CC Minutes - 09/08/03 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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5. PUBLIC HEARING: An Ordinance Repealing Ordinance No. 20273 Concerning Transporta- tion System Maintenance Fees City Manager Taylor asked the Director of Public Works, Kurt Corey, to speak to the ordinance. Mr. Corey provided a brief overview of the previous council action on the transportation system mainte- nance fee (TSMF). He noted the ordinance establishing the TSMF had been subject to a referendum drive and an initiative campaign, both of which were unsuccessful, and that the Chamber of Commerce had announced another initiative campaign to rescind the ordinance. He said that the City of Springfield had adopted a similar TSMF in December 2002, and then subsequently repealed the enabling ordinance in June 2003, after organizers of the initiative campaign had submitted approximately 1,200 signatures in support of placing the fee on the ballot. He stated that the Board of County Commissioners had suggested a possible meeting with the cities in Lane County to discuss the possibility of sharing some funds from the Road Fund. Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. Dave Hauser, 2168 Elkhorn Drive, representing the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, thanked the council on behalf of the chamber for moving forward on the repeal of the TSMF. He reiterated the chamber's position that the TSMF was the wrong solution to the backlog of street maintenance projects and repairs. He stressed that the chamber remained committed to working with the council and the county commissioners to find a solution that would be dedicated to address street maintenance issues that would be equitable and would not penalize Eugene businesses. Mayor Torrey, seeing no others wishing to testify, closed the public hearing. He opened the floor for questions and comments from the council. Councilor Pap~ asked Mr. Corey to elaborate on the potential meeting of staff and the commissioners. Mr. Corey said that a preliminary meeting had been scheduled for later in the month. Mr. Taylor clarified that mayors, city managers, and some commissioners were meeting the next week, convened by the City of Springfield, in order to have a general discussion on the distribution of County road funds and the distribution of transportation funds recently approved by the State Legislature. Mayor Torrey added that it may not be appropriate to meet. Mr. Taylor agreed, and commented that the commissioners could choose not to attend. Councilor Pap~ expressed disappointment that the commissioners had not been more forthcoming in scheduling a meeting. Mr. Taylor attributed the lack of a specific meeting schedule to the uncertainty on the part of the Board of County Commissioners whether the Eugene City Council would repeal the TSMF. Regarding Mr. Hauser's assertion that the fee would have been a penalty, Councilor Pap~ reiterated that every developed property would have been assessed the fee. Councilor Kelly requested whether the meeting Mr. Taylor spoke of would be convened and when. He asked staff to include in a memorandum whether it would be a public meeting and, if so, whether it would be publicly noticed. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 8, 2003 Page 14 Regular Meeting