Portland City Council's consideration of consenting to the transfer of Zenith Energy's fuel-terminal franchise to ISQ Springer Holdings, approved September 23, 2026 on a mayoral tie-break.
Portland Mercury · on the Zenith–ISQ franchise transfer, approved on a 6–6 tie
On September 23 the council voted 7–5 to reconsider the Zenith franchise transfer that had failed 5–6 with one absence on September 16; Koyama Lane, Morillo, Green, Avalos and Kanal opposed reconsidering, and Council President Dunphy joined Novick, Clark, Zimmerman, Smith, Pirtle-Guiney and Ryan to reopen it. The revote tied 6–6, with all six progressive-caucus members including Dunphy voting no, and Mayor Keith Wilson broke the tie to approve the transfer to ISQ Springer Holdings, his second tie-breaking vote since taking office. Dunphy told Willamette Week he voted to reconsider because he "hoped that there could be some negotiations to find mutually agreeable conditions," and the paper reported no such agreement was reached; Morillo posted that she voted no "because I believe accountability is not optional."
The Green–Morillo citizen-enforcement amendment to the same ordinance failed 6–6 on September 9, and Zenith sued the city in U.S. District Court in July over the delay.
Portland City Council record · on the failed Zenith–ISQ franchise transfer ordinance
The council failed to pass consent to transfer the Zenith Energy fuels franchise to ISQ Springer Holdings on second reading, 5 aye to 6 nay with Loretta Smith absent: Novick, Clark, Zimmerman, Pirtle-Guiney, and Ryan voted aye; Koyama Lane, Morillo, Green, Avalos, Kanal, and Dunphy voted nay. A Green–Morillo amendment that would have let affected residents ask the courts to enforce the franchise had failed 6–6 at the September 9 first reading. A motion to reconsider is pending after the council voted 8–4 to postpone it to the September 23 session.
A committee motion to refer the ordinance to council with a recommendation to pass carried 7–5 on August 6, with Dunphy and Smith joining the aye side.
Portland City Council · on the Zenith–ISQ franchise transfer and the Green-Morillo amendment vote
The council took up consent to the franchise transfer from Zenith Energy Terminals Holdings LLC to ISQ Springer Holdings LLC (document 2026-263). The Green-Morillo 1 amendment, which Councilor Morillo said would allow affected residents to ask the courts to enforce the franchise if ISQ violates its terms and the city fails to act, failed on a 6–6 tie, with Council President Dunphy joining Koyama Lane, Morillo, Green, Avalos, and Kanal in favor. The ordinance passed to second reading, scheduled for September 16.
Morillo and Green introduced the amendment at the September 2 council meeting; the second reading is on the September 16 agenda.
Portland City Council · on the Green–Morillo amendment to the Zenith–ISQ franchise transfer
The council took up consent to the franchise transfer from Zenith Energy Terminals Holdings LLC to ISQ Springer Holdings, LLC (document 2026-263) on September 2. Councilors Mitch Green and Angelita Morillo moved amendment "Green-Morillo 1," which Morillo said would let affected residents ask the courts to enforce the franchise if ISQ violates its terms and the city fails to act. The vote was not called, and the item was continued to September 9 at 9:30 a.m.
Green wrote in a September 1 newsletter that he voted no on the transfer in committee, where it passed out of the Committee of the Whole with 7 yes votes and 5 no votes.