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MINUTES <br />Eugene City Council <br />Virtual Work Session <br />Eugene, Oregon 97401 <br />May 13, 2020 <br />12:00 p.m. <br />Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg <br />Evans, Claire Syrett and Chris Pryor <br />Mayor Vinis opened the May 13, 2020, work session of the Eugene City Council. <br />1. WORK SESSION: COVID-19 Update <br />Chief Heppel gave a presentation which included current local data, information about Lane <br />County's Phase 1 application, and looking ahead to what reopening will look like in Phase 1 and <br />beyond. <br />Council Discussion: <br />• Councilor Syrett - thanked Chief Heppel for the thorough update; asked for staff to inquire of <br />Lane County if it will be increasing staffing for contact tracing and if so, will it be requiring <br />contract tracers to be registered nurses; asked for staff to clarify with Lane County that if it does <br />need a higher capacity of contract tracers the State will be providing them; as a follow-up to Dr. <br />Luedtke's presentation, asked staff to request Dr. Luedtke share with Council his response to a <br />colleague regarding the emergency room doctors'video. <br />• Councilor Zelenka - asked what testing capability is as of today, and what the prognosis is for <br />ramping up testing to a significant degree; asked if 5,000 tests per day could be done; asked if <br />the testing policy at this time is to test those who are potentially sick or if those who are just <br />curious are being tested as well; cautioned making testing data public as some lower -income <br />and ethnic groups have shown a higher propensity to be infected and this may cause <br />discriminatory tendencies; asked if the C ounty receives its testing equipment from the State; <br />commended the UO for being a great community partner in allowing use of their labs, facilities, <br />knowledge and expertise to help the community through this situation. <br />• Councilor Clark- thanked the Chief for the report and the work that all are doing to keep people <br />safe; asked what prevents Lane County from being able to conduct 4,000-5,000 tests per day, <br />and asked staff to confer with Lane County for a specific answer; asked about batch testing and <br />why it is not being done. <br />• Councilor Semple - asked to confirm if 500 tests are being conducted per day; expressed <br />urgency for testing of as many as possible; asked how council can get an accurate testing <br />number; asked if vulnerable populations are testing positive at a higher rate; asked if we are <br />testing in the jail and pointed out this is a congregate living situation with the potential for a <br />flare-up; stated that more testing is needed. <br />• Councilor Pryor - stated it sounds like councilors would like to move from the current reactive <br />testing situation to a more proactive testing scenario; asked staff to provide information on <br />what is needed to get to the proactive testing scenario. <br />• Councilor Taylor - asked when City Council meetings can again take place in person; wanted to <br />know if residents can visit the coast. <br />• Councilor Clark- asked what the guidance and the Governor's authority is regarding visiting <br />the coast (not recommended vs. prohibited). <br />MINUTES - Eugene City Council May 13, 2020 Page 1 <br />Work Session <br />