HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/10/08 City Council NewsletterEUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
January 10, 2008
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
PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT - FEBRUARY 7, 2008
FIREFIGHTERS SEW FOR A CAUSE
PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING CONDITIONALLY CERTIFIED FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
PLASTIC BAG RECYCLING
DESIGN WORK UNDER WAY TO IMPROVE ALLEY BETWEEN TYLOR AND POLK STREETS
STAGEHAND UNION INVITES HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS BACKSTAGE AT HULT CENTER
WASTEWATER DIVISION RECEIVES FIRST YEAR SHARP AWARD
OREGON BOOK AWARDS: LIVE ON TOUR AT THE LIBRARY
AROUND THE CITY
Project Homeless Connect – February 7, 2008
Preparation and planning is at full speed for the second annual Project
Homeless Connect at the Lane County Fairgrounds and Events
Center. Those who attended last year were touched by the outpouring
of community support for the 1,007 homeless people who attended.
This was matched by significant gratitude from homeless guests who
received a broad array of services in a highly respectful atmosphere.
This year’s event will be improved in a variety of ways. For example,
medical services are being relocated into the Gleason Atrium and
bicycle repair and pet care will be in the Wheeler Pavilion rather than in
cold, wet tents outside. Once again, United Way of Lane County is
both the fiscal sponsor and volunteer coordinator. Lane Transit District
is providing free rides to the event for homeless guests and also
vouchers for follow up appointments.
The honorary chairs, Faye Stewart of Lane County, Mayor Sid Leiken,
Mayor Kitty Piercy, and United Way Chair Tracy Lampman, encourage local elected officials to attend the
event, volunteer, and meet with guests. Project Homeless Connect runs from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Volunteers
and officials are encouraged to attend a pre-event rally in the café area at 8:30 a.m. For more
information, please look at www.homelessconnect.org or contact Richie Weinman at 682-5533,
Richie.d.weinman@ci.eugene.or.us
Firefighters Sew for a Cause
Two Eugene firefighters temporarily assigned to light duty are spending their time helping Eugene's
homeless by sewing together dual-purpose blankets that will be donated to White Bird Medical Clinic for
distribution. The blankets, made of donated and purchased materials, are of water-resistant material
(Tyvek or tarp material) on one side and fleece on the other, helping to provide both dryness and warmth.
Their light color also makes them highly visible at night.
In addition to human comfort, the blankets are expected to provide a public benefit by reducing demand
for emergency medical services due to cold. The City of Eugene's Diversity Advisory Committee and the
Library, Recreation & Cultural Services Department's Affirmative Action Committee have made small but
significant monetary contributions to the effort, and materials have been donated by Jerry's Home
Improvement Center, The Rain Shed in Corvallis, Eugene Canvas Products, and The Green Pepper.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
January 10, 2008
The Fire & EMS Department plans to turn 100 of the blankets over to White Bird this month, and to
continue and possibly expand the program in coming years. For more information, please contact Joe
Zaludek, deputy chief for Special Operations, at 682-7103.
Public Works Engineering Conditionally Certified for Project Development
After almost six months
of review and
negotiations with the
Oregon Department of
Transportation, Public
Works Engineering is conditionally certified for federally funded transportation project development. This
certification allows for more project approvals and control at the City level in developing projects funded
by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). There are aspects of project development where ODOT,
acting for FHWA, will still have approval authority, but now Eugene will be able to develop projects using
City processes and procedures rather than making everything fit “the ODOT way.” Both ODOT and the
City expect to see savings in time and money with the City having the authority to use its own processes
to develop, advertise, award and manage its projects.
Upon signing of all the necessary agreements, the City of Eugene will be the second local agency in the
state to be conditionally certified in project development. The areas that Engineering is conditionally
certified in are consultant selection, design, advertising, bid and award, and construction contract
administration. After staff has performed adequately on two to four projects in these areas, the City will
receive full certification. Engineering staff plans to convert three federally funded projects, scheduled for
construction this coming summer, to the certified process – Chad Drive Extension, North Game Farm
Road and Roosevelt Boulevard. West Bank Trail is a future project anticipated to be developed through
the certified process.
Getting to this point of conditional certification so quickly is a credit to the Engineering Division’s
preparation and documentation from going through the APWA Accreditation process. After the
agreements are signed, staff will continue to work closely with ODOT’s Local Government Section. For
more information about Engineering’s federal-aid project delivery certification, contact Jenifer Willer,
project manager, at 682-5364.
Plastic Bag Recycling
Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County are collaborating with local garbage haulers, grocery stores, and
the American Chemistry Council to find a way to recycle plastic bags.
Eugene garbage haulers added plastic bags to their commingled recycling programs in November 2006.
In October 2007, haulers were informed by their Portland-based processor that plastic bags were no
longer acceptable as part of the commingled stream due to the impact bags have on the effectiveness of
sorting equipment. Material recovery facility (MRF) operators find that bags wrap around equipment
pulleys, axles, and screens designed to sort materials by size and density. Removing bags requires the
entire facility to be shut down and the sortation equipment becomes less precise as more and more bags
clog openings.
Commingled recycling is very convenient for Eugene residents, and was implemented without increasing
fees due to the cost savings it represents for collectors. Like any recycling program, it isn’t sustainable
unless the quality of the collected materials remains high. The relatively small volume of plastic bags in
the collection stream has lead to contamination problems at material recovery facilities which, in turn,
results in significant volumes of other plastics not being recycled.
The City is working with area grocers on a “return to retail” campaign that includes standard bins and
signage, display ads in The Register-Guard, and radio promotions. Keeping bags segregated from other
recyclable material ensures that they will be recycled into value-added products like composite lumber,
rather than causing problems throughout the commingled recycling process. Additionally, all Lane
County transfer stations accept plastic bags for recycling.
Sanipac is informing its customers of the changes in handling plastic bags in a direct mailing later this
month. The City will place display ads in The Register-Guard to inform community members of the
options for recycling plastic bags and Lane County is developing a radio ad that will begin running
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
January 10, 2008
sometime in January. In addition, information about recycling plastic bags will be placed in the
informational pages the City and County sponsor in DexMedia (phone book).
Coincidently, in November 2007, San Francisco implemented a ban on plastic bags for use at large
grocers and pharmacies, making it the first city in the U.S. to take such a step. San Francisco joins a
number of countries that have banned or taken action to discourage the use of plastic bags including
Australia, Bangladesh, Ireland, Italy, South Africa and Taiwan. Mumbai (formerly Bombay), India, also
has banned plastic bags. Bans are being implemented because of litter problems and the impact the
material has at MRFs. For more information, contact Alex Cuyler, Planning and Development
Department, Solid Waste and Recycling Program, 682-6830, or via email, alex.d.cuyler@ci.eugene.or.us.
Design Work Under Way to Improve Alley Between Tyler and Polk Streets
City staff is beginning design work to improve the gravel alley
between Tyler and Polk streets south of 6th Avenue. The
existing potholed gravel alley is virtually flat, with no
opportunity to drain surface water. Without upgrades that
include a functional stormwater collection system,
improvements to the existing surface would be very short-term
and require repetitive maintenance to sustain.
Abutting property owners who are concerned about the
condition of the alley petitioned the City to have it improved.
After Public Works Engineering staff received the petition, they
polled the property owners who would be assessed for the
improvements. The response poll indicated owners
representing 68% of the total assessable costs were in favor of
the improvements. Because the owners of property
representing a majority of assessable cost were in favor of the
improvements, the City has initiated project design for this
alley.
A recommendation to form a local improvement district for the alley project is anticipated to go to the City
Council this spring, with construction following in the summer. For more information, contact Project
Manager John Bonham at 682-5300.
Stagehand Union Invites High School Students Backstage at Hult Center
An innovate new program by the International
Association of Theatrical Stage Employees
(IATSE), Local 675, is bringing high school
students and teachers from local stagecraft and
theatre classes to the Hult Center to experience
backstage operations and meet-one-on-one with
professional stagehands.
Ruth Atcherson, a professional stagehand, took
the lead on this endeavor, inviting high schools in
Eugene and Springfield to participate. Thus far,
Springfield, Willamette and North Eugene high
school students have benefited from this unique
learning opportunity. The tour for Springfield and Willamette High Schools was perfectly timed to see
first-hand the set-up of the concert shell and concert choir risers on the Silva Stage. The students asked
great questions and were particularly interested in the technical aspects of the Silva’s shell sound
enhancement system. The Hult Center’s IATSE members are now preparing for both Sheldon and
Churchill High School visits this month.
Though this is a new program for high schools, tours for Lane Community College students have taken
place for many years. It is exciting for everyone at the Hult Center to take an active role with the youth
who are involved in the arts in the community. For questions, please contact Brian Ference, assistant
technical director and liaison for this program, at Brian.r.ference@ci.eugene.or.us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
January 10, 2008
Wastewater Division Receives First Year SHARP Award
The Public Works Wastewater Division is committed to safe work
practices and a safe working environment. Wastewater employees have
stepped up their efforts over the years in all aspects of the safety
program. Through hard work and conscientious attitudes, Wastewater
Division staff recently met all of the requirements of the Oregon OSHA
Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
Acceptance into SHARP is a public acknowledgement by Oregon OSHA
that the Wastewater Division has a model safety and health program and that safety is a division value.
The SHARP program requires strong management commitment to safety and health, employee
involvement at all levels in the program, a comprehensive consultation process evaluating 58 required
elements of the program, an injury rate below the state industry average for their industry classification,
and a collaborative relationship with Oregon OSHA consultation concerning changes that could affect
safety.
The Wastewater Division is committed to maintaining and continually improving its safety and health
program. SHARP approval is granted in 12-month increments. Recertification is granted after verification
that all SHARP requirements are still being met. An employer that has been approved as SHARP for the
second and subsequent years can be deferred from scheduled Oregon OSHA inspections.
Several OR-OSHA officials, including Deputy Administrator Joan Fraser and SHARP Program Manager
Mark E. Hurliman will be on hand to present this award to the Wastewater Division on January 30. For
more information, contact Donna Adams, wastewater environmental health and safety supervisor, at
682-8613.
Oregon Book Awards: Live on Tour at the Library
On Thursday, January 24, 6:30 – 8 p.m., the Eugene Public Library is honored
to celebrate Oregon writers with a reading and booksigning by four finalists for
the 2007 Oregon Book Awards, including two of the just-announced winners.
Meet and hear:
Alison Clement, winner of the Ken Kesey Award for the Novel. Her
Twenty Questions is a mystery filled with twists, turns, and surprises in
both plot and insight.
Shannon Riggs, winner of the Children's Literature Award for Not in
Room 204, which shares the reassuring story of a teacher who helps a
child facing abuse at home.
Paul Merchant, finalist in Poetry for Some Business of Affinity, a
collection of “translations, reworkings, interpretations, and responses" addressing writings that
range around the globe and across eras.
Ben Saunders, finalist in General Nonfiction for Desiring Donne: Poetry, Sexuality, Interpretation.
Eugeneans may also recognize Saunders as a moonlighting actor and musician, most recently at
Lord Leebrick Theater.
Introductions will be made by Susan Denning, director of programs and events for Literary Arts, the
organization that presents the annual Oregon Book Awards. The Oregon Book Awards are sponsored by
the Oregon Cultural Trust and the National Endowment for the Arts. For the complete list of 2007
finalists, visit www.literary-arts.org.
The authors' books will be available for purchase and signing. This event is sponsored by the Eugene
Public Library, Literary Arts, UO Bookstore/Duck Store, Friends of the Library, and the Eugene Public
Library Foundation. For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library, 682-5450 or www.eugene-
or.gov/library.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
January 10, 2008