City Council Newsletter - 11/22/06

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Public Workshop Kicks Off Ridgeline Area Open Space Vision and Action Plan An exciting effort to develop a long-term ridgeline area open space vision will kick off with a public workshop on Tuesday, December 5. Located in the southern Willamette Valley, the ridgeline area is a 20-mile corridor that follows the major ridgeline spanning the area between Fern Ridge Reservoir and Mount Pisgah. The area marks the transition from the urbanized Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area to the north and the rural landscape to the south and forms a scenic backdrop that is visible from much of Eugene and the Spencer Creek Valley. The area contains recreational trails, prominent area landmarks such as Spencer Butte, unique oak savanna and prairie habitats, headwater streams, and picturesque farm and forest lands. The workshop will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Bascom/Tykeson Room at the Eugene Public Library, th 100 West 10 Avenue. The workshop agenda includes a presentation from 6 to 6:30 p.m. followed by an opportunity to ask questions and provide input from 6:30 to 8 p.m. At the workshop, participants will be asked to provide input on topics such as recreational use, habitat management, visual quality, farm and forest uses, and other issues related to the ridgeline area. The input will be used as a basis for developing an open space vision and action plan for the ridgeline area. The Eugene City Council ultimately will be asked to endorse the open space vision and action plan along with other local elected officials in fall 2007. The workshop is sponsored by Long Tom Watershed Council, The Nature Conservancy, Bureau of Land Management, McKenzie River Trust, Lane County Parks, City of Eugene, and Willamalane Park & Recreation District. For more information, contact Jeff Krueger, senior landscape architect, Lane Council of Governments, at 682-4122 or by e-mail at jkrueger@lcog.org. Company Officer Promotional Process Completed The Eugene Fire & EMS Department recently completed a promotional process for Company Officers. In order to be eligible for the exam, a firefighter candidate must first successfully complete the department’s Officer Development Program (ODP). The ODP is a year-long, four- module course, which requires personnel to successfully complete four written exams, ten drill field practical scenarios and three personnel management evaluations. A total of five personnel took part in the process this year. The promotional board consisted of personnel from the Eugene Fire & EMS Department, the City’s Human Resource and Risk Services Department, Springfield Fire & Life Safety and the Salem Fire Department. As a result, one person will be promoted this week to Fire Lieutenant, and it is anticipated that there will be two more promotions due to retirements at the end of the year. For more information, please contact A/Deputy Chief Operations Randy DeWitt at 682-7130. Network of Oregon Watershed Councils Presents Leadership Award to City of Eugene The City of Eugene was recognized in October 2006 at the annual meeting of the Network of Oregon Watershed Councils with the organization’s first Statewide Leadership Award. In presenting the award, John Moriarty, statewide coordinator of the Network of Oregon Watershed Councils, credited the City with providing a home to the network for more than two years. “Despite two moves and extensive office remodeling projects, the City has always found office space to meet the needs of Network staff, and has done so in the most hospitable way,” Moriarty said. “That in-kind support has been extremely valuable in terms of cost saving for the Network, and it continues to be crucial to the Network operating successfully in support of watershed councils throughout the state. The contribution is also symbolic of the leadership the City of Eugene takes in working toward watershed health throughout EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 November 22, 2006