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MINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room--City Hall January 12, 2004 5:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Gary Pap6, President; Nancy Nathanson, Vice President; Scott Meisner, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Bonny Bettman, George Poling, 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. Bettman wished everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year and thanked all City employees who worked above and beyond the call of duty through various recent weather challenges. Ms. Bettman spoke to the issue of hospital siting. She agreed with recent comments made by the mayor that the council wanted the hospital in the city, but she emphasized her highest priority was to have two hospitals and then to have the broadest possible access for Eugene citizens to emergency services. That might not mean a site in the city. She thought it more vital to have a hospital in Glenwood, for example, than in the Valley River area due to the greater access for residents living south of the river. She regretted that Eugene had surrendered its jurisdiction over Glenwood to Springfield. Ms. Bettman voiced her support for Ballot Measure 30. She noted the increase in the vehicle registration fee, which raised more than $3 billion for bridge repair and new projects. The fee increase was an economic stimulus because it created jobs. She said similarly, Measure 30 would also create jobs as well as provide services that were provided solely by government. Ms. Taylor noted her vote in opposition to surrendering the City's jurisdiction over Glenwood in large part because of the industrial land it contained and its other potential opportunities. Ms. Taylor said she enjoyed the recent National League of Cities conference in Nashville, Tennessee, and admired how the community of Nashville made the most of its assets, such as its music industry and its role in the history of the civil rights movement. She said that Eugene should emphasize its assets similarly. She cited Farmers Market, Saturday Market, and the bicycle system as local assets. She noted the many assets that Nashville had, in particular those emphasizing its history and what made it different from other places. Ms. Taylor asked the City Manager to provide an update on funding for hazardous materials training. Ms. Taylor referred to the recent State of the City event and suggested it could be improved by allowing MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 12, 2004 Page 1 Work Session