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communities that worked together to locate businesses in the most appropriate places and shared the <br />resulting tax revenues and said Eugene could consider a similar approach. <br />Mr. Zelenka hoped the staff analysis took the ancillary economic impact of attracting large companies to <br />the community into account. <br />Mr. Clark said the community lost opportunities when it lost companies. Those losses had a direct impact <br />on the tax base and the availability of jobs. Eugene lost those opportunities and did not replace them <br />because of a lack of available sites. Mr. Clark did not think the right approach was to rely on history to <br />argue no new sites were needed. He suggested that companies had not come to Eugene because Eugene <br />lacked sites and needed to have an inventory of sites to stay even with past losses and not lose additional <br />jobs. <br />Ms. Ortiz welcomed new companies and businesses as providing jobs for the community. She said a lack <br />of jobs was forcing young people out of the area. Those were the people the community wanted to retain. <br />They grew up here but had to leave because they did not want to rely on social services. Ms. Ortiz <br />wanted the City to take a proactive approach to business retention and recruitment and tell companies it <br />wanted them in the community and ask them what they needed from the City. She wanted the City to <br />deliver a strong proactive message to local businesses. <br />Ms. Ortiz suggested that the City lobby to end the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). <br />Mayor Piercy pointed out that there was a limited land supply and businesses had different needs. Grain <br />Millers, for example, wanted grassland to grow its products at its site, and Eugene could not <br />accommodate that need. <br />Mayor Piercy wanted to help residents seeking jobs and wanted those jobs to reflect community values. <br />She thought the City could achieve those goals. <br />Mayor Piercy adjourned the meeting at 1:23 p.m. <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />Beth Forrest <br />City Recorder <br />(Recorded by Kimberly Young) <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council November 23, 2011 Page 5 <br />Work Session <br />