07/22/1991 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

e Mr. Rutan said the council had worked hard in the past to become a close knit group, but was not as cohesive now because there were three new councilors. Mr. Robinette said that although each of the councilors had their own vision for the results of the Eugene Decisions process, the council should be con- scientious about listening to the concerns of the public. He said the coun- cil had progressed a great deal in its ability to work as a team. He said he thought he would be able to accept results of the Eugene Decision process with which he did not agree. Mr. Nicholson said the council needed to communicate to the public in a mean- ingful way that it needed the counsel of citizens. He said the council would get widely varying opinions upon which to base its decisions. He said the councilors would have to compromise with each other and with public prefer- ence. Mayor Miller said this was an exciting time because the future of the commu- nity was being shaped. He said the councilors would have more power than ever before. He cautioned councilors and staff that the public was listening closely to what they were saying. Mayor Miller asked if the council was in agreement that the figures prepared by staff were accurate and that the City was facing a serious threat finan- cially. He said that as he spoke to various groups in the community they expressed disbelief that the situation was as bad as they were being told. He warned that the public's bias against government could focus on the coun- e cil and staff. Mr. Boles asked the council to think about whether it was seeking the pub- lic's advice or direction. He said he was seeking advice. He said that if the council sought direction, this could ultimately lead to making decisions adverse to its own principles. He said that if the council sought advice only, it would be allowed to adhere to its principles. Mr. Boles said deci- sions rested with the council, not the community. Mr. Nicholson said that according to Mr. Boles' definitions, the council could turn down advice, but not direction. He said the council should be careful to ask the right questions of the public and to take its answers seriously, or Eugene Decisions would not be a meaningful process. Mr. Boles said the council had advisory loops to the community, but closures were the responsibility of the council itself. Mr. Robinette said the distinction between advice and direction was not great in view of the fact that the public had to approve funding measures. Ms. Bascom referred to a recent public hearing on the Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS). She said the purpose of the hearing had been to discuss funding for permanent low-income family housing, but the group wanted to discuss housing for such groups as the homeless, disabled, mentally e MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 22, 1991 Page 3