CC Minutes - 02/13/06 Work Session

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opportunities; not all those opportunities were acquisitions. He would have difficulty supporting a bond that was just for acquisition. Mr. Pryor proposed a substitute motion to direct the City Manager to prepare a Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Bond Measure for 2006 in an amount not to exceed $20 million for uses to be determined by the end of March 2006. Ms. Ortiz provided the second. Ms. Taylor opposed the substitute motion and thought that land acquisition was the important thing. She asked the cost of all land acquisition on the list. Ms. Weiss replied the cost was approximately $23 million. City Manager Taylor said that to be successful on the November 2006 ballot it was necessary to demon- strate the City was maintaining level of service in terms of the main library and branch libraries, maintaining its commitment to schools and taking an opportunity approach to parks based on community needs instead of limiting expenditures to acquisition and the wetlands center. Ms. Bettman stated she did not believe that a $50 million bond would pass, but a limited bond for the purpose of acquisition could be successful. She said that library services should be paid for out of the City’s general fund and existing revenue and a levy should not be placed on the ballot. She thought that a parks bond focused on land banking would have a favorable response from the community. Mr. Kelly indicated he would vote against the substitute motion because a measure in 2006 needed to be focused. He agreed that maintenance was important and the project list was well thought out, but acquisition was most important. Mr. Papé said he was willing to continue to move the issue forward but was prepared to fight for parks in the northern area of the City. The substitute motion failed, 7:1; Mr. Pryor voting in favor. Ms. Taylor moved to substitute enough funding to acquire all the land on the list. The motion died for lack of a second. Ms. Taylor reminded everyone that in 1938 when the community had a population of fewer than 50,000 the ridgeline was saved for future generations. She pointed out there were communities that did not save land and were now demolishing buildings to create parks. The main motion as amended passed, 6:2; Ms. Solomon and Mr. Poling opposed. D. WORK SESSION: Downtown Development Update – Oregon Research Institute City Manager Taylor introduced Denny Braud of the Community Development Division to discuss the Oregon Research Institute’s (ORI) proposed purchase and redevelopment of the former Sears building site. Mr. Braud reviewed the history of the council’s selection of the ORI project based on ORI’s longstanding presence in and contributions to the community. He said the Platinum Level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) building proposed by ORI was an impressive undertaking and would be an MINUTES—Eugene City Council February 13, 2006 Page 8 Work Session