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Ms. Bettman said that the Northwest Portland area, often used as an example of revitalization, began with <br />small local businesses and built up over time to the point where it was attractive to national chains. She said <br />that the national chains were not lured into the area with incentives in the hope they would spur economic <br />development. She added that the Pearl District in Portland was formerly an industrial area that was <br />revitalized through the efforts of local business leaders. She said that streetcar service to the area <br />represented an investment in sustainable transportation and stimulated private investment in housing and <br />retail, resulting in a thriving neighborhood that was an economic development magnet. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark expressed an interest in exploring ways to facilitate local business growth in the downtown area <br />first. He suggested that the sustainability commission be housed downtown to create a nexus for work on <br />sustainable businesses. <br /> <br />Mr. Zelenka said there did not seem to be any clear vision on what it would take to revitalize downtown. He <br />hoped to see a list of the barriers to revitalization as part of the discussion of strategies to facilitate economic <br />development. He agreed with Ms. Bettman that housing was a major factor in revitalizing areas of Portland <br />by establishing a critical mass that created a demand for retail and services. <br /> <br />Police Initiative <br /> <br />City Manager Taylor said the focus to increase police staffing with a special focus on supporting commu- <br />nity policing and reducing property crime was helpful to staff. He asked the council for any elaboration on <br />the goal. <br /> <br />Mr. Zelenka said the recent budget presentation that identified proposed funding for police operations, police <br />staffing, supervisory and administrative support and public safety stations was the correct strategy to <br />achieve the goal to increasing staff and the special focus on community policing and reducing property <br />crime. <br /> <br />Mr. Clark agreed with Mr. Zelenka’s comments. He noted that the police chief mentioned during the <br />council’s discussion that the wording of the goal was consistent with his strategic plan. He said the key was <br />directing resources to ensure that community policing was successful. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy spoke to her continued commitment to community policing and reflected that the emphasis on <br />property crime was a consequence of concerns voiced in the community. She said it was important to <br />demonstrate that the City was taking steps to respond to those concerns, and it was also important to be able <br />to measure progress. <br /> <br />Ms. Taylor asked if the City Manager understood the goal to mean that more money would be spent than <br />was already in the budget for police. City Manager Taylor replied he did think that was part of what was <br />meant by police staffing to support community policing. He said freeing officers’ time so they could engage <br />in proactive problem-solving policing might take a strategy consistent with recommendations from the <br />earlier Hobson report and a report from the Magellan group that the City would receive in the spring. He <br />said that could include strategies for how to increase staffing and patrols to achieve community policing goal <br />and how to do that in a sustainable way over the next several years. <br /> <br />Ms. Taylor remarked that community policing was an attitude and focus. She agreed that people were <br />distressed with lack of police response to property crimes, but asserted that some people told her they were <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 31, 2007 Page 4 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />