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Speaking about the Yard Debris Program, Ms. Nathanson said she wished to convey to the public <br />that a change had been made to the basic formula for determining residential garbage rates. She <br />said the change to blended rates should help mitigate the impact of the Yard Debris Program on <br />residential rates over the next few years. She thought the council made a mistake in not first <br />considering blended rates before it adopted the Yard Debris Program, as it may have been able to <br />pay the costs of the program without increasing rates. Ms. Nathanson suggested a silver lining to <br />the situation was avoidance of further residential increases for some time. <br /> <br />Mr. Rayor said the council's adoption of the Yard Debris Program was intended both to meet State <br />goals and to avoid near-term replacement of the land fill. He suggested the council consider <br />exemptions for people who had yard service. Perhaps ratepayers could send in their bills for yard <br />service to their haulers to secure the exemption. He indicated willingness to look at other options <br />for exemptions. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman passed. <br /> <br />Mr. Farr asked City Manager Jim Johnson about the potential the City would be sued for libel by a <br />local business owner because of a potentially defamatory e-mail message regarding the business <br />sent by an executive assistant. Mr. Johnson responded that the business in question had filed a <br />lawsuit; the City was required by State law to cover the costs of the lawsuit against the employee. <br />He said he would share information he had provided to the mayor about the State law with the <br />council. <br /> <br />Mr. Farr referred to the PeaceHealth decision to move to Springfield rather than expand in <br />Eugene, and said while he was not the type to say "1 told you so," he did. <br /> <br />Mr. Pap8 stated that he would not be participating in any council discussions with regard to yard <br />debris or garbage service because of a conflict of interest. He regretted he could not help <br />constituents who contacted him with questions about the topic. <br /> <br />Mr. Pap8 recognized the work of John Brown, a Eugene citizen who had recently organized a <br />riverfront cleanup. He said the clean-up was successful, and he was happy to report he had seen <br />no evidence of camping on the drift boat trip he took. <br /> <br />Speaking to the PeaceHealth situation, Mr. Pap8 said he knew, trusted, and respected many of the <br />PeaceHealth board members. He believed what they had told him regarding their decision to <br />move to a Springfield site. Mr. Pap8 thought it time the council became accountable; if it had <br />wanted PeaceHealth to stay in the community, it had had the ability to make that happen, and did <br />not do so. PeaceHealth had been interested in pursuing development on its north Eugene <br />property, but had been willing, until June 27, to look at the potential of expansion at its Hilyard <br />campus. The action the council took in agreeing to initiate rezoning for its north Eugene property <br />to preclude its development as a hospital had shocked the board into looking at other options. Mr. <br />Pap8 added that he thought it was logical for an organization making a large investment to look at <br />all the possible options. The board interpreted the council's action as an act of war, took offense, <br />and decided to get serious about other sites. That culminated in the hospital's decision to move <br />to Springfield. Mr. Pap8 said the council had no one to blame but itself. <br /> <br /> MINUTE--Eugene City Council September 10, 2001 Page 2 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />