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<br />Mayor Piercy closed the public hearing. She called for comments and questions from the council. <br /> <br />Councilor Bettman referred to Project 300 and asked if any of the new descriptions broadened the projects <br />that might fall under those categories. She asked for reassurance that the City was not creating a situation <br />where a Coburg wastewater connection could occur through the amendment process before the council. Mr. <br />Lidz said there was nothing in the additional specifications for Project 300 that broadened it to that degree. <br />Peter Ruffier, Wastewater Manager, concurred with the remarks of Mr. Lidz. <br /> <br />Councilor Poling asked if the Springfield City Council and Lane County Board of Commissioners had to <br />take similar actions. Mr. Lidz said yes. Susie Smith, MWMC General Manager, said the Springfield <br />council had a public hearing scheduled for January 17; the Board of County Commissioners placed it on its <br />January 23 agenda. Barring any action that extended the public hearings, staff requested Springfield take <br />action on January 17 with an immediate effective date. Staff also requested the same of Lane County. <br /> <br />Councilor Poling asked if there was benefit to taking action tonight as opposed to waiting until January 23. <br />Ms. Smith said staff attempted to schedule such issues as soon as possible and hoped to see action as soon <br />as possible so that the needed projects could go forward. She said it not be a problem if Eugene and <br />Springfield took action on the same date. Mr. Lidz said the council could take action with unanimous <br />consent. <br /> <br />Councilor Poling wanted to take action in the hopes that Springfield and Lane County would be spurred to <br />take action soon. He said the projects that were needed were in some instances needed now to both comply <br />with federal regulations and upgrade the plant. Those upgrades were needed as soon as possible. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy determined that the council did not object to taking action at that time. <br /> <br />Councilor Solomon, seconded by Councilor Ortiz, moved to adopt Council Bill 4915. Roll <br />call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0. <br /> <br />6. ACTION: Interim Appointment to Human Rights Commission <br /> <br />Councilor Solomon noted the memorandum forwarded by the Human Rights Commission recommending <br />Paloma Reza, one of the five candidates who had applied for the position. <br /> <br />Councilor Solomon, seconded by Councilor Ortiz, moved to appoint Paloma Reza to Posi- <br />tion 3 on the Human Rights Commission for an interim appointment to serve the unexpired <br />term of Judith Castro for a term beginning on January 9, 2006, and ending on October 31, <br />2007. <br /> <br />Responding to a question from Councilor Papé, Ms. Walston said the process was dictated by the City <br />Code; however, the council had interviewed most of the candidates now being considered at some time in the <br />past. Councilor Papé wanted to reexamine the process as he did not think it was fair. He indicated he could <br />not support the motion. <br /> <br />Councilor Kelly explained to Councilor Papé the process laid out in code, and noted the commission’s <br />unique committee structure. He said the commission’s committee structure created a sort of “farm team” for <br />the commission and helped the commission fill interim vacancies with candidates with experience in the <br />Human Rights Program. He thought that made sense, noting that staff actively encouraged those inter- <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 9, 2006 Page 7 <br /> Regular Meeting <br /> <br />