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

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Dottie Neil, 2150 Amirante, said that the Performing Arts Center should carry . the name of the people of Eugene and that the $18.5 million "gift" of the citizenry should be so honored. She thanked the council for holding this hearing. She urged that funds be made available to allow people of all income levels to attend events at the center. Chris OINeill, 731 West 11th Avenue, regretted the situation in which the public hearlng was 6eing held after the decisions had been made, with little chance for those testifying to influence the outcome. She felt that public officials should see~ the opinions of citizens before making decisions. She was upset that the records of the Eugene Arts Foundation were not available to the public and said she understood that even the mayor did not have access to these records. She felt that the "progressive" members of the council should, particularly, have prevented this situation and insisted on an adequate public process. Rachele Raia, 1515 Polk Street, No.5, questioned the wording of the resolution being considered by the council, which proposed an action based on public testimony before that testimony was even heard. She felt this indicated the council did not plan to consider the testimony. She did not feel that the City Attorney should have discussed the litigation with reporters. She said that in these financially difficult times many citizens made as great a sacrifice to pay the property taxes that would support the center as the Hults did in making their donation. Frank Fair, 660 West 12th Avenue, said he was a member of Citizens for Open Government. He said that the controversy over the naming of the center had eroded the public's confidence in the processes of City government. He felt e that donors to the center should make their gifts unselfishly and that the name of the center should be returned to the people of Eugene, whom he felt had made the greatest gift to the center. Those speaking in favor of the resolution were: John Alvord, 29193 McTavish Lane, supported the naming of the center after Nils and Jewel Hult. He discussed the impact that the Hults had had on the community. He said that the Eugene Arts Foundation had joined in a partnership with the City of Eugene, through the City Council, to provide funding for the center for the future. He said that the Hult gift would be used primarily to fund an endowment for arts groups beginning in 1987. He said that the foundation still had $2.1 million to raise by the end of 1983 to me~t its goal. He said that the public-private partnership between the City and the foundation was important and should continue. He urged the council to reaffirm the naming of the Hult Center. Maurie Jacobs, 2910 Harlow Road, discussed the contribution of the Hults to Eugen~ in terms of community activities. He noted that Nils Hult had been the head of the first Civic Center Committee over 30 years ago and that the Hults had also served the community in activities of the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Boy Scouts, the University of Oregon Foundation, and the Lane County Auditorium Association. Mr. Jacobs said that even without their monetary contribution to the center, the Hults had, through their service to the community, earned the honor bestowed on them in naming of the center. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 22, 1982 Page 4