Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/22/1987 Meeting (2) e e e M I NUT E S Eugene City Council City Hall--McNutt Room April 22, 1987 12:20 a.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Debra Ehrman (11:45 a.m.-l:30 p.m.), Freeman Holmer, Emily Schue, Cynthia Wooten, Ruth Bascom, Roger Rutan, Jeff Miller, Rob Bennett. The adjourned meeting of April 15, 1987, of the City Council of Eugene, Oregon, was called to order by His Honor Mayor Brian B. Obie. I. ITEMS FROM COUNCIL, MAYOR, AND CITY MANAGER A. Willamette Science & Technology Center Ms. Bascom discussed the Willamette Science & Technology Center (WISTEC) and said the current display on dinasaurs is excellent. She distributed two WISTEC brochures. B. Meetings in Salem Ms. Schue discussed several recent trips to Salem. She said one meeting concerned methods of funding the renovation of Hayward Field at the University of Oregon and she testified before a Legislative Committee on a bill concerning annexation procedures. She said HB 2112 (gas tax) is a compomise and is now before a House committee. C. Renovation of Hayward Field Ms. Wooten said she would like information about funding the renovation of Hayward Field with bonds. She said she would like to know about options, "pay back" plans, and who is involved in the negotiations. She suggested the council consider all the expenditures from the Transient Room Tax. Mayor Obie suggested the staff inform all councilors of the negotiations. Mr. Rutan briefly discussed the renovation and ways to fund it. Mr. Holmer said he wants to consider the entire renovation "package.1I He also wants to consider all the expenditures from the Transient Room Tax. Mayor Obie said a Budget Committee Subcommittee is addressing the issue. MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 22, 1987 Page 1 e e e D. Chambers Connector Responding to a question from Mr. Holmer about a letter from the Northwest Solvents & Supply, Inc., 509 Chambers, Ms. Andersen said she will present information to the council later. Ms. Bascom said she has discussed the matter with Ollie Snowden of the Lane County Public Works Department and Lane County Commissioner John Ball. E. Hendri cks Park Ms. Ehrman said the Rhododendron Garden in Hendricks Park is beautiful and many people are enjoying it. She said the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department has done a good job of caring for the garden which is an asset for the city. Mayor Obie suggested the City invite the public to the garden. He asked for a report on its condition. F. Council Committee on Economic Diversification Mr. Rutan said he is anxious for the Council Committee on Economic Diversification (CCED) to meet. Mayor Obie suggested the committee meet for dinner. Ms. Wooten suggested it meet from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. H. School District 4-J Teachers' Strike Ms. Wooten wondered if the council should playa role in the settlement of the School District 4-J Teachers' Strike. She said she is worried about public reaction to replacement teachers. Answering a question from Mr. Bennett, Mayor Obie said public pressure for a settlement could be increased but he questions the value of escalating public pressure. He said the situation is discouraging and he anticipates a long strike. Mr. Miller suggested the reasons for the strike be investigated after it is solved. I. Future Appointments by Mayor Mayor Obie said he will be appointing members to the Public Safety Advisory Committee and the Eugene Celebration Steering Committee. He suggested councilors talk to him about the applicants. Ms. Ehrman asked for a list of applicants for the task force and the steering committee. J. Reopening of 5th Street Market Ms. Ehrman said she enjoyed the reopening of the 5th Street Market. MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 22, 1987 Page 2 I I. ANNOUNCEMENT: FY87 GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION (GFOA) AWARD ~ Mayor Obie said the City of Eugene received the Award for Distinguished Budget Presentation for FY87 budget documents from the Government Finance Officers Association. He said the award is the highwest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. Tony Mounts of the Budget Office accepted the award on behalf of the Budget Office staff. III. LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE MINUTES OF APRIL 15, 1987 Ms. Ehrman moved, seconded by Mr. Holmer, to approve the April 15, 1987, Legislative Subcommittee minutes. Mr. Holmer said he will vote to approve the subcommittee minutes. Referring to specific pages in the minutes, he said SBO 487 seems to be a fair bill and he is surprised the City is opposing it. He said he does not support HB 3255 although the minutes state that he does but he supports the idea that the prevailing wage issue should be addressed. He said the City should address HB 2373 and he favors supporting it to get the facts about specially assessed property. He said the City also should address, and probably support, SJR 022. He suggested the City oppose HB 2934 (absentee ballots) and SBO 872 (allocation of election costs). e The motion carried unanimously, 8:0. IV. DISPOSITION OF SURPLUS EWEB REAL PROPERTY City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. Administrative Services Director Gary Long gave the staff report. He said the proposed ordinance will update the process for disposing of Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) property. He said EWEB officials will notify the City before property is offered for sale and negotiate payment if the City buys the property. Mr. Gleason said he and Jean Reeder, General Manager of EWEB, have signed an agreement that specifies procedures for the disposal of EWEB property. The council approved the agreement about two years ago. Answering a question from Mayor Obie and Ms. Bascom, Mr. Long said EWEB is ready to sell a property that the City does not want. Mr. Gleason said the proposed ordinance was prepared because of changes in State laws. Mr. Holmer said the councilors may have different ideas about some property than the City Manager has. Mr. Holmer suggested procedures be developed to notify the councilors when property is considered for disposal. Mayor Obie asked that the procedures be presented to the council. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 22, 1987 Page 3 - CB 2946--An ordinance authorizing and creating procedures for the disposition of surplus real property by the Eugene Water & Electric Board; adding a new Section 2.196 to the Eugene Code, 1971; and declaring an emergency Ms. Ehrman moved, seconded by Mr. Holmer, that the bill be read the second time by council bill number only, with unanimous consent of the council, and that enactment be considered at this time. The motion carried unanimously, 8:0. Council Bill 2946 was read the second time by Council bill number only. Ms. Ehrman moved, seconded by Mr. Holmer, that the bill be be approved and given final passage. All councilors present voting aye, the bill was declared passed (and became Ord i nance No. 19465). Ms. Bascom asked for additional information about the property that EWEB is ready to sell. Mr. Gleason thanked Don Vanderzanden, EWEB Treasurer, Director of Accounting and Finance, for his help in working out the procedures. V. PURCHASE AGREEMENT FOR ADVANCE REFUNDING BONDS e City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. Finance Director Warren Wong said the purchase agreement for the advance refunding of Certificates of Participation for the Community Conference Center was withdrawn from consideration by the council because interest rates have gone up recently. He said the refunding would have saved the City about $400,000 several weeks ago but a court ruling delayed the action. VI. EUGENE-SPRINGFIELD METROPOLITAN AREA PUBLIC FACILITIES PLAN City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. Teresa Bishow of the Planning Department gave the staff report. She asked the council to defer action on the Eugene-Springfield Metropolitan Area Public Facilities Plan so that Springfield and Lane County representatives may work out a jurisdictional issue. She said the council held a public hearing on the plan in July 1986. VII. QUARTERLY REPORT FROM EUGENE/SPRINGFIELD CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced Scott Lieuallen, Executive Director of the Eugene/Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. Answering a question from Ms. Ehrman, Mr. Lieuallen said the contract between the City and the Convention and Visitors Bureau requires a quarterly report from the Convention and Visitors Bureau. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 22, 1987 Page 4 e Mr. Lieuallen reviewed activities of the bureau. He said a reception will be held soon at Lane Community College to encourage the faculty and staff to bring meetings and conventions to the community. He said similar meetings were held at the University of Oregon. The bureau also will conduct a tour for industrial trade show planners in May. He said trade shows bring more money into the community than other conventions. Mr. Lieuallen reviewed several special projects, such as the Winter Olympics in Oregon, the Willard Scott reception, and the Teens in Travel project, in which the bureau takes part. He said he will sign a contract with Lane County soon that will begin new tourism activities for the bureau. He also discussed the bureau1s intern program. Mr. Lieuallen said the bureau has about 230 members. He said the convention services function of the bureau is very important. Answering questions from Ms. Wooten, Mr. Lieuallen said information about the number of convention delegates in 1986 and projections for 1987 was given to the City staff for the Budget Committee. He said about 82,000 delegates attended conventions in the Eugene/Springfield area in 1986. He projects an increase of about 5 percent in 1987. e Mr. Holmer said he would like the statistics to indicate categories of conventions, such as trade shows and religious conventions. He also would like information about the proportion of hotel and motel beds and restaurant seats represented in the bureau membership. Mr. Lieuallen said almost all the hote 1 s and motels in Eugene are bureau members. He said 25 to 30 of approximately 300 restaurants are bureau members. Answering a question from Ms. Bascom and Ms. Wooten, Mr. Lieuallen said Transient Room Tax receipts are increasing slightly in Eugene and more in Springfield. He said the bureau budget is about $500,000 for 1987/88. VIII. METROPOLITAN PLAN UPDATE WORK PROGRAM City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced the item. Planning Director Susan Brody gave the staff report. She reviewed each of the three phases and the processing committee structure of the work program for the Update of the Metropolitan Area General Plan. Mr. Holmer wondered if the council should be involved in the update sooner than indicated in the proposed process. He favored approving the proposed process but he suggested the staff inform the Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) of possible disputes. Ms. Schue, a member of the MPC, said she is not sure earlier council involvement would change things. Mr. Bennett said it is important to know the quality of the area's industrial and commercial land inventory. He said it is important to know how available sites compete with sites in other areas and it is important to have the expertise needed to develop available sites. He said a marketing-based analysis would help evaluate sites. He asked other councilors what they thi nk. - MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 22, 1987 Page 5 Ms. Brody said the quality of the available inventory will be addressed in the Economic Working Paper. - Ms. Wooten wondered how the quality of available sites can be measured and how the competition of sites in Eugne with sites in other areas can be evaluated. Mayor Obie suggested performance standards be considered because industries do not necessarily fit the "heavy" and IIlightll categories any longer. He said some industries Eugene classifies as IIheavy" do not want to locate on sites next to lumber mills. Mr. Rutan said it is difficult to plan for future industrial development if past trends are used. He said new types of industries should be evaluated and planned for. Ms. Ehrman moved, seconded by Mr. Holmer, to approve the proposed Metropolitan Plan Update Work Program. The motion carried unanimously. Mayor Obie adjourned the meeting about 1:30 p.m. Re~peCtf lly~.tt d, ~~ Mi heal Gleas City Manager --- ... ... e (Recorded by Betty Lou Rarick) mnccap22 - MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 22, 1987 Page 6