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Ms. Bettman thought the project would provide a benefit to certain business areas that were <br />preselected without taking into account the City's other objectives. She thought that fact took it <br />out of the public realm and made the project more of a commercial enterprise. She thought if the <br />community was really committed to developing nodes, EWEB would look at where the nodes are <br />and provide the service in those areas, which were intended to have the densest concentrations of <br />employment. Ms. Bettman said that EWEB made its decision on the basis of the market, but that <br />was not necessarily where the infrastructure was needed for development that was consistent with <br />the City's Growth Management Study policies. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman determined from Ms. Wright that the utility's public involvement effort was not tied <br />to the initial resolution passed by the council and EWEB commissioners. Mr. Bartel clarified that <br />the voters voted on the charter amendment only, and whether EWEB could have the authority to <br />provide telecommunications services. Ms. Bettman averred that the background to that was the <br />resolution adopted, which provided certain protections. Mr. Bartel termed the resolution "very <br />deep background." Ms. Bettman thought the protections were well thought-out. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner returned to the meeting room. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman determined from Ms. Wright that EWEB was proposing the potential of using the <br />electric utility to back the business plan. EWEB was not proposing to use the electric utility to <br />fund the project start-up or its continuing operations. Ms. Bettman said that the ratepayers would <br />end up paying the costs of the project if it did not succeed, and that was an issue for her. She <br />thought the plan should be able to stand on its own. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey asked if any councilor objected to EWEB returning with a joint resolution for the <br />council to consider. There was no opposition. <br /> <br />Mr. Pap~ called for a firewall between the utility and the project. <br /> <br />Ms. Nathanson suggested that City staff consult with EWEB regarding possible changes to the <br />resolution, including that EWEB would consult with Eugene regarding potential identified nodes <br />and growth management polices in terms of the system design and location, and the role EWEB <br />would have in terms of oversight over service delivery and pricing. <br /> <br />The meeting adjourned at 7:52 p.m. <br /> <br />Respectfully submitted, <br /> <br />James R. Johnson <br />City Manager <br /> <br />(Recorded by Kimberly Young) <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 25, 2001 Page 13 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />