Item B: Ordinance on Downtown Public Safety Zone

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Frank Switzer discussed the impact of the DPSZ on his downtown business, the Bean Buzz. He expressed concern that the exclusion zone had caused him to lose business. He believed there was a concerted campaign by Lane Transit District (LTD), the EPD, and the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce to remove people from downtown and that they were using the zone inappropriately to do so. Mr. Switzer noted the recent public forum on the DPSZ and said that since he was probably going to be in litigation against LTD he had chosen not to speak at the forum, so the DPSZ was also impacting his First Amendment rights. He recommended that the City discard the DPSZ and instead bring together the neighborhood groups and social service agencies that served the populations the ordinance was attempting to address and deal with issues involved from a social services point of view rather than an enforcement point of view. Mr. Switzer observed that the issue of mental health was not even discussed in the staff report, and it was an important aspect of the issues surrounding the exclusion zone. Mr. Valle closed the Public Forum. III. COMMENTS FROM CHAIR AND ITEMS FROM COMMISSIONERS Ms. Miller welcomed new Police Commissioner Jim Garner and thanked Civilian Review Board (CRB) liaison Tim Laue for attending in Bernadette Conover’s place. Mr. Valle also welcomed Mr. Garner and encouraged him to attend a future EPD Citizens Police Academy. Ms. Nelson welcomed Mr. Garner and reported that during the commission’s recess she had participated in interviews for the new Police Commissioner and had been involved in the planning effort for the recent DPSZ forum. Mr. Alsup welcomed Mr. Garner. He reported on his participation in the bicycle ride held to honor late former Mayor Ruth Bascom, which he had found moving. Mr. Brown reported that he had attended the DPSZ forum and found it informative and worthwhile. He also welcomed Mr. Garner. Mr. Mueller had attended the DPSZ forum and reported he had been surprised when a participant pointed out the forum was being held inside the DPSZ and those who had been excluded from the zone could not attend to comment. That had not occurred to him when the forum was being planned, which made him question what else the commission had missed. Mr. Clark also welcomed Mr. Garner. In response to Ms. Seese Green’s comments, he said that City Council Agenda Item Summaries were done in the same format and included a staff recommendation prepared by the staff person in charge of the area in question. He thought it was appropriate that staff made such professional recommendations. Mr. Garner thanked the commissioners he had worked with to this point. He noted his attendance at the DPSZ forum and Use of Force Committee meetings. He said those meetings had raised many issues he had not previously considered and he was open to the coming discussion. Mr. Ahlen asked if the DPSZ forum had been recorded. Mr. Laue regretted Ms. Nelson’s departure from the commission. Ms. Zimmer announced the upcoming Neighborhood Summit on October 2 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at South Eugene High School. She encouraged commissioners to attend. The Prevention Convention was scheduled for October 15 at Sheldon High School from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. She also noted the commission had a vacancy and applications could be found on the City’s Web site. Ms. Zimmer also announced the departure of policy analyst Ellwood Cushman, who was leaving the City after 38 years of service.