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MINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room--Eugene City Hall September 22, 2004 Noon COUNCILORS PRESENT: Bonny Bettman, George Poling, Nancy Nathanson, Scott Meisner, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Papd Jennifer Solomon. His Honor Mayor James D. Torrey called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. A. WORK SESSION: Hospital Update City Manager Dennis Taylor introduced the item. He recalled the council's June 16 work session on the topic of hospital siting and said staff had been working with McKenzie-Willamette/Triad and the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) since that time to achieve the council's goal of having a hospital in the city center. Steady progress was being made. City Manager Taylor felt confident that in the near-term, EWEB would succeed in finding another site. In the meantime, staff was working on an option agreement between McKenzie-Willamette/Triad and EWEB that he anticipated would be finalized in the next month. That agreement would establish the timing and the price of the real estate transaction. Today's discussion would focus on the issue of transportation access to the EWEB site. Planning and Development Director Tom Coyle and Public Works Director Kurt Corey were present for the item. Mr. Coyle recalled that in June, the council discussed the concerns expressed by McKenzie- Willamette/Triad in regard to the site, which were largely focused on cost, timing, and site access. He indicated that staff of both the Planning and Development and Public Works departments had been working with McKenzie-Willamette Hospital on the EWEB site and with EWEB on opportunities for alternative sites. Ms. Nathanson arrived. Mr. Coyle said the issue of three access points was raised at the June 16 meeting, and the possible extension of Agate Street was one of three options examined as a result of the meeting. He said staff had looked at the design and costs of the three alternatives, which were outlined on a large aerial map of the area in question in red (Alternative 1), orange (Alternative 2), and yellow (Alternative 3). Mr. Coyle noted the letter sent to the council by McKenzie-Willamette/Triad's chief executive officer, Roy Orr, which indicated the hospital's belief that the site could function safely with two unimpeded access points if the second was constructed immediately adjacent to the hospital campus (e.g., the extension of Patterson Street), and if it was open and functioning by the target date of late 2007. Mr. Corey briefly described the three alternatives and noted their associated costs and the estimated time needed to complete each project. He indicated that alternatives 1 and 2 were projected to cost $10 million, MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 22, 2004 Page 1 Work Session