Item 2A: Approval of Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Mr. Kelly agreed with staff that the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space comprehensive plan and the Cultural Service comprehensive plan were important components of the strategic goal. He thought the role of the City government should be to provide visibility in order to get the word out and also to serve as a coordinator that would convene different "outdoors folks" and arts groups that had not worked together before to find the synergy among them. Mr. Kelly noted that the councilors received a letter from Greg Larago which suggested that the City endorse "Greatest City for the Arts and Outdoors" as Eugene's official slogan. He supported moving on this soon because it had already become a de facto slogan. He asked staff to relay in a memorandum how this could be made official. In response to a question from Ms. Bettman, Ms. Riner said staff planned for the resource assessment to take six months and it would likely be accomplished with existing resources. In response to a follow-up question, Ms. Riner stated that some funding would probably be needed after the marketing strategy was developed when the City was ready to implement it. Ms. Muir interjected that a six-month check in with the council would provide an opportunity to keep the council and staff in contact with budgetary needs. Ms. Bettman was happy to hear this. She opposed, however, a council goal having to do with Eugene that sought to maximize and promote the unique attributes of the arts and outdoors being "co-opted" into a regional strategy or something used to help build a convention center. Mr. Poling hoped there was an automatic check-in built into the plan so that the council remained apprised of progress made on the priority goals. City Manager Taylor hoped that once the action plans were adopted, the City Council would see a regular report on how all of the eight goals were progressing. Mr. Poling asked that staff bring news of any major stumbling blocks to the council's attention as well as progress of a more positive nature. Mayor Piercy shared her enthusiasm for the amount of commitment on the part of the council to the arts and outdoors theme. She noted that she had seen the City represented as a place for the arts and the outdoors while traveling earlier in the week. She expressed hope that the council and staff would look for opportunities that might arise for the arts and the outdoors across the board and to move quickly on them. She remarked that the arts and outdoors theme was tied to the priority for supporting redevelopment of the downtown area. She also thought this would provide opportunities to "connect" with the University of Oregon and those opportunities should be taken advantage of. Additionally, Mayor Piercy voiced her support for a Eugene focus. She stressed, however, that Eugene was a part of a region and the region had an interest in this and was already engaged. She said it would not be in the City's best interest not to take advantage of this. She commented that there were plenty of opportunities and it was up to the City to "run fast enough" to take advantage of them. The motion passed unanimously, 8:0. MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 13, 2005 Page 4 Work Session