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<br />Parks and Open Space Receives Oregon Youth Employment Initiative Funding <br />The Parks and Open Space Division (POS) was recently awarded two grants totaling $62,000 from the Oregon <br />Youth Conservations Corps’ Oregon Youth Employment Initiative (OYCC-OYEI). POS has been successful in <br />three consecutive funding cycles for OYCC-OYEI grants, which are made available through the Federal American <br />Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The initiative was designed to provide employment opportunities for <br />youth between the ages of 18 and 24 in the fields of natural resources and conservation education. <br /> <br />This grant will provide POS funding to hire two crews of six youths to conduct natural resource maintenance in the <br />City’s natural areas for a nine-week period this summer. The crews will focus on three main projects: trimming <br />vegetation and removing debris in the City’s waterways to ensure proper conveyance while preserving habitat <br />nd <br />value; rehabilitating a section of the Ridgeline Trail beginning at the trailhead at 52 Avenue and Willamette <br />Street; and restoring oak-pine habitat at the Mariposa Woodland area of Spencer Butte. <br /> <br />For more information about these grants, please contact Natural Resource Maintenance Supervisor John Clark at <br />541-682-4826. <br /> <br />Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan (DESP) Turns One <br />A lot of work has been done in the first year of the Diversity and Equity <br />Strategic Plan (DESP) to help ensure that equity, human rights and improved <br />access are infused into the daily work done at the City of Eugene. The DESP <br />Annual Report highlights the first year of work, providing a progress report on <br />action item implementation and forecasting second year objectives. <br /> <br />The report also provides ways for City staff to become more involved with <br />organization-wide efforts and diversity work in departments. Reflecting input <br /> <br />from thepublic, City employees and a diversity consultant, the five-year plan <br />commits to a coordinated, strategic approach in aligning work with council <br />goals and the City’s mission and values. The report will be printed and distributed starting next week. <br /> <br />For more information, please contact Equity and Human Rights Manager Raquel Wells at 541-682-8439, or <br />Raquel.c.wells@ci.eugene.or.us. <br /> <br />Investigation of Wastewater Collection System Begins July 6 in Fairmount Area <br />During the summer and early fall, Public Works Maintenance crews will be re-evaluating possible defects in the <br />public wastewater collection system in the Far West, West University, Friendly Area, South University, Amazon, <br />Fairmount, Southeast, Downtown and Jefferson Westside neighborhoods. The work will take place on weekdays <br />between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., beginning Tuesday, July 6, and will involve two techniques: closed-circuit <br />television inspection and isolated smoke-testing. Isolated <br />smoke-testing enables staff to investigate defects that allow <br />stormwater runoff and groundwater to enter the public <br />wastewater collection system. In addition to isolated smoke- <br />testing, closed-circuit television allows staff to pinpoint the <br />location of possible defects. <br /> <br />Testing will begin in the Fairmount Boulevard area. The entire <br />project is expected to take several months to complete. During <br />the tests, which are endorsed by the U.S. Environmental <br />Protection Agency, non-toxic, white smoke is released into <br />underground sewer lines to identify problems. The smoke will <br />not harm plants or animals and quickly dissipates leaving no <br /> <br />residue or stains.Residents are notified before testing begins <br />in their neighborhood by notices placed on doors one or two <br />days before work begins. <br />Harmless white smoke reveals potential leaks <br /> <br />After smoke is blown into a sewer line, crew members use closed- circuit television inside the sewer system to <br />locate where the smoke is exiting the public system. White smoke rising from the ground generally indicates a <br />crack or other defects in a sewer line. Deteriorated sewer lines and improper stormwater connections cause a <br />problem called inflow and infiltration. The region's wastewater collection and treatment system is designed to carry <br /> <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 <br />June 24, 2010 <br />