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

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Councilor Solomon asked those present and in the viewing audience to vote yes on the City’s street repair ballot measure. Councilor Poling expressed appreciation for the tenor of the comments the council heard. He had experience with unwanted and abandoned animals as a farmer and was interested in knowing more about a supplemen- tal budget appropriation or the potential of using contingency funds to keep the clinic open through the end of the fiscal year to give the council time to consider its funding. Mr. Pryor also thanked those who spoke and commended the respectful and civil tone of their testimony. City Manager Ruiz also expressed appreciation for the remarks that were made. He acknowledged the passion for the issue. Mr. Ruiz said that Ms. Raile had taken considerable heat for the decision but he was the responsible party. Based on the input he heard, City Manager Ruiz thought the City would keep the clinic open. However, how spay and neuter services were provided was a different conversation about closing the clinic. The pet overpopulation problem, even after 30 years of a City-operated spay and neuter clinic, had not been solved. Subsequently, City Manager Ruiz advocated for a new and different conversation that attempted to get at the root cause of pet overpopulation and solutions that made an inroad into the problem. Noting the calls in testimony for long-term solutions, City Manager Ruiz encouraged such a long-term approach. With regard to the clinic employees, City Manager Ruiz said that the issue was not about laying off employees but about how to provide the best service. He had committed to Mr. Sinnegar that he would not lay off employees and they would continue to be City of Eugene employees if the clinic maintained operations as a City facility. He reiterated that merely keeping the clinic open was not the long-term solution. Mayor Piercy expressed appreciation to City Manager Ruiz for his remarks. Councilor Bettman expressed regret that Ms. Raile had been demonized in the process and appreciated the manager’s comments about taking responsibility. She expressed appreciation to Ms. Raile for the work she did. Councilor Bettman also agreed that the decision was a policy decision and not a management decision. Councilor Bettman, seconded by Councilor Zelenka, moved to direct the City Manager to con- tinue to provide the spay and neuter services provided by the clinic, including increased efforts to secure a veterinarian to perform surgeries, to convene a process with stakeholders to inform a strategy for the FY10 budget and long-term solutions, and to return to the council with a sup- plemental budget. Councilor Zelenka expressed appreciation to Ms. Raile for the work she did. The motion passed unanimously, 7:0. Councilor Bettman advocated for the police auditor oversight measure and Lane Community College bond measure. MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 27, 2008 Page 7 Regular Meeting