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MINUTES <br /> <br /> Eugene City Council <br /> Work Session <br /> McNutt Room--City Hall <br /> February 7, 2000 <br /> 5:30 p.m. <br /> <br />COUNCILORS PRESENT: Bobby Lee, Betty Taylor, Nancy Nathanson, Pat Fart, Scott <br /> Meisner, David Kelly, Gary Rayor, Gary Pap~. <br /> <br />Mayor James D. Torrey called the meeting to order. <br /> <br />A.Work Session: Charter Amendment Proposal--Eugene Water & Electric Board <br /> Telecommunications Authority <br /> <br />Mike Dyer, Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) President, introduced board members <br />Dorothy Anderson, Sandra Bishop, and Peter Bartel, EWEB General Manager Randy Berggren, <br />local counsel Jim Deason, and EWEB staff Jim Arglossa, Ken Beeson, Tom Buckhouse, Marty <br />Douglas, Cathy Hamilton. <br /> <br />Mr. Pap~ arrived at 5:35 p.m. <br /> <br />Mr. Dyer said that EVVEB hoped to construct a publicly owned telecommunications system to <br />reach everyone in the community. The network would be an expansion of the utility's existing <br />fiber optic base core system that currently loops through town. Mr. Dyer described EWEB's <br />proposed system and noted its intent to construct additional capacity to recover its costs by <br />transporting content for private providers. The system would be an open platform system. <br />EWEB would structure the system so that it had few barriers to entry, making the system of use <br />to all and allowing access by multiple providers. <br /> <br />Mr. Dyer acknowledged the work done by the City on telecommunications issues, and said that <br />EVVEB's system would be consistent with the City's vision and policies. <br /> <br />Mr. Dyer said the board believed the system was an integral aspect of its ability to compete in the <br />future. As the information age moved forward, it was important that all citizens have access to <br />what was quickly becoming crucial to modern commerce. Mr. Dyer said the quickest way to <br />make those connections to all was through a publicly owned and managed system operated in <br />the interest of the public. <br /> <br />Mr. Dyer said that EVVEB had been advised by its legal counsel that it would be prudent to obtain <br />telecommunications authority before progressing further with discussions with potential <br />development partners. The board believed that authority was best granted through an <br />amendment to the City Charter specifically broadening EWEB's authority from the provision of <br />energy and water services to the provision of telecommunications services. He acknowledged <br />that the authority could be granted through an intergovernmental agreement between the City <br />and EWEB, but the board believed charter authority was preferable because it provided voters <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 7, 2000 Page 1 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />