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system to cut back its schedule from five days to four, causing housing complaints to be deferred. Mr. Fransted noted, with irony, that the same system gives evictions a higher priority. He urged the council to take action on this issue sooner than June. Councilor Bettman congratulated Capt. Buchanan. She said it was admirable that he had stepped into a position that he did not want and had served two years and done an excellent job. Councilor Bettman thanked the students for attending the meeting and speaking in the Public Forum. She felt confident that, though the work session on housing standards was scheduled for June, no action would be taken before the following fall. Councilor Kelly thanked those who spoke at the Public Forum. He lauded the work that Capt. Buchanan had done as interim police chief, stating that he had done an admirable job. Councilor Kelly asked staff to follow up with Mr. Bidwell's concern regarding the accuracy of the information sheets available at the PIC. Mr. Taylor affirmed that staff would look into this. Councilor Kelly expressed his disappointment that the council, by a "bare majority," had voted to defer the work session on housing standards until June. He agreed, however, that the issue would not likely reach the level of a public hearing and subsequent action until fall or winter. He opined that a renter should be entitled to a house with heat and whose roof did not leak without having to take court action. Councilor Solomon thanked the City Manager for following up on Mr. Bidwell's request. Councilor Solomon objected to the characterization of the council's prioritization of housing standards as having sloughed them off. She related there had been confusion as to what the issue entailed and the work session was to provide scope to the question in order to facilitate meaningful discussion. She thought the Salem and Corvallis codes were likely effective, but was sure the codes had been subject to the same sort of political process that housing standards would face in Eugene. Councilor Nathanson stated that she had a great interest in housing standards ever since she had worked on the third revised edition of The Renters' Handbook as part of her work in Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG). She felt it should be expanded to examine how renters should be treated fairly across the city. She said the prioritization process had actually '~jumped" this issue ahead of other issues. She asserted that the real question was whether a local code or an enforcement mechanism was needed. She reminded those present that a public hearing would be held and she assured them it would be scheduled at the "right and appropriate time." Councilor Pap~ added his accolades to those already given to Capt. Buchanan. He stated that Capt. Buchanan "stepped up" to the position and did the right thing. Councilor Pap~ thanked those present for bringing the housing standards issue to the forefront. He clarified that the prioritization exercise conducted in the work session was for the Planning Division only. He felt it should not be left to only the Planning Division, as it was of a larger scope. MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 9, 2004 Page 3 Regular Meeting