CC Minutes - 01/23/2013 Work Session

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MINUTES Eugene City Council Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97401 January 23, 2013 Noon COUNCILORS PRESENT: George Brown, Betty Taylor, Greg Evans, Mike Clark, Chris Pryor, Alan Zelenka, Claire Syrett, George Poling Her Honor, Mayor Piercy called the January 23, 2013, work session of the Eugene City Council to order. A. WORK SESSION: City Hall Update City Manager Jon Ruiz, introduced the item. Mike Penwell reviewed previous work on this topic, research, staff work, project features, project budget and location. Discussion points, concerns, ideas: • Parking under building will be retained. • Council Chamber will be preserved, as will public art. • Council Chamber will be made more open structurally and more publicly accessible. • Cultural gifts should be more prominently and effectively displayed. • Conceptual design will reveal more detail about what will be preserved. • Budget concerns -15 million + one time money, where will the one time money come from? • One time money could be used to close current budget gap. • Consider aggregate building to make money stretch further - partnerships /community • Keep building, design team, talent and overall process as local as possible • Request for detailed budget breakdown of both internal and external costs • Hope to stay within the 15 Million dollar budget - land, parking, connection to past • Remodeling is normally expensive, hidden costs and inflexible in many cases - not green • New buildings should be zero energy use, very green and efficient • Is it possible to retain the 'duck pond' or 'moat'? Possibly. • Entries should be closer to the street to 'invite' public into the space • Questions about whether or not to keep the arc shaped mural painting behind dais seating • Some want to keep mural; others feel it is old, unattractive and doesn't represent "Eugene." • Be flexible about how we solve long -term budget problems while building a new City Hall. • Make City Hall accessible to all, especially youth - bring the entrances closer to the street. • City Hall should represent the character of the city. • Celebrate the past - Sister City trophies, displays, etc. • Keep voting board, update new space, heat, bathrooms, engagement space, community space • Concern expressed: Old City Hall cannot successfully and affordably be remodeled. • Several Councilors and the Mayor expressed appreciation of staff work. • Having a community meeting space would be great - for everyone • Park Blocks gathering place is important - remember that when forming ideas • Saturday and Farmer's Market somewhere in the area? MINUTES — Eugene City Council January 23, 2013 Page 1 Work Session