Portland's collection of pod-like street-corner bathrooms could get a sales boost under a proposal headed to City Council on Wednesday that's already drawn another legal threat from a ratepayer watchdog group.

Commissioner Randy Leonard, who oversees the Portland Water Bureau, wants city leaders to approve marketing efforts of the

so the bathrooms can be marketed and sold to other cities.

But Citizens for Water Accountability, Trust and Reform --

-- told a city attorney on Monday that if utility money supports the latest Loo efforts, the group will ask a judge to declare such spending "in violation with the City Charter and, therefore, illegal."

Leonard is the city's top proponent of Loos and project management is handled by his Water Bureau. Portland has five Loos in operation and owns the patent for production. Last year, the city

.

Under the

, various local contractors who are familiar with the Portland Loo would receive financial incentives if they help broker deals for more purchases. Greg Madden's Madden Fabrication, Curtis Banger's CB Design and PHLUSH founder Carol McCreary would all be eligible to earn 10 percent of a Loo sales price.

"The best people to market the Loo are those who are most familiar with its operation and design, or who are recognized advocates for public restrooms," the proposal reads. "These contracts might qualify as 'sole source' contracts given the unique qualifications of the proposed contractors, but if the City Code, Chapter 5.68, requires competition, then that provision should be waived."

The city has previously itemized Loo capital expenditures from utility funds at $101,436 from 2008-09 to 2010-11 and maintenance costs run between $60,000 to $75,000 a year. Separately, unrelated to utility funding, Portland leaders spent $650,000 from the general fund and its urban renewal agency on the Loo project.

According to the city, the proposal "will generate future revenue" but "there are no costs" related to the emergency ordinance, which would go into effect immediately if passed Wednesday.

"My clients believe it is quite a stretch to forge a nexus between direct operation of the water utility and a business enterprise that manufactures Loos for sale to other jurisdictions," WATR's attorney, John DiLorenzo, wrote to the city Monday. "Therefore, we respectfully request that you inform your clients, including the city commissioners, that if the Water Fund is used to support this enterprise, we will amend our complaint and include in the declaratory relief requested therein a judicial determination that such a use is in violation with the City Charter and, therefore, illegal."

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The Oregonian Editorial Board:

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