April Meeting Minutes
Kernside Minutes – 4/14/2025Location: Rose City GuitarTime: 12pm
Attendees & Introductions:
Thomas (Lone Fir Fitness): Excited about the neighborhood’s energy and collaboration; first annual Kernside Business Association meeting.
Emily (Building Owner – Crema/Gorges): Interested in connecting with local businesses.
Daniel (KNA): Excited for potential future festivals.
Alex (Mikiko Mochi Donuts): Looking forward to starting fresh with the new business association.
Shay (Inner Beast): Neighborhood resident for 15 years; happy about reconnection post-COVID and events like yesterday’s competition.
Elizabeth (KNA): Transitioning from pet care to social media management; enthusiastic about supporting businesses.
Leslie (Candle Creation Bar): New member; business is off the main path, hopes to increase foot traffic via the association.
Kris (Southeast Examiner): Owner of community newspaper.
Nicole (Revamped Salon): Excited to rebuild community connections after relocating business.
Molly (Hat Rack + Bubble Club): Passionate about small businesses and building community; encourages contagious positive energy.
Elliot (Elliot James Designs): New Portland resident; offers design support to small businesses.
Amber & Kelly (Rose City Guitar): Excited to be in the neighborhood; aim to work collaboratively with other businesses despite economic uncertainty.
Jude (Brewer Audio) & Justin (Barnegat Studios): Working on mini-documentary of the neighborhood; seeking interview participants and grant writing support.
John (Nurse Practitioner & Homeowner): Interested in neighborhood upkeep.
Rachel (Living Room Realty): Realtor and occasional artist; big supporter of Burnside/Northeast 20th area.
Rebecca (KNA): Provided context on how the association got started; recognized Thomas as key organizer.
Administrative Items:
Bylaws Update: Proposal to change incorporation from “Kerns” to “Kernside” for IRS recognition; voting to occur at next meeting.
Board Elections: Five seats available; three candidates (Thomas, Shay, Jude) adopted by acclamation.
Treasurer & Community Liaison: Positions still open; interested parties encouraged to contact board.
Treasurer Update (Shay):
Current balance: ~$200 (from zero at start).
Donations temporarily held in a personal Stripe account due to EIN/bank setup; fully accounted and transparent.
Positive response from local donors.
Kernside Documentary (Justin & Jude):
~9 hours of footage; shared a 3-minute teaser from Rainbow Road Friends meeting.
Highlights include interviews at Music Millennium and first budget meeting.
Call for additional audio interviews (15-minute sessions) and grant writing help for May 15th Impact Grant.
Rainbow Road Updates & Events:
Recent Event: Over 100 attendees and 40 competitors; beer keg lifts and beer mile. Huge turnout exceeded expectations.
Furniture: Redwood pieces arriving within ~1 week; mostly heavy but some mobility to allow space for performances.
Mural: Scheduled for Friday; Councillor Koyama visiting for photo opportunity.
Stage: Set up that morning; thanks to Greg.
Proposed Future Events:
Music & comedy on May 18th (11 a.m.–2 p.m.) with buskers and $50 minimum pay for artists.
Focus on supporting slow business days and creative attractions (bubbles, chalk for kids).
Discussion of queer events year-round, including potential charity fashion shows and themed wine/PRIDE events.
Opportunities for volunteer support in promotion, crowd management, and donations.
Weekly free fitness class (Pilates/HIT) planned on the stage.
Ongoing Events:
Urbanist happy hour (Strong Towns monthly).
Wine walks: next event sold out as of 8 p.m. previous night; potential to add time slots.
Summer concert raffle (Oaks Park, June 29th); donations of gift cards or items encouraged.
Volunteer & Donation Acknowledgments:
Contributors and volunteers recognized and applauded.
Encouraged use of Venmo QR codes for donations to ensure artists meet minimum pay.
Next Steps:
Continue building events on Rainbow Road.
Recruit treasurer and community liaison.
Gather feedback on outreach strategies for future events.
Document and expand volunteer opportunities.