06/13/1988 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e elected the City Council to serve. The people spoke by voting for the Nuclear Free Zone in November 1986. He said he has no idea why the council is not serving the people's will. Mayor Obie called a recess at 7:50 p.m. Mayor Obie reconvened the meeting at 7:55 p.m. He said applauding after testimony can intimidate people on both sides of the issue from speaking. He said the council is attempting to hold a hearing that is fair and impartial to everybody. He asked members of the audience to respect the process and refrain from clapping. Robert R. Bennett, 85334 South Willamette Street, told the council about a fictional high tech company that would like to come to Eugene because of unique meteorological conditions and good quality electric power. He said the company does not make nuclear materials. However, he said the company chose not to come to Eugene because the Nuclear Free Zone is vague and capricious and poses potential legal problems. He said he knows of four companies that are considering moving if the original ordinance is kept or if the MRV is adopted. He urged council members not to poison Eugene's economy with a vague ordinance. Jonathan Aleck, 4431 Fox Hollow Road, said the some of the testimony so far has been seriously inaccurate. He said the MRV does not prohibit the manufacture of a variety of software for electronics materials. The ordinance prohibits only those items whose primary purpose is for nuclear weapons. He added the survey conducted by the Chamber of Commerce does not constitute a valid survey by any measure of social science. e Ronna Friend, 1047 West 10th Avenue, said she questions the need for this public hearing. She said the Nuclear Free Zone was voted in a year and a half ago, although the City Council has delayed its implementation. She said the legal issues in the original ordinance were remedied by the MRV. She said the community expects the council to stop the sequence of delays and comply with the democratically stated will of the people. Nancy Willard, 296 East 5th Avenue, said she is concerned about the lack of clarity in the original ordinance and MRV. She called the council's attention to an opinion from the City Attorney that stated certain definitions in the MRV are not suffiCiently clear to determine who should be prosecuted under the ordinance. She said the council should not focus on larger issues such as world peace at the expense of individual civil rights. She added the MRV will have a significantly severe impact on economic development efforts in the City. With regard to the process used by the Nuclear Free Zone Task Force, Ms. Willard said specific attempts should be made at the outset of any future task forces to break down the barriers of distrust that existed with the Nuclear Free Zone issue. Martha Evans, 2748 Agate Street, said the people of the City of Eugene retain the ultimate power. She said the Nuclear Free Zone ordinance was passed by the people and not the City Council. She said the council should remember e MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 13, 1988 Page 5