HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 04/19/07
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
April 19, 2007
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
CITY TO PARTICIPATE IN EARTH DAY CELEBRATION EVENTS, SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2007
LANE COUNTY 100% ACCESS INITIATIVE HELPS FILL HEALTH INSURANCE GAPS
FIREHOUSE COOKBOOK NOW AVAILABLE
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE FEATURED IN INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION
CITY SEEKS COMPLIANCE WITH MEDICARE BILLING REGULATIONS
DRAGONFLY BEND PROJECT GARNERS STATE LAND BOARD WETLAND AWARD
EUGENE POLICE DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEERS HONORED AS SENIOR ROLE MODELS
OFFICER CURRY NAMED DELTA ROTARY’S EPD OFFICER OF THE YEAR
EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY GLITTERARY WORD FESTIVAL
AROUND THE CITY
City to Participate in Earth Day Celebration Events, Saturday 21, 2007
The eighth annual Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 21, at EWEB’s River
Edge Plaza will have something for everyone. This year’s event theme is “Spirit
of Sustainability” and features educational activity booths, the John H. Baldwin
Film and Lecture Series, two musical stages, a Procession of All Species, and
much more. What better time to discover what makes the Eugene area such a
great place to live? Staff from several City of Eugene programs will be on hand
to share information with attendees.
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A display with information about fish-friendly car wash kits for non-profit
fundraisers and the Eco-biz auto program will be presented by staff from the Public Works
Stormwater Management Program. Attendees can pick up a complimentary felt chamois, the
latest issue of Stormwater Connections newsletter and other handouts.
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The City of Eugene Solid Waste and Recycling program will have a compost information booth
that will educate attendees about the importance of diverting food waste through backyard
composting. Children will be able to spin the worm wheel and win a gummy worm when they
answer a question about worm bin composting. This booth will be staffed by OSU Extension
Service Compost Specialist volunteers. The compost information booth will also have a free
drawing for an Earth Machine compost bin.
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The City of Eugene’s Transportation Options Team will be available to offer route planning
assistance and provide information on alternatives to driving alone. Bike maps, bicycle and
pedestrian safety brochures, and the Oregon Bicycle Manual will all be available for free to the
public, along with an opportunity to sign up for the Transportation Options e-newsletter InMotion.
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Parks and Open Space staff will have a display of the new Eugene park map, brochures, and
information about the upcoming Children's Nature Film Festival on April 29.
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Recreation Service's Outdoor Program will have an informational display and staff on hand to
answer questions about outdoor activities, environmental ethics, and water and recreation safety.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
April 19, 2007
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Mayor Kitty Piercy will be at the Earth Day Celebration at EWEB Plaza, and also will be at an
Earth Day event at noon at the Saturday Market to kick off a community education campaign to
encourage use of the new system of coordinated recycling bins and signage for community
events.
For more information about City participation at the Earth Day Celebration at EWEB Plaza, contact
Kathy Eva, Public Works public information specialist, at 682-2739, or visit www.earthdayoregon.com.
For more information about the recycling campaign, contact Lorna Baldwin, solid waste and recycling
analyst, at 682-6830.
Lane County 100% Access Initiative Helps Fill Health Insurance Gaps
Did you know that more than 99,000 children in Oregon do not have health insurance? That's 16% of all
kids in the state. In Lane County, the 100% Access Initiative estimates that nearly 9,000 children (ages
18 and under) are uninsured. Add that to about 43,000 adults in the county whose incomes are 200%
above the poverty level and who have no health insurance and you can see that this is more than a
problem; it’s a crisis.
Cover the Uninsured Week, April 23 through April 29, is a national effort to bring attention to this crisis
and to encourage individuals and communities to get involved. Fortunately, here in Lane County,
community leaders decided not to wait for action at the national level and formed the 100% Access
Initiative to connect people in Lane County with inadequate or no medical insurance to existing programs
and services. The initiative is also working to develop new community-based medical programs and
services to fill the gaps where most needed.
The 100% Access partners, including City Manager Dennis Taylor and the City of Eugene, agree that
better care can be provided to more people at less cost by aligning resources and volunteers and using a
coordinated community approach. Whatever the federal or national solution, health care will always be
provided through a local delivery system.
City employees and others can get involved by sharing information as they work with people in the
community. For example, low-income and uninsured people can now call 866-329-0514 to find out if
they qualify for a low-cost or free medications program or to receive help managing their medications.
Also, 100% Access is co-sponsoring a related event on May 5. The "Safe and Healthy Cinco de Mayo"
event is a safety and health fair for low-income families in Lane County. Oregon Health Plan insurance
specialists will be available to assist families with enrollment while their children are entertained and
educated at safety-themed activity booths. The event will be held in the Whiteaker neighborhood at 21
North Grand Street from noon to 3 p.m.
In addition to the City of Eugene and the United Way of Lane County, other initiative partners include
virtually all of the major health care organizations in the community, as well as staff from Lane County
and several non-profit service agencies. Contact Susan Stearns at United Way, 741-6000, ext. 103, to
volunteer for "Safe and Healthy Cinco de Mayo" or for more information about the 100% Access
Initiative.
Firehouse Cookbook Now Available
There are many great cooks within the Eugene Fire & EMS Department. By popular demand, there has
been a reprint of the department's firehouse cookbook, "Favorite Recipes from Eugene Fire & EMS.”
This limited--edition volume includes dozens of outstanding recipes from firefighters, past and present
(and a couple of spouses). Copies are available for a cost of $10.00 (check or exact change only) at the
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Emergency Services Training Center (2 and Chambers) or Fire Prevention (Fire Station 1) reception
desks. The cookbooks make excellent gifts and the proceeds will help support the department’s Honor
Guard. Special thanks to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 851 for fronting the
printing costs. For more information, please contact Management Analyst Glen Potter at 682-7130.
City Manager’s Office Featured in International Publication
Utilizing telecom funds in 2004, the City Manager’s Office became the second City division (Wastewater
was first) to purchase Laserfiche as a document imaging system designed to reduce our consumption of
paper and to improve the management of documents. Relying heavily on Central Services DAT partner
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
April 19, 2007
Rachel Pena for customization of the product, the CMO Laserfiche team has implemented the system for
use with City Council agendas, City Code, and historic documents and provided both City staff and the
public with better electronic access to City records.
The Laserfiche Global Municipal Exchange, a newsletter for users around the world, recently featured the
experiences of the Eugene City Manager’s Office as an example of a successful application in local
government. A link to the article is provided. http://www.laserfiche.com/newsroom/gme/issue25.html
For further information, please contact City Recorder Mary Feldman at 682-8353.
City Seeks Compliance with Medicare Billing Regulations
In an effort to stay current with ever-changing Medicare reimbursement regulations, the Eugene Fire &
EMS Ambulance Billing Manager attended a two-day emergency medical services billing conference in
California last week. The information provided at the conference will improve the department's billing
practices and raise awareness to stay compliant with Medicare billing regulations. For more information
please contact Acting Deputy Chief of Administrative Services Mike Thrapp at 682-7130.
Dragonfly Bend Project Garners State Land Board Wetland Award
On April 10, the State Land Board recognized the
City of Eugene’s Dragonfly Bend Habitat
Enhancement Project in an awards ceremony
honoring exemplary wetland and stream projects
throughout Oregon.
In presenting the 2006 Wetland Award, State
Treasurer Randall Edwards, a Land Board
member, said the project “serves as a model, not
only because of its high quality habitat restoration,
but for going above and beyond established
wetland mitigation bank standards.”
A wetland mitigation bank is a venture in which
the bank sponsor restores, creates or enhances
wetlands, and sells credits to developers who
need to offset their wetland impacts to obtain a
removal-fill permit from the Department of State
Lands (DSL). The City of Eugene developed the
project and the initial action plan for the 77-acre
From left: State Treasurer Randall Edwards, Chuck Fairchild,, Jean
Dragonfly Bend site for the West Eugene
Jancaitis, Trevor Taylor, Eric Wold, Jeff Krueger, Gov. Ted Kulongoski,
Terry Colvin, Louise Solliday
Wetlands (WEW) Mitigation Bank. Dragonfly
Bend is part of a longer-term ecological vision for
nearly 3,000 acres in the West Eugene
Partnership lands. Project participants include the
City of Eugene, Bureau of Land Management,
Lane Council of Governments and The Nature
Conservancy.
“This award would not have been possible if not
for the efforts of all of the WEW partners, many
of whom had a direct hand in the success of the
Dragonfly Bend Project,” said Trevor Taylor, the
City’s wetlands program manager.
“The Eugene group has really advanced the
science of restoration by conducting careful monitoring of their many projects,” said Louise Solliday, DSL
director. “The Dragonfly Bend project sets a very high standard by establishing rare species, achieving
high diversity and putting a long-term stewardship plan in place.” For more information, contact Trevor
Taylor at the Parks and Open Space Division, 682-4888, or Trevor.H.Taylor@ci.eugene.or.us.
Eugene Police Department Volunteers Honored as Senior Role Models
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April 19, 2007
Eugene Police Department volunteers Bob Blaesi and Cliff Flesch were among seven volunteers
honored as OASIS (Older Adult Service and Information Service) senior role models at a celebration on
April 12.
OASIS is a national, nonprofit educational organization designed to
enhance the quality of life for mature adults. Offering challenging
programs in the arts, humanities, wellness, technology and
volunteer service, OASIS creates opportunities for older adults to
continue their personal growth and provide meaningful service to
the community.
Each year, OASIS solicits nominations from Lane County agencies
for their annual Senior Role Model Awards. Award winners are
selected based on their involvement in activities that have made a
difference and have made a positive impact, whether in the lives of
individuals or in the Lane County community at large. Volunteers
age 50+ who deserve to be recognized for outstanding community
service are eligible.
Cliff, a retired insurance underwriter, is shown in the photo. Bob
worked for Pan American Airways for 25 years, and most recently retired as a pharmacy technician. He
was unable to attend the awards ceremony.
Bob and Cliff have been members of the Volunteers in Policing Program since 2004. Both are members
of the Squad Car Maintenance and Seniors on Patrol teams, and both are Citizens’ Police Academy
graduates. In addition to their regular shifts, Bob and Cliff regularly sign up for additional volunteer
assignments such as staffing the Volunteers in Policing Program booth at community events. To date,
Bob has donated 1,176 hours and Cliff has donated 1,908 hours to the Eugene Police Department. For
more information, contact Volunteers in Policing Program Coordinator Carrie Chouinard at 682-5355 or
carrie.f.chouinard@ci.eugene.or.us.
Officer Curry Named Delta Rotary's EPD Officer of the Year
Eugene Police Officer Jennifer Curry was recognized on April 13 at the Delta Rotary's Law Enforcement
Recognition Day, where one sworn employee from each local jurisdiction was honored for serving his or
her department and community with the highest degree of professional standards, ethics and principles.
Officer Curry was born and raised in Eugene. She is a graduate of Churchill High School and attended
the University of Oregon. In 1996, she became a Reserve Deputy Sheriff for Lane County. She was
hired by the Eugene Police Department and served as a patrol officer for five years before becoming the
downtown foot patrol officer. She is currently a field training officer and background investigator, and
has been in charge of the Cadet Post for more than seven years. Many cadets from her certification
program have been hired by police agencies. They graduate from her program already possessing many
of the skills necessary to become police officers; their character and professionalism are a reflection of
the mentoring they received from Officer Curry.
Officer Curry is noted by her fellow officers and supervisors for her dedication and excellence. She has
a wealth of information on criminal activity in the community and is sought out by other officers and even
agencies in other states as a resource to identify suspects with links to the Eugene area.
Officer Curry is involved in true community policing in her beat downtown near the LTD bus terminal and
the downtown mall; a beat area that could easily take four officers to patrol. She has the daunting task of
addressing quality-of-life issues for business and community members, while balancing response to
youth and other vulnerable community members. When crimes are committed by juveniles, she takes a
tough stance, but goes the extra mile to try to help kids get off the street, get assistance and get back in
school. Her evenhandedness with youth has earned her their respect – no simple task given their
frequent distrust of authority, especially police.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
April 19, 2007
Officer Curry is highly respected by her fellow officers and the command staff of the Eugene Police
Department. She exemplifies many of the outstanding qualities that are desired in the law enforcement
community today. For further information, please contact Kerry Delf, 682-5197.
Eugene Public Library Glitterary Word Festival
On Saturday, April 28, Eugene Public Library and the Young Writers Association (YWA) team up once
again for the annual Glitterary Word Festival. It’s a family play day for all ages at the Downtown Library,
inspired by the 2007 theme "Circus of Rain-Cirque de Pluie.” This year’s highlights:
11:00: Multimedia performance Circus Spectacular with dancers, jugglers, a storyteller, and more.
Noon: Lawson Inada, Oregon’s Poet Laureate leads a word-jumping, idea-splashing, mixed-age writing
workshop. Bring a brown bag lunch and your imagination.
1:30: Free play! Participants experiment, discover, and create with guest artists and scientists
exploring rain in many ways. Learn to juggle, write a poem based on sounds, make an artful book,
dance like the rain, and paint with water colors.
3:30: Winners of YWA’s writing contest read their works selected by Lawson Inada. The day concludes
with cake for everyone.
All events are free. The Glitterary Word Festival is funded in part by Lane Arts Council with support from
the City of Eugene Cultural Services Division. For additional information, call the Library at 682-8316, or
visit www.ywalane.org.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5
April 19, 2007