CC Minutes - 10/27/08 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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to stopping unwanted litters. Those who wanted to be responsible pet owners would not have the means to neuter or spay their pets, particularly in a time of economic downturn, if the clinic closed. She said such dumped pets had a negative impact on wildlife as well, particularly migratory birds. She urged the council to keep the clinic open. Dawn Nelson , 77 Somerset Court, Eugene, opposed the closure of the clinic. She felt the City had lost sight of the clinic’s original purpose, which was to help address pet overpopulation problems. She maintained the clinic was not intended to be self-sufficient in order to keep costs low for the public; in turn, the City would experience lower costs for other animal-related issues. She believed that without the clinic, the population of pets in Lane County would have doubled. The organizations that provided low-cost spay and neuter services were volunteer-driven and such entities often failed. She suggested that the issue for many was not about the bottom line. Ian Howard , 1654 Fairmount Boulevard, Eugene, represented the University of Oregon Community Resource Assistance Program. He reviewed the organization’s goals and provided his contact information. Carol Berg Caldwell , 2510 Augusta Street, Eugene, commended the youth who gave up their Saturdays to attend the recent Prevention Convention event hosted by the Eugene Police Department. She suggested the community think about ways to include the police in future community events as a way to build ties. Dr. Janette Kessler , 27242 Briggs Hill Road, Eugene, owner of the Emergency Veterinarian Clinic in Springfield, opposed the closure of the City’s Spay and Neuter Clinic. She asked the council to avoid raising fees at the clinic because many residents could not afford them. What some considered a low-cost service was difficult for many to afford. She also asked the council to find a long-term solution to the issue of clinic funding. Dr. Marilyn Waters , 1345 Barrington Street, Eugene, worked at the Spay and Neuter Clinic as a veterinarian one day a week. She said the clinic’s clients were not the same clients she would see at her private practice and estimated that 40 percent of the clients did not see a veterinarian regularly and used the clinic as their sole service provider. She said that her clinic’s surgery prices were four times higher than the prices at the Spay and Neuter Clinic. She agreed with Dr. Kessler about the need for a long-term solution. th Karen Church , 220 East 36 Avenue, Eugene, shared her experience as a former animal control officer. She worked at the clinic now and said it was completely full due to the no-kill philosophy, which would only work if the spay and neuter services were provided. All the public and private nonprofit service providers needed to do 300 surgeries a week to keep pet population numbers where they were now. She asked the council to think creatively to reach a funding solution. Gary Gillespie , 2644 Kincaid Street, Eugene, shared information about his own pets, which he had spayed and neutered at the clinic. He urged the council to find a way to save the clinic. Blu Wagner , 22 Frall Lane, Eugene, opposed the closure of the City’s Spay and Neuter Clinic. She thought the recommendation to close the clinic was tragically short-sighted and asked the council to keep the clinic open and aggressively recruit a new veterinarian. She hoped the issue never came up again, and said she would be happy to pay more in property taxes to keep the clinic open. Lou Sinnegar , 25416 Irene Street, Elmira, represented the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and spoke on behalf of the employees that would be affected by the MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 27, 2008 Page 4 Regular Meeting