01/11/1982 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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r , . - e We've also got a new budget reporting system in place that will help the Budget Committee and council track our progress as we work toward our goals. So at the beginning of 1982, we've got some serious problems, but we've also got some solid achievements to our credit, and we've got some great oppor- tunities ahead of us. That's the state of the City. And it's also an agenda for action. The goals the council has set for next year point toward developing a sound economic base for the City and solid financial planning and management for City government. By putting our economic diversification plan in action, we hope to work side by side with the private sector to put people to work in this community. I'm committed to the idea that economic strength will come by taking advantage of the diversity of interests and talents that exist in Eugene today. The public and private sectors have interrelationships and interdependence that can be the foundation for building a strong economy, but only if they are based on mutual respect. At City Hall, we're gearing up to try even harder to give good service to all of the citizens who are our "customers." That includes opening a permit information center and giving our staff more training to help them handle questions and problems quickly and courteously. But economic diversification is also going to mean a commitment on the part of every Eugenean to be willing to change old ways to meet new needs and present realities. That's going to mean finding the revenue sources to carry out the improvements that form the core of our economic diversification plan. It's going to mean maintaining the facilities that we have in order to keep our city's livability high. I agree with the corporate vice president who said "when we improve the quality of life, the lives we enrich include our own. . . When a community becomes a nicer place to live, it's a shot in the heart muscle for the economy." Throughout our history, we have made ongoing commitments to livability in this community. In 1976, voters approved a serial levy to buy parks and open space and, by the end of 1981, we were finally able to see most of the Willamette River frontage secured for park land. Now we'll shift our attention to the South Hills Ridgeline and continue our efforts to preserve that resource for future Eugeneans. The other goals that the council has set will have a direct tie to how well we are able to meet our economic goals. Meeting the Downtown Revitalization goal will be crucial in making the arts and tourist industries vital parts of our local economy. Closely tied to that is the goal concentrating on the Performing Arts and Conference Center operations. When the curtain goes up in September, we all have to be there with our applause and our ongoing support. We get so tied up-Tn the economics of the center that MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 5