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MINUTES <br />Eugene City Council <br />Council Chamber —City Hall <br />777 Pearl Street—Eugene, Oregon <br />April 9, 2012 <br />7:30 p.m. <br />COUNCILORS PRESENT: George Brown, Betty Taylor, Andrea Ortiz, George Poling, Mike Clark, <br />Chris Pryor, Alan Zelenka. <br />COUNCILORS ABSENT: Pat Farr. <br />Her Honor Mayor Kitty Piercy called the April 9, 2012, regular meeting of the Eugene City Council to <br />order. <br />1. PUBLIC FORUM <br />Mayor Piercy reviewed the rules of the Public Forum. <br />Steven Michael Todd, homeless, criticized the Downtown Guides for not being aware that he was <br />allowed to be in certain parts of downtown. He said he was a human being but the police continued to <br />wake people up and kicked them out of downtown at 3 a.m. in the morning. <br />Jerry Smith, Ward 1, a member of the Opportunity Eugene Task Force, opposed the City's closure of the <br />Occupy Eugene encampment, terming it evil. He objected that the City fined homeless people who had <br />no money. He said many people in Lane County had no money at all and should not be punished for <br />being poor. <br />Carol Berg Caldwell, Ward 3, discussed her observations at Municipal Court and commended the court <br />for being open to her suggestions for improvements. She shared some of her suggestions and submitted a <br />copy of the flier regarding discovery developed by Municipal Court staff at her suggestion. She shared <br />some suggestions for improving the flier. <br />Michael Kasahun, Ward 8, shared his experience with the Eugene Police and reported he had <br />approached the Police Auditor's Office because he did not believe the police report of his arrest was <br />reviewed by the sergeant as required. He believed the Eugene police lacked understanding of how to deal <br />with African American males. He had met with Chief Pete Kerns and other department members to <br />discuss his concerns. He asked the council to review the six -month limitation policy imposed by Police <br />Auditor Mark Gissiner's Office so that Mr. Gissiner could review his case. <br />Irene Cardenas, homeless, suggested that addicts and mentally ill people would benefit from housing <br />that honored their personal lifestyle choices. She recommended that if homeless shelters were to refer <br />people to treatment that the treatment be effective as medication often made things worse. She advocated <br />for harmonious treatments and interactions and provided the council with fliers regarding the Open <br />Dialogue approach, which she considered effective. <br />MINUTES— Eugene City Council April 9, 2012 Page 1 <br />Regular Meeting <br />