SE neighborhood coalition serves up new board‚ and ice cream

Find out what neighborhood leaders say about the new Southeast Uplift’s plan for the coming year‚ and how they introduced the new board to neighbors‚

SEUL’s chair, Paul Leistner, Mt. Tabor neighborhood, and executive director Cece Hughley Noel say they are enthusiastic about the organization’s prospects this year, at their early July ice cream social.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The organization serving many inner and outer SE Portland Neighborhoods, Southeast Uplift (SEUL), shared hot news‚ and cool treats‚ at an “Ice Cream Social” on July 2.

Upon exiting their executive committee meeting, Paul Leistner, Mt. Tabor Neighborhood representative, and the reelected SEUL chair, told us he’s pleased with coalition’s progress.

“We have wonderful momentum here at Southeast Uplift,” enthused Leistner. “There is a lot of good energy here. We’re looking for ways to expand the impact of neighborhood and other community groups, giving a greater voice to individuals concerned about local decision-making.”

Allowing citizens greater input into governmental affairs is important, added Leistner, because, “This is a time of great change here in Portland. Neighbors need to be heard.”

Coalition runs on budget
SEUL’s executive director, Cece Hughley Noel, said that she felt encouraged by the meeting. “This has been a good year. We were able to come in under budget. We’re running a leaner, more efficient office.

We passed a realistic budget for the coming year, and reorganized our programs to better serve our neighborhoods.”

About the organization’s new executive committee, Hughley Noel commented, “We had good feedback from our leadership. And, we’re really glad to have the continuity of executive leadership on the board.”

Kristen Wiener, SEUL staffer, serves up ice cream to John Rechlein, newly-elected secretary of the Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood Association

Executive Committee introduced at Ice Cream Social
“We organized this Ice Cream Social to provide an opportunity for the newly-elected neighborhood officers to be able to meet each other, the board, the staff and neighbors,” explained Hughley Noel. It’s great to see we have business district leaders here as well.”

The current executive committee for SEUL consists of: Chair Paul Leistner, Vice Chair Marianne Colgrove, Treasurer Kurt Krause, Secretary Michelle Isbell, and, Past Chair Linda Nettekoven.

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