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HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 17, 2014 - 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 April 17, 2014 IN THIS EDITION EUGENE RECEIVES 35 CONSECUTIVE TREE CITY USA AWARD TH NEW ANIMAL SERVICES PROGRAM HELPS LICENSE DOGS OWNED BY HOMELESS NORTHEAST NEIGHBORS CONNECTING PEOPLE TO PLACES – 20-MINUTE NEIGHBORHOODS LEARN FROM LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEADERS WHILE VOLUNTEERING RECREATION LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD LIFEGUARDS ROAD REPAIR WORK BEGINS ON 13 AVENUE ON MONDAY TH DÍA DE LOS NIÑOS/DÍA DE LOS LIBROS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES BIGGEST REC GUIDE EVER TOPS 110 PAGES NEW SUNGARD DISPATCH AND RECORDS SYSTEM VIDEO ON CITY WEBSITE CLIMATE FOR CHANGE IS FOCUS OF SATURDAY’S EARTH DAY EVENT AROUND THE CITY Eugene Receives 35 Consecutive Tree City USA Award th Last Friday, over 200 students at the Saint Paul Parish School gathered to celebrate Arbor Day. They were joined by Mayor Kitty Piercy, Oregon Department of Forestry Lane District Forester Link Smith, City staff, teachers and parent volunteers. Their involvement with Eugene’s urban forest began in February when they planted 37 trees in Ascot Park. Vice Principal Kelly Hughes said the third- through eighth-grade student volunteers got “super muddy” and the general sentiment was captured when one happy tree planter exclaimed, “this was the best field trip ever!” Mayor Piercy accepted Eugene’s 35 th consecutive Tree City USA award during the celebration. Afterward, she thanked the students for the gift they had given to the people of Eugene by planting climate- adaptable trees. They planted native Oregon white oaks and white alders, which are well-suited to the dry summers here. Valley oaks, holly oaks, shingle oaks and swamp red oaks, were also planted because of their ability to withstand the wet winters of this area. In addition to the trees the students planted, nearly 600 additional trees have been planted this season to help replace the hundreds of trees lost to snow and ice storms this winter, and to provide stormwater benefits that improve water quality in the city and downriver. Since 1872, Arbor Day has been celebrated as America's national tree holiday, a day set aside to plant trees, educate children about the importance of trees and honor the role trees play in the lives of people in communities across the country. For more information about Arbor Day, contact City of Eugene Urban Forester Mark Snyder at 541-682-4819 or EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 April 17, 2014 mark.r.snyder@ci.eugene.or.us. New Animal Services Program Helps License Dogs Owned by Homeless In partnership with Pro Bono and the City of Eugene Spay and Neuter Clinic, the animal services licensing program now offers a free dog license to homeless individuals in Eugene who get their dog a rabies shot and have had their dog spayed or neutered. Pro Bono is a local nonprofit organization that offers free veterinary care and food to the pets of those who are homeless in Lane County. Only dog owners with the appropriate paperwork generated by Pro Bono and contact information in Eugene are able to go to the Spay and Neuter Clinic to obtain a license. In general, animal welfare officers tend to find a high level of interest among homeless dog owners about licensing. The program accomplishes several goals. It improves rabies compliance, provides an incentive to spay and neuter, and provides some contact information about owners if their dogs are found at-large. For more information, please contact Interim Animal Services Manager Kelly Darnell at 541-682-5748 or kelly.a.darnell@ci.eugene.or.us. Northeast Neighbors Connecting People to Places – 20-Minute Neighborhoods The Northeast Neighbors (NeN) neighborhood association and City of Eugene Neighborhood Services staff have completed the Strategic Neighborhood Assessment and Planning (SNAP) project that was designed to identify ways the neighborhood association could encourage the development of 20-Minute Neighborhoods centered on two main commercial areas and neighboring residential areas within the NeN neighborhood. The NeN SNAP leadership team and Neighborhood Services staff worked with a team of City staff members to assess the opportunities and barriers to promoting the 20-Minute Neighborhood concept by reviewing local and regional planning documents, assessing on- the-ground physical infrastructure, and gathering information from neighborhood residents and businesses. A neighborhood transportation survey gathered 641 responses from area residents and businesses; this survey provided the leadership team and staff with information on the current transportation choices of residents and businesses and what changes they would like to see in their neighborhood. The final NeN SNAP work plan contains a set of goals and actions developed by the leadership team that will help support Northeast Neighbors in guiding future development and redevelopment projects in the neighborhood. The NeN SNAP work plan can be found at http://www.eugene-or.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15799. For more information, please contact Neighborhood Services staff Lorna Flormoe at 541-682-5670 or lorna.r.flormoe@ci.eugene.or.us, or Rene Kane at 541-682-6243 or rene.c.kane@ci.eugene.or.us. Learn from Local and National Leaders while Volunteering The 2014 Neighborhoods, USA conference is almost here! The 39 Annual event will be held May 21 - 24 and volunteer th opportunities are available to support neighborhood leaders throughout the region, nation and even globally who will be gathering in Eugene next month. Delegates will come together to explore what it means to “Grow Community – Hand in Hand” with more than 50 workshops, 13 exciting and unique tours and three cutting- edge keynote speakers. There will be something for everyone concerned about cultivating safe and healthy communities. A wide variety of volunteer positions remain, ranging from tour and workshop monitors, to information and registration booth staff who will welcome neighbors from around the globe. As positions are available, volunteers who are able to commit to six hours or more of assistance may be eligible to attend the full suite of conference programing, including the opening celebration, all conference meals, keynote speakers, workshops and tours. Positions will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. For those who don’t have six hours available to be eligible for the full work-trade registration option, consider volunteering for just a portion of the programing and experience the expertise and energy of a workshop or tour of choice. Positions are EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 April 17, 2014 available in two-hour time commitments. Take a moment to review the schedule and the many events planned and consider donating time to help spread positive change and community collaboration – one neighborhood at a time. For additional information on the conference, visit https://www.eugene-or.gov/NUSA2014 and to sign-up to be a volunteer, contact Barbara Denalis at bdenlis@gmail.com. Recreation Looking for a Few Good Lifeguards Eugene Recreation has openings for one of the best jobs of the summer – lifeguarding at one of the City’s three pools. Individuals at least 15 years of age, who are competent swimmers, may qualify to earn the American Red Cross certification needed to be employed as a lifeguard this summer. The certification course teaches lifesaving and teamwork skills through hands-on practice and classroom presentations. The last two certification classes of the year will be held in April and May. On the first day of class, students will be given a physical skills pre-test to ensure they can safely participate. Both classes will be held at Echo Hollow Pool. The first class will be from 4 - 8 p.m., Monday - Friday, Apr. 21 - May 2, and, from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 26. The second class will be held Monday - Friday, from4 - 8 p.m., May 5 - 16, and from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., on Saturday, May 10. The $175 fee includes enrollment, the lifeguarding textbook, and certification. For more information, call Senior Recreation Programmer Anastasia Ehlers at 541-682-5525. Road Repair Work Begins on 13 Avenue on Monday th For months, motorists have had to pick their way through more than a mile of utility work on West 13 Avenue. But th beginning Monday, Apr. 21, construction begins in earnest as the City of Eugene reconstructs West 13 between Garfield th and Washington streets. Knife River Corporation, the low bidder on the Public Works project, will split the construction schedule into two phases. The first phase, beginning next Monday, will run from Polk to Washington streets and is scheduled to be substantially completed by early July, well before the Lane County Fair opens on Jul. 23. When the fair is over, the second phase – from Garfield to Polk streets – will be done. The entire project is scheduled to be finished by early September. Initially, the phase 1 work will focus on rebuilding 38 sidewalk access ramps. The work will then shift to removing the deteriorated surface and damaged areas of road base and rebuilding West 13 with a new asphalt surface. This will require th lengthy lane closures, tentatively scheduled to begin in mid-May. The plan is to keep one lane open for through traffic; however, there may be times when heavy equipment is temporarily blocking that lane. Motorists are advised to use alternate routes to avoid delays in active work zones. Pedestrians and cyclists may also encounter closed sections of sidewalk in work areas. Utility companies, including Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) and Northwest Natural, have been working to repair or relocate their underground facilities before the City starts road work. With 17 major City street repair projects scheduled this year, utility crews have been busy all over town. The $2.2 million 13 Avenue project is funded primarily by the 2012 voter-approved bond measure to fix city streets. For th more information, contact Pavement Preservation Program Manager Jenifer Willer at 541-501-0376. Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros at Public Libraries Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros (Day of Children/Day of Books) is an international holiday honoring children, culture, and books. Local families are invited to celebrate at a bilingual festival which will include storytelling, live music and dance, creative activities, library card sign-ups, refreshments, and free books for kids to take home. Join in the fun at the Springfield Public Library on Saturday, Apr. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m., and at the Eugene Public Library on Sunday, Apr. 27, from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. This year's featured performer is famed bilingual educator, award-winning children's book author, and singer José-Luis Orozco. A lively entertainer beloved by kids, Orozco has traveled the world for decades connecting cultures. He has been honored with many awards, including a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award presented by the EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 April 17, 2014 Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Come to the Springfield Public Library on Saturday, Apr. 26, between 1 and 4 p.m., for free events starting with a performance by Orozco, followed by music and dance with Alma de México, Mariachi del Sol, and Taller de Son Jarocho; and hands-on activities for children. Come to the Downtown Eugene Public Library on Sunday, Apr. 27, between 2:30 and 5:00 p.m., for free events starting with a performance by Orozco, followed by music and dance by Taller de Son Jarocho, and hands-on activities led by groups including Eugene Arte Latino with Jessica Zapata. Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros is sponsored by the Eugene Public Library, Springfield Public Library, Community Health Centers of Lane County, Downtown Languages, Eugene School District 4J, Springfield Public Schools, Bethel School District, Head Start of Lane County, SELCO, Springfield Arts Commission, and United Way of Lane County. For more information, call the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 (press 5 for Spanish). Biggest Rec Guide Ever Tops 110 Pages Eugene Recreation's Guide to summer fun is now available online. At 110 pages, the 2014 Summer Guide is a testament to the number and variety of Recreation’s offerings for “building bodies and brains while having fun playing games.” The cover features a photo of an airborne young skateboarder at the new WJ Skatepark + Urban Plaza. Inside the guide, for the first time, summer camp listings are in Spanish as well as English. Some 13,000 residents who opted out of a paper guide have already received an email notice that the virtual guide is available. More than 9,000 residents who prefer a paper guide will begin receiving copies in their mailboxes this weekend. Registration for most summer Recreation activities is now underway. In addition to 170 summer camps, the Recreation Guide includes hundreds of fun things to do this summer for every age, such as hiking, biking, family rafts, the We Are Bethel Celebration, meals and social gatherings, archery, Mother’s and Father’s Day challenge course events, Fun For All, sailing, regional excursions, water fitness, team sports, movies and concerts in the park, adaptive recreation activities, Summer in the City events, and much more. For more information, contact LRCS Marketing and Public Information Manager Kathy Madison at 541-682-6342. New SunGard Dispatch and Records SystemVideo on City Website The City of Eugene’s website features a new video about the SunGard system. The cities of Eugene and Springfield converted to a public safety records management and dispatching system for Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Services on schedule and without any service disruption. SunGard is the new public safety system replacing the mainframe system in use for approximately half a century. In addition to being more functional and efficient, the new SunGard system has an annual operating cost that is less than half that of the old mainframe system. In November 2012, the City of Eugene signed its contract with SunGard for the new Records Management System/ Computer Aided Dispatch system (RMS/CAD). This was a major milestone and the switchover was achieved within an incredibly fast 13-month schedule and with no break in public service. The two cities negotiated with SunGard in 2012 to achieve a cost savings that made acquisition of the system possible. SunGard was willing to provide a substantial discount, reducing the cost by a total of about $2.4 million ($2,386,582) for the two cities, in order to secure its first contract site in Oregon. Once the new system is fully integrated and employees are trained it will provide:  Streamlined business processes  Support of Data-Led Policing  Tools to improve police efficiency and effectiveness, such as electronic reporting from the field to the Records Unit and Dispatch  Elimination of duplicate and manual entry  Ease of use  Ability to take advantage of future policing and technology trends  Increased officer access to information in the field to help them respond safely and effectively EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 April 17, 2014  Map-based satellite vehicle location that will dispatch the closest unit to the incident increasing police officer and community safety and giving dispatchers more visibility to choose the correct police and fire units to respond to events  Ability of integrated law enforcement systems to detect linkages between information that make it easier to solve complex crimes  Functionality to analyze criminal activity information to forecast where additional crimes are likely to occur The mainframe-based records system was originally developed in the late 1960s. It was the latest technology of its time, but became increasingly hard to maintain and lacked the functionality of modern systems. An exhaustive market investigation into the many economical commercial software solutions that offer enhanced tools to meet the public safety needs of the community was conducted by the City of Eugene. Both Eugene and Springfield partnered in selecting SunGard, a leading supplier of public safety solutions. For more information, contact Melinda McLaughlin, Eugene Police, at 541-682-5124. Climate for Change is Focus of Saturday’s Earth Day Event This year’s Earth Day event at Eugene Water & Electric Boards’s River Edge Plaza will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday, Apr. 19. The event will feature over 50 educational activity booths, a musical main stage, children’s activities and a green community micro-fair. Bicyclists can stop by for a free bike safety check and minor tune- up and plant aficionados can purchase plants and learn plenty about sustainable gardening at the Lane County Master Gardener Association plant sale. Lane Transit District will provide free bus service all day, including a shuttle service from downtown to the event. The City of Eugene stormwater program and green building and waste prevention programs will share an educational booth with more information about green options and the Love Food Not Waste program. The event is a collaboration of many local agencies and businesses and the Earth Day Planning Committee. In addition, the event relies on volunteers to help in a variety of ways. Volunteers can sign up at www.earthdayoregon.com. For additional information about the stormwater program, contact Public Education Specialist Kathy Eva at 541-682-2739 or Kathy.a.eva@ci.eugene.or.us, or visit www.happyrivers.org . For more information about the Earth Day event, visit www.earthdayoregon.com. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 April 17, 2014