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B. WORK SESSION: An Ordinance Concerning Used Merchandise Dealers, and Amending <br />Sections 4.989 and 4.990 of the Eugene Code, 1971 <br /> <br />The council was joined for the item by Captain Elvia Williams and Detective Randy Berger of the Eugene <br />Police Department. <br /> <br />City Manager Taylor noted that Captain Williams was the City’s loaned executive to the Community <br />Campaign this year, and the City set records for employee contributions. He thanked her for her efforts. <br /> <br />Captain Williams noted the increasing level of property crimes facing the department and their relationship <br />to methamphetamine abuse. Staff was proposing to update the City’s current code with a provision that <br />established an electronic reporting system to provide law enforcement personnel with “real time” data on <br />sales that can be matched to lists of stolen property. Captain Williams called attention to the ordinance, <br />included in the meeting packet. She noted the pilot that had occurred over the past three years and indicated <br />the participants in the pilot program had not been charged by the City for the use of the automated system <br />that was installed in their businesses. The system vendors now wanted the City to adopt the system and pay <br />for it or move to another system. <br /> <br />Mayor Piercy called for council comments and questions. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman commended the department for showing regional leadership. She supported the ordinance and <br />hoped the system worked as anticipated. She noted that the City would save money from the use of the <br />system, but pointed out that both Lane County and City of Springfield were participating at no cost, which <br />she wanted to get on the record. <br /> <br />Mr. Pryor was very supportive of the ordinance and said he had recovered stolen property through the <br />legwork of officers, who had to visit a pawnshop to physically inspect serial numbers. The proposed system <br />would improve upon the existing system. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé agreed with the remarks of Ms. Bettman. He pointed out that Lane County was not participating <br />financially in the River Road/Santa Clara Transition Project and the City provided newsletter funding for <br />non-City residents without County support. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé expressed concern about the cost of the system for pawn shops and asked if the City could bear <br />those costs with the savings it realized internally. Captain Williams clarified that the $700 fee would be for <br />stores with more than 3,000 transactions each year. The $700 would be cheaper than a per-transaction <br />approach, which was contemplated at one time. She said that the larger stores were not complaining about <br />the fee. She acknowledged the system would save the City money by saving detectives’ time, but that time <br />would be redistributed to other crimes. It would not save much time in the Records Division due to the need <br />to verify information. Detective Berger pointed out that few businesses required as much supervision to <br />ensure laws were followed as the secondhand business. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly also supported the ordinance and the leadership shown by the department. He believed that the <br />ordinance directed resources to where they could be most effective and increased the likelihood that residents <br />would recover their stolen property. <br /> <br />Responding to a question from Mr. Poling about why the ordinance was not being adopted countywide, <br />Detective Berger indicated the ordinance was being considered by Lane County and the City of Springfield. <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council January 11, 2006 Page 7 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />