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Mr. Fart noted that on Monday night, June 28, the mayor would retroactively declare June 25 as <br />Pride Day. <br /> <br />Mr. Fart asked Mr. Johnson to follow up on a complaint from a citizen that police evidence related <br />to a noise citation received by the citizen was sent to Massachusetts. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner said that Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) was constructing a water main <br />project in his ward that was taking longer than had been promised by the utility. The work <br />blocked the East Butte neighborhood, and when it moved west it would cut his ward off south of <br />the river and north of 5th Avenue. He asked if information on project expectations and the time <br />lines for the project could be provided. Mr. Johnson said yes, adding that EWEB was finding the <br />project to be more complex than it previously believed. <br /> <br />Referring to the events of the weekend, Mr. Rayor said he wanted to find a way to get people to <br />express themselves in a more constructive manner and not drown out the important messages of <br />others. He was saddened by the amount of resources in the form of staff and volunteers <br />expended on the protests. Mr. Rayor said that he had heard no credible reports of property <br />damage and had personally witnessed no criminal behavior, but the police presence was very <br />apparent. He wanted to match the police response to the threat. He referred to the <br />communication from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) received the previous week <br />regarding the police's "zero tolerance" response and suggested it could become the basis for a <br />program that would allow the City to expend its dollars in a more productive way. <br /> <br />Mr. Rayor reported that he had attended the Cruise In on River Road during the weekend. He <br />said that the activities were great and there were many families in attendance at the alcohol-free <br />event. It was his observation that the park did not appear to suffer from the event. He asked <br />that a follow-up assessment on the impact from the event to the park be done. Mr. Rayor said <br />that had the event been held on pavement rather than grass the warm weather would have made <br />attendance less pleasant, so he did not think the fairgrounds was an appropriate site for the <br />event. He questioned whether it was possible the park could accommodate the event over the <br />long-term. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly also attended the Cruise In. He noted the City had also offered the use of Alton Baker <br />Park for the event. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly read the following statement into the record: "1 attended a press conference yesterday <br />at which about 12 people--some protesters, some bystanders--told their stories of what they <br />experienced last Saturday and Sunday. I'm sorry that none of you other than Betty had the <br />chance to be there. <br /> <br />"1 want to be clear that if someone is standing or walking in the street (not the sidewalk) for an <br />extended period without a permit that they have committed the misdemeanor of disorderly <br />conduct. I have no problem with such people being arrested. My issues are (1) what level of <br />force is used to effect the arrest of someone guilty of walking in the street, and (2) the <br />appropriateness of arresting people who were not walking in the street. <br /> <br />"1 believe it is part of my job as an elected official to praise the policies and practices of police or <br />other City employees when praise is deserved, and to criticize when criticism is deserved. Much <br />of what I observed Sunday deserves praise, and I have given praise. Some of what I observed, <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 21, 2000 Page 2 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />