Laserfiche WebLink
Kenneth Raymen <br />, 2150 Laura Street, Springfield, offered an alternative to renaming Centennial <br />Boulevard to Martin Luther King Boulevard, suggesting that the Ferry Street Bridge be renamed <br />the Martin Luther King Memorial Bridge. He said renaming the bridge would not impose the same <br />burdens on residents and businesses that renaming Centennial Boulevard would. He explained <br />that the Ferry Street Bridge closely resembles the Edmund Petis Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where <br />Dr. King and his supporters staged civil rights demonstrations in the 1960s. He added that the <br />bridge would help students imagine what the bridge crossings led by Dr. King in the 1960s would <br />have been like. Mr. Raymen said Dr. King was constantly trying to build social bridges and said <br />that naming a bridge in his honor would help symbolize that work. <br /> <br />Jordi Humphreys <br />, 305 Blair Street, spoke on behalf of transgendered individuals and their <br />inclusion in the protections listed in the Citys Human Rights Code. As a facilitator for transitioning <br />= <br />men, he personally knew people who had been discriminated against for housing, jobs, access to <br />public space, and who did not speak out for fear of retribution. He said there were more <br />transgendered people in Eugene than people realize, and urged the council to help protect that <br />population from discrimination. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey closed the Public Forum and called for council comments. <br /> <br />Councilor Meisner acknowledged that Mr. Contes concerns were shared by many citizens. He <br />= <br />called for a work session on social service siting standards. <br /> <br />Councilor Meisner said the idea of renaming the Ferry Street Bridge was a valid suggestion. He <br />stressed that the real goal was to honor Dr. King and not to rename Centennial Boulevard. The <br />City, he continued, should be attached to the goal and not the particular technique of <br />accomplishing that goal. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman said the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) <br />supported the idea of the renaming Centennial Boulevard in honor of Dr. King, and added that as <br />long as the idea enjoyed that level of support, she would also support that particular idea. She <br />added that the University of Oregon and a majority of County commissioners also supported the <br />concept. <br /> <br />Regarding the comments of Mr. Conte, Councilor Bettman said citizens had been helpful with the <br />process and were more concerned with the concentration of social service agencies in certain <br />neighborhoods and the problems that resulted from that. <br /> <br />é <br />Councilor Pap expressed his appreciation of the HUES Program. <br /> <br />é <br />Councilor Pap said Mr. Humphreys exemplified the American spirit of courage to speak his <br />opinion and expressed his pleasure that Mr. Humphreys had attended the public forum. <br /> <br />é <br />Councilor Pap thanked Mr. Conte for his comments. <br /> <br />é <br />Councilor Pap thanked Mr. Raymen for his idea of renaming the Ferry Street Bridge after Dr. <br />King. He said the idea deserved some consideration. <br /> <br />Councilor Solomon said she would like to participate in a work session on social service siting <br />standards. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTESEugene City Council March 10, 2003 Page 2 <br />C <br /> Regular Meeting <br /> <br />