Laserfiche WebLink
growing up in the Latino community. While she would not choose to attend such an event at this point in <br />her life, she could not support preventing attendance by minors, given that it was still a spectacle some <br />people watched as a family. She added that she would consider supporting an amendment that required an <br />accompanying adult. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman wished to make a point about “children being allowed into these events.” She related <br />that Mr. Georgianna acknowledged in one letter that one concern had to do with “cage girls that [were] <br />dressed too lasciviously.” She noted that Mr. Georgianna asserted he would tone down the way the “girls” <br />would dress. She said she was sure that “half-naked women presiding over a bloody spectacle in a cage, <br />with people beating each other to a pulp, makes money.” She averred this was fine for adults but it was not <br />fine for “children.” She reiterated her belief that minors should be prohibited from the premises. <br /> <br />Councilor Taylor indicated she would support the amendment. She noted the comparison one councilor had <br />made to movies and commented that seeing something in real life was not the same as seeing it in a movie. <br /> <br />Roll call vote; the motion to amend failed, 6:2; councilors Bettman and Taylor voting in favor. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy observed that there was support for the ordinance. She asked the councilors to consider <br />whether they wanted to pass an amendment and have it come into play in the face of the impending state <br />legislation. <br /> <br />Councilor Pryor supported imposing some level of oversight. While he did not want the ordinance to be too <br />prohibitive, he said he would like to see an effort to determine what the boxing industry did and to craft <br />something similar to that. He did not want the people who were promoting mixed martial arts to go forward <br />from this ordinance wondering what sort of restrictions the City would next place upon them. <br /> <br />City Manager Taylor suggested that he and staff provide a range of options as a council assignment and <br />provide it in the regular Thursday packet. Councilor Pryor said he was amenable to that. <br /> <br />Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Bettman, moved to amend the ordinance to impose <br />limitations on participation and attendance by minors without parental or guardian consent. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman offered a friendly amendment to delete the word participation. Councilor <br />Zelenka accepted the friendly amendment. <br /> <br />Roll call vote; the motion passed, 7:1; Councilor Clark voting in opposition. <br /> <br />Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Bettman, moved to prohibit participation in the mixed <br />martial arts fights by minors. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Councilor Solomon, City Manager Taylor said he would provide a range of <br />options as part of a response to the question raised by Councilor Pryor. He stated that he would, based <br />upon the council’s action, probably promulgate rules that the council could comment on. <br /> <br />Councilor Zelanka asked Councilor Poling to elaborate on the reasons for prohibiting minors from <br />participating in the events given that minors participated in other sports. Councilor Poling acknowledged <br />that minors did participate in other rough sports such as football, but he believed mixed martial arts fighting <br />might be too aggressive for the younger age group. <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 8, 2007 Page 10 <br /> Regular Meeting <br /> <br />