04/02/09 City Council Newsletter

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Fire and Police Team Up on Bicycle Safety PSA With the warm springtime weather bringing more bicyclists onto Eugene's roadways and bike paths, the City's Fire & EMS and Police departments have collaborated to produce a 30-second television PSA reminding bike riders and motorists to operate their vehicles in a safe manner. The theme is avoiding situations where one might have to say (or think), "IF ONLY . . . (I'd done the safe thing)." The spot will air on local stations beginning next week. Featuring Cody the Official Fire Safety Dalmatian, this is the fourth and final PSA in a safety series funded by a City telecommunications grant. A tentative decision has been made to continue the series in the upcoming fiscal year. For more information, please contact Fire & EMS Public Information Officer Glen Potter at 682-7118. Available Now - Position on Rental Housing Advisory Committee The City of Eugene is seeking applicants for a nine-member Rental Housing Department Advisory Committee. This citizen advisory body will represent those with an interest in the outcome of policies, procedures, and budgets that affect the City of Eugene Rental Housing Code. Members may include, but are not limited to rental owners, students, tenant advocates, property managers or other interested parties. Committee members will serve a two- year term that may be renewable. The primary role of the committee is to provide advice to City staff from a citizen perspective. In particular, the committee may do the following: ? Recommend improvements to customer service, complaint and compliance processes. ? Represent the views of property owners or tenants to the general community. ? Review and comment to staff on budget, enforcement, reports and proposals. ? Educate the general public concerning issues affecting the community. ? Hold public forums. ? Hear public or expert testimony. ? Research and study critical issues or topics of common interest. All meetings are open to the public, and agendas and minutes will be posted on the City’s rental housing website, http://www.eugene-or.gov/rentalhousing. Anyone interested in serving on this committee can submit an application The deadline to submit online at http://www.eugene-or.gov/bcc (select Application for Boards & Commissions). an application is April 10, 2009. For more information, please contact staff at 541-682-8282. First Award for Sports and Environment Goes to Eugene 08 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave its first award for Sports and the Environment to Eugene’s Local Organizing Committee for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for its environmental and sustainability efforts during the Trials. Eugene 08 was the winner for all of North and South America, as events on each continent were recognized. City of Eugene staff led the Eugene 08 Sustainability Committee and collaborated with partners from Lane County, Lane Transit, EWEB and others throughout the community to make Eugene 08 the greenest Olympic Trials. A “Going for the Gold in Zero Waste Events” grant from the Environmental Protection Agency funded over 100 three-part receptacle systems that were used to separate recycling, compostables and refuse. As a result, the event achieved a 72% recycling rate. Other accomplishments included the following: ? composting of food waste and eating utensils ? reduced use of paper and other disposable materials ? sustainable travel modes – buses, shuttles, bike and skateboard valet parking ? close to 100% use of clean wind power purchased from EWEB ? maximum use of local and organic food sources This global award joins others that recognized the impressive environmental and sustainability efforts at the Trials, including a Lane County Special Event “Trashbuster” award and the Governor’s “Oregon Sustainability Special Project Award.” For more information, contact Jan Bohman at 682-5587. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 April 2, 2009