The Popular Falafel Mafia Food Truck on Cutter Street off the Eastern Promenade on the East End of Portland Recently.

A recommendation for the 2023 food truck program located at the Cutter Street parking lot off the Eastern Promenade will be presented by city staff tomorrow, Tuesday, November 15 at 5:00 PM.  The REMOTE presentations will be before two city committes; the Housing & Economic Development Committee and the Sustainabiity & Transportation Committee.  The meeting will also include a review of the 2022 pilot program and recent food truck survey results.  Public comment will be taken at this remote meeting.

Staff will also be presenting the recommendations at the  December 1 remote meeting of the Parks Commission.  The meeting will be held at 5:00 pm and public comment will be taken.

*Once again, as in the past, this blogger regrets the short public notice given to the press and therefore to the public on the city staff’s recommendation(s) to be offered tomorrow.  It’s  another effort to bury the unpopular news and prevent interested parties (the food truck operators and their many patrons) from providing input in this public forum that is remote as well.  Transparency is available on good news  – like when the Monument Square Tree Lighting event will happen. Or that the Portland Fire Department is hiring.  But when the news from city hall  is unpopular – such as the food truck operators pilot program has been recommended to be reduced by city staff along with an excessive fee – city news goes underground.  Surely arrogant interim city manager West knew well before this afternoon when the press release was issued, that city staff recommendation(s) would be presented Tuesday, November 15, 2022.   Were the food truck operators notified of this development via the contact information the imperial city has on file from them?

Of course not.  Why do the right thing when the wrong thing is so much easier to do.