 2.5 million (Portland).

For 125 years, Oregon Historical Society has preserved our state’s history and made it accessible to everyone in ways that advance knowledge and inspire curiosity. Admission to its museum at 1200 SW Park Avenue is free for all Multnomah County residents with proof of residency!

Last night I visited Portland Art Museum for the 2025 Oregon History Maker Awards, which celebrated remarkable Oregonians whose work helped shape the place we love. This year’s recipients were Pat Reser (pictured here), Mike and Sue Hollern, Tony Hopson Sr., and Jordan Schnitzer.

October 3rd Update from Councilor Clark

Do you live in District 4? Are you a member of the Councilor Clark Newsletter Book Club? It’s easy to join — all you have to do is scroll to the bottom of this page and become a subscriber! The latest edition is out today.

Our office just learned today that Hillside Community Center is unavailable for our scheduled office hours next week — so please take note of the new date and time. See you there!

Local leaders spoke about opportunities for future collaboration, including State Senator Khanh Pham, Metro Councilor Ashton Simpson, and Multnomah County Commissioner Vince Dixon-Jones.

Hosted by the Oregon Trails Coalition, the ride incorporated new sections of the Marine Drive Path as well as a sneak preview of the Sandy River Trail at Sharon Nesbit Heritage Park in Troutdale.

Last week my office joined in the 2025 Policy Makers Ride, a 19-mile tour of E. Multnomah Co. that addressed investments & gaps in our regional walking & biking network. Participants included staff from Portland Bureau of Transportation, Bureau of Environmental Services & Portland Clean Energy Fund.

“I appreciate the leadership of Mayor Wilson, Governor Kotek, and Attorney General Rayfield in the face of this unprovoked attack. I want to thank Portlanders for their nonviolent response.”

“What we do need is cooperation from our federal partners to support stronger public safety, to repair crumbling bridges, to build affordable housing, and to tackle our climate crisis.

“Portland remains a peaceful community that neither wants nor needs intervention from the federal government to address a non-existent emergency.

WalletHub just named Portland as Best Coffee City in America based on our extremely high number of affordable coffee shops that are rated at least 4.5 stars out of 5, coffee shops per capita that offer free WiFi, and percentage of people who own an electric coffee grinder.

Today is National Coffee Day — a great excuse to go out and support one of the amazing coffee shops in District 4! I recently visited Deadstock Coffee, a Black-owned establishment in Old Town that offers classic and creative signature drinks with sneaker and basketball themes.

This week the residents of Meriwether Condominiums invited me to their monthly Speaker Bureau series to discuss issues of concern in the South Waterfront neighborhood. It was a lively, engaging conversation with 30+ participants! Thanks to Alison Schrupp and Toni Cooper for organizing the event.

I’m thrilled to see Chief Day making progress toward his goal of hiring the largest number of officers in 30 years. Today I attended a ceremony for the largest hiring class since the late 1990s! Although we have a long way to go, this marks a significant step forward to strengthening public safety.

ESCO is giving back to the community through immersive programs like STEM outreach activities and sustainability initiatives. It also attracts early and mid-career talent in STEM fields, having strategic partnerships with institutions like PSU and OSU.

The expansion of an anchor employer with 200+ employees in one of the City’s priority industries is a huge win. It allows ESCO to create a vibrant, functional workplace, while honoring its history and future in Portland. Thanks to Prosper Portland for its support in this retention effort.

Launched more than 100 years ago as a foundry, ESCO today focuses on the design and manufacture of mining equipment. Vice President of Strategy Pete Huget explained that these “ground engaging tools” are manufactured in the United States and sold globally.

Yesterday I joined Mayor Wilson to celebrate the opening of Weir/ESCO’s division headquarters in Northwest Portland — an important milestone for economic growth in District 4.

Oregon Walks advocates for safe, convenient, and attractive walking conditions as an essential part of thriving, sustainable, and connected communities. It was launched in 1991 as the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition before changing names in 2012.

Meet at Salmon Springs Fountain at 8:30am, then we’ll walk on the waterfront for about 1.5 miles. RSVPs aren’t required but are appreciated by emailing info@oregonwalks.org.

Let’s go for a walk! I’ll be joining Oregon Walks and my District 4 colleagues Tuesday, October 14th at this fun and casual event where constituents can discuss plans for our city and district. It’s also an opportunity for people to connect with each other, build community, and get some exercise.

The artist behind the photo, Shelbie Loomis, focuses her art toward social groups that are often forgotten. In this photo, she shares an illustration of residents of Jantzen Beach RV Park showcasing some of their most prized possessions.

SWEC was formed by community groups & local gov't to implement the SW Equitable Development Strategy in conjunction with development of SW light rail. We discussed the need for a multicultural center, community gardens, community ownership programs, and more. I look forward to continued partnership!

Last week I met with the Southwest Corridor Equity Coalition (SWEC), which focuses on social justice, equitable housing, workforce stability, and community development projects. The corridor extends from downtown along Barbur Boulevard to Tigard and further south along I-5 to Bridgeport Village.

The Jewish Oasis, located at 1218 NW Glisan Street, is part of the Chabad-Lubavitch of Oregon movement, which provides classes, services, and programs open to every Jew, regardless of background, philosophy, or level of commitment.

Happy new year to all of my Jewish friends celebrating Rosh Hashanah today!

Yesterday I visited Rabbi Chayim Mishulovin, who is serving the community with a retail store and community engagement center all in one place — soon to add a Jewish deli next door!

We’re postponing this evening’s Virtual Coffee because of Rosh Hashanah so that more constituents will be able to participate. Please mark your calendars for Monday, October 6th!