CC Minutes - 08/11/03 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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Dan Arkin, 655 Goodpasture Island Road, echoed Ms. Cranor's plea that the City of Eugene go on record requesting that a ramp be built as an access-way to the planned federal courthouse. He related that, since 1980, he had been a litigant and a lawyer in Southern California and, among many experiences, had to be carried into a courthouse, had to be brought in through a back entrance and through a basement, and had to ask a judge to move a car out of a handicapped space in order to access a building. He stated that he had seen ramps added to historic courthouses. He commented that the subway system in Washington, DC had been retrofitted for accessibility at great expense. He noted that he had ridden on the Bay Area Rapid Transit numerous times and that, though designed to be accessible, was sometimes inaccessible due to elevator malfunctions, something one would not realize prior to debarking from the train. Mr. Arkin stressed that people with disabilities had fought long and hard for accessibility and had come a long way. He said it was "overwhelmingly baffling" to see architects and judges represent the obstacles to progress. He added that he had gone to Salem earlier in the month and that all the buildings were accessible by ramps and that the ramps were "gorgeous." Tok Shin Lee, 1588 Regency Drive, said that he had lived in the "great City of Eugene" since 1974. He stated that he had lost two brothers to war, the second of whom was MIA/POW, lost at sea when the boat he was on was hit by a Russian torpedo. He called his brother the "best brother one could ever dream of having." He said that he thought of his brother often and felt helpless, because he did not know where he was. Mr. Lee related that during the war in Korea, lasting more than three years, more than 38,000 soldiers from the United States had lost their lives. He remarked that, from his own experience, not knowing whether a loved one was living or dead was most difficult. Mr. Lee commended the United States and the right to freedom of speech, stating that he had lived in South Korea and Japan during periods of oppression. Charles Katon, 798 Leigh Street, spoke in support of the request to fly the POW/MIA flag as a memorial. He related that one promise made to members of the armed forces prior to deployment overseas was that all efforts would be made to return them. He said that, though the flying of the flag would not likely make the process of repatriation of lost soldiers happen any faster, it would serve as a reminder of the slogan of the POW/MIA organizations: "You Will Not Be Forgotten." He asserted that the flag should be flown on Skinner Butte as the flag that was there was a war memorial. Zachary Vishanoff, Villard Street, accused the City Council of "dragging its feet" on the flying of the POW/MIA on Skinner Butte. Regarding planning in east Eugene, Mr. Vishanoff asserted University of Oregon students would not approve of some of the things that had been happening over the summer. He raised concern MINUTES--Eugene City Council August 11, 2003 Page 6 Regular Meeting