10/07/1974 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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.-councIlman'KeITer noted a possible conflict of [nte'restbecause his fi;'~ dealt'-iil--' . athletic uniforms and equipment and might get the bid for the program. However, he . thought the EBAA program was one of the most worthwhile in the community and was : one of, the best financially managed organizations. He cited his experiences as a ! volunt~er coach ~or the EBAA and noted th~ pride taken by the children in wearing_ I the unLform provLded. He favored allocatLng the full amount requested. ;JI!IIIJ i Mr. Keller moved seconded by Mr. Hershner to allocate the full amount requested - $23,649 - to Eugene Boys Athletic Association to start a __-, youth sports program for girls. -'~ ." ..:..~ ,_ Councilman Williams asked if sufficient funds were available in the Room Tax reserves to cover the allocation. Sherm Flogstad, finance director, answered that there were. In response to Councilwoman Beal, Judge Allen explained that the EBAA was operated :by 12- to l4-member board of directors, people in the community interested in the :progfam1and elected at meetings of the Association; EBAA owned no physical facili- :ties, counting on the schools and the city for playing fields; there were roughly I . '600 to 700 coaches, all volunteers; only paid staff was the director and his assistant and three office girls; there would be women on the board of directors : 'if they were elected and there would be women coaches if they were interested in i :volunteering and were competent; there was the possibility of Federal funds being ;cut off if girls were not given equal opportuni.ties to participate in sports pro- 'grams. He noted that David Frohnmayer, as a member of some committee, wasqrafting iguidelines and he would be more familiar with requirements for "equalopportunity" ;called for in the Federal regulations. tit iCouncilman Hershner wondered if approval of the full amount requested would detract :from any other recreational programs. Manager knew of no other proposals which :would be limited because of availability of Room Tax funds. Ed Smith, parks di- 'rector, knew of no conflicts. He said the EBAA program covered an age group not :covered by the parks department so there would be no duplication. The program was icarried out with co-operation of the schools under a contractual arrangement to ;provide for.scheduling of school facilities. He estimated the cost to the city at I ;about $25,000 cmd said the same program fully funded by taxes would cost "a small ; fortune." He added that the advantage of having the full amount would provide funds I Ito start the program immediately on an equal basis with the boys program. In response ito Assistant Manager, Mr. Smith said that budgeted funds of about $1500 were paid , t '. 1 !during the last year for supervision of the total program. i ;Councilwoman Campbell asked whether the funds would be reserved for girls only if / ithe proposed program proved not entirely successful, or if the money would go into :a general fund. Judge Allen answered that the funds would be used to pay for :materials contracted for the girls program only and any uniforms or equipment not :used if the program was not entirely successful would be stored for use for that ipurpose. In further response to Mrs. Campbell, he said that girls did umpire games, Ithree or four worked in that capacity last year. EBAA itself didn't train or pro- ~ 'vide officials, that was done by a Lane County association. That was one expense ~ to the EBAA, he said; officials were paid. Councilwoman Beal wondered if there was possibility of reverse discrimination by providing for the girls program without some allocation for the boys program. :Judge Allen thought that since the allocation was for start-up funding only it !woulq be placed in a different category in that respect. Councilman Wood reminded! : the Council of funds recently provided a boys program and the pledge at that time Lto support funding for any girls programs coming to the Council. . councii;;;a;;'Hershn~'T"'inquiiecrabout the 'type;;' of sportsi'nvolved for which uniforms were to be provided. Judge Allen answered that the program would cover basketball,: softball, volleyball, but'that it was probable a single uniform would suffice for the girls sports, they would not require the changes associated with boys sports, which brought the question from Betsy Merck, human..'rights specialist, with regard to the desires of those girls wishing to play football. Judge Allen said that any girl wishing to play football could do so on exactly the same terms and under e~actly the same conditions with signed consent of her parents. The same would hold true for boys wishing to play volleyball. c-=' Mayor Anderson asked how it was determined that about 2000 elementary school girls ,. ._ were interested in the program. Mr. Myers answered that questionnaires were. sent ~ to all 4th and 5th grade classes and signup sheets were left at school assemblies. 10/7/74 - 4 341