HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 08/31/06
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
August 31, 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
HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM MOVES
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES – UO FOOTBALL GAMES
NEW CROSSWALK TO IMPROVE SAFETY FOR CHURCHILL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS DRAWS NEAR
EPA VISITS WASTEWATER DIVISION TO CHECK ON PERFORMANCE TRACK PROGRAM
SENATOR WYDEN’S NATURAL RESOURCES COUNSEL TOURS PRIORITY NATURAL AREAS
FALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEENS @ EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
COBURG ROAD REPAIRS PLANNED AS RADAR CONFIRMS SITE OF UNDERGROUND BRIDGE
NEWLY ALIGNED SECTION OF AIRPORT ROAD SCHEDULED TO OPEN ON FRIDAY
"SPIRITUAL HEART, SCIENTIFIC MIND" FIRST FRIDAY @ DOWNTOWN LIBRARY
AROUND THE CITY
Human Rights Program Moves
The Human Rights Program has moved to a new location. Human Rights Program staff members Greg
Rikhoff, Francisca Leyva-Johnson, and Karen Hyatt moved from Room 105 in City Hall to a street-level
office at 833 Willamette Street.
The new location, named the Human Rights Center, will provide more direct access to the Human Rights
Program resources. The space is also ideal for human rights-related meetings, presentations, events,
and displays. The 2,500 square foot space, at street level on Willamette Street, has offices, a conference
room, a small kitchen, and an open common area.
The organizational relationships remain the same. The Human Rights Program will continue to be a
section of the City Manager's Office division of Central Services.
All phone numbers for staff will also remain the same - Greg Rikhoff, 682-8439; Francisca Leyva-
Johnson, 682-8442; and Karen Hyatt, 682-5619. The phone number for Human Rights Program
information and reception remains 682-5177. For more information contact Mary Walston at 682-5406
or any of the Human Rights Program staff.
Emergency Medical Services – UO Football Games
This week, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel from the Eugene Fire & EMS Department are
gearing up for EMS responses at University of Oregon football games. The first football game kicks-off
this weekend at 12:30 p.m. against the Stanford Cardinal. Eugene Fire & EMS participates with the
University of Oregon by contracting to cover medical emergencies at Autzen Stadium. Four teams of
two medics each, a field unit with two medics and two Chief Officers will be provided for each home
game.
The temperature is expected to reach 90 degrees at this weekend's game, and many heat-related issues
are anticipated. EMS personnel expects to see all types of medical incidents from heat-related, cardiac,
diabetic or stroke, to trauma, as well as alcohol-related issues. Game attendance is typically between
55,000 and 60,000 people at Autzen Stadium, which is close to the population size of Springfield,
Oregon. For more information please contact EMS Chief JoAnna Kamppi at 682-7130.
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August 31, 2006
New Crosswalk to Improve Safety for Churchill High School Students
Students returning to Churchill High School next week will find a new crosswalk in place on Bailey Hill
Road at Westleigh Street. The new crosswalk is being installed by the Eugene Public Works Department
at the urging of Churchill area neighbors.
"We worked closely with the neighbors to find solutions that are practical and address safety concerns,”
said City Traffic Engineer Tom Larsen. “Traffic conditions have changed since the crosswalk was initially
installed. This new design fits the traffic patterns we’re seeing today.”
The biggest change is removing the crosswalk on Bailey Hill Road on the north side of Westleigh Street
and painting a new crosswalk on Bailey Hill on the south side of Westleigh. Signs closing the north side
crosswalk will be included in the project, and students will be directed to use the new crosswalk when
crossing Bailey Hill. The change means that students will have to cross only one street (Bailey Hill) to
walk to the commercial area south of Westleigh. It also helps reduce conflict between students crossing
Bailey Hill and traffic from Westleigh Street and the fire station on Bailey Hill Road. The existing flasher
for southbound traffic on Bailey Hill Road will remain in place, while the flasher for northbound traffic on
Bailey Hill will be relocated about 30 feet south of the new crosswalk. Crews will add "stop here for
pedestrians" signage at both flashers. In addition, new accessible pedestrian ramps will be constructed
and the existing yellow curb markings will be repainted.
Public Works crews anticipate having all the work done before school begins on September 5. Groups
that have worked with the Public Works Department on finding safety solutions include the Westwood
and Westleigh homeowners associations, Eugene School District, and Eugene Police Department. For
more information, contact Traffic Engineer Tom Larsen at 682-4959.
Application Deadline for Boards and Commissions Draws Near
Friday, September 8, it is the deadline for submitting applications to serve on City boards, committees
and commissions. There have been recent resignations from several groups, increasing the need for a
vigorous pool of applicants. This is the updated list of vacancies:
?
Budget Committee 2 vacancies
?
Human Rights Commission 5 vacancies
?
Planning Commission 3 vacancies
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Police Commission 4 vacancies
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Toxics Board 2 vacancies
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Eugene Redevelopment Advisory Committee 2 vacancies
?
Whilamut Natural Area Planning Committee 2 vacancies
In addition to the application, a supplemental questionnaire is required for the Budget Committee,
Human Rights Commission, Planning Commission, Police Commission, Toxics Board and Whilamut
Natural Area Citizen Planning Committee. Both the application and supplemental questionnaires are
available on the City’s website or at the City Manager’s Office.
The City Council is set to interview candidates for the Budget Committee, Human Rights Commission,
Planning Commission, and Toxics Board the week of October 2. The Mayor may interview candidates
for the Police Commission and Whilamut Committee during the same week; the Mayor nominates
candidate for these two bodies. The formal appointments to the boards, commissions and committees
are set for Monday, October 25. For more information, check the City’s website at www.eugene-or.gov
or call Mary Walston at 682-5406.
EPA Visits Wastewater Division to Check on Performance Track Program
Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Performance
Track program spent Wednesday, August 23, at the Eugene/Springfield Regional Water
Pollution Control Facility. The City’s Wastewater Division, which provides operations and
maintenance services for the regional wastewater facilities, is a member of the
Performance Track program, which is structured for companies and organizations that
have formal Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and that commit to exceeding
industry standards for environmental performance. The Wastewater Division is the only
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August 31, 2006
municipal wastewater agency that has been accepted into the program.
EPA periodically conducts site visits to Performance Track members to evaluate implementation of their
environmental objectives, assess progress in meeting performance commitments and public outreach
activities, and to build relationships with the members. The EPA representatives said they were
impressed with the Wastewater Division’s EMS and the achievements for improvement of environmental
performance, and indicated that the division met their expectations for continued membership in the
Performance Track program. An official assessment report will be prepared in a few weeks. For more
information, contact Wastewater Division Director Peter Ruffier at 682-8606.
Senator Wyden’s Natural Resources Counsel Tours Priority Natural Areas
The Parks and Open Space Division’s Natural Resources
staff led a tour for U.S. Senator Ron Wyden’s new
Natural Resources Counsel, Michele Miranda. The group
was joined by staff from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
Lane Council of Governments, and The Nature
Conservancy.
The afternoon tour highlighted some of Eugene’s highest
priority natural resource projects including Forest
Legacy, Coyote Creek Study Area as a potential unit of
the Finley National Wildlife Refuge, West Eugene
Wetlands Education Center, and a stop at
Checkermallow Access to discuss the Metro Waterways
study and future Army Corps of Engineers projects. For
more information contact Sarah Medary, natural
resources manager, at sarah.j.medary@ci.eugene.or.us
or 682-4842.
Fall Opportunities for Teens @ Eugene Public Library
Teens are invited to apply for the next eight-week session of
Teen Team at the Eugene Public Library. Teen Team helps
Downtown Library staff get items ready for check-out, keeps
books in order, prepares crafts projects for kids’ programs,
cleans books, creates displays, and more. This service
learning project is a great way to support the Library, meet
new friends, and contribute ideas and opinions. Plus, teens
can earn community service credit for school. Teen Team
meets Tuesdays, 4 – 5 p.m., starting September 26.
Applications must be received by September 5.
Make Your Own Movies is an extraordinary chance for teens
to get hands-on training with video professionals at the
Downtown Library. Learn to plan, storyboard, script, shoot,
and edit with Apple iMovie. Metro TV teaches a six-week
workshop for teens, including group and individual sessions,
starting September 26. Cameras and computers are
provided for class use. Make Your Own Movies is free of
charge, but space is limited, so interested teens should
apply now. For information or to apply, visit the Downtown Library's Young Adult Desk or call 682-8316.
Coburg Road Repairs Planned as Radar Confirms Site of Underground Bridge
Public Works Engineering staff has nearly completed research on the Coburg Road slump area where a
120-year-old bridge was found. A broken storm pipe allowing material to enter the pipe and be carried
away was identified as the primary reason for the slumping at this location. Over time, many
jurisdictions have worked in the area, so accurate infrastructure records were difficult to obtain. Instead,
ground- penetrating radar was used to locate the old bridge and to find underground utilities and voids
created by the broken storm pipe.
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August 31, 2006
The bridge remnants were found to be 20 feet long and approximately 34 feet wide and mostly contained
within the southbound lanes of Coburg Road. The uppermost remnants are approximately three feet
below the asphalt surface of the roadway. It appears that repair work can be completed leaving the
bridge remnants intact.
The slumping area is being monitored for movement and has been moving since the investigation began
just a few weeks ago. The repair is a high priority and most likely will occur within the next six to eight
weeks. To minimize disruption, it is anticipated the project will be limited to night work and will occur in
phases to avoid major road closures. The repair should take less than a week to complete. Public
notification in advance of the work is being planned. For more information, contact Principal Civil
Engineer Michelle Cahill at 682-6855
Newly Aligned Section of Airport Road Scheduled to Open on Friday
Motorists traveling to and from the Eugene Airport should find the going smoother starting Friday,
September 1, as the newly aligned section of Airport Road is open to traffic. The new alignment shifts
Airport Road to the south of the new parallel runway to provide a safer distance between vehicles on the
road and planes using the new runway. It also establishes Airport Road as the direct route to and from
the airport by reconfiguring the intersection of Airport Road and Green Hill Road West and eliminating
the stops on Airport Road. The City of Eugene designed and managed the $2.5 million project on a Lane
County road with funding primarily from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The road
realignment is the final phase of the FAA-funded project to construct a new airport runway, which opened
in September 2005.
In the design of the new roadway, care was taken to avoid existing wetlands, and water quality swales
were included to manage stormwater. The opening of the new roadway marks substantial completion of
the project, which began in June. Remaining work includes finishing the transition at Green Hill Road
East and old Airport Road, relocating the airfield fence to the center of the abandoned section of Airport
Road, seeding, mulching and landscaping at the entrance to the airport, and installing miscellaneous
signs and permanent light poles. This work is expected to have minimal impact on the traveling public.
For more information, contact Teri Higgins, project engineer, at 682-8462.
"Spiritual Heart, Scientific Mind" First Friday @ the Downtown Library
On First Friday @ the Downtown Library, September 1, 6 p.m., quantum physicist Dr. Amit Goswami is
back by popular demand to talk about integrating the scientific mind with the spiritual heart. He shares
"how the principles of quantum physics can help you tap into inner creativity, deepen spirituality, and live
a life of liberation and fulfillment."
Amit Goswami, Ph.D. is professor emeritus in the University of Oregon's physics department where he
has served since 1968. A pioneer of the new paradigm known as "science within consciousness,"
Goswami has written textbooks and popular books on the subject, and was a featured expert in the 2004
film What the #$*! Do We Know!?.
At 7 p.m., the Palmer Lavin Duo plays classic jazz of the 30s and 40s featuring swinging vocals.
Experienced performers Sally Palmer and Mark Lavin began working together in the summer of 2002
when they were featured on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s "Oregon Art Beat" show. Since then, the duo
has delighted audiences at many Oregon events, including Jazz at Newport and the Salem Arts Fair.
For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 682-5450.
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August 31, 2006