Item 3: Ratification of Intergovernmental Relations Committee Actions

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edged there was support for the concept but her objection was the lack of an inter-jurisdictional conversation on the topic. Ms. Bettman believed such a conversation had occurred over and over again throughout the years at the Metropolitan Policy Committee. Mayor Piercy said that it had not occurred in her time as mayor. Ms. Bettman said that under the Metropolitan Policy Committee model such a commission would never be formed. She supported the legislation because she believed it would give some semblance of structure to the decision making process for expending State money, rather than Lane County being its “own little fiefdom.” Mayor Piercy acknowledged Ms. Bettman’s reasoning, but thought there should have been a discussion. She pointed out that the legislation to separate the Springfield and Eugene urban growth boundaries and that occurred without a conversation with Eugene. Ms. Bettman believed that given some of the urban growth boundary expansions that had occurred in the past, it made no difference if the legislation succeeded. She said that Eugene had “just stood aside” and let Springfield do what it wanted. She cited the Blue Water Boats proposal as an example. Mayor Piercy did not agree, saying the metropolitan area should be making decisions together. Ms. Bettman said the two cities had philosophical differences and values and different constituencies. She thought another problem was what she considered disproportional representation on the Metropolitan Policy Committee because Eugene had the same number of representatives as the other communities rather than more representatives to reflect its greater population. She thought that represented a major dysfunction. Mayor Piercy said she preferred to have community conversations first. Ms. Bettman asked “then what would you do?” Mayor Piercy did not know where the conversation would lead to so could not answer the question. Ms. Bettman suggested that it would lead to Springfield having its way without compromise or it would go its own way. Ms. Taylor said there was never going to be agreement about an Area Commission on Transportation. Mayor Piercy wanted the City to model good behavior and to keep working with its interjurisdictional partners. Ms. Bettman replied that modeling good behavior was having a sustainable transportation system. Mayor Piercy did not think that one precluded the other. Ms. Bettman said so far, it had. Mayor Piercy said it did not have to be so. The next meeting was scheduled for April 26, 2007. Ms. Bettman adjourned the meeting at 1:36 p.m. (Recorded by Kimberly Young) MINUTES—Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations April 19, 2007 Page 10