Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Mr. Stewart stressed that these cuts will have direct impacts on all of the citizens of the County and the citizens the council served in the City of Eugene. Mr. Stewart related that in the first attempt at prioritization of the list it had appeared that the program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) would have to be cut along with the communicable disease program and a health services program for high-risk pregnant women and infants. He explained that this would mean the County would have given up serving as the public health authority. He reported that the County Administrator had been able, in working with the budget, to find enough money to add those programs back. He noted that one consequence of relinquishing this authority was that the State would assume those responsibilities and then would bill the County for them. He averred that the County would then be in another losing situation. Mr. Stewart stated that the board would be engaging in a “pretty aggressive budget process” that would begin on April 29 and would continue in budget meetings to be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the end of May. He added that once the budget was prepared and ready to send to the commissioners for adoption, the board would engage in public outreach to the citizens in Florence, Cottage Grove, and Pleasant Hill in order to explain the budget to citizens. Mr. Clark thanked Mr. Stewart for his presentation. He commented that he was “at a loss to see this coming to an unfortunate reality.” He asked what the City’s response could be. He wondered if the City could increase the number of beds it rented from the jail and how much this would cost. Mr. Stewart replied that the Sheriff was looking for ways to creatively keep more than 12 beds through the budget. He said one of the outcomes of the Joint Elected Officials meeting was a desire to conserve public safety. He had scheduled a meeting with the police chiefs, fire chiefs, district attorneys, mayors, and administrators to look at opportunities for ways to address this situation that could be presented to elected officials. He stated that there were different steps that could add beds back, with the first step adding 61 beds back to the jail for $150,000. He thought there would be opportunities for cities to step up and offer to buy beds. Mr. Clark related that he had spoken with Eugene Police Department (EPD) Chief Bob Lehner about the possibility of hiring some of the LCSO staff that would be laid off. He asked how many sworn officers the 126 employees included. Mr. Stewart responded that he was not certain. Mr. Clark wondered how many of those officers the City could absorb. Mr. Clark asked what date lay-off notices would have to be provided to staff. Mr. Stewart replied that he had been told that the process could not be started any later than June. Ms. Taylor asked why the grant writing position was not being retained for the Commission on Children and Families. Mr. Stewart responded that the commissioners and staff had been forced to look down the list as to where to make cuts and the determining factor was whether something generated revenue and paid for itself. He explained that though the grant writing position brought in money for programs, the position did not pay for itself. Ms. Taylor asked if there were any potential taxes that could be exacted. Mr. Stewart replied that the County could not raise taxes without a vote, it could only increase fees. He added that the timeline for placing a tax measure on the ballot was such that it would be impossible to put one on the May ballot. Ms. Taylor asked if private timber harvest could be taxed. Mr. Stewart did not know whether the County could impose such a tax legally. Ms. Taylor asserted that the money for those timber interests did not come MINUTES—Eugene City Council April 9, 2008 Page 6 Work Session