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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/18/1989 Meeting e M I NUT E S Eugene City Council McNutt Room--City Hall January 18, 1989 11:30 a.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Ruth Bascom, Rob Bennett, Shawn Boles, Freeman Holmer, Roger Rutan, Emily Schue. COUNCILORS ABSENT: Debra Ehrman. The adjourned meeting of January 11, 1989, of the Eugene City Council was called to order by Mayor Jeff Miller. I. ITEMS FROM THE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AND CITY MANAGER A. Procedure for Dealing with Bomb Threats Mr. Boles said he appreciated the police response to the bomb threat at the Hult Center. He expressed concern because those vacated from the building were spilling over onto 6th Avenue. Mayor Miller suggested that the ushers e be trained to help direct pedestrians in situations such as these. B. Assumption of Springfield1s Planning Costs for Special Studies Ms. Schue said the Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) will be discussing financing of the simplified work program for the update of the Metro Plan. She said if the costs of this project are divided by population, Springfield's share would be $25,000, Lane County's share would be $28,000, and Eugene's share would be $64,000. Springfield has indicated it will not be able to pay its share. Staff has generated a proposal in which Eugene and Lane County would cover Springfield's costs. This would make Eugene1s share of the project $76,000 and the County1s share $40,000. Ms. Schue asked for council input on this proposal. Mr. Holmer said in addition to the ongoing refinement studies that each jurisdiction is engaged in, there will be two studies. These are the Natural Resources Special Study and the Metropolitan Industrial Lands Special Study; each of these will be metro-wide studies and will have implications for Springfield. Mr. Holmer said the planning directors have indicated that these two studies should be a part of the jurisdictions' effort to cope with the need for metro plan amendments. He felt Springfield should be encouraged to contribute some funds to these special studies. Councilors agreed that it is important to move ahead with the planning process, but felt Springfield should be encouraged to contribute some funding e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 18, 1989 Page 1 e for the special studies. Mr. Boles asked if it would be possible to assume Springfield1s costs as a debt which Springfield would be responsible for repaying. Ms. Bascom questioned whether the council should have a meeting with the Springfield City Council so that these issues could be discussed more directly. Mr. Gleason said the ties between councilors used to be strong; he suggested that Eugene councilors reaffirm these ties on an individual level. II. APPOINTMENTS: CONSIDERATION OF MAYOR'S NOMINATIONS TO THE HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD Ms. Bascom moved, seconded by Mr. Rutan, to appoint the Mayor's nominations to the Historic Review Board as outlined in a memorandum dated January 11, 1989. The motion passed unanimously, 6:0. III. RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THOSE AUTHORIZED TO SIGN CHECKS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY Mr. Gleason introduced the item. Res. No. 4106--A resolution designating those authorized to sign checks on behalf of the City. e Ms. Bascom moved, seconded by Mr. Rutan, to adopt the resolution. The motion passed unanimously, 6:0. IV. RESOLUTION REGARDING AN ELECTION ON THE EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY PROJECT City Attorney Tim Sercombe gave the staff report. He said this item is a resolution which calls for an election on one or more questions relating to the Eugene public library. This is an omnibus resolution which can be used on one of several options. One option is a serial levy ballot title which would legally restrict the use of proceeds from the levy to operation and maintenance costs of a new City library at 8th Avenue and Willamette Street if it were passed. Mr. Sercombe did not feel this levy request would be two questions or that there would be any legal difficulty putting the request on the ballot in this form. He said the Department of Revenue, which has supervisory authority in such matters, concurs with this analysis. Mr. Sercombe said the other two ballot titles he had prepared separate the two questions into two distinct issues. One ballot title is an advisory vote solely on the location issue. The other is a serial levy which does not limit the use of levy proceeds to a library at the 8th Avenue and Willamette Street locations; proceeds from this levy could be used an any expanded 1 i bra ry . e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 18, 1989 Page 2 e Mr. Sercombe said it is proposed that each of the serial levy measures would begin in 1990-1991, the fiscal year in which it is expected that the new library would open if it were developed at 8th Avenue and Willamette Street. Ms. Bascom said she would like the council to revisit the topic of whether to separate the issues of location and funding of the project Ms. Bascom moved, seconded by Ms. Schue, to reconsider the council's action of January 11, 1989, to authorize a three-year operational serial levy for the library at 8th Avenue and Willamette Street. Mr. Rutan felt the council needs to decide if it wants to ask one or two questions, and if it asks two questions, whether they should be separated. He said there are pros and cons to both options. Mr. Rutan felt the measure is confusing. and asking two questions could simplify the issue. He felt. however. that the voters will not get the full picture about project costs if only one question is asked. Mr. Rutan felt there are also pros and cons to separating the issues of location and funding in time. He felt the benefit is that it gives the council additional time to consider a range of funding options. The problem is that the voters might be reluctant to vote for the project if they do not know where the funding will come from. e Ms. Schue said her preference is to put the site on the ballot in March with the clear understanding that there will be costs. and to have a vote on the financing and operation details later. Mr. Boles felt the council should address both of these issues in March. He said. historically, separating the ongoing operation and maintenance costs associated with capital projects from the development costs has caused problems for the community. Mr. Holmer felt the council has the authority and responsibility to decide on both the location of the library and appropriate financing. With regard to operating costs. Mr. Holmer said there are many factors which are currently unknown or unpredictable. He felt that if the council was intent upon putting the financing on the ballot. the vote should be delayed for a while. Ms. Bascom moved, seconded by Mr. Rutan. that the City Council place an advisory vote on a new library at 8th Avenue and Willamette Street be placed on the March 28. 1989, ballot. Mr. Boles felt the council should honor the intent of its motion of January 11, 1989, by placing the issues of location and funding on the ballot in March. Mr. Boles moved to amend Ms. Bascom's motion by placing a serial levy whose proceeds would be used to support the operation and maintenance costs of an expanded library on the March 28. 1989, ballot too. The motion died for lack of a second. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 18, 1989 Page 3 e Mr. Rutan moved to amend Ms. Bascom1s motion to include language in the ballot explanation that the council intends to pay for the additional operating costs for an expanded library from existing funds or seek voter approval of new funding by November 1989. Mr. Rutan felt this would help address Mr. Boles' concern by setting a deadline for solving the operating questions. Mr. Boles pointed out that if the council's intention is to separate the issues of financing and location, this amendment runs counter to that purpose. Ms. Bascom and Ms. Schue said they liked Mr. Rutan's amendment but were skeptical as to whether the operating issues could be resolved by November. Mr. Boles expressed grave concern that if the council does not identify funding now for the library, it will be forced to make cuts on either the operating or capital sides of the budget. He urged other councilors not to vote for the amendment for this reason. Mr. Bennett said he was willing to support the amendment although there are a number of items in the current operating and capital budgets which he is not willing to give up for this project. e Ms. Bascom moved to amend the amendment to read, liThe council intends to pay for additional operating costs for an expanded library from existing funds or to seek voter approval of new funding by November 1990." Ms. Schue seconded the motion which passed 4:3, with Ms. Bascom, Mr. Holmer, Ms. Schue, and Mayor Miller voting in favor, and Mr. Rutan, Mr. Bennett, and Mr. Boles voting against. Mr. Rutan said he interprets advisory vote to mean just that--the council is asking the community for advice. He felt it is the council's prerogative to decide whether to abide by the vote of the community on an advisory vote. Mr. Rutan moved, seconded by Ms. Bascom, to amend the amendment to strike the final sentence of the ballot title stating, "The council intends to abide by voter advice." Mr. Boles said if the purpose of the ballot is to have voters ratify the decision of the council that the library should be built at this location, then the council should be willing to forego development if the citizens vote no. The amendment to the amendment passed 4:2, with Mr. Bennett, Mr. Rutan, Ms. Bascom, and Mr. Holmer voting in favor, and Ms. Schue and Mr. Boles voting against. The amendment passed 5:1 , with Mr. Holmer, Ms. Bascom, Mr. Rutan, Ms. Schue, Mr. Bennett voting in favor, and Mr. Boles voting against. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 18, 1989 Page 4 ~ Mr. Holmer felt the location of the library should be identified as 8th Avenue and Olive Street on the ballot title, rather than 8th Avenue and Willamette Street. Mr. Holmer moved, seconded by Mr. Boles, to amend the location in the motion to 8th and Olive Street. The motion passed unanimously, 6:0. Mayor Miller said the library is badly in need of expansion and felt this opportunity is too valuable to miss. He encouraged councilors not to lose site of this goal. Mr. Boles did not feel the proposed motion would optimize voter support for a new library at 8th Avenue and Olive Street. He urged the council to defeat the motion. The motion to place an advisory vote on a new library at 8th Avenue and Olive Street on the March 28, 1989, ballot passed 4:2, with Ms. Bascom, Mr. Bennett, Mr. Rutan, Ms. Schue voting in favor, and Mr. Boles and Mr. Holmer voting against. Mr. Holmer explained that he voted against the motion because he feels the council does not need to refer this measure to the voters. He added that now that the measure has been referred, he will support it and urge the voters to do the same. e Mr. Boles voted against the motion because it does not go far enough in controlling the final decision of the council and because it confuses the issues of location and funding. Mr. Bennett said he still does not favor referring the location of the library to the voters, but voted in favor of the motion recognizing that he was in the minority; he said he wants to be supportive of the effort to develop a new library. Res. No. 4107--A resolution regarding an election on the Eugene Public Library Project. Ms. Bascom moved, seconded by Mr. Rutan, to adopt the resolution. The motion passed unanimously, 6:0. The council agreed to proceed with the voters' pamphlet for this issue. V. UPDATE ON AIRPORT TERMINAL PROJECT Mr. Gleason introduced Mike Boggs, Airport Manager and manager of the expansion project. Mr. Boggs gave the staff presentation. He showed several slides indicating the status of the project. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 18, 1989 Page 5 e Mr. Boggs said to date, the total construction contract amount, including all change orders, is $11,265,224. The original construction contract amount was for $11,107,217. He indicated that this is still within the project budget. Approximately 47 percent of the total building is complete. Phase One of the project should be complete in mid-June; Phase Two should be complete by Christmas. Mr. Boggs called the council's attention to the fact that the screening point for passengers has been moved to the first floor so that all passengers must go through the security check point. This is consistent with the Federal Aviation Administration's recent emphasis on security and Horizon Airline1s desire to screen all their passengers leaving our airport. Mr. Bennett asked if project costs are likely to exceed the allocation. Mr. Boggs said there are two places where overruns could occur. One is when activities in the current facility are moved to the new facility or another temporary facility. Another is when the finish materials are added at the end of the project. He felt that that budget and schedule are very tight, but that the project could be finished without exceeding the initial allocation. He indicated that the schedule would depend on the contractor's performance and weather conditions. Mr. Boles asked for recognition of passenger inconvenience resulting from the construction. Mr. Boggs said passengers have been informed of the construction through their travel agents but that additional signs could be posted in the terminal. e Mr. Boggs forecasted some upcoming projects at the airport. In 1989 the Airport Master Plan will be updated and an environmental assessment will be produced. There will also be an overlay of the surface of runway 16/34, a runway extension evaluation, some terminal ramp expansion, construction of a parallel taxi-way, and installation of an emergency generator. The total cost for these nonpassenger terminal projects is approximately $2,423,000. VI. WORK SESSION: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS ORDINANCE AND A BUSINESS LICENSING ORDINANCE FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND FIRE SAFETY BUSINESS LICENSES Fire Marshal Roger Cleland introduced the item. The council decided to postpone discussion of the ordinance until its January 23, 1989, work session. Mr. Bennett asked for a short summary of key issues in the ordinance before that work session. Other councilors agreed that this would be helpful. Mr. Holmer said he felt the council should focus on the adoption of policy; a number of items in the ordinance should be decided administratively and they should not have been included. Mr. Gleason agreed with this view, but said in this case, the council is adopting a State code which means the extra administrative details had to be included in this ordinance. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 18, 1989 Page 6 e e e The meeting was adjourned at 1:30 p.m. Respe~tfully submjtted, '~ .----.,. # '........., ;,,..- /',.~ ,'. fl - /' . ....~.. --', \".. ." ";-' "...... L '. ./ Mi chea 1 Gl ectson City Manager ,/ 'po .', ,. ~ . (Recorded by Tanya Northman) MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 18, 1989 Page 7