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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/12/1992 Meeting - - - - -- e M I NUT E S Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room--City Hall August 12, 1992 5:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Shawn Boles, Ruth Bascom, Roger Rutan, Debra Ehrman, Bobby Green, Randy MacDonald, Paul Nicholson, Kaye Robinette. The work session of the Eugene City Council was called to order by His Honor Mayor Jeff Miller. 1. WORK SESSION: EUGENE DECISIONS John O'Connor of the City Manager's Office facilitated the meeting. The council resumed discussion of Component 33C, Community Planning (reduce service by 60 percent). Tony Mounts of the Administrative Services Department distributed a document entitled "Community Planning Cost Breakdown," showing the four elements in the function. e 1. Neighborhood Plans and Special Studies Ms. Ehrman questioned why the plan was discontinued in the component rather than reduced. Mr. Mounts reminded the council that this component was included in Strategy C, which reduced the service to mandated levels only. Mr. Boles moved, seconded by Mr. MacDonald, to drop consider- ation of the element of Component 33A regarding neighborhood plans and special studies at this time. The motion passed, 5:3. 2. Annexation Program Mr. Nicholson moved, seconded by Ms. Ehrman, to include in the draft strategy the element of Component 33A regarding annex- ation. The motion passed, 6:2. 3. Historic Preservation Program/Historic Review Board Mr. Boles moved, seconded by Mr. MacDonald, to drop the element of Component 33A regarding historic preservation from further consideration. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 1 5:30 p.m. e Ms. Ehrman asked how the City would address historic preservation under State 1 aw. Ms. Kittleson said that the reduction involved would reduce the program to mandated levels. She said that the City's ordinances would require examination if the element was included in the strategy, and the council would be required to address some of the issues previously addressed by the board. The motion passed, 5:3. 4. Planning Support for Other Departments and Agencies Mr. MacDonald moved, seconded by Mr. Rutan, to include the element of Component 33A regarding elimination of planning support for other agencies and departments in the draft strate- gy. Mr. MacDonald questioned whether it would be appropriate to eliminate planning .. support for other departments. City Manager Mike Gleason described the scope of planning assistance that occurs in such projects as the West Eugene Wetlands Special Area Study, Central Area Transportation Study, and lincoln School. He said that it was his expectation that the City could bill most of those expenses to the agencies and departments incurring them. Mr. MacDonald said that projects should be billed to those incurring the costs when possible. Ms. Ehrman expressed concern about moving in such a direction due to the need for cooperation between government agencies. e Mr. Boles indicated his opposition to the motion, saying he preferred to determine the differential in costs that could be recouped from other agencies and delete that amount from the budget, or to drop it from consideration entirely and direct staff to establish a professional services fund and charge other agencies for the cost of such services. Responding to a question from Mr. Nicholson, Mr. Gleason said that the cost of the component had been developed for Strategy C and, due to a lack of time, had less analysis around it than the components in strategies A and B. The motion passed, 5:4 (Mr. Miller casting the tie-breaking vote). Mr. Miller asked if the council wished to direct the manager to investigate whether planning costs could be recovered through the use of a professional services fund and provide a report to the council at a later date. The council agreed. Mr. Robinette asked the council to consider a proposal to continue the Business Assistance Team in a modified form by "doing things differently.1I Mr. Robinette moved, seconded by Ms. Bascom, to drop Component 25A from the draft strategy. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 2 5:30 p.m. - e Mr. Robinette said he wished to continue providing small business counseling. He said that the combination of the loan program and business counseling would provide support for the community's small businesses that could not be found elsewhere. Mr. Robinette said his focus was on local, small business and not on soliciting large businesses or developing City properties. He pointed out that "doing things differently" will require funding. Mr. Boles pointed out that the Metro Partnership contract was a contribution to the same effort. Mr. Robinette disagreed. Mr. Boles said that while he appreciated the concept, he was unsure how the City would establish controls to ensure that the type of business development occurring was at the neighbor- hood scale. Mr. Robinette suggested that staff be directed to develop a proposal for council review. Mr. Boles said that the issue for him was whether to provide direct business assistance to the private sector or invest that money in the overall climate in the form of public safety, parks, and streets. He said he understood the need for neighborhood-scale development, but was unsure that the City should, provide the service. Mr. Rutan spoke in opposition to the motion. He said that business counseling is available from a variety of entities, such as Lane Community College, the Private Industry Council, the Business Assistance Network, and SCORE. He said that, in addition, there are professionals who are willing to advise for free. Mr. Rutan envisioned a community consortium of business assistance and business recruiting efforts and a consolidation of the Willamette Valley World e Trade Center, the Metro Partnership, the former functions of the Business Assistance Team, and the functions of the Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Bascom endorsed Mr. Rutan's remarks and said that elimination of the City service will not eliminate its availability to the community. Mr. MacDonald said he had anticipated that the business community would develop a vision for economic development in Eugene for the 1990s. He expressed disappointment that such a vision was not put forth. Mr. MacDonald said that he supported a business license fee dedicated to support such economic development activities to be directed toward a consortium such as that described by Mr. Rutan. However, he had been unable to secure support for his concept. Mr. Nicholson discussed his own experience in working with the City's Business Assistance Team, which he termed unsatisfactory. He said that individuals seeking business advice could turn to Lane Community College. Mr. Robinette said he was not satisfied that other groups were delivering the services he believed were needed. He urged the council to direct staff to prepare a proposal for further review. The motion failed, 2:6. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 3 5:30 p.m. -- ------- - - - -- ----- -- --- e Ms. Bascom raised the issue of the Convention and Visitors Bureau contract (Component 38C) and asked the council what elimination of the contract meant. She pointed out that the tourism industry in the county is growing and Eugene had an opportunity to take advantage of the growth in tourism. Ms. Bascom pointed out that the survey feedback did not support elimination of the contract. Mr. Robinette moved, seconded by Ms. Bascom, to drop Component 38C from the draft strategy. Mr. Robinette offered as the proviso to the motion that the council's options may change based upon County action. Mr. Miller said that City will need to act independently as it resolves its budget crisis while maintaining its partnerships with other jurisdictions. Ms. Ehrman asked if the Transient Room Tax Fund was part of the General Fund. Mr. Wong said that for budgetary and accounting purposes the fund was sepa- rate. However, the funds can be expended for most General Fund purposes, with the exception of such services as public safety. Mr. Nicholson suggested the possibility of retaining the component with the understanding that it would be addressed through discussion of new revenues. Ms. Bascom cautioned the council not to lose sight of the opportunity present- ed by the tourism industry in its proposal for a room tax increase. She e favored keeping the City's options open. Mr. Green endorsed Ms. Bascom's comments. However, he said that he wanted to take the advice given to the council by the State legislature to move forward to address the City's budgetary problems. Mr. Robinette said that the City would not eliminate the contract if it did not get County funding. Mr. MacDonald said that the County's meeting regarding the room tax increase was not conclusive. He did not think the City had anything to lose by "playing ball" with the County. Mr. MacDonald pointed out that tourism industry was proposing to raise the tax, and he believed that eventually the County would approve the idea. He favored the motion in that context, saying that the City was not making a commitment but simply exploring its options. Mr. Nicholson said that as long as the Convention and Visitors Bureau is effective it deserves public support; however, he was reluctant to enter into any agreement that would remove the accountability of the bureau to the public. Mr. Boles suggested that it was better to drop the component to indicate the council's continued support for the bureau while discussions regarding a room tax increase occur. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 4 5:30 p.m. e The motion passed unanimously, 8:0. Mr. Rutan noted that Building Construction Advisory Committee Task Team (BCACTT) members Mike Roberts and Barney McCabe were present to discuss the recommendations made by the BCACTT. Mr. Mounts distributed a document comparing reported costs from the task team's final report and the Development Services Financing Study. Doug Eveleth of the Planning and Development Department reviewed the recom- mendations of the task team. Responding to a question from Ms. Bascom, Mr. Eveleth attributed the increase in current revenues to the increases in fees and development activity over the past two years. Mr. Boles said the increases reflected council policy. Ms. Ehrman questioned why a dollar amount was not attached to the service area labeled "public benefit" in the financing study's reported costs. Mr. Mounts explained that the task team went through an analysis to identify those components providing a public benefit as opposed to a developer benefit. The financing study did not go into that level of detail. Mr. Miller asked the council how it wished to process the recommendations of the task team. Mr. Boles suggested that the issue was the mix of costs to be borne by the public. Previously, the public paid the largest share of the costs. Following adoption of the financing study, an increased share was e assigned to the private sector. He suggested that the council maintain the targets identified for Planning and Development Services and continue to work with the development community to establish the optimum mix. Mr. Miller suggested that the task team report was a "first cut" at that process. He believed the council needed to honor that effort, suggesting it did not preclude adjustment of the mix in the future. In response to Mr. Miller's comments, Mr. Boles said that the council's direction to the task team was not as broad as it might have been had it been done in the context of the Eugene Decision's process and the council policy. He suggested that those participating on the task team had a financial interest in the outcome of the task team review, and said that could lead to a natural tendency to identify the costs of development as a public benefit. Mr. Boles said that the membership of the task team should be broadened and each service area re-examined. Responding to a question from Ms. Bascom, Mr. Boles pointed out that several service areas were supported entirely by the City due to the deliberations of the committee members working on the financing study. Mr. Eveleth noted that the task force report recommended that the City fund from $636,000 to $1.2 million in public benefit costs. Further, the report recommended several changes in service delivery to offset those costs, including privatization and fee increases. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 5 5:30 p.m. ------ e The council took a ten-minute recess at 7:05 p.m. The meeting resumed at 7:15 p.m. Mr. O'Connor noted that the Council Committee on Eugene Decisions (CCED) had recommended that the council next discuss revenues to fund current services. Mr. Rutan proposed that the council consider service enhancements prior to discussion of revenues. After a brief discussion of the CCED's process recommendations, the council took a straw poll and voted in favor of Mr. Rutan's suggestion. The council discussed the process it would employ as it proceeded with strategy construction, and agreed unanimously to first consider enhancements identified for further discussion by a majority of council members, then review the resulting service package that included cost savings and enhance- ments, followed by consideration of revenues, with the final step a review of the final package. Mr. Gleason raised a concern regarding the effect of the cost savings choices on operations in the Planning and Development Department, and asked for time at a future meeting to discuss the effect of those identified cost savings on both operations and personnel. He said that the service changes will affect the organizational structure, pointing to the possible elimination of support services that support business loan functions. Responding to a question from Ms. Ehrman, Mr. Gleason said that several of the cost savings were from Strategy C, an analysis which was completed quickly and without much detail. He said that it was necessary to work with department personnel to examine the e ramifications of the strategy components on operations. Responding to Mr. Gleason's comments, Mr. Boles pointed out that the changes in question did not have to be addressed within the next 60 days. He agreed that the council needed clarity regarding the choices it had identified so far in the process, and said Mr. Gleason could return with more information and seek further council direction regarding each component in the future. Ms. Ehrman expressed the hope that there would not be major changes made to the costs identified for the components selected by the council due to the possible loss of council credibility. Mr. Rutan said that the council needed to make it clear to the public that the figures were the best estimates avail- able for cost savings and could be adjusted after further examination. Mr. Nicholson said the issue raised by Mr. Gleason was important, and suggest- ed that the council direct staff to produce an analysis of the practical implications of the selected cost savings. The council discussed enhancements. Mr. Miller spoke in favor of adding community policing to the draft strategy due to the increasing community needs and the importance of the program to the implementation of the Long-Range Public Safety Plan. He suggested that the e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 6 5:30 p.m. e first year would require $1 million, with an additional $500,000 required in each of three subsequent years. Responding to a question from Mr. Rutan, Mr. Miller said that the cost of $3.5 million shown for the enhancement was to fund the entire program for one year. Mr. Miller moved, seconded by Mr. Rutan, to add $1 million to the draft strategy to support community policing, with funding of $500,000 annually directed toward the program in subsequent years. Ms. Ehrman called the council's attention to the low ranking community policing had received in surveys and asked Mr. Miller to explain his rationale for adding the program to the strategy. Mr. Miller suggested that there was a lack of information in the community regarding the program. He said that those involved with public safety services are supportive of the program. Mr. Miller added that it would be more expensive to implement the program in future years. Mr. Boles suggested that the council reconsider Mr. Miller's motion after the new deputy chief had assumed his position. He further noted the uncertainty of the source of funding for the program. Ms. Bascom said that the public response to the program was not strong. She said that the council needed to listen to the community feedback in order to secure a positive response to any needed revenues. e Mr. Green indicated his support for Mr. Miller's motion. He said that officers across the country are supportive of the program approach. Mr. Green said preventive measures included in the program are essential to help reduce public safety costs. Mr. Nicholson said he believed that community policing was the correct direction for Eugene and indicated his support for the motion. Ms. Ehrman said community policing was an integrated approach to public safety that would require significant changes in service delivery. She questioned whether implementing portions of the program would be effective. Mr. Boles said that those in support of the proposal should support it at the full cost. He said that the full cost was the minimum amount required to put the program in place. Mr. Boles said he shared Ms. Ehrman's concern about the effectiveness of implementing the program piecemeal. He noted that $3.5 million was the annualized average of the cost of phasing in the program over ten years. Mr. Miller said that his motion constituted the beginning of a program phase- in. He stressed that the money would not be used to hire more police offi- cers, but rather would support preventive human services and innovative approaches to public safety. e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 7 5:30 p.m. e Mr. MacDonald said that the points raised by Ms. Ehrman and Ms. Bascom were important. He suggested that the council would need to educate the public better about the program. However, he believed that Mr. Miller's motion provided the council with an opportunity to move incrementally in the direc- tion of community policing. Mr. Miller noted that his proposal was consistent with the council-adopted Public Safety long-Range Plan. There was a brief discussion of the actual dollars required to fund the program. Mr. Miller modified his motion by adjusting the called-for funding upward to $2.15 million per year over ten years. The motion passed, 5:3. Mr. Boles suggested that the council combine the library information system and proposed library enhancements (total of $4,280,000). The council agreed to Mr. Boles' suggestion. Mr. Boles indicated his intent to seek private- sector support for the information system. Mr. Rutan said that, while he agreed to the importance of a new library and remained committed to the project, he did not believe the council should consider constructing a new library at the current time due to the City's inability to fund services he considered more basic than the library. Ms. Bascom said it was her perception that the service cuts made by the e council were not actions that contributed to a good community. Further, she did not believe that more police protection was the way to prevent a community from deteriorating. She pointed to the success of other Oregon communities in building new libraries. Ms. Bascom said the council had "gone overboard" in parks cuts and in reducing recreation opportunities and cultural events. Mr. MacDonald said the time was past for building a new library. He believed that community support for the library was strong. Mr. MacDonald said private fund-raising efforts for a new library were underway. He said that momentum and commitment in the community was a positive development he did not want to stifle. Due to the fact that the City was "getting out of the downtown development business," Mr. MacDonald said that failure to build a new library in the core could contribute to further decline. Mr. MacDonald described the features of an electronic information system and possible opportunities created by such a system and called the addition to the package a worthwhile investment. Mr. MacDonald moved, seconded by Mr. Boles, to add the library/ information system to the draft final strategy. The council briefly discussed the cost of the library enhancement. Responding to a question from Mr. Miller, Tony Mounts of the Administrative Services Department said that the $4.2 million identified for the enhancement was for e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 8 5:30 p.m. e construction and operation of a new library. He added that the figure had been developed in conjunction with a specific proposal for a restaurant tax for funding over a seven-year period, and included a debt service component. Financing construction through a general obligation bond would drop the annual cost. Mr. Green said he agreed with Mr. Rutan's remarks but referred to the success of Len Casanova in building a new addition to Autzen Stadium in the 1980s, adding that had Mr. Casanova listened to public sentiment, a valuable Univer- sity asset would not have been built. Mr. Green asked when the library would be built if the community did not build it now. Ms. Ehrman referred to the favorable library siting vote and the cost of continuing the option on the Sears building, and suggested that failure to act to build a new library would not be responsive to the electorate. She said she would have difficulty supporting a final strategy that did not include a library due to the public's high ranking of the library in comparison to other .. additions. Ms. Ehrman added that the council had unanimously approved the airport construction project with the tacit agreement that the library was the next major City project. Mr. Nicholson suggested that the council re-evaluate the estimated project costs and discuss the effectiveness of private fund-raising efforts and said he intended to support the motion with the understanding such an evaluation and discussion would occur. e Mr. Miller asked staff to prepare information separating the costs of con- struction and operation and the traditional ten-year versus a seven-year payout. Mr. Boles said that the council had entered the process with the intent of positioning the community not for its demise but for the 21st century. He maintained a new library was a community lynchpin. The motion passed, 7:1. The meeting adjourned at 8:40 p.m. (Recorded by Kimberly Young) cc53012.082 e MINUTES--City Council Work Session August 12, 1992 Page 9 5:30 p.m.