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- M I NUT E S EUGENE CITY COUNCIL ,June 9,1975 Regular meeting of the Council President Neil in the Council Chamber Williams, Ray Bradley, Common Council of the city of Eugene, Oregon was called to order by Murray in the absence of Mayor Anderson at 7:30 p.m. on June 9,1975 with other Council members present: Gus Keller, Wickes Beal, Tom D. W. Hamel, Eric Haws, and Edna Shirey. I - Public Hearings A. 1975-76 Budget - $39,665,964 Assistant Manager explained that the budget at this meeting would be the subject of public hearing only to get it into order for adoption at the June 23 Council meet- ing. It was anticipated, he said, that the modifications proposed would not change the estimated tax levy from that for 1974-75. Gary Long, acting city manager, explained the changes made in the budget since budget committee consideration - appropriation to Library capital improvement to restore funds appropriated in the previous year but not carried over, funds trans- ferred from the sewer utility fund to finance parking improvements at the airport, and other modifications consisting of only bookkeeping transactions. Public hearing was opened. I-A-l Torn Hoyt, 460 Palomino Drive, explained that because of his interest in the business tax recently proposed, he was prompted to review the city's budget proposals. As a result, he was asked to organize a group representing the business community [he explained he was not speaking for the Chamber of Commerce or any special business interests] to review the 1974-75 city budget to become familiar with the budgeting process. The intent was to inform the group with the hope they could make proposals that might result in increasing the productivity of city employes or eliminate non- essential programs, the primary objective being to assist the city from the business- man's point of view. With review of the prior year's budget as background, he said, the group attended 1975-76 budget committee meetings. Since they experienced the same frustrations experienced by the budget committee, they were not able to make any specific recommendations with regard to this budget, but after spending as much time as they were able as unpaid public participants, they did have some suggestions. e .e Mr. Hoyt said they found it imperative for the citizen to become informed in order to present constructive criticism. There was consensus that the present budget process needed changing, recognizing there were plans at this time for discussions with the new city manager. upon his arrival to determine how to improve the process and provide for greater input from the elected representatives. He said another suggestion was careful consideration of the impact of new programs before they were initially authorized, an evaluation of priorities with existing programs and impact on future budgets in competition for tax dollars. He cited the $73,000 appropriation in the present budget for neighborhood associations. He liked the concept and en- dorsed the associations' contributions to city government, but he thought the associa- tion memberships themselves could easily absorb some of the costs of such things as the printing and mailing of newsletters now being financed by taxes. A third sug- gestion was for consideration of putting out to private bid some of the services now provided by city employes. He cited the parks department improvement in "maintenance-per-man-hourtl figures and thought that pointed out that producitivity in the past had not been at maximum. He said putting maintenance of certain parks on specifications as a bsis for bids by private enterprise could benefit the tax- payers. Mr. Hoyt continued that after review of the budget process he was convinced the taxpayes were at the mercy of the manager's office and city staff, and although he felt an admirable job was being done, that still would not reduce the present con- cern about development and adoption of future budgets. 6/9/75 - 1 .1>03