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Mayor Torrey adjourned the meeting of the City Council at 8:24 p.m. <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey convened the meeting of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency. <br /> <br />4. PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION: Resolution 1029 Adopting a Supplemental Budget; <br /> Making Appropriations for the Urban Renewal Agency of Eugene for the Fiscal Year Be- <br /> ginning July 1, 2003, and Ending June 30, 2004 <br /> <br />Ms. Murdoch said the request would appropriate $750,000 in Urban Renewal Agency funds, $350,000 of <br />which to be used to continue the design of transportation improvements and $400,000 dedicated the <br />construction of Ferry Street between 6th Avenue and 8th Avenue, both commitments the City had made to <br />the Government Services Administration (GSA). <br /> <br />Mayor Torrey opened the public hearing. <br /> <br />Seeing no one who wished to speak to the issue, Mayor Torrey closed the public hearing. <br /> <br />Councilor Meisner conveyed his support for the supplemental budget. He requested a written analysis of <br />how charges, in particular for planning and development, were being paid for and whether they were <br />charging back to the renewal costs that were being imposed. <br /> <br />Councilor Kelly asked, regarding the $400,000 for Ferry Street improvements, when the burden had been <br />shifted from the Federal government to the City for these improvements. Mike Sullivan, Community <br />Development Division Manager, responded that the money would be contingent in the event that the money <br />from the federal government was either delayed or insufficient to build those improvements. He added that <br />the Ferry Street improvements were the one, single element of infrastructure required for the new <br />courthouse to open its doors. <br /> <br />Mr. Sullivan noted that the GSA had, in the fall, questioned whether it wanted to go forward. He related <br />that, as a result, the council took an action on October 27 to reaffirm support for the courthouse and to <br />include contingent funding for improvements related to transportation. <br /> <br />Councilor Kelly disagreed. He alleged that contingent funding for street improvements was not approved at <br />that time. He said the council had passed a motion indicating that language would be included in the next <br />draft of the Urban Renewal Plan to allow for such a thing. Mr. Sullivan said this was true. He stated that <br />the language would provide for future use of Urban Renewal Funds. <br /> <br />In response to a question from Councilor Kelly, Mr. Sullivan thought the courthouse would be constructed <br />in spring of 2005. Councilor Kelly asked why, then, there was "a rush" to pass the supplemental budget <br />rather than waiting for the fiscal year budget process. Mr. Sullivan answered that this harkened back to the <br />inclusion of criteria that the City would provide the funds as a "contingent backstop" to ensure the Ferry <br />Street improvements were implemented as per a provision in the agreement with the GSA. He explained <br />that the agreement between the GSA and the City could not be signed without budget authority to provide <br />for those improvements. <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council March 8, 2004 Page <br />8 <br /> Regular Session <br /> <br /> <br />