02/04/1987 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e Mayor Obi e asked Mr. Gl eason to request the chairperson of the Downtown Commission to report to the council on the commission's recent action and to discuss ways to improve communication between the council and the commission. Mr. Holmer reviewed the recommendation. He said some things that the council soou1dJ,.<rfQ;?'T-~-<iD(lJt cannot be discussed in public sessions. Mr. Gleason responded that he does not recommend executive sessions because peoplel s expectations are raised by them. Ms. Wooten said she would like additional information. She said there is a possibility a private developer might fund the public plaza. She said a public vote on the final design of the downtown renovation has been suggested. She suggested that downtown commissioners report to the council after they discuss their communication with the council and the possibility of having a councilor on the commission. Mayor Obie said the downtown renovation is a community-wide issue. Ms. Schue said the discussion of downtown commissioners about spending Capital Improvement Program (CIP) funds for a downtown public plaza may not have been helpful before the vote on the Mahlon Sweet Airport expansion. She said having a councilor on the Downtown Commission might help communications because a councilor would have advised against a recommendation to open East Broadway to traffic. She said the Downtown Commission probably does not perceive a problem. e Mr. Rutan said the real issue concerns the councilors. desire to be involved in decisions about the downtown. Ms. Bascom said the council indicated clearly that nothing should conflict with consideration of the airport expansion. She said she would like clarification from the staff. Mr. Gleason responded that the Downtown Commission and the Development staff thought they were following the councills direction. Mr. Bennett said the Downtown Commissioners think they are following City procedures. He said they are action-oriented people and want to get public comment on the downtown renovation. He said he would not have advised them to slow the process if he had been a councilor on the Downtown Commission. Mayor Obie said one method of improving communications is to invite the chairpersons of commissions and committees to have lunch with the council periodically. F. Mahlon Sweet Airport Expansion Ms. Wooten said she would like a report from the Public Works Department staff about the schedule for the public information program about the airport expansion. Ms. Ehrman said City staff only aids citizens in making presentations about the proposed expansion. City staff does not initiate presentations. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 4, 1987 Page 4