The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About03/13/08 City Council NewsletterEUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER March 13, 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 FACILITIES PROJECT MANAGER EARNS LEED ACCREDITATION MEMBERS SELECTED FOR EUGENE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMMITTEE SPECIAL DRILLS HELP HONE FIREFIGHTER SKILLS, SAFETY SOLID WASTE AND RECYCLING OFFERS GRANTS TO SCHOOLS TRAFFIC CALMING PROJECT MOVES FORWARD ON ACORN PARK STREET th EUGENE FIREFIGHTERS PLACE 20IN STAIR CLIMB FOR LEUKEMIA PUBLIC OUTREACH AIDS UNDERSTANDING OF CITY CODES AND REGULATIONS LIBRARY SPRINGS INTO THE OLYMPICS WITH VACATION FUN FOR KIDS & TEENS ST. PATRICK’S DAY DINNER SERVED AT PETERSEN BARN AROUND THE CITY Facilities Project Manager Earns LEED Accreditation Russ Mecredy, Project Manager with the Facility Management Division, has been recognized by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) as a "LEED Accredited Professional", after passing a written examination on the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards for new construction and major renovation projects. The accreditation process required independent study and a detailed test on the "LEED NC" program, covering sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design. As the City has a significant inventory of built facilities, completion of this LEED training program will enable staff to identify which "LEED-NC" credits would assist in a subsequent LEED certification of existing buildings. Facilities project managers are responsible for overseeing the design, construction and capital preservation of most new City buildings. Having a LEED-accredited project manager will help the Facility Management Division implement the City's green building policy. For more information, contact Mike Penwell, design and construction section manager, via email at michael.j.penwell@ci.eugene.or.us, or at 682-5547. Members Selected for Eugene Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee In a display of local residents’ interest in and commitment to walking and bicycling issues, more than 30 people applied for Eugene’s new Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC). City Transportation Planning staff selected 15 applicants who will work collaboratively to advise staff on implementation of Eugene’s new Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan, represent community and constituent interests in transportation planning decisions, and provide feedback on projects relating to walking and bicycling. Applicants were selected based on their interest in bicycle and/or pedestrian issues, demonstrated skills and interest areas, prior experience serving on committees, and affiliation with other local groups or organizations. Other considerations included broad geographic representation, gender balance and a balance of both pedestrian and bicycle interests. Eugene’s BPAC will begin meeting regularly this spring and will serve as an important resource for staff and departments city-wide. Members of the BPAC may be contacted directly via email at bpac@ci.eugene.or.us, or through the staff liaison, Associate Transportation Planner David Roth at david.f.roth@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5727. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 March 13, 2008 Additional information about Eugene’s BPAC and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan is available atwww.eugene-or.gov/walkbike. Special Drills Help Hone Firefighter Skills, Safety Earlier this week, firefighters from Eugene and Springfield gathered at the abandoned Safeway/ShopKo structure at West 11th Avenue and Bailey Hill Road to practice search and rescue techniques in a large-structure environment. With both halves of the building unlit, and the Safeway (west) side filled with theatrical smoke, firefighters engaged in exercises to improve their skill and safety in rope search, thermal imaging camera use, and air supply management. These skills are essential as more large buildings are developed in Eugene and Springfield, and will build upon lessons learned tragically in other communities. In the drills, firefighters used ropes with strategically placed rings and knots to track their own and each other's locations and search the building, and also were required to locate and safely remove "victims" from the smoke-filled structure, all while battling darkness, noise, conflicting or confusing radio reports, and other critical safety issues. The majority of line firefighters in both communities were able to take advantage of this valuable training opportunity over a three-day period, further reinforcing the 3-Battalion system by which Eugene and Springfield firefighters work together as a seamless unit in large-scale incidents requiring a response from both departments. For more information, please contact Fire & EMS Training Chief Lance Lighty at 682-7131. Solid Waste and Recycling Offers Grants to Schools In an effort to encourage Oregon Green School participation and school conservation, the City of Eugene Solid Waste and Recycling program has again partnered with Lane County Waste Management to offer K-12 Waste Reduction and Education Grants. Eleven schools (eight from Eugene) have been granted a total of $5,000 in funding for a variety of waste reduction projects including: compost bins to compost cafeteria food waste, an educational field trip to the landfill, an electronic roundup collection event, data collection efforts, green team t-shirts, and purchasing durable bowls and eating utensils. A complete list of schools includes: Meadowview, Territorial, Fairfield and Edison Elementary, Roosevelt, Pleasant Hill and Spencer Butte Middle School, Springfield and South Eugene High School, Oak Hill, and Saint Paul school. Fairfield Elementary and Spencer Butte Middle Schools are two of Eugene’s newest Oregon Green Schools. These two schools, along with Cesar Chavez Elementary and Pleasant Hill Elementary, will join nearly 80 Oregon Green Schools from across the state at the Oregon Green School’s “I’ve Got The th Power” Summit, March 13, at the State Fair. Fairfield Elementary students and staff (pictured in their new school garden) show off their Oregon Green School Certification, cloth grocery bags, and tie-dyed green team t-shirts. Eugene’s Oregon Green Schools are making a difference in their communities with programs to recycle, reduce waste, save energy and conserve water.Students, teachers and staff receive help with hands-on assistance, curriculum information, funding resources, and recognition, such as the Oregon Green School Summit. For more information please contact Anne Donahue, at 682-5542 or anne.c.donahue@ci.eugene.or.us. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 March 13, 2008 Traffic Calming Project Moves Forward on Acorn Park Street Construction of four speed humps will be completed this spring on Acorn Park Street in West Eugene. This project is being funded in part by a Community Development Block Grant that also provided funding for improvements to Acorn Park and portions of a sidewalk construction project on Acorn Park Street near the Amazon Creek. The traffic calming project is designed to improve driver and pedestrian safety on Acorn Park Street by bringing vehicle speeds in line with the posted speed of 25 miles per hour. City transportation planning staff worked collaboratively with the Churchill Area Neighbors (CAN) and residents who would be affected by the project. In addition to meeting with the neighborhood association, staff held two public workshops to develop a traffic calming strategy for the street. The strategy addresses concerns and interests expressed by neighbors while also meeting engineering and design guidelines for an effective project. For additional information, contact Associate Transportation Planner, David Roth, at david.f.roth@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5727. th Eugene Firefighters Place 20 in Stair Climb for Leukemia th A team of firefighters from Eugene Fire & EMS placed 20 among more than 200 departments participating in this year's Scott Stair Climb, which was held March 2 at Seattle's 73-story Columbia Center. The event, a fundraiser to support research to cure leukemia and other types of blood cancers, drew more than 1,300 firefighters, primarily from the Pacific Northwest, but also from as far away as New Zealand. The competition requires firefighters, in full bunker gear including SCBA, to climb 69 flights of stairs, changing air bottles once at approximately the midway point. Eugene's top finisher was firefighter th Marchello Folino, who completed the climb in just over 15 minutes, placing 58 overall. Firefighter Carolyn McCann finished fifth in her age group among female firefighters with a time of slightly over 20 minutes. The Eugene contingent participated in the fundraiser on their own time, with support from IAFF Local 851. This year's Scott Stair Climb raised a record sum of more than $400,000 to help fight blood cancers. For more information, please contact Firefighter Frank Folino at 682-7100. Library Springs Into the Olympics with Vacation Fun for Kids & Teens During spring break, get a head start on the Olympic Trials with free events hosted by the Eugene Public Library! Celeste Rose and the Oregon Fantasy Puppet Theatre perform a puppet show for kids on Monday, March 24, at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m., at the Downtown Library; Thursday, March 27, at 2:00 p.m., at Sheldon Community Center; and Friday, March 28, at 2:00 p.m., at the Downtown Library. For downtown shows, pick up free tickets starting 30 minutes in advance. The zany puppet show, "The Boy Who Jumped So High," tells the story of a child determined to enter the Fishy-Island Olympic Trials. While practicing jumps, Gilly accidentally knocks the sun from the sky -- and runs away to hide at the bottom of the sea.Will the Games go on? Find out as more than a dozen colorful marionettes sharethe tale with music, comedy, and audience participation. Meantime, middle and high schoolers get together for TGA: Teen Gaming Afternoon at the Downtown Eugene Public Library on Thursday, March 27, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Drop in to meet friends, eat snacks, and play video games including Guitar Hero 2, Guitar Hero 3, plus surprises. For information, call the Eugene Public Library at 682-8316. Public Outreach Aids Understanding of City Codes and Regulations In late April, staff members from the Permit and Information Center will join participants in Neighborhood Economic Development Corporation’s (NEDCO) Threshold Homeownership Education program for an informative and interactive session on some of the local government regulations that can affect new and prospective homeowners. NEDCO works with low-income families and individuals to prepare them to become successful homeowners through counseling and a course of 12 two-hour classes on topics as varied and essential as budgeting and mortgage qualification to home maintenance and repair. NEDCO repeats the sessions throughout the year, and staff members from the Planning and Development and Public Works departments support the series by sharing information and answering questions about building permits, EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 March 13, 2008 zoning and nuisance regulations, sidewalks and street trees, and related subjects. Our goal is to build understanding and put a human face on local government – whether participants buy a home in Eugene or in a neighboring community. In other outreach efforts, Kent Kullby, an associate planner in Building and Permit Services, provided an overview on secondary dwelling units to about 60 Lane County Realtors and brokers on March 5. Satisfying local and State requirements is challenging for some homeowners and builders, and realtors can be a conduit for accurate information. For information, please contact Permit Review Manager Keli Osborn, Planning and Development Department, 687-5288 or keli.m.osborn@ci.eugene.or.us. St. Patrick's Day Dinner Served at Petersen Barn Eugene Recreation’s Senior Program serves up a th traditional Irish meal at its 15 annual St. Patrick's Day dinner at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, at Petersen Barn Community Center. Community members are invited to wear something green, bring a friend and feast on a meal of corned beef, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, potato rolls and dessert. Memory Tones, a River Road Choir group will provide entertainment throughout the evening. For further information, call Diane Sconce, 682-5521. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 March 13, 2008