07/29/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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the certificate was the highest form of recognition for governmental accounting and financial reporting and that the City of Eugene had received e the award each year for the past seven years. He also noted that Eugene was one of about 800 award recipients out of a nationwide field of about 40,000 municipalities. Mayor Obie said the certificate of achievement indicated that City staff clearly were communicating the City's financial story in a way that motivated potentially interested parties to read the report. He added that Finance Director Warren Wong had provided leadership for the division, and he said a significant improvement had occurred since past years. Mayor Obie thanked and congratulated the Reporting/Control and Finance staffs. Ms. Snow recognized three groups for their assistance in earning the award: the City Council, particularly the Audit Subcommittee for its continuing interest in the City's financial reporting; the operating departments that provided information to comply with financial reporting requirements; and staff who had worked on the audit. She expressed appreci at ion for the continued commitment to excellence. III. WORK SESSION: URBAN RENEWAL PLAN UPDATE (CONCERNING DISTRICT EXPANSION/DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS/FINANCING City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. He explained that it would be addressed in two parts so that Mayor Obie and Councilor Bennett could decline to participate in the second part of the discussion, because of possible conflicts of interest. Development Director Abe Farkas presented the staff report. He said e discussion and no decision was planned for today. He said areas of Council agreement had been reviewed in the agenda item summary, and he asked for areas in which staff might conduct further research before a decision on the Urban Renewal Update, whi ch was planned for December. Mr. Farkas said agenda packets also included a summary of issues that had been raised at the July 13 public hearing and staff members were available to answer questions. A. District Expansion Ms. Ehrman asked about the impact of including in the expansion the IBM property discussed previously. Greg Byrne of the Development Department said inclusion of that property would have no financial effect on the district and no bearing on tax increment flow. Mr. Farkas said the proposed expansion would increase the Urban Renewal District by almost the entire 20 percent allowed, with about 1.2 percent remaining. He said the expansion area selected was located in the northwest portion of downtown because that area had been the site of previous major improvements, such as the Hilton Hotel and the Eugene Community Conference Center; because the valuation ratio between improved land and unimproved land was lower than other surroundi ng areas; and because the Downtown Plan addressed development activity in that area. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 29, 1987 Page 3