Item 3A - Minutes Approval - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Bettman alleged that the motion would take the policy discussion on whether this was a good idea out of the council's purview and placed it in the Budget Committee purview. She did not believe this to be appropriate. In response to a question from Ms. Bettman, City Manager Taylor said, to date, the position had been considered to be part of the PDD, but it could be placed in a different department. He added that his instruction to department heads was to build a budget based on current level assumptions. Ms. Bettman opposed the motion. She cited other areas of the City that were enduring funding cuts and asserted the position would allocate an additional $100,000 to PDD. She also objected to the nomencla- ture employed by staff and opined that the position should be called a "business facilitator." Mr. Meisner conveyed his support for the motion. He expressed some suspicion at staff's inability to suggest ideas for funding mechanisms. He echoed Ms. Solomon's suggestion that the position not be ensconced in the PDD. He averred it was not a "mid-level position" in a department. Additionally, he recalled that ways to pay for this sort of function had been discussed three years earlier. He noted it had been in relation to a discussion on whether to grant an extension of an enterprise zone to a major manufacturer not in compliance with its agreement. He related that he had opposed the extension and that much of the discussion had centered on whether the moneys could be used for economic development activities. He stated that the council at the time had decided "to put all of its eggs in one basket" and to provide no assets and no economic assistance to anyone else. He thought PDD and the CMO could look within their department structures and determine whether service improvement could be focused. Ms. Taylor asserted that should the facilitator be hired, the work assignment for the position should be delineated. She recalled that one suggestion from a symposium on sustainable economic development was to inventory existing businesses and determine how such businesses could be helped or changed. She opined that a recommendation from a committee did not mean the council had to follow through. She called some of the cuts resulting from the previous budget process "shocking." Mr. Kelly shared Mr. Meisner's questions and concerns. Mr. Kelly, seconded by Ms. Bettman, moved to amend the motion with a substitute motion to direct the City Manager to return to the City Council with funding alternatives for a business facilitator function in FY06. Mr. Kelly supported placing the position in the CMO. He did not want to support the recommendation until the budget impacts were known. Mr. Meisner suggested a friendly amendment to place the phrase "prior to the draft budget process" between the words "council" and "funding." The maker of the motion accepted the friendly amendment. Mr. Pap6 preferred the item to be in the proposed budget and highlighted by the City Manager. Mayor Torrey called for a motion to extend the time for discussion. Ms. Nathanson, seconded by Mr. Pap6, moved to extend the discussion by four minutes. The motion passed, 5:2; Ms. Taylor and Ms. Bettman vot- ing in opposition. MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 10, 2004 Page 5 Work Session