CC Minutes - 08/08/05 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Solomon, moved to authorize the expenditure of up to $100,000 from the General Fund contingency account to pay for a special election on November 8, 2005. Councilor Bettman wondered if the $100,000 included money to provide public information. City Manager Taylor replied that it did not. Councilor Bettman asked why no money was provided for neutral information for voters. City Manager Taylor explained that the next motion the council would consider authorized the expenditure of $20,000 for information to be disseminated. Councilor Bettman averred that this was specifically for the Voters’ Pamphlet. She stated that she had in her files the Parks and Open Space bond measure and the Police bond measure; they both contained neutral informational material. She asked why the charter amendment was being treated differently. Mr. Klein clarified that staff at the City Recorder’s Office asked about neutral information and he advised that on this measure, unlike the Parks measure which could offer specific factual information, the kind of factual information the City could provide would be very limited. He said the City could not explain why an external review would be a good idea because this was not neutral information. He stressed that very little information on the charter amendment could be provided in a neutral manner. Councilor Bettman asked if the Police Commission report could be summarized and provided as information. Mr. Klein replied that he read the Police Commission report. He reiterated that the City could not pay to put information out that explained why there was a need for this. He stated that the City could not take a recommendation from the report and print it as information because of this reason. Councilor Bettman asked if there was a way to make the Police Commission report more available. Mr. Klein responded that it was already on the Web site and there was nothing against the law in leaving it there. Councilor Bettman asked if additional copies of the report could be made and provided at community centers and the library. Mr. Klein replied that this was not legally possible to do so. Councilor Papé asked if the amount the ballot would cost would be reduced if another entity joined the City on the ballot. City Recorder Mary Feldman affirmed that it would reduce the cost but indicated that no one had expressed interest in doing so. She noted that she contacted the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) and it appeared EWEB would not include a bond issue on the November ballot. Roll call vote; the motion passed, 6:2; councilors Poling and Solomon voting in opposition. Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Solomon, moved to authorize the expenditure of up to $20,000 from the General Fund contingency account to produce a voters’ pamphlet for the November 8, 2005, election. Roll call vote; the motion passed, 6:2; councilors Poling and Solomon voting in opposition. Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Solomon, moved to appoint Mayor Piercy, Councilor Ortiz, and Councilor Pryor to the committee to prepare the voters’ pamphlet proponent statement. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0. The meeting adjourned at 9:24 p.m. MINUTES—Eugene City Council August 8, 2005 Page 13 Regular Session