02/11/16 - City Council Newsletter (2)

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Eugene Water & Electric Board Offering Emergency Water Containers Again Oregon had 80 earthquakes in the past month. Most of these were little tremblers, but there was a 4.9 off the coast near Port Orford. While people may not think about it much, this is a region that is seismically active. The Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) has steadily increased capital investments to mitigate infrastructure vulnerabilities and improve the community’s resiliency from a serious seismic event. The City of Eugene is also encouraging employees and the community to take emergency preparedness seriously and take steps to get their households ready in the event of a prolonged disruption to utility services. Stored water is an essential part of an emergency supply kit and, once again, thanks to a funding partnership, EWEB is able to offer three- gallon containers to EWEB customers and City employees. On Feb. 16, EWEB will begin accepting pre-orders online at www.eweb.org/waterreliability. Employees who are not members of EWEB should check with their utility district for similar offers. The $5 charge per container will be applied to customer’s water bill, and one dollar of every purchase will support the local Red Cross emergency preparedness and disaster response. This year, container distribution will coincide with Drinking Water Week (May 1 - 8). The program is gaining traction in other areas of the state, including the cities of Gresham and Lake Oswego. Last year’s order sold out quickly, so EWEB customers who haven’t gotten around to ordering containers should mark their calendars for Feb. 16. For more information, please visit eweb.org/waterreliability. City Receives Awards for Racial Equity Work On Feb. 5, the Eugene Police Department (EPD) and Human Rights and Neighborhood Involvement (HRNI) each received a Community Service Award at the Blacks in Government Black History Month Banquet for their efforts and support building healthy and equitable communities. The event featured Dr. Dexter B. Gordon, Professor of African American Studies at the University of Puget Sound. Dr. Gordon spoke about micro-aggressions and marginalization - the often subtle, unconscious and unintentional, yet dehumanizing slights and biases that people of color face on a daily basis. EPD was recognized for a number of achievements, including training officers in crisis intervention and implicit bias, development of a Professional Stops Policy with strong community input, receipt of grant funds to equip officers with body- worn cameras, engagement and partnerships with schools and community organizations, collaboration with the Police Auditor and establishment of an Oregon Veterans Network. HRNI achievements noted how the office serves as a resource for persons experiencing discrimination in housing, employment or public accommodations, collaborates with EPD in tracking and community response to hate and bias crimes, champions equity and human rights principles within the City organization and community, supports the work of the Human Rights Commission, fosters community conversations on race, racism and privilege, and assists the City organization in conducting inclusive, culturally competent outreach to groups typically underrepresented in City decision-making. Blacks in Government is a national organization that advocates for equal opportunity and professional development for Black government employees at the local, state and federal government levels and others dedicated to justice for all. For more information about the awards, contact Michael Kinnison at Michael.j.kinnison@ci.eugene.or.us. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 February 11, 2016