HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.13.19 City Council Work Session MinutesMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8�h Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
November 13, 2019
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Jennifer Yeh, Alan Zelenka, Mike Clark. Chris Pryor, Betty
Taylor. Greg Evans, Claire Syrett
Mayor Vinis opened the November 13, 2019, Work Session of the Eugene City Council.
1. WORK SESSION: Eugene -Springfield 2020 Consolidated Plan
Grants Manager Stephanie Jennings provided an overview of the HOME and Community
Development Block Grant programs, reviewed progress achieved under the 2015 Consolidated
Plan, and discussed the process for development of the 2020 Consolidated Plan.
Council Discussion
o Councilor Clark- Shared thoughts about how CDBG funds could be used to fight poverty; asked
what was meant by claim that housing funds are best suited for rental housing; asked if donated
land could be used for a housing development; asked about eligible uses of CDBG funds;
discussed down payment assistance programming; expressed interest in expanding down
payment assistance program again as well as expanding smaller housing on donated land.
o Councilor Taylor - Asked if it is possible to make loans for down payments; discussed challenge
of saving for a down payment; inquired about and discussed using these funds for sidewalk
improvements; asked if funds could be used for Single Residence Occupancy and if they have to
be used for a specific group of people; asked if recommendations brought in February could be
changed at that time.
o Councilor Syrett - Expressed appreciation for work of staff; inquired about combination of
previous funds; asked how much money in the previous fiscal year went towards job creation
program; asked if Habitat for Humanity could assist with a few home projects to promote
homeownership; asked if the City could replicate a Habitat for Humanity project to avoid
certain regulatory requirements; discussed assessments; inquired about affordable housing
trust funds and construction excise tax (CET); discussed recommendations from advisory
committee to help inform council leveraging dollars.
o Councilor Zelenka - Expressed appreciation for staff work; inquired about the drop in funding
for CDBG and HOME funds; discussed drop in housing units in Springfield and asked how the
consolidation plan proposes making up that loss; inquired about gap strategies in upcoming
recommendations and if there would be new dollars to include CET dollars; asked if numbers
would change in the upcoming plan update; discussed funding from CET; inquired about and
discussed how metrics are gathered related to affordable housing in the consolidation plan,
specifically related to affordable housing units; inquired about total affordable housing units
being built through these funds.
o Councilor Pryor - Discussed program needs for low-income housing as opposed to workforce
housing and getting the most units with the funds available; discussed mixing development of
units with promotion of home ownership to get the most out of the funds; expressed support
for the current plan.
o Councilor Evans- Inquired where two land bank sites are located; asked how many homes that
have been completed are emergency or transitional in nature; inquired about upcoming home
projects and if there are other sources of funds that could be combined with federal monies.
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Work Session
o Councilor Clark -Expressed support for Councilor Pryor's comments regarding the balance of
objectives; expressed desire to increase goal of homeownership to better balance objectives;
expressed desire to increase pool of down payment assistance funds; discussed demographics
of first-time homebuyers.
2. WORK SESSION: Process for Appointing a New City Manager
Council Discussion
o Mayor Vinis - Reviewed the process for scheduling this topic for a work session; asked for
clarification of the council's authority; explained the format for discussion.
o Councilor Zelenka - Discussed current situation with leadership and shared thoughts that
council does not need to name a replacement right away; expressed confidence in Sarah
Medary as City Manager Pro Tem; discussed potential timelines and potential motions.
o Councilor Taylor - Discussed process for council appointment of City Manager; discussed
concerns related to current community needs and work, the cost of recruiting a City
Manager, and the benefits of hiring Ms. Medary outright.
o Councilor Evans - Expressed support for Ms. Medary but supported opening the
recruitment to attract a diverse pool of candidates for City Manager, individuals and groups
who historically may have not had access to the position.
o Councilor Clark- Expressed desire for the best manager available for the community and
agreement with Councilor Zelenka's comments about a potential timeline; shared thoughts
about hiring Ms. Medary outright versus opening a recruitment.
o Councilor Syrett - Discussed prior councilors' comments; expressed concern and asked
questions about the City Manager Pro Tem not having the authority to hire executive staff;
asked what the process would be for council to hire an executive staff member for
Fire/EMS; shared thoughts about timeline of searching for a City Manager, especially the
timing of future conversations.
o Councilor Pryor - Discussed thoughts about timing of council actions and shared goals of
the council and City Manager Pro Tem Medary.
o Councilor Clark- Supported the creation of performance metrics for evaluation of the City
Manager Pro Tem.
o Councilor Syrett - Asked about public input requirements for hiring a city manager;
inquired where the budget for a national search for a City Manager would come from;
expressed agreement with metric points made by Councilor Clark; discussed timing of
selection related to budget development and adoption and how Ms. Medary manages this
process.
o Councilor Taylor - Discussed Ms. Medary's prior work with the City and County and
expressed confidence in her knowledge and skills; discussed process for termination if ever
necessary; addressed Councilor Evan's comments surrounding diversity.
o Councilor Semple - Expressed support for Ms. Medary as the permanent City Manager,
specifically related to her leadership on current projects and community needs.
o Mayor Vinis - Noted council support for Ms. Medary and clarified the process at hand;
addressed Councilor Evan's comments about need for greater public input; supported using
time to give Ms. Medary an opportunity to meet the community in the role of City Manager.
o Councilor Clark- Expressed agreement with Mayor Vinis.
o Councilor Semple - Inquired about public input process requested clarification of
intentions.
o Councilor Pryor - Noted Ms. Medary's desire to get to know the role and use an extended
timeline to make sure the role is a good fit both for her and for the City.
o Councilor Yeh - Expressed concerns about signaling council intent to create a trial period to
solicit community input.
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Work Session
o Mayor Vinis - Clarified her suggestion that delaying a decision about hiring a permanent
City Manager would give Ms. Medary a chance to become more familiar to the community in
this role.
o Councilor Taylor -Expressed concern about delaying hiring and said that lengthy Pro Tern
assignments are unusual.
o Councilor Syrett - Described a prior conversation with Ms. Medary about being hired on
permanently; expressed support for council goals to support public engagement in the
process of hiring a new City Manager.
o Councilor Clark - Described prior conversation with Ms. Medary about being hired on
permanently; expressed support for Councilor Zelenka's anticipated motion.
o Councilor Zelenka - Addressed family needs of Ms. Medary; discussed comments on
diversity; expressed appreciation for Ms. Medary's service in the City organization;
supported waiting until after the next budget cycle to hire her permanently.
MOTION: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Syrett, moved to wait and hold
a work session, until shortly after the completion of the 2020 budget committee
process to further discuss the City Manager appointment process, including the
appointment of Sarah Medary to the City Manager position.
o Councilor Clark - Reiterated need for evaluation metrics in the hiring process and asked if
the motion could be amended to enable council to hold an additional work session to
discuss metrics.
o Councilor Semple - Inquired about the timeline for a future discussion.
o Councilor Zelenka - Addressed questions about the timeline of the budget committee
process.
RESTATED MOTION (including friendly amendments): Councilor Zelenka, seconded
by Councilor Syrett, moved to wait and hold a work session, until shortly after the
completion of the 2020 budget committee process to further discuss the City
Manager appointment process, including the appointment of Sarah Medary to the
City Manager position and schedule a work session as soon as possible to discuss
the attributes for our future City Manager with HR.
VOTE: PASSED 7:1, Councilor Evans opposed.
The meeting adjourned at 1:37p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Forrest
City Recorder
(Recorded by Samantha Roberts)
Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting: here.
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