HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/21/13 - City Council Newsletter
City of Eugene
125 East 8 Avenue, 2 Floor
thnd
Eugene, Oregon 97401
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
November 21, 2013
IN THIS EDITION
LATEST WORKING CITY EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
DANGERS OF DRUNK DRIVING EMPHASIZED IN STAGED CRASH
REGIONAL PROSPERITY SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS PARTNERSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES
EUGENE CELEBRATES “AMERICA RECYCLES DAY” WITH LOVE FOOD NOT WASTE
GRANT HELPS EXPAND PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH AND VETS
LEAF SERVICE CHANGES AND FLOOD INFORMATION FEATURED IN STORMWATER CONNECTIONS
AROUND THE CITY
Latest Working City Episode Highlights Downtown Revitalization
The most recent episode of Working City is a video which starts with a question that is being repeated throughout Eugene –
“Have you been downtown lately?” As more and more people are visiting downtown, the word is spreading. Eugene’s
downtown is transforming.
Over the last two years, with the support of the community,
businesses, and the Eugene City Council, Eugene’s investment in
downtown has paid off. As the video notes, today in the city’s
core visitors will find:
Over 20 new businesses including:
Restaurants, pubs and food carts;
o
Unique tea and coffee shops;
o
An art house movie theater and performing art
o
venues;
Retail, furniture and gift shops; and
o
Locally made ice cream and cupcakes!
o
New, creative companies and hundreds of new employees
in the redeveloped Broadway Commerce Center, First On
Broadway and the new Woolworth Building;
Over 1,500 new residents who are moving downtown into
new and remodeled apartments; and
Lane Community College’s state of the art, LEED Platinum
downtown campus that brings over 6,000 students
downtown each year.
While the momentum continues to build in the rejuvenated city center, the City keeps working to grow and sustain
downtown economic development and create a welcoming and vibrant downtown experience.
Working City is financed with Eugene’s telecom funds and is produced as a public service through a joint effort involving
City staff and Metro Television. The “Downtown Revitalization” video can be viewed on the City’s video web page or by
going directly to http://vimeo.com/79529215. It also airs on Comcast Cable channel 21 (check the Metro TV schedule for
times).
For more information about downtown revitalization, please contact Nan Laurence at 541-682-5340.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
November 21, 2013
Dangers of Drunk Driving Emphasized in Staged Crash
On Nov. 12, personnel from Eugene Springfield Fire, Eugene Police, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Life Flight air ambulance,
and North Eugene High School staff and students, participated in the “Every 15 Minutes Program.” This program offers
real- life experience without the real-life risks. The
emotionally charged program is an event designed to
dramatically instill in teenagers the potentially
dangerous consequences of drinking alcohol and
texting while driving.
The powerful program challenges students to think
about drinking, texting while driving, personal safety,
and the responsibility of making mature decisions
when lives are involved.
The event involved a staged motor vehicle accident in
the parking lot of North Eugene High School involving
six students with realistic make-up to simulate injuries
as the result of a crash. One student “dies” in the
accident and four students are extricated from the
vehicle by firefighters. Three of the extricated students
Photo courtesy of Slava Foursa
are loaded into medic units and leave the scene “code
3” with lights and sirens. The fourth extricated student
is loaded into the Life Flight helicopter. Another student is given a field sobriety test, arrested and taken away in a police
car. The one student who was pronounced “dead” at the scene is placed in a body bag and leaves in a funeral car.
The entire reenactment is performed in front of hundreds of students. The next day, students gather for an assembly. The
focus of the assembly stresses the dangers of texting while driving, and that the decision to consume alcohol can affect
many more people than just the one who drinks. This very emotional and heart-wrenching event illustrates to students the
potentially dangerous consequences of the use of alcohol and texting while driving, regardless of how casual the use seems
to be.
For more information about the “Every 15 Minutes Program,” contact Deputy Chief of Shift Operations Randy DeWitt at
541-682-7147 or Randy.C.DeWitt@ci.eugene.or.us.
Regional Prosperity Summit Highlights Partnerships and Opportunities
Last week, over 175 business leaders, community members and local officials attended the 2013 Regional Prosperity
Summit at the University of Oregon’s Ford Alumni Center. The summit was an example of the critical partnerships that
have been charting a course
through the Great Recession and
accelerating regional prosperity.
The cities of Eugene and
Springfield, Lane County, the
University of Oregon, and the
Eugene and Springfield chambers of
commerce organized the event to
review economic progress and
begin a discussion of new
possibilities.
The keynote address, given by Max Williams, president and CEO of the Oregon Community Foundation, spoke to
philanthropy’s role in promoting prosperity. Afterwards, expert panels representing sectors drawn from education
technology, food and beverage production, and manufacturing industrial clusters, discussed their ideas for the region to
build, retain and expand companies. Audience members participated in table discussions and by voting via text message for
the ideas they felt were the most promising or important. Key ideas from presenters and audience comments included:
Supporting quality schools and providing unique educational opportunities;
Training younger generations for open, high-paying jobs;
Re-branding the region with a focus on the distinctive products, services and qualities of the area that make it a great
place to work and live;
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
November 21, 2013
Simplifying system development charges and permitting and development processes, as well as providing assistance to
navigate development hurdles;
Supporting infrastructure development, like airport capacity or fiber connectivity downtown; and
Creating shared resources to support workforce readiness and the region’s innovators, entrepreneurs, and young
community members.
The second day of the summit, held in Springfield, brought together regional federal officials and representatives with
community leaders to discuss highlighted opportunities and the investments needed to accelerate them. Summit partners
are working on a report that summarizes the information presented and input collected on both days and outlines the next
steps.
For more information about the Regional Prosperity Summit, contact Laura Hammond at 541-682-6021 or
laura.a.hammond@ci.eugene.or.us.
Eugene Celebrates “America Recycles Day” with Love Food Not Waste
To celebrate the two-year anniversary of Love Food Not Waste (Nov. 1) and America Recycles Day (Nov. 15), the City of
Eugene’s Waste Prevention program held a compost photo competition for all businesses participating in Love Food Not
Waste – the community’s commercial composting program.
Businesses submitted photos of their compost, competing for an ad in
the Blue Chip business publication, plus other advertising
opportunities throughout the year. This year’s winner was
Sweetwaters on the River – the restaurant inside the Valley River Inn.
Along with their photo, Sweetwaters’ manager Chris Worrell stated:
“Sweetwaters on the River ‘hearts’ composting! Not only have we
made our business greener, we have saved over $900 every month on
our waste management!!”
To date, over 140 Eugene businesses participate in commercial
compost collection. Within two years, the program has kept five
million pounds of food waste out of the landfill and put it into valuable
compost production.
For more information, contact Stephanie Scafa or call 541-682-5652.
Grant Helps Expand Programs for Youth and Vets
The Adaptive Recreation Program received a $1,000 grant from U.S. Paralympics to train two staff members as archery
coaches and expand two programs. Recreation Programmer Patty Prather, Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist
(CTRS), and Recreation staff member Michael Bredfield attended the training and are
now certified as level 1 and level 2 archery coaches. They can teach beginning archery
classes, and teach and certify other staff to become level 1 archery instructors.
Thanks in part to the book, “The Hunger Games,” archery has become very popular
nationally, especially among young people. As a recreational activity, archery also plays
an important part in helping veterans who acquired a disability during their term of
service to recover and return to civilian life. Studies confirm that becoming
accomplished in recreational activities can help disabled vets restore their sense of
competency, and, that sharing positive activities with vets who have had similar combat
experiences can be therapeutic. In addition to archery, Adaptive Recreationalso offers
river rafting, kayaking, biking, skiing, and other activities for disabled veterans.
Recreation’s Youth and Family Program at Petersen Barn began offering archery several years ago. The program has been
so popular that an archery club has formed with members traveling to Oregon cities to compete against other youth and
adults.
The training that Prather and Bredfield received will help the Recreation Division expand its archery opportunities for
youth, individuals with disabilities, and provide inclusive archery in Recreation’s after-school programs.
For more information, contact Recreation Programmer Patty Prather, CTRS, at 541-682-5311.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
November 21, 2013
Leaf Service Changes and Flood Information Featured in Stormwater Connections
The fall 2013 Stormwater Connections newsletter includes important information about the City’s new approach to leaf
collection. Because crews are active in many areas at once, residents can benefit greatly by getting information about their
neighborhood’s collection schedule. The newsletter article contains tips and links to support the outreach for this new
system.
Property owners and renters in or near a flood hazard area can also learn more about
changing insurance rates, flood risk and flood safety tips in this issue. Although Lane
County has not experienced major flooding since 1996, the increase of large storms in
highly populated areas is affecting flood insurance rates. Approximately 5,000 individual
parcels are located in or near the flood hazard zone in Eugene.
Other articles discuss the residual impact of pollutants from vehicles and dog waste, how
stormwater fees help the community, and a volunteer Park Stewards project at Delta
Ponds. Stormwater Connections also includes one page about the local environment written
for younger residents and for use by teachers.
Actions of informed residents to stop pollution are critical to reducing the number one
cause of water pollution - non-point pollution in stormwater. These preventative measures
also help the city avoid the alternative of installing expensive stormwater treatment
structures.
This is the final fall edition of the newsletter. Residents with an interest in local pollution prevention are encouraged to
sign up for a future electronic edition. The newsletter will be delivered by mail next week. For more information or
additional copies of Stormwater Connections, contact Public Information Specialist Kathy Eva at 541-682-2739 or
Kathy.a.eva@ci.eugene.or.us. The newsletter is also available online at www.happyrivers.org.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
November 21, 2013