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- The fourth agenda item I spoke of two years ago was our crying need to improve our transportation system. The expressway amendment had been on our books for nearly 20 years and, in that time, had gone unchanged and unchallenged. During that same period of time, no significant State projects were carried on in this community. And in two short years, there has been tremendous progress. The voters, first, approved the widening and redevelopment of 6th and 7th avenues, and then just last November, approved the extension of the West Eugene Parkway. When the final segments of 6th Avenue are done this coming year, our primary east-west corridor will be transformed from potholes to proud avenues. And the parkway in coming years will relieve the congestion on West 11th Avenue and serve our primary industrial areas to the west. Eugeneans. support for transportation has, indeed, been noticed in Salem. We are seeing improved interest and new commitment not only for Eugene, but for Springfield and the entire region of the State Transportation Department. Without a doubt, the citizens of this community should take confidence and pride in the fact that they made the difference. It could not have been done without them and they have made the community better than it was before. e The final agenda item I spoke to you two years ago about was concern about the visual aspects of our entryways. We called it entryway beautification. Project City Pride, our community-wide beautification drive, took off last year fueled by eager businesses and a supportive community. You probably noticed that--in some very key spots--the community has begun to blossom. I am sure you have only seen the beginning of that as also this past year the Planning Commission developed, approved, and forwarded to the council--which approved it--the Entryway Beautification Program. I am sure you will see in the years ahead our entryways-- source of concern--again a source of pride. You see, we have made some progress. Vital, important progress on each front. Some very vital support cases. These agenda items have been our top priorities. But, I would like you not to forget, that my responsibility and the reponsibility of this council is not just one of creating a vision for the future. The work of the city goes on, day in and day out, and I believe many of you might be surprised by the magnitude if you realize that every day our 911 number receives nearly 1,000 phone calls. In a given day, over 10,000 library books are checked in and out of the library, over 50 miles of streets are swept, 1-1/2 tons of air mail and cargo go through Mahlon Sweet Airport, police officers respond to 125 calls, 13 people are carried to the hospital by our paramedics, 1,200 people use our community centers and swimming pools, and 125 cases are filed in Municipal Court. Now the list goes on. It is not a terribly exciting one but it is fundamental. Fundamental to the kind of community we are. I would like to pause for a minute right here because I think we, as a community, are blessed with a City management and a City staff that very few communities ever achieve. Mike Gleason, I would like to compliment you--and Dave Whitlow, Assistant City Manager, and the department heads. The people we rely on--not we as a council--but we as a community day in and day out to get the job done. That e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 5, 1987 Page 4