Item 3A - Minutes Approval - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Poling, seconded by Ms. Solomon, moved to extend time for the item by three minutes. The motion passed unanimously. Mayor Torrey expressed appreciation for the presentation. He said that the unions and the public all needed to hear Ms. Daut's message about the increasing costs of health care. The public did not understand the issue and why the costs of government were exploding. He suggested it would be in Eugene's best interest to identify the gross costs of employees, including salaries, benefits, and other costs over a five-period to demonstrate for the public the disparate impact of health insurance on the cost of personnel. He thought until the City successfully conveyed that message to the public, people would merely "throw up their hands and say no" to City initiatives. B. WORK SESSION: Discussion of the Eugene/Springfield Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan City Manager Taylor introduced the item, saying mitigation had an important role to play in reducing the costs and tragedy resulting from emergencies and disasters. He said that Emergency Program Manager Chuck Solin of Human Resources and Risk Services was present to present the Eugene/Springfield Multi- Hazard Mitigation Plan. Mr. Solin provided a PowerPoint presentation on the plan. He said three years ago, the Federal Emer- gency Management Agency (FEMA) provided the City with grant funding to begin work on a pre-disaster mitigation plan. Communities were being encouraged to develop such plans by the federal government. Mitigation was the steps taken to reduce damages, economic losses, or loss of life from potential emergencies. Examples of mitigation projects included elevation or acquisition of flood-prone structures and seismic retrofits of buildings. Mr. Solin said because emergencies know no boundaries, he had solicited Springfield's involvement in the planning effort, and that city had provided staff support for the effort. He anticipated that the two cities would adopt the plan independently. The plan encompassed all land within the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area. A technical advisory committee made up of representatives from local utilities, the Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies that would be impacted by a local disaster was formed. The technical advisory team reviewed hazards that pose risks to the community, evaluated the frequency and severity of potential emergencies, and identify goals, objectives, priorities, and actions for reducing community risk. Mr. Solin emphasized the plan was a guide, not a regulatory document. Mr. Solin briefly reviewed FEMA's requirements for mitigation plans. He noted that the plan must be in place for the community to be eligible for pre- and post-mitigation funding. The plan must be approved by FEMA, but first it must be adopted by the City Council. Mr. Solin noted that the plan was on the City's Web site and public meetings had been held to gather input. Mr. Solin briefly noted some of the hazards that had been evaluated, which included floods, winter storms, landslides, and volcanic hazards. Mayor Torrey called for council comments and questions. MINUTES--Eugene City Council October 13, 2004 Page 4 Work Session