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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Newsletter - 04/07/05EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER April 7, 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 VOLUNTEERS HELP BUILD EUGENE'S FIRST WHEELCHAIR-ACCESSIBLE GARDEN PLOTS MAY "WORKING CITY" HIGHLIGHTS RECYCLING PROGRAMS AND HIGH COST OF VANDALISM EUGENE ENJOYS PUBLICITY SPOTLIGHT Volunteers Help Build Euqene's First Wheelchair-Accessible Garden Plots Eugene's first wheelchair-accessible garden plots are coming to the new Alton Baker Community Gardens. Last Saturday, volunteers spent six hours cutting, drilling and assembling two of the planned 12 raised beds, each 50 square feet in size. The event was covered by KVAL news. "This was an amazing amount of production for this group of industrious and dedicated volunteers," says Matt McRae, Community Gardens manager. "We are very excited about offering accessible garden plots to the community this season." McRae is looking for more volunteers to help finish the job. The next work party is planned for Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. In the next month, parks staff will surface the sites with gravel so that final installations can be completed on May 7. Volunteers are welcome to work as little or as much as they would like on that day. In addition, volunteers of all skill levels are welcome; all necessary tools, materials, and instruction will be provided by the City's Volunteers in Parks program. The gardens site is located off Day Island Road just east of Alton Baker Park's main parking lot. For more information about this park improvement project or the community gardens program, call Matt McRae or the Volunteers in Parks Coordinator, at 682-4845. For more information about renting a community garden plot at any of Eugene's six community gardens, call the Parks and Open Space Division office at 652-4500 or visit www.ci.eugene.or, us/PARKS/howto/commgardens.htm. May "Workin.q City" Hi.qhli.qhts Recyclin.q Pro.qrams and the Hi.qh Cost of Vandalism The May episode of Working City airs on Metro TV beginning this week. The Solid Waste and Recycling Program's food waste reduction and recycling efforts are the focus of one segment in which students from Eugene schools discuss why they like participating in a program which utilizes food discards from school kitchens and cafeterias to make compost. The compost is available for community gardens and Food for Lane County's Grass Roots Garden. Another initiative featured in this segment is the effort by coffee businesses to collect coffee grounds, diverting material from the landfill and creating richer compost. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 April 7, 2005 In the show's other main segment, the costs of vandalism on public property are examined with suggestions on how local residents can join the City in addressing these problems. Damage to parks and street lights, theft of traffic signs, and the ever-present problem of graffiti are illustrated. An interview with a young person doing community service as a result of his vandalism conviction is featured and efforts of the Graffitti Task Force provide options for addressing this concern. As the summer season approaches, a pool lifeguard is May's "Cool Job." Based on 2004 Community Survey data, "Working City" is already reaching a significant audience. When the survey was conducted in November 2004 following only two months of shows, 12% of respondents said they had already viewed the show. In the show's short life, it has already appears to be fulfilling the goals of providing an effective new outlet for positive and useful information on City of Eugene programs and services. The show repeats five times each week: Sundays at 11:30 a.m., Mondays at 5 p.m. (before Eugene City Council meeting cablecasts), Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. (after City Council meeting replays), Wednesdays at 8 p.m., and Fridays at 9:30 p.m. A copy of each show on VHS tape or DVD is available to City Councilors upon request and copies are available to the public at the Eugene Library. "Working City" is a unique opportunity to let the public know about the diverse, high-quality services the City of Eugene provides every day. Please tune in to the May show and let us know if you have comments or suggestions. For further information, please contact Jan Bohman, City Manager's Office, 682-5587. Euqene Eniovs Publicity S~otli~ht The March edition of the National Geographic Traveler lists Eugene as one of "10 Great Towns That Will Keep You Feeling Young." Eugene is referred to as the "running capital of the world," and as a "green and easy-going place." The article mentions the U of ©, the Saturday Market, and the Hult Center. The March edition of Sunset magazine features an article entitled, "New Scene in Eugene." It describes Eugene as "home to the state's leading liberal arts university" and as "having a well-deserved reputation for counter-culture and fresh thinking." The article mentions the Hult Center, OFAM (the Shedd), the Jordan Schnitzer Museum at the U of ©, DIVA, Perugino coffee house, and Lane Arts Council's First Friday Art Walks. In the April 1 edition of the 36-hour "Escapes" section of The New York Times, Eugene is described as "home of the University of Oregon" and as having "a quaint but modern downtown and lots of bicycles." It identifies Eugene as one of America's most bike-friendly cities! Locally, the Hult Center was also on a recent cover of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce magazine. The slogan coined by the Cultural Services Division, "The World's Greatest City of the Arts & Outdoors" was on the on the cover of CVALC©'s new guide along with a picture of Alton Baker Park. Lots of examples of why Eugene is the "World's Greatest City of the Arts & Outdoors." For more information, contact LRCS Admin Executive Assistant Maureen Robeson at 682-6065. 04/11 M 5:30pm All Council Dinner Work Session McNutt Room 04/11 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 04/14 Th 9:00am GP, BB, BT IGR Committee McNutt Room 04/14 Th 5:30 BB, A© Police Commission McNutt Room 04/18 M 5:30pm All Council Process Session EPL/Bascom Room 04/19 T 6:00pm All Joint Elected Officials Mtg. BCC Conference Rm. (Dinner available at 5:30 p.m.) EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 April 7, 2005 04/19 T 6:00pm DK Human Rights Commission McNutt Room 04/19 T 7:00pm All Joint Elected Public Hearing Harris Hall 04/20 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room 04/21 Th 9:00am GP, BB, BT IGR Committee McNutt Room 04/25 M 5:30pm Council Budget Committee EPL - Bascom Rm. 04/26 T 5:30pm KP Mayor's One-on-One TBA 04/27 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room 04/28 Th 9:00am GP, BB, BT IGR Committee McNutt Room 05/02 M 5:30pm Council Budget Committee EPL - Bascom Rm. ABSENT: Taylor 05/04 W 5:30pm Council Budget Committee EPL - Bascom Rm. 05/09 M 5:30pm All Council Dinner Work Session McNutt Room 05/09 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 05/11 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room 05/11 W 5:30pm Council Budget Committee EPL - Bascom Rm. 05/16 M 5:30pm Council Budget Committee EPL - Bascom Rm. 05/18 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room 05/18 W 5:30pm Council Budget Committee EPL - Bascom Rm. 05/23 M 5:30pm All Council Dinner Work Session McNutt Room 05/23 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 05/25 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room June ....................................................................................................................................... 06/08 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room 06/13 M 5:30pm All Council Dinner Work Session McNutt Room 06/13 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 06/15 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room 05/22 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room 06/27 M 5:30pm All Council Dinner Work Session McNutt Room 06/27 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 06/29 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room ** Denotes changes or additions to calendar Taylor: April 29 - May 3 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 April 7, 2005