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

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. e the staff of the library, the staff at the buses, and the staff at the hospita1s. The parks and the mall indicate that there is a transient problem. He told of solutions in Portland and Seattle. He said five motels were for sale in Eugene. It costs $55 a day for a person to be put in jail. It costs $35 a day in his facility and $85 a day in an Oregon mental institution. Michael Young, 1371 Josephine, stressed the importance of the library as a cultural repository. He said it was the most used department in the City. It enhances the quality of life and is the foundation stone of the City. The library is crowded and needs to be expanded. There being no further testimony, public hearing was closed. e- Mr. Farah explained that the staff1s recommended 1982-83 Capital Improvement Program has $763,000 for the library. In 1983-84, there is a recommended $7.5 million project for library expansion. It is, however, a decision of the council and Budget Committee to move these time frames. He answered Ms. Johnson IS concerns by saying that half of the CIP-recommended projects, i.e., airport improvements, are earmarked funds and could be spent only on, for example, the airport. If the council chooses, part of the projects will be keyed back to specific property taxes receiving benefits. The City has not kept up with capital improvements. Emergency housing would be a policy decision of the council and Budget Committee. If it were to be implemented, it could be phased into this present document. Councilor Lindberg asked if the Friends of the Library are in support of or in opposition to the plan. City Manager Micheal Gleason responded that they would like the expansion of the library to occur as quickly as possible. Council consented to hearing from Carl Heinz, from the audience, in this regard. Carl Heinz, 2465 Pioneer Pike, answering Mr. Lindberg's question about being unhappy with an $8 million allocation in the next two years, said that the City should not overlook the needs of their existing agencies and operations that are giving direct service to the Eugene citizens. They should not put "all their eggs in one basket." Priorities are important, but they should keep in mind the immediate needs of providing expansion of services and space which will directly and identifiably serve the citizens of the city. Mr. Lindberg asked staff to look into the conservation component of the Parks and Recreation Department's Budget. He would like amortization figures. If it proves that the money spent for conservation could be regained, he would like the conservation component considered with the small cluster of high-priority items. Mr. Lindberg also asked that prototype cities with emergency housing, such as Seattle and Portland, be contacted in order to learn how this housing is financed and what benefits the cities have reaped such as lower crime rates, reduced blight, and other positive economic development impacts on the community. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 8