CC Minutes - 07/23/01 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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John Herberg, 395 East BOth Avenue, spoke on behalf of the Green Party of Lane County, and read a resolution adopted by the party in support of the City's efforts to keep PeaceHealth downtown. Jean Daughterty, 1431 West Broadway, director of Women's Services for Sponsors, Inc., read a letter previously distributed to the council regarding the funding for Drug Court. She said that the council had been misled that Drug Court was an option for women convicted of prostitution. She said that she had concerns she wished to share about how the ordinance was working in the community. Kathy O'Connor, Lane County Mental Health, noted changes proposed to the prostitution-free exclusion zone, and said that those changes would eliminate excluded prostitutes from needed access to services located in that area. She cited several such essential services, and noted the difficulty of securing services in the first place. Sue Comfort, 1431 West Broadway, expressed her concerns about the expansion of the prostitution-free zone, and said that the only way women excluded from the area could secure services located there was through a variance granted by a judge. She described the variance process. Dr. Rich Coolman, 3345 Storey Boulevard, supported the council's efforts to keep PeaceHealth downtown. He thought PeaceHealth had not kept good faith in its negotiations. He had been disturbed to hear that the hospital requested the six blocks west of the facility, which was the highest density area in the city, and by the hospital's desire for a City assurance it could relocate if the voters did not support condemnation. Dr. Coolman thought PeaceHealth should have approached the City earlier. He asserted that, in spite of its assurances, PeaceHealth intended to "abandon" downtown. Dr. Coolman encouraged the council to continue to look at alternatives, and to pressure PeaceHealth to negotiate in good faith. Nelda Doherty, 34817 Matthews Road, Hope Street volunteer, hoped the council would take the points of those who spoke about the prostitution-free zone to heart. Mayor Torrey closed the Public Forum and called for councilor comments. Councilor Rayor said that many of the land use lawsuits that were the subject of recent court decisions were initiated before he was elected. He added that the City Council did not always oversee local planning decisions, which went through another process. Councilor Rayor said that he got considerable public input and staff recommendations well as legal advice about such council decisions. He pointed out that public opinion was extremely varied. He received calls from constituents expressing widely divergent views. The council's investigation of options for a large development project such as PeaceHealth did not mean anything would change from what was MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 23, 2001 Page 4 Regular Meeting