CC Minutes - 09/19/01 Work Session

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Mr. Meisner determined from Mr. Johnson that staff had not yet decided if the downtown fire station should be on land not owned by the City because its location was unknown. Mr. Kelly said he was troubled by the market rent issue and was not prepared to authorize that at this time. He said that he understood that for fiscal year 2002 the City could dedicate the marginal tax, but he needed to hear more about what happened in the out-years, and what dollar amounts were being taken from General Fund and non-General Fund services, and what service implications that had. Mr. Johnson said that staff was committed to returning with that information prior to Supplemental Budget # 1. Mr. Kelly said he could not support a general obligation bond without a "road map" of the various other funding initiatives that might be necessary in the future. Mr. Carlson indicated that a multi- year financial plan was coming to the council for review in the fall. Mr. Pap~ summarized the market rent approach as a means of enforced savings to establish a sinking fund for construction. Mr. Johnson concurred. Mr. Pap~ was unsure of the mechanism and thought more information was needed. However, he thought the City needed more discipline in addressing its infrastructure needs, and applauded the staff for its creative thinking and asked that it continue to work on the issue. Mr. Pap~ wanted more information about the potential of consolidation with other police agencies. Mr. Johnson noted that the City had committed, through the Public Safety Coordinating Council, to a regional discussion of police special operations. Mr. Carlson indicated other services were also involved in the discussion. Mr. Rayor said he would oppose the motion not because he did not support safe facilities for staff but because he was interested in a more comprehensive, wide-ranging discussion. He said that staff had addressed the issue of remodeling existing buildings in a memorandum that indicated the costs were about half the cost of new construction, but then the memorandum discussed why the space was not desirable. He thought there was a basic lack of understanding on the part of staff regarding the concepts of reuse and rebuild. Mr. Rayor called for a longer meeting on the subject. He did not think he would get what he wanted in a work session. He thought the Sears building might be a perfectly viable building, did not think the staff was willing to consider its use. Mr. Rayor wanted the Police Special Operations out of the basement of City Hall, but would oppose the motion until he could develop a better overall plan for proceeding. Mr. Johnson said that Mr. Rayor had made some good points, but suggested that his reasons were not relevant to the motion on the floor. The motion passed, 6:2; Ms. Taylor and Mr. Rayor voting no. The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 19, 2001 Page 11 Work Session