CC Minutes - 08/05/98 Work Session

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Ms. Taylor ascertained that if services were fully restored there would there be less need for volunteers. Ms. Phelps said volunteers had always been used in delivering services but there currently was no staff available to coordinate the activity to the optimum degree, adding that using volunteers was an important way to build community. Ms. Taylor agreed that these types of activities were community-building and more likely to instill citizenship. She said the program should be added to previous services, not substituted for them. Mr. Tollenaar said that substituting volunteers for staff was generally a good idea but their effective use placed a demand on front line employees. He expressed concern about the proclivity to bring in more coordinators and middle managers when the responsibility really fell on front line workers. He said he would be more comfortable with the proposal if it called for only one coordinator and more direct line staff to compensate for the added burden. Ms. Phelps explained that direct services delivery is mostly done by temporary, part time people supervised by middle managers/program supervisors who also deal with the demanding paperwork that goes along with managing volunteers. Ms. Nathanson said the proposal seemed like a redesign of the original concept. She noted that Option B-2 identified youth needing the services and plans activities for them, and a second component expanded services. Ms. Nathanson said she assumed that program staff will invent programs instead of just matching kids to services. Ms. Phelps said the council approved a half- time special events coordinator to help support the program, noting that the idea was that the position would work closely with the volunteer program. Ms. Nathanson noted that the end result would be more activities being available for people. She wondered if contractual oversight could not be handled by the central administrative function. City Manager Jim Johnson said the Administrative Services Department had the capability for doing the legal minimum, but the proposal provided an opportunity for doing a better job of that. Mr. Farr expressed support for the program and thanked Ms. Nathanson for her contribution to the proposal. Mr. Lee said he believed in intergenerational partnership and it could be applied in many areas. He said would raise the issue of more support for the Campbell Senior Center at another time. Ms. Taylor said the council should approve both Option A and B, at minimum, and funding should be explored through savings for legal services, or in the airport or administrative services funds. Ms. Taylor moved to adopt both Options A and B using contingency funds if money cannot be found elsewhere. The motion died for a lack of a second. Mr. Meisner said he could not support use of the contingency fund (one-time funds) for funding ongoing programs. Mr. Lee added his support for restoring services but said he preferred to address that issue in a more comprehensive way through the regular budget process. In response to a question from Mr. Laue, Mr. Johnson said there have been a series of add- backs totaling approximately $150,000. Mayor Torrey asked to have a report in six months or a year on how the money used, along with an assessment of the programs. MINUTES--Eugene City Council August 5, 1998 Page 3 11:30 a.m.