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Ms. Bettman expressed an interest in a bond measure of about $20 million that focused on acquisition and <br />perhaps leveraging the opportunity for the wetlands education center because development was happening so <br />rapidly it was important to land bank now for future parks. She said that people were willing to spend funds <br />for conservation because they understood the value. She asked that any proposal include funding to contract <br />for a professional agent to acquire the property, instead of having Parks staff negotiate the acquisitions. <br /> <br />Ms. Solomon said the council was getting ahead of itself and it would be hard to make a case for new parks <br />when the City was not maintaining the ones it had. She noted the large number of bond measures that would <br />be on the ballot in November 2006 and felt a parks bond measure could wait until 2008. <br /> <br />Ms. Ortiz echoed sentiments expressed about the time sensitivity of land acquisition and was supportive of <br />acquiring as much land as possible for future needs. She asked how much money was left for the Santa <br />Clara/River Road park. Ms. Weiss replied it was approximately $800,000. <br /> <br />Ms. Ortiz supported Ms. Bettman’s suggestion that a third party negotiator be hired for land acquisitions. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling asked if the proposed acquisition for a Willakenzie neighborhood park was the old Willakenzie <br />school site or other properties in the area. Ms. Weiss said the City already owned a portion of the old school <br />site and the acquisition would be of other properties. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling noted that was the only addition to the northeast section of the community, which was an <br />underserved area in terms of parks. He wanted to see more land identified and acquired in the north part of <br />the City, particular wards 4 and 5. He was in favor of parks but was concerned about the impact of land <br />acquisition for parks on the buildable land supply. He said he had been told that the purchase of land for <br />parks would not affect the buildable land supply but did not understand how that was possible. He agreed <br />with Ms. Solomon that it would be better to wait until 2008 to place a bond measure on the ballot. <br /> <br />Mr. Papé concurred with the suggestion to have an outside professional negotiate land purchases. He said if <br />a bond was placed on the ballot in 2006, he was only in favor of the $20 million level. He felt the project <br />list should reflect only land purchases. He said that before more parks were added to the inventory the City <br />had to determine how to maintain them. He said he had previously been told there was $950,000 in <br />remaining 1998 bond funds available to purchase a Santa Clara area park. Mr. Medlin said over $900,000 <br />was still available for that acquisition. <br /> <br />Ms. Solomon, seconded by Ms. Ortiz, moved to direct the City Manager to prepare <br />further for a Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Bond Measure in 2006 to be lim- <br />ited to $20 million for acquisition purposes only. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly offered a friendly amendment to include the wetlands education center <br />while retaining the $20 million cap. Ms. Solomon and Ms. Ortiz accepted the <br />amendment. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly said he would support the motion. <br /> <br />Mr. Pryor said he hoped the bond would not be limited to acquisition as there was a significant amount of <br />renovation that could be done. He said the council could still vet a more complete list and the motion could <br />be amended to reflect that instead of limiting the bond measure to acquisition. He noted there was no large- <br />scale plan for land acquisition and the original concept was that the bond would take advantage of <br /> <br /> <br />MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 13, 2006 Page 7 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br />