02/09/1983 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e Councilor Obie agreed that the Citizen Involvement Committee or the Eugene Neighborhood Leaders Association should be asked for a recommendation relative to the levels of credibility of neighborhood groups. He said that these City- recognized and -supported groups were designed to have much impact but that some distinction should be made between active, healthy groups and those in which only a few people are making decisions. Councilor Wooten said that as the council's representative on the Citizen Involvement Committee she would refer the matter to that group. She noted that the Neighborhood Leaders Association would also be reporting to the council on the results of its survey. D. City's Role in Coordinating Efforts to Serve the Homeless Councilor Lindberg noted that he was the Chairperson of the Vagrancy Task Force. He said that Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger had directed local military and Housing and Urban Development offices to provide facilities, as available, for the homeless. Mr. Lindberg said that the owner of the former Bethel School building had volunteered the building for use by the homeless if public and private agencies would provide resources necessary to operate the facility. Mr. Lindberg said that he had asked City staff to help in coordination of these efforts to house the homeless. E. Possibility of Flow-Based Sewer Rate Charges Councilor Lindberg said that he had been contacted by several people, particularly senior citizens, who were concerned about the possible sewer rate hike, which would be based on a flat rate rather than on actual use. He said he had advised these callers that the council had received a report on this matter during a work session and had concluded that for practical reasons it would be best, at present, to continue with a flat rate, with the intention of moving to a flow- based rate. He asked for confirmation that this was indeed the sentiment of the council. Councilor Schue said the Utilities Task force had met and discussed this matter but that, to date, no conclusion had been reached. She said that a major problem was that the Eugene Water and Electric Board's (EWEB) water consumption fee projections were based on flow and that water use conservation that could result from initiation of flow-based sewer charges could create a fiscal crisis situation for EWEB. Councilor Smith said it was important to indicate to concerned citizens that a decision on this matter would probably not be made for several months and that the flat rate would be probably imposed in the interim. Councilor Holmer noted that he had two concerns regarding the sewer rate issue that needed further discussion or clarification from staff. He said he needed more information on how the $10.30 figure was derived. He referred to the 90-cent portion of that figure that was earmarked for payment of notes on construction of the West Eugene Sewer Trunk lines and asked if that bonding should not occur over a period longer than two years. He also requested more information on the components of the items for administrative and operating costs as noted in the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission budget. He noted that substantial increases were shown from the previous year to this year and from this year to next year and asked for clarification of these increases. MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 9, 1983 Page 2