Sisters Gourmet Deli in Diowntown Portland This Afternoon

The public is invited to attend a business and community forum on downtown issues with local businesses and community providers on Wednesday, August 23rd between 5:00 – 7:00 pm at city council chambers, city hall in Portland.  The event is hosted by Mayor Ethan Strimling.

The public forum follows an incident at Sisters Gourmet Deli, Monument Square earlier this month.  Michaela McVetty, owner, reached out to the city and met with Mayor Ethan Strimling to discuss the issues and hear about the ways in which the city is responding to the drug and mental health crisis.  Following that, McVetty asked for a forum in which business owners can come and talk about their experiences downtown around mental health, substance issues and crime and see if there are ways in which businesses can get involved.

“I really appreciate how Michaela has handled the situation in her business.  She has turned a scary situation into an opportunity for all of us to grow and learn,” said Mayor Strimling.  “I look forward to hearing from more business owners and what they experience  and to find solutions to these issues in our city and state.”