CC Minutes - 08/12/02 Work Session

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Mr. Fart, seconded by Mr. Meisner, moved to extend the discussion by 10 minutes. The vote on the motion was a 4:4 tie, Mr. Pap~, Mr. Fart, Mr. Meisner, and Ms. Nathanson voting in favor, and Mr. Kelly, Ms. Taylor, Ms. Bettman, and Mr. Rayor voting in opposition. Mayor Torrey voted in opposition to the motion, which failed on a final vote of 5:4. Regarding the amendment, Mr. Farr said he would be in favor of developing resources to economic development, but not in the particular fashion suggested by the motion. He expressed regret that the work session had been spent debating a late motion by an individual councilor and said that the council could have had a productive discussion regarding sustainability and economic development without having a motion on the floor. He stressed that there was no standard definition of sustainability and said there was a great deal to be done before the council decided on putting more layers of bureaucracy on the businesses in the community. The amendment passed, 7:1; Mr. Kelly voting in opposition. The main motion passed, 6:2; Mr. Fart and Ms. Nathanson voting in opposition. C.WORK SESSION: Living Wage Mr. Pap~ recused himself from the discussion. City Manager Carlson stressed that staff had no proposal or recommendation on the item at this time. He said there was a lot of information needed before staff could make a recommendation. He said there was little uniformity in such ordinances nationwide. Human Resource and Risk Services Department Director Lauren Chouinard provided the staff report for the item. He noted that there had not been a lot of research on the subject. He said there were over 80 communities with living wage standards, including 5 in the State of Oregon. He called attention to the written material included in the council meeting packet. He said a more in-depth analysis of the issue was still coming. Ms. Bettman said she would support an ordinance. She said that workers in the City deserved a wage that met their basic needs. She stressed that the money would stay in the community rather than providing millions of dollars in exemptions to multinational corporations that sent money out of the community. She suggested implementing the ordinance in phases. Ms. Nathanson supported the principal of the ordinance. She raised concern with living wage implementation. She noted that there was a wide discrepancy in what a proposed living wage ought to be and called for more information from staff regarding what the actual wage would be. Mr. Fart said it was absurd to suggest that an economic strategy should be predicated by government spending. He said he would vote in favor of the ordinance but reiterated staff's assertion that there was a lot more research to do on the subject. He said it was not the job of government to provide jobs as that was the role of private industry. Mr. Kelly said more research was a necessary next step. He expressed a hope to discuss policy at that particular work session. He read a letter in support of the living wage signed by MINUTES--Eugene City Council August 12, 2002 Page 6 Work Session