CCMinutes - 12/06/04 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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experiences. He said that he had also been struck by the emotion and uncertainty expressed by the officer involved as the investigation progressed. City Manager Taylor agreed that the City needed to pay close attention to the issue. He believed that the work of Police Commission would provide the council with information on models for complaint management and civilian review that could be useful to Eugene. City Manager Taylor noted that the International City/County Management Association Team would be in Eugene after January 1. The organization had sent letters to hundreds of citizens and would hold focus group discussions and provide the public with an avenue for anonymous comment. Mayor Torrey noted his past opposition to an external review board because he believed such issues should be addressed internally, but because that did not happen he was now convinced that a custom method should be developed to address such issues for Eugene. It was time to move forward with a civilian review effort. He supported the efforts of the Police Commission and believed it would do a good job. He urged the council to allow the commission to complete its work before it moved forward in that area. Mayor Torrey said if a civilian review board was established, he recommended that Lane County and the City of Springfield be involved. Mayor Torrey explained the rose he always had sitting in front of him when he presided over council meetings, was given to him by a group of disabled young adults and represented rules to live by: R = Respect, O = Others, S = Self, and E = Environment. B. WORK SESSION: Hospital Update City Manager Taylor provided background information on a later agenda item during which the council would be asked to authorize budget authority for a $500,000 loan to be provided by McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center to the City to facilitate the design work for the Patterson Street underpass that would serve the new hospital to be located on the current site of the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) headquar- ters. He emphasized the importance of access, time, and money to the question of siting a new hospital in the central city area. City Manager Taylor said the attachments to the agenda item summary reflected the elements of the agreement between the hospital, EWEB, and the City. He requested direction to complete the agreement. City Manager Taylor noted that Public Works Director Kurt Corey and City Engineer Mark Schoening were also present for the item. City Manager Taylor indicated that to purchase the riparian area abutting the site, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center needed to develop a site plan, and to do so it had to have more certainty about the access point for the underpass. Mayor Torrey asked if there were any implications from the underpass on the 8th Avenue improvements serving the courthouse area. Mr. Schoening said that the underpass would not affect the first phase of improvements intended to serve the courthouse, but it would affect the design of the second phase. Because of the limited clearance under the railroad tracks, 8th Avenue would have to decline in elevation until it intersected with Patterson Street, and Patterson Street would decline until it reached the railroad tracks. A structure would be built on the new Highway 99 westbound lane where it crossed over Patterson Street. Mayor Torrey asked how the historic building on the courthouse site would be affected by the improve- ments. Mr. Schoening indicated the courthouse transportation improvements could be put in place without the need to move or demolish the building. Whoever purchased the property in question would have to MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 6, 2004 Page 3 Work Session