CC Minutes - 05/13/02 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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businesses. They had fixed costs that exceeded their incomes. The only escape for some would be bankruptcy, and he anticipated that would happen for some. Tracy Olson, 795 Willamette Street, spoke against the tobacco ordinance, noting that while bar sales have fallen, liquor sales have increased. The bars' smoking customers were drinking and smoking at home. In addition, Springfield revenues are up in bars, because people were willing to drive there to smoke. He said that the conditions were not only attributable to the poor economy. Portland-area establishments report flat sales or even small growth. He was waiting for those who supported the ordinance to patronize those businesses they fought so hard to rid of smoke. Pat Sullivan, 3674 Ox Box Way, resident of the Harlow Neighbors, criticized the adequacy of the sound wall and said that in some cases it created secondary noise issues. ODOT contends it can prove the wall works; based on that contention, a Hearings Official ruled that the assessment must be paid. ODOT merely removed natural barriers and replaced them with a wall that did not work. Ms. Sullivan said that the department did not do a reasonable noise study and cannot prove the wall improved levels by five decibels. Ms. Sullivan asked the council to set aside the decision of the Hearings Official, and work to convince ODOT that replacing the wall was the right thing to do. Chuck Imus, 2720 Country Lane, also asked the council to set aside the decision of the Hearings Official. He said that ODOT should have measured the sound before it started the wall and then measure it again to determine whether mitigation occurred. He asked the City to help the residents put pressure on ODOT for improvements to the sound wall. Jerry Henderson, 4065 Alder Street, Principal of South Eugene High School, spoke in support of continued funding for the police in the schools. He said that it was a very effective way of demonstrating the City's commitment to youth and preventing problems before they became serious. He said that cutting a position would call that commitment into question. He emphasized that the officers increase safety in the schools as well as create a climate of safety. Martin Jones, 2300 Parkside Lane, spoke against reconsideration of the ordinance that prohibited smoking in all work places, and thanked the council for passing the law. The Oregon Medical Association supported the council's action. He said that the issue was a public health issue, not a right-to-smoke issue. Smokers die at greater rates and at a earlier age than the remainder of the population. He said that any shift in terms of customers between Springfield and Eugene was small, about five to ten percent. He claimed that he had personally patronized several bars since the passage of the law. He said that the discussion should be about how to extend the ban to the entire state, and convince the Oregon Restaurant Association that the law was the right thing to do. Bill Sullivan, 1958 Onyx Street, said he was with the Lane Library League, a nonprofit organization that was working with Lane Council of Governments to expand library services in Lane County. He said that the group was planning a next step, and he believed a taxing district was the next step. He invited the council to a meeting on May 30 to discuss the logistics of forming a library district. He applauded Councilor Meisner for the work he had done in working with staff to open the library branches and called for the involvement of the entire council. MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 13, 2002 Page 3 Regular Meeting