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Ms. Ortiz maintained that Eugene was a "model city" that did things in an innovative way, and its <br />approach to Occupy Eugene was an example of that. She hoped communications did not break down <br />between Occupy Eugene and the City. She thought it important that the organization kept its doors open <br />to the organization in the same way it did for other organizations, even when she did not agree with their <br />messages. Her constituency expected such a policy. <br />Ms. Ortiz was cognizant of the costs being incurred, but was also cognizant of the lawsuits that would <br />result if the City had to turn to an entity such as the National Guard to end the protest. She preferred to <br />spend her tax dollars spent on working toward the common good with Occupy Eugene than to try to stop <br />its efforts. She suggested that Occupy Eugene was elevating community consciousness about <br />homelessness. It was her expectation that the City would continue to work with Occupy Eugene. <br />Mr. Clark said he did riot have to agree with a group's position to feel strongly that they had a right to <br />their position. He was proud to be resident of a state that took its First Amendment protections seriously. <br />However, he distinguished between holding a protest, which he strongly supported, and camping in a <br />public space. One did not have to camp to protest. <br />Speaking to descriptions of Occupy Eugene as a "peaceful" protest, Mr. Clark objected. He said it was <br />not peaceful to take over a space and to not allow someone else to use it. He believed it was an act of <br />aggression and asked people to stop describing the protest as such. He said such an act was no more <br />peaceful than his occupation of the mayor's office and refusal to leave would be. <br />Mr. Clark expressed appreciation for the response of City staff to the protest. He thought staff had <br />responded wisely. He was concerned about some of the council decisions that had been made to <br />capitulate to a situation that he did not consider a peaceful protest. <br />Mayor Piercy suggested that there was a disagreement of opinion between those who perceived Occupy <br />Eugene as very cooperative and peaceful and those who did not. She said the same was true for the equal <br />enforcement issue. She pointed out the City had an ordinance governing camping, but it contained <br />waivers, and the exemption was legal. <br />The motion passed unanimously, 6:0. <br />Mayor Piercy adjourned the meeting at 1:38 p.m. <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />,8,kA lw� <br />Beth Forrest <br />City Recorder <br />(Recorded by Kimberly Young) <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council October 31, 2011 Page 4 <br />Special Meeting <br />