Item 3A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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visible expression of how much we honor our cultural and social diversity. We should get excited about this opportunity. Many of you talk about the need for architecturally appealing buildings. Just think of this one as a beautiful connector of our arts and outdoors and a symbol of us, this wonderful community. This is something you build for future generations, for Eugeneans far into the future. ? It’s also about how we live together. The Civilian Review Board will be in place as the next step in rebuilding confidence in public safety. In addition, we will work to have the best police responses possible to individuals experiencing mental health crises and the Police Commission will be bringing forward recommendations for council consideration. We will continue to work with the HRC to re- duce the stigma attached to mental health conditions. ? The Community Committee on Race will bring recommendations to the council for next steps to better ensure that everyone feels welcome in Eugene. We aren’t the community that we want to be until we achieve this. ? We will work with community partners to sponsor Project Homeless Connect in February and I will name a Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Homelessness. ? We will have a Neighborhood Summit to continue work on our Neighborhood Initiative, improving our usage of our neighborhood associations in key decision-making in Eugene. I hope you each par- ticipate in some way in your own neighborhood association. ? Finally, our road infrastructure is important. As promised, work is underway with local, regional and national partners to address West Eugene transportation needs in a way that will improve the livability of that area of our community. In addition to the substantial list of ongoing efforts, I propose five new goals for the year 2007: ? I would like to see a City Youth Advisory Committee put in place. Our young people have worked hard to have an increased voice in our community. They participated in the Sustainable Business Initiative, lobbied successfully for a LEADS meeting space, and led a huge free speech effort. ? I will issue a Mayor’s Neighborhood Climate Change Challenge for a 20 percent reduction in carbon emissions. Everyone wants to do his or her part. ? I will invite regional mayors to meet for discussion of mutual infrastructure issues. Working to- gether, we can better ensure the success of each community. ? I will call for a downtown planning meeting with the Board of County Commissioners. Eugene and Lane County each have goals for new and revitalized buildings and we could help each other in reaching those goals. ? In addition to my ongoing Mayor One-on Ones, I will meet with 100 businesses and non-profits to th assess any ways the city can be of assistance. Those in the West 11 corridor are of particular in- terest. Cooperation is needed. Remember that I mentioned cooperation? We’ll need more of that this year. To accomplish our goals we’ll need higher levels of cooperation and working together across jurisdictions -- for all our people and our future. I could say much more about both our challenges and our opportunities! But the bottom line is, among cities in Oregon as well as nationally, Eugene is a LEADER, and we have a lot to be proud of. To accomplish our goals for the future, each and every one us of needs to step up. Step up to more civic involvement, investment and more volunteering. Step up to the challenges I’ve outlined. MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 4, 2007 Page 7 State of the City