Item 3A: Approval of City Council Minutes

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Ms. Wilson, responding to Mr. Zelenka’s concern for the use of polygraph testing in police hiring , noted that this legislative concept for polygraph testing would permit one to be used only as part of the background check process and not as part of any ultimate hiring decisions. Mr. Zelenka moved to delete the item stating, “Eugene supports a revision to current State law (ORS 659A.300 and any other relevant sections) so that a polygraph and/or other established technology for truth verification can be used as part of the hiring process for police officers,” from the Police and Enforcement subsection of the legislative policies document. The motion died for lack of a second. VI. Public Safety--D. Fire and Emergency Response Mr. Poling, seconded by Ms. Solomon, moved to delete the item stating, “Eugene supports the elimination of the provisions under ORS 453.370 and 453.402 which restrict local jurisdictions from imposing hazardous substance fees equitably to Eugene employers enrolled in the program. Currently, an arbitrary cap spreads an uneven burden to smaller employers,” from the Fire and Emergency Response subsection of the legislative policies document. Mr. Poling felt that the Toxics Right-to-Know provision addressed by his motion was working fine and saw no reason to change any significant aspect of it. Ms. Taylor commented that the provision in its current state was unfair to smaller employers. Mr. Pryor noted that removing or reducing the cap under the Toxics Right-to-Know provision might encourage unrestrained growth of the program, but agreed with Ms. Taylor that the provision in its current state was unduly burdensome to smaller employers. Ms. Wilson noted that the Toxics Right-to-Know program was unique to Eugene and that removing it would not have any effect on other cities. Ms. Piercy called for a vote on Mr. Poling’s previously stated motion. The motion failed 4:5, Ms. Bettman, Ms. Taylor, Mr. Zelenka, Ms. Ortiz and Ms. Piercy voting in opposition. VIII. Environmental Issues--B. Water and Endangered Species/Habitat (B1. Water Quality) Ms. Bettman, in addressing the Water Quality Standards clause from the Water and Endangered Species/Habitat subsection, felt that the clause regarding opposition to efforts to legislate water quality standards as stated might allow for loopholes such as the mixing of water testing zones with which established water quality standards might be circumvented. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to delete the item stating, “Eugene opposes any efforts to change State water quality standards through the legislative process. The DEQ has established . . . should be obtained through a similar collaborative process, and not achieved through legislative action,” from the Water and Endangered Species/Habitat subsection of the legislative policies document. Ms. Wilson expressed that the clause as stated was actually intended to prevent any loopholes regarding water quality standards by removing such concerns from the legislative process and leaving it within the state agencies MINUTES—Eugene City Council November 24, 2008 Page 9 Work Session