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Nicholas Garcia, 3725 Kincaid Street, represented a University of Oregon group called "Live Move." He <br />supported the extension of the West Eugene EmX route and suggested there were those who could benefit <br />from the system who could not speak in support of it. An effective transit system was a key to Eugene's <br />future success. He asked the council to consider the public good in Eugene in general, not just the loudest <br />voices. <br />Angela Bayliss, 255 Baxter Street, discussed her experience in rebuilding her house and the code <br />violations committed by her contractor that had been passed by the City of Eugene Building and Permit <br />Division. <br />Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum and solicited council questions and comments. <br />Councilor Ortiz expressed appreciation for those offering testimony on the EmX system. She acknowl- <br />edged Ms. Bayliss' remarks and asked if there was litigation pending related to her situation. City <br />Attorney Emily Jerome was not aware of pending litigation. Councilor Ortiz expressed sympathy for Ms. <br />Bayliss' situation and thanked her for bringing the information forward. <br />Councilor Solomon expressed concern about the information shared by Ms. Gladen and said it seemed <br />there was a complete reversal in conditions from the summer. She wanted an explanation about what <br />happened. Speaking to Ms. Bayliss' remarks, she asked City Manager Jon Ruiz to send a memorandum to <br />the council regarding the situation. City Manager Ruiz indicated he would do so. <br />Councilor Clark expressed appreciation for the testimony offered by the public. He agreed with the <br />remarks of Ms. Gladden about changed conditions in downtown. When the officers dedicated to <br />downtown during the summer were returned to their positions as school resource officers, the situation <br />deteriorated. He did not think the police presence during the summer had been sufficient but at least <br />conditions had been manageable. Councilor Clark wanted to find a way to effect a permanent change in <br />the police staffing dedicated to downtown. <br />City Manager Ruiz said the issue was not one of resources, which had been appropriated by the City <br />Council as part of the downtown public safety strategy, but rather that of hiring new officers, taking them <br />through training, and getting them assigned. <br />Councilor Clark acknowledged City Manager Ruiz' remarks and said he hoped the situation improved to <br />the point where the council was no longer having such conversations. <br />Councilor Zelenka noted the time it took between the allocation of resources and the deployment of <br />officers, and noted that currently, the department only had one or two vacancies and would be fully staffed <br />soon. He thought the City had adequate tools in place to address the problems downtown. <br />Councilor Zelenka thanked those who spoke about EmX and encouraged them to encourage their friends <br />to speak as well. <br />Mayor Piercy also thanked those who offered public comment. Speaking to Ms. Gladen's remarks, she <br />suggested that public safety solutions were only part of the solutions for downtown. She reported she had <br />asked City Manager Ruiz about outreach strategies for dealing with those in need who spent time in <br />downtown. <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council October 11, 2010 Page 4 <br />Regular Meeting <br />