So, as I cryptically wrote last night, I have been voted on to yet another Island.  By this I mean that I have accepted a seat on yet another committee.  In some ways that is bad.  I am already horribly over-committed and have had to schedule weekly check-in meetings with my staff because I am not here enough for us to connect just by virtue of being behind the front desk together.  That being said, I am actually really excited about this new committment.

My new committment is the Small Business Advisory Council (SBAC). The role of the SBAC is to provide a mechanism for small businesses to  impact public policy on the local level.  For those of you who don't know me, the core of my (not-so secret) geekiness is that I am a total and utter policy wonk.  After all, what would you expect from someone who wrote her Master's thesis on bureau-level budgeting processes in local government?  The greatest risk to me and my fellow councilmembers is that I might outwonk the City Council staffers.  But that is where my over-committment is a benefit.  I don't have the time to delve too deep into any of the issues that come up (such as the underlying methodology for Portland Parks & Recreation's proposed Service Development Charge or SDC), something that I am sure is a great relief to their planning staff.  Instead I get to just happily swim in a sea of acronyms while tied to a lifeline of over-committment.  I see that as a win/win for me, the City of Portland and my fellow microbusiness owners.