12/12/1990 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

e with the staff recommendation. He cautioned the council that if it agrees to purchase the site now, it runs the risk of owning the property with no fund- ing to construct or operate a library. Ms. Schue agreed with Ms. Ehrman that the council should take advantage of this offer to secure the site while it still has the financial resources necessary to do so. Ms. Ehrman moved, seconded by Ms. Bascom to direct the City Manager to prepare a resolution on Option 2. The motion car- ried, 4:3; with councilors Green, Schue, Bascom, and Ehrman voting in favor; and councilors Robinette, Nicholson, and Boles voting opposed. Mr. Gleason reaffirmed that if the voters approve the Sears building loca- tion, the money for site purchase would come from downtown urban renewal tax increment funds. He noted that since the library has council priority for this funding, the council will need to made decisions about other projects which were vying for this money. Mr. Gleason reminded the council that it will soon be undertaking an inten- sive public involvement process with the community to determine what citizens want local government to look like as a result of Ballot Measure 5. He ac- knowledged the concern that may arise in the community about the decision to move forward with the library despite financial uncertainty and said that special care will need to be taken when explaining this decision to the com- e munity. Mr. Gleason raised concern with the difficulty of moving ahead with a decision of this magnitude when the council is divided so closely on what direction it should be going. Ms. Bascom acknowledged Mr. Gleason's concern that the council should be hesitant about making such a momentous decision without support from the rest of the council. She also noted that the full council was not present to make this decision and said that the council might choose to revisit this decision in the new year when the new councilors were seated. Ms. Ehrman moved, seconded by Ms. Bascom, to direct the City Attorney to begin preparing a ballot title regarding approval of the Sears building site for a library. Mr. Nicholson said that it should be made clear to the voters that implicit in its decision for library siting would be the decision for site acquisi- tion. The motion carried 6:1; with councilors Ehrman, Bascom, Boles, Green, Schue, and Robinette voting in favor; and Councilor Nicholson voting opposed. Mr. Gleason stated that the library siting decision is the only issue sched- uled for the March election and asked the council to decide whether it is necessary to put out a Voter's Pamphlet. He noted that the cost of pamphlet e MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 12, 1990 Page 7