HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 10/05/06
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
October 5, 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
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS FORUM AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
GOVERNOR’S COUNCIL HONORS CITY RECREATION MANAGER
BUDGET COMMITTEE RECRUITMENT RENEWED
WORK SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE ON GOLDEN GARDENS PARK BRIDGE
EUGENE FIREMED MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM
RECRUITMENT UNDERWAY FOR LIBRARY BOARD
CULTURAL POLICY REVIEW – ARTS & CULTURE DIALOGUES
CONTRACTOR FINISHES RECONSTRUCTION OF FERN RIDGE PATH
EUGENE FIRE & EMS COMMUNICATION AND HARASSMENT TRAINING
FALL FUN FOR KIDS AT LIBRARY
FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS TO ELMIRA ROAD AND MAPLE STREET PLANNED
AROUND THE CITY
Sustainable Business Forum at Eugene Public Library
Mayor Kitty Piercy hosts a forum about the City of Eugene’s Sustainable Business Initiative on Saturday,
October 7, 3 - 5 p.m., at the Downtown Eugene Public Library.
The forum provides an overview of sustainable business practices in the local community, highlighting
simple strategies for both private and non-profit workplaces. Speakers illustrate their points with real-life
examples from sustainable business research, policy formulation, and entrepreneurship. Panelists
include David Funk, Sustainable Business Initiative co-chair; Mark Beauchamp, owner of Café Yumm;
and representatives of the University of Oregon’s Institute for a Sustainable Environment. For more
information, call the Eugene Public Library, 682-5450.
Governor’s Council Honors City Recreation Manager
The Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has named Sandy
Shaffer, a recreation manager in the Library, Recreation and Cultural Services
Department, as the recipient of the Fitness Leadership Award. Shaffer was
honored for her professional and personal commitment to improved fitness,
nutrition and physical activity for youth. Mayor Kitty Piercy accepted the award
for Shaffer at the Oregon League of Cities annual meeting in held Portland on
September 28.
Shaffer manages the City of Eugene’s Sheldon and Amazon community
centers. During her 15-year career as a recreation professional, she has
implemented scores of classes, special events, educational presentations,
training sessions and facility improvements that support healthy lifestyles and
recreational pursuits.
Shaffer serves on the Lane County Medical Society Steering Committee as a member of the Lane
Coalition for Healthy Active Youth (LCHAY). This team of education, health care and recreation
professionals work together on a wide range of initiatives in schools, clinics and recreation agencies to
improve the information, service options and programs available to youth. In addition, Shaffer is on a
task team withinLCHAYin support of We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition!). This
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October 6, 2006
public education initiative was created by the National Institute of Health (NIH) to provide parents and
caregivers with educational materials and activities to encourage healthy eating, increase physical
activity and reduce sedentary time in youth ages 8-13.
Shaffer and her staff at Sheldon Community Center also have been in partnership with the USA Track &
Field Association and the University of Oregon to provide youth activities at local meets to generate
interest in the sport. These special events at Hayward Field are part of the campaign to support the 2008
Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene. For more information, contact Sandy Shaffer at 682-6338.
Budget Committee Recruitment Renewed
The vacancy created by the unanticipated resignation of Robert Peters as well as the upcoming vacancy
in January have caused the renewal of the recruitment for the Budget Committee. All persons who
previously submitted applications this year will be included in the new pool of applicants. Below is the
time line for this special recruitment.
Thursday, October 5 New recruitment process begins
Tuesday, October 31 Applications and supplemental questionnaire due by 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 14 Interviews for applicants
Monday, November 27 Action on appointment at City Council meeting
For more information contact Mary Walston at 682-5406 or see the City’s web site at www.eugene-or.gov
.
Work Substantially Complete on Golden Gardens Park Bridge
Work is substantially complete on the new bridge across the
“A-2 Channel” in Golden Gardens Park. Tom Ayres
Construction constructed the bridge for approximately
$191,000. The bridge was designed to accommodate legal
street loads, including emergency service vehicles. For
more information on the bridge, contact Project Manager
Jenifer Willer at 682-5364 or
jenifer.m.willer@ci.eugene.or.us.
For more information on the Golden Gardens Park planning
process contact Carolyn Weiss, Parks and Open Space
planning manager, at 682-4909 or carolyn.j.weiss@ci.eugene.or.us.
Eugene FireMed Membership Program
The Eugene FireMed Membership Program has successfully operated since 1986. Originally it was
established to gain funds for Emergency Medical Services and provide a valuable service to the
community. FireMed membership covers any out-of-pocket expenses a person might incur for a
medically necessary emergency ambulance transport. Since inception of the FireMed Program, the
number of reciprocal agencies has grown to 69, so while traveling throughout the state of Oregon, a
FireMed member would be covered for services by these agencies. Open enrollment is during the month
of June, and anyone can join at any time. Membership is effective 48 hours after receipt of the
application and payment of $50.00 annual membership fee. For more information please contact
Eugene FireMed Membership Program staff at 682-7199.
Recruitment Underway for Library Board
Interested individuals are being sought for three positions on the Eugene Library Board. The Library
Board is a means for citizens to provide input and advice to the Eugene Library management staff on
policy, budget, services and library development. There are seven positions on the board representing
several interested groups. Two of these are representatives from the branch services areas of Bethel
and Sheldon. These are two of the three slots to be filled. Although there is no specific slot for a youth
representative, a youth perspective on the board is highly desired. The board hopes to have a diverse
pool of applicants.
Anyone interested in serving on the board is invited to attend the next meeting of the Library Board on
th
Wednesday, October 11, 10:00 a.m., at the Singer Room, Eugene Public Library, 100 West 10 Avenue.
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An application may be downloaded from the City’s website www.eugene-or.gov or obtained from the City
Manager’s Office, Room 105, in City Hall.
Applications will be accepted through Tuesday, October 31, and will then be reviewed in November.
Appointments are scheduled for later in November. To learn more about this vacancy or to obtain an
application, please contact the Boards and Commissions coordinator at 682-5406.
Cultural Policy Review – Arts & Culture Dialogues
The Cultural Policy Review (CPR) gained momentum during the September 18-20 on-site visit from the
project consultants, Wolf Keens & Company vice president Marc Goldring, and consultant Claudia Bach.
nd
During their three-day stay, they facilitated six public Arts & Culture dialogue sessions and the 2
meeting of the Mayor’s Cultural Policy Review Committee, and toured several local facilities.
The purpose of the six dialogue sessions was to engage the community and solicit feedback regarding
the points raised in the first Situation Paper the consultants submitted to the Mayor’s Committee. The
Situation Paper combines information and data collected by the consultants during their on-site visit in
June and during more than two dozen interviews conducted over the summer. The information was
divided into eight topics which became the focus of the six dialogue sessions: Cultural Participation; Arts
Education in the Schools; Cultural Organizations and Artists; Higher Education and Culture; Cultural
Facilities; Downtown Cultural Development, Leadership, and Resources.
The Downtown Library was a central point for five of the dialogue sessions and the University of Oregon
Arts and Administration Program hosted one session at Lawrence Hall. Consultants were impressed with
the average of more than 60 participants per session. CPR committee members also attended the
dialogue sessions, many of them attending two or more.
The consultants collected additional information during the public sessions through active discussion and
from approximately 1,000 note-cards submitted by participants. This information will be integrated into
future Situation Papers to ensure the paper accurately reflects the status of arts and culture in the
community.
Public notification of the public meetings was generated through design of a colorful postcard mailed to
all households in the incorporated areas of Eugene, and in the placement of three print advertisements in
The Register-Guard and in the Eugene Weekly. Numerous arts organizations in the community informed
their memberships through e-mail. A news release was distributed and coverage was gained from KLCC
and KOPT prior to the dialogues.
Committee Chair Tina Rinaldi, Vice-chair David Kelly, consultants and staff are working on the numerous
next steps in this exciting process. All CPR project documents and information can be accessed through
the CPR portal on the City’s website: www.eugene-or.gov/CulturalPolicyReview. The portal offers a
feedback function which allows individuals to contribute their ideas and receive information via e-mail
throughout the process. For questions, please contact CPR Project Manager, Mark Loigman at
682.5307, Mark.d.loigman@ci.eugene.or.us.
Contractor Finishes Reconstruction of Fern Ridge Path
Reconstruction of the Fern Ridge Path from City View to
Garfield Street and from Chambers Street to the Blue Heron
Bike Bridge is complete. The $313,000 project involved
removing the existing asphalt path and constructing a new,
2,600-foot-long concrete path, replacing deteriorated railing,
and installing new curb ramps.
Improvements have also been made along the Fern Ridge
Path to make it easier and safer for pedestrians and
bicyclists to cross the street where the trail meets the
roadway at-grade. At City View Street, a new pedestrian
refuge island, a marked crosswalk and new signs were
installed. The pedestrian refuge will enable pedestrians to
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focus on crossing one lane of traffic at a time and wait at a safe place in the middle of the street before
proceeding across the other lane of travel. Earlier this summer at Polk Street, a new marked crosswalk,
curb ramps, and pedestrian crossing signs were installed to make it easier for path users to cross Polk;
these devices also remind automobile drivers that bicyclists and pedestrians can be expected at that
location.
Next summer, deteriorating asphalt paths will be replaced with concrete along the North Bank Path from
the Greenway Bike Bridge to Country Club Road and the Garden Way Path from Garden Way to the
Canoe Canal. For more information about Eugene’s bicycle and pedestrian path improvement projects,
contact Project Manager Jenifer Willer at 682-5364 or jenifer.m.willer@ci.eugene.or.us.
Eugene Fire & EMS Communication and Harassment Training
This week, the Fire & EMS Department began its annual Communication and Harassment training for all
department personnel. This interactive class covers discrimination, all forms of harassment, the City of
Eugene complaint procedures, retaliation, Title 7-federal law, and overall respectful work environment.
Because of the challenges that shift work and multiple work sites create, the training is conducted over a
two-week period, in order to reach all department personnel. For more information, please contact
A/Deputy Chief Randy DeWitt at 682-7130.
Fall Fun for Kids at Library
With school underway, kids can count on the Eugene Public
Library for a quiet place to study, help in finding facts for a
report -- or a fun time! Coming up soon for grades 1 - 6 are new
sessions of Book Buzz and Hora de Diversión, book groups,
and Dog Tale Time. All programs are free of charge.
Book Buzz is a zany drop-in hour of surprising stories and
active adventures. On Thursday, October 12, 4:00 - 5:00, at the
Downtown Library, the theme is “What I Did on Summer
Vacation.” Kids read about a wacky camp, take a nature hike
(in the Library courtyard), build a "real imitation" campfire, and
feast on s'mores. On Saturday, October 14, 2:00 - 3:00, at the
Sheldon Branch, it's Map Time, featuring a funny story, compass practice, a treasure hunt, and creating
maps of real places or fantasy worlds.
Hora de Diversión meets the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at the Downtown Library, while adults
and teens gather for Intercambio bilingual conversation circles. On October 10, drop in to make models
of
the Mayan pyramids, Aztec temples, and the Machu Picchu ruins. On October 24, participants will
discover The First American Pueblos, making replicas of the utensils and handicrafts of the first peoples
of America.
Book Buddies Book Group (grades 2 - 3) and Tween Scene Book Group (grades 4 - 6) meet on
Thursday, October 26, 4:00 - 5:00, at the Downtown Library. Pre-registration is required, starting
October 1. This month, the buddies read Ruby Lu, Brave and True, by Lenore Look, about almost-eight-
year-old Ruby's adventures with her baby brother, Chinese school, magic tricks, and friends. The
Tweens talk about Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, the tale of a missing painting and two kids who
solve the mystery.
After a summer break, Dog Tale Time's back at the Downtown Library on Saturdays starting October 7,
2:00 - 3:30. Kids build skills and have fun reading aloud to dogs for 15-minute sessions. Dogs and
trainers are courtesy of PAWS (People and Animals Who Serve), a local chapter of the Delta Society.
Pre-registration is required. For more information about everything available for kids at the Eugene
Public Library, and to pre-register, call 682-8316.
Future Improvements to Elmira Road and Maple Street Planned
Elmira Road and Maple Street are slated to be improved to urban standards within the next two to five
years. City staff from the Engineering Division of the Public Works Department attended the Active
Bethel Citizens neighborhood meeting on September 21 to inform citizens about the plans, which are of
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considerable public interest.
Improvements to Elmira Road and Maple Street are listed in the draft Capital Improvement Program
(CIP), which will be published for public review and comment in early November. As proposed in the
CIP, the project includes improving Elmira Road from Bertelsen Road to Maple Street and Maple Street
from Elmira Road south to Roosevelt Boulevard to a standard for a neighborhood collector street. This
standard addresses a larger volume of traffic and generally more types of uses. Elmira Road from
Maple Street east to Highway 99 also could be improved to a local street standard if property owners on
that section of street support the improvement.
The discussion at the neighborhood meeting produced several themes, which can be broadly categorized
into safety issues, project financing and assessment, and specifics of the final design elements of the
project.
City staff proposed a couple of options for a public process schedule. General sentiment leaned towards
starting the process right away. At this time the City is considering a first meeting sometime before
November 15, with additional meetings and process specifics to be determined. For more information,
call Landscape Architect Emily Proudfoot at 682-6019 or e-mail emily.a.proudfoot@ci.eugene.or.us.
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