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Misha Seymour, 1313 Lincoln Street, commented that society created prostitutes. He said that <br />they should not be punished and that the real issues needed to be addressed. He said that the <br />ordinance was a bad idea. <br /> <br />Jay Strangfeld, 38 North Adams Street, spoke against the ordinance. She said that it would <br />criminalize poor women and discriminate against homeless women that were making decisions to <br />survive. <br /> <br />Ann Strahm, 38 North Adams Street, commented that ACES could only handle one or two <br />prostitute cases per month if they received funding. She commented that Eugene now had the <br />seventh highest cost of living in the United States. She added that 77 percent of jobs in Oregon <br />did not pay a living wage and said that welfare programs had been decimated. She asked council <br />what was going to happen to the women when the city was done with them. She said that they <br />could be banned from an area just by being charged, which was against due process. She said <br />that the Police Department was punishing the weak. <br /> <br />Ms. Strahm raised concern that the City was superceding State authority by siting a prostitution- <br />free zone along Highway 99. <br /> <br />Rich Hardy, 1011 Broadway, commented that a few people were having an effect on a whole <br />neighborhood. He said that the neighborhood was uncomfortable for citizens because of all the <br />prostitution. <br /> <br />Joni Dawning, 936 Taylor Street, said that she had three men slow down and wave 20 dollar bills <br />at her in the course of a two-hour period while she was walking in her neighborhood. She added <br />that her children had been harassed by prostitutes and johns. She said that, if the ordinance was <br />passed, the community would begin to see policing through partnerships with the community. <br /> <br />Sarah Hendrickson, 1036 Adams Street, said that she loved her neighborhood but noted that <br />"johns" were cruising at all hours. She said that guests to her home had been solicited by <br />prostitutes as well as her children. She urged passage off the ordinance. <br /> <br />Paul Thompson, 1196 West 8th Avenue, spoke in support of the ordinance. He said that social <br />issues still needed to be addressed but urged the council to take a first step. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey closed the public hearing and called for council questions/comments. <br />Councilor Kelly thanked the citizens who testified. He thanked the involved staff for improvements <br />in the ordinance suggested during the work session time. <br /> <br />Councilor Kelly said that there were a lot of very large societal issues that the City had a limited <br />capacity to deal with. He stressed that the City could have an effect in one area. He suggested <br />that the council to go to the Human Services Commission, with something as close to a mandate <br />as could be managed, that would specify money for the ACES program for drug treatment. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Councilor Kelly regarding the exclusion part of the ordinance for <br />women who lived in motels, Lieutenant Pete Kerns said that many street prostitutes worked out of <br />motels so that not excluding them from the area would allow them to continue to do business <br />there. <br /> <br /> MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 10, 2000 Page 6 <br /> Regular Meeting <br /> <br /> <br />