CCMinutes - 01/07/04 SOC - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mayor Torrey called the audience's attention to a document distributed to those in attendance outlining the City's 2003 accomplishments. Mayor Torrey reviewed progress on his 2003 goals, reporting that his goal of free library access for all children, regardless of where they lived, had not been achieved but was still worth doing. He advocated for a partnership with Lane County to achieve the goal. Regarding his goal of increased road maintenance, Mayor Torrey noted the progress made with the adoption of a local gas tax but acknowledged the problem was not solved. The City continued to work with its partners on the issue. Mayor Torrey noted recent discussion of potential partnerships between the local jurisdictions for the delivery of service such as fire services and emphasized the importance of extending the discussion to other public safety services, such as the jail. He urged the Board of County Commissioners and the rural fire districts to consider whether consolidation and additional efficiencies made more sense. He said public safety is the top priority service provided by local government and as budgets get tighter, government must get smarter and maintain credibility with its citizens. He called on the three local jurisdictions' budget committees to form a committee to examine ways for them to deliver services together. Mayor Torrey discussed his tour of the state and his findings regarding the school financing issue. He said education funding was the major issue facing Oregon. He learned that citizens were very concerned and did not believe the legislature and governor could solve the problem. He had shared his findings with represen- tatives of five foundations, the Collins Foundation, Ford Family Foundation, Jellwen Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, and Oregon Community Foundation, which were seeking to canvass Oregonians for their education priorities and desired outcomes to determine what the resulting system would look like, how much it would cost, and how it could be paid for. A plan reflecting the results would be forwarded to the legislators and onto the voters. He thought the effort represented the best chance the state has to solve its education funding problem. Mayor Torrey urged the audience to become knowledgeable about the issue of education funding and to vote their convictions. He quoted the words of Winston Churchill: "Never give in, never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to the overwhelming might of the enemy." Mayor Torrey also quoted President Abraham Lincoln: "In a democratic society, you must run the country, as you would steer a riverboat. You don't just set your compass and head south, or you will quickly run aground. Instead, you steer from point to point according to how the river is running and the obstacles that appear in your path. " Mayor Torrey said that President Lincoln's words are still relevant today. He noted some of the issues that had arisen in the past year, including the provision of accessibility features for the new federal courthouse, the siting of a new hospital in Eugene, the siting of a new basketball arena. Mayor Torrey expressed confidence in the City's ability to overcome any obstacles that arose in 2004. Mayor Torrey discussed his 2004 goals, noting the theme of "Time, Place, and Partnerships." Among his goals was Metropolitan Area Transportation Infrastructure Funding. He emphasized the importance of partnerships and noted the interjurisdictional United Front lobbying effort. Mayor Torrey spoke of his MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 7, 2004 Page 2 State of the City