CCMinutes - 12/06/04 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mr. Meisner suggested that the City and EWEB would have made more progress with regard to the property purchase had the utility fully participated in the downtown visioning and courthouse planning processes. He regretted that, because it would have been an opportunity for the community to address some of the questions that had come up in the current process. Mr. Meisner anticipated that he would support the supplemental budget request. Ms. Taylor expressed appreciation to EWEB Commissioner Dorothy Anderson for her concern about the impact of the sale on EWEB's ratepayers, who were also City taxpayers. She said that while McKenzie- Willamette Medical Center was taking a risk, the council was also taking a risk with taxpayer money. Ms. Taylor questioned why Eugene had to buy the riparian area, suggesting that the City could instead protect it through regulation. Mr. Schoening said that purchasing the property gave the City the opportunity to enhance it through a partnership with a party such as the Army Corps of Engineers. City Manager Taylor added that ownership would facilitate the City's ability to do such things as the realignment of the bicycle-pedestrian path and improved access to the riverfront. He thought the City would be the best steward of the area. Ms. Taylor did not think EWEB should be located on the Willamette River banks but she was unsure if a hospital would be a better use. She did not think the City should assume the property would be sold until EWEB made a final decision. She determined from City Manager Taylor that McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center was willing to take the risk involved in providing the funding at this time without knowing whether the project would come to fruition. City Manager Taylor said that much work had been done to bring the process to this point, and he believed that the involved parties could make the relocation of the hospital work. As work progressed, the final costs of EWEB's relocation would become clearer. Responding to a question from Mr. Pap~, City Manager Taylor said the source of funding for acquisition of the riparian area was yet to be determined. He anticipated storm water revenues or park systems develop- ment charge revenues could be used, and reminded Mr. Pap~ of the $500,000 in General Fund money that was set aside but not allocated to any particular element of the hospital relocation. Mr. Pap~ indicated his support for the proposal. Responding to a question from Mr. Pap~, City Manager Taylor said the first real estate transaction would be the City's purchase of the riparian area; McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center would purchase the remainder of the site. He hoped the transactions and costs needed to be budgeted in fiscal year 2006 would be identified in time to be included in the budget the Budget Committee would consider in spring 2005. Mr. Pap~ indicated his support for the proposal and thanked the EWEB commissioners for moving it forward. He also expressed appreciation for the good work done by staff, suggesting that it "flowed" from the "great" council work done in identifying a downtown hospital as its number one goal. He hoped the council found another goal that all could agree upon. Mayor Torrey noted that the transportation improvements would be paid for by the tax increment dollars generated by McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center. A public sector entity would pay not taxes and thus could not support the needed transportation improvements. Mayor Torrey said that he had heard members of the community suggest there were plenty of people willing MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 6, 2004 Page 5 Work Session