04/27/1988 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Ms. Wooten said it apparently depends on who one talks to as to the severity of the problem. She said there are some who live near the park who do not feel there is reason for concern. However, there are other nearby residents who do not feel safe sending their children there. Ms. Wooten said her primary objection so far is the lack of a formal process to deal with the problem. She said she did not appreciate that the neighborhood association was not notified that the benches and tables were going to be removed. She said this has resulted in a change of behavior at the park, although it was not the best way to go about it. Mr. Miller said the Community Development Committee has not been vindictive over the handling of the issue. He said the committee is concerned about what happens when money is spent for low-income benefit, and then the consequences of those funds are removed. Ms. Wooten noted that many of the people involved in the issue are black. However, she said it is inappropriate to say the City has been racist in its response to the situation. She said staff thought removing the benches would be an expedient way to solve the problem. Mr. Gleason said the council should look to the Joint Parks Committee for a recommendation. Ms. Schue said the issue did not appear before the Joint Parks Committee as part of the decision-making process. Ms. Schue said the item can be placed on the Joint Parks agenda if the council agrees on how to handle the issue. e Ms. Wooten said she would like staff to bring back to council a list of suggestions on how to handle the issue in a long-term as well as a short-term manner. Council members agreed staff should bring back such a list. D. Nuclear Free Zone Ms. Wooten asked for a status report on the City's legal efforts to have both questions appear on the May 17 advisory ballot. Tim Sercombe, City Attorney's Office, reviewed the three legal actions that have been brought before the Oregon Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, and the Lane County Circuit Court. He said the the Supreme Court initially declined to hear the case, although the City has filed for a reconsideration. Mr. Sercombe said he expects Lane County Circuit Court Judge James Hargreaves to rule on the issue by April 29. The Court of Appeals has not yet ruled on the issue. Mr. Sercombe said the City still has time to get the second question on a paper ballot. He said there is also a slight chance the question will appear in the actual ballot book. Mr. Holmer said the council also needs to address the issue with regard to the Voters' Pamphlet. He said he does not want the City to incur the expense of printing arguments on issues that will not appear on the ballot. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 27, 1988 Page 2