01/09/1989 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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. e e who gave up on this community gave up too soon. The future is once again ours to tell, and that is probably the most significant thing that has hap- pened in the past four years. And for this, we have many people to thank, starting with some very special people: the citizens of Eugene who did not give up. You have honored me with your confidence. You have nourished my spirit and that of the City Council. Four times in four years we asked for your support at the voting booth. We asked you to authorize the expansion of the airport and you voted yes. WE asked you to widen 6th and 7th avenues and you voted yes. We asked you to approve a route for the West Eugene Parkway and you did. That is the first expressway that has been approved in this community in 25 years. We asked you to reject the efforts of a small group of people who wanted to undermine the Riverfront Research Park and did you ever! I could not have asked more from the people of this community, but that did not keep me from doing so. Occasionally I did and you responded with the wisdom that resides only in you. As Ben Franklin said, the citizens always have the right to be right. After thanking the citizens of this community, I would thank this council who joined you and me in putting their shoulders to the wheel and keeping our feet to the fire. There are nine of them, and they are more like famil~, a family that squab- bles once in a while but that supports each other. Ruth Bascom, Rob Bennett, Debra Ehrman, Dick Hansen (who served the first two years), Freeman Holmer, Jeff Miller, Roger Rutan, Emily Schue, and Cynthia Wooten. Names that I will always remember and that will always be part of me. I believe those names should be chiseled on City Hall for what has been done in the last four years. If not City Hall, perhaps a new airport. Anyone who knows their politics will understand that we did not always see eye to eye. That is really not important. They are independent thinkers. On the other hand, they always supported me, and more importantly, they supported this community. When the decisions were made, they all leaned and put their shoulders to the wheel. It would be a mistake if I did not thank an individual who has become a great friend, confidante, and partner; a man who has been able to get me in and out of trouble a number of times, and I, him: City Manager Mike Gleason. Mike, you recognized that the Eugene Agenda was truly a historic change in course for this community. We were going to set about changing the direction that this community had been going for some time. You understood my impatience. You saw to it that from day one we were working that agenda. Along with Mike, if I did not recognize Dave Whitlow, the department heads, and the rest of the City staff, it would be another mistake. I have come to know these people as people who arrive early and stay late, who work hard at high-stress jobs, and who are genuinely committed to creating a better prod- uct and a better lifestyle for the citizens of this community. I think it important that I recognize my family: my parents, my children, and perhaps most importantly, my patient partner and best friend, my love and my wife, Karen. She is in the audience tonight. She is always there. She State of the City Address Brian B. Obie January 9, 1989 Page 2