HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/24/08 City Council NewsletterEUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
April 24, 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
STATE CONSIDERS SMOKE-FREE WORKPLACE RULE CHANGES
STAFF PREPARES FOR CRITICAL INCIDENTS
EUGENE POLICE VOLUNTEER HONORED AS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
FAMILY FUN AT THE LIBRARY: GLITTERARY WORD FESTIVAL, HOME FRIED TALES
FAMILIES INVITED TO APRIL POOLS DAY
EARTH DAY CLEAN UP BUILDS COMMUNTIY
“SURF’S UP” AT CITY’S COMMUNITY CENTERS AND POOLS
AROUND THE CITY
State Considers Smoke-Free Workplace Rule Changes
The State of Oregon Department of Human Services, Public Health Division, is planning several public
hearings around the state in May to hear testimony on a proposed rule implementing changes to the
Indoor Clean Air Act. State law will change on January 1, 2009, as a result of action by the 2007 Oregon
Legislature to strengthen protections for patrons and employees at workplaces and public places –
including bars and taverns. City staff is working with local partners to analyze the proposed rule’s
potential impacts on local standards, education, code administration and enforcement. We anticipate
offering testimony rooted in Eugene’s experience since 2001 with smoking regulations. The closest
hearing will occur in Roseburg on May 7, 2 p.m., at the Douglas County Health Department. Other
hearings are set for Bend, May 1; Pendleton, May 2; and Portland, May 5. For additional information,
please contact Land Use Management Supervisor Mike McKerrow, Planning and Development
Department, 682-5251 or mike.j.mckerrow@ci.eugene.or.us.
Staff Prepare for Critical Incidents
In the event of an earthquake, windstorm or flooding,
the City of Eugene Building and Permit Services staff
from the Planning and Development Department will
be called on to provide rapid assessment of building
damage. The assessment determines immediate
safety for building entry and use. Considering that
Eugene has more than 62,000 buildings and 20 staff
who can perform damage assessment, having
preparations in place ahead of time is critical to a
rapid response. For safety reasons, crews assessing
buildings work in pairs.
Staff team members Steve McGuire, Yvonne
Steinmetz and Jeanne Giraudier have put together
20 pairs of backpacks for damage assessment
teams. The first in each pair contains clean water, meals ready to eat (MRE), first aid kits, latex gloves,
hand warmers, rain ponchos and related items, while the second backpack contains items necessary for
inspections including flashlight, tape measure, level, work gloves, staple guns and permanent markers --
along with building assessment forms and placards to post on buildings after damage assessment
inspections have been made. Placards are green for “Safe to Enter,” yellow for “Limited Entry” and red
for “Unsafe to Occupy.”
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
April 24, 2008
The City is continuing to fine tune our ability to respond to an incident or natural emergency and to
distribute practical information to staff. In addition, Steve McGuire and Bill Lemons from Building and
Permit Services, teach classes on Post-Earthquake Inspection in workshops offered by the Oregon
Building Officials Association, leading to certifications for many of the City of Eugene's building inspectors
and plans examiners. Additionally, the duo has provided training for representatives from the University
of Oregon, Peace Health, Eugene 4-J schools and Bethel school districts, and otheragencies. For more
information, please contact Plan Review Supervisor Steve McGuire, Planning and Development,
687-6800, or steve.w.mcguire@ci.eugene.or.us.
Eugene Police Volunteer Honored as Community Volunteer of the Year
Community volunteers were honored on April 23 at a
Volunteer of the Year awards luncheon sponsored by The
Register-Guard, the United Way, and Community Leaders
Together. Categories for awards included Children and
Youth Services, Essentials for Life, Arts and Culture,
Education and Schools, Civic and Community, Youth
Volunteer and Senior Volunteer.
Lupe Phillips was honored as Volunteer of the Year in the
Senior Volunteer category (award presented by Marilyn
Klug, Vice President of Business Development,
PeaceHealth Oregon Region, pictured right). This is the first
time a Eugene Police volunteer has been awarded
Volunteer of the Year through this program.
Lupe was appointed as Police Chaplain on April 1, 2003. The volunteer Chaplain Program was designed
as a support resource to provide guidance, counseling and comfort to all department members, their
families, and others impacted by incidents.Lupe is a licensed and ordained minister and has an
immeasurable amount of experience in assisting law enforcement personnel in crisis. He is also a
member of EPD’s Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT), which serves employees involved in traumatic
incidents or persons dealing with difficult situations.
As a Police Chaplain, Lupe provides crisis counseling, comfort, referrals, and is on-call 24 hours a day.
He assists with notifications to EPD family members when their relatives are involved in a serious
accident, or where an injury or death has occurred. When requested, he provides marital and family
counseling, spiritual counsel and advice. He attends patrol briefings and participates in ride-alongs with
officers to establish rapport and better understand their work. To date, Lupe has served nearly 2,000
hours with EPD. Lupe also serves with the Eugene Fire & EMS Department, the Lane County Sheriff’s
Office and the Springfield Police Department.
Sergeant Mike Galick, who supervises the Chaplain Program, says, “Lupe has quietly served this
department in our times of need. He is a selfless person who cares about EPD employees and
expresses himself through his ministry of presence as our chaplain. He has blessed many and asks for
nothing in return, and while he will shy away from accolades like this, he is so deserving. Thank you
Chaplain Phillips!”
Sergeant Doug Mozan, CIRT supervisor, adds, “Lupe has tirelessly dedicated himself to first responders
throughout this county. He moves into compassionate action from the moment his phone rings, or his
pager beeps. He does not hesitate to set aside his own needs for police officers, sheriff's deputies,
firefighters, and even the public! His wife, Bella, and he are nearly in constant vigil praying for those that
keep their community safe, and Lupe backs his prayers with action. He is a shining star for this
department and for this region.” For more information contact Volunteers in Policing Program
Coordinator, Carrie Chouinard at 682-5355 or carrie.f.chouinard@ci.eugene.or.us.
Family Fun at the Library: Glitterary Word Festival, Home Fried Tales
On Saturday, April 26, the Eugene Public Library and the Young Writers Association (YWA) team up
once again for the annual Glitterary Word Festival. It’s a family play day for all ages at the Downtown
Library, inspired by the 2008 theme "Carnival of Night."
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
April 24, 2008
The day begins at 11:00 a.m. with a lively Brazilian tale performed by
choreographer Margo Van Ummersen and storyteller Louisa Lindsay-Sprouse,
followed by a mixed-ages writing workshop with Lawson Inada, Oregon’s Poet
Laureate at noon. Kids: bring your favorite adult, your imagination, and a brown
bag lunch. From 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., participants will have the opportunity to explore
with guest artists and scientists, create masks, artful books, carnival dolls, poems,
and collages. Kids will also have the chance to record writings on Elsie, KLCC
Radio’s studio on wheels. At 4:00 p.m., winners of YWA’s writing contest,
selected by Lawson Inada, will read their works. Then it’s cake for everyone!
On Sunday, April 27, at 2:00 p.m. at the Downtown Library, hear Home Fried
Tales performed by visiting storyteller Lynnette Ford.A fourth-generation storyteller, Ford shares stories
“seasoned with heritage, humor, and heart” and steeped in her family's multicultural African-American
traditions. Her funny folktales and original stories, for ages six and up, feature history, mystery, rhythm,
and rhyme. All events are free. For more information, please call the Eugene Public Library at 682-8316.
Families Invited to April Pools Day
Echo Hollow Pool is hosting a FREE family day of swimming and
learning about water safety from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on April
Pools Day, Saturday, April 26.
Activities include recreational swimming, try-a-kayak in the outdoor
pool, prizes for kids, and water rescue boat displays. Enter to win a
Family 10-visit Punch Card and an Amazon Pool Family Season
Pass. Drawings begin at 11:30 a.m. and participants must be
present to win. For further information, please call 682-5525.
Earth Day Clean Up Builds Community
What do high school students, neighborhood leaders, a former City
Manager, the Mayor, City staff and caring community members all have in
common? They could all be found in the former Woolworth’s basement on
a cold rainy Earth Day to remove litter, vegetation and other debris from the
lot next to the Center Court Building. At least 30 volunteers congregated
during the noon hour on April 22. In addition to removing years of litter,
some volunteers also broadcast various wildflower seeds to add color and
attract birds and butterflies in the future.
The site is part of a future development concept involving both the City of
Eugene and Beam Development. For more information, please contact
Richie Weinman, Planning and Development Department at 682-5533 or
richie.d.weinman@ci.eugene.or.us
“Surf’s Up” at City’s Community Centers and Pools
Free public wireless Internet access is now available at all three City of Eugene pools and five community
centers. Members of the public who have laptops with built-in Wifi or a WiFi network card can now surf
the Internet at Amazon, Campbell, Hilyard and Sheldon Community Centers, as well as at Echo Hollow
and Sheldon Pool and Fitness Centers. WiFi was extended to Amazon Pool in 2007. WiFi access will be
available during each facility’s usual hours. This latest extension of the City’s WiFi is part of a strategy to
provide WiFi in and around City facilities throughout the community. The WiFi service is funded for three
years by the Telecommunications Tax Fund.
Free wireless Internet access is also available at these City of Eugene public facilities: the Hult Center, the
Eugene Airport terminal, the Downtown Library, both the Bethel and Sheldon Library branch locations, the
McNutt Room, the City Council Chamber, the courtyard area at City Hall and the downtown park blocks.
For more information, contact LRCS Public Information Manager Kathy Madison at 682-6342.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
April 24, 2008