Item 3: Ratification of Intergovernmental Relations Committee Actions

Home Browse Search

HB 3265 In response to a question from Ms. Bettman, Ms. Cutsogeorge affirmed that staff hoped the bill would get a “gut and stuff.” Ms. Bettman ascertained that there was no objection to changing the status from a Priority 3 Monitor to a Priority 2 Monitor. SB 596 Ms. Bettman thought the bill allowed a contracting agency to constrain competition to small businesses but it did not mandate. She thought the CCIGR might want to support it. Mr. Perry remarked that he was neutral on the bill. He said it was similar to HB 2557. Ms. Bettman likened the bill to affirmative action for small businesses. Mayor Piercy preferred to remain neutral. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to adopt a Neutral stance to the bill. The motion passed unanimously, 3:0. HB 3251 Ms. Phelps explained that the bill would provide a grant process to be funded from the State and operated through the regional Public Safety Coordinating Councils (PSCC). She believed it would be a way to fund local issues that affect all of law enforcement. She said it appealed to the EPD because it encouraged cooperation and coordination between all of the law enforcement partners instead of competition between them. Mayor Piercy asked if the bill had come out of this area. Ms. Phelps responded that Eugene had been a leader in the State in collaborative planning issues. Ms. Bettman observed that State Representative Nathanson had served on the PSCC on behalf of the City Council. She said she had served on the council for seven years and had little understanding of what the PSCC did. She felt public safety was one of the areas that Eugene was “extraordinarily collaborative.” She averred that the bill would grant budgeting authority to an entity that was “self-selected.” Ms. Phelps stated that the law that governed regional PSCCs designated where the representatives come from. She explained that the membership included laypeople, public people, schools, different law enforcement bodies including the sheriff, EPD, and the Oregon State Police, representatives of various juvenile justice programs and county programs. She related, in order to provide some background information, that the federal programs that provided grants for local law enforcement had almost disap- peared because they had been “scooped up” and replaced with programs that had to do with post 9/11 issues, such as grants for Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team type programs. She said EPD did not have the opportunities to apply for grant monies to undertake local and regional projects. Mayor Piercy observed that there was a good list of supporters for the bill and there was local interest in it. She said it would be up to the Committee on Ways and Means if there was money to be given out. She underscored that the bill would only set the program up so that if there was money there would be a MINUTES—Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations April 5, 2007 Page 13