HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 08/09/07
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
August 9, 2007
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
WEST BROADWAY PUBLIC COMMENT AND INVOLVEMENT EVENTS UPDATE
LIBRARY TO HOST PERFORMING POETRY WORKSHOP FOR TEENS
FIREFIGHTERS GET NEW LOOK
CHILDREN’S ART MURAL INSTALLED IN HULT CENTER LOBBY
VOLUNTEER TEAM TO GIVE RETIRED POLICE VEHICLE NEW LIFE
AROUND THE CITY
West Broadway Public Comment and Involvement Events Update
On August 3 and 4, the community had two opportunities for public comment and citizen involvement.
During the “First Friday Art Walk” on Friday evening, staff set up a 20’x 20’ canopy in the plaza at the
corner of Broadway and Willamette. The canopy included displays about the proposed Broadway
redevelopment, a slide show of previous developments, and two methods for the public to provide
written comments. An estimated 400 people visited and provided hundreds of comments.
On Saturday morning, 130 people attended a three-hour workshop in the lobby of the Atrium Building.
Sponsored by the West Broadway Advisory Committee (WBAC) and facilitated by the consultant from
HDR Town Planning, participants took part in a visual preference exercise and voted on their
preferences for design elements, mixes of uses, parking options, and open spaces. This was followed by
a smaller group discussion on the same topics. Comments from the Saturday event were compiled by
the consultant for presentation to the WBAC on August 8.
Another public involvement session is scheduled for Wednesday evening, August 22 at the Eugene
Public Library. Citizens will be offered an opportunity to comment on West Broadway redevelopment
and on draft recommendations of the WBAC.
A comprehensive collection of information on the WBAC and materials from the consultant are available
on the City’s website: www.eugene-or.gov/westbroadway. This site is updated on a regular basis. The
site also includes the opportunity for individuals to add their names to an interested parties list. For more
information, contact Denny Braud, senior development analyst, at denny.braud@ci.eugene.or.us, or
682-5536.
Library To Host Performing Poetry Workshop for Teens
A week in advance of the Hult's Youth Poetry Slam, teens have a great opportunity to learn how to
"move your poetry off the page and onto the stage!" The Downtown Library hosts a free Performing
Poetry workshop for teens on Saturday, August 18, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.. Participants will learn about the
differences between print and performance poetry, try writing techniques that bring poems alive, and
practice in supportive small groups to energize their delivery.
This fun workshop is led by high school English teacher Jon Labrousse, who was the Eugene Poetry
Slam Champion in 2005 and competed at the National Poetry Slam that year. He will compete nationally
again as a member of the 2007 Eugene Poetry Slam team. For more information, call the Eugene
Public Library at 682-8316.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
August 9, 2007
Firefighters Get New Look
Departing from longstanding tradition, Eugene's firefighters have
now been outfitted with black turnouts (protective clothing),
replacing the familiar gold that has been worn at local fire scenes
for many years. Recent advanced maintenance inspections on the
department's old turnouts yielded an excessive failure rate caused
by factors such as age, exposure to sunlight and toxic substances,
and breached vapor barriers. Based on these results, the decision
was made to replace all primary, front-line turnouts with new sets.
The purchase was funded primarily through federal Assistance to
Firefighters Grant funds which had been earmarked to purchase
backup turnouts. The funding, including a 20-percent City match,
was sufficient to purchase 164 sets of turnouts at approximately
$2,000 per set (boots, helmet, hood, pants, coat, gloves, and
flashlight). When the department learned that black turnouts were
available at the same cost as gold, and that there were no
functional or safety-related differences between the colors (all
turnouts have large reflective surfaces), Eugene's line firefighters
were polled, and black was the preferred color. One factor in the
choice was consistency with neighboring departments, including Springfield Fire & Life Safety. (As
illustrated in the photo, the new turnouts also have the effect of making firefighters appear to be taller.)
Meanwhile, inspections continue on the older turnouts. Sets that still meet all safety standards will
remain in service as second sets, and the others will be used as training sets (non-live fire situations).
The department continues with its plan to provide every firefighter with a primary and backup set of
turnouts that meet all safety criteria. For more information, please contact Jeff Narin, Fire & EMS
logistics manager, at 682-7152.
Children’s Art Mural Installed in Hult Center Lobby
An abstract art mural collaboratively created by
45 children enrolled in a Recreation Services
summer art camp at Amazon Community Center
has been installed in the Hult Center Lobby. To
create the mural, the children used 13 pieces of
the City’s “Art for All” equipment, including pogo
paint sticks, mini rollers and art rollers. The
equipment is designed to be used by people with
and without disabilities to enable them to produce
large art displays. The mural includes the words,
“Hult” and “Art for All”.
The mural is being used to obscure the public’s
view of construction underway to renovate the
Hult Center ticket office and is expected to be in
place through Sept. 22. The renovation will
enlarge the space and address heating and ventilation issues. The public can view the mural one hour
prior to and during Hult Center performances. During the renovation, ticket office operations are being
housed in a temporary modular building located on the Hult Center Plaza. For information, contact Mark
Loigman, Hult operations director, 682-5307.
Volunteer Team to Give Retired Police Vehicle New Life
The volunteer patrol team, which has expanded to 18 members since its founding in 2001, was coming
–
up short on transportation for patrol teams. Community serviceminded retirees on the Senior Patrol
travel the city in pairs on weekdays and weekends, often with more than one duo working at a time. With
just two vehicles at their disposal, Senior Patrollers were limited to scheduling two teams at a time or
staying close to City Hall with bicycle patrols.
The volunteer team’s new vehicle will supplement the Senior Patrol Team's small fleet, bringing the total
number of team vehicles to three. Already in service are a pickup truck, donated five years ago by the
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
August 9, 2007
Eugene-Springfield New Car Dealers, which is now approaching 100,000 miles, and a retired Eugene
Police van that already has been driven more than 112,000 miles.
The hand-me-down vehicle is a
retired police sergeant's car that,
with its comparatively low mileage,
is expected to give years of service
to the Senior Patrol Team. The
blue Ford Crown Victoria has been
outfitted with an amber light bar
and prominent "EPD Volunteer"
decals. The team is excited about
the new vehicle as it will permit
three teams to be on duty at
overlapping times. It also will
accommodate passengers, making
training of new members easier.
The Senior Patrol is a component of the Eugene Police Department's Volunteers In Policing Program,
which partners citizens and police to better serve the community. Team members function as an
auxiliary unit of the Eugene Police Department by assisting with crime prevention and community
policing efforts. Except in very limited circumstances, Senior Patrollers do not take enforcement action.
These volunteers provide a highly visible presence as they observe and report suspicious activity, patrol
bike paths and streets, conduct home vacation checks, and assist sworn officers with nonhazardous
duties. Working in pairs, they drive specially marked, readily identifiable police vehicles. They wear
uniforms that identify them as police volunteers and, for their safety, are equipped with police radios. In
addition to their general patrol duties, some Senior Patrol members focus on projects such as finding
stolen vehicles, looking for disabled parking violations, or helping residents catalogue their property in
case of a burglary.
In 2006 Senior Patrol team members volunteered 4,278 hours, valued at more than $77,000 (based on a
calculation involving the national average wage), to serve the community. Retirees aged 50+ who are
interested in joining the Senior Patrol program are encouraged to apply. For more information, please
contact the Volunteers In Policing Program Coordinator, Carrie Chouinard, at 682-5355, or Senior Patrol
Coordinator Debbie Janecek at 682-5642.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
August 9, 2007