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MINUTES OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING WITH EUGENE CITY COUNCIL, Page 13
<br />METROPOLITAN POLICY COMMITTEE, AND LANE TRANSIT DISTRICT
<br />BOARD OF DIRECTORS, FEBRUARY 8, 2011
<br />science, facts are established with as much clarity as possible, which helps in making decisions. The
<br />military intelligence uses perception management that is propaganda, which is an ugly word. LTD
<br />has already decided what it is going to do and thinks people are too dumb to make decisions for
<br />themselves. The government- funded entity is publishing and promoting people as opinion leaders
<br />rather than giving people the facts and letting them decide for themselves. He said LTD should lay
<br />out all the possible alternative futures and let everyone explore them. The answer is simple: more
<br />buses, more comfortable buses, more ergonomic buses, more frequent buses, and more family
<br />wage bus drivers. The decision should be delayed.
<br />Mark Frohnmeyer, West 5 th Avenue, Eugene, is a lifelong resident who owns his business. He
<br />stated that he is a supporter of rapid transit. Eugene should have a great mass transit system. The
<br />current system is good, but could be better. EmX is great and he rides it as much as possible. He
<br />asked that LTD bring routes closer to him and his neighbors in Whiteaker and Jefferson Westside.
<br />Survey data show that people do not like to transfer, so the long -term solution should consider
<br />include minimizing the number of transfers that riders have to make. He wants a long stretch that
<br />would allow as many buses to go through as possible. He supports pushing EmX further into West
<br />Eugene.
<br />Brian Weaver, Grant Street, Eugene, stated that he is pro No Build. He has heard the radio ads and
<br />has seen billboard ads. The fix is in with LTD and is supported by the mayor. He supplied copies of
<br />concept drawings to the City Council that had been submitted to the FTA as well as the Alternative
<br />Analysis report. The mitigation drawing shows mixed traffic on West 11 Avenue. The problems will
<br />continue, and property will be taken by eminent domain. The report is full of grand illusion. He has
<br />been canvassing for weeks along West 11 Avenue, West 6 th Avenue, West 7 th Avenue, and River
<br />Road. Nobody wants EmX. The people have been deceived. The City Council is scheduled to make
<br />a decision on March 9, and it should think about the public rather than LTD.
<br />Bob White, River Road, Eugene, stated that he owns a business on River Road. He has been
<br />watching the process on River Road, and the process is tainted and has been corrupted by the City,
<br />County, and lobbyists. Zoning changes were made on River Road to enable mixed use. They
<br />wanted EmX out there. The zoning process was done by a group of 40 to 60 River Road citizens.
<br />The meetings were violent in the beginning, so they stopped holding the meetings. They eventually
<br />started holding the meetings again. The decisions of the City Council and the County did not
<br />produce roads, but there are trails. The decision gave nothing back to the community and created no
<br />tax base. The West Eugene Parkway was voted on by the people and killed by the City Council.
<br />Jeffrey Dahl, Eugene, had been a business owner in Eugene for 20 years. He has had six kids in
<br />the schools. As a machinist, he solves problems, and he does not get paid if he does not solve the
<br />problems. He suggested running EmX down Roosevelt Boulevard rather than West 11 Avenue. It is
<br />very wide, underused, and adjacent to Highway 99 and Greenhill Road. He said getting rid of paid
<br />parking in downtown Eugene will solve a business problem for downtown. West 11 Avenue
<br />business owners should get tax breaks for land they purchased and people who funded the system
<br />should get free bus passes. The regular buses on West 11 Avenue share the lanes with cars, but
<br />EmX will not share the lanes. This is a huge issue that has been overlooked.
<br />James Luzzi, Monroe Street, Eugene, has lived in Eugene since 1974. He directed officials to
<br />Chapter 7 of the Alternative Analysis Report. He said tables listed the number of trees to be
<br />removed, and the numbers are alarming. Loss of trees means loss of tree canopy, which provides
<br />carbon and storm water storage.
<br />Misha Seymour, Lincoln Street, Eugene, said people who ride buses are not respected. It is not
<br />right that there is only one bus on Willamette Street at night. Buses should get people to where they
<br />want to go. EmX spent money, and now there was not much money left for other things. People
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