CC Minutes - 11/10/99 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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represented the views of many citizens, particularly at the time he served. He supported the request at the lower amount of $5,000. Mr. Fart moved, seconded by Mr. Meisner, to amend the motion by reducing the contingency fund request to $5,000. The motion to amend passed, 6:1; Mr. Pap~ voting no. Mr. Kelly concurred with Mr. Fart about the use of the contingency fund. He said that he was also an admirer of Wayne Morse, but he was unsure how well Senator Morse, his legacy, and his accomplishments were known. For that reason, he would like to see some sort of interpretative or educational element regarding the senator associated with the display of the statue. Because no such element was included, he would oppose the motion. Mr. Kelly noted that the request represented approximately ten percent of the contingency fund amount dedicated to nonprofit organizations. Ms. Nathanson arrived at the meeting. Ms. Taylor said that such a statue would be a great contribution to downtown. She believed that Wayne Morse stood for good government and citizenship. She pointed out that the council had a goal of promoting a healthy downtown and the statute could be part of that. She thought it wonderful that the statue was to go on the free speech plaza. Ms. Taylor believed that the statue itself was educational, and noted she would have supported the higher amount if possible. Mr. Lee said he was concerned that young people had a hard time rationalizing involvement in public service. He believed that young people were disillusioned by politics because of a lack of mentors they could relate to. Mr. Lee said that while the statue was merely a statue, it could highlight the fact that individuals can make a difference if they had a certain vision in mind and were willing to work toward the vision. The statue could also remind the public that all people could take part in the democratic process. Mr. Lee pointed out that the City's contribution was a small part of a larger sum. He supported the motion. Mr. Pap~ did not disagree with what had been said, but he objected to the process used for contingency fund requests and the precedent he believed the approval of this request would set. Mr. Meisner pointed out that changes had been made to the contingency fund process; at one time the entire fund was available for any purpose and there was no limit on the amounts requested. Now the council had strictly limited the amount available to nonprofits, considered them on a quarterly basis, and the requests must be accompanied by information regarding other sponsors and other detailed information. Mr. Meisner agreed with Mr. Lee about the importance of community awareness about Wayne Morse, but he did not think the community would learn if the display was merely a statue without any other information. He feared if the council contributed money without the commitment of an educational element, no such element would be considered by the backers. The motion passed, 5:3; Mr. Pap~, Mr. Meisner, and Mr. Kelly voting no. 2. Willamette Repertory Theatre MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 10, 1999 Page 3 5:30 p.m.