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community and its profits paid for team salaries and stadium maintenance. In addition, the team operated <br />programs for local at -risk youth. He believed something similar could happen in Eugene. <br />Mayor Piercy observed that it was likely that the value of the Civic Stadium property would go up in time <br />rather than down. <br />Mr. Poling noted that federal and State funding for social services was down and he anticipated local <br />social service providers would look to the City for more money. He was concerned about committing <br />$100,000 annually on the project given existing budget conditions. Speaking to the bold steps mentioned <br />by Mr. Brown, Mr. Poling pointed out that the expenditures in question had all been approved by the <br />voters and did not represent council decisions. Speaking to the potential use of CDBG funds, Mr. Poling <br />anticipated a 15 percent reduction in that funding source and suggested those dollars would be harder to <br />come by in the future. <br />Mr. Poling did not think proponents of the proposal had firm numbers to offer the council. He found it <br />interesting that once the City entered the picture, a professional soccer team and developmental league <br />football team were interested in the site. He asked if those entities were contributing financially to the <br />project. He could not support the proposal and did not think the City should be involved in project. He <br />said the future of the site was a school board decision. He wanted that decision to have a financial benefit <br />to 4J and hoped that future development on the site increased the tax base. <br />Mr. Farr asked City Manager Ruiz about the source of the $100,000 annual contribution the City would <br />be expected to make. City Manager Ruiz said while he had given the matter some thought he was not <br />prepared to recommend a funding source at this time. Mr. Farr noted the large gaps that existed in <br />funding for essential social services, which made him question how the City would come up with the <br />funding in question. He was not interested in spending CDBG funds on the project. <br />Mr. Farr believed the decision facing the school district was a business decision. He agreed with Mayor <br />Piercy that the value of the site would increase in time. It would not be less expensive to buy in two <br />years. He believed the plan would become more difficult to achieve if the price went up. He understood <br />that Phase 1 depended on fund raising, and he questioned how people would be enticed to give money if <br />SCS did not hold the property. <br />Ms. Ortiz did not support using CDBG funds for the project. She asked if there was a "Plan B" if the <br />SCS plan did not come to fruition. Mr. Zelenka indicated that if SCS did not meet the development <br />milestones in the lease, the property would revert back to the school district. <br />Ms. Ortiz appreciated the work done by Mr. Zelenka and Mr. Brown to keep the SCS proposal alive but <br />she was concerned about the cost. She had felt some lukewarm support for the proposal when she <br />thought that the City could purchase the site with parks bonds. However, since those funds were not <br />available, she could not support the proposal. <br />Mr. Pryor also appreciated the work done Mr. Zelenka, Mr. Brown, and SCS. He found the proposal <br />intriguing. He believed the school board had to make a business decision based on what was reasonable <br />and possible. He had to balance competing needs when considering his decision. With respect for the <br />work that had been done, Mr. Pryor could not support the proposal, in part because of the money but also <br />because he was unsure he would support the proposal if he was on the school board. <br />Ms. Taylor clarified that the library was not built with a bond issue. <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council May 9, 2010 Page 3 <br />Work Session <br />