CC Minutes - 05/06/07/09 Goals Session

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We, as a community, are not in the same room yet. Sometimes I am not sure whether we are in the same room looking at different walls or in different rooms. Many people in this town are not in the same room so they can’t even see the same walls. We have a diverse community with ultimate goals but varying ways to get there. We are diverse with conflicting goals and values, but commonality in some areas (overlapping circles.) Community members have varying opinions on every subject, but can we get there from here? Long Tom Watershed could be a model of divergent points moving together. The community is not linear but more like a Ven diagram with many circles, some that overlap, but some have no overlap. The area of most overlap is the seed of the solution. Intersecting circles create kernels to grow from. And people have such different values that do not overlap at all. The different inputs result from differences in outlook on outcomes. As a community, we are all going in the same direction, but in different ways. We have a lot in common. People in Eugene have more in common than they realize but since they won’t really listen to each other, they don’t know it. The differing views in the community are not the problem. The problem is the lack of tolerance of differing views. There is council discourse (R-G etc.). We are experiencing not just a lack of respect for historical families, but a clash of values and cultures. It is normal to have rifts in college towns. It is the college town phenomena. There is a lack of value for those in resource-based industries and their contribution to our community and economy. People with different sets of values can’t be expected to change them to appease the other group. The community is split and we need to find a way to move forward realizing we can achieve success through balance. Those who disapprove of growth are not always the new people to the community. The University has brought in people who don’t appreciate the contributions of older families. I learned at the U of O about natural resources, but not in the context of deep family heritage as described by Jennifer. We are seeing natural resource industries versus the newer political environment. 50/50 is not just based on length of time in town. It is not old versus new. Long-term results are more important than immediate profit. Environmental stewardship is the next important principle. It is possible to both enjoy a rugged hike and a nice cup of tea on the same trail i.e. new growth ~ thus people can also enjoy Oakway Water Center. I agreed with many of everyone’s points, th loved 5 Street Market and also Oakway. THE ISSUES WE ARE FACING (cont.) The council cannot be expected to solve the perceived “culture war” but can be a model for cultural discourse. The council needs to be a role model for problem-solving. We focus too much on the bad, and we label ourselves. I heard Andrea say that she was uncomfortable having this conversation. I am discouraged. There is “dismay” that we are focused on the divided council as a subject matter. The council role is to model how the community can work together and we should be that model for good governance and leadership. Let’s show leadership by focusing on our collective interests and MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 6-7, 2009 Page 6 Goals Setting Session