Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Councilor Pryor said he supported the intent to allow candidates to make a statement, the current wording of the amendment would require the City to bear the expense of producing a voters pamphlet if one person asked for one; there were no mitigating conditions in place to allow the cost to be considered. He could not support the amendment because it was not fiscally prudent to be that restrictive. Councilor Bettman asked if a section could be added that would provide an exception in which the council could waive the requirement. Mr. Lidz said inserting that language would return the section to its original state and allow the council discretion. Councilor Clark urged councilors to bear in mind that voters pamphlets were not for the benefit of the candidates or the organization; they were for the benefit of the voters. He was in favor of publishing a pamphlet as it was one of the least expensive ways to education voters about those who were running for office. Councilor Pryor wanted to see language that would allow the council some discretion to waive the requirement on a case-by-case basis in order to be cognizant of finances. Mr. Lidz suggested changing the period to a comma at the end of subsection (4) of proposed section 2.993 and adding the following language: “unless the city council waives the requirement.”Councilor Bettman accepted the suggestion as a friendly amendment. Mr. Lidz reminded the council that it could not compel EWEB or the school districts to pay. Councilor Bettman noted there was not a provision to waive a voters pamphlet if there was no agreement to pay. Councilor Zelenka asked why the language referred only to EWEB and did not include school districts. Ms. Feldman replied that Section 2.993(5)(b) addressed school districts. Mr. Lidz referred the council to relevant language in the agenda packet. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 6:0. Councilor Bettman, seconded by Councilor Ortiz, moved to insert a new subsection 2.993(5) to read: “Prior to the inclusion of a statement from a candidate for the Eugene Water & Electric Board in a voters pamphlet published pursuant to subsection 2.993(4), the Eugene Water & Electric Board shall agree to pay to the City the cost of the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s portion, as determined by the City Recorder, of the printing, advertising, mailing and personnel expenses associated with publishing the voters pamphlet and distributing it within the city limits. Nothing in this subsection shall relieve Eugene Water & Electric Board candidates of the obligation to pay the fee required by subsection (3) of this section.” Councilor Zelenka asked how the City Recorder would determine proportional costs. Ms. Feldman said the costs could be estimated by totaling the costs identified in the subsection and dividing that by the total number of pages to obtain a per page total. Roll call vote; the vote on the motion was a 3:3 tie; councilors Bettman, Ortiz and Zelenka voting yes, and councilors Pryor, Clark and Poling voting no. The Mayor cast a vote in support of the mo- tion and it passed on a final vote of 4:3. th Councilor Bettman, seconded by Councilor Ortiz, moved to substitute the term “18 day” for the th term “14 day” in section 2.997. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 6:0. MINUTES—Eugene City Council March 10, 2008 Page 8 Public Hearing