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MINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room--City Hall February 9, 2004 5:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Bonny Bettman, George Poling, Nancy Nathanson, Scott Meisner, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Pap6, Jennifer Solomon. Mayor James D. Torrey called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. A. ITEMS FROM MAYOR, COUNCIL, AND CITY MANAGER Ms. Nathanson noted the recent failure of Ballot Measure 30, and asked the City Manager to prepare a report about the impact of that failure on the City's budget and the City's response. She anticipated ancillary fallout from the loss of State programs on City programs such as 9-1-1, police, parks, and the courts. She asked if the failure of the measure would lead the manager to recommend any additional budget cuts. City Manager Dennis Taylor noted the impact of the measure would be felt most by the State. He said that staff was following the issue closely because of the likely impact the loss of jail beds would have on the City, for example. He said that staff would confer with the State and County as reductions became more firm and report back to the council. Mr. Kelly requested an update on the status of the Mayor's Economic Development Task Force. Mr. Taylor indicated that meeting dates were being arranged and would be provided to the council. Ms. Bettman spoke to projected cuts at the State level for education, health and human services, and public safety, and suggested it would be difficult to quantify those at the local level. She thought the City would see increasing numbers of homeless people, for example, which would have an impact. She called for fiscal prudence and keeping funds for core services. Ms. Bettman announced an Early Education Program fundraiser would occur at South Eugene High School at February 24, at which the Capital Steps would perform for the benefit of the program. She spoke in praise of the program, which operated on a shoe-string budget and needed the support. Mr. Poling said he attended a luncheon for CASA of Lane County the previous week. During the event, the executive director requested community volunteers for the program, which works with youth victims of abuse. The program served 164 children the previous year with case management services; case managers worked with children they were assigned until they were through the court process. He said that volunteers go through training and then average about ten hours of volunteer time each month. Mr. Poling urged community members with time to contact CASA of Lane County. He said that the organization also needed donations. MINUTES--Eugene City Council February 9, 2004 Page 1 Work Session