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Mr. Menegat opened the EWEB work session at 5:50 p.m. The EWEB Commissioners, John Brown <br />(commissioner-at-large), John Simpson (wards 1 and 8), Ron Farmer (wards 4 and 5), and Patrick Lanning <br />(wards 2 and 3) were in attendance. <br /> <br />City Manager Dennis Taylor welcomed the commissioners. He said that he, Mr. Berggren, Mayor Piercy, <br />and Mr. Menegat met regularly and that he was glad to have this opportunity for a joint meeting. He noted <br />that the councilors had walked around the site in question in preparation for the discussion. City Manager <br />Dennis Taylor said that City staff, EWEB staff, he, and Mr. Berggren had met and put together a <br />recommended approach for the two bodies to consider with regard to the joint exploration of whether, when <br />and how the EWEB property could change. He said that this had been articulated in the agenda item <br />summary. He said that this was a time for the councilors, EWEB commissioners, and the Mayor to have a <br />discussion about some of the issues of concerns. He said that he hoped that the dialogue would help inform <br />what needed to be done in the future in a coordinated and timely way. <br /> <br />Mr. Berggren said that EWEB was there to explore with the council and to learn more to help the board <br />decide what to do. He said that he thought that it would be important to try and create some collaborative <br />work because it was clear that the City Council would play a significant role in the all of the critical <br />milestones. He said that EWEB wanted to understand the perspective of the council. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy said that the council appreciated the last meeting with EWEB and hoped that it would be one <br />of many more. She said that planning for the redevelopment of the EWEB riverfront property was an <br />important topic to both organizations and to their shared constituents. She said that the riverfront property <br />represented the history and identity of the community and was the legacy to the future. Mayor Piercy said <br />that by working together, the two organizations could have a critical impact on one of the most special <br />places in the community: a place to touch the river. She said that the two bodies needed to be thoughtful and <br />collaborative so that in the long- and short-term their actions would bring them closer to the shared vision <br />for the community. Mayor Piercy added that EWEB was an important part of the community. She said that <br />EWEB was the City’s partner and was part of what made the community great. She said that the council <br />was glad to have the commissioners there to talk about this very important issue. <br /> <br />Mr. Menegat thanked and acknowledged staff for collaborating and for putting together the various <br />proposals and strategies and for the ongoing collaborating that often goes unseen throughout the year. Mr. <br />Menegat said that some of the desired outcomes for the joint meeting were: <br /> <br />? <br /> To get the council’s perspective on the disposition of the riverfront property and the process for <br />moving forward with that disposition <br />? <br /> To develop an understanding of the positions of the City and EWEB regarding the strategies set <br />forth in the Agenda Item Summary. <br /> <br />Mr. Menegat noted that the board’s position regarding the disposition of the property was evolving and that <br />support for other than Strategy 1 had been voiced. He continued: <br /> <br />? <br /> To have a shared understanding on each other’s interests and priorities for the site <br />? <br /> To further a collaborative relationship in planning work for the site <br /> <br />Mr. Menegat said that the board had committed to moving its operations yard to the Roosevelt Site. He said <br />that the exact parcels that would be available had not yet been determined. He said that the steam plant and <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 12, 2007 Page 4 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />