02/24/1975 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e - Manager explained that the allocation to Northwest Drama Conference was reduced to $1,291 because of time constraints encountered by the applicant in programming. With regard to the Eugene Downtown Association application made jointly with the city parks and recreation department, Manager said the money was to fund one-half of the salary of the downtown mall manager. He commented on the number of studies on mall activities indicating a need for someone to take the responsibility for en- couraging various types of activities to attract people to the mall. Also, the EDA felt the need for someone to promote various kinds of commercial activities to en- hance the benefits of the properties on the mall and suggested the possibility of combining the responsibilities to be fulfilled by one person. Manager said one pro- test to this allocation had been received from Valley River Center people on the basis that public funds would be used to promote what in their minds was a com- mercial function for the downtown area thereby resulting in unequal treatment for competing areas. Art Fairchild, chairman of the Room Tax Committee, said the Committee felt the dif- ference between the commercial areas was that the downtown mall itself was publicly owned whereas mall areas in other shopping areas were privately owned. Councilman Murray asked about the administrative relationship between the city and the Downtown Association in hiring a mall manager, and to whom such a person would report. Also, were there any plans for funding the position on an on-going basis or would Room Tax allocation have to be considered each year. Manager answered that the city administration and the Downtown Association would have to agree upon a person to fill the position with mutual veto power on anyone selected. He said direction would come through city policies in consultation with the parks and recrea- tion director and through him to the Manager's office if necessary. Ed Smith, parks and recreation director, said funding plans were not settled at this time. It was thought after one year with a mall manager there could be analysis and report on the operation to determine its success. Councilwoman Beal wondered whether rent from the public space in the mall area for commercial uses ,could be used to compensate some of the expenditure involved for a mall manager. She felt it would be to the advantage of users of mall space, par- ticularly if it was commercial use, to rent that space and pay a fee. Manager acknowledged potential for that kind of income. However, he said previous Council discussions on that idea had not reached decision on whether there should be com- mercial activities in the mall. He thought this request if funded would give a year's experience which could lead in that direction. Mrs. Beal said the delay in deciding about commercial uses on the mall was at the request of the downtown merchants and that they were hesitant at encouraging any commercial activities on the mall. She did not want to agree to any funding of a nonpublic group which did not necessarily represent the people of Eugene since the mall itself was public property, nor did she want a mall manager directed by the Downtown Association. She felt some contractual arrangement would be necessary. Manager answered that the use of these funds would have to be based on a contractual understanding between the city and the Downtown Association, spelling out service to be performed. However Mrs. Beal thought that type of contractual arrangement would simply set out the purpose for which the money would be allocated, it would not provide for intended uses of the mall. Mrs. Beal moved that a Council subcommittee be appointed to work with the parks department and the Eugene Downtown Association to develop guidelines for the use of the public mall area and for the use of ,the public funds involved. Before the motion was given a second, Mayor Anderson wondered how any result of work by such a group would differ from mall studies already accomplished. Mrs.Beal responded that previous studies had Council approval but were not accepted by the Downtown Association. 93 2/24/75 - 25