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Home My WebLink AboutCity Council Newsletter - 10/11/07 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER October 11, 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 CITY WINS SAFETY AWARD CITY RECORDER MARY FELDMAN LEADS OREGON ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPAL RECORDERS FIRE PREVENTION MONTH ACTIVITIES PLANNED INFO EXPO: AN OPEN HOUSE FOR INQUIRING MINDS AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY EVERYONE IS A WINNER IN THE BUSINESS COMMUTE CHALLANGE “WECAN! COOK NUTRITIOUS MEALS” PROGRAM ENHANCED AROUND THE CITY City Wins Safety Award For the seventh consecutive year, the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) and City County Insurance Services (CCIS) recognized the safe work performance by City of Eugene employees with a Silver Safety Award. The award is based upon the number of lost time injury cases per 100 employees. The injury frequency rate for the fiscal year 2006-07 was 2.76 per 100, down from 2.92 in fiscal year 2005-06. On September 28, CCIS Risk Management Consultant John Zakarriassen presented the award to Mike Pungercar, the City’s Safety/Loss Control and Environmental Program Manager, at the annual LOC Conference held this year in Bend. Mr. Zakarriassen stated that City of Eugene employees should take pride in once again receiving this award as the low injury lost time frequency rate demonstrates an outstanding effort by City employees in working safely. The framed award certificate will be on display in the Risk Services offices in Suite 450 at 101 E. Broadway. This award is in recognition of the continued efforts of City of Eugene employees to operate within the framework of a proactive safety program. For additional information, contact Mike Pungercar at 682-5762. City Recorder Mary Feldman Leads Oregon Association of Municipal Recorders The Oregon Association of Municipal Recorders (OAMR) recently installed Eugene City Recorder Mary Feldman as the 2007-08 President. Ms. Feldman received the oath of office at the association’s annual conference in The Dalles, Oregon on September 22, 2007. OAMR is a professional organization providing education and training opportunities for over 200 Oregon city recorders. Ms. Feldman has been an active member of OAMR since 2003 and has previously served as First Vice President, Second Vice President and Region IV Director in addition to serving on several committees. As First Vice President she was responsible for the organization of the association’s three-day annual conference for over 100 statewide attendees. Ms. Feldman received the prestigious Certified Municipal Clerk designation from the International Institute of Municipal Clerks in September 2005. Originally hired by the City of Eugene in December 1987, Ms. Feldman served as the Minutes Recording Services Supervisor for several years before transferring into the Human Rights program where she worked until 2003. Internal restructuring in the City Manager’s Office provided the opportunity for Ms. Feldman to assume the position of City Recorder in early 2003. For further information, please contact Mary Walston, City Manager’s Office, 682-5406. Fire Prevention Month Activities Planned October is National Fire Prevention Month, and the Eugene Fire & EMS Department will once again be taking the opportunity to raise fire safety awareness in the community. Fire suppression crews are scheduled to visit every second-grade classroom in Eugene -- 4J, Bethel, and private -- during the next two weeks, sharing safety tips directly with students and providing information that kids can take home and discuss with their families. Department personnel will also be on hand for the annual Home Depot Safety Fair on Saturday, October 20 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1045 Green Acres Rd.), participating along with other safety agencies by providing an opportunity for visitors to interact with Cody, Official Fire Safety Dalmatian, and by speaking to individuals and groups about home fire escape planning and practice, and how they can make their homes and work places safer. October also brings a change in the weather, generally marking the close of what is called "wildfire season" and ushering in colder temperatures. During Fire Prevention Month and on into the holiday season, careful monitoring of thermostatically controlled home heating devices will be another theme of the Fire & EMS Department's community outreach. For more information, please contact Assistant Fire Marshal Doug Perry at 682-5887. INFO EXPO: An Open House for Inquiring Minds at Eugene Public Library Use premium internet sites and online services without paying special fees! Find out how at the INFO EXPO, Sunday, October 14, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m., at the downtown Eugene Public Library. This open house for inquiring minds features introductory demonstrations by library staff. If you've been relying on general search engines like Google, you'll be amazed at what you’ll find with these expert tools – and how easy it is. Anyone who’s been online knows the internet is terrific, but it's not perfect. Searching can be a frustrating, hit-and-miss experience. There is also lots of inaccurate information on the internet. For issues that really matter -- health, business, homework -- you need answers you can trust. Additionally, much of the best information, entertainment, and services can be found only at sites requiring expensive paid memberships, such as Aancestry.com's genealogy resources. Eugene Public Library offers these top-quality sites free. These professional sites deliver better and faster results than the usual search engines because real human experts screen, validate, organize, and update the information. Topics for this event include: - Health; medicine; alternative medicine - Genealogy - Education; school financial aid - Jobs and careers - Grants - Auto repair - Antiques - Do-it-yourself Also featured at INFO EXPO arethe library's free online resources to: - Get your questions answered by reference librarians 24/7. - Download audio books for your MP3 player. - Download movies and educational TV programs. - Find and read full-length articles and columns from thousands of newspapers, magazines, and journals. - Take onscreen practice tests, from the SAT to civil service exams, with helpful tutorials. - Connect to after-school Live Homework Help with online tutors. Everyone is welcome to use these sites and tools on the Eugene Public Library computers. In addition, library cardholders can use most of them 24/7 at the library website (click on electronic resources). For more information, please contact the Eugene Public Library, 682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. Everyone is a Winner in the Business Commute Challenge The results are in for the eighth annual Business Commute Challenge (BCC). Sixty-seven businesses competed for awards for the highest percentage of commuters who biked, walked, carpooled or took the bus to work this week. Twelve businesses earned the title of Commuter Excellence with 100% participation. Two businesses really went above and beyond for this year’s Challenge. Venture Data, a call center located in downtown Eugene, reported that the 145 employees working all had biked, walked, carpooled or took the bus for 100% participation. Semperian, located on Country Club Road, also reported stellar participation numbers with 239 of its 242 employees choosing to participate or 99% participation! This year the BCC reached more than 10,000 commuters in our area. The goal of the BCC is to encourage commuters to try a transportation option other than driving alone as often as possible for one week. The community benefits are a reduction in the number of autos impacting the transportation system (i.e. less traffic congestion) and a reduction our carbon emissions, improving air quality. For more information, contact Cindy Clarke, Transportation Options Coordinator, 682-5285. The following is a complete listing of BCC Awards: Commuter Excellence Awards (100% Participation) ? Center for Appropriate Transportation ? Dougherty Landscape Architects ? Elizabeth Lewis Publishing ? Gallagher Financial Services, Inc. ? Good Company ? Greenhill Humane Society ? Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides ? PIVOT Architecture ? Rolf Prima, Inc. ? Systems West ? Venture Data ? Western Environmental Law Center Category Awards 1-24 employees Commuter Champion ? PIVOT Architecture Commuter Star ? Greenhill Humane Society ? Systems West 25-99 employees Commuter Champion ? Café Lucky Noodle Commuter Star ? Northwest Youth Corps 100-299 employees Commuter Champion ? Venture Data Commuter Star ? Semperian 300+ employees Commuter Champion ? Oregon Medical Laboratories Commuter Star ? Eugene Water & Electric Board “WeCan! Cook Nutritious Meals” Program Enhanced Recreation Services and OSU/Lane County Extension Service Nutrition Education Program collaborated to remove price and childcare barriers to parents wanting to learn about good nutrition for their families. The “We Can! Cook Nutritious Meals” four-week class is offered for free and includes childcare. While instructors from the Extension Service teach parents about good nutrition, budgeting, healthy snacks and meals, promoting family physical activities, and nutritional information, staff from Recreation’s Youth and Family Services provide childcare that emphasizes physical activity, such as swimming. The curriculum is based on nationally acclaimed WeCan! Program (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition). Sixteen parents enrolled in the four October classes. Another series of classes will be held in November. For further information, please contact Melissa Perkins, 682-8837. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 October 12, 2007