CC Minutes - 01/24/01 Work Session

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Ms. Nathanson said she would be traveling the next day to attend the National League of Cities Leadership Meeting. The committee chairs and officers will be discussing Mayor Archer's initiative to invest in communities. She said she would give the council a report when she returned. Ms. Nathanson acknowledged The Register-Guard's new approach to reporting on City news and said she found it helpful and hoped other residents did as well. She liked having more and regular information about what was going on in the City organization. Ms. Nathanson noted concerns expressed in past years about erosion control, particularly in the south hills. She asked for a staff update on how the City's erosion control program was working. Ms. Nathanson noted her previous interest in having parents and volunteers provide safe crossings for children going to and from school, and said that at the time she raised the issue, the 4J district had no interest in pursuing it. She had encouraged the City and 4J to work together on the issue. Since that time, it appeared that there were programs at some schools and the City was assisting 4J in a crossing program. She requested a briefing on the topic and how the situation came about. She was pleased about the development. Mr. Rayor noted his support for the lower funding amount for WlSTEC because no one had asked the University about its support for the higher level of funding. He had called Meg Trendler of WlSTEC the day following the council's action to promise to reinstate his firm's previous annual contribution and to indicate he would attempt to personally solicit other businesses for funding, but the organization still closed. Mr. Johnson clarified that the board had not yet voted to close the facility. Mr. Rayor said he had received a complaint about the reductions in after-school programs from a constituent and had responded by noting the short-term nature of the levy and his hope that the funding could continue. He wanted staff would get back to the citizen and copy him with the rely. Mr. Rayor brought up an issue regarding the tracking of projects in the City. He encouraged business owners on Willamette Street and 25th Avenue to become proactive about what was needed in that area and a petition was submitted to the City. There was a crossing study planned, but no scheduled date for construction. He had no good answer when people asked him about such projects. Mr. Rayor believed the City should determine a schedule for the project as soon as possible, even if there was no funding, and let the petitioners know of its status. Mr. Rayor said that citizens were also interested in a traffic calming project at Willamette Street and 33rd Avenue and expected the City to get back to them with a schedule. He asserted he had been "left out of the loop" about the project. He said the City should develop interested parties lists for such projects and include councilors on the list. He thought that the issue was somehow related to the position of the Public Service Officer, saying if he did not "tickle her to tickle them no one is going to tickle me." He did not know what to do. If the City wanted him to pay attention to his constituents, he needed more support. He suggested the Public Service Officer needed help, and perhaps should be focused on wards rather than the entire city. Mr. Pap8 said he had received several contacts about school closures and would welcome a work session with the 4J School Board on the subject. He said he had also received constituent contacts about the KidsCity reductions and agreed with Mr. Farr's remarks. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 24, 2001 Page 2 Work Session