CC Minutes - 08/13/03 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

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Westmoreland Community Center and had worked to find ways to keep them open for public purposes. Ms. Nathanson supported the staff recommendation. Ms. Taylor agreed with the remarks of Ms. Bettman and Ms. Nathanson. She thought the bequest carried a moral obligation and the facility should not be sold. She said that Eugene did not receive as many gifts as many other communities in the country. She thought giving away or selling a gift would discourage residents who wanted to provide similar gifts. Speaking to the issue of what "support" meant, Mr. Meisner expressed hope that the definition was resolved as he did not want to see the EECA lease the space to a commercial enterprise such as, for example, a motorcycle shop, which might provide it with financial support but which he thought would be inconsistent with the use of the building. Mr. Meisner expressed general support for the resolution. He asked how the annex was acquired. Mr. Svendsen said that it was also a gift from Trude Kaufman. Mr. Meisner asked what the City could expect to gain from the sale of the annex, and where would the proceeds go. He asked if the proceeds could be used to support the center's operation. Mr. Svendsen estimated sale of the annex would realize approximately $225,000, and indicated the proceeds would go to the Facilities Reserve. Mr. Meisner was supportive of the motion on the floor and expressed interest in earmarking all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the annex to the operation of the center. Mr. Svendsen clarified that the staff recommendation that the EECA be allocated $12,000 from the Kaufman Trust Fund was in lieu of the use of the annex. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Mr. Kelly, moved to amend the ordinance by amending Recital E to read "Extensive repairs and renovation will be required to make the Kaufman Senior Center Annex suitable for use by the public and the Kaufman Trust Fund should be used for this purpose"; by amending Section 1 to add "and Annex" following the words "Kaufman Senior Center"; and by amending Section 1 to say that the lease shall be for an initial term of two years at $1, with an option to renew thereafter, depending upon outcomes achieved. Ms. Bettman noted that the terms of the CUP allowed parking to be shared, and if the annex was sold, the EECA would lose parking at the center. She said that licensed and bonded contractors had expressed willingness to volunteer their services for the work that needed to be done on the Kaufman Center and annex, and the money from the trust fund could be used for materials. Ms. Bettman endorsed the proposal as an example of a public/private partnership and said that such partnerships required a subsidy and were accompanied by liabilities. However, the City already such subsidized partnerships in other areas, such as the Science Factory. She thought the amount involved relatively small and it would come from the Kaufman Trust Fund, which was generated through the behest. Mr. Kelly indicated support for the amendment. He agreed with Ms. Nathanson about the public good involved and with her remarks about the growing demand for senior services. Mr. Kelly believed that there were more uncertainties about the future use of the property if the annex was separated from the center. He wanted to keep the two properties together. MINUTES--Eugene City Council August 13, 2003 Page 7 Work Session