09/08/1986 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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M I NUT E S - Eugene City Council Council Chamber--City Hall September 8, 1986 7:30 p,m, COUNCILORS PRESENT: Jeff Miller, Cynthia Wooten, Richard Hansen, Debra Ehrman, Ruth Bascom, Roger Rutan, COUNCILORS ABSENT: Emily Schue, Freeman Holmer, The regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Eugene, Oregon was called tD order by His Honor Mayor Brian B, Obie, 1. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Obie gave an opportunity to those who wished to address the council about subjects not scheduled for council consideration. George Leyba, 639 Van Buren, read a letter dated September 8, 1986, He expressed appreciation for the thoughtful, even-handed decisions made by the council to improve the economy and for the example it set in community e leadership and responsibility, He said many currently believed that the surest, easiest way to improve the economy was to guarantee that people who abuse legal and illegal drugs did not hold responsible positions in business, industry, public service, education, or gDvernment, Mr. Leyba urged that councilors voluntarily take randomly schedul ed drug tests and post and publicize proof that they did not use drugs, He said he believed other decision makers would feel obligated to follow the example of the council, which would reduce the effect drug abuse had on decisions that determined the economy, He sa i d methamphetami ne abuse had become much worse si nce he testified on the subject a year ago, He said proof of responsible, clear- headed decisions would improve the economy by resulting in better decisions, by instilling more trust among co-workers and subordinates fDr decision- makers, by improving morale and productivity, and by instilling more trust among investors for local investments. He added that the presentation was not meant to suggest that any member of the Eugene City Council was using or abusing drugs, Mr. Leyba also noted that the City of Eugene recently had experienced its first death as a result of an overdose of "Black Tar" heroin and said he believed the deceased had been a City employee, Richard Sharvy, 2447 Kincaid, spoke in opposition to drug testing. He said the tests did not reveal drug abuse, which differed from drug use. Mr. Sharvy said the vast majority of consumers of coffee, alcohol, and marijuana were e MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 8, 1986 Page 1