HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/09/1978 Meeting
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M I NUT E S
EUGENE C lTY COUNC 1 L
.January 9, 1978
Regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Eugene, Oregon, was called
to order by His Honor Mayor Gus Keller at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber with
the following Council members present: Eric Haws, D. W. Hamel, Tom Williams,
Ray Bradley, Jack Delay, Scott Lieuallen, Brian Obie, and Betty Smith.
I. HONORING ClTY EMPLOYEES RETIRING FROM SERVICE
Mayor Keller expressed thanks and appreciation to those to be honored this
evemng. The following persons received plaques to commemorate their years
of service to the city:
Wes Smartt, Public Works, 31 years
Nance Finlayson, Finance, 27 years
Leo Calder, Public Works, 20 years
The following persons were honored with certificates for their years of
serVlce:
Virginia Horton, Library, 17 years (not present)
Lewis Moore, Police, 13 years
Dorothy Fritch, Library, 11 years (not present)
II. ELECTION OF COUNCIL OFFICERS: PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
Ms. Smith moved, seconded by ~1r. Williams to nominate
D. W. Hamel for President of the Council. Motion carried
unanimously, with Mr. Hamel abstaining.
Mr. Haws moved, seconded by Mr. Hamel, to nominate
Ray Bradley for Vice President of the Council. Motion
carried with all Council members present voting aye,
except Mr. Obie voting no.
III. MAYOR'S STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS
Mayor Kell er gave the following presentation on the state of the City:
"Welcome to 1978 -- and to the first regular Council meeting of the year,
at which the Mayor is required by Charter to report to the Council on the
state of the City.
"It 's 126 years since Eugene
it had to be moved -- on the
Saturday Market got underway
under Skinner's porch roof.
population of almost 35,000.
area is about 175,000 -- five
Skinner platted his town -- unwisely, since
mud flat. That same year -- 1851 -- the
when James Huddleston set up a trading post
By 1944 the Eugene-Springfield area had a
Now the population of the metropolitan
times as great in just 37 years.
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Minutes 1/9/78 -- 1
"With this growth has come a baffling and frustrating increase in complexity
in all areas of public life. That complexity results in a good bit of
confusion, a fact well illustrated in the question of a young citizen who
called the Manager's Office and asked a student intern,'-Who is the City
Commissioner for the State of Eugene?'
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"It's hard to laugh at that, for the question illustrates, inadvertently, the
difficulty of maintaining our municipal autonomy even as we recognize the
interdependence of all levels of government. The struggle to accommodate
these diverse and often conflicting interests is one that engages the
elected official, the professional staff members, and the citizen alike.
"Surely the problems of today show little respect for boundaries. The needs
of the metropolitan area for both sanitary and storm sewers, for traffic
control, for fire protection and crime prevention, for library and
recreational services do not end at the city limits of Eugene or Springfield.
"It is for this reason that we adopted in 1972 the Metro Plan, known then
as the 1990 Plan. That plan and the Metro Area Transportation Plan are
now In the process of heing extended to the year 2000.
"In 1973 the LCDC, or State Land Conservation and Development Commission,
was formed to promote comprehensive land-use planning throughout the state.
Now, as it did then, the City of Eugene supports that goal. In accordance
with that goal, the Council has this year reaffirmed its refusal to provide
sewer and water services beyond our specified urban services boundary. We
share the conviction of the LCDC that this service limitation is vital to
achievement of a compact and orderly growth form.
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"We share, too, the conviction of the LCDC staff that confusion over the
application of LCDC goals in local annexation decisions must be resolved
as promptly and realistically as possible. We join with other Oregon cities
in urging t hat the commiss i on adopt, at its .January meeting, the administrat i ve
rule proposed to deal with hoth the status of land within city limits and
the standards to be used in reviewing annexations.
"Due in large part to our efforts at preserving and enhancing our environment
and the truly remarkabl e qua Ii ty of 1 i fe in Eugene, our community was chosen
the 'most 1 ivable medium sized city in the USA' during the tenure of former
Mayor Les Anderson. Consequently, I was a little dismayed to read in the
October issue of Family Circle that I am mayor of only the second best city
in America. In that-study Eugene received high points for Bill Bowerman, the
mall, friendly people, modern housing, the U of 0, a lot of music and theatre,
and our year-round background of living green -- splashed, I might add, with
an abundance of rain.
"While our livahility is recognized as beyond question, our economic well-
heing is not. For this reason the Council voted economic development top
priority at its goal setting session in June. Since then we have spent many
hours with both staff and economic consultants, trying to determine why
jobs are lacking in our community and what we can do to provide more and
better job opportunities for our citizens.
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Minutes 1/9/78 -- 2
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"To remain a healthy community, we need a mix of residential, commercial,
and industrial development. In fact, residential property alone can't
provide enough taxes to finance essential urban services. We need taxes
from commercial and industrial property to finance schools and parks and
police cars, not to mention the extension of utilities and transportation
systems. In turn, these services are essential for attracting industrial
and commercial development, so we come full circle again to the need for
productive long-range planning.
"Keyed to our economic situation, to development of the mall, and to the
cultural life of the community is the Council's hope to break ground in
1978 for a civic auditorium. I think it cannot be emphasized too strongly
that 1978 will be the crucial year for downtown Eugene. We have reached
a crossroad, where the tremendous strides we have made in establishing the
mall must be augmented by construction, in the downtown area, of an
auditorium and/or convention center facilities linked to a major hotel.
Only by completing this program can we assure the success of our efforts
and investment in urban renewal.
"Again this year, the problem of deterioration of the downtown area of
cities throughout the country has been a central issue at national meetings
on urban problems. Eugene is in a position now to achieve success, to ward
off that deterioration -- but we need the auditorium complex to do so. The
auditorium/civic center project can provide the environment necessary for
stimulating the high-density residential development and increased retail
expansion we need to conserve our central city.
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"In this regard, I want to thank former Mayor Les Anderson for his continued
contribution as chairman of the Civic Center Commission. Under his leader-
ship this widely-based citizen committee expects to have an architectual
concept and financing plan ready for presentation to votes, possibly in the
spring.
"Another high priority on the Council goals list is increased support for
improving the area's transportation system in general, including mass
transit and bikeways.
"In view of our continuing population growth, park land development is
also high on the Council goals list. The Joint Parks Committee is again
at work on recommendations for land acquisition and development projects.
"A Council goal nearing achievement is establishment of the Council assistance
program. I understand an announcement will be made Wednesday of the employment
of two staff members designated to help Councilors with research, policy
analysis, and individual projects.
"A major area of concern that will be referred by the Council to the Budget
Committee is review of police services for adequacy and emphasis.
"Important among issues to be dealt with soon by the Council are the
Metropolitan Plan Update and the transportation 2000 Plan, which has been
five years in the making.
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Minutes 1/9/78 -- 3
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"On the immediate horizon is the proposed systems development charges,
a hard -wrought effort at shi fting a portion of the cost of arterial
streets and major sanitary and storm sewer lines from existing to new
development. That proposal will be considered in a public hearing
schedul ed for .January 23.
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"Another year's long effort at uchieving financial relief for Eugene
citizens was successful last year when the Legislature approved state
revenue sharing. The Budget Committee used Eugene's allocation of
roughly $500,000 as a property tax offset, thereby reducing the City's
property tax rate by some $.37 per $1,000 of assessed valuation. \
"Here a wore! of thanks is in order, this time to our local legislators
for their outstanding support of this much-need assistance to our cities--
and relief to the property tax payers. We are grateful that the Legislature
resisted the temptation to "earmark" the funds, trusting, instead, that the
cities would expend them thoughtfully and responsibly.
"Still ahead, of course, is convincing the 1979 Legislature that revenue
sharing must continue in order to ease the threat posed to home ownership
by further increase in the property tax.
"Another perennial problem for which some resolution must be forthcoming
is open field burning. At the administrative and legal level we are
trying hard to iron out problems caused by the majority of the Legislature
failing to support Eugene's position in regard to this virulent form of
air pollution. It is our earnest hope that one of these years we can lay
this issue permanently to rest. ~
"The results of a major effort at involving citizens In our decision
making will become available on Thursday of this week when the Budget
Committee receives the report of our first city-wide survey of citizen
opinion on City services and policies. We'll be taking a close look at
the data collected from more than a thousand households as a guide to
budget ullocations. By telephone or personal interview, many people
who can't or don't participate in government through public meetings or
other means have been given a chance to make their preferences known.
While the survey results can't be considered a mandate, they provide a
useful source of information not available to us through any other means
including the ballot box, for many non-voters were included in the survey
sample.
"In clsoing, I have a rather personal word for the Council. As Mayor, on
behalf of all the citizens, I want to thank you for your time, for your
commitment-.---ror your candor -- and for the sense of humor that has carried
us Over the rough spots of some very candid moments! In the frustration
of trying to do our best, of trying to do a full-time and perfect job when
we are only part-time and human, we tend to overlook our accomplishments
ane! those accomplishments have been many. Let me note just a few:
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Minutes 1/9/78 -- 4
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r'For sheer endurance, note that we hold some 70 Council meetings a year.
Last year we held over 150 public hearings, acted upon over 300 ordinances,
and approved almost 200 resolutions. And we appointed over 50 persons to
City advisory boards and commissions.
"We made strides in comprehensive planning through review and approval of
refinement plans for the Bethel-Dancbo and the Westside neighborhoods.
"We assured 727 aircraft capability at the airport through voter approval
of bonds for airport improvement -- and negotiated contracts under which
the local cost of improvements and operations will be borne almost entirely
by the user airlines.
"With federal and local funds we've almost completed the new pedestrian/
bikeway bridge over the Wil1amette River near Valley River Center.
"We've approved the funding district necessary for construction of an area-
wide wastewater treatment plant and attendant facilities. And we've established,
against almost insuperable odds, a spay and neuter clinic.
"We've achieved Sunday afternoon opening of the library, put into operation
the ladder company at the Donald Street Fire Station, and launched an
affirmative action compliance program with firms and persons that hold
contracts with the City.
"In cooperation with neighborhood groups, we've made possible the planting
of thousands of street trees.
"With the help of volunteers, we've created community centers in Bethel-
Danebo, Whiteaker, and West University neighborhoods.
"At City Hall II, building permits were issued last year
dwelling units and almost $100 million in construction.
records, we hit 100,000 in population.
for over 2500 new
As we broke those
"It was quite a year.
"Best wishes to you all for the one ahead."
Mayor Keller then expressed thanks again to those City employees retiring, saying
their efforts and service were very much appreciated.
Upon motion duly made, seconded, and passed, the meeting was adjourned to
January 11, 1978.
Ch~rY)~
'City Manager
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