HomeMy WebLinkAbout05.11.20 City Council Work Session MinutesMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Virtual Work Session
Eugene, Oregon 97401
May 11, 2020
5:30 p.m.
Councilors Present: Betty Taylor, Emily Semple, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Claire
Syrett, Chris Pryor, Greg Evans
Mayor Vinis opened the May 11, 2020, work session of the Eugene City Council.
WORK SESSION: COVID-19 Update - Recovery
City Manager Pro Tern Sarah Medary, Planning and Development Director Denny Brand, and
Planning and Development staff Allison Camp and Amy Bradbury provided an update on the
COVID-19 recovery situation, including longer -term community recovery roles, responsibilities, and
planning process.
Council Discussion:
• Mayor Vinis - thanked staff; spoke about the positive impacts of keeping the permitting office
running for the benefit of construction.
• Councilor Clark- expressed appreciation to staff; asked about concerns about a second wave of
infections; spoke about flattening the curve, the health care system, long-term consequences of
the shutdown on the economy and other long-lasting impacts.
• Councilor Syrett - talked about the goals of the City prior to the pandemic and moving forward
with those goals; spoke of creative permitting to accommodate business reopening; asked about
mask wearing requirements and the authority of the City to require them.
• Councilor Clark - expressed appreciation to staff for their recovery efforts; talked about
creating a framework to reopen businesses quickly in order to mitigate the long-term
consequences; spoke about reopening based on facts and data rather than on fear of the
unknown in order to lessen the impacts to the economy; talked about the lower risk of
infection locally in comparison to other locations.
• Mayor Vinis - spoke about the anxiety and concerns of constituents.
• Councilor Zelenka- expressed concerns about a possible second round of COVID-19 and about
people not abiding by social distancing rules after reopening; discussed the reopening phases;
asked about face masks how enforcement could occur.
• Councilor Pryor - spoke about the issues associated with the enforcement of face mask
regulations.
• Councilor Syrett - encouraged mask wearing in indoor locations but not mandating them;
talked about untested, unreported, and asymptomatic cases of COVID19 in the area.
• Councilor Clark- spoke about the number of people tested and not tested; opposed extension of
the emergency declaration and encouraged more testing capability.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Semple, seconded by Councilor Yeh, moved to support
the City Manager Pro Tern in extending the City's Emergency Declaration by an
additional two weeks. PASSED: 7:1, Councilor Clark opposed.
MINUTES - Eugene City Council May 11, 2020 Page 1
Work Session
2. WORK SESSION: Review of 2019 Implementation of Bond Measure to Fix Streets and 2020
Pavement Management Report
Principle Civil Engineer Katie Marwitz presented the 2019 Implementation of Bond Measure to Fix
Streets and 2020 Pavement Management Report, including information about 2019 projects, and
projected 2020 construction projects.
Council Discussion:
• Councilor Clark - thanked staff; asked hypothetically about the rate at which local streets
deteriorate compared to other city's streets; talked about the downgrading of the street
congestion classification and the impacts of that decision.
• Councilor Pryor - discussed the backlog and yearly maintenance issues; spoke about the use of
bond monies.
• Councilor Zelenka - talked about the road bond fund and the transparency of its use; thanked
the committee and staff for the work being done; spoke about impacts of heavy truck usage on
residential streets; desired more projects being completed on an accelerated schedule.
• Councilor Semple - expressed thanks about the use of warm mix asphalt for sustainability;
asked about bicycle projects.
• Councilor Clark - discussed the need to fund road construction and yearly maintenance; asked
how Eugene's usage of roads and funds needed for maintenance compares to other cities.
• Councilor Zelenka - spoke about capital and maintenance funds used for addressing backlog
issues; asked about the use of concrete versus asphalt on projects
• Councilor Pryor - talked about other local cities with the same backlog issues.
The meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
,Beall IkUA
Beth Forrest
City Recorder
(Recorded by Carolyn Dimick-Kronberger)
Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting here.
MINUTES - Eugene City Council May 11, 2020 Page 2
Work Session