HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Newsletter - 03/31/05EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
March 31, 2005
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.ci.eugene.or, us
BETHEL PUBLIC SAFETY STATION SERVICES AND USAGE ON THE RISE
APRIL 13 IS CITY HALL DAY AT THE CAPITOL
EWEB BOND SALES PROCEEDING
NEWSLETTER CITES CONNECTION BETWEEN SAVVY YARD CARE AND STREAM HEALTH
CITY JOINS OTHER PUBLIC, PRIVATE AGENCIES IN COMMITMENT TO CLEAN FUEL
EUGENE MOTOR VEHICLE FUEL TAX HELPS FUND NEEDED STREET REPAIRS
$~50,000 GRANT FUNDS PLAY REPLICA OF SKINNER BUTTE AT RIVERPLAY PLAYGROUND
TOUR THE GARDENS AT HENDRICKS PARK THIS SPRING
AWARD-WINNING BROADWAY MUSICAL COMING TO THE HULT
Bethel Public Safety Station Services and Usaqe on the Rise
One year ago this month, the Eugene Police Department
relocated its Bethel Public Safety Station to the Richard W.
Lindholm Service Center, 464 Hwy 99N, after operating in the
Barger Drive PeaceHealth Clinic for two years. St. Vincent De
Paul granted EPD a 10-year+ free facility lease at the Hwy. 99
location. Other funds for staffing and opening the station to
the public were made possible through Bethel Weed & Seed
grants from the federal Department of Justice.
The Bethel Station, now in its fourth year of operation and its
final year of grant funding, provides full-time services to the
Bethel neighborhood and surrounding communities. The
station's Hwy. 99 location is optimal for supporting City wards
6, 7, and 8. Increased police presence and public visibility
have had positive effects in this high-crime area. Public usage
of the station has steadily increased, nearly doubling since the
relocation.
The Bethel Station manager has been working with neighborhood groups and other service providers to
create innovative solutions to chronic problems such as homeless camping, trespassing, domestic
violence, child drug endangerment, methamphetamine production and use, and intensive supervision of
high-risk sex offenders. Additionally, several new neighborhood watch programs have emerged, and
interest from the Hwy. 99 business community has increased. Station staff and volunteers also have
been involved in annual community events such as National Night Out and the "We Are Bethel"
Celebration.
In addition to these proactive community policing projects, the Bethel Public Safety Station offers more
standard police services such as taking police reports and offering bicycle registration at a location more
convenient to west Eugene residents. For more information, contact Station Manager Sandra Koubele at
652-5757 or via e-mail at sandi.l.koubele~ci.eu.qene.or, us.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
March 31,2005
April 13 is City Hall Day at the Capital
Wednesday, April 13, 2005, is City Hall Day at the Capital. The Council Committee on
Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) will be attending this city lobby day in Salem. The three IGR
members, councilors Gary Pap(~, Betty Taylor, and Bonny Bettman, have appointments to meet with the
City's local delegation to discuss issues critical to the City. They will also meet with legislative leadership
and the Governor's Chief of Staff, Theresa McHugh. For more information, contact Lisa Klemp,
Intergovernmental Relations staff, at 682-5619, or Lisa.T.Klem~ene.or. us.
EWEB Bond Sales Proceedinq
EWEB is proceeding with two bond sales in April, both of which are pursuant to City Council actions
taken last year. The first is a negotiated sale of $31 million of Trojan Project Refunding Bonds to
achieve interest cost savings. The savings will accrue to Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) which
pays the debt service, and indirectly to EWEB which benefits from lower BPA costs. The second bond
issue is a $10.5 million competitive sale, the proceeds of which will fund the new Carmen Smith license
application as well as EWEB's purchase of land and design for a new headquarters site. The impact
from this issue has already been anticipated in EWEB's rates. For more information, contact Sue
Cutsogeorge, financial analysis manager at 682-5589, or Jim Origliosso, EWEBs treasurer at 484-3753.
Newsletter Cites Connection Between Savvy Yard Care And Stream Health
Stories about smart lawn care, roof moss and curious wetland
relationships are just a few of the articles featured it the spring issue of
Stormwater Connections due out next Monday, April 4, as an insert in the ~,,~:~:~,,~,~,. ~.,,~,~.
The Register-Guard. The link between water quality in our local
waterways and home maintenance activities is not always apparent. The
feature story, Be Smart About Lawn Care, offers homeowners some
important tips for growing a healthy lawn. Help! My Roof is Turning
Green sheds light on controlling moss through prevention, removal and
product ingredients that can impact water quality in local rivers.
Why worry about pollutants? The Willamette River and several of its
tributaries still contain problem pollutants. Read about the new
monitoring regulations that have been developed by the Department of
Environmental Quality to address a variety of pollutants.
This semi-annual newsletter has been produced by the Stormwater
Management Program for the last 11 years to increase awareness of
surface water and natural resource issues. Copies of the newsletter have
been placed in the Council Office. For more information or additional
copies of the newsletter contact Kathy Eva, public information specialist
for the Stormwater Management Program at 682-2739.
City Joins Other Public, Private Aqencies in Commitment to Clean Fuel
The Lane Clean Diesel Project will host a celebration of cooperation for a healthier economy at the
Rexius headquarters (1250 Bailey Hill Road) on Monday, April 4, at 2:30 p.m. All City Councilors are
invited to attend.
The Oregon Solutions Lane Clean Diesel Project organized distributors of diesel fuel and large buyers
(state agencies, city governments, school districts and private companies) to cost-effectively bring ultra-
Iow sulfur diesel (ULSD) to Lane County. ULSD addresses the number one air quality concern in the
state by reducing particulate matter emissions from fuel burning from 500 ppm sulfur to 15 ppm.
Beginning in September 2006, the EPA will require ULSD
fuel as the standard highway diesel fuel. Fuel providers .................... T,
and consumers, including businesses and iL
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governments coordinated their efforts, representing over
1.3 million gallons per year, to facilitate a clean diesel
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
March 31,2005
market rather than wait for future EPA regulation. Participants in the Lane Clean Diesel Project are
leading by example with an investment in the local community to help everyone breathe easier,
especially the children.
During the process the group also identified biodiesel as an alternative fuel with benefits similar to ULSD.
Biodiesel has a life cycle carbon impact that is approximately 20% of petroleum diesel. The volume
commitments generated by this project have given SeQuential Biofuels, a local supplier of biodiesel, the
certainty to begin construction on a Portland biodiesel production facility, creating jobs and increasing
access for fleets in the future. This has catalyzed sustainable economic development by creating a
market demand for biodiesel that will help spur oil seed crop production and additional processing
facilities in the Northwest. This project also ties into Governor KulongoskPs initiatives on global
warming, economic development, and sustainability.
Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken, representatives from the Governor's Office
and more than two dozen public and private organizations will present their organizational commitments
pledging to use cleaner burning diesel fuels at the event on Monday. For more information, contact Eric
Jones, public affairs manager for the Public Works Department, at 682-5523.
Eugene Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Helps Fund Needed Street Repairs
Eugene's motor vehicle fuel tax will increase to 5 cents per gallon this Friday. Revenues from the fuel
tax will help fund almost 12 lane miles of major street repairs this summer.
The new 5-cent tax, which includes a 2-cent tax increase approved by the council in January, is expected
to generate approximately $3.6 million per year to help repair city streets. Eight major street repair
projects estimated to cost $3.5 million are scheduled at various locations in Eugene this summer:
· 28th Avenue from Friendly to City View
· Crescent Avenue from Coburg Road to Tulip Street
· Chambers Street from 8th to 11th avenues
· Kevington Avenue from Brittany to Warren streets
· City View Street from 11th to 18th avenues
· Bertelsen Road from Royal Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard
· 11th Avenue from Pearl to Charnelton streets.
fees a~ work
Eugene started a pavement preservation program funded through
the local gas tax in 2003 to address a growing backlog of street
repair projects. Since then, more than 20 lane miles of streets have
been repaired. However, the current estimate of work needed to bring all of Eugene's streets into good
condition is still more than $93 million. For more information about the pavement preservation program,
contact City Engineer Mark Schoening at 682-5243.
$150,000 Grant Funds Play Replica of Skinner Butte at RiverPlay Playground
RiverPlay, Eugene's first regional playground at Skinner Butte Park, was awarded $150,000 from the
Meyer Memorial Trust. The grant was awarded to the Eugene Rotary Club Charitable Trust, which is the
City's partner in funding this premiere, 90-percent accessible playground. The Meyer Trust grant brings
the grand total of funds raised thus far to $420,000. This,
coupled with $400,000 from the 1998 parks and open space S. kinr~er 8utte Park
bond measure, will fund Phase 1of the playground. The full ..... : i,,~:
cost of the project is $1.2 million. Construction is scheduled to
begin in late May.
"Because of this grant and all the local businesses and
community members who have generously donated to the
project, the community can be assured that this destination
playground is really going to happen," says Bob Mylenek, chair
of the Eugene Rotary Club RiverPlay fundraising committee.
"And, we're hoping that others will step forward to help us ,,,.,,.~,,,,*'~'..,,,~,~:'"'"",,,~,'c'"'~,,,,,,,,,,. .... ....... ~ ¢ ~ ~,~:~;~i
realize the grand vision!"
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
March 31,2005
The $150,000 grant will ensure that a mammoth play replica of Skinner Butte will be included in Phase 1.
The play structure includes a seven-foot-high climbing feature fashioned after the basalt climbing
columns on the west face of Skinner Butte, a slide that originates at the upper level of the structure 12
feet above the ground, a wheelchair-accessible bridge at six feet, cut-out trees at the top of posts to
depict the forested butte, three panels that portray animals that live on the butte, and ladders, crawl
tubes, and other play accessories. Other Phase 1 play areas include two water features, the millrace and
the rain circle, which represent the origins of the Willamette River, and part of the pioneer village.
Subsequent phases will include an ancient history sand dig, miniature Willamette River, and Kalapuya
village. In addition to helping the City raise funds for the playground, the Eugene Rotary Club has also
pledged a significant contribution in volunteer labor from their members to help install many of the play
components.
The Meyer Memorial Trust is a private, independent foundation representing the late personal
philanthropy of Fred G. Meyer, who built the chain of retail stores bearing his name throughout the
Pacific Northwest. The trust makes grants of various amounts to qualified tax-exempt applicants in
Oregon and Clark County, Washington, in a range of fields, including arts and humanities, education,
health, social welfare, community development, and environmental conservation and restoration. For
more information about RiverPlay, call Park Development Coordinator Carrie Peterson at 682-4907 or
visit the project's webpage at www.ci.eugene.or, us/PARKS/riverplay.
Tour the Gardens at Hendricks Park this Spring
Spring is here and Hendricks Park is in bloom! Encounter
and learn more about magnolias, rhododendrons and
native flora on walking tours of the park's renowned
rhododendron and native plant gardens this spring. All
tours begin at the F.M. Wilkins Shelter at 2200 Summit
Avenue and last about an hour.
On a very dramatic, blustery Sunday in March as
magnolia petals swirled in the wind, Roger Gossler, owner
of Gossler Farms Nursery and nationally known magnolia
expert, officially inaugurated the spring garden tour series
with a tour of the magnolias in the rhododendron garden,
considered one of the best collections in the northwest.
Approximately 20 people were treated to an intimate introduction to all the magnolias in bloom,
background on the species and hybrids, and tips on gardening with magnolias.
This Sunday, April 3, at 1 p.m., Ginny Alfriend, Hendricks Park head gardener and resident native plant
expert, leads a tour of the native plant garden, which features native trees, shrubs and perennials of the
southern Willamette Valley. Many early season wildflowers, such as trillium and trout lilies, are still
blooming, and those that usually bloom later, such as delphinium and sidalcea, are beginning to bloom.
Alfriend is predicting a very short, but potentially spectacular, bloom season. "Early, mid and late season
plants may all bloom simultaneously! So, don't miss the show - come early," she says. "The garden,
despite the odd year, is full of life, birds and flowers, and a lovely, tranquil place to visit." According to
Alfriend, the cooler temperatures and rain will help extend the season and keep the blossoms fresh.
A tour of the rhododendron gardens led by Rich Aaring, an active member of the local chapter of the
Rhododendron Society and rhododendron and Hendricks Park enthusiast will occur on Sunday, April 10,
at 1 p.m. and another tour of the native plant garden will take place on Wednesday evening, May 4, at 6
p.m. For more information or to arrange special accessibility accommodations, call Hendricks Park
Head Gardener Ginny Alfriend at 682-5324 or visit www'ci'eugene'°r'us/parks/hendricks'
Contact - The Award-Winninq Broadway Musical Cominq to the Hult
Is it a musical without singers? A dance play? Regardless of how it's categorized, Contact has proven to
be simply irresistible to audiences. This dazzling show will take the Silva stage April 2-3, 2005.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
March 31,2005
Hailed as "positively revolutionary" by the Associated Press, the musical consists of
three stories, each about people in the wild pursuit of love, brilliantly told through music
and dance--everything from ballet to swing, from Tchaikovsky to Robed Palmer.
When Contact opened on Broadway, it took New York by storm, winning every major
award including the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League
Awards for Best Musical. Directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman (director and
choreographer of Broadway hits The Producers, Music Man and Crazy for You), the
show was hailed by Time Magazine for "kicking the dust off a tired old Broadway" and
welcomed as "inventive, exuberant, and refreshing."
Don't miss this exhilarating and magical Broadway show right here in Eugene. For more information,
contact the Hult Center Ticket Office at 682-5000.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5
March 31,2005