Item 2A: Approval of Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

majority vote, override the City Manager's action. He thought this was an explicit check and balance. Nonetheless, he felt this language should not be relegated to an annex. Mr. Solin said it would not be problematic to make small changes to the document. Ms. Taylor seconded Mr. Kelly's request. She thought the language should be clear and specific because in 20 years this council would be gone and a City Manager could be in place who was "power hungry." City Manager Taylor remarked that it was unlikely that one would become "power hungry" in the midst of a disaster of some scale. Ms. Taylor suggested that Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services (LRCS) staff be required to undergo emergency training. She cited, as an example, the possibility that someone could poison the water at the Amazon Aquatic Center or that a stampede of exiting audience members could occur at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. Mr. Pap6 ascertained from new councilors Pryor and Ortiz and Mayor Piercy that they did not know what their powers were in a state of emergency. He recommended this be incorporated into orientation and training for new councilors. He also requested inclusion of the Eugene Code that Mr. Kelly cited in council packets for the next meeting. Mr. Solin noted that it was included in the CD-ROM under Annex L. In response to a question from Mr. Pap6, Mr. Solin stated that the flow chart in the emergency plan was taken directly out of the National Response Plan. City Manager Taylor added that since 1944, the City Manager had been the executive officer in this situation according to City Charter. Mr. Pap6 suggested that the wording be changed on page 31, 6.6, so that at the end of the second sentence the word 'customers' be changed to 'residents' or 'people.' Ms. Bettman, seconded by Mr. Pap6, moved to extend the time for the discussion by five minutes. The motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Ms. Bettman said while she disagreed with the notion that someone might become "power hungry" she did believe in maintaining a series of checks and balances. She believed that some decisions were discretion- ary and a balance of power ensured that the best decisions would be made. In response to a question from Ms. Bettman, Mr. Solin stated that the emergency plan, in the legal annex, discussed the ordinances to declare a state of emergency. He said in the resolution to adopt NIMS there was no specific tie to the ordinances, but there was no need for there to be one as it sought to tie the City's system with the NIMS, the overarching system. He underscored that it did not supercede the local ordinance. Ms. Bettman opined that the ordinance should be cited in a provision in the resolution so that it could be easily tied into the ordinance. Mr. Pryor appreciated all of the work that had gone into the plan. He commented that he had only been involved in one emergency, the Thurston High School shooting. He stated that the emergency plan MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 27, 2005 Page 4 Work Session