CC Minutes - 01/23/06 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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6. ACTION: Air Cargo Project Application for ConnectOregon City Manager Taylor stated that the Council Committee on Inter-Governmental Relations (CCIGR) asked that this grant application be forwarded to the full City Council for consideration. He asked Public Works Department Director, Kurt Corey, to speak to the essence of the grant application. Mr. Corey explained that the ConnectOregon project was a result of the 2005 Legislature, specifically the adoption of Senate Bill 71, which set aside an economic stimulus package funded through lottery bond proceeds for the purpose of enhancement of the statewide transportation system through connecting modes. He stated that it was limited to air, maritime, rail, and public transit funding. He related that staff reviewed the criteria and to the extent that the City was not engaged in transit or maritime activities, staff focused on the airport that the City of Eugene managed and supervised as well as the Eugene Depot. He said staff forwarded to the CCIGR for review and approval both a grant application for the Eugene Depot for purposes of passenger platform facility and transit circulation improvements and a second application to expand the air cargo service area at the Eugene Airport. He indicated that the CCIGR elected to forward the first grant but deferred the grant application for the air cargo area pending council review. He said the project totaled $5.5 million and the grant application was for 80 percent, or approximately $4.3 million, for the purpose of taxiway extension and expansion and cargo service area improvements primarily at the extreme south end of the Eugene Airport. Councilor Kelly ascertained from Mr. Corey that the CCIGR forwarded a grant application for submittal for Amtrak Depot improvements. In response to a question from Councilor Kelly, Mr. Corey said the process suggested by the Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) was that the Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) would have an understanding of all of the projects that were going to be submitted. He understood that the projects would collectively be on the MPC agenda on February 9. Councilor Kelly wondered how this would mesh with the project submittal deadline. Intergovernmental Relations Manager Jason Heuser responded that the City did apply directly for the ConnectOregon grants and the MPC hearing was intended to provide a “blessing” from the MPC so that the projects would be looked upon favorably by the Oregon Transportation Commission. Councilor Pryor said upon reviewing the letters of support and the actual criteria for the grants he surmised that it looked very positive. He averred the impact on air and cargo service would be positive. As it was time-sensitive, he favored moving forward with the project at this meeting. Councilor Bettman asserted that policy required that this grant come before the council. She maintained that a good portion of the project was not contained in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and therefore had not been approved by the council, though it could be found in the Airport Master Plan. She felt the project was not a City Council priority. She declared that no other projects had been put forward to compete with it. Councilor Bettman asked where the funding was for schools. She likened using lottery funds for roads to borrowing on future earnings from gambling. She did not approve of spending economic development money on this project. MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 23, 2006 Page 11 Regular Session