02/15/1984 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e - Ms. Nichols felt that the 6th and 7th Avenue widening was an important issue. In regard to the woonerf, she said that the relevant issue was how well it worked to beautify and make the city more livable. The Jefferson Pool was an important issue--should money be put into this pool or should one be built downtown? The West University Parking Program cannot be evaluated yet because it has not been in operation long enough, although residents seem to approve of the new system. Councilor Smith asked Ms. Nichols if she could name some important issues for the City Council to address within the next few years. Ms. Nichols said that.an important issue was that of economic development, and making Eugene a desirable place to live. The Six-Point Program is a good start on this. The first bite on the bait should be an encouragement to others to locate here. Downtown development, also a concern to Ward 3, should encompass mixed use as well as commercial development because the future of Eugene is tied to downtown development. The Eugene Celebration was a beneficial endeavor. Other issues needing particular attention are those of annexation of River Road and Santa Clara, and how the City can stabilize its revenue base--with the Eugene Plan expiring--to remain a vital entity. Councilor Wooten asked Ms. Nichols her view of the City's budgetary situation. Ms. Nichols said she had not seen the latest budget document, and therefore could not comment on that. She feels that the City needs to find a replacement for the revenue that will be lost when the Eugene Plan expires. Hult Center funding needs review, as well as the areas of art, culture, and leisure, and their priority in the City's budget. She feels that the City's budget process works because taxpayers have responded positively to increased taxes because of the good public presentations. Councilor Ball asked Ms. Nichols if she would have any problem with her polit- ical philosophy and that of a fairly aggressive Ward 3. She answered that she could not foresee any problem, and that she would not have applied for the council position if she did. Councilor Hansen asked Ms. Nichols if she envisioned combining services now offered by the three general local governmental jurisdictions as an opportunity for sharing services and costs. Is there any specific area that could be named? Ms. Nichols responded that eventually an evaluation should be made of the three jurisdictions to consider centralization of services because all are using the same pool of funds. Joint parks services and wastewater management, now operated separately by Eugene, Springfield, and the County, might be good candidates for consolidation. The annexation issue will raise different issues for inter- governmental cooperation. Intergovernmental cooperation would be one of her priorities. Councilor Holmer asked Ms. Nichols what aspects of City government were the least effective. She said that Hult Center funding and service delivery needed to be addressed, as well as Jefferson Pool, and the downtown area. A marketing campaign for downtown would be helpful for image-building. MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 15, 1984 Page 5