06/19/08 City Council Newsletter

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Brazilian beat and folk to disco. Entertainers will perform each day before and after the competition and will include a variety of acts from great Northwest bands to local ACT-SO medalists. Find out about all the family and entertainment opportunities at the Eugene 08 Festival, and watch a 17-minute video on more of the City’s involvement in presenting the 2008 Olympic Trials, at www.eugene-or.gov/recfestival. For more information, call Tim Patrick, 682-6347. Fire Prevention Office Offers Landscaping Advice to Neighborhoods The advent of warmer weather is a good time for all area residents to assess the fire safety of their homes and surroundings. During dry, hot weather, the hilly, wooded areas in south and southwestern Eugene are particularly vulnerable. Responding to a recent request, Eugene Deputy Fire Marshal Sandra Johnston met with neighbors in the Videra section of southwest Eugene for a walking tour of the neighborhood. Deputy Johnston was able to advise residents to remove flammable vegetation, including blackberries, Scotch broom, and downed trees and branches, from common areas near residential structures. The neighborhood contracted with Northwest Youth Corps for the removal work, which was accomplished this week. Specifically, the Eugene Fire & EMS Department, in alignment with state and national fire safety authorities, recommends a 30-foot "defensible space" around all homes, free of flammable vegetation and debris. Officials also recommend clearing roofs and gutters of dry leaves and twigs, trimming away branches that are near a structure, and keeping fuels and firewood well away from the home. For more information, please contact the Eugene Fire Marshal's Office at 682-5411. Summer Reading for Adults at Eugene Public Library Try something new! Metamorphosis is the theme of this year's Summer Reading programs at Eugene Public Library. Along with great free events for kids and teens, the Library offers a fun opportunity for adults. Read three books, write brief reviews to share, and get a free coffee at Novella Café or $1 towards books at the Friends' Second Hand Prose book store. Visit any Library location to pick up official review forms plus a free Library mini-notebook (while supplies last). Return the reviews for a Novella/Second Hand Prose coupon. And that’s not all: reviewers also get a chance in a raffle for a Library book bag with a gift certificate good at any of the stores of Unique Eugene. What to read? Find ideas in the Library's Metamorphosis booklists featuring novels with characters transformed by travel, coming of age, overcoming obstacles, and more. There’s even a list of books with surprise endings. Readers can also discover books to match individual tastes and interests with the online sites NoveList and Books in Print. These premium tools are available free at Great the Library as well as offsite through the Library website: www.eugene-or.gov/library. A special Reads computer class provides an introduction and expert how-to tips on Saturday, June 21, at 10:00 a.m. For more information or to pre-register, call Eugene Public Library at 682-5450 (press 2). Permit Customer Survey Highlights Improvements/Areas for Attention Results from the most recent City of Eugene building permit customer survey are in, with operations receiving an overall performance rating of 3.9 on a 1- to 5-point scale (5 being excellent). Every two years, Building and Permit Services contracts for an independent, statistically valid telephone survey to provide feedback on services. Since 2002, there have been substantial, perceived improvements in getting information and assistance on: zoning and public works requirements, the inspection phase of the building permit process, and obtaining a building permit. The rating for availability of service at the counter also has improved, from a score of 3.4 in 2004 to 4.2 in 2008. These scores appear to reflect a number of changes at the Permit and Information Center, including dedicated public information staff in certain areas, expanded service hours and increased use of technology. Staff knowledge, referrals, respectful communication, and counter service all ranked highly with survey respondents, while the perceived reasonableness of fees ranked lowest on a list of characteristics that included consistency and speed of service. Staff continues to move forward with strategies to improve service delivery to our diverse customer base. For example, field inspectors now are more easily reached via cell phone by homeowners and contractors, and staff teams are running pilot programs for reviewing EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 June 19, 2008