Item B: Neighborhood Services Update

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ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Work Session: Neighborhood Services Update Meeting Date: November 18, 2009 Agenda Item Number: B Department: Central Services Staff Contacts: Michael Kinnison www.eugene-or.gov/neighborhoods Telephone Number: 682-5009 ISSUE STATEMENT This work session provides updates on Neighborhood Services, the Neighborhood Empowerment Initiative (NEI), and progress on implementing recommendations of the Neighborhood Services Assessment. It is also an opportunity for feedback on how Neighborhood Services can continue to improve support for effective communication and engagement among elected officials, the City organization, neighborhood associations and all Eugene residents. BACKGROUND Many changes have occurred since March 2000, the last time Neighborhood Services was the subject of a City Council work session. At that time, the program was located within the Community Development Division. It subsequently moved to the Planning Division and, more recently, to the City Manager’s Office. The last realignment occurred in summer 2009, in response to a recommendation developed through the Neighborhood Services Assessment process, as well as an interest in integrating core values shared by the program areas of Neighborhoods, Equity and Human Rights, and Sustainability. This realignment is providing resources and creative ideas to promote equity and sustainability principles in the work of neighborhood organizing. Staff connections have been strengthened, with Equity and Human Rights staff serving on the Neighborhood Services Assessment Implementation Team and attending both NEI and Neighborhood Leaders Council (NLC) meetings; the Neighborhood Services Manager serving on the Equity and Human Rights Board; and staff of the Community Climate and Energy Action Plan sharing office space with Neighborhood Services. Neighborhood Services maintains close ties to the Planning Division through coordination of neighborhood representation in Planning work programs, a planning liaison function for neighborhoods, and staff support of Strategic Neighborhood Action Plans (SNAPs). A neighborhood planner position, funded through the NEI to implement SNAPs, is currently assigned to Planning. Neighborhood Empowerment Since the council’s work session on the Neighborhood Empowerment Initiative in December 2008, the NEI committee of staff and neighborhood representatives has continued to meet on a monthly basis. A progress report is provided as Attachment A. Given progress made on addressing action plan items, the growing challenge of maintaining robust participation and council’s shift to the Eugene Counts framework, the committee has recently begun discussing its future direction. Options include a staff- Z:\CMO\2009 Council Agendas\M091118\S091118B.doc