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M I NUT E S e Eugene City Council McNutt Room--City Hall December 17, 1986 Noon COUNCILORS PRESENT: Debra Ehrman, Freeman Holmer, Emily Schue, Cynthia Wooten, Ruth Bascom, Jeff Miller, Roger Rutan, Robert Bennett. The adjourned meeting of December 15, 1986, of the City Council of the City of Eugene, Oregon, was called to order by His Honor Mayor Brian B. Obie. 1. ITEMS FROM THE COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND CITY MANAGER A. 1986 City Population Estimates Jim Carlson of the Lane Council of Governments (L-COG) responded to a question from Mayor Obie about the population estimates distributed by the Center for Population Research and Census of Portland State University. Mr. Carlson distributed a December 16, 1986, memo to the Mayor and City Council titled, 111986 City Population Estimate.1I He said the Center for Population Research and Census distributed preliminary population estimates several weeks ago that indicated a 2,000 decrease in Eugene's population and an 8,000 decrease in Lane County's population. e Mr. Carlson said the most important indicators of population are Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) and Springfield Utility Board (SUB) electric meter records. He said Eugene and Springfield contracted with the center in May 1985 to survey the local area. The survey provided excellent data, but the Center for Population Research ignored much of it in making the 1986 preliminary population estimates. He discussed the methodology used by the center. Mr. Carlson said the L-COG staff successfully challenged the preliminary population estimates for Eugene and, on December 15, the center certified a July 1, 1986, population of 106,480 which signifies an increase. He said his data indicate the rural Lane County population decreased between 1980 and 1986 but he does not think it decreased 8,000 in 1986. He is working with the center and Lane County officials to estimate the county population correctly. Mr. Gleason said center officials increased the 1985 Eugene population estimate after the survey in May 1985 but the increase was not as much as was indicated by the L-COG data. Consequently, the problem probably is compounded this year. Mr. Carlson added that the decreasing average household size is being overlooked in the estimates. He said housing construction is slow in Eugene because a backlog is being used. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 17, 1986 Page 1