06/13/1988 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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may be doing so. Ms, Wooten said she thought the issue has already been e resolved. Mr. Sercombe said there is not a gross disability there, but it would depend on the frequency of incidents when Mr. Bennett would have to excuse himself from the case at hand. Ms. Wooten said that both she and Ms. Ehrman feel strongly about the lack of service for AIDS victims in Eugene. She said they were convinced by Sacred Heart Hospital that it is essential that there be a minimal amount of support to SHANTI. Ms. Wooten said they requested Mr. Porter to consider giving $5,000 to SHANTI from the Civic Emergency Fund. She noted that $2,000 was given to the Food for Lane County last week. Ms. Wooten said the organization has trained volunteers without public support. She said that $5,000 is a small amount and she will bring the issue to the full council on June 15. Ms. Schue asked how much is in the Civic Emergency Fund. Finance Director Warren Wong said there is $3,000 left in this year1s, but another $5,000 will be added as of July 1, 1988. Mr. Miller said he feels it is appropriate to allocate $3,000 this fiscal year and $2,000 next fiscal year, but he would not like to set a precedent. He added that the time should be taken to examine the broader issues and have AIDS support become a part of the Joint Social Services Fund at some point. Ms. Wooten said they are working with the Lane County Health Department to create a semi-official AIDS committee to look at available resources and solutions so as not to continue on a "band-aid" basis. Mayor Obie said the AIDS dilemma seems like a high priority and asked why it is not funded in the e Joint Social Services Fund. Ms. Wooten said a report is due out in a couple of months, but the council has the votes on the joint fund to include that and create an interagency working group to ensure support in the future. She said the committee had other higher ranking priorities. Mayor Obie suggested that $5,000 be given as a direct grant. Ms. Wooten said the City should look at ways to create priorities for its own money because it is giving eight times as much as other contributors in General Fund cash and needs to look at reshaping the Joint Fund. Mr. Bennett said he does not like this "going around" the Joint Social Services Fund. He said no one ever feels good coming out of those meetings because there is never enough money. He said it may be appropriate to change the process. Mr. Rutan agreed and said he is not sure what the City's $5,000 would do. He said the Joint Social Services people have to look at a myriad of concerns within the full spectrum of health care and AIDS is not the only one in need, Mr, Holmer said there is no information offered on the total budget or what the $5,000 would be for. He said the City first should examine where the appropriate responsibility lies. Mr. Bennett said he would not vote in favor because all the requesting groups believe they face an emergency and he would have a difficult time looking at someone who was not funded. He said the process should be addressed before the money is granted. Ms. Ehrman disagreed with Mr. Bennett's use of the phrase "going around the Joint Social Services system." She said support for AIDS was a close vote of the 20-member advisory committee which makes the recommendations, but needs e MINUTES--City Council Work Session June 13, 1988 Page 2