03/17/1986 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e e e Mr. Silvermoon said the improvement of Roosevelt Boulevard from Highway 99 to Maple Street is listed in the TransPlan for $330,000 and in this year's CIP for $1.1 million. He wondered why the cost has increased so much. He said the Riverfront Park Study indicated transportation projects totaling $5.9 million to $7.2 million are needed, but none of them are in the CIP. He said the projects should be in the CIP if the City intends to build them in the next ten years. Discussing specific projects, Mr. Silvermoon said the Westmoreland 18th Avenue overcrossing was in the first year projects in last year's CIP. It has been moved to the 1990-96 period this year. He said funds for traffic signals are only 30 percent of what they were last year, and funds for street lights are only about half of what they were last year. He said such projects involve the public's safety and are more important than the Hult Center projects and the $100,000 listed for the remodeling of City Hall. Mr. Silvermoon said the asbestos removal at the library is listed for 1987-88, but it is essential that the cancer-causing asbestos be removed this year. He suggested the council consider its commitment to bicycle and other alterna- tive modes of transportation and public safety. He said the extraneous projects in the CIP should not be approved. Clark Winston Cox, Jr, 1085 Patterson Street #9, said there have been some problems with the Hult Center, but most of the CIP projects are needed and some are essential. He said there were cost overruns when the structure was built and some people knew the bond issue was not sufficient to build the entire project. The available funds had to be used to get the Silva Theater constructed correctly with good technical equipment. Mr. Cox said some of the things that are needed now can be accomplished with voluntary contributions. He said the original estimate for bronze letters on the outside of the Hult Center was less than $12,000. He did not know why the present estimate is $24,000. He said projects like the lobby tile replacement, the awning for the loading dock, and lobby furniture should be at the bottom of the CIP list. He discussed the construction of the building, and said about 30 percent of the $721,000 total for CIP projects is for heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning equipment that is very necessary. He said the improvements to the storage area are needed. He did not think tax money should be used for the marquee and bronze lettering. He recommended the essential improvements be approved. He hoped the operating deficit can be reduced. There being no more requests to testify, Mayor Obie closed the public hearing. In the staff response, Mr. McKinley said some of the Hult Center projects will complete the building and some, such as the lighting of the Soreng interior lobby, will increase revenues. He said some people have been injured by slipping on tiles in the Hult Center lobby. Mr. McKinley said the reconstruction of Bethel Drive will be assessed to abutting property owners, but one large property is not within the city. MINUTES--Eugene City Council March 17, 1986 Page 5