Laserfiche WebLink
MINUTES <br />Eugene City Council <br />Harris Hall, 125 East 8�h Avenue <br />Eugene, Oregon 97401 <br />November 14, 2018 <br />12:00 p.m. <br />Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Jennifer Yell, Claire Syrett, Alan Zelenka, Mike Clark. Chris <br />Pryor, Betty Taylor <br />Councilors Absent: Greg Evans <br />Mayor Vinis opened the November 14, 2018, Work Session of the Eugene City Council. <br />1. WORK SESSION: Northwest Natural Gas Franchise <br />Finance Director Twylla Miller and Intergovernmental Relations Manager Ethan Nelson <br />presented information about the franchise renewal process and timeline and its nexus with the <br />Climate Action Plan. <br />Council Discussion <br />• Questions asked about the Public Utilities Commission's role and scope of authority in any <br />attempt to attach new conditions to the franchise agreement. <br />• Council should consider an option to immediately stop the provision of new natural gas <br />service, with some emergency exceptions. <br />• In order to meet climate recovery goals, everyone, including utility providers, needs to <br />participate. City can be a leader in these efforts by providing incentives and considering <br />conditions on new franchise agreement. <br />• Request made for information about the implementation of a privilege tax. <br />• Council could consider dedicating the franchise fee to the City's climate recovery efforts, <br />and identify incentives to help residents move away from natural gas use. <br />• Partnership with internal and external stakeholders will be critical to the success of any <br />plan to change the franchise conditions. <br />2. WORK SESSION: Downtown Update <br />Facility Management Division Manager Jeff Perry, Community Events Manager Colette Ramirez - <br />Maddock, Police Sergeant Julie Smith, and Associate Planner Eric Brown presented information <br />about downtown activities and initiatives, and plans to build on past efforts to continue the <br />momentum of this work. <br />Council Discussion <br />• Thanks to staff and community partners for incredible work. Appreciate the funding of a <br />new Downtown Manager position to coordinate all of these efforts. <br />• Disagree with overall approach and tone of efforts; council represents very diverse opinions <br />and there are many in the community who are frustrated that bad behaviors downtown are <br />not being enforced. <br />• Improvements downtown are being seen; although things are moving in the right direction, <br />there is more to be done. <br />• Increase efforts to target bad behavior occurring on public rights-of-way. <br />MINUTES — Eugene City Council November 14, 2018 Page 1 <br />Work Session <br />