Neighborhood Chairs Committee: November Meeting Summary — Defining Our Purpose and What's Next
On Saturday, November 7, 2026, Neighborhood Association (NA) Chairs and board members gathered for a workshop to discuss an important question: What should the Neighborhood Chairs Committee (NCC) be, and how do we want it to function?
I facilitated the workshop, drawing on insights from a survey I had conducted among NCC members to better understand their expectations, priorities and ideas for making NCC more valuable.
The survey provided a starting point for our discussion. Rather than beginning with assumptions about what NCC should be, we used the feedback from neighborhood leaders to guide our conversation, identify areas of agreement and work toward a common purpose.
Representatives attended from Mary's Landing, Uplands, Palisades, Hallinan, First Addition, Forest Hills, Rosewood, Holly Orchard, Old Town, Evergreen, Westlake and Blue Heron. I facilitated this workshop discussion drawing from insights from a survey of NCC members about their expectations for NCC that I conducted.
Our goal was to move beyond simply talking about what NCC has been and begin agreeing on what we want it to become.
We unanimously agreed on three pillars for NCC
After discussion, we unanimously agreed on three primary areas of focus—or "pillars"—for NCC:
1. Administrative: What it takes to effectively run a Neighborhood Association
Neighborhood Associations need practical information and support to operate effectively. This includes:
Sending postcards and communicating with neighborhood residents.
Understanding the City's grant application and approval process.
Submitting expenses and getting reimbursed by the City.
Creating and maintaining a neighborhood website, newsletter or blog.
Organizing and hosting neighborhood meetings.
Developing bylaws, maintaining board procedures and holding elections.
And much more. The goal is to share information, resources and best practices so neighborhood volunteers don't have to reinvent the wheel.
2. Operational: The basic City services every neighborhood needs
Neighborhood Associations have common concerns about the basic services and infrastructure that help keep our neighborhoods safe and functioning well. These include:
Adequate City funding for police and fire staffing to ensure fast emergency response.
Proactive police presence and neighborhood safety.
Paving roads and fixing potholes.
Maintaining sidewalks and drainage.
Emergency preparedness training and resources.
Traffic management and pedestrian safety.
These are practical, everyday issues that affect the quality of life in every neighborhood.
3. Recognition: Acknowledging City employees who go above and beyond
We want to identify and publicly recognize City employees who provide excellent service, demonstrate outstanding partnership and go the extra mile to help our neighborhoods. City employees are important partners in making our neighborhoods better. We want to take the time to acknowledge their contributions and let them know their work is appreciated.
What else did we discuss?
Advocacy: An area we want to evolve toward
We spent considerable time discussing advocacy, which 40% of the NCC survey respondents said they wanted from the committee.
We agreed that NCC could evolve toward advocacy, but first we need to define what that means, identify common issues of concern across neighborhoods and work through the practical considerations of how we would approach it.
We don't want to rush into advocacy without first establishing a shared understanding of its purpose, boundaries and process.
Policy: A potential fourth pillar
We also identified policy as a potential fourth pillar for NCC. However, we agreed we need more time and discussion to define what this would encompass and how it would fit into NCC's overall purpose.
Understanding the different capacities of our Neighborhood Associations
One important discussion centered on the fact that Neighborhood Associations are not all alike. Some are very active, with engaged boards, regular meetings and ongoing neighborhood issues. Others meet only once or twice a year because they don't have significant issues bringing neighbors together. Some associations are relatively inactive.
We need to understand these differences and recognize that neighborhoods have different levels of volunteer capacity, resources and engagement.
Gale Wallmark will be reviewing the results from a survey she created for NCC members, which she refers to as a "census." This should give us a better understanding of the current state of our Neighborhood Associations and help inform future discussions.
Summary of NCC Member Survey Results About NCC Purpose
In October I created a survey for NCC members about their expectations for the purpose of NCC and how they wanted our time together to be spent. The summary and analysis from this survey was sent to NCC members several days before our meeting so we could spend our time together discussing it and our action plan.
Based on the survey results, I shared this infographic summarizing the areas of focus that emerged from members' feedback.
What do members want from NCC meetings?
The survey showed considerable agreement about what members want from our meetings.
A balance between presentations and meaningful discussion.
Specifically, respondents said they want:
Brief, relevant presentations rather than lengthy presentations that take up most of our meeting time.
Information and background materials shared in advance whenever possible.
More time for discussion and sharing experiences with other neighborhoods.
Opportunities to learn from one another and solve common problems.
Practical outcomes, including identifying next steps and who will take responsibility for them.
Members want NCC meetings to be interactive working sessions, not simply presentations where people sit and listen.
We have a tremendous resource in the collective experience of our Neighborhood Association leaders. Members want to be using that experience to help one another.
NCC to build stronger relationships with City leadership
The survey showed this and we also talked about this and agreed that NCC should build stronger relationships with City leadership.
We discussed creating regular opportunities for meaningful dialogue with the Mayor, City Manager, City Councilors and department heads.
Importantly, we want this to be a two-way communication channel.
It shouldn't simply be an opportunity for City officials to make presentations to neighborhood representatives. Nor should it become a place where Neighborhood Associations simply bring a list of complaints to the City.
Instead, we want constructive conversations, better understanding of City priorities and neighborhood concerns, and opportunities to work together on solutions.
How should NCC meetings be organized and run?
The survey findings were clear about what people wanted.
We also discussed how meeting agendas should be developed, how meetings should be facilitated and how to make sure members have opportunities to participate.
The objective is to create meetings that are well organized, productive and inclusive, where different perspectives are welcomed and everyone's time is well spent.
How did people feel as we wrapped up?
At the end of the meeting, I asked everyone to share one word or thought about how they were feeling. The responses included:
Hopeful.
Questions still.
Better.
Motivated.
Encouraged.
Progress!
I thought this was a good reflection of where we are. We made meaningful progress, reached agreement on some important fundamentals, and identified areas where more work is needed.
What's next?
Our next NCC meeting will be in January.
Tom Bland is serving as Acting Chair of NCC, and Grant Howell is our elected Secretary.
We have a foundation to build on. Now we need to turn these agreements into practical ways of working together.
My hope is that NCC becomes a valuable resource for every Neighborhood Association—a place to share information, learn from one another, solve problems, build relationships with City leadership and, when appropriate, work together on issues that affect our community.
The strength of NCC should come from the collective knowledge, experience and voices of our 25 Neighborhood Associations. Let's put that to work!
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This information below was shared with NCC members prior to the meeting.
Summary of the Research Findings
Shared Ahead of Time with NCC Members
Analysis of Lake Oswego Neighborhood Chairs Member Feedback
by Derrith Schmidt, Old Town NA Chair
Survey conducted October 2026
Who completed the survey
22 people responded to the survey. Some active neighborhoods with multiple people from their boards who attend NCC meetings responded to the survey.
Neighborhood associations completed survey | Did not complete the survey |
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Neighborhood Associations have different levels of capacity and activity. The survey asked about active board size, board engagement and meeting frequency.
Written comments make clear that some associations have difficulty recruiting board members, engaging residents, maintaining active boards and finding representatives who can attend NCC meetings.
One respondent recommended first assessing the operating status of all 25 NAs—their strengths, weaknesses, leadership and ability to represent residents.
The NCC needs to recognize that associations are not equally staffed, active or equipped to participate.
According to the City’s website, for a Neighborhood Association to be formally recognized: a group must hold a well-publicized general meeting, establish a geographic boundary, adopt minimum bylaws, and elect officers. The City Council then formally grants recognition. https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/planning/neighborhood-association-program
Questions for discussion:
Is strengthening each NA a priority for NCC members? Are active NA board members willing to mentor and support other NAs who want this? Do NAs who are inactive or struggling want help from other NAs?
Do NCC members want to change the bylaws to clarify that a NCC vote requires a quorum of active NAs?
If NCC is to vote on something using a survey or another approach, all active NAs would need to participate. 8 did not respond to this survey with several requests to do so.
What members expect and want from NCC meetings
The strongest message is that members want meetings to be interactive, practical and focused on problem-solving—not dominated by presentations.
The top two responses are particularly telling: members want to solve problems together and learn from one another.
Information sharing still matters—but it should support discussion and action.
Members value presentations and updates from City staff, elected officials and others, especially when the subject is relevant to neighborhood concerns.
Written suggestions included:
Invite the Mayor, City Councilors and City Manager to attend.
Invite department heads when a topic is relevant.
Keep presentations brief—one respondent suggested 15 minutes—to leave time for questions.
Share information in advance when possible.
Prioritize topics that matter to the greatest number of neighborhoods.
Follow presentations with discussion, recommendations and next steps.
Offer workshops on practical topics such as emergency preparedness, recruiting board members, increasing resident participation and communicating with neighbors.
Question 9 asked how meetings should balance information sharing and discussion/action.
A productive NCC meeting, according to the feedback of NCC respondents, should have a short, relevant information-sharing component, followed by substantial time for discussion, collaboration and decisions about next steps.
Meeting logistics and participation
There are also practical barriers to participation:
One respondent cannot attend Saturday meetings and would prefer a weekday.
Another specifically suggested weekday evening meetings.
Several respondents want more NAs represented at every meeting.
One suggested meeting monthly rather than every other month, as appropriate.
What should be the purpose of the NCC?
The survey shows strong support for NCC acting as a collaborative connection among Neighborhood Associations and between neighborhoods and the City.
Should the NCC communicate concerns or advocate for neighborhoods?
When asked what role the NCC should play regarding common concerns:
55%: Communicate shared concerns and priorities to the City.
40%: Advocate for shared NA positions to the City.
5%: Understand and discuss common concerns only.
95% want the NCC to do something beyond simply discussing concerns. However, there is a distinction between communicating concerns and formally advocating for a position.
The written comments explain why some respondents are cautious about advocacy:
Can an NA Chair reliably represent the views of their residents?
Should an NCC advocacy position require approval by individual NA boards?
Would waiting for 25 neighborhood boards to vote make the process too slow?
Should the NCC advocate only when an issue is genuinely shared by multiple neighborhoods?
Could the NCC lose credibility by taking positions on issues that are not widely supported?
One respondent suggested that advocacy should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Another cautioned that the NCC should not become an advocacy group until a majority of NAs can reliably represent their constituents.
What authority or actions should the NCC have?
When a concern is shared by multiple NAs, respondents wanted the NCC to be able to:
This is a fairly clear mandate for the NCC to serve as a communication and problem-solving channel.
There is also support for collective input and advocacy, although not everyone agrees on when or how that should happen.
How should the NCC interact with City leadership?
The most popular choices were:
Meetings with City department heads when a topic is relevant: 72.7%
Periodic dialogue with the City Manager: 68.2%
Opportunities to provide input to City Council, boards and commissions: 68.2%
Periodic dialogue with the Mayor: 59.1%
Regular City updates on issues affecting NAs: 54.5%
A City Council liaison to the NCC: 45.5%
Members want a working relationship with City government, not simply a place to hear announcements.
They want access to the right people, answers to questions, opportunities to provide input and a way to communicate shared neighborhood concerns.
Suggestions from respondents: What should the NCC do differently or better?
Establish a clear purpose and operating guidelines
Before deciding whether the NCC should advocate on issues, agree on:
What qualifies as an issue of common concern?
How many NAs need to share a concern before it becomes an NCC issue?
How will the NCC determine whether there is sufficient agreement to communicate a shared position?
When does the NCC speak for participating NAs versus all 25 NAs?
How will individual NAs retain the ability to express different opinions?
Consider distinguishing three levels of NCC involvement:
Information sharing: Share concerns, experiences and information among NAs.
Collective problem-solving and communication: Work together, seek answers from City staff and communicate common concerns to City leadership.
Advocacy: Develop and communicate a shared recommendation or position when there is sufficient agreement and a clear process for determining support.
This gives the NCC flexibility without requiring every issue to become an advocacy campaign.
Make meetings more interactive and action-oriented
Suggestions from respondents include:
Prioritize topics affecting the most neighborhoods.
Keep presentations short and relevant.
Provide background materials in advance.
Allow time for questions and discussion.
End discussions with clear next steps, responsibilities and follow-up.
Use workshops to help NAs solve common operational problems.
Strengthen relationships with City leadership
Members want more direct access to the people who can answer questions and help resolve problems.
Suggestions shared by NCC members:
Invite the Mayor, City Councilors and City Manager to attend regularly.
Invite department heads when their responsibilities relate to the topic.
Establish periodic dialogue with the Mayor and City Manager.
Create opportunities for NCC input to City Council and commissions.
Develop a process for getting questions answered and concerns followed up.
One respondent specifically suggested that the NCC work with the new City Council and City Manager to build stronger, collaborative relationships.
Help Neighborhood Associations become stronger
Respondents asked for help with:
Recruiting board members.
Increasing resident participation and engagement.
Communicating effectively with residents.
Organizing neighborhood events.
Understanding City processes and how to get things done.
Understanding land-use and development issues.
Emergency preparedness.
Website and social media development.
Sharing successful advocacy examples and neighborhood projects.
Several respondents also suggested more consistent tools and support from the City, including a uniform NA website, funding assistance and help with neighborhood communications.
One respondent suggested assessing the current operating status of all 25 NAs and work with the City to strengthen the program.
Identify a manageable number of shared issues
Respondents identified a broad range of possible common concerns:
The library, wastewater treatment plant, housing and development policies, budget accountability and infrastructure were among the specific examples raised.
These are suggestions from individual respondents, not necessarily positions supported by the NCC or a majority of neighborhoods.
Improve communication and participation
Additional ideas included:
A monthly NCC newsletter.
More publicity about what NAs are and what they accomplish.
Prewritten newsletter articles or press releases that NAs can share.
More consistent websites and social media.
Encouraging each NA to send a representative to every NCC meeting.
Considering weekday evening meetings to accommodate more participants.
Creating subgroups when neighborhoods want to work on a particular issue.
One respondent noted that residents need to see the value of their Neighborhood Associations and the effectiveness of their work. The NCC can help demonstrate that value by sharing successes and showing what happens as a result of neighborhood involvement.
What did respondents say would make the NCC more valuable over the next year?
Question 15 asked respondents to identify just one accomplishment that would make the NCC more valuable.
The 17 answers were diverse, but several themes emerged:
Stronger participation by the Mayor, City Councilors and City Manager.
Better relationships with new City leadership.
More engaged NA board members and residents.
Greater participation from all 25 NAs.
A workable process for developing shared recommendations and next steps.
More City accountability and transparency on major decisions.
Better communication about what NAs do and why residents should participate.
Other individual priorities included land use, budget accountability, banning gas-powered blowers and preserving neighborhood character.
The diversity of answers reinforces that the NCC needs to provide value both to individual NAs and to the City as a whole.
My overall conclusions and recommendations
Based on the survey, I would recommend that the NCC focus on five priorities over the next year.
1. Agree on the NCC's purpose and ground rules.
Establish a shared understanding of the NCC's role, including how common concerns are identified, how shared positions are developed and when advocacy is appropriate. Avoid spending months debating the purpose without moving forward.
2. Make meetings about collaboration, discussion and action.
Keep presentations brief and relevant. Share information in advance. Give members time to discuss issues, learn from one another, solve problems and identify next steps. Make every meeting worth attending.
3. Build stronger relationships with City leadership.
Establish regular opportunities for meaningful dialogue with the Mayor, City Manager, Councilors and department heads. Create a two-way communication channel—not just a place for the City to make presentations.
4. Strengthen the Neighborhood Association program.
Understand the current status of all 25 NAs. Share best practices, help associations recruit board members and engage residents, and work with the City to address barriers that make it difficult for NAs to function effectively.
5. Demonstrate results.
Choose a manageable number of shared issues, develop a process for addressing them and report back on progress. Show NAs and residents that participation makes a difference.
The big takeaway from the survey
I believe the survey points toward an opportunity to redefine the NCC as a more effective, collaborative organization.
The NCC should not simply be a place where Neighborhood Association representatives come to listen to presentations and exchange updates. It should be a place where they learn from each other, work together on shared challenges, build relationships with City leadership and make progress on issues that matter to their neighborhoods.
It also needs to be practical. Not every issue affects every neighborhood. Not every issue needs an NCC position. And not every discussion needs to result in advocacy.
But when several neighborhoods face a common problem, the NCC should be able to help them understand it, find answers, develop a reasonable approach and determine what action—if any—they want to take together.
A suggestion for a guiding principle: Make the NCC a place where Neighborhood Associations help each other get things done to help their neighbors and the City.
Full survey results here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-ki2dsBxbguGWfZuKDpiE_2Bg_3D_3D/
Derrith Schmidt
Old Town Neighborhood Chair
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