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<br /> ." <br /> 'p. ..- <br /> M I NUT E S <br /> e Eugene City Council <br /> Work Session <br /> Valley River Inn <br /> August 12, 1981 <br /> 7:30 a.m. <br /> PRESENT: Mayor Gus Keller, Mark Lindberg, Brian Obie, Emily Schue, Betty Smith, <br /> Gretchen Miller, D. W. Hamel, Cynthia Wooten, councilors; Micheal <br /> Gleason, City Manager; David Whitlow, Assistant City Manager; Pat <br /> Lynch, Council Assistant; Jim Farah, Planning Department. <br /> 1. PRESENTATION OF EUGENE ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION PROGRAM--MR. GLEASON <br /> In his opening remarks, Mr. Gleason referred to the Eugene Economic Diversifi- <br /> cation Program, a proposal he presented to the Mayor and City Council, dated <br /> August 7, 1981. He said he wished to explain how the material was developed, <br /> define the problem, and describe the solution. He felt it was important to <br /> move ahead with the solutions concurrently. What the staff was proposing was <br /> really implementation of the General Plan. Solutions to spurring economic <br /> development can also be a way of holding the lid on development. It is impor- <br /> tant to remember that the City is just one player. He felt that the proposed <br /> e program will not have short-range impacts, but that change could result over a <br /> long period of time. <br /> A. Definition of the Problem <br /> Mr. Gleason reminded the council they had requested an action program from the <br /> staff. He had talked to various committees, commissions, and people involved <br /> in developing this proposal. He turned to the chart on population growth 1900 <br /> to 1980. He pointed out that after the 1940s, the curve was 2.5-percent rate <br /> of compounded growth. He observed cycles which resulted in the line being <br /> slightly flatter. This trend line matches the assumptions in the General Plan <br /> and housing development. He did not anticipate that the City could be respon- <br /> sible for full employment, and pointed out that it was the private sector's <br /> respons i b il ity. <br /> Mr. Gleason explained the results of the David Birch study which showed that in <br /> the West, firms with 20 people or less employed 60 percent of the pbpulation. <br /> He noted that major employment will come from firms already in the Eugene metro <br /> area. Twenty-five percent of the employment could come from industrial siting. <br /> It is a "prime on the pump." A firm of 1,000 employees cannot have dramatic <br /> impact on long-range employment figures. <br /> Graph B of the diversification program "percent of emplO)meht by sector," was <br /> called to the attention of the council. Manufacturing, education, and govern- <br /> ment were a decreas i ng percent of tot a 1 Lane County ernp 1 Dyment. Wholesaling, <br /> e manufacturing, and services have been increasing in the period 1974 to 1978. <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council August 12, 1981 Page 1 <br />