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Home My WebLink About08/14/08 City Council Newsletter EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER August 14, 2008 City of Eugene 777 Pearl Street, Room 105 Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793 (541) 682-5010 (541) 682-5414 (FAX) www.eugene-or.gov IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION SUMMER READING SUCCESS AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY BEGINNING TREE CLIMBING ONE OF MANY URBAN OUTDOOR ADVENTURES JULY STATUS REPORT ON MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECTS NOW ONLINE ALLEGIANT AIR ANNOUNCES NONSTOP AIR SERVICE BETWEEN EUGENE AND PHOENIX-MESA CITY OF EUGENE OFFERS EUGENE COMMUNITY EVENT CABLE TV ADVERTISING ASSISTANCE CITY COMMENDED FOR FIREWORKS SAFETY EFFORTS HOSPITAL PATIENT MOVE PROCEEDS ACCORDING TO PLAN MORE THAN 30 CITY STREETS TO RECEIVE SLURRY SEALS BEGINNING MONDAY AROUND THE CITY Summer Reading Success at Eugene Public Library This year, Summer Reading programs at the Eugene Public Library engaged more readers of all ages than ever before. Intrigued by the “Metamorphosis” theme, more than 5,000 children and teens “caught the reading bug" and each one got to choose a free book. Studies have shown that summer reading programs help significantly to keep students' reading skills up while school's out. Weekly youth activities at the Library included writing, juggling, art projects, movies, games, and meeting exotic insects up close (those five-inch hissing cockroaches really capture attention). Special events included the Ugly Bug Ball, bilingual Family Fiestas, and the annual Teddy Bear Picnic Nearly 1,500 adults got involved in Summer Reading as well. Books for adults recommended by themed booklists, desk staff, and other participants flew off the display shelves. Large, enthusiastic audiences were delighted with talks by humor writer Beth Lisick and novelist Garth Stein. A standing-room-only crowd filled the Downtown Library's Rotunda for a koto concert by Mitsuki Dazai. Partners in making this success possible were dozens of Eugene Public Library volunteers, Friends of the Library, Novella Café, Second Hand Prose, and the University of Oregon Bookstore/Duck Store. Beginning Tree Climbing One of Many Urban Outdoor Adventures Recreation Service’s Outdoor Program can help you get a new perspective on the city – such as from the top of a tree – through one of the “urban outdoor adventures” (UOA), such as Beginning Tree Climbing. The program makes the most of the many outdoor opportunities available right in the city with a wide array of UOAs offered throughout the year. In addition to Beginning Tree Climbing, adventures offered this summer include Bicycle Commuter Skills, Community Climb Time at the Columns, First Saturday Free Park Walks, Geocaching (and the City’s first Geocaching contest), family rafting, and family sailing. Programs typically include instruction, guides, gear needed for the activity and safety equipment. For information, contact Craig Smith at 682-6340. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 August 14, 2008 July Status Report on Major Capital Projects Now Online The Facility Management Division’s status report through July 2008, is now online. A link to the current City Council Updates reports, as well as previous reports, can be found on the “FM Projects” page at the Facility Management site on the City’s internet site, or at the link below. To see the current council update, click on the “2008” link: http://www.eugene-or.gov/councilupdates. This status report provides an update on the progress of major capital projects under the division’s management. This periodic report to council reflects the type of building preservation and capital maintenance projects that make up the majority of the Facility Management Division’s projects. While the projects in this status report make up a small proportion of the roughly 60 active design and construction projects currently being managed by Facilities, they represent either the higher budgeted projects or projects with significant public interest. For any additional information on Facility Man- agement projects, please contact Mike Penwell at 682-5547or at michael.j.penwell@ci.eugene.or.us. Allegiant Air Announces Nonstop Air Service between Eugene and Phoenix-Mesa The Eugene Airport has landed another hole-in-one with Allegiant Air. The low-cost airline, that currently serves the Eugene to Las Vegas route, will offer nonstop service to Phoenixfrom Eugene. The new service to Phoenix- Mesa Gateway Airport will be promoted with an introductory fare as low as $79 each way. Allegiant Air will launch the new scheduled service from the Eugene Airport to Phoenix with two flights weekly on Thursday andSunday. Service will begin October 16withflights departing Eugene at 6:00 p.m. arriving in Phoenix-Mesa at 8:25 p.m. Flights leaving Phoenix-Mesa will depart at 2:55 p.m.arriving in Eugene at 5:20 p.m. Allegiant started low-cost, nonstop service from Eugene to Las Vegas on May 10, 2007. Officials with Allegiant say market research and input from local community leaders show the Eugene area will support the new nonstop flights and low fares to Phoenix-Mesa as an alternative to connecting flights and long drives to other airports. Allegiant will utilize the 150-seat, MD-80 series, jet-aircraft on the route. For more information, contact Cathryn Stephens, director of marketing and public relations at 682-5430 or email cathryn.e.stephens@ci.eugene.or.us. City of Eugene Offers Eugene Community Event Cable TV Advertising Assistance The City of Eugene collects a business privilege tax from telecommunications and cable television providers and dedicates those funds for new communications technology projects of community benefit. Funding applications are available now for Eugene community event sponsors who have or expect to buy cable television advertising during this fiscal year (July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009). The process is competitive as funding is limited. Events are reviewed for consistency with one or more of four selected City Council priorities: ? Strengthen and promote community "Arts and Outdoors" assets ? Strategy to help the homeless in Eugene ? Enhance understanding of race issues and improve community relationships ? Neighborhood initiative Eugene events which are most consistent with the City priorities noted above will be funded until funds are exhausted. Applications are available on the Telecommunications website www.eugene-or.gov > Departments > Central Services > Telecommunications, or by contacting Telecom and Cable Franchise Manager Pam Berrian at 682-5590. The deadline for applications is 5:00 p.m., August 29, 2008. For more information about this grant opportunity, please contact Pam Berrian at 682-5590. City Commended for Fireworks Safety Efforts Eugene was among several Oregon cities recognized specifically by State Fire Marshal Nancy Orr for taking steps to promote fireworks safety. In her column in the agency's monthly newsletter, the "Gated Wye," Fire Marshal Orr commended Eugene, Springfield, and a handful of other communities "who made the commitment to work together to 'keep it legal, keep it safe.'" This year the Eugene Fire & EMS Department participated with the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office in the seizure of several cases of illegal fireworks at a west Eugene shipping warehouse, and Eugene Fire Prevention officials served in a fireworks regulatory capacity on an ongoing basis, including providing safety inspections of all fireworks stands and indoor fireworks sales sites in Eugene. In addition, line fire crews actively patrolled their response areas in the evenings leading up to and including the 4th of July, monitoring fireworks use and advising residents of proper safety practices, including the legality or illegality of certain types of fireworks. As a result, fireworks-related calls in Eugene this year were minimal and no EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 August 14, 2008 casualties were reported. For more information, please contact Eugene Assistant Fire Marshal Doug Perry at 682- 5887. Hospital Patient Move Proceeds According To Plan Sunday's transfer of non-ambulatory patients from Sacred Heart/University District to Sacred Heart/RiverBend was an unqualified success by all accounts. Under contract to the hospital, the Eugene Fire & EMS Department coordinated the transfer of 125 patients, employing its own personnel on overtime as well as EMTs and medic units from five other emergency medical transport agencies on a subcontract basis. It is a tribute to the experience and professionalism of these personnel that there were no patient- care incidents at any time during the transfer, which was completed safely and well ahead of schedule, as the final patient arrived at RiverBend at approximately 3:00 p.m. The Register-Guard lauded the move as having been carried out with "military precision." Special recognition is due to Fire & EMS Deputy Chief of Administration Denise Giard, who oversaw the operation after leading a months-long interagency planning and preparation process. For more information, please contact Fire & EMS Chief Randy Groves at 682-7115. More than 30 City Streets to Receive Slurry Seals Beginning Monday More than 23 lane miles of local streets will receive a surface preservation treatment called slurry sealing beginning Monday, August 18. A slurry seal is a thin layer of asphalt emulsion and sand. Slurry seals are used to seal existing improved streets against intrusion of water, fill in small cracks, provide a uniform surface, and restore surface friction to aid in braking. Slurry seals are beneficial on streets with older pavement, or where surface material has begun to wear off leaving a rough surface. They protect pavement from oxidation, which leads to brittleness and cracking, and keep water out of the road base by sealing existing cracks. Since slurry seals do not add any structural value to a street they are best used on local streets or collector streets with little structural damage and where regular truck traffic is not expected. Due to the small amount of materials needed and the quick application time (usually one day), slurry seals provide a very cost-effective way to extend the life of pavements. The average cost of a slurry seal is significantly less than the cost of either an asphalt overlay or total reconstruction of a street. This year’s slurry sealing contract has been awarded to Asphalt Maintenance Association of Eugene, which submitted the low bid of $237,350 for the work. The project is part of the Pavement Preservation Program, which is funded primarily through the local motor vehicle fuel tax. Streets scheduled for slurry seals include: ? Almaden Street, Arthur Street, Fillmore Street, Grant Street, Hayes thththth Street, Taylor Street, 10 Avenue, 12 Avenue,14 Avenue, and 15 Avenue in the west downtown area; ? Bethesda Street, Elizabeth Street, Fergus Avenue, Hawthorne Avenue, Hilton Drive, Knoop Lane, Marcum Lane, Nebraska Street, and Wood Avenue in the Echo Hollow area; ? Aldabra Street, Alphonse Avenue, Amirante Street, Astove Avenue, Burnett Avenue, Cody Avenue, Coetivy Avenue, Dakota Avenue, Lemuria Street, Minnesota Street, Ohio Street, Praslin Street, and Wisconsin Street in the west Barger area; and ? Creekside Way and Sterling Woods Drive in the north Gilham area. Letters that include specific scheduling information have been sent to residents on all the affected streets. For more information, contact Public Works Engineering Project Manager Doug Singer at 541-682-8460. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 August 14, 2008