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closure of the Spay and Neuter Clinic. He said that City Manager Ruiz had indicated no employees would be laid off if the clinic closed and he was committed to a collaborative solution with the community, the stakeholders, and the union. He asserted that the closure was a policy decision, not a management decision. He asked the council to let all the affected groups work together to find a solution. Robert Olson , 32810 Sisters Loop, Eugene, suggested that one needed to consider both the efficiency and equity of the decision to close the clinic. He suggested that in terms of efficiency, it was cheaper to run the clinic than to trap and euthanize animals. In terms of justice or fairness, it was better to have the clinic than to allow animals to run loose and become carriers of disease. Laura Cino , 4427 Fox Hollow Road, #6, Eugene, said that people wanted to take care of their animals and do the right thing but they have no money and few alternatives. She feared that people would stop doing what was right if the clinic was no longer open. She acknowledged the WAG clinic but said no other clinics offered vaccines without an exam fee or individual doses of flea medication. Cathy Lacki , 77 Somerset Court, an employee of the Spay and Neuter Clinic, clarified that she was speaking as a private citizen. She noted the other employees of the clinic present at the hearing and said they knew how important the issue was. She thanked the council for listening and thanked the clinic’s supporters for their advocacy. She thought there was a way to keep the clinic open, and pointed out it had been a long- term community resource without a gap in services. She wanted to continue that into the future. Lisa Wahl , 4570 Franklin Boulevard, Eugene, opposed the closure of the Spay and Neuter Clinic and spoke of the many benefits of spaying and neutering one’s pets. She advocated for more spending on the clinic, not less. Audrey Walther , 350 Marche Chase Drive, #162, Eugene, shared her personal experience with a stray cat and its kittens and advocated for keeping the Spay and Neuter Clinic open. She opposed the closure of the clinic while its future was being discussed. Starly Pupke , 28364 Restwell Road, Eugene, opposed the closure of the clinic because of the cat over- population problem. She suggested that prices be reduced instead of raised so that those who needed the services, and could least afford it, could secure them. She said that many rescue groups use the services of the clinic. They need the price breaks because of the burden they carry, which saves the community additional animal control expenses. She suggested that City payments to LCARA could be diverted to the clinic. She said that many people took advantage of the fact they could use the service on their own terms. Misha Solan , 91 Alberta Lane, Eugene, opposed the closure of the clinic. He said the financial conse- quences of the clinic’s closure would be staggering and the burden would be felt by all. As a farmer, he often found stray cats on his property and had 18 cats to-date neutered out of his own pocket at the clinic. He asked the council to find a way to keep the clinic open. Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum and thanked all those who spoke. She was concerned about even a temporary closure of the Spay and Neuter Clinic while the City worked on long-term solutions and suggested the City take advantage of the knowledge and expertise of those in the audience. She suggested the clinic’s funding be part of the City’s discussion regarding service provision with Lane County. She asked City Manager Ruiz if there was a way to avoid closing and restarting the clinic. MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 27, 2008 Page 5 Regular Meeting