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232. She indicated that the transaction was scheduled to close in September and asked that the council approve the property tax exemption. Zachary Vishanoff , Patterson Street, expressed hope that everyone would participate in a public forum regarding the proposed basketball arena to be built on the old Williams Bakery site. He asked if the council could correspond electronically and confirm a date on which to hold the forum or forums. He remarked that it seemed the burden to organize this lay on his shoulders. He suggested a staff person help him determine a date that would allow students to attend. He thought the “ground-truthing” that could happen would save the City from a “land use quagmire.” Mr. Vishanoff asked the council to Google search ‘Genetic Doping 2008 Olympics’ in order to see that the City had a “problem coming with the Olympics.” He encouraged the council to think about what would happen if the Olympic trials were held in Eugene in 2008. Mayor Piercy explained that the next three people had come to her most recent one-on-one meeting and she had invited them to speak at the Public Forum. Olga Grecova , 1743 Ferry Alley, spoke on behalf of the Slavic Home, a new non-profit organization in Eugene. She stated that the mission of the organization was to promote cultural diversity in the community through a variety of programs that were closely related to Eastern European cultures, life, and educational systems. She said courses would be offered in Slavic languages, Eastern European history, natural sciences, theater, art, music, and adaptation services for recent immigrants. She noted that some classes would be held for senior citizens as well. She hoped the organization would bring together people of different ages, including children, and broaden cultural awareness. She averred that the programs would give young people constructive activities in which to participate. She stated that Slavic Home was largely dependent on grants and donations and that anyone who wished to help was welcome. She felt the work of the Slavic Home would be impossible without City Council support. She added that the organization would focus on how to globalize business ideas and establish community organizations such as the Rotary Club in Eastern Europe. Irina Grigorian Best , 3808 Peppertree Drive, sought help and support for the establishment of social service programs at the Slavic Home. She wondered if the bullying of a local school boy of Eastern European descent could have been prevented if he had a place to go to talk about what was happening to him. She averred that the immigrant population from that area was growing and needed help with translation and learning to access services. She noted, as an example, that Head Start had information available only in English and Spanish. She hoped to be able to help people make a successful transition into the diverse community of Eugene. She said she would meet with parents and children and would be available to meet with them at their children’s schools to help with parent-teacher conferences, etc. She also intended to organize activities at the Slavic Home to keep children interested and occupied after school. She experienced first-hand how desperately a liaison was needed between social service providers and the Russian-speaking community. She shared that she had been volunteering her time but it had become more difficult given the growth in population. In order to develop the program, the appropriate building needed to be found. She stressed that everyone would be welcome in the Slavic Home and she hoped it would foster a greater understanding between cultures. Matvey A. Ivashov , 1956 Woodson Loop, explained that the Slavic Home was a new organization incorporated in April 2005. He underscored that the organization’s primary need was a location for its consulting office or center for the community and a place to develop the programs they had begun. He also MINUTES—Eugene City Council August 8, 2005 Page 2 Regular Session