Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/11/1983 Meeting (2) e e e M I NUT E S Eugene City Council City Council Chamber May 11, 1983 11:45 a.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: John Ball, Dick Hansen, Freeman Holmer, Mark Lindberg, Brian Obie, Emily Schue, Betty Smith, Cynthia Wooten. Adjourned meeting of the City Council of the City of Eugene, Oregon, was called to order by His Honor Mayor Gus Keller. I. ITEMS FROM MAYOR & COUNCIL, APPOINTMENTS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AGENDA ADJUSTMENTS A. Promoting Eugene Councilor Wooten quoted from an article in the May 8, 1983, Roseburg News Review, in which a child thanked her mother for taking her to Eugene. Ms. Wooten noted, with a smile, that this sort of publicity was important in promoting Eugene as a destination point. B. Councilor Hansen to be Absent from May 18 and May 23 Meetings Councilor Hansen noted that he would not be present for the May 18 and May 23 City Council meetings. C. Appointment to Community Development Committee Councilor Schue announced that the council had held interviews to fill the vacancy on the Community Development Committee and had voted to appoint Donald Jacobs. Ms. Schue moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, to appoint Donald Jacobs, 3746 Peppertree Drive, to the Community Development Committee, term to expire 7/1/85. Roll call vote; motion carried unanimously. D. Thank you and Farewell to Susan Pack Councilor Smith noted that Susan Pack, who had covered City news for the Eugene Register-Guard. would be leaving Eugene to take an assignment in Long Beach. Ms. Smith thanked Ms. Pack for her good work in covering City events. II. ROUTINE ITEMS FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL A. Approval of City Council Dinner/Work Session minutes of March 14, 1983; Regular meeting minutes of April 11, 1983, and April 13, 1983; and Special Meeting minutes of April 25, 1983 (minutes distributed) MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 11, 1983 Page 1 e Ms. Schue moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, to approve the City Council minutes of March 14, 1983; April 11, 1983; April 13, 19B3; and the Special Meeting Minutes of April 25, 1983. Roll call vote; motion carried unanimously. B. Call for Public Hearing re: Easement Vacation for Property Located East of the Intersection of Center Way and Martin Street (Daniel Johnson) (EV 83-1)(map distributed) Recommended approval by Planning Commission April 25, 1983~ Vote--5:0 CB 2637--An ordinance calling a public hearing for June 15, 1983, to consider vacation of a public utility easement located east of the intersection of Center Way and Martin Street. Ms. Schue moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, 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. Roll call vote; motion carried unanimously. Council Bill 2637 was read the second time by council bill number only. Ms. Schue moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, that the bill be approved and given final passage. Roll call vote. All councilors present voting aye, the bill was declared passed and numbered 19139. e III. BUY OREGON FIRST PROGRAM (memo distributed) e City Manager Micheal Gleason introduced Business Assistance Team (BATeam) Manager Cathy Briner. Ms. Briner announced that Eugeneans Chris and Sue Stangland had been named small business people of the year for Oregon. Ms. Briner noted that Councilors Hansen, Smith, and Schue had attended a luncheon honoring the Stanglands. She said there was a good chance that the Stanglands could be named national small business people of the year. Councilor Smith suggested that the Stanglands be asked to help promote Eugene as a location for small businesses. Ms. Briner said that the Stanglands had already agreed to participate in the Ambassador Program and to meet with representatives of small businesses considering locating in Eugene. Ms. Briner then discussed the Buy Oregon First program. She said the members of the Council Subcommittee on Economic Diversification felt that such a program could be an integral part of the City's economic diversification efforts. Councilor Ball asked what process had been used in arriving at the proposed contract with Buy Oregon First. City Manager Micheal Gleason responded that under the City.s procurement ordinance, contracts for professional services, such as the buy-local program, could be negotiated with service providers. He said that a contract with performance specifications had been negotiated with the Buy Oregon First program, but that the City had not yet signed the contract. Councilor Holmer asked how many firms would participate in the program. Ms. Briner said that the contract called for 15 contacts in Eugene to be made in this calendar year. Mr. Holmer asked whether these contacts would be with suppliers or producers of goods. Ms. Briner introduced Alana Probst of the Buy MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 11, 1983 Page 2 e e e Oregon First program to respond to Mr. Holmer's questions. Ms. Probst said that the contract called for 15 buyers for local firms to be contacted. Responding further, Ms. Probst said that contacts would include obtaining information on the items and quantities purchased and where they are currently bought. The program would then put out bids for the items, and local suppliers could compete, with the buyers making final decisions on which provider to use. Councilor Holmer asked how many firms were currently buying items from non-local suppliers that could be purchased locally. Ms. Probst said that she did not know but that the first months of work on the Buy Oregon program indicated that millions of dollars were involved. Mr. Holmer asked to what extent the Buy Oregon program's work would overlap with work of local marketing firms. Ms. Probst responded that she did not know but that members of the Buy Oregon Advisory Board who were involved in local marketing felt there was little or no overlap. Councilor Hansen asked how many other buy-local programs had been examined before the Buy Oregon First program was selected and why this selection was made. Mr. Gleason said the Council Subcommittee on Economic Diversification had identified economic diversification programs that were needed and had identified programs for which it felt the City should contract, rather than having the City run the programs itself. He cited programs for providing assistance to the timber industry and for development of internation~ trade as examples of other programs the subcommittee had felt should be provided through outside contract. Councilor Hansen asked if the City had considered other service providers than Buy Oregon First for the buy-local program. Mr. Gleason and Ms. Briner responded that the City had considered providing the service itself and had also considered having the work done by a marketing class at Sheldon High School. Responding to a question from Councilor Schue, Ms. Briner said that the amount of the proposed contract with Buy Oregon First was $10,000. Councilor Obie said that the Council Subcommittee on Economic Diversification had voted unanimously in support of the contract with Buy Oregon First and had felt that the direct contact involved in the program would enhance the job creation aspect of the City's economic development program. He noted that the Oregon Pacific Economic Development Corporation had endorsed the proposed contract. He said that the council had previously approved the economic diversi- fication budget and that the subcommittee had approved the project. He said that the City Manager had delayed signing the proposed contract and that the matter had been referred to the council since several councilors had questions about the program. Mr. Obie urged councilors to support the program. Councilor Wooten said that the buy local item was in the workplan of the Council Subcommittee on Economic Diversification as a result of suggestions made at the council's luncheon meeting last year with members of the business community. She said that business representatives had wanted to develop opportunities to keep local dollars in the area. Ms. Wooten stated that Buy Oregon First was the only group offering this service. Mayor Keller added his support for the program, which he felt would bring rewards to area businesses. MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 11, 1983 Page 3 e Councilor Ball expressed support for the proposed program, which he felt made good sense and would not infringe on ,free trade. He expressed some concern about the contract process and hoped that in the future there would be an early and clear public definition of the services being sought so that all possible providers would be aware of the opportunity. Councilor Wooten noted that both she and BATeam staff member Doug Eveleth had been asked to serve on the advisory board of the Buy Oregon First program. Councilor Holmer said he recognized that the proposed contract involved only a small amount of funds but that he felt the matter of principle of the proper role and function of the City in economic development was also involved. He said he was uncomfortable with the proposal to take funds from an already overextended City budget and allocate them to a non-profit corporation to provide services traditionally provided by private firms. He did not feel the City's economic development efforts would be furthered by "taking in each other's washing". He felt it was wrong for the City to subsidize this effort. e Councilor Wooten and Mayor Keller said that the council had debated at some length the proper role for the City in economic diversification. They noted that the subcommittee had worked under the direction provided by council. Councilor Holmer recognized that the council had previously discussed and adopted policies on economic diversification but noted that this was his first opportunity as a councilor to speak on the issue. He felt there was a distinction between marketing the City and marketing the products of individual firms. He asked if equal service would be provided to all firms engaged in the purchase or manufacture of goods. Councilor Obie noted that no council motion was required unless the council wished to change the direction taken by the subcommittee. Councilor Wooten suggested that if councilors wished to reopen the discussion of the City's role in economic development this could be done at the annual goals session. Ms. Schue moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, that the council approve the funding of a Buy Local Program as fulfilling a legitimate public purpose in assisting the City of Eugene's efforts to achieve economic diversification. Responding to a question from Councilor Ball, Mr. Obie said that while there is no requirement for the Council Subcommittee on Economic Diversification to refer decisions to the City Council as a whole, the subcommittee had agreed to use its discretion in determining issues that should come before the council. Roll call vote; motion carried 6:2, with Councilors Ball, Lindberg, Obie, Schue, Smith, and Wooten voting in favor, and Councilors Hansen and Holmer voting in opposition. e MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 11, 1983 Page 4 e e - IV. TAX ALLOCATION BUDGET (memo, resolution distributed) Mr. Gleason introduced Warren Wong. Mr. Wong noted that this item was being brought before the council in its capacity as the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency and would provide for the Budget Committee to make recommendations to the Renewal Agency on the tax allocation budget. Res. No. 897--A resolution of the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency appointing members of the Budget Committee. Ms. Schue moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, to adopt the resolution. Councilor Lindberg asked if the tax allocation budget would be referred to the Downtown Commission for its consideration and recommendations. Mr. Wong said that this would be done and noted that the Downtown Commission had approved the proposed change. Roll call vote; motion carried unanimously. V. HOUSE BILL 2785--STATUS REPORT ON.STATE HIGHWAY FUND ALLOCATIONS (memo, background information distributed) Mr. Gleason introduced Don Gilman, Assitant Director of Public Works. Mr. Gilman said that House Bill 2785 would provide increased allocations to the City of State highway funds. He said that the City presently received 12.17 percent of the funds and that HB 2785 proposed this be increased to 14 percent. He said that counties presently receive 21.07 percent and would, under the bill, receive 24 percent. Mr. Gilman said this represented a 19.6 percent increase for counties and a 15 percent increase for cities. He said that passage of the bill would mean additional revenues of $224,000 for the City of Eugene, in addition to the $1.49 million now anticipated for FY84. Mr. Gilman said that the League of Oregon Cities was supporting passage of the bill but had indicated that strong support would be needed from the cities to get the bill out of committee. He said staff urged support of the bill as well as of an amendment to change the share allocated to cities to 14.55 percent, which would make the increases for counties and cities equal. Councilor Smith noted that there had been a split vote on action on this bill in the Council Legislative Subcommittee. She said that she and Councilor Schue had voted to support the bill and the amendment as recommended by staff on the basis that it would provide additional needed revenues. Ms. Smith moved, seconded by Mr. Obie, to approve the staff recommendation in support of HB 2785 with the amendment to increase the share allocated to cities to 14.55 percent. Roll call vote, motion carried 7:1, with Councilor Holmer voting in opposition. VI. SEMI-ANNUAL STATUS REPORT ON THE SIX-POINT ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION ACTION PLAN (memo, background information distributed) Mr. Gleason introduced Susan Smernoff, Planning. Ms. Smernoff noted that a lengthy written report on the 36 items in the economic diversification program had been distributed to councilors. She briefly discussed eight items that had been completed: 1) development of a Business Assistance Catalogue; MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 11, 1983 Page 5 e e e 2) annual update of the Capital Improvement Program; 3) work on Eugene Centre; 4) feas i bil ity revi ew of a Housing Revenue Bond program (program was .found not feasible); 5) annexation of industrial land In West Eugene; 6) adoption of the Metropolitan Area General Plan; 7) construction of a downtown transit facility; and 8) development at 8th Avenue and Willamette Street. Ms. Smernoff said that on-going efforts, included provision of comprehensive development assistance at the Development Assistance and Information CeYlter and coordination with Lane Community College, the University of Oregon, and Oregon Pacific Economic Develop- ment Corporation. She said that most of the 16 on-going projects would be completed by fall 1983. Ms. Smernoff said that work was continuing on development of a long-term business development finance program and on integration of the Eugene Job Training Center into business development efforts. She said it was hoped that loans would be able to be made by the end of the summer from the Community Development Block Grant funds set aside for economic development. Ms. Smernoff said that work was continuing on a refinement plan for the downtown area and on a capital improvement program for downtown. VII. CITIZEN LETTER ON DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TAXATION Councilor Obie said councilors had received a lengthy letter from the owner of the Citizens Building, raising concerns about problems in downtown Eugene. Mr. Obie felt that the letter deserved consideration and response. He suggested that response be in the form of enumerating points raised in the letter and responding to each point. Mayor Keller agreed that the letter deserved a well-thought-out response. He said he would like an opportunity to finish reading the letter and suggested that it be discussed at a future council meeting. Councilor Holmer suggested the response include clarification of the assessment calculation process. Mr. Gleason suggested that an item be placed on a future council agenda for an update on the work of the Downtown Commission and on the downtown planning process. The meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitte~, ~~~ Micheal D. Gleason City Manager (Recorded by Darcy Marentette) MDG:DCM:bm/CM26al MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 11, 1983 Page 6