Portland is about to switch to an entirely new form of government, following a charter reform plan that voters approved last November. The transformation won't happen in earnest until January 2025, when the winners of the November 2024 election will take office as the first mayor and city councilors under the new system. But there's an enormous amount of preparation that must take place first, and it falls to the city's current mayor and commissioners to oversee that work.

Commissioner Dan Ryan was a guest on this week's episode of Straight Talk to discuss that process, as well as his thoughts on the decision to end the city's sole-source contract with the Regional Arts & Culture Council, and the city's ongoing efforts to resolve its homelessness crisis through projects like Safe Rest Villages and mass sanctioned campsites.