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VI. Musical Selection <br />The council heard more musical selections by the Oregon Concert Choirs. <br /> <br />VII. State of the City Address <br />Mayor Piercy offered the following remarks: <br /> <br />Good evening everyone. I am pleased to be here with you for my 5th State of the City address. Thank you <br />for joining us tonight as we begin a year with great expectations and trepidation. <br /> <br />We will all remember 2008 for the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States, the <br />reengagement of millions of Americans in the political process, and the rebuilding of hope for the future <br />of this country and the world. We’ll remember it as a pivotal year in our country’s history and one where <br />truly all American children know they can aspire to be President. <br /> <br />We will also remember it as a time of multiple and diverse challenges: huge financial uncertainty, <br />economic recession, and a growing need to reduce our impact on climate change and our dependency on <br />fossil fuels. Healthcare, jobs and housing moved out of the reach of many in our community. State <br />revenues were down and the City budget was tight. <br /> <br />Tonight I will propose the development of a progressive economic plan; but first I’d like to take a few <br />moments to remember what we have managed to accomplish as a city in 2008, despite all the challenges. <br />I invite you to join me in looking at where we are right now, what we hope to do in 2009, and what might <br />be possible over the next four years. <br /> <br />First of all, thank you for entrusting the City Council and me with the governance of this wonderful city. <br />We are honored to work on your behalf and pledge to work together and with you to keep Eugene moving <br />forward. <br /> <br />If I were asked to define my vision of the New Year in the most simplistic terms, I would tell you that I <br />approach 2009 with cautious optimism. Eugene has a strong foundation to build upon. City financial <br />resources have been managed with prudence, skill, and common sense. We are facing budgetary <br />challenges like everyone else, but we have seen them coming and have been preparing to manage our <br />resources to provide the services the community expects in the most cost-effective way possible. <br /> <br />To help guide this work, we welcomed our new City Manager, Jon Ruiz. He has stepped quickly and <br />decisively into his job and is already demonstrating a “can do” attitude, a service orientation and a real <br />enjoyment of our community. He got a real kick out of his first Eugene Celebration. <br /> <br />Even in the midst of our budget challenges, a plummeting economy, and a heated election cycle, we still <br />managed to get quite a lot done in Eugene in 2008. <br /> <br />? <br /> With our partners, we hosted an amazingly successful and green 2008 Olympic Track and Field <br />Trials and regained our status as Track Town USA. Eugene fulfilled its promise to engage our <br />young people in every facet of the Trials and provided them with a full range of activities. <br />? <br /> Voters supported two important City ballot measures to fund some of our street repair backlog <br />and to ensure the integrity of our new police oversight system. You also funded 4J’s local option <br />levy and the Lane Community College bond. Thank you, voters. <br />? <br /> Again with our community partners, Project Homeless Connect was held last February, providing <br />one-stop services for 1,158 guests. While we all wish fewer people were homeless, over 600 <br />wonderful volunteers donated their time and energy to help their neighbors. Eugene continues to <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—City Council January 7, 2009 Page 3 <br />