Portland has embarked on a transformative journey in its city governance, officially swearing in 12 new council members and a new mayor during a ceremony at city hall on Thursday. Most of these officials are newcomers to public office and are adapting to the city’s revamped governmental structure.
Keith Wilson was inaugurated as the 54th mayor of Portland and the first under this new governance model. Unlike previous mayors, Wilson will not serve on the council and will only vote in cases of a tie. The city has transitioned from a commission-style system—where elected officials directly managed specific departments—to a council-manager framework. In this new model, a professional city administrator and six deputies will oversee various departments and bureaus.
Although Wilson can propose new ordinances, the city council will have the final say on their passage. For the first time, Portland is now organized into four geographic districts, each with a population-equivalent representation of three council members. This reorganization aims to ensure equitable representation across all city areas, addressing long-standing equity issues.
The council expanded from five seats to 12 with former KBMS employee Lorretta Smith being sworn in among the 12. The Portland Medium is proudly owned by the same family that owns the histic KBMS radio. The city council will function more like a legislative body, formulating and approving policies for the city administrators to implement, while taking a more hands-off approach to everyday city operations.
Council members will select a president to facilitate meetings and determine the agenda. Regular council meetings are scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m., and the third Wednesday at 6 p.m., though these times may be adjusted as the new system gets underway. The newly elected council is poised to start its first session, where they will elect their own president to lead.
