City Council Newsletter - 08/02/07

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In 2002, Broadway was opened to vehicle traffic. To preserve the artistic aspects of the original brick design, the existing structure was retained to the maximum extent possible. However, traffic loads have taken their toll, and the brick pavement in Broadway has been failing and continues to fail at an ever- increasing pace. Many efforts to maintain the roadway with the bricks in place have been unsuccessful. The resulting asphalt patches mixed in with bricks are a short-term fix. A decision has been made to replace the bricks with artistic colored concrete. Goals for the replacement project include honoring Willamette and Broadway as Great Streets with a Great Intersection and adhering to the Downtown Plan principle of enhancing the functional design of streets and sidewalks with carefully chosen design elements. This will be accomplished by a careful balance of artistic intent and engineering – the Art of Engineering! Scott Wylie, the original brick plaza designer, has been brought in as a consultant on the project to add artistic value to the project design. To minimize impact to local business during construction, the work will be done as quickly as possible after the Eugene Celebration. The booth at the First Friday Artwalk will be open from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Broadway Plaza. It will include samples of decorative concrete materials, detailed plans of the construction project, and display boards showing aesthetic elements in a variety of street and park projects managed by Public Works Engineering. For more information about the Artwalk booth or the Broadway replacement project, contact Project Manager Patrick Cox at 682-6854 or Patrick.M.Cox@ci.eugene.or.us. Sixth Annual Safety Fest The Eugene Fire & EMS Department’s Water Rescue Team held its sixth annual Safety Fest on June 3, 2007 with over 10,000 people in attendance. Twenty-two businesses partnered with the department by donating cash totaling $8,875 used to purchase life jackets, and 18 business contributed products or services totaling more than $15,000. During the event 650 life jackets, 600 bike helmets and 3,500 U.S. Coast Guard life jackets were distributed. Activities such as a bike rodeo and the junior firefighter obstacle course proved to be a huge success. Katrina Luther from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., one of the event’s corporate sponsors, presented District Chief Craig Callicotte with two checks for $1,000 to help offset the cost of the Safety Fest. The goal of Safety Fest is to educate our community on how to be more safety- conscious while working or recreating on or near waterways. Through information and demonstrations on a variety of safety awareness issues and giving away free life jackets to kids, the department hopes to take a big step toward reaching its life safety goals for our community's youth. Support of local businesses, such as Wal-Mart, is one way the department is working with the community to make that happen. For further information, please contact Cinimint Harper at 682-7130. Recruitment Underway for Boards and Commissions The annual recruitment for boards and commission is underway. The recruitment officially began on Monday, July 16 and will continue through Friday, September 7. In addition to the usual set of term expirations, there have been resignations from several groups increasing the need for a vigorous pool of applicants. The first recruitment for the Sustainability Commission is also included in the process. Below is a list of the vacancies for which applicants are sought: ? Budget Committee 2 vacancies ? Human Rights Commission 5 vacancies ? Planning Commission 1 vacancy ? Police Commission 5 vacancies ? Sustainability Commission 12 vacancies ? Toxics Board 3 vacancies EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 August 7, 2007