01/09/2017 City Council State of the City Minutes

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My third campaign priority focuses on our dual challenges of climate change and population growth. At its core, this is an economic and infrastructure challenge. How we construct our built environment will determine our capacity to grow and at the same time retain the qualities in our community that we most cherish. There are many moving parts in this process, all heading for council discussion this year. We're reviewing for approval a transportation plan, making a final decision about our urban growth boundary, implementing practices and infrastructure to enable us to meet our Climate Recovery and Vision Zero goals, and continuing our investment in our economic growth by improving the business and living environment of our downtown. I am eager to see us move forward on these commitments. Which brings me to one overriding reality: our economic health. Our capacity to make progress on all of these issues depends on our financial strength. We are experiencing promising growth in our tech center - most visible in our revitalized downtown. Our ongoing investment in other sectors—food and beverage and green technology, for example— promise continuing growth in employment options at a range of educational and training levels. I plan to participate in monthly roundtables with the business community to hear their thoughts and priorities as we go forward. I will support the work of Lane Workforce Partnership in promoting clearer pathways for young people to acquire the education and skills they need to fill the jobs we are creating. And I plan to bring into sharper focus our investment in downtown as an innovation district -- a hub of shared workspaces and art places that will energize and be energized by our other investments in housing, fiber optics, and our public spaces. Finally: our shared values. I have often said that it is the unexpected events that determine the course of our lives, as individuals and as a community. Our job is to be prepared. Our recent ice storm offered a test of our preparedness and support systems. The storm strained our public works and utility crews, our Egan Warming Center volunteers, and our individual tolerance for prolonged discomfort, anxiety and uncertainty. We know that at some point in our future, our community will shake from the impact of a large earthquake. While the actual point in time is unknown, there are specific actions we can take to prepare for it. We can strengthen our infrastructure, we can plan for alternative water resources, we can increase the agility and responsiveness of our public safety systems. We have to make these investments even though many of us in this room may not be around for the coming shakedown. This very specific crisis offers us an opportunity to think as a community about resiliency, not just in terms of our systems, but in terms of how we support one another as a community. There's no time like the present. In light of new national leadership and struggling state resources, we must strengthen our commitment to work together to advance the values that define our community: social justice, human rights, and environmental responsibility. These issues must be part of every decision we make: how we grow, the impact of new industry and new jobs, and how we, every day as individuals and as a community, stand for equality, fairness, respect and dignity for all of our citizens. Quiero que Eugene sea una ciudad donde todos seran bienvenidos. I want Eugene to be a city where everyone feels welcome. It is unacceptable for anyone to be subjected to harassment because of their race, their religious beliefs, their national origin, their sex, their gender identity - or targeted simply because the victim MINUTES — Eugene City Council January 9, 2017 Page 4 State of the City