CC Minutes - 06/22/98 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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ending June 30, 1999, with the following amendments to the General Fund: 1) increase the operating appropriations in the Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department by $89,500 and 1.5 FTE for an intergenerational volunteer outreach program and decrease the Measure 50 Reserve by a like amount; 2) increase the operating appropriation in the Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department by $30,000 and .5 FTE for a special events outreach program and decrease the Measure 50 Reserve by a like amount; and 3) increase the operating appropriations in the Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department by $31,000 and .5 FTE to partially restore senior centers funding and decrease the Measure 50 Reserve by a like amount. Mr. Fart moved, seconded by Mr. Lee, to amend the motion to increase the operating appropriation in the Planning and Development Department by $55,700 to fund for the continuation of the Emergency Interfaith Shelter, and to decrease the Ballot Measure 50 Transition Reserve by a like amount. Mr. Fart said that the funding represented a full year of operating costs for the extended programming that the council had already funded for one-half a year. The funding would allow the program to serve an additional 60 families during the year, and would leverage private money from local churches that chose to participate. Mr. Fart said that because of the added funding approved by the council six months ago, St. Vincent de Paul, the program sponsor, volunteered to administer the church parking lot program. The funding would also provide portable toilets in the 20 church parking lots now in use. Mr. Fart anticipated a 33 percent increase in the number of people served if the funding were approved. Mr. Meisner said that he was not prepared to support the amendment at this time. He pointed out that the City had identified several service areas related to homelessness where a more comprehensive examination was warranted. He cited dispute resolution and mediation services as examples, adding that the council had not decided what to do with the camping ordinance in the future. Mr. Meisner believed it was premature to approve funding for the program for an entire year until the council had the opportunity to decide on the scope of its programs for the homeless. He suggested that the issue be deferred to the first supplemental budget of the fiscal year. As part of that future examination, he would like to see evidence of the private contributions cited by Mr. Fart. Mr. Meisner noted that nearly half the funding was for toilets. He said as the City looked at its use of such facilities the council might wish to consider whether the City should purchase toilets and manage that service itself rather than contract for it. Mr. Lee said that the sum involved was about $50,000, a small part of the total budget. He said that if Mr. Meisner wanted studies, the council had studies outlining a comprehensive approach to homelessness that he would happy to forward to him. He said that the funding was urgent because the fiscal year was coming to an end. Mr. Tollenaar said that he would probably support the motion but he was increasingly concerned the council's use of the Measure 50 Transition Reserves. He asked about the balance of the fund. Mr. Tollenaar did not think the City was doing a good job in intelligent system planning for human services activities, which were growing because Eugene had become the funding agency of first resort. The council needed to take a hard look at how such services were funded. It was MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 22, 1998 Page 6 7:30 p.m.