04/28/11 - City Council Newsletter

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on steel guitar and mandolin, Greg Roberts on fiddle, Jim Krowka on guitar, Hilary Dearborn on standup bass and “everybody on vocals!" For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene- or.gov/library. Partnership with Local Club Expands Program Recreation’s Aquatics program is partnering with members of the Eugene City Water Polo (ECWP) Club to provide an additional section of the Summer Swim and Water Polo League at Amazon Pool this summer. This always popular program provides an introduction to both competitive swimming and water polo for youth ages eight to 14. At just $60 for 10 weeks of activities, Summer Swim and Water Polo League is one of the City’s best summer camp values and, not surprisingly, the four sections offered at all three City pools fill up quickly every year. ECWP’s $1,650 sponsorship will allow an additional 40 youth to experience the fun of diving, sprinting, and hurling their way through a summer of basics and on to careers in competitive aquatics. For more information, contact Tim Westerman at 541-682-6335. Schools Showcase Green School Efforts on Earth Day Eugene’s Oregon Green Schools used a beautiful Earth Day to highlight a successful new Cafeteria Compost Grant Program and to celebrate the city’s first Premier Level elementary Oregon Green School. Cal Young Middle School celebrated with Slug Queen Slugasana who added the first bucket of food scraps to the school’s new compost system. Cesar Chavez Elementary celebrated by raising their Premier Level Oregon Green School flag up the flag pole, signifying nearly a decade of successful waste prevention efforts. The City of Eugene Waste Prevention and Green Building program’s new Cafeteria Compost Grant brought cafeteria composting to 10 new schools in Eugene and the Lane County area. To qualify for a compost grant, each school had to join the Oregon Green School program. Schools that were already Oregon Green Schools were able to participate by increasing resource conservation at their school and in the community and by working toward moving up through the Oregon Green School program. This new two-pronged grant program filled quickly as 10 schools took advantage of $500 in Cafeteria Compost Grants and an additional $500 for the Cesar Chavez Students in front of their flag pole with their Oregon Green School Incentive Grant. Premier Level Certificate, $500 Incentive Grant Check, and Premier Flag. Collaboration with the School Garden Project, Partners for Sustainable Schools and Lane County Waste Management made it possible for each school to receive:  A $500 grant;  Hands-on school support for starting a new compost program;  A new three-bin compost system; and  Ongoing support for the waste conservation programs. Currently there are 22 Oregon Green Schools in Eugene. For more information, contact City of Eugene’s Compost and Urban Agriculture Program Coordinator Anne Donahue at 541-682-5542 or anne.c.donahue@ci.eugene.or.us. Budget Committee Begins Review of the Proposed Budget On April 27, City Manager Jon Ruiz presented to the Eugene Budget Committee a balanced $454 million FY12 budget proposal that continues to focus on maintaining quality City services and moves toward a sustainable budget while minimizing impacts to the community. Although facing a continuing decline in anticipated revenue primarily due to a decrease in property taxes, the FY12 Proposed Budget maintains most current service levels, continues strategic investment in a few high priority community and organizational needs, while minimizing additional taxes and fee increases. The proposed General Fund budget is $164 million. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 April 28, 2011