Item 3A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Poling, moved to adopt a Priority 2 Support position on HB3608. Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Brown, moved to amend the motion by substituting a Priority 2 Oppose position for the bill. Councilor Taylor explained that she was generally opposed to tax exemptions and she was not certain the biomass facility was a good thing. Councilor Brown thought the bill sought to subsidize the cost of doing business. Councilor Ortiz asked if other energy resources received credit for transporting resources. Ms. Wilson responded that they did not in this manner. Councilor Ortiz said in concept she supported the bill but she would like to have more information about the issue around woody biomass. She indicated she could support monitoring the bill. Councilor Zelenka understood that 97 or 98 percent of woody biomass in the forest after timber was harvested was burned. He averred that it was not a matter of whether or not it went into the atmosphere, it was a matter of whether or not there was a beneficial use that could be derived from burning it. He considered this to be a renewable resource. He stated that the woody biomass, when burned to produce energy, was burned under more controlled circumstances and with greatly reduced emissions. He supported the bill in order to move this valuable energy resource forward by supporting the transport of it. Councilor Poling concurred. Roll call vote; the amendment failed, 6:2; councilors Taylor and Brown voting in support. Roll call vote; the main motion passed, 5:3; councilors Taylor, Brown, and Ortiz voting in opposition. 4. ACTION: Ordinance Providing for Withdrawal of Annexed Properties from the Willakenzie Rural Fire Protection District, the Santa Clara Rural Fire Protection District, and from the Santa Clara Water District. City Manager Jon Ruiz recapped the action item before the council. He said 11 properties were being withdrawn from service districts. Councilor Clark observed that these annexations were chipping away at the tax base for some popular things, such as the River Road Park and Recreation District. He was wondering if any staff were working on a transition plan or a way to ensure that those services were maintained for those residents of that area. Mr. Ruiz responded that he did not know the answer to that question but he would look into it. Mayor Piercy commented that this was not a new issue. Councilor Ortiz related that she had sat in on a work session of the County Commissioners about a white paper that had been done in 2005 regarding this. She thought the County was “stepping up” and owning their part of that community. She noted that City services such as fire and police protection were provided to that area, without questioning which properties were in the City and which were in the County. She felt there was some desire on the commissioners’ part to do some innovative things. MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 8, 2010 Page 3 Regular Meeting