CC Minutes - 06/01/98 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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Ms. Swanson Gribskov said she believed that use of urban renewal resources for a new library should not be tied to the approval by voters of a local option levy for its operation. She said she also believed a high maximum indebtedness to complete the project should be chosen. Ms. Nathanson said she also believed that use of urban renewal resources for a new library should not be linked to a local option levy and that a high maximum indebtedness for the project should be set, even though it would never be used. Ms. Taylor said that she believed the lowest possible maximum indebtedness should be set for the library project. She said she reluctantly supported committing use of urban renewal resources for construction of a library without a vote of citizens and that she supported proposing a local option levy to support library operations, but not if it meant there would be no proposal to acquire parks and open space. Mr. Lee said he believed the council should seek voter approval of a local option levy to support library operations in November 1998. Mr. Meisner said he also supported proposing a local option levy for library operations in November and that, in order to allow the most flexibility in future years, he favored identifying a high maximum indebtedness for the project. Mr. Tollenaar said the he favored disconnection of use of urban renewal funds for a library from approval of a local option levy for library operations. He noted that branches were a concern for a significant number of citizens and suggested that they needed to be included in a levy proposal. He said he was concerned that setting a high maximum indebtedness for the project could frighten voters, but that if a medium level of indebtedness was set, it would mean that library construction was not likely until the year 2010. Mr. Johnson pointed out that the high, medium, and Iow maximum indebtedness scenarios discussed in the earlier council work session had factored in five percent inflation of construction costs. He noted that the medium scenario had only $10 million left for future additions. Mr. Tollenaar stated that if a local option levy for library operations was not approved by voters by November 2000, he felt it would be safe to conclude that voters did not want a new library. Mr. Laue stated that he favored disconnecting use of urban renewal funds for construction of a library and approval of a local option levy for its operation. He said he shared the concern of Ms. Taylor for the importance of also proposing a measure to voters to acquire parks and open space land. He said he was not concerned about setting a high maximum indebtedness for the library project because he felt the inflation factors calculated were too high. He said he believed a local option levy to support library operations should be limited to two times the current operating costs plus the cost of creating and operating library branches and that an amount to acquire parks and open space land should also be included. Mayor Torrey stated that he also favored disconnecting the use of urban renewal funds for construction of a library and approval of a local option levy for its operation. He said to not do so could result in 60 percent of current urban renewal revenue going to non-Eugene projects. He also said he favored beginning development of the library soon because of the increased cost created by delayed construction. He said he believed all members of the council supported creation of library branches and that funding for them should be included in a local option levy. MINUTES--City Council June 1, 1998 Page 9 7:30 p.m.