HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Newsletter - 03/17/05EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
March 17, 2005
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
** SPECIAL TWO WEEK EDITION ** www.ci.eugene.or, us
KIDCITY STAFF MEMBER IS ON THE FAST TRACK TO SUCCESS
AN EVENING WITH BILL MAHER
CELEBRATE NATIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WEEK
WATERPROOFING REPAIRS TO PROCEED AT CITY HALL
CITY'S EMPLOYEE BUS PASS PROGRAM EARNS STATE BUSINESS ENERGY TAX CREDIT
BIDS OPENED FOR PHASE 1 OF COURTHOUSE DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS
NORTHWEST YOUTH CORPS CREW BUILDS NEW FENCE AT WASHBURNE PARK
ASHLAND INTERESTED IN A STREAM TEAM OF ITS OWN
KidCity Staff Member Is On the Fast Track to Success
Paul Kezes, a local cross country runner and KidCity Adventures staff member, qualified for the U.S.
Cross Country Team this past month. Paul ran the 12K race at Vancouver, Washington in 37.40 minutes.
He also finished 11th in the 4K, running that race in 12:02 minutes. He will race at the World Cross
Country Championships in Galmier, France, March 19 - 20, as part of Team XO, a highly regarded
Olympic development squad. Paul has a personal goal of running in the upcoming Olympic Games.
When Paul isn't training, he enjoys working with youth in the 2% - 5 year classroom at Sheldon
Community Center. His running experiences in Europe and Japan provide him with many great stories to
tell. Paul is also fluent in Spanish and has used that skill while working with KidCity youth.
For more information about KidCity Adventures or Paul Kezes, contact Sheldon Community Center
Recreation Programmer Kim McManus at 682-6343.
An Eveninq with Bill Maher
Bill Maher is one of the most politically astute humorists in America today. His unflinching honesty and
commitment to never pulling a punch have garnered him the respect and
admiration of millions, and he brings it all with him for his show, An Evening with Bill
Maher, March 25, on the Silva stage.
Maher is best known for his creation "Politically Incorrect"which originally began on
Comedy Central and later had a five-year run on ABC late-night. "Politically
Incorrect" pulled together some of the most interesting politicians, entertainers, and
journalists to participate in some of the most controversial, topical, and comical
discussions. He has also written "Does Anybody Have a Problem with That?
Politically Incorrect's Greatest Hits." In it, he brings out some of his most tongue-in-
cheek commentaries such as why we should have drunk driving lanes, a modest
proposal for putting warning labels on the Bible, and his regular 'Get Over Yourself Award.'
Bill Maher has had five HBO specials, participated in comedy tours throughout the United States, and
received a Tony nomination for his three-week run of his one-man Broadway Show, "Victory Begins at
Home." Don't miss this chance to laugh along with Bill Maher. For more information, contact the Hult
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
March 17, 2005
Center Ticket Office at 682-5000.
Celebrate National Community Development Week
Please join in the festivities as the City of Eugene celebrates
30 years of the Community Development Block Grant at the
upcoming "CDBG Reunion" on March 31,2005, from 11:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Atrium Building Lobby, 99 W. 10th
Avenue.
Visit with former and current committee members and grant
recipients and see displays of local CDBG-funded projects.
Copies of the draft HUD 5-year Consolidated Plan will be
available and a 30-day public comment period is now open.
For more information, contact Linda Dawson, Planning and
Development Department, 682-5071 or via email at
linda. L dawson@cl, eugene, or. us.
Waterproofin.q Repairs to Proceed at City Hall
Investigation into ongoing leaks in the basement of City Hall has revealed the failure of the waterproofing
system designed to keep the sub-basement dry. As a result, a portion of the waterproofing system will
be replaced at the basement wall, the traffic topping system will be extended to cover the vehicle wash
area, and a trench drain will be added at the Police driveway to remove excess rainwater before it can
enter the structure. Contractors will begin by excavating in the landscaping beds near the Police
driveway on the north side of City Hall in order to expose portions of the basement wall where the
waterproofing membrane needs to be repaired. Next, installation of the piping associated with the trench
drain will be completed in the basement.
Beginning the weekend of April 2, a portion of the existing traffic topping barrier will be removed near the
Police driveway and the asphalt will be removed from the Police vehicle wash area. All cracks and joints
will then be sealed prior to installation of the traffic topping. At the same time, the trench drain will be
installed in front of the north driveway to the Police parking area. The west access to Police parking will
remain in use throughout the duration of the project and the north driveway should be reopened by
April 11.
This project is consistent with council direction to proceed with only those preservation and maintenance
projects that are necessary for maintaining existing services at City Hall until council concludes the policy
discussion related to the future of City Hall. The sub-basement contains vital storage space for Police as
well as locker rooms for all EPD patrol staff. The total cost of this project is approximately $95,000,
funded by the General Capital Project funds. Design services are provided by L.A. Kersh Architecture
and the general contractor is McKenzie Commercial Contractors. For more information, contact Mike
Penwell, facilities design and construction manager, at 682-5547 or michael.j.penwell@ci.eugene.or, us.
City's Employee Bus Pass Proqram Earns State Business Enerqy Tax Credit
In an effort to promote sustainable transportation options, reduce traffic congestion, and maintain
Eugene's air quality, the City of Eugene offers employees a bus pass through the Lane Transit District's
reduced-fare Group Pass Program. To help defray the costs for the Group Pass Program, the
Transportation Options Team in Public Works applied for and received approval from the Oregon
Department of Energy to receive reimbursement through the Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC)
program. Our first reimbursement check in the amount of $7,315 was recently received.
The employee bus pass program is eligible for receiving 25.5% of the costs reimbursed to the City
through the BETC "pass-through program." This program allows a business with a tax liability to take the
full 35% credit for an eligible expense (bus pass program) over the course of five years and offer the City
a lump-sum cash amount for 25.5% of the cost of the project. The Department of Energy arranged for
U.S. Bank to be the City's pass-through partner for this great employee benefit.
The Group Pass Program for 2005 has also been submitted and pre-approved for the BETC program.
The City's refund for 2005 should be about $15,468 but could be as much as $17,015. Staff is currently
looking for a pass-through partner for the 2005 BETC refund. For more information, contact Cindy
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
March 17, 2005
Clarke, transportation options coordinator, at 682-5285.
Bids Opened for Phase 1 of Courthouse District Transportation Improvements
Eugene's Courthouse District has gone from a vision to a work ...........................
in progress. Construction of the new Wayne Morse Federal
Courthouse began last fall, and the first phase of street
improvements is expected to start in late April or early May
and be completed by fall 2006, when the courthouse is
expected to open. Bids for the first phase of street work were
opened March 10 by the Oregon Department of
Transportation; Eugene Sand & Gravel submitted the
apparent Iow bid of $1.17 million for the job.
The first phase of street construction will improve the
transportation system immediately adjacent to the courthouse
site. Elements include improving 8th Avenue between Ferry
and Mill streets, extending 6th Avenue from Mill Street to the
east approximately 500 feet, extending Ferry Street from 8th
Avenue north to intersect with the easterly end of the 6th
Avenue extension, and providing amenities such as wider
sidewalks, reconstructed driveways, decorative streetlights,
landscaping, stormwater swales and on-street parking.
Future phases will include improving 6th Avenue between Mill and High streets and extending 6th
Avenue further to the east to connect to Hilyard Street and become westbound Highway 99W. The
ultimate goal of the Courthouse District transportation improvements is to "unbraid" the large volume of
traffic that currently flows along Highway 99/Franklin Boulevard/Mill Street. This will allow through-traffic
to move more efficiently through the downtown area and make it easier for pedestrians, bicyclists and
local traffic to travel to the courthouse, the Willamette River, and other downtown destinations. The work
being done in the first-phase project is designed to accommodate future projects still in the conceptual
development stage.
The Phase 1 project is funded primarily by the Federal Highway Administration, with additional project
funding from Lane County and from Eugene's downtown urban renewal district. The construction work is
a cooperative effort involving the City of Eugene and the Oregon Department of Transportation, with
technical assistance from OBEC Consulting Engineers, CH2M Hill, and DKS Associates, Heritage
Research Associates and Dave Reinhard Engineering.
The Public Works Engineering Division is working closely with residents, utilities, businesses, and
property owners in the Courthouse District to minimize inconveniences and disruptions during
construction. Coordination requirements with the courthouse building contractor, JE Dunn, are included
in the street contract documents. A fact sheet has been developed for the project, and postcards were
mailed this week to approximately 180 residents, property owners, affected businesses, and other
interested parties. For more information, contact Project Manager Joe Ramirez, Eugene Public Works,
682-5228.
Northwest Youth Corps Crew Builds New Fence at Washburne Park
In early March, a crew of teens from Northwest Youth
Corps replaced an old, dilapidated fence along 21st
Avenue in Washbume Park. The new fence is a split-rail
style and was constructed out of recycled cedar
telephone poles from the 1940s. The telephone poles
were purchased from Recycled Wood Products, an
Albany company that recycles old telephone poles and
other logs. Northwest Youth Corps offered the City a
very reasonable rate for their services, and, in addition,
volunteered some of their time to put the finishing
touches on the job.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
March 17, 2005
"The fence came out very nice, and these young people from Northwest Youth Corps deserve a pat on
the back for a job well done," says Ginny Alfriend, head gardener at Hendricks Park. For more
information about Northwest Youth Corps, call 349-5053. For more information about the maintenance
of Washburne or Hendricks parks or to participate in future improvement projects at Washburne Park,
call Ginny Alfriend at the Hendricks Park office at 682-5324.
Ashland Interested in a Stream Team of/ts Own
A delegation from the City of Ashland Parks and Recreation Department recently visited staff from
Eugene Parks and Open Space to find out how to create their own Stream Team program. The group
spent four hours interviewing Eugene Stream Team Coordinator Lorna Baldwin on all aspects of the
volunteer, environmental education program. Their visit included watching a PowerPoint presentation
about the history of Stream Team, visiting the native plant nursery at Alton Baker Park and discussions
packed with how-to information.
"It was intense--one question after another--but it was
gratifying to be part of helping them set up their own
program," says Baldwin, who met one of the members of
the Ashland delegation at the Mending Natural Systems
workshop in fall 2003, a forum sponsored by the City and
other community organizations that dealt with community
stewardship, ecosystem repair, and environmental
education in urban areas. "At the end of the day, the
delegation felt very positive about what they had learned
and were very 'revved-up' about successfully implementing
something like Stream Team in their community."
Many of the questions centered around recruiting and sustaining volunteers and community partnerships,
one of the key components of running a successful volunteer, community-based program. The group was
convinced that hands-on, grassroots organizing was the most effective way to protect and enhance area
streams and waterways, and were particularly interested in establishing adoption groups to achieve this.
In addition, Ashland staff are already growing native plants but want to expand their efforts and create a
native plant nursery, similar to Eugene Stream Team's two native plant nurseries at Alton Baker Park
and the wastewater treatment facility, and grow-out native plants for the entire area.
Baldwin shared forms, databases, educational curriculum, and many other aspects of running a
volunteer, educational, environmental program. For more information about Stream Team, contact
Lorna Baldwin, the program's coordinator, at 682-4850 or visit the program on the web at
www.ci.eugene.or, us/parks/stream.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
March 17, 2005