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on what constituted a behavior as opposed to what constituted a condition and what the City could do to <br />address both. <br /> <br />Mr. Zelenka indicated that it was his expectation that the HRC would raise emerging issues with the <br />council. He also anticipated the council would hold shorter and more frequent meetings with its advisory <br />bodies to increase communication levels. He asked the HRC to assess the strategies and tactics coming <br />out of the Envision Eugene process. <br /> <br />Speaking to the subject of council committee assignments, Ms. Ortiz suggested the council discuss what <br />she termed the “imaginary line” that kept one councilor from becoming involved in another councilor’s <br />assignment. She considered that a barrier. <br /> <br />Ms. Ortiz hoped the City’s boards and commissions training included education on the City’s Human <br />Rights Program. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy said the council shared the commission’s concerns regarding homelessness because of its <br />implications in so many areas, such as public safety and livability. She acknowledged the scope of the <br />problem and the many service areas it touched upon and advocated for development of a work plan <br />focused on homelessness. <br /> <br />Ms. Osborn recommended that the council provide specific direction to the HRC on such issues as <br />homelessness when it seemed appropriate. Ms. Wells concurred. She said clear direction and focus <br />helped the commission achieve tangible wins. She asked if the council had any questions it wished the <br />HRC to ask the community during the course of the Listening Project and to share those with her via e- <br />mail. She also envisioned that the council’s requests for assistance defining the social equity element of <br />the TBL could be a separate commission work plan item. <br /> <br />Ms. Gyatso agreed with Ms. Mortensen that the communication between the HRC and council needed to <br />be improved. Ms. LeMasurier suggested that the council could employ its liaison to the HRC, Mr. Farr, <br />to provide direction to the HRC. <br /> <br />Ms. LeMasurier shared comments made by commissioners unable to attend the meeting, who wished her <br />to mention the re-establishment of the Human Rights Support System (HRSS) and the need for staff <br />support of that function. She said many commissioners and community members were interested in the <br />HRSS and wanted the City to be able to do more local enforcement of human and civil rights in areas <br />such as housing and discrimination in public places. <br /> <br />City Manager Ruiz posed the following question: <br /> <br />What advice do council members and the mayor have for HRC members for enhancing <br />commission effectiveness and the relationship between the council and commission? <br /> <br />- Utilize this commission more in making decisions (include Human Rights lens). <br />- Make sure Councilor Farr knows what you’d like council to know or respond to. He can and <br />wants to help. <br />- Use memos to inform us. <br />- If there is a problem communicating or otherwise, let us know. We want to help. <br />- We all read the e-mail. <br />- Help to revise the old ordinance because the structure of the current commission no longer <br />works for the work needed. <br />- Help move forward with less bureaucracy. <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council May 18, 2011 Page 4 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />