Item 2A - Minutes Approval - Laserfiche WebLink

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Lisa Dunn, no address given, said that the City declared it felt badly for the victims of former police officers Lara and Magana but no one apologized to them. She averred the City had "enough money to build fire stations" but did not help the victims to get their lives back on track. She stated that She had filed a complaint with Senator Ron Wyden's office which referred her to the commissioners' office regarding several other policeman's conduct issues, but "the case was closed the same day." She alleged there was no accountability nor was there justice and there were still "crooked cops" on the street. She felt the system portrayed her as a mentally ill drug addict who could not take care of herself or her daughter. She asserted that before the police officers took advantage of her she had been a normal person. Now, she said, she had lost her daughter, her soul, and her mind. She reiterated that she had not been treated fairly or with respect. Drew Ericson, 630 South 9th Street, Creswell, announced a community event scheduled for January 28 to benefit Direct Relief International for aid to the tsunami victims of Southeast Asia. He listed the restaurants that were donating their food and services to the buffet dinner scheduled to start at 5 p.m. and thanked them publicly for their donations. He said the music would be world beat music and it would be a family event. He underscored that Direct Relief International gave donated money directly to the people who needed it the most. He added that it was always great to see the community come together and raise money for local causes and this was a chance to come together and raise money for international causes. Lonny Whelchel, PO Box 101 F, Florence, congratulated the new councilors and especially Mayor Kitty Piercy. He wished to discuss the tsunami relief effort. He asserted that many people were donating money without really having a sense of where it was going. He said donations to Direct Relief International were a way that one could be assured that the money spent was going for direct relief to tsunami victims. He stated that the benefit would include familiar faces from the local entertainment community. He stressed that it was a family event with all kinds of music. He hoped there would be a big turnout and that the benefit would raise lots of money. He said fliers were available in the back of the Council Chamber. Paul T. Biondi, PO Box 609, Veneta, said the tsunami benefit would bring Lane County together to do something on a world level. He was honored to be part of this event. He repeated that, while previous benefits had been for adults only, this one was oriented toward families. He said schools were getting involved and there would, perhaps, be a pen pals program set up between children hit by the tsunami and local children. He asked everyone to put the word out on the benefit. He noted that the Lane County Fairgrounds had donated the space. Terry Connolly, 1401 Willamette Street, representing the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, wished to bring to the council's attention the chamber's concern over the scope and purpose of the public hearing scheduled for February 14 pertaining to an ordinance regarding the Toxics Right-to-Know. He said the ordinance was being "portrayed" as one method to address the fee equity in the current Toxics Right-to- Know program. He alleged that a closer look at the ordinance indicated no clear connection with the Toxics Right-to-Know program. He said the charter was clear with respect to which categories of businesses were subject to these regulations and the charter could not be amended through an ordinance to include new and different businesses. Mr. Connelly shared the chamber's belief that the new ordinance would create a new and separate community right-to-know program that resided in City Code instead of charter. He asserted that the ramifications included that it would have to be set up in accordance with the Community Right-to-Know Protection Act, it would be separate from the City Charter and would require its own governing structure, the Toxics Board would have no jurisdiction over it, the program would require its own source of funding, and would have to develop its own criteria regarding what must be MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 24, 2005 Page 3 Regular Session