Item 2A - Approval of Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilor Meisner conveyed his respect for the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC) board and staff, but was not confident that the plan was the most cost-efficient means of addressing the wastewater issues. He felt the stakeholders had not had adequate opportunity to weigh in on MWMC plan. Councilor Poling supported the motion. He commented that the MWMC staff, engineers, and legal staff made their argument and those opposed had made their argument 180 degrees in opposition. He recommended approval so that this would move forward, adding that if it was going to go to court, it would go to court. Regarding public comment, he questioned how the right amount could be quantified. He stressed that the MWMC would need direction, should the process have to be embarked upon again, on just what amount of public input was necessary. Councilor Solomon opined that the MWMC had come to represent all that was wrong with government. She called it a "morass" of acronyms, plans, and diagrams difficult for the average citizen to fathom. She was particularly concerned that, in addition to the higher rates, the MWMC had been unwilling to work with the community of Coburg to develop a regional facility. She felt this would have represented true regional planning. Councilor Pap6 commented that the MWMC had not had much input over the years because it had been primarily concerned with the management of existing facilities. He said this was the first time it had been faced with substantial improvements. He wanted the MWMC to obtain a second opinion from an engineering firm other than CH2M Hill. He added that noticing had not included any reference to the amount of money that was in question. He thought the public would have participated more had it known the price tag for the 20-year project list was $144 million. Councilor Kelly countered that there was more than a second opinion in the draft in that there were five alternatives represented there, all of which had been sorted through by the consultant and the MWMC. He noted that some of the testimony in support of the plan was from people who worked in the wastewater profession. He supported Coburg's possible involvement in the plan and did not see that the resolution before the council precluded such partnership. City Manager Taylor interjected that there had been a preliminary discussion regarding such an endeavor. He predicted that adoption of the resolution would free up staff time and allow staff to further pursue the proposed partnership. Councilor Kelly agreed that the wastewater facilities were complex, but asserted that all such facilities were complex in the eyes of someone who was without the appropriate engineering background. Mayor Torrey, commenting by speakerphone, echoed Councilor Kelly. He said he had talked to many people who had shared similar concerns regarding the amount of money to be spent on a "quick decision." He disagreed that the decision had been made quickly. The MWMC had been involved in the formation of this plan for a long time. He underscored that the citizen participant on the MWMC was a well- respected engineer and that he was unequivocal in his support of the plan. He recognized that people in the business community did not want to spend money frivolously, but they also wanted to ensure that the infra-structure needed for future development was available. He stressed that half of the cost increase was due to cost-of-living increases. Mayor Torrey urged the council not to hold back simply because it did not have a complete understanding of it, adding that, should a project not pan out to be what the community MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 28, 2004 Page 10 Regular Meeting