01/26/1981 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e e e the people in the area to give the council an indication of how the people in the Willakenzie area would like for that money to be spent. The money is only available once and Gillespie Butte is only available once. However, Gillespie Butte could be a very high-priced piece of property and there may be other property that would be better used for park purposes for recreation. That is the kind of input that is desired by the council from the residents. This is going to be a difficult choice to make. He is rather frustrated regarding this piece of property with EWEB having a $6,000 investment in it. At some point, EWEB has to face up to what their responsibility is, and neither the residents nor the councilors know what that responsibility is now or how EWEB perceives its role in this community regarding parks. They do have a valuable piece of property relative to the public's equity and certainly the considera- tion relative to selling that property should be given. It definitely is a municipal investment. It is not one that the City controls directly or one that the City Council has the opportunity to deal with other than with the limited funding that it has available. He noted that he has a bias--if the council and the City are going to spend $450,000, if that is even a possibility, they should look further regarding park needs in the Willakenzie area. This community is facing an energy crisis, and parks are going to have to fill the bill for recreation. He feels the council must look long and hard at the roles the parks will play in our community in the years ahead. He appreciates the staff recom- mendation and is supportive of it. He feels it is time that EWEB decides what role they are going to play regarding this particular park and other parcels of property in the community as well. Ms. Miller stated that the City has $150,000 to spend on parks in this area from the serial levy and the bond issue. No statement has been received from the residents saying what the best use of that money would be. She feels that most people would want a park three or four blocks away from their house but not next door or across town. She has been to Gillispie Butte twice lately and it is a beautiful place. The City does not have the money to buy, improve, or maintain it so the EWEB Board will have to make a policy decision. The council represents essentially the same people that the EWEB Board does and a joint decision should be reached to best serve the City residents. Ms. Smith indicated agreement with the staff recommendation. The council is committed to parks and open space and this is a frustrating situation. The financial obligation is more than the City can or should undertake. She agrees with Councilor Obie's suggestions regarding alternatives for parks in that neighborhood. People should be aware of the possibility of working with the school district. She hoped that Mr. Drapela would continue exploring the alternatives. Ms. Schue stated that she is a new member of the Joint Parks Committee. Every- one likes parks, but opinions differ on the kinds and locations. Money is MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 26, 1981 Page 9