01/12/1983 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e VII. ADOPTION OF THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (memo, additional information distributed) Mr. Gleason noted that the council had already held a public hearing on this item. He referred to the January 5, 1983, memorandum from the Planning Department to the Mayor and City Council, which contained responses to questions about the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) raised by councilors at the December 13, 1982, public hearing. He said staff members were available to respond to further questions from councilors. Mayor Keller noted that he had received a request to testify on this item and asked if the council would agree to reopening the public hearing. Councilors agreed to reopen the hearing. Public hearing was reopened. e John Koelling, 1968 West 34th Avenue, said he was the principal of Ellis Parker School. He referred to testimony at the council's December 13 hearing on proposed improvements to Dillard Road and said he had not attended that hearing because he did not know about it. He said that he had worked with residents of the area in surveying families affected by the proposed widening and had found that there are currently 22 students who walk or ride bikes along the entire section or a portion of that part of Dillard proposed for improvements. He said that the school parent group considered the area hazardous and felt that paving and sidewalks were needed. He realized that there was an expense involved for homeowners but noted that homeowners throughout the City bear similar expense for improvements to their property frontages. He said that there was not a question of savings on busing costs, since, under school district policy, students within a one-mile radius of the school are not bused. He said the Ellis Parker parent group urged the council to support the improvements. There being no further testimony, public hearing was closed. Ms. Schue moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, to approve the Capital Improvement Program. Councilor Holmer said he believed that the CIP was a good document but cautioned against allowing council approval of the program inadvertently to take the place of council policy-making. He expressed concern that this CIP did not provide adequate maintenance for the City's existing infrastructure. He referred to specific items of $155,000 for a computer for the Library and $100,000 for computer maintenance in Administrative Services and asked if leasing such equipment had been considered and what the pros and cons of leasing were. He said that he would abstain from voting on the motion to approve the CIP. Councilor Obie said he had strong concerns with proceeding in the current economic climate with council-initiated improvement projects involving assess- ments, even if those assessments could be Bancrofted, in situations where less than 50 percent of affected property owners support the improvements. He emphasized that council approval of the CIP did not mean the council would authorize the Dillard Road project. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 12, 1983 Page 12