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work force as vital to realizing that goal. He did not think one could consider a high quality <br /> work force without thinking of higher wage jobs. He said quality jobs should provide some level <br /> of benefit as well as opportunities for advancement. <br /> <br />Mr. Bussel noted the trend toward incorporating job quality standards, particularly as they <br />applied to wages and benefits, at the state, county, and local government level. The organization <br />Good Jobs First had identified 49 municipalities as incorporating job quality standards into the <br />subsidies they offered to companies. He suggested defined job quality standards should be <br />included in any recruitment or retention strategy to send a message to the businesses Eugene <br />wanted to attract. <br /> <br />Mr. Bussel discussed "sectoral" strategies, where a community identified existing industries or <br />clusters of industries that paid well and attempted to attract other companies that were related. <br />He said sectoral strategies worked when they brought together a broad spectrum of stakeholders, <br />including the labor community. In a sectoral strategy, employers and stakeholders worked <br />together to do things they could not do alone. They shared information, developed job training <br />together, and worked together on modernization upgrading, etc. <br /> <br />Mr. Bussel encouraged the committee to solicit input from low-wage workers. <br /> <br />Responding to a question from Mr. Re'Voal, Mr. Bussel said self-training was very important. <br />However, low-wage workers needed support to help them find financial assistance and job <br />opportunities. Self-reliance is great but does not help in a low-wage situation. <br /> <br />Mr. Coyle said that a "job is what it is" but depending on where one was in one's life stage, it <br />had a different meaning. He asked how that factored into the discussion. Mr. Bussel said people <br />were employed for different reasons at different phases in their life, but he still believed a job <br />quality standard was important for those working at' the beginning and the end of their careers. <br /> <br /> 7. Why do Firms Locate in Eugene (or Not?) <br /> <br />Dick Sheehy, Manager for Site Selection of Industrial Design and Construction, joined the <br />committee for the discussion. Copies of his presentation were distributed to members. Mr. <br />Sheehy gave a brief history oflDC and its services. He said his firm worked all over the world <br />and focused on architectural engineering and construction of high tech buildings. He said <br />Eugene's competition was global. <br /> <br />Mr. Sheehy discussed what his firm looked for when working with clients to site a building. He <br />said companies called him seeking sites of a certain size in a certain location. He then called <br />people like Mr. Roberts to seek out more information about site availability. He said key to the <br />site selection process was for a community to "get on the list, stay on the list, and win." He said <br />quality of life can get a community on the list and couid be a tiebreaker in the final decision, but <br />companies did not go anywhere because of quality of'life. He said Eugene was on many lists <br />because of its size, the university, and its location on I-5. It was off other lists for the same <br /> <br />MINUTES--Mayor's Committee on Economic Development March 8, 2004 Page 11 <br /> <br /> <br />