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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/11/1982 Meeting (2) '. e. e & M I NUT E S Eugene City Council City Council Chamber January 11, 1982 7:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Gretchen Miller, Brian Obie, Betty Smith, Mark Lindberg, D. W. Hamel, Eric Haws, Emily Schue, and Cynthia Wooten. The first regular meeting of 1982 of the City Council of the City of Eugene, Oregon, was called to order by His Honor Mayor Gus Keller. I. RECOGNITION OF CITY EMPLOYEES RETIRING IN 1981 The Mayor and City Manager recognized the contributions made to the City by City employees retiring in 1981, with plaques given to: Assistant Fire Marshal Floyd Dickey, 29 years with the Fire Department; Stan Gonshorowski, 14 years with Repair, Maintenance, and Sewer Cleaning; Ken Hatch, 7 years in Central Fleet Management; Sergeant Gordon Mitchell, 32 years in the Police Department; and John Mullins, 32 years with the Fire Department and Senior Engineer at Station No.5. James Pearson, who resigned from the Planning Commission, was honored for his 16 years of dedicated service to the City. City employees retiring in 1981 and not present were: Al Abramson, 16 years; Wayne Andrus, 30 years; Lloyd Beebe, 32 years; Fay Boss, 28 years; Henry Boyles, 30 years; James Clark, 5 years; Helen Howard, 12 years; Noble Hulse, 7 years; and Dorothy Thies, 15 years. II. ELECTION OF COUNCIL OFFICERS A. Council President Ms. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Hamel, to nominate Brian Obie as council president. Roll call vote; motion carried unanimously. B. Council Vice President Ms. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Hamel, to nominate Emily Schue as council vice president. Roll call vote; motion carried unanimously. MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 P ag e 1 '" .. -;; . - - III. MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS FOR 1982 Mayor Gus Keller January 11, 1982 Of the 13 retiring employees we just honored for service to the City of Eugene, 4 of them started working here before 1952 and two more started before 1955! Eugene had thirty-six thousand people back then. We can see the changes that have taken place in the span of one personls career, and on the other hand, a child born this year will begin a career in the 21st century. We canlt, and most of us don't want to go back to lithe old days,1I but it is during these transition years, these 801s, that we will chart the direction we will go and where we may find ourselves in 2003 A.D. when our New Year baby is 21. That's why I believe that assessing the "state of our City" this year is particularly important. The council feels strongly that the state of the City is going to be profoundly influenced this year and in the years ahead by the state of the State. Because we believe that State policies will be so important, we as a council have set our legislative priorities for 1982; we have met with the Lane County delegation to the Legislature; and we will continue to lobby whenever we can during this special session. You can be sure we will be watching Salem closely during the weeks ahead as our elected representatives struggle with issues that will influence our ability to meet our own goals here in Eugene: issues like stability for funding for the University of Oregon--our number one priority; encouraging economic diversification and development efforts throughout the state; planning strategies to boost the cultural arts and tourist industry in the state and in this area in particular; retaining the integrity of the State Property Tax Release Program; and supporting the land use legislation passed in the regular 1981 legislative session. The State's ability to plan is critical because the Federal government policies under the Reagan Administration are setting off chains of economic dominoes that are falling across the country. Most of us agreed that the Feds were trying to spend too much of our money, but now they say they aren't going to spend as much, and the burden is returning home. I believe we will find several of those dominoes dropping on the steps of City Hall in 1982. One of the big dominoes is our Metropolitan Wastewater System that is already under construction. When the elected bodies from Eugene and Springfield consider the transition plan for that project in February, they are going to find a need for eight to ten million dollars to complete what the engineers call a minimal system for today's treatment needs. The price tag to build for the 20-year picture is closer to 20 million. And there's still no appropriation from EPA. ~INUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 2 - The cutbacks and cliff-hanger reorganizations we saw with the CETA Program as a result of Federal changes are yet another inducement for the City Manager and Budget Committee to confine our use of Federal revenue sharing money to capital projects so that Eugene will not depend on that two-plus million dollars in revenue sharing for day-to-day operations. 11m glad to see our budget staff is moving us in that direction. In addition to facing financing needs for our own projects, we're going to find that recipients of aid from Federally funded social programs and groups promoting projects paid for through special Federal grants will be more and more frequently looking to us for assistance. Not planning for ways to meet these needs and fund the capital projects that are going to prepare this community to thrive in the next century reminds me of Lloyd George's comment that lIit's risky to leap a chasm in two bounds.1I We can no longer take one step and let the Federal government cover the rest of the distance. We have got to plan to cover the costs of keeping this city running both now and in the future. With reduced Federal taxes and promised reductions in Federal spending, there's a chance that those tax dollars might be returned to state and local governments. Only history will tell us that. For now, we have got to pursue our community's goals with a clear understanding of what will happen if those tax dollars donlt return. In spite of the gloomy picture that has been painted of 1981, we did make some significant steps forward here in Eugene: e We adopted an economic diversification plan that is helping us to find the role that government should play in relation to the role of private business in putting Eugeneans to work and bolstering our economy. It sets up projects that the City can do to make the community attractive to incoming or expanding businesses, and it defines ways the City will cooperate with or help existing local businessess to grow, keeping in mind that private business, not government, must lead our recovery effort. As I look back, our recent economic diversification efforts actually started in 1978 with the passage of the bond issue to build the Performing Arts Center. Now that the project is headed toward completion, we anticipate that 80 percent of the forty-six million dollars generated by the total project will remain in this community. Thatls a little under thirty-seven million dollars. So far, the project has created almost 300 construction-related jobs, and the Hilton has just hired some 225 personnel to run the hotel that opened this past weekend. Another turning point for us in 1981 was reaching agreement with Springfield and Lane County on the Metropolitan Plan which updates the first Metro Plan adopted 10 years ago. As we move toward the 21st century, this plan will give us a solid basis for making decisions about residential, commercial, and industrial land use needs. At this point, I should mention that weill be meeting tomorrow to finalize the process for how we will proceed from here. The cities concur that there seems to be some conflict with Lane County. It is important that the plan be adopted e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 3 - so that all of us can get on with our common goal of economic diversification. Parties who can't come to agreement al~e holding up the entire county's ability to proceed with activities that will make economic development possible. It is my hope that tomorrow we will be able to reach some common understanding so that we can complete this vital first step. One of the keys to successful implementation of the Metro Plan is our neighbor- hood organizations. During 1981, the City Council recognized our 20th neigh- borhood group--the Bethel Triangle Neighbors. Nine years ago, when we first adopted the neighborhood policy, we recognized eight neighborhoods in the first year. Since 1974, those groups, and the ones that have been chartered since then, have become part of the fabric of Eugene's life and governing process. When we say "citizen participation" in this town, we can thank the neighborhoods for the leadership theylve taken in making citizen participation work. In fact, as a result of the cooperation between citizens, neighborhoods, and the Police Department, the index crimes statistics for 1981 show that last year we actually reduced the overall number of major crimes in Eugene by almost five percent. The Police Chief tells me that we were able to do that, in spite of the trend toward escalating criminal activity, largely through the hard work and good rapport that exists between the Police Depart~ent and Eugene residents. That, in my mind, is a significant accomplishment and a reason to be proud. It should also give us the encouragement to reinforce our crime prevention efforts for 1982. e- Just as I was pleased to see our neighborhood network grow, I was also pleased to see our Sister City Program blossom. We are entering the fourth year of our affiliation with Kakegawa, Japan, and the ties grow stronger every year. We have already developed great personal relationships; delegations from each city travel back and forth; our young people are involved; a sister city association is growing; and now, with the involvement of the Chamber of Commerce and the appointment of John Amundson as the new chairperson for the Sister City Committee, I am anticipating that we will begin to expand our trade relationships with Japan. Through our sister city, we have an opportunity for global marketing of Oregon products. We can learn a lot from the Japanese. They have energetically sought markets worldwide, and now we can meet them with their own zeal for our mutual benefit. But to do that successfully, we will have to educate ourselves about methods, servicing, and facilitating export transactions. I hope that the Sister City Committee will take the lead in tying our cross-cultural activities to our economic diversification efforts. There were some "concrete" improvements in the community last year, too. After 14 years of discussion, 30th and Hilyard is now a wide, efficient, and modern intersection serving vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike; at the airport, a chain was cut opening our newest fire station; and the Fire Department, along with the Springfield Fire Department, began to operate the ambulance service for the community. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 4 r , . - e We've also got a new budget reporting system in place that will help the Budget Committee and council track our progress as we work toward our goals. So at the beginning of 1982, we've got some serious problems, but we've also got some solid achievements to our credit, and we've got some great oppor- tunities ahead of us. That's the state of the City. And it's also an agenda for action. The goals the council has set for next year point toward developing a sound economic base for the City and solid financial planning and management for City government. By putting our economic diversification plan in action, we hope to work side by side with the private sector to put people to work in this community. I'm committed to the idea that economic strength will come by taking advantage of the diversity of interests and talents that exist in Eugene today. The public and private sectors have interrelationships and interdependence that can be the foundation for building a strong economy, but only if they are based on mutual respect. At City Hall, we're gearing up to try even harder to give good service to all of the citizens who are our "customers." That includes opening a permit information center and giving our staff more training to help them handle questions and problems quickly and courteously. But economic diversification is also going to mean a commitment on the part of every Eugenean to be willing to change old ways to meet new needs and present realities. That's going to mean finding the revenue sources to carry out the improvements that form the core of our economic diversification plan. It's going to mean maintaining the facilities that we have in order to keep our city's livability high. I agree with the corporate vice president who said "when we improve the quality of life, the lives we enrich include our own. . . When a community becomes a nicer place to live, it's a shot in the heart muscle for the economy." Throughout our history, we have made ongoing commitments to livability in this community. In 1976, voters approved a serial levy to buy parks and open space and, by the end of 1981, we were finally able to see most of the Willamette River frontage secured for park land. Now we'll shift our attention to the South Hills Ridgeline and continue our efforts to preserve that resource for future Eugeneans. The other goals that the council has set will have a direct tie to how well we are able to meet our economic goals. Meeting the Downtown Revitalization goal will be crucial in making the arts and tourist industries vital parts of our local economy. Closely tied to that is the goal concentrating on the Performing Arts and Conference Center operations. When the curtain goes up in September, we all have to be there with our applause and our ongoing support. We get so tied up-Tn the economics of the center that MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 5 . it is sometimes easy to forget what a cultural asset it will be. I firmly believe that it will be the center of art and culture in Eugene. Besides boosting our economy, it can also give a boost to our many arts organizations, our spirits, and our quality of life. How we address intergovernmental relationships, providing efficient local services, and various land use issues will partially determine how many strides welre able to take in the direction of making Eugene a prosperous and pleasant place to live. We have a year ahead of us in which therels a lot of work to do. It's been said that it is lithe task of leaders to call forth the vast and restless energies of our people to buil d for the future. II But as I look at the three council members who have announced that their names will not be on the ballot next May, I am concerned about what we are demanding from our elected officials. e- Back 100 years ago, in 1882, when Eugene firefighting was going from a bucket brigade to mechanical equipment, the council authorized the City to spend twenty-five hundred dollars for three pieces of modern firefighting equipment. When the pieces were delivered, the bill came to twenty-five hundred ten dollars. The councilors paid the difference out of their pockets. Times have changed, yet we st ill are aski ng the City Council to II payout of their pockets," so to speak, by giving the City 20 or more hours per week with no compensation. I believe that the time has arrived when, once again, we have to address the council pay issue. A few years back, a citizensl committee produced a report about compensation for the council. That report is still available, and now it needs to be updated. I am going to take a look at the report, and I may reconvene the committee, but in any case, we will do something to address the issue of council pay this year. ---- With the tough agenda that's ahead for us this year, it may look like all work and no play in 1982. But I want you to remember that therels also some fun in sight. On Septanber 24, the handcrafted curtain will go up in the Eugene Performing Arts Center; local and national art works will grace the entrances and sparkle in out-of-the-way corners; the Eugene Symphony will tune up with "Home Sweet Home" inscribed over the orchestra pit; and, with six weeks of entertainment and excitement, we will toast the start of a new chapter in the life of this community. I hope all our citizens--all of you--will put that party on your calendars. Join us. Itls your center. You stepped forward to pay for it; its success will benefit all of us. And it1s going to be one heck of a good time! I want to thank all of you for coming tonight. And I especially want to express my gratitude to those citizens of Eugene, including the council, board and commission manbers, and all the others who so faithfully attend meetings, work on committees, and give us the benefit of your ideas and advice. People have talked about lithe alienation and rebellion" of the 60ls and the "cynicism and pessimism" of the 701s. I would like for the watchwords of the 80ls to be "cooperation and hope" and a sense of community for our citizens. e There really is no dividing line between us. To paraphrase that sign in the back, "together we are the city. II MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 6 IV. PUBLIC HEARING ON CITY OF EUGENE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM--FISCAL YEAR 1982-83 (memo and information distributed) ~ Jim Farah, Planning, said that in the fall of 1980, City Council directed staff to develop a Capital Improvement Program. He reviewed the history of the past ten years of the program. He told how the staff developed the 1982-83 recommendations which focus on economic diversification and land acquisition. He referred to Attachment D which is a list of recommendations by departments and geographic locations of the projects. He said that Attachment B was a worst-case outline of expected revenue in 1982-83. Attachment C included the responsible department and potential funding source for each project. Page 14 of Attachment C of the distributed material provided a summary of the staff recommendation. The Planning Commission, after study, forwarded two recommen- dations. The West Eugene Trunk Line sanitary sewer should be the City's highest priority for 1982-83. Airport improvements projects paid for by Federal funds were the second recommendation. There were three omissions in the staff recommendations: general traffic signal improvements ($140,000 from the General Fund), specific signal upgrading ($22,200 from the General Fund), and bicycle improvements ($10,000 from the General Fund) . - Public hearing was opened. Ruby Brenne, 1080 Patterson, representing Friends of the Library, called the library the "unwanted stepchild" of the Capital Improvement Program. At the time of the library dedication in 1959, there were 23 full-time employees. Today, there are 41-1/2. In 1959, Eugenels population was under 50,000 with 16,700 cardholders. Today, the population is 105,000 with 34,000 cardholders. In 1959, items circulated totalled 216,700. In 1980-81, the items circulated were 1,670,000. In 1959, there were 57,000 volumes; today there are 100,000. The library has not increased in size. In 1978, a study was made for library expansion. Employees are crowded. There is no ventilation in the basement. The situation can only get worse. Laura Johnson, 1810 Fairmount, questioned whether these capital improvements would be made with an increase in property taxes. She stressed the demand the City makes now on property taxes. She explained the dilemma of the rental owners who are experiencing a tremendous vacancy rate. She concluded by saying that the Capital Improvement Program looked very expensive and it should be whittled down. Dave Williams, 2183 Essex Lane, Chairman of the Planning and Land Use Subcom- mittee of the Chamber of Commerce, said that the subcommittee was asked to review the capital improvement projects related to economic development. They worked with Planners McKinley and Farah. It is very important for economic development that the West Eugene Trunk Line be installed. Bill Uhlhorn, 2625 Hilyard, stressed that it was important to provide emergency housing in Eugene. The transient, the mentally ill, and the unemployed will not go away. Mr. Uhlhorn advised the council to speak to the police, the courts, e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 7 . e the staff of the library, the staff at the buses, and the staff at the hospita1s. The parks and the mall indicate that there is a transient problem. He told of solutions in Portland and Seattle. He said five motels were for sale in Eugene. It costs $55 a day for a person to be put in jail. It costs $35 a day in his facility and $85 a day in an Oregon mental institution. Michael Young, 1371 Josephine, stressed the importance of the library as a cultural repository. He said it was the most used department in the City. It enhances the quality of life and is the foundation stone of the City. The library is crowded and needs to be expanded. There being no further testimony, public hearing was closed. e- Mr. Farah explained that the staff1s recommended 1982-83 Capital Improvement Program has $763,000 for the library. In 1983-84, there is a recommended $7.5 million project for library expansion. It is, however, a decision of the council and Budget Committee to move these time frames. He answered Ms. Johnson IS concerns by saying that half of the CIP-recommended projects, i.e., airport improvements, are earmarked funds and could be spent only on, for example, the airport. If the council chooses, part of the projects will be keyed back to specific property taxes receiving benefits. The City has not kept up with capital improvements. Emergency housing would be a policy decision of the council and Budget Committee. If it were to be implemented, it could be phased into this present document. Councilor Lindberg asked if the Friends of the Library are in support of or in opposition to the plan. City Manager Micheal Gleason responded that they would like the expansion of the library to occur as quickly as possible. Council consented to hearing from Carl Heinz, from the audience, in this regard. Carl Heinz, 2465 Pioneer Pike, answering Mr. Lindberg's question about being unhappy with an $8 million allocation in the next two years, said that the City should not overlook the needs of their existing agencies and operations that are giving direct service to the Eugene citizens. They should not put "all their eggs in one basket." Priorities are important, but they should keep in mind the immediate needs of providing expansion of services and space which will directly and identifiably serve the citizens of the city. Mr. Lindberg asked staff to look into the conservation component of the Parks and Recreation Department's Budget. He would like amortization figures. If it proves that the money spent for conservation could be regained, he would like the conservation component considered with the small cluster of high-priority items. Mr. Lindberg also asked that prototype cities with emergency housing, such as Seattle and Portland, be contacted in order to learn how this housing is financed and what benefits the cities have reaped such as lower crime rates, reduced blight, and other positive economic development impacts on the community. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 8 . .- e . Ms. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, to set the Capital Improvement Program issue over to January 20, 1982. Ro 11 call vote; motion carried unanimously. The meeting was adjourned to January 13, 1982. -- (Recorded by Beth Conant) BC:ce/CM27a1 MINUTES--Eugene City Council January 11, 1982 Page 9