HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/11/15 - City Council Newsletter
City of Eugene
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Eugene, Oregon 97401
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www.eugene-or.gov
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
June 11, 2015
IN THIS EDITION
CLEAN WATER TEAM VIDEO MAKES A SPLASH ON LOCAL AIRWAVES
“WALKABLE CITY” AUTHOR TO SPEAK AT THE STUDIO ON JUNE 17
NEW LOAN FUND FOR EUGENE ARTISTS NOW AVAILABLE
EUGENE’S ENTREPRENEUR AND TECH SECTORS SPRING INTO ACTION
AROUND THE CITY
Clean Water Team Video Makes a Splash on Local Airwaves
A newly produced 30-second video, focused on clean water messages to residents, began airing on local TV this week.
With the help of a little humor, and a football-themed analogy, several outdoor activities are demonstrated by “clean
water team members” to remind residents about ways they
can help keep the local waterways clean and healthy.
Public storm drains in Eugene empty into the Amazon Creek
and Willamette River without getting treated at the regional
wastewater collection and treatment facility.
Information about pollution prevention tips and other
resources are available at www.eugene-or.gov/happyrivers or
by contacting Public Information Specialist for the Stormwater
Management Program Kathy Eva at 541-682-2739 or
Kathy.a.eva@ci.eugene.or.us.
“Walkable City” Author to Speak at The Studio on June 17
Join acclaimed urban designer, city planner, and author Jeff Speck for his presentation, Toward a More Walkable Eugene,
on June 17, at 6 p.m., in The Studio at the Hult Center. The talk will be preceded by a reception at 5:30 p.m. Seating is
limited, so please RSVP to dxoregon@gmail.com.
Speck is the author of “Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time”,
and one of the most engaging writers on community design today. He will address how to
transform downtown into a walkable environment that is useful, safe, comfortable, and
interesting. Learn about best practices from around the nation, and ideas for Eugene.
Speck is a city planner and urban designer who advocates internationally for more walkable
cities. As director of design at the National Endowment for the Arts, from 2003 through 2007,
he presided over the Mayors’ Institute on City Design and created the Governors’ Institute on
Community Design. Prior to this, Speck spent 10 years as Director of Town Planning at DPZ &
Co., the principal firm behind the New Urbanism movement. Since 2007, he has led Speck &
Associates, a boutique planning firm that specializes in making American downtowns thrive.
For more about Speck, visit www.Jeffspeck.com.
The State of Oregon’s Transportation and Growth Management program is sponsoring the visit, with support from the
City of Eugene, Lane Transit District, and local chapters of the American Planning Association and American Institute of
Architects. For more information, contact Zach Galloway at 541.682.5485 or zach.a.galloway@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
June 11, 2015
New Loan Fund for Eugene Artists Now Available
With support from an anonymous donor, the City of Eugene and the Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene (ABAE) have
teamed up to create the Arts & Business Loan Fund. The fund offers short-term, low-interest loans to aid arts-related
organizations, businesses, and artists, who often cannot access traditional bank financing.
The goal of the loan program is to invest in artists and arts-related businesses within the city of Eugene. Loan amounts
will range between $5,000 and $50,000, dependent upon fund availability and other factors. The loans encourage
creative community collaborations, economic development, and dynamic partnership between arts and business.
The loan fund is supported by a $100,000 donation from a private donor
through ABAE and $100,000 from the City of Eugene’s Business Loan Fund
pool. There are four types of loans available:
Bridge loans for special projects secured by contract, grant,
foundation funding or other guaranteed loan income
Opportunity loans for new revenue stream investments, expansions,
or cost-saving opportunities
Infrastructure loans to fund historical renovations, storefront
improvements, and creative place-making projects or events
Creative capital loans for fundraising events or performance
production expenses, and artists fees that are secured by event
revenue or box office receipts
Businesses or individual artists are eligible for the loan if they are located
and reside within the city of Eugene, are a start-up or existing business, or are a not-for-profit entity or fiscally
sponsored by one. Eligible individuals or businesses may apply for project funding by submitting a project proposal. If
approved by the ABAE loan fund committee, the applicant will then be prompted to submit the final phase
requirements of the loan decision process, including a $50 application fee.
For complete details, and to access application materials, please visit http://www.eugene-or.gov/artsbusinessloan.
Eugene’s Entrepreneur and Tech Sectors Spring into Action
It has been a busy and exciting spring for all things entrepreneurial and tech in Eugene. In May, startups from Eugene
swept the awards at the Willamette Angel Conference (WAC). The WAC brings together investors and entrepreneurs
seeking funding for startup companies. Locally owned Moonshadow Mobile, Red Duck Foods, and Cricket Flours all
received investment awards at the conference.
Shortly thereafter, Alaska Airlines announced it will be offering non-
stop flights between Eugene and San Jose, California – establishing an
important link between the Silicon Valley and what has become known
as the Silicon Shire, Eugene’s own quickly growing tech sector.
At the same time, RAIN Eugene, the Regional Accelerator & Innovation
Network, graduated its second class of startup companies which
included biotech, business services, and marketing firms. In addition,
the University of Oregon began planning its renovation of 942 Olive, a
building provided by the City to create an entrepreneurial hub in the
heart of downtown and house the RAIN Eugene accelerator.
Last week, high-speed fiber internet service went “live” in two downtown buildings – offering exponentially faster
internet connections to local businesses. The City of Eugene, Lane Council of Governments (LCOG) and the Eugene
Water & Electric Board (EWEB) partnered on the pilot project that supports internet speeds reaching up to one GB per
second, with the hope of expanding to more of downtown in the future.
While exciting in its own right, this flurry of spring activity also underscores the impact of the City’s strategic
investments and partnerships that have helped promote downtown revitalization, support targeted business sectors,
and create the conditions for economic prosperity to flourish. For more information, contact Anne Fifield at
Anne.E.Fifield@ci.eugene.or.us, or 541-682-5451.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
June 11, 2015