02/24/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e S.B.3ll - Fred Mohr, chairman of the citizens committee working against exten- sion of the field burning ban, reported a turn around in the com- munity's attitude due for the most part to Mayor Anderson's recent press conference where he advised the community of the lack of citizen input to the Legislature in this regard. Mr. Mohr said there now Comm were considerable numbers of letters, phone calls, etc., going into 2/12/75 legislators in support of continuing the ban. He noted hearings scheduled for February 24 at which citizens' testimony would be taken, the city's formal presentation rejecting S.B.3ll in its entirety to be made at hearings scheduled February 25. B. Legislative Subcommittee Report - February 17, 1975 was read by Councilwoman Beal: 1. S.B.3ll - Seed growers bill on open field burning. Oppose in its entirety with the attached statement offered for Council approval. "The city of Eugene opposes this bill in its entirety on the following grounds: (1) It would permit open field burning to continue indefinitely with no cutoff date, (2) it provides no limitation on the number of acres burned annually, (3) it offers no incentives to develop or use available alternatives to open burning. "The city of Eugene considers this bill an insult to residents of this area who have endured the misery of open field burning for many years. We bear no ill will towards the farming community. We strongly desire a solution to the field burning problem which will not injur either us or the growers. S.B.3ll, however, offers no basis for any fruitful compromise. " e Mr: Murray moved seconded by Mr. Keller to approve the subcommittee's statement in opposition to S.B.3ll. Motion carried unanimously. 2. H.B.2050 - Approve in principle this bill designed to provide more dis- cretion for cities in making annexations. However, the bill appears to make annexation mandatory under certain conditions, and the subcommittee would recommend an amendment which would provide that an annexation request brought to a boundary board or commission could be approved only with the consent of the annexing city. This would avoid placing a city in the position of having to absorb large areas not in the city's sequential planned growth or before urban services are available. e 3. S.B.248 - The subcommittee requests comments from the municipal court, city attorney, and other interested staff on this bill, an omnibus bill prop~sed by the Governor's commission on judicial reform. Among other things the bill would abolish municipal courts, placing litigation normally handled by municipal courts directly in state district courts. The subcommittee would like to know the fiscal impact of this bill on the city and whether the municipal court and/or city staff feel that the general public and the city of Eugene would benefit or suffer from this proposed legislation. 4. S.B.182 - The subcommittee took no position on this bill s,ince no information could be obtained on how it would affect the city financially. This bill increases unemployment compensation payments and also increases assessments paid by employers. It provides for payment of unemploy- ment compensation in cases of lockout and to union members not directly involved in a strike who are unemployed because of refusal to cross the picket line of another union. Since the city doesn't pay regular assessments but operates on a reimbursement plan when unemployment compensation is paid, the personnel office was unable to estimate the bill's financial impact. 83 2/24/75 - 15