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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 10/09/06 Meeting M I N U T E S Eugene City Council Regular Meeting Council Chamber—Eugene City Hall October 9, 2006 7:30 p.m. COUNCILORS PRESENT: Jennifer Solomon, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Papé, Bonny Bettman, George Poling, Chris Pryor. COUNCILORS ABSENT: Andrea Ortiz. Her Honor Mayor Kitty Piercy called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. 1. CEREMONIAL MATTERS Proclamation Honoring Holt International Children Services Gary Gamer, chief executive officer of Holt International Childrens Services, introduced Pammy Chow of Holt International Childrens Services, her daughter Jade Chow, and Jade’s grandparents, Mary and Jack Karns. Mayor Piercy read a proclamation recognizing the work of Holt International, and proclaiming the month of October 2006 to be Holt International Month. She called upon Eugene citizens to recognize the work of Holt International. Mayor Piercy presented a copy of the proclamation to Mr. Gamer, who thanked the Mayor and the City of Eugene for recognizing the agency’s work. He noted that the Mayor, an adoptive parent herself, was very concerned with the issue of international adoption. Mr. Gamer recalled the inception of the agency 50 years ago when founders Harry and Bertha Holt began to work with orphaned children in North Korea. Over the years, there continued to be a need for the agency’s services in many parts of the world, such as Africa. He said that Holt International was the pioneer in international adoption and also helped with family preservation, domestic adoption, and crisis services in the countries of children’s origins. He reported that in 2005, Holt International helped 30,000 children around the world. Mr. Gamer said that Holt would soon commemorate its 50th anniversary and would convene a conference October 18-21 with the theme “Looking Forward: A Global Response for Homeless Children,” which he anticipated would be attended by people from around the world. The conference would include a gala celebration on October 19 to which he invited the council and members of the community. Jade Chow thanked the council for the proclamation making October Holt International Month. She asked the council to imagine what it would feel like not to have a child to love or to be a child without love. She said that would have been the situation for her and her mother if not for the work of Bertha and Harry Holt. th She was proud to be an adopted 8 grader from China. Ms. Chow said, “adoption is forever.” Mr. Papé noted his and the Mayor’s tour of the Holt campus outside Seoul, and said that Holt was much more than an adoption agency, as he personally witnessed. He commended the work of Harry and Bertha Holt and wished the agency well in its upcoming celebration. MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 9, 2006 Page 1 Regular Meeting 2. PUBLIC FORUM Mayor Piercy reviewed the rules of the Public Forum. Zachary Vishanoff , Patterson Street, applauded the work of Holt International and noted his sister had adopted through the agency. Speaking to the earlier work session discussion concerning transportation priorities in North and West Eugene, Mr. Vishanoff suggested that the University of Oregon should not have a say in the EmX system because the owners of parcels that could benefit financially could make secret donations to the University to th influence its decision. He thought placing EmX on 13 Avenue would be a “huge can of worms,” and th would be more acceptable on 11 Avenue. He pointed out that the University attempted to acquire the th fairgrounds for a basketball arena, and that was located on 13 Avenue. Mr. Vishanoff suggested that those riding on the system be asked where the next route should be. He did not think the University should be encouraged to act like a developer, and did not think the community’s future should be turned over to University students unless more departments such as the Sociology Department were involved as the rich departments get to “intermingle with you” while other departments were marginalized. Mr. Vishanoff provided a packet of materials to the council that he asked it to review. John Brown , 101 East Broadway, thanked the council for making decisions that allowed him to remain in the community, as Eugene was a great place to live and raise and family. He also thanked the council for its dedication and the dedication of City staff to the task of taking care of the Willamette River. Over the past three years, the City had been very prompt in responding to issues. Mr. Brown asked the council to encourage other jurisdictions to be just as responsive, being good stewards of the river as well. He said that the community had no one to turn to for assistance with water quality, although there was supposed to be such an agency. Charles Biggs , 540 Antelope Way, applauded the Eugene Police Department for trying to find ways to save the taxpayer money by changing to a different paint job on patrol cars that would save money when resold. He hoped that it was true that the solid colored vehicles were easier to see. Mr. Biggs asked the council what it would suggest to the voters if the council chose to subsidize development by selling property for less than it was worth. Majeska Seese Green , PO Box 1214, Eugene, chair of the Whiteaker Community Council (WCC), said the WCC was excited about the hiring of new police auditor Christine Beamud as she felt it a big step forward for the community, made possible by passage of the charter amendment. She noted the reception that was planned for Ms. Beamud on October 17 at the Hult Center and said the WCC would help get the word out about the event. Those who attended would be asked to bring nonperishable food items for the needy. th Bob Suess , 260 East 38 Avenue, determined from Mayor Piercy that the council acted earlier on the th funding request for WestTown on 8 Avenue. He said he had been providing affordable housing in Eugene since 1961. He asked if $18,400,000 was actually required to construct 104 housing units. He pointed out that did not include the cost of land, and asked if the community really needed a “Taj Mahal” for subsidized housing. Mr. Suess believed the only residents who would benefit from the project were those who owned property in the downtown core. He had seen the “ups and downs” of such subsidies in downtown Eugene since he first moved to the community. Mr. Suess questioned the inclusion of retail space in the develop- MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 9, 2006 Page 2 Regular Meeting ment, and asked if the community was subsidizing business occupants. He noted the many benefits the development received in the form of waived fees and taxes. He said that his residents contributed 25 percent minimum of their rents for taxes and housing inspections, and his rents were below the rents proposed for th WestTown on 8 Avenue. Mr. Suess said that his company could become a nonprofit if it spent all revenues on management, administration, and other incidentals. He asked when such giveaways would end. Mayor Piercy closed the Public Forum and thanked all those who spoke. 3. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Approval of City Council Minutes - July 24, 2006, City Council Meeting - September 11, 2006, Work Session - September 11, 2006, City Council Meeting - September 20, 2006, Work Session B. Approval of Tentative Working Agenda Councilor Solomon, seconded by Councilor Taylor, moved to approve the items on the Consent Calendar. Mr. Kelly and Ms. Bettman noted their submittal of corrections to the minutes. Mayor Piercy deemed the corrections accepted. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 7:0. th 4. ACTION: Supplemental Funding for WestTown on 8 Avenue This item was acted on at the earlier work session. The meeting adjourned at 7:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Dennis M. Taylor City Manager (Recorded by Kimberly Young) MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 9, 2006 Page 3 Regular Meeting