CC Minutes - 11/12/02 Work Session

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like reduction. Therefore, this request becomes a priority over other items that had not yet been discussed. Ms. Taylor said that the CIC involved citizens who might not otherwise be involved in City projects. She cited the members from the Voter Pool and Neighborhood Pool as examples. Ms. Taylor questioned whether a staff person needed to attend all neighborhood meetings, suggesting that to reduce that commitment would free staff to provide more support to the ClC. Ms. Nathanson requested a one-page analysis illustrating the choices before the Budget Committee. She thought the committee needed the context such an analysis would provide. Mr. Carlson noted that typically, staff did not provide service level analyses until the Budget Committee requested them. Mayor Torrey urged members of the ClC and council who felt strongly about the topic to prepare a rationale for the recommendation to offer the Budget Committee members. He believed it needed to be considered in the framework of other City service priorities. Mr. Kelly suggested the CIC's major project could be examination of how to better involve citizens in ad hoc efforts. Mr. Kelly disagreed that staff members should not attend neighborhood meetings. Mr. Kelly spoke to the issue of including the item in the budget or identifying it as an add-on, saying the council was merely including the item "in the mix" and highlighting the change to the Budget Committee. Mr. Carlson said that the Budget Committee went through a priority setting exercise and Neighborhood Services was not in the top tier of service priorities. He said that staff wanted to ensure that resources were aligned with service levels. If resources were not provided, an enhanced level of service could not be promised. He wanted the council to come to agreement about the service and resources. Mr. Meisner anticipated a difficult budget season. He agreed with the mayor's summation of his poll, which was for change in the approach the City took to citizen involvement. The proposed action was occurring without public testimony on competing service priorities. He wanted the ClC to address outcomes. He said that the ClC had a survey that it ignored in making its recommendation. It was proposing to increase staffing by many times at a time when other City programs were undergoing reductions. Mr. Fart said the ClC had experienced dramatic program cutbacks and it deserved reexamination. He pointed out the increase in staff levels did not bring the program up to its past level of support. He preferred to employ the original motion in the AlS. Mr. Fart, seconded by Mr. Rayor, moved to delete the words "base draft" from the motion. Ms. Bettman opposed the amendment. She had hoped that the Planning and Development Department could reexamine its other resources when it prepared its budget. She pointed out that MINUTES--Eugene City Council November 12, 2002 Page 7 Work Session