I don't know that holding meetings ("meets"? Perl Monks is, after all, an online community) would be inappropriate, but from what I saw on their website, it looks like the only reason Portland.pm isn't meeting is a lack of facilities. Perhaps a better strategy would be to get in touch with the powers-that-be at Portland.pm and try to take a more active role in facilitating their meetings?

I think it's tragic that Portland.pm doesn't meet, especially with a favorite of .pm groups everywhere living right in your own backyard. Perhaps, just start with a social meeting or two -- how many good users' groups get going -- at a designated local tavern or pizza place; at that level, it doesn't have to be particularly formal: you aren't expecting a huge crowd or needing a conference room. Then, once you see what kind of turnout you can expect, you can start hunting around for a facility for technical meetings. Often, someone will offer up the use of an office conference room, or maybe you'll have the good fortune to have in your group someone with a classroom available.

Spud Zeppelin * spud@spudzeppelin.com