05/20/1974 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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five opinion about the need for !could be assured that spokesmen ct.'?!' th~ Jl~.ig hl:x?:r:.t!oo.Q.._,grC?,yps",-_ ___ monitoring process so that the Council in the future appearing before the Council would be valid spokesmen . JManager called attention to the requir~d $5.00 annual dues payment for membership lin the Oak Hills organization. Staff recommended de~letion of mandatory dues pay- iment because it could mean people who might want to belong and participate could inot do so because of the inabili ty to pay the fee. Al though the ci ty has no :authority to tell any group that dues cannot be collected, it can make decisions ;as to whether an organization meets Council standards for recognition as representa- , :tive of a neighborhood in.city matters.. Other than this exception, the four organiza- \ itions proceeded 'properly to this point in seeking recognition as neighborhood !organi zations. !Councilman Wood questioned inclusion in the Oak Hills title the word" homeowners," !saying it might tend to suggest restriction on membership to those owning homes tin the neighborhood. Manager noted that Section 1 of Article IV provided that ~membership was open to owners and tenants' of properties wi thin the defined area, Jand staff felt so long as that provision was included there would be no problem. lRandi Reinhard, planning, added that there were no questions raised about the ~rganization's title because of the membership qualifications and perhaps because iwith one exception there were no tenants in the Oak Hills area. Councilman Murray !felt that although it was a minor issue because of the nature of the Oak Hills area 'jdeletion of the term " homeowners!' would be more in keeping wi th policies and charters of neighborhood groups. - Cordelia Ruddy, 3614 Agate, Street, member of the Oak Hills group, explained that the rame was adopted because the area covered by the organization was only the Oak Hills ~ubdivision and additions, and it did not occur to them there would be any Objection to the name chosen. She didn't believe there would be any problem with deletion 'pf the word "homeowners" so that the group would be known as the Oak Hills Association.' I I pouncilman Keller expressed co.~cern about what represented a quorum in meetings of I :the neighborhood organizations. He noted that in some instances ten members con- ptituted a quorum, in others 25. He thought it important that adequate represe~ta- ;~ion of neighborhoods was present at meetings in which action was taken to bring :.t!ol!-.cy statements to the~ Council. Mayor Anderson agreed that adequate repre!?entation i ,would be an issue l.n pohcy matters so far' as' the 'Couhc~l was:conr:::erned. ile fel t ,'-, ;though there would be no problem with the way the charters were written since the re- :quirements for quorums set forth would mer~ly allow the organizations to conduct !business in an orderly fashion. In matters coming before the Council, he said, if it appeared there was not sufficient public support then the Council had the re- isponsibility to seek it. Councilman Murray related some of the background on the lissue of quorums. He said that in hearings before t;he Planning Commission when :neighborhood organization policy was adopted the question of quorums was expressly :omitted in recognition' of the advis~ry nature of the groups. It was felt the Plan- ning Commission could weigh the breadth of representation on issues coming before (them. To this point, Mr. Murray said, there had been no problems; when major issues )were faced the groups made effort to broaden the base of those attending meetings .through surveys, notices, etc. e . !Councilwoman Beal asked whether a double vote would be involved in the event both a ihomeowner and his tenant were members of an organization. Manager noted the member- ~ship list -made up for each organization and said that the general, theme of the f :charters was -.that anyone in a.ttendance at meetings would have a r~ght to vote. That . !would presume that hUSband/wife, ~wner/tenant, etc., each would have the right.to vote! . i ;Councilwoman Campbell raised the question of membership of people living outs~de the I city limits, referring to the boundaries of the Crest Drive group. Mrs. Reinhard ;answered that there had been no discussion on that point in the organizations' meet;- :ings because of the feeling that the bulk of the members and majori ty of support :came from those lilho did live inside the city. She added however that the question 1would have to be addressed in time because of the number of cal,ls received from ;residents outside the city wishing to become affiliated with Eugene neighborhood' ~roups. Manager compared the situation to membership on the Planning Commission iwhich permits two members from outside the city, recognizing their interests in the :city even though their residences were in the county. He said however the question of neighborhoods entirely outside the city becoming affiliated with city groups i10uld take some consideration because of staff and budgetary assistance. i i .1 j I 1 'Discussion turned to membership dues required by the Oak Hills group. Mrs. Ruddy , _I' faid it was understood"in the organization that voting privileges would not be denied ~ecause of nonpayment of dues. Dues were initiated, she said, to provide rent for a I meeting place, postage, clerical work, etc., and whenever discussed in meetings were ~etained by membership vote. She noted that the group no longer paid rent, meeting ~n a city facility, and said she was sure that the organization would r~ther h~V~ ,their charter. accepted than continue to insis~ on_~y~ent of dues. '5/20/74 - i5 ~- \~~