June 28, 2000
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City, county release draft domestic
partner registry ordinance for comment
T he City o f Portland and M ultnom ah C ounty are asking
for public com m ent on a draft ordinance to establish a
dom estic partner county registry, posted on city and
co u n ty w eb sites today. U nder the registry being
proposed by M ayor V era Katz, City C om m issioner Dan
Saltzm an, and C ounty Com m issioners Serena C ruz and
Lisa Naito, dom estic partners w ould have their unions
officially registered.
“ W e w anted to do this to create an equal opportunity for
unm arried couples, be they sam e or m ixed gender, to
register their civil com m itm ent to one another,” said
K atz. “T he City o f Portland has been very clear in its
support o f all fam ilies — no m atter w hat their m ake up.
T his cem ents that support.”
“ I ’m happy that w e are now able to introduce this
ordinance. It represents a significant step forward for
our com m unity,” said City C om m issioner Dan Saltzman.
S in c e F a ll 1999, a w o rk in g g r o u p , in c lu d in g
representatives from City Com m issioner Dan Saltzm an's
office, Basic Rights Oregon, O G ALLA (Oregon G ay and
L esbian Law A ssociation), the C ity A ttorney’s office,
and former State Rep. George Eighmey, and State Senator
K ate Brow n, has looked at "best practices” o f other
jurisdictions that have implemented registries and worked
through the legal and policy issues o f im plem enting a
registry.
“ Fam ilies are diverse. T hey com e in all shapes sizes and
colors. O ur proposal is astep tow ard m aking all families
feel w elcom ed in our com m unity,” said M ultnom ah
C ounty C om m issioner Serena Cruz.
“It’s high tim e the governm ent allow s all couples the
right to form alize their relationships and fam ilies,” said
C om m issionerN aito.
The group plans to hold a com munity meeting, Thursday,
July 6at the Gresham Public Library, 385 NW Miller, from
6 :00-8:00p.m .,inordertoseekfeedbackonthep ro p o sed
p r o c e s s . T h e M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty B o a rd o f
C om m issioners w ill then hold two hearings on the
proposed ordinance w hich would establish the registry.
T he first reading will take place July 20, the second July
27. W ritten com m ents can also be subm itted by e-mail to
m ayorkatz@ ci.portland.or.us.
T o take part in the registry, both parties w ould have to
appear in person and w ith identification at the County
office designated for the registration. They would sign
a certificate declaring that they are:
1. residing together and sharing the com m on necessities
oflife;
2. not m arried or registered as domestic partner in any
jurisdiction;
3. at least 18 years o f age;
4. not related by blood kinship closer than would bar
marriage in the state ofO regon and are mentally competent
to consent to the contract; and
5. each o th e r’s sole dom estic partner with the intent to
rem ain so indefinitely, and are responsible for each
oth er’s com m on welfare.
The couple w ould also agree to file a “Statem ent o f
Term ination o f D om estic Partnership” if the partnership
is term inated (except by death), or if any o f the facts in
the above requirem ents change. And they would also
have to certify that they had not signed a dom estic
partnership certificate w ith a different individual within
the prior six months. T he couple would keep the original
signed certificate. The County w ould m aintain a public
reco rd d a ta b a se c o n ta in in g th e n am es, d ate o f
registration, and certificate num ber only, as well as a
record o f partnership term inations. A fee, to be set by
later resolution, will be assessed to cover costs at the
tim e or registration.
O riginally, K atz had hoped to m odel the registry after
that o f A shland’s, w hich allow s people to register their
certificate anonym ously. H ow ever, attorneys for the
C ity an d C o u n ty d e te r m in e d th a t a n o n y m o u s
“registration” w ould underm ine the core purpose o f the
new registry — w hich is to provide those people w ho
w ish to have a form al opportunity to register their
dom estic partnership officially — w ith an opportunity
to do so. C ouples w ho are not com fortable with their
nam es being public record w ill be given inform ation on
how to docum ent their domestic partnership relationship
on their own.
W hile the registry will be available to dom estic partners
o f any m akeup, in particular for gay/lesbian couples and
families, the registry w ould provide a m eans for them to
establish the reality o f their dom estic partnership. Under
the groundbreaking Court o f A ppeals decision inTanner
v. OHSU, this has im portant legal significance in regards
to public sector benefits.
Congratulations to our local scholars
Ebony is an 18 year old Benson
g rad u ate w ho w ill be atten d in g
l.innfield C ollege as a N ursing m ajor
this fall. T hrough her involvem ent
w ithH O SA L eadershipC onferences
and a nationals com petition since
1998 - w inning m edals every year.
H e r in te r e s ts in c lu d e m u s ic a l
in stru m e n ts, sc ie n c e , m e d ic in e ,
children, exercising, doing hair, and
art. Both o f these students credit
th eir parents, R ick y an d M argie
Booker for their support and spiritual
guidance for doing w ell in school.
The children w ere reared through the
discipline o f their faith as Je h o v ah ’s
W itnesses since early childhood to
gain skills in reading and public
speaking. It has enabled them to
becom e effective tutors and m entors
to their peers.
Ricky Booker, Jr. o f
Ockley Green M lddle
S chool
re c e n tly
becam e a N ational
A w a rd
w in n e r
through the U nited
States Achievem ent
A cadem y. He was
c h o s e n as on e o f
A m e r ic a ’s
b est
students for excelling
in Mathematics. Very
few a re s e le c te d
nationwide to receive
this high honor. He is
exceptional for his
age and grade level,
especially since the
6
A cadem y recognizes
m ostly high school
students doing well
in one or more o f 18
academ ic disciplines
r a n g in g
from
Ricky Booker Jr.
A g r ic u ltu re
to
S c ie n c e .
R ick y
A m erican Scholar
received national recognition after
D irectory" am ong
his nom ination from his teacher, Mr.
o th e r s c h o la s tic
C had W olyn for his m astery in
achievers. A nd, he
M athem atics and serving as a math
w
ill be qualified to
tu to r a t O c k le y G re e n . O th e r
com pete for grants
notew orthy achievem ents include
a w a rd e d b y the
co m p etin g in a statew id e ch ess
A cadem y. Every
tournam ent sponsored by OM SI in
y ea r,
th e
1998. A hobby o f his is using his
o rg a n iz a tio n
com puter to design w eb pages for
m a k es a v a ila b le
friends. Besides his high academ ic
$ 5 0 0 ,0 0 0
in
achievem ent, Ricky w as chosen on
s c h o la r s h ip s to
m any other considerations: interest
s tu d e n ts on th e
and aptitude, leadership qualities,
h igh sch o o l and
r e s p o n s ib ility ,
e n th u s ia s m ,
collegiate level.
m otivation to learn and im prove,
A nother academic
citizenship, attitude and cooperative
scholar w ithin the
spirit, and dependability.
Booker fam ily is
As an added bonus provided by
R i c k y ’s s is te r ,
U SA A , R ick y ’s biography w ill be
E b o n y B o o k e r.
featured in the A cad em y ’s “All-
Ebony Booker
Foster parents sought
M ultnom ah C ounty A nim al Control
is recruiting volunteers to act as
“ foster parents” to pets from our
shelter. These anim als are either too
young, need further socialization, or
have treatable illnesses requiring
special attention w hich prevents them
from being adaptable candidates at
this time. They are however, excellent
pets w hich the shelter sta ff feels have
an excellent chance for adoption once
they are older, o r healthy again.
N eed is especially great during the
spring/sum m er kitten season, when
pregnant cats and mothers with litters
o f kitten (and in m any cases their
m others) are brought to our shelter.
Until the kittens are old enough to be
w eaned, separated from the m other,
an d sp ay ed o r n eu tered , k itten s
cannot be put up for adoption.
M any foster parents pay for the full
care o f their foster because o f the
C o u n ty ’s b u d g e t c o n stra in ts. A
special fund has been set up to help
w ith the care o f pets th at need
rehabilitation. Y ou can m ake tax-
deductible donations to the Anim al
CareTrustFundat 17000W.Columbia
River Hwy, Troutdale, OR. 97019
F o s te r p a r e n ts p r o v id e a sa fe
environm ent for these anim als to
m ature, becom e m ore socialized or
heal from an existing wound or illness.
O nce these pets are adaptable, they
can be adopted by the foster parent,
or if needed, returned to the shelter
foradoption. The M ultnomah County
Animal Shelter is located in Troutdale
at 1700 W. Columbia RiverHighway.
Y ou can also find us on the w eb at
m ultcopets.org.
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BBB urges caution to consumers
S um m er is here, offering consum ers
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M edical care & prescription drugs
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