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Home My WebLink AboutCity Council Newsletter - 07/12/07 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER July 12, 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 COUNCILORS INVITED TO ENJOY ‘BREAKFAST AT THE BRIDGES’ THIS FRIDAY HOT WEATHER INCREASES FIRE AND WATER RECREATION DANGERS TEMPORARY MOVE OF THE HULT CENTER TICKET OFFICE HORIZON AIR INCREASING SERVICE AT EUGENE AIRPORT FY08 COMMUNICATIONS GRANTS AVAILABLE TO AGENCIES FOR EVENT ADVERTISING HOME CHILD CARE PROVIDERS: JOIN EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY’S STORYTIME EXPRESS EUGENE FIRE & EMS LATERAL RECRUIT FIRE ACADEMY CLASS 9 NEW PEDIATRIC KITS FOR FIRE & EMS MEDIC UNITS EUGENE RECREATION SERVICES GEARS UP FOR TWO POPULAR SUMMER EVENTS FREE WIFI NETWORK EXPANDED TO AMAZON SWIMMING POOL AROUND THE CITY Councilors Invited to Enjoy ‘Breakfast at the Bridges’ This Friday On Friday, July 13, city councilors are invited to take part in “Breakfast at the Bridges,” a free July-In-Motion event designed to encourage commuting by biking, walking, skating, or using any other non-motorized transportation. July-In-Motion community partners will be at four locations on different bike bridges throughout Eugene, serving free coffee and bagels and offering free bike safety checks and opportunities to win prizes, including bike safety gear. REI and the Eugene Bicycle Coalition will be at the Autzen Bridge (south side); WheelWorks and the Greater Eugene Area Riders (GEARS) will be at the Blue th Heron Bridge (behind Albertsons on 18); Burley Design and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance will be at the Greenway Bridge (south side); and Commuter Solutions and Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life will be at the Ferry Street/DeFazio Bridge (southeast side). The coffee and bagels are being provided by Full City Coffee Roasters and BagelSphere. July-In-Motion is a month-long series of activities geared toward non-motorized transportation options including bike rides for riders of varying skill level, walking tours, and other fun events culminating with the grand finale, the People Powered Festival. Rides, walks, and activities are coordinated by leaders from local clubs such as GEARs, Walk-With-Me, Eugene Bicycle Coalition, and other community groups. A complete calendar of July-In-Motion events can be viewed by going to www.eugene- or.gov/julyinmotion. For more information, contact Transportation Options Coordinator Cindy Clarke at 682-5285 or cindy.j.clarke@ci.eugene.or.us. Hot Weather Increases Fire and Water Recreation Dangers The summer heat is starting to dry out the grass and brush in the Willamette Valley, and Eugene Fire & EMS Department crews have responded to a significant increase in grass and vegetation fires this past week. With thunder storms forecast for later this week, there will be an increased risk for lightening strikes that can cause multiple fires with little or no rainfall. Fire crews have been drilling and training for wildland interface response over the past few months. Additionally, strong mutual and automatic aid agreements are in place with neighboring emergency response agencies to assist with incidents in EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 July 12, 2007 Eugene’s fire contract areas that border the urban growth boundaries. The hot weather also brings an increase in river recreation. Eugene Fire & EMS crews make daily observations of the water levels in the Willamette River so the best access can be determined for any given section of the river in case a rescue needs to be made. Once the river level goes below 10’ (it has been between 9.4 and 9.5 the last few days), crews will attempt to approach rescues by heading upstream and taking the personal watercraft or boats out of the river at the next boat ramp upstream. For more information, please contact Deputy Chief Shift Operations Joe Zaludek at 682-7130. Temporary Move of the Hult Center Ticket Office This summer, the Hult Center for the Performing Arts is engaged in a number of repair and maintenance activities including a major Ticket Office remodel. The remodel will address long-time heating and ventilation issues and enlarge the active workspace. Effective Tuesday, July 17, Ticket Office operations will be housed in a temporary modular building located on the Hult Center Plaza between the Hilton Hotel and the Hult Center. All ticket sales, will-call and night-of-show- activities will be available at the modular building. The hours of operation remain unchanged. The temporary location is wheelchair accessible. The project is estimated to be completed by Saturday, September 22, a week prior to the festivities planned for the Hult Center’s 25 anniversary—Celebrating Hult25. For further information, please contact Hult Center Ticket Services Manager Marcia James Gluz at 682-2859. Horizon Air Increasing Service at Eugene Airport Horizon Air has announced a 35 percent increase in available seats at the Eugene Airport, starting September 9. The increased service will affect several markets this fall by adding more flights or replacing smaller aircraft. Horizon will provide service via a combination of 76-seat Q400 turboprops, 70-seat CRJ-700 jets and 37-seat Q200 turboprops. In Eugene, a fourth daily Q200 flight to and from Portland will be added. Additionally, the current four Q200 flights and one Q400 flight to and from Seattle will change to four daily Q400 flights. “This is great news for passengers utilizing the Eugene Airport,” said Eugene Airport Manager Tim Doll. “Horizon Air’s expanded service represents a much needed increase in capacity to Portland, Seattle and connecting flights.” Company officials with Horizon Air say the additional flights and seat capacity will enable Horizon to better meet travel demand throughout its system, as well as offer more connections to Alaska Airlines and other travel partners. For more information, contact Cathryn Stephens, Eugene Airport director of marketing and public relations, at 682-5430. Eugene Fire & EMS Lateral Recruit Fire Academy Class 9 The Eugene Lateral Recruit Fire Academy Class 9 is underway. The Eugene Fire & EMS Department has eight Firefighter/Paramedic recruits who will attend a seven week fire and emergency medical services academy that will confirm basic skills, further develop advanced skills and orient the recruits to the department’s specific policies, procedures and equipment. This is the first lateral recruit class that the Eugene Fire & EMS Department has hired, and the quality and experience of the applicants is extremely impressive. For more information, please contact Deputy Chief Shift Operations Joe Zaludek at 682-7130. FY08 Communications Grants Available to Agencies for Event Advertising The Fiscal Year 08 application process is open for communications grants to help fund cable television EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 July 12, 2007 advertising of Eugene community events that are most consistent with established City goals. Cable television event advertising that is paid for between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008, qualifies for the application process, which is competitive as the funding is limited. Event organizers may apply for up to $1,000 in grant funds per advertised event. Funds will be awarded to Eugene events that best address four City goals: ? Neighborhood initiatives ? Strengthen and promote community "arts and outdoors" assets ? Enhance understanding of race issues and improve community relationships ? Strategies to help the homeless in Eugene Applications are available online at www.eugene-or.gov (>Departments>Central Services Department > Telecommunications), or by calling 682-5590. The application deadline is 5:00 p.m., July 31, 2007. Award recipients will be informed in August. Funding for the advertising grant program comes from the City’s telecommunications tax which is dedicated to cable and telecommunications technology-oriented uses that benefit the community. For more information, contact Pam Berrian, franchise manager, at 682-5590. Home Child Care Providers: Join Eugene Public Library's Storytime Express Each year, the Eugene Public Library's Storytime Express visits a new route of local home daycare settings. Providers can apply now for limited openings to receive the free service starting this fall. Storytime Express daycare settings get eight monthly visits by Library staff, providing lively storytime programs for the children, plus training for the child care providers. Storytime Express programs include engaging stories, songs, action rhymes, and finger plays. Library staff also deliver and pick-up library books, including picture books for the kids and professional development books for the providers. Participating home daycare programs must be located within the city of Eugene and serve a minimum of five children, at least three of whom are not the providers' own. All visits are scheduled for Wednesday mornings. "Storytime Express is a great way for early childhood educators to learn new ideas for sharing language skills and the joy of reading," says Youth Services Librarian Debra Bogart. Previous participants report: “If you could give your daycare one gift this year, make it Storytime Express and open up the joyful world of books.” “I love the program because it got the kids and myself excited about reading books again.” “We have an extensive library, but with this fresh outlook the children receive a bright perspective that lasts, I believe, a lifetime.” For more information about Storytime Express, or to apply, visit the Downtown Library or call the Eugene Public Library at 682-8316. Eugene Recreation Services Gears Up for Two Popular Summer Events Among dozens of summer activities, Eugene Recreation will present two popular, free, family events next week. Hundreds of children, parents and grandparents are expected to attend the annual Touch-a-Truck event on Wednesday. Then on Friday, the Outdoor Program will host the second of the division’s major community festivals: the Whiteaker Neighborhood River Festival. When the big trucks come back to Petersen Barn Community Center from 5:00-7:30 p.m. on July 18, children will have the chance to get into the cab of a fire engine, cement truck, sweeper, dump truck and more. This family event is always a favorite for the young and young at heart. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 July 12, 2007 At the Whiteaker Neighborhood River Festival on July 20, family members can try out kayaks, play on the giant slip-n-slide, pick up the beat in the family drumming area, enjoy live music by Kundana Marimba, and listen to storytelling. This annual event is held from 4:00–7:30 p.m. in Maurie Jacobs Park behind the River House at 301 Adams Street. For more information on Touch-a-Truck, call Recreation Programmer Diane Sconce at 682-5521. For the River Festival, contact Recreation Program Assistant Isaac Markehe at 682-5329. New Pediatric Kits for Fire & EMS Medic Units The Eugene Fire & EMS Department is in the process of implementing the use of a new pediatric kit using the Broselow system. The Broselow system is a color-coding system for equipment used on multiple age pediatric patients. Last month, department personnel built the first kit and received favorable reviews from emergency response personnel. The kit is filled with color-coded pouches that sort equipment according to the size and age of the patient. Between emotions and adrenalin, serious pediatric calls are some of the toughest calls to which EMS personnel respond. Time is of the essence in responding to all emergencies, and nothing is more frustrating on pediatric calls than having to sort through a bag of supplies looking for the right equipment that match the age and size of the pediatric patient being treated. These new pediatric kits will help emergency response personnel deliver the best and most efficient care possible to our pediatric population. For more information, please contact EMS Chief JoAnna Kamppi at 682-7130. Free WiFi Network Expanded to Amazon Swimming Pool It’s now possible to “surf the Web” in between dips in Amazon Pool. The City of Eugene’s free, public, wireless Internet access has been expanded to include Amazon Pool, giving residents one more reason to visit this popular, summer fun spot. Access will be available from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day the pool is open this season. The expansion is part of the City’s continuing strategy to provide WiFi in and around City facilities throughout the community. In addition to Amazon Pool, free, wireless Internet access is available at the Hult Center, Eugene Airport terminal, Downtown Library, Bethel and Sheldon library branches, McNutt Room, City Council Chamber, City Hall courtyard area, and the Park Blocks. In the coming year, City of Eugene Information Services staff will enable free public WiFi at all six City community centers and the two other City pools. The WiFi service is funded by the Telecommunications Tax Fund. For information about WiFi at Amazon Pool, contact Aquatics Manager Rich Fay, 682-6354. For information about the City’s WiFi network, contact Information Services Director Randy Kolb, 682-5070. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 July 12, 2007 COUNCIL BUSINESS EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 July 12, 2007