01/08/1990 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e overwhelming. Give it a try. Let us work together and open Wi11amette Street, strongly pedestrian in orientation, and if it doesn't work within three years, let's just close it back up, and at least we tried, and we didn't waste money, we were very cost effective in making our downtown safe and a place where people want to go. Now this is my vision for downtown and it doesn't have to be yours, it doesn't have to be the council's. If you've got a better one, that's great, let's hear it. But we need to build a con- sensus downtown. Now I was going to propose that we have a series of forums to talk about this, but then I found out that the Chamber of Commerce is ahead of me with this one. They're already thinking of proposing a series of forums, and I welcome that and I support them. As a community, let's go to the forums that the Chamber will put on. Let's talk about the various issues. Let's talk about the different visions, and then let's come to consensus and let's get on with it. Let's do it this year, while we still have a downtown that we can save. Again, let me say, downtown needs to be job one economically in the 1990s. We have entered into a new decade. Let us make the 90s the decade that we focused on preventing problems we can solve, rather than solving problems we failed to prevent. Now think about it. Let us focus on preventing problems we can solve now, rather than solving problems we failed to prevent. We do this when we are willing to move ahead and take decisive action; when the 90s will be the time when we complete a public safety system that focuses on prevention and is based in our neighborhoods; when we produce an economy that is both diversified and thriving; when we mold a community that guarantees equality for all its citizens; when we substitute an environment of housing and hope for one of homelessness and despair; when we build adequate and well maintained sports and recreation facilities for our young people; and when we shape a renaissance of downtown Eugene because we the people of Eugene refuse to let our downtown die. Now these challenges are not Jeff Miller's challenges. Like it or not, these are the challenges the future holds for this community. I'm ready to roll up my sleeves and go to work, as are these people on the council who spend many hours seeking to give leadership to this community, who are willing to work; but we need your help and we need your support. So let's agree on a way to get the jobs done that need to be done. Let's make the sacrifices that are demanded of us; and I promise you that when we, as a community, work together, there is nothing, there is nothing that we will be unable to accomplish. Thank you very much. STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS: MAYOR JEFF MILLER January 8, 1990 Page 8