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· The City should support and leverage new initiatives at the state level, including those derived from the Oregon Council on Knowledge and Economic Development and the Oregon Business Plan · Economic development is not in opposition to environmental quality · The City's Planning and Development Department needs to be better supported and adequately staffed to implement the' community's economic vision · Encourage strategies such as enterprise zones, urban renewal districts, and tax incentives to grow the tax base and create high-quality jobs Speaking to Eugene's connections to regional efforts, Mr. Linton said there was a regional organization in place to support that, the Southern Willamette Research Corridor, which was working on a new vision and a legislative advocacy agency. Speaking to the issue of statewide initiatives, Mr. Linton noted the formation of the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI). The institute will focus on the commercialization of new materials and devices th~,t have broad application to energy systems, environmental mediation, biosensors, and safer manufacturing processes. He said the University would have a lead role among the universities and the institute would be built in Eugene. Mr. Linton commended the many initiatives arising out of the Oregon Business Plan, many of which tied state incentives to local activities. Ms. Pierce urged Mr. Linton to be clear about what the University actually needed from the City as many of the items he listed were very aspirational and somewhat vague. Ms. Pierce suggested that the University also had an obligation to present opportunities to the City and work with it jointly and consistently to forward those opportunities. She advocated for a two-way dialogue to begin. Mr. Linton agreed. Speaking to the question of what the University needed, he specifically noted the need for support for the Riverfront Research Park and urban renewal in that area and support for the University's nanotechnology efforts, which was a high priority for Governor Ted Kulongoski. Mr. Linton said the University was trying to communicate more about what it was doing so people could advocate for it. Ms. Pierce said that occasionally, as much as the University advocated for something like the Riverfront Research Park, another element of the University was the leading opponent to it, which sent a mixed message to the community. Mr. Linton concurred. He said the University encouraged an open and free exchange of ideas and it would never speak with a single voice. Diverse opinions would always exist, and he agreed that OOmplicated the relationship. Responding to a question from Mr. Proudfoot, Mr. Linton said urban renewal and the Riverfront Research Park were high priorities for the University. He hoped to get companies such as Molecular Probes closer to the University. If that occurred, the next discussion was how to best redevelop the properties Molecular Probes was vacating to ~the benefit of the community; he suggested that might include the establishment of an' enterprise zone. MINUTES--Mayor's Committee on Economic Development April 20, 2004 Page 13