CC Minutes - 03/13/06 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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2. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Piercy reviewed the rules of the Public Forum. She noted that 24 people signed up to speak and requested a motion to extend the 30-minute timeframe usually allotted for testimony. Councilor Kelly, seconded by Councilor Papé, moved to allow two minutes per speaker. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 7:0. Jim Torrey , 3593 River Pointe, asked that the bond measure for the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Project and Priority List be expanded to include synthetic surface fields for five different facilities around the city of Eugene: Cal Young Middle School, Madison Middle School, the Willamette High School football/soccer facility (the only high school that does not currently have a synthetic surface), Jefferson Middle School, and Roosevelt or Spencer Butte Middle School. He suggested that the reason the 1998 bond measure for $25 million passed without one negative letter to the editor of the local paper was because a broad cross-section of the community worked together in support of it. He averred that open space and places for kids to play made good sense. He felt a partnership between open space and playing facilities would help to pass the measure in November. He touted the synthetic fields, calling them “one of the best things the City had done.” He stressed that such facilities could be used year-round and more frequently on a daily basis than the grass fields. Rachelle HaxbyJennifer Lam , 200 North Silver Lane, spoke in tandem with , 2455 Willakenzie Road, and Tricia Buzzard , 2455 Willakenzie Road. They explained that they were members of the Teen Advocacy Council for School-Based Health Centers (TAC), a group of 12 students from School District 4J and Bethel School District high schools who sought to raise awareness of the school-based health centers and what they had to offer: “quality, affordable health care to children and teens.” They stated that the health centers were located at North Eugene, South Eugene, Sheldon, Churchill, and Springfield high schools and provided a wide variety of health services to children from birth to the age of 19. On behalf of TAC, they thanked the City Council for its continued support. They noted that the school levy recently overturned by the courts was vital to the continuation of the health center services. They invited all interested members and supporters to an Open House on April 4 between 2 - 5 p.m. at any school-based health center. They submitted their testimony in writing along with buttons and fliers that publicize the program. Mark Rabinowitz , no address given, alleged that the Osprey Group, the consultants hired to facilitate discussions about the West Eugene Parkway (WEP), were biased as they had been part of a highway project built in Kansas and had served to undermine pro-environment efforts there. He asserted that the Osprey Group’s co-founder was from a company that had a former employee of the engineering firm, CH2M Hill, on its board. He felt this contributed to the bias, as CH2M Hill staff had done some engineering work for the WEP. He called it an inappropriate use of City money to hire the Osprey Group. He suggested that the City kept spending money on “bogus” studies when it could be spent on real transportation projects, such as th fixing the problems on West 11 Avenue. He predicted people would vote against bond measures because they did not perceive that the money was being spent well. Charles Warren , 86260 Lorane Highway, echoed the thoughts expressed by Mr. Torrey. He said he had chaired the committee for the Parks and Open Space bond measure in 1998 and reminded those present that some of the money from the bond measure was earmarked to build synthetic surface athletic fields in collaboration with School District 4j. He averred that the commitment to build those fields proved to be one of the best investments the City made in athletic fields. However, he added that the City was faced with two looming problems: 1) the existing fields needed to be resurfaced between 2008 and 2010 at a cost of MINUTES—Eugene City Council -- March 13, 2006 Page 2 City Council Meeting