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Bettman commented that services are more expensive in the rural areas and there would <br /> be non-conformity in the cities. <br /> <br /> Pryor stated this problem was not just the County's problem. He said it is everyone's <br /> problem. He said they have a jail that can't accommodate all of the criminals they do <br /> have. He said the dilemma for him is not an issue of being opposed to the idea; he said it <br /> is a matter of being skeptical with the idea. He said the County is asking cities to <br /> consider making a fundamental change in the core services the cities provide in the first <br /> place, which is public safety. He said the County is asking the city governments to look <br /> at making a fundamental change in what they had been for years believed was their core <br /> function. He wanted to make sure every option was considered before they continue, to <br /> go forward. <br /> <br /> Dwyer said Lane County is mandated to prosecute all the crimes in Lane County <br /> including cities' crimes even if they were to option out. He asked what other ideas they <br /> could come up with. <br /> <br /> Lisa Smith, Department of Youth Services, stated ~at the Department of Youth Services <br /> serves the entire community and they are the authorized provider of the services. She <br /> said they have had significant reductions ~ services and they lost the psychiatric hospital. <br /> She noted they have no sobering programs for youth in the community. She added the <br /> drug court is in peril and there are changes andreductions to the Oregon Health Plan. <br /> She stated their current prevention program, (which is best in the system) has been cut. <br /> She noted that for Youth Services this year they will have $1 million in reductions <br /> because of federal grant conclusions. She added in the last biennium they had a 50% <br /> reduction in secure custody beds and some of those were from the state. She stated that <br /> 250 beds were lost. She indicated when she came on board four years ago the cap was at <br /> 75 and today for LaneCounty it is 31. She explained that it wasn't because there wasn't <br /> a need it is because the state,had a financial crisis. She said they lost half of their <br /> Pathways residents and all of their,girl shelter programs. She commented that everything <br /> is interrelated when there are cuts: <br /> <br /> Kelly commentedwhat is making this challenging is the intermixing of two different <br /> things. He said it would be up to the voters to decide what they are willing to pay for <br /> services. He added it was up to the elected officials to decide collectively what <br /> mechanism they would use to pay for the service district. He said they have to determine <br /> what is the best mechanism to collect the money. <br /> <br /> Bettman stated she supportedall the services but she said they were discussing a land use <br /> issue to the Metro Plan and any other testimony is irrelevant to the criteria. She added <br /> the public hearing should be limited to the Metro Plan. She didn't know what other comp <br /> plans there were for other jurisdictions. She asked why Lane County hadn't gone out and <br /> gotten the approval of the cities so they could come to Eugene and Springfield. She said <br /> <br />Page 6 - Joint Elected Officials Meeting - April 19, 2005 <br />WD bc/m/05035/T <br /> <br /> <br />