■$3nrtlanh (Observer
June 12, 2013
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TheWeek Review
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Suggestive Behavior Uproar
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page 10
Mayor aide
Baruti Artharee
investigated for
comments
D onovan M. S mith
T he P ortland O bserver
by
M ayor Charlie H ales’ office is
receiving som e very unwanted
attention right now after one of
his top aides was accused o f
m aking suggestive rem arks and
g e s tu re s to w a rd M u ltn o m a h
C ounty C om m issioner L oretta
Smith.
The controversy was sparked
at a Thursday night event orga­
nized by The Skanner publisher,
Bernie Foster to introduce Dante
Jam es, director o f Portland’s O f­
fice o f Equity and Human Rights
to various m inority com m unities.
The city ’ s public safety adviser
Baruti A rtharee was at the gather-
Baruti Artharee (KA TU photo)
Loretta Smith
ing representing M ayor Hales.
W hile m aking rem arks on the m i­
crophone it is being reported that
Artharee com m ented on finding
Smith, who was in the back o f the
room, physically attractive and
m aking a suggestive m otion with
his hips.
Sm ith said the com m ents were
not funny and m ade her feel un­
comfortable.
A rtharee, 60, is not com m ent­
ing on the events that transpired,
but apologized to Smith the next
day, officials said.
A fter three days o f co n tro ­
versy, Hales also apologized to
the com m issioner. He also asked
the city ’s Hum an Resources D e­
partm ent to begin an investiga­
tion into the incident.
“W e are treating it as a com ­
plaint regarding actions in viola­
tion o f the c ity ’s anti-harassm ent
policy,” said a statem ent from the
m ayor issued on Tuesday.
School Construction Projects Begin
Summer to see
five Portland
schools get
upgrades
C alendar
P o rtlan d
P u b lic S ch o o ls
launched roof replacements and
seismic and science lab upgrades at
five schools as the first step of an
eight-year school building improve­
ment bond.
Superintendent Carole Smith and
school board co-chair Greg Belisle
announced the launch of the bond
projects at a news conference Tues­
day. They were joined by parent
leaders, students and sustainability
advocates.
Over the next nine weeks, work
crews will replace roofs, make seis­
mic safety upgrades at: Alameda K-
5, Bridlemile K-5, Laurelhurst K-8,
Lewis K-5 and Wilson High School.
In November 2012, Portland vot­
ers approved an 8-year $482 million
school im provem ent bond. The
property tax levy will give the dis­
trict the money to modernize its high
schools - completely rebuilding
Franklin, Grant and Roosevelt high
A citizen advisory group will meet this summer to consider what
changes to make at Roosevelt High School when the building is
completely rebuilt as part of a school district building improve­
ment bond.
schools and creating master plans
for the other six high schools. The
bond will also fund seismic strength­
ening, science lab improvements
and increased accessibility at 63
other schools.
In addition, the bond will cover
the rebuilding of Faubion PK-8
School in partnership with neigh­
boring Concordia University.
“This is an exciting moment for
PPS and our entire community,”
Smiths said. “This bond is a direct
result of the vision and hard work of
many people across Portland. It is
truly a community-owned bond.”
Summer school building improve­
ment work at 5 schools kicks-off
immediately after the students are
dismissed for summer break June
14. Contractors aim to complete the
summer work in time for students to
return to class in the fall and have
been working with the City of Port­
land to manage impacts on surround­
ing neighborhoods.
High school design work begins
this coming fall. Citizen advisory
groups will begin meeting this sum­
mer for the first school rebuilding
projects at Roosevelt and Franklin
high schools.