06/13/1983 Meeting (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilor Holmer suggested that the assessment reduction for the Roosevelt Boulevard project be limited to those properties qualifying under the low-to- e moderate income category and that the remaining funds not used for assessment subsidies be used for other purposes which the council could identify soon. Mayor Keller said that the council had put much effort into the Four Corners area and that he believed these efforts would benefit the entire city. He supported the proposed assessment subsidies and opposed ~moving the suggested $200,000 to $250,000 from the $600,000 suggested by staff. He opposed c~ati on of some new enterpri se to hel p the unemployed when the State al ready provi des such services. He suggested that the contract for the Roosevelt project could be written to stipulate employment for particular groups. Mr. Keller said that in view of the real time constraints involved, he bel ieved the staff proposal was a good one. Councilor Wooten said she did not support the staff proposal. She asked staff to report at the Wednesday council meeting on the effect on the Roosevelt project funding of eliminating the interest rate write-down for State-owned properties. She suggested that funds generated from this elimination and from elimination of the proposed traffic signal could be used instead in ongoing or new economic diversification efforts. She noted that Councilor Lindberg had also presented the option of using $250,000 of the Jobs Bill funds for projects identified through the Joint Social Services Committee. She sai d that the unemployment rate in Lane County was 12 percent and that these people needed short-term hel p. Councilor Lindberg suggested that the $60,000 which could be saved if only low- e to-moderate income property owners received subsidies for Roosevelt improvements, plus the $80,000 that could be saved by eliminating the traffic signal, could be divided between economic development projects that were approved in last year1s RFP process and projects identified by the Joint Social Services Committee. Mr. Obie said that he would move adoption of the staff recommendation and noted that if Mr. Gleason wanted to return with a different configuration for the assessment subsidies at the June 15, 1983, council meeting, the council could debate at that time how any additional funds would be used. Mr. Obie noted that the intent of his motion was to fund the project in full with no reductions in the development proposed in the staff proposal. Mr. Obie moved, seconded by Mr. Hansen, to approve the Community Development Block Grant Jobs Bill application as presented by staff. Councilor Smith said she would support the motion with the understanding that if additional funds were available through an alteration in assessment subsidies, the counci 1 woul d debate at a future time how those funds woul d be spent. Councilor Hansen said he would support the motion since he believed the Roosevelt Boulevard project was very important. He did not favor any reduction in the funds proposed for a traffic light. He fel t any extra funds resul ting from a reduction in assessment subsidi es shoul d be spent on job creation, not on sod al serv ices. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 13, 1983 Page 10