02/10/1986 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

e e e In response to Ms. Wootenls question, Mr. Shelby demonstrated on a chart that according to the best expectations from all of the user fees, $9.4 million of the construction could be supported by those fees. Lottery funding of $.7 million and FAA fundingQf $4.3 million will be applied to the project, leaving a gap of $3.2 million left to fund. He also explained that the EDA grant, if received, would have the effect of reducing the City's share of the project. He noted that $.4 million of the FAA funding would go toward airfield construction items. Mr. Shelby stressed the importance of the Room Tax funding to cement the project together. Mr. Obie continued with his observations, after asking the councilors to share theirs in trying to provide the committee a sense of direction when meeting with the City of Springfield and Lane County. Mr. Obie would prefer that any adjustment of the scope of the project be done after all the financial facts are available and the negotiations with the airlines are completed. Mr. Hansen reviewed the project and suggested that the City Council cannot personally visualize the project from the proposed design; therefore, it is premature to reevaluate the design or make decisions about reductions. The architects have assured them that the design proposed is a middle-of-the-road project, neither a IIwarehousell nor a IITaj Mahal. II Mayor Obie affirmed his support of a two-percent (2%) county-wide room tax, which would stay even with Portland and would make available $400,000 per year from the metropolitan area. He would also be comfortable with a metropolitan- area tax only, not county-wide. Mr. Holmer also commented that the reality would probably include the Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area, rather than the whole county. Mr. Obie favored the room tax because there is a tie to the industry--43% of those who fly into Eugene stay in hotel rooms. It is in the realm of what either the City of Eugene can do or in partnership with Springfield and Lane County if that is possible. He would concur with the committee's decision in regard to the extent of public involvement. Mr. Miller agreed that all the information should be available before reduc- tions or changes in the project are considered. He sees the most important issues as the second-level concourse, a large enough airport to accommodate five airlines and enough loading services to alleviate the present baggage problems. He also is comfortable with the negotiations with Springfield and Lane County. He believes strongly that whatever total figure for the airport project is agreed upon, it must be held to and that it be enough to include inflation and contingency. He also agreed that the room-tax proposal should not exceed the Portland rate and that he would approve adding airport commission members from Springfield and Lane County. Ms. Bascom sees the council united in their commitment to the airport project, but that they are maneuvering a package with a lot of soft financial figures. She is willing to negotiate with the other governmental bodies in order to MINUTES--City Council Work Session February 10, 1986 Page 2