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benches had been removed so people could not sit down and rest. He stressed that sitting down on the mall <br />was not a crime. <br /> <br />Anthony Vanderford, 185 Linder Lane, spoke as a person who worked with high-risk youth. He urged the <br />council not to push youth away by voting for the mall exclusion ordinance. He noted that youth already felt <br />like they did not have any rights and that excluding them from areas of the city would not help matters. He <br />suggested finding ways to include youth in the community processes and make them feel like the community <br />supported them. <br /> <br />Sheila Sheldon, 1415 South Bertelson Road, expressed concern over the women who had been left behind by <br />society who would be affected by the exclusion ordinance. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey closed the public hearing. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman said that the mall and surrounding blocks was a unique area because it attracted youth and <br />therefore attracted offenders and predators. She opined that the ordinance did not target youth and said that <br />the predominant number of exclusions had been served to adults. <br /> <br />Councilor Pap~ clarified that the expansion of the ordinance was what staff was recommending. <br /> <br />Councilor Pap~ stressed that victims of crime had rights too and expressed his disappointment that so little <br />was said about victim's rights and public responsibilities during the hearing. <br /> <br />Councilor Nathanson opined that the ordinance did not target youth but those who victimized youth. <br />Addressing Ms. Sheldon, Councilor Nathanson said that the council discussed women when it discussed <br />various social programs for low-income people. <br /> <br />Councilor Taylor said she did not support excluding anyone from anyplace. She said that people who <br />committed crimes faced existing laws. She stressed that public places belonged to everyone. She expressed <br />her desire to see a youth center downtown so that youth could be helped instead of being punished. <br /> <br />Councilor Taylor stressed that the area needed more and different people and the City should not be excluding <br />youth and underprivileged. She said that she would read the proposed motion but would not be voting for it. <br /> <br />Councilor Meisner supported the staff recommendation of expanding the exclusion ordinance. He said that <br />extension of the ordinance was justified by police evidence. He opined that the intent and the application of <br />the exclusion ordinance was not targeted at youth and the poor. He said it was targeted at criminal behavior. <br />He said that he was satisfied that the ordinance did not impede the right to due process. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Councilor Rayor regarding the minimum offense required to trigger the <br />ordinance, Lieutenant Roberts said that crimes such as criminal mischief and criminal trespass were what <br />would trigger the ordinance. He said that the ordinance was triggered by offenses that someone could be <br />arrested for. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Councilor Rayor regarding whether an exclusion could ever be issued without <br />accompanying criminal charges, Lieutenant Roberts confirmed that one could not. <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council August 6, 2001 Page 6 <br /> Regular Meeting <br /> <br /> <br />