CC Minutes - 03/09/11 Work Session

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Mr. Brown questioned the need for the motion. He questioned the source of the motion. City Manager Ruiz said the motion was his idea. He reiterated that the motion was strictly advisory. He considered the motion an opportunity for the council to make a clear statement about whether it preferred to build the route to eliminate any public confusion. Mr. Farr praised the EmX system. He was excited about the prospect of the system serving more areas, particularly the Bethel area. He believed that passage of the first motion was a step in the right direction and looked forward to discussing where the system would go in the future. He regretted that the third phase of EmX had not traveled up Highway 99. Mr. Poling also regretted that the third phase of EmX had not traveled up Highway 99. He had yet to decide what his vote would be and looked forward to further discussion. Many factors were involved in the decision, including the funding and the system's impact on the community. He said that years ago the community decided on an auto - centric model for West 11` Avenue and now the City was trying to fit EmX on the road. He said the decision was a difficult one. Mr. Zelenka favored a "build" option. The need had been demonstrated and he believed the system was an investment in the future. People needed transportation options in all forms, not just the single - occupancy vehicle, and he believed the route moved the community toward realizing that goal. The system was frequent and reliable and the first phase had been successful. He expected the same success for later phases. Mr. Pryor believed those for and against the system had made reasonable points but the council had to make a decision. The question was what was best for the community and how the council could accommodate individuals to the degree possible. He was not willing to kill the EmX system. His challenge was to find a way to acknowledge the valid points made by both sides and find a way to accommodate those points and the community's needs. He also had to consider the future, and he believed if the community waited until it needed the system, it would be too late to build it. Mr. Pryor supported the suggested motion but believed more conversation needed to occur. Ms. Ortiz expressed support for EmX. She agreed with Mr. Pryor that discussion needed to continue. She agreed about the need to consider the long -term future as well. Ms. Ortiz believed that good transit service was a social equity issue for residents without an automobile, who needed transit to get to their place of employment and to shopping hubs. Mr. Clark expressed support for the EmX system but was concerned about the timing of the extension. He suggested that nothing prevented LTD from applying for federal funds the following year. He noted the federal deficit and expressed concern about the rate at which government was spending money. He suggested that the community would be borrowing from its children to build the extension at a time when it could not afford it. Mr. Clark believed the process had been more contentious than necessary and would like to have seen a process similar to Envision Eugene, which he believed would have allowed the community to move forward together. He indicated his intent to offer the council a motion to postpone discussion about the selection of Preferred Alternative for one year so the community could work out the issues. Ms. Taylor said she strongly supported transit but did not think that EmX represented the only kind of transit. She believed that all kinds of public transit were needed. She had been happy to see the great bus system that Eugene when she first arrived but it had deteriorated since then. Many destinations in the community could no longer be reached by bus. Ms. Taylor pointed out that she would have to walk 3 -1/2 miles to reach an EmX line and then questioned if it would take her where she wanted to go. MINUTES — Eugene City Council March 9, 2011 Page 4 Work Session