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Home My WebLink AboutCity Council Newsletter - 08/03/06 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER August 3, 2006 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 FIRE SPRINKLERS SHOW THEIR EFFECTIVENESS thST 19 CENTURY BRIDGE MAY BE CAUSING 21 CENTURY PAVEMENT FAILURE IT’S TIME FOR EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY’S TEDDY BEAR PICNIC MARCH STATUS REPORT ON MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS NOW ON-LINE NEW SEGMENT OF PATH CONNECTS NEIGHBORHOOD TO PRAIRIE MOUNTAIN SCHOOL AIC PLANNING DIRECTOR SELECTED OUTDOOR PROGRAM ENLISTS MARIACHI TO SPICE UP WHITEAKER RIVER FESTIVAL RECREATION SERVICES, USA TRACK & FIELD CO-SPONSOR “BE A CHAMPION” PROGRAM AROUND THE CITY Fire Sprinklers Show Their Effectiveness Two recent fires in Eugene illustrate an ongoing problem in the community and the effectiveness of fire suppression sprinkler systems. A fire in a four-story motel (Phoenix Inn, July 29) was caused by an unattended candle igniting decorative materials. The fire was controlled by the activation of one sprinkler head. Though there were no injuries, business was interrupted and the staff and occupants were evacuated from the building. The second incident, also a commercial fire (Maaco Auto Body & Paint, July 27) was controlled by one sprinkler head. Candle-caused fires were at one time considered to be a seasonal issue. With the dramatic nationwide expansion of the business -- candles have now become a $3-billion industry in the U.S. - property losses from candle-caused fires are in the hundreds of millions of dollars and all communities are faced with a growing fire problem. One very effective approach to candle safety is simply to never leave a lit candle unattended. Fire suppression sprinkler systems have over one hundred years of service history. A majority of fires in protected buildings are controlled by one sprinkler head activating near the seat of the fire. Eugene Fire and EMS urges all citizens to consider the installation of sprinkler systems in their buildings and to carefully monitor the use of candles. For more information, please contact Acting Fire Marshal Doug Perry at 682-5887. thst 19 Century Bridge May Be Causing 21 Century Pavement Failure The Public Works Department is investigating a pavement failure on Coburg Road just south of Oakway Road, and a buried wooden bridge structure may be the problem. Public Works staff recently noticed slumping in a section of the Coburg Road travel lanes. Crews dug up a small section of the problem area and found deteriorated wood. That led to historical research that found evidence of a slough and wooden bridge in the same area where the problem is occurring. “First we found signs of wooden timbers, like those from a pier,” said John Bonham, an associate engineer in the Public Works Department who is investigating the problem and potential solutions. “Then we found an 1888 survey that referenced a bridge over a slough at that location.” GPR Data of Eugene has been retained to analyze the subsurface using ground-penetrating radar. This will allow Public Works staff to gather additional information, including the exact location and extent of any underground structures, without digging up the roadway. The deployment of the radar equipment will EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 August 3, 2006 require traffic restrictions on Coburg Road. The investigative work will be done on Tuesday night, August 8, beginning at 9:00 p.m. Motorists will need to be aware of flaggers, lane closures and possible detours.When the subsurface analysis has been completed, Public Works staff will determine the best approach for repairing the problem. For more information, contact John Bonham at 682-5300, or john.j.bonham@ci.eugene.or.us. It's Time for Eugene Public Library's Teddy Bear Picnic On Saturday, August 5, from 11 a.m. to noon, the Eugene Public Library celebrates Summer Reading with young kids, their families, and of course their stuffed friends. It's the annual Teddy Bear Picnic in the park at Amazon Community Center, 2700 Hilyard -- and it’s free! This adorable outdoor celebration features live music and sing-alongs with McCornack's Garden Variety Band. Kids dance the Teddy Bear Waltz and join a teddy bear parade. The teddy bear doctor is on hand for check-ups, too. Participants provide their own snacks or picnic lunches, and anyone can join in this grand summer tradition! For more information, call Youth Services at 682-8316. March Status Report on Major Capital Projects Now On-Line The Facility Management Division’s quarterly report for July 2006 is now on line. A link to the current project report, as well as previous reports, can be found on the division’s current projects page at: http://www.eugene- or.gov/portal/server.pt?space=CommunityPage&ca ched=true&parentname=CommunityPage&parentid =0&in_hi_userid=2&control=SetCommunity&Com munityID=210&PageID=723 The status report provides an update on the progress of major capital projects under the divisions management. With the completion of a = series of high-profile projects, this report reflects the type of building preservation and maintenance projects that make up the majority of the Facility Management Division’s projects. While the projects in this status report make up a small proportion of the roughly sixty active design and construction projects currently being managed by Facilities staff, they represent either the higher budgeted projects or projects with significant public interest. For additional information on Facility Management projects, please contact Mike Penwell at michael.j.penwell@ci.eugene.or.us or by phone at 682-5547. New Segment of Path Connects Neighborhood to Prairie Mountain School Work has been completed on the segment of path along the Greenhill Tributary from the Sophia Place pedestrian bridge off Donohoe to the Prairie Mountain School. This work was performed in exchange for an easement from the Bethel School District for wetland mitigation along the Greenhill Tributary. 2G Construction, Inc. constructed the path for approximately $42,000. The funding was a mix of stormwater and transportation SDCs. The path provides a smooth surface and safe route for neighborhood children traveling to and from school as an alternative to Royal Avenue and Terry Street. Upon opening, shouts of “cool” and “awesome” were heard from children riding their bikes along the new path. One user said further, “It’s nice to be able to get to the school and other paths without using the busy street.” For more information, contact Project Manager Jenifer Willer at 682-5364 or Jenifer.m.willer@ci.eugene.or.us. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 August 3, 2006 AIC Planning Director Selected Lisa Gardner of Public Works has been appointed to the six-month position of Acting-in-Capacity Planning Director. Lisa joins the Planning Division with a superb technical background and great leadership skills that she will be able to directly apply in this role. The Planning and Development Department recently posted this leadership opportunity for internal candidates after an unsuccessful recruitment attempt over the last six months. The City is now hiring a headhunter to begin a new recruitment process find the right candidate. The appointment of Lisa allows Steve Nystrom, Principal Planner, to return to his duties after serving in the AIC Planning Director role. For more information, contact Susan Muir at 682-6077 or by e-mail at Susan.L.Muir@ci.eugene.or.us. Outdoor Program Enlists Mariachi to Spice Up the Whiteaker River Festival The mercury approached 100 degrees on Friday, July 21, making the Whiteaker Neighborhood River Festival a huge draw to over 700 people seeking refuge from the heat. Participating staff members were all decked out in colorful cowboy hats and festive garments. The event boasted many highlights: ? Library staff treated early arrivals to stories read in the cool shade of the cottonwood trees. ? Neighbors stood in lines at the life jacket fitting station awaiting their turns to use the touring and whitewater kayaks provided by the River House, Adaptive Rec and Campbell Center. ? The Faire Zone, new this year, provided hula-hoops, juggling and flying discs. ? Oregon’s largest Slip-n-Slide drew many folks of all ages who slid down the grassy slope with squeals of delight and gigantic grins. ? Water safety booths provided important information to ensure river outings are safe and fun. ? A delicious BBQ satisfied every appetite. ? Festive music of the mariachi band surprised everyone and capped off the last hour of the event. Originally started by the Outdoor Program as a way to share the highlights of the program with neighbors, the River Festival is gaining city-wide popularity as a great way to learn about river safety and to play with LRCS staff. For more information, contact Recreation Programmer Roger Bailey at 682- 6323. Recreation Services and USA Track & Field Co-Sponsor “Be A Champion” Program Olympic track and field gold medalists Joanna Hayes and Darold Williamson and two-time Olympian Jon Drummond will be the featured speakers at the "Be A Champion"program co-sponsored by USA Track & Field and the City of Eugene Recreation Services. Youth and their parents are invited to attend this free event from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. on Monday, August 7, at Sheldon High School auditorium, 2455 Willakenzie Road. Attendees will meet the athletes and hear them talk about healthy lifestyles, keeping active, and living with integrity. They will also be invited to make the "Be A Champion" pledge. Each youth attending the event will receive two free tickets to the Road to Eugene ’08 elite, high- performance track and field event to be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 8, at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field. A major initiative byUSA Track & Field and the American College of Sports Medicine, “Be A Champion” brings Olympians together with middle-school aged children around the country in order to positively impact their lifestyles and decision-making. Eugene Recreation Services is partnering with USA Track & Field to help fight childhood obesity. The City follows the We Can! approach. We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition) is a national education program developed by the National Institutes of Health to help youth and families maintain a healthy weight. We Can! provides activities and programs that encourage improved nutritional choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time for youth ages 8-13. For more information, contact Sandy Shaffer, recreation manager, 682-5373. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 August 3, 2006