11/22/1982 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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said that the Eugene Arts Foundation does not dictate to the councilor the Hult e Center and noted that Hult Center staff members are public employees of the City. She felt that the people of Eugene would not lose a sense of ownership of or identity with the center due to the name of the building. Councilor Lindberg said the City needed to store in its institutional memory the breakdown in communications that had occurred between the City and the public regarding this issue and to ensure that there is a better job of communicating on future similar issues. He did not feel that naming the center for the Hults should reduce the public's sense of ownership of the center. He suggested that a plaque be installed at the center and that a statement be included in the logo on center stationery indicating that the Hult Center was built by the citizens of Eugene. Councilor Ball agreed that the special council meeting of September 23 was a poor public procedure. He felt that the council and staff had learned from this and would make certain that there was no repetition of this oversight. He felt that the public-private partnership between the council and the foundation could be more open and more accountable to the public and urged the council to work toward this. Councilor Wooten said the council needed to develop a policy regarding private endowments to public buildings. Councilor Hamel felt that the objections to the process and the Hult Center name were being made by people who had only lived in the City of Eugene for a short time. He said he respected the attitudes and contributions of the long-term e residents. Res. No. 3736--A resolution reaffirming and readopting Resolution 3718, entitled, IIA resolution naming the Eugene Performing Arts Center, the Hult Center for the Performing Artsll. Mr. Obie moved, seconded by Ms. Schue, to adopt the resolution. Mayor Keller said that the September 23, 1982, recognition dinner and announce- ment of the generous gift of the Hults was a grand moment in the City's history. He referred to misconceptions voiced in public testimony and said that it was never the responsibility of the Eugene Arts Foundation to name the center or the halls within the center but, rather, to raise funds for the center. Mayor Keller commended the foundation for the excellent fundraising job, particularly in the current economic hard times. He felt that the success of the foundation's efforts would greatly relieve the financial burden on the public. He said that the council supports the notion that the center belongs to the citizens of Eugene and said that the tremendous turnout at the center's October 3, 1982, open house was an example of the pride of ownership the citizens feel for the center. Roll call vote; motion carried unanimously. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 22, 1982 Page 10