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This city commitment to people, planet and profits has grown and strengthened over the last few years <br />with careful and smart work by many people. It has not always been easy nor do I suspect it will be in the <br />future. The life of a city is complex. We are moving forward with steady hands at the wheel. <br />Our efforts have been noticed. ICLEI, a national coalition of local governments for sustainability, <br />recognized our leadership in sustainability initiatives and innovation. We were named among the top bike <br />cities in the country by Bike Magazine. We were named one of the 100 best cities for business by Forbes; <br />a best place to retire; a great place for people with pets; home of a great university that is a member of the <br />prestigious Association of American Universities; a best small city for families; a smarter city; and a best <br />place to live. <br />"Eugene is a breath of fresh air, unlike other places which duplicate each other across this land," and <br />"considered Paradise" are just a couple of the quotes about our city I've found. <br />We've also recently been noted as one of the nation's most progressive communities and that is only <br />possible because of all the work, cooperation, and vision coming from our citizens, council, staff and <br />leadership, working in a new era of collaboration to make Eugene a great city and place in the 21 <br />century. <br />And if that is not enough to launch you into 2011, let's not forget our Ducks, the University of Oregon <br />Debate Team and the On the Rocks an a cappella group, all competing nationally to accolades and honor. <br />We live in the sweet spot. <br />In 2011 we will continue to move our economic plan. People must have jobs -jobs that pay well and keep <br />our community unique, healthy, clean and strong. We have a lot to build on. We'll measure our progress <br />and make adjustments as we go. <br />We'll take some specific additional steps to further address homelessness and the needs of our young <br />people. In particular, we'll take a look at how we might locally support our public schools during this <br />time of state funding crisis. <br />We'll see all our downtown projects come to fruition and work on adding more. We'll work on creating a <br />safer community. We'll work with the U of O and our neighborhood associations on a wide range of <br />safety and livability issues. <br />We'll focus city efforts on an arts and culture district. Although we've lost some ground in the visual arts <br />due to the recession, we remain committed to supporting the wealth of talent we are so fortunate to have <br />in this community. <br />We'll decide the future of our city hall and plan accordingly. This is called "getting our own house in <br />order." <br />We'll implement our ambitious climate and energy plan to ensure that we are as prepared as we can be for <br />an uncertain future, and we'll maintain our huge commitments as a Human Rights City. <br />We'll finish Envision Eugene and integrate it into all our other planning processes. <br />We'll have inclusive and respectful policy discussions at all levels. <br />MINUTES —City Council January 4, 20110 Page 6 <br />