10/23/1973 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

section of the Charter which established the Eugene Water & Electric Board and which provides that there shall be five EWEB members, at least one member elected from e each ward. Councilman McDonald thought a 16-member council would be very cumbersome if there was thought of creating eight wards with two council members from each ward. He I wondered if a change of tha t sort would require voter approval. Mayor-Anderson responded that any major revision of present ward boundaries or election procedures would require a Charter amendment. He offered to head a commi ttee, or appoint a , commi t tee, to investigate Charter revision and enlist support from local government center to gather information from other cities and other areas for contributions ; toward Charter revision. Councilman Murray explained that in raising the idea of eight wards he did not in- tend that there be two representatives from each ward, rather that there would be one from each ward with half being elected every two years. He supported the Mayor's suggested approach and said he would like to see in addition some preliminary preparation of a map by the Planning Department to give an idea of alignment of eight wards. Mayor Anderson thought that instead of going into technical detail 'at this time consideration should be of whether the present system is adequate. 'He thought realignment of ward boundaries did merit consideration in view of present efforts to establish neighborhood organizations and Council relationship to those organizations. Growth of the City also entered into the question. He felt a committee : should be created which could consider planning information as well as legal questions, e ,using views of local government people and Council members on which to base phased , reports. After the first phase is completed the project could be cut off if Council : decided at that point further work was not merited. _,,,. h__, __ ,_ ."~. _ -- -- - - -_.~ ----, Councilman McDonald supported the Mayor's view and said he personally would like to serve on such a committee. Councilwoman Campbell wasn't aware that representa- tion was strictly limited to ward boundaries. She said she received many calls from citizens living in wards other than hers to which she responded. Councilman Murray said he followed basically the same premise and responded to calls from other wards concerning particular issues. However, he felt it incredible that elected people could adequately represent the three or four sections of Ward 3 with its very diverse, geographically separated sections - Willakenzie, Bethel, West Side _ having different perspectives, problems, and concerns. Councilwoman Campbell wondered how the election process operated in Springfield. Mr. Stadler confirmed that nomination there was by wards, election at-large. Ed Kenyon, Register-Guard, recalled establishment of new ward boundaries in 1972 wherein a key factor appeared to be that redrawing of boundary lines should not affect the position of anyone in office at that time. He wondered whether the . Council as a matter of policy would clearly instruct any committee charged with ~realignment of ward boundaries at this time to take into consideration incumbents ,or disregard that factor. ~ \ i Mr. Murray moved seconded by Mr. Wood that the Mayor appoint a committee consisting I I 'of three Council members, chaired by the Mayor, to study the issue of ward realign- , ment and consider several alternative possibilities, including that OT dividing the , City into eight wards. Motion carried unanimously. Corom ~ --. .. _..~ ....,.-. . - - .-. ------TO!IO/73 John Tiffany, president of I::WEB, suggested including a representative of EWEB as Approve a member of the committee. Mayor Anderson answered that other people would be in- cluded; his understanding was that the committee should include at least three Council members. Councilman Wood wondered whether the 1990 Plan would be part of basis for redrawing boundaries. He felt location of a person's residence was not so important as one's ability to represent the City or its citizenS. He thought too density of certain areas should have a bearing on location of division lines. Manager said census \ tracts and precinct bo~ndaries would be used as guidelines; however the urban service~ boundary probably would not be taken into consideration since there would not be representation of those living outside the City. Coucnilwoman Beal thought use of . the urban service boundary defining limits of future annexation would be an important ~ol}.~~_~~ra~~~~,_~tJ drawin~ _per..,!,a})ent ward alignment. ..;.-.;.-.- .,.....- ....:,.~......, .- .:,:...... ,,_ _._~______._____J C. Task Force Recommendation on Airport OWnership - Copies of recommendation from the Airport Task Force, appointed to study long-range financing of the airport, together Jwith letter from Chairman of the Airport Commission were previous~y distributed to Council members. The Task Force recommended that the Council by resolution ask :Lane County to accept ownership of the airport as well as outstanding debt: service ,'~nd encourage the County t~ develop a, process whereby they can support.. the airport 3'~ 10/23/73 - 5