CC Minutes - 12/12/01 Work Session

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C.Motion to Reconsider Ms. Nathanson, seconded by Mr. Meisner, moved to reconsider the council action of December 10, 2001, on an ordinance regarding forfeitures and amending sections 4.245, 4.247, 4.251, 4.253, and 4.255 of the Eugene Code, 1971. Ms. Nathanson said she was offering the motion to reconsider after discussions with the City Manager about the potential ramifications of the council's action, particularly in terms of the City's relationships with its intergovernmental panners. She was particularly concerned about the fact the motion directed funding for drug treatment specifically to City of Eugene residents, and would propose an amendment if the motion passed. Mayor Torrey encouraged the council to table the motion if the motion to reconsider passed given that the meeting agenda was full and he sensed there would be councilors who would wish to speak to the motion. The motion to reconsider passed, 5:3; Mr. Kelly, Mr. Pap~, and Ms. Bettman voting no. Ms. Nathanson, seconded by Mr. Fart, moved to table the motion. The motion passed, 6:2; Mr. Kelly and Mr. Pap~ voting no. D. Work Session: Consideration of City-wide Election of City Councilors The council was joined for the item by Mary Walston of the City Manager's Office. She reminded the council that the Citizen Charter Review Committee (CCRC) had discussed the issue of city-wide elections and issued a brief report highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of ward elections versus city-wide elections, but the committee offered the council no recommendation on the topic. She noted the inclusion in the meeting packet of information regarding the election approaches used by the ten largest Oregon cities; the information indicated the cities were evenly divided in the methods they used. Ms. Walston noted that the Gang of 9, a local political action committee, was circulating a petition to place a measure for city-wide elections on the May 2002 ballot. Ms. Walston invited council questions and comments. Mr. Fart said he requested that the work session be scheduled because there had been many times when the council majority was not in concert with the community majority. City-wide elections were a means to let the entire community elect the entire council. Mr. Fart said he was a strong partisan of his ward and spent much time speaking about his own ward, but he was so concerned about the way the elections had been going in the last few years that he was willing to make the change. Mr. Fart thought there were ways to get around concerns about the cost of city-wide campaigns by limiting campaign expenditures. He pointed out that if the council did not place the item on a ballot, the Gang of 9 would do so. Mr. Fart suggested that the council put the issue on the ballot so it could shape the measure as it wished. MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 12, 2001 Page 5 Work Session