11/16/1988 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e the committee has been receiving feedback from Martha Rice, a representative of the library community. Mayor Obie said Ms. Ehrman attended an EWES Board meeting and he made a presentation to the Chamber of Commerce Board. Mayor Obie has also spoken with the League of Women Voters and representatives of the utility industry. He said the subcommittee has been making a major effort to involve these organizations in the discussions surrounding the library. Pat Decker, Planning staff, distributed a handout containing a series of motions the subcommittee unanimously adopted for council consideration. One set of motions recommended that the council hold a public hearing on December 19, 1988, and suggested several topics around which the hearing should focus. The second set of motions recommended that the council request the Library Board to sponsor two public information sessions on the proposed library plans and suggested several issues the public information sessions should address. Mayor Obie reviewed the motions. He said the subcommittee recommends that the council hold a public hearing to determine how the community would like the library issue to be processed. He said the funding proposal of the Council Committee on Library Financing Committee is for a one-percent utility consumption tax. Mayor Obie wanted the council to formally solicit input from the Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters, and the Library Board on whether the council should impose a tax or whether development of the project should be delayed until a public vote can be held in March. e Mayor Obie asked councilors to keep an open mind on these options until they have heard from the public and these organizations. Mayor Obie also asked council members to seriously consider the utility consumption tax as a funding source for the library. He said if councilors or the community do not favor the imposition of a utility consumption tax, the subcommittee would welcome other suggestions. Mayor Obie added that if the community wants a library, it must be willing to pay for a library. Ms. Decker distributed background material on library financing from the subcommittee. The purpose of this material was to provide additional information on a utility consumption tax as a possible financing source for the funds needed to complete the project. Tony Mounts, Budget staff, reviewed the basis of the financing plan. He said in considering the library project in conjunction with the Pankow development, it was anticipated that the site development phase of the project would be a joint effort between the renewal agency and the developer, so the cost associated with site development and parking were not included in the original financing targets. Mr. Mounts said staff made a number of assumptions about the size of the project, its worth, and its added value in the downtown district. Based on these assumptions, staff estimated the amount of tax increment revenue that would be generated to support the project. He said the total shell and tenant improvements are anticipated to cost between $13 million and $15 million. Taking into account the annual bonded debt service requirement and - MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 16, 1988 Page 4