Laserfiche WebLink
He expressed a hope that three councilors would support him in sustaining the potential veto and <br />expressed a further hope that such an action from him would not be needed. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey pointed out that PeaceHealth had a severe test to meet in the conditional use permit <br />process for developing its chosen site. He urged the council not to force Peace Health into the <br />Gateway area of Springfield where there was adequate space and willing sellers of land. <br /> <br />Councilor Kelly believed that it was premature to discuss vetoing an ordinance whose form and <br />substance was not yet known. Regarding the potential of PeaceHealth moving to Springfield, <br />Councilor Kelly opined that the board had ties to the community of Eugene and would not think of <br />moving to Springfield. He added that such a move would be the end of McKenzie Willamette <br />Hospital and the end of hospital competition in the metro area. <br /> <br />In response to a concern over the extra time added to the process by Councilor Nathanson's <br />motions, City Manager Johnson said that items 1 and 2 would be difficult to provide accurate <br />information about. He said that he would need direction from council as to a deadline date of a <br />"high level, quick turnaround" report. He added that such a report would include lots of <br />assumptions and educated guesses but would be as professionally done as possible. He <br />stressed the need for a formal traffic analysis with a specific location in mind. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman commented that it was no secret that PeaceHealth was negotiating for <br />property north of its existing site at Crescent, in and out of the urban growth boundary. She <br />suggested adding possible urban costs into the study of Item 1. <br /> <br />Councilor Farr stressed the need for a traffic analysis of the Crescent site versus the downtown <br />site. <br /> <br />Councilor Taylor said that a majority of councilors wanted the hospital to be in the downtown area. <br />She said she would vote against Councilor Nathanson's motions. <br /> <br />Councilor Nathanson said that the issue was not about what the council preferred but what was <br />realistic and achievable for the City to accomplish. She stressed the need for an objective <br />analysis. <br /> <br />Councilor Pap8 commented that the council was forgetting that it was dealing with a private <br />institution. He stressed that PeaceHealth owned its own land and had every right to move north. <br />He expressed his preference for the hospital to stay in the core of the City but stressed again that <br />PeaceHealth could do what it could with its property. <br />Regarding Councilor Kelly's comments about the hospital's "ties to the City", Councilor Pap8 noted <br />that the hospital's headquarters were in Bellevue, Washington, and it had no responsibility to <br />make sure that McKenzie-Willamette hospital remained viable. He said that the City needed to <br />make it possible for PeaceHealth to stay in the community. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey said his intent to veto the ordinance was to allow the hospital to examine all of its <br />options and not to put the hospital at the Crescent site. He stressed that the council should not <br />be limiting the options that the hospital had. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Councilor Kelly regarding how much staff time would be involved <br />with the proposed motions, City Manager Johnson said that 60 days would be acceptable for <br />defining options and assumptions for traffic analysis. <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 9, 2001 Page 9 <br /> Regular Session <br /> <br /> <br />