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council respect their values by observing the pledge at the beginning of meanings. He said to a certain <br />degree, the matter had become an issue of tolerance for him. He was asking that those with a different set <br />of values "have a seat at the table, too." <br />Mayor Piercy suggested that statements about differences in the community made it less likely the council <br />found something to agree on. She hoped the council could find a positive way to support the different <br />points of view around the table and produce something that did not denigrate anyone's position. <br />Ms. Taylor believed the council was wasting its time talking about the subject. The council was elected <br />to do the City's business, and the Pledge of Allegiance was not part of that, nor was an extensive <br />discussion of who was right or wrong. She asked if the council should read the Communist Manifesto if <br />it had to do something to satisfy anyone. There were probably lots of things that people would like the <br />council to read or say. She could possibly support the reading of the Declaration of Independence on the <br />Fourth of July because many people were unaware of its contents and the reading might help educate <br />them. She believed the council should forget about the subject. <br />Mr. Brown said that the council kept hearing about the people who wanted the council to say the Pledge <br />of Allegiance but he wondered why the council only heard about them second -hand from Mr. Clark. He <br />believed it was poor practice to base public policy on rumor; innuendo, and uncorroborated second -hand <br />statements. <br />Mr. Zelenka restated the amendment as follows: <br />Mr. Zelenka, seconded by Mr. Brown, moved to amend the motion to indicate that at the <br />council meeting closest to the Fourth of July the ceremony will also include readings <br />from the Declaration of Independence and United States Constitution. <br />The amendment was accepted by Mr. Clark and Mr. Poling as a friendly amendment to the motion with <br />the modification suggested by Ms. Ortiz. <br />The motion passed, 6:2; Ms. Taylor and Mr. Brown voting no. <br />Ms. Ortiz acknowledged the retirement of resident Wayne Watkins from the Bethel School Board. The <br />council thanked Mr. Watkins for his service with a round of applause. <br />Because the scheduled end time for the agenda item had passed, Mayor Piercy moved the council to the <br />next scheduled agenda item. <br />B. WORK SESSION: <br />Ward Redistricting <br />The council was joined by Keli Osborn of the City Manager's Office and Jason Dedrick of the Planning <br />Division. Ms. Osborn and Mr. Dedrick described the public outreach that occurred since the last council <br />work session on the subject in April 2011. Mr. Dedrick called the council's attention to Attachment B, <br />Summary— Feedback on Ward Redistricting Criteria, which included the public input gathered by staff. <br />He briefly noted some of the feedback staff received. <br />Ms. Osborn indicated that the census block data being used by staff was available on request to anyone <br />who wished to see it. She anticipated that after the council's adoption of criteria, staff would return in <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council June 27, 2011 Page 4 <br />Work Session <br />