Item 2A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Councilor Pryor commented that a sunset clause created something of an inconvenience but in this case one more would not hurt. He averred that mold was a complex issue and whatever decision was made on it should be monitored and revisited. He preferred to say that the council was making changes to the program that ought to be reviewed to ensure it was working effectively. Councilor Taylor opined that the sunset clause would require people who did not have the time to keep watching what was going on. She averred that renters were poor and disempowered. She believed that the “people with the power” would be watching the situation. She also hoped the council would include language regarding mold. Councilor Zelenka did not think sunsetting the entire ordinance was appropriate. He thought the program had worked so well that it was being expanded. He agreed that mold presented a tricky issue. He thought a review clause regarding the mold issue was appropriate but that the whole program did not need review. Councilor Bettman opposed the amendment. She averred that the council approves and modifies dozens of ordinances and a councilor could bring up an issue of an ordinance modification at any time for a work session. She opined that inclusion of a sunset clause would be tantamount to putting the renters who were “the most vulnerable” on probation. She felt it would require the additional burden of making the renters come back to make their case. She asserted that the industry had an advantage because it had money and people who were willing to attend hearings. City Attorney Jerry Lidz clarified that the amendment would only amend Section 3 of the proposed ordinance to delete the last three words and to change the sunset date to December 31, 2011. Roll call vote; the vote to amend was a tie, 4:4; councilors Pryor, Solomon, Clark, and Pol- ing voting in favor and councilors Bettman, Taylor, Zelenka, and Ortiz voting in opposition. The Mayor voted in favor of the amendment and the amendment passed. Mayor Piercy supported inclusion of a sunset date in order to require the program to be reviewed, given that there would be an advisory group for the program that would include both renters and landlords. Councilor Poling noted his intention to make a motion but indicated he would wait until the discussion on mold. He said based on that discussion he might place a motion on the table to amend the ordinance to lower the fee from $10 to $8 per unit per year. Mayor Piercy stressed the importance of moving forward with the formation of an advisory group in order to have stakeholders at the table. Councilor Solomon asked if the work session on mold would also include discussion of the advisory group. Councilor Pryor surmised that the council would decide on the group’s structure. Roll call vote; the motion passed, 6:2; councilors Bettman and Taylor voting in opposition. The meeting adjourned at 8:44 p.m. Respectfully submitted, MINUTES—Eugene City Council May 27, 2008 Page 8 Regular Meeting