12/17/09 - City Council Newsletter

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At the International Human Rights Day celebration, Human Rights Commission Chair Linda Hamilton announced Seda Collier the recipient of the 2009 City of Eugene International Human Rights Day Staff Recognition Award, . Seda has been a City employee for three years. She is a residential plans reviewer in the Planning and Development Department. She serves as co-chair of the City’s Equity and Human Rights Board, and also serves on the Planning and Development Department Diversity Committee. Seda was selected from among nominees by the Human Rights Commission for her work to raise awareness about people who are transgender and about gender identity, and her work for human rights in general, including increasing accessibility to opportunities, benefits and rights, and examining the principles of equity and diversity. Many thanks to all City of Eugene employees for their work in meeting the City’s goals for excellence in public service and stewardship, and making the City a great place to live and work. ePermitting Services Popular and Provide Great Value for Eugene Builders Oregon’s online ePermitting system was used to buy more building permits in Eugene than in any other jurisdiction in the state last month, according to a report from the Oregon State Building Code Division. Eugene’s Building Permit Services has been using and promoting the new online service since November 2006. The ePermitting system allows contractors to purchase permits for limited electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work. The system provides a quick and easy way to obtain necessary permits while saving the contractors time, money, and gas. November ePermitting Activity (Selected jurisdictions) Jurisdiction Number of Revenue Permits City of Beaverton 72 $6,751.41 City of Corvallis 65 $4,569.60 City of Eugene 287 $28,776.12 City of Salem 176 $16,023.52 City of 67 $6,725.16 Springfield Lane County 131 $23,854.50 Currently, 33 of the possible 135 jurisdictions in Oregon use the state’s system. ePermitting is undergoing further development and use as a full-service permitting system which could replace jurisdictional permit tracking systems. The ePermitting system is available online at http://www.oregon-epermitting.info. For more information, contact Building Permit Services Division Manager Stuart Ramsing at 682-6801 or Stuart.G.Ramsing@ci.eugene.or.us. Teens and Teachers Take Action on Climate Change On Saturday, December 19, at 2:00 p.m., at the Downtown Public Library, the City of Eugene Sustainability Program will hold a get-together for teens, teachers, and everyone who wants to spread the word and take action on climate change. Author and educator Jacob Sackin will share ideas about creative ways to talk with youth about climate change. Sackin’s young adult science fiction novel, “Islands,” gives a glimpse of a possible future in which global warming and invasive species have forced humans to live completely apart from the natural world. Can this be prevented in real life? “Yes!” says Sackin. Previously a teacher at Northwest Youth Corps Outdoor High School in Eugene, Sackin is currently director of Sempervirens Outdoor School in Boulder Creek, California. For information, contact the Library at 541-682-8316 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. EPD Rolls Out New Initiative to Impact Property Crime The Eugene Police Department (EPD) has rolled out a new initiative designed to tackle one of Eugene’s most sustained problems over the past 10 years: property crimes. The new Eugene Police Property Crime Initiative, which puts a focus on data-led policing, will affect everything from 9-1-1 dispatching, to police calls for service and follow-up. The program ensures that police managers have EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 December 17, 2009