Item 4A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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perhaps be a standard for the State. She noted that the council’s legislative agenda would need to be amended and asked staff to provide that language. She pointed out that the ordinance did not prohibit access to the cage fight premises by minors and asked if that could be included. Mr. Lidz said the council could prohibit access by minors. Ms. Bettman asked that the ordinance be amended to include prohibiting access by minors before it was considered for adoption. Ms. Solomon questioned how the regulations would be enforced and whether police officers would be sent to monitor the cage fights, thereby taking officers off the street who should be providing public safety services in the community. City Manager Taylor said his recommendation would not be to enforce a business regulation with public safety officers. He said it was more likely to be handled by the Planning and Development Department and include discussions with participants and promoters on how best to approach enforcement. He pointed out that Eugene had led the State on many issues, including a smoking prohibition, Public Employee Retirement System reform, and value-added changes to Measure 37. Mr. Lidz said the Nevada rules had been adopted by most of the mixed martial arts groups, at least for professional fighting and those groups would like to have similar rules in place for amateur fights. He said adopting rules with which promoters and participants were already familiar could reduce enforcement requirements. Ms. Taylor asked if minors could be participants in fights. Mr. Lidz said that could be specifically included in the ordinance. Ms. Taylor felt the only appropriate action was to ban extreme fighting as regulating it implied approval. Mr. Kelly indicated he also preferred a ban but understood that was not the will of a majority of the council. Mr. Kelly, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to direct the City Manager to place the ordi- nance on the January 8, 2007, agenda for action, with the wording of the ordinance revised to add the following language as subparagraph 4 of Code section 4.740(2)(a): “Require that either the promoter or the participant provide proof of medical insurance for short-term and long-term care for any serious physical injury that a participant suffers dur- ing a match, competition or exhibition.” Mr. Kelly said he was also in favor of seeing language return to the council that would address minor access and minor participation. Mr. Poling remarked that minors could view extreme fighting at home on television and was not certain he would support banning them from the premises. Regarding Ms. Solomon’s concerns about enforcement, he noted that liquor laws were enforced by bartenders and servers and he did not feel that having a police officer present at events would be necessary as promoters should have enforcement responsibility. Ms. Bettman asked staff to provide language banning minors from the premises and from participating. She said studies showed that viewing violence desensitized youth to human suffering and decreased their capacity for compassion and that would be exacerbated by watching a live event. Mayor Piercy appreciated the council’s discussion and felt it could be very helpful to the legislature. MINUTES—Eugene City Council November 27, 2006 Page 10 Work Session