Item 2A: Approval of Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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precluded it from making a policy decision or by situations where issues came to the council so fully developed, with so many stakeholders and momentum, that its choices became very circumscribed. That minimized the council's input. Ms. Bettman said another issue of concern to her was that of respect for the democratic process. She said each councilor was elected and represented people in the community. The council's voices were important for that reason. It was not about specific personalities, but rather about the specific values and principles each councilor brought to the table. She thought there should be an attempt to incorporate all those values and principles in the direction of the City without finding the broadest base for policy support. Mayor Piercy said City Manager Taylor had been very helpful to her as she assumed the role of mayor. She enjoyed working with him and had benefited from his years of experience. She acknowledged the tension that existed between the council and manager functions and said that everyone was trying to "get the most out" of the position they were in. Mayor Piercy observed that as she attended meetings around the country, she found that many people knew the manager and respected his work and career. She thought Eugene was fortunate to have him. She believed that, overall, the manager's evaluation scores were high, although there were some significant things that needed to be worked on, such as creating better relationships between the council and staff. Mayor Piercy was also pleased to see how well-respected the manager was by his employees. She expressed appreciation for the manager's openness to criticism. She felt good about the council's goal- setting process and the successful budget season, and hoped the City improved in its ability to engage the community in decision-making. Mayor Piercy said she had enjoyed her experience as mayor, and a great deal of that had to do with working with the manager. Mr. Poling noted the council would discuss the issue of manager compensation on July 25 and invited councilors to provide input to him or Ms. Solomon. Mr. Pap6 thought City Manager Taylor had one of the most difficult city manager jobs in the country. He said Eugene was very diverse and a diverse council that was difficult to serve. He would not want the job. City Manager Taylor said he did want his job and was hopeful he could keep it longer. He had come to Eugene with very high expectations, and after two years and four months on the job, he found the community and organization to exceed his expectations. He said the organization asked tougher questions and came up with more elegant solutions than other communities. People across the country acknowl- edged the work done by Eugene, which had a well-known tradition of excellence and commitment to improvement. He acknowledged it was easier for him to serve the council when it spoke with one voice. He continued to be excited about the council's goals, which he thought would energize both the organization and community. City Manager Taylor thanked the council for its evaluation. The meeting adjoumed at 7:13 p.m. Respectfully submitted, MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 18, 2005 Page 8 Work Session