Are public meetings public?

UPDATE:

The most recent meeting notice emailed to all registrants says that there will 
be a breakfast at this event.  I assume this is the reason for the head count.  
Still unusual to me.  Anyone else?  


Meeting on Saturday!

There is a Community Forum on the North Anchor Project on Saturday (9:00 am to 1:00 pm) at the Adult Community Center on G Ave..  The LORA Board, made up of City Council members, is hosting the event.  The City is requesting that attendees register in advance.

"Please register for the Forum below so that we can best plan for the event".

I have never seen this request before.  For the City Council Town Hall on January 10, no registration was required and there were a lot of cookies to keep people happy.  What is different about this meeting?  Unless there is some absolutely necessary reason why pre-event registration is needed, this is still a public meeting that follows the same rules the public meeting law spell out: The meeting should be open to all.  If you have questions, call the City Manager's office or the City Attorney. I hope to see you there!  To register, call: 503-534-4225.

Selected ommonts from the comments on Open Hall:
There were a few people who wanted a new library or public uses, and others that did not.  Some don't trust City Hall to get public sentiment right. Quite a few wanted a project that fits into the fabric of the downtown and not another Wizer's.

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Let's have first, a City-wide VERY open, public series of meetings to fully explore the nature or kind of city (e.g. more PORTLANDIZATION vs. single family homes as merely 1 example) we the residents want to develop from this point forward, to include all projects Council is already eyeing (& NOT shaping opinion by the City or CONTROLLING the outcome) in a way truly to encourage and bring out what the public really wants to do with LO, not Council, not the STAFF! 
Do this NOW instead of, on the heels of COUNCIL'S POLITICIZED WIZER OVERRIDE, disingenuously ask for opinions one at a time to control and shape them and kick to the curb grassroots PUBLIC OPINION and WISHES one by one like target practice with a gun. 

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I recall the voters rejected a new library. Please honor their vote...no new library. Provide services at the west end where the majority of LO citizens live and where the major source of LO taxes come from. Very very tired of the east end expansion and use of taxpayer funds to assist with private development that benefits the few with no services at all in the west end.

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This site seems most appropriate for a true mixed use development; no more than three stories in height; street level-retail complemented by two levels of residential owner-occupied condominiums.
Oh, yes, and NO public subsidies!

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Do not incur any additional debt. Sell off the site to private developers such as Gramor and allow them to develop the site within the parameters of the East End Redevelopment plan. A project developed by a committee will not prove attractive to developers. Do not handcuff the experts (developers) with concepts that are not workable.

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I would love to see a great family friendly brewpub style restaurant. Something along the lines of the old Rams Head brewery. And maybe a Grand Central Bakery. A wine bar? LO needs some new, upscale, hip places!

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More small businesses and restaurants. People want to support their local businesses. Build them and they will come. Also small affordable apartments or condos for the aging demographics of our city who would love to stay in LO but downsize from their large homes. Thank you for the opportunity to 
provide input.