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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Newsletter - 08/18/05 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER August 18, 2005 City of Eugene 777 Pearl Street, Room 105 Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793 (541) 682-5010 (541) 682-5414 (FAX) www.ci.eugene.or.us IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION STAFF CHANGES IN THE CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE MAYOR AND MANAGER JOIN IN HONORING EUGENE VOLUNTEERS AT ANNUAL CELEBRATION STAKEHOLDERS CONVENE TO STUDY IMPROVEMENTS TO RIVER AVENUE SUMMER READING IS HOT AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY WEST UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORS INVITED TO COMMENT ON PARK PROPOSAL RECREATION SERVICES 2ND ANNUAL WHITEAKER NEIGHBORHOOD RIVER FESTIVAL NEW PARKING LOT AND TRAILHEAD IMPROVEMENTS COMPLETED AT NORTH DELTA PONDS C-SPAN SCHOOL BUS VISIT HIGHLIGHTS PUBLIC ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT ‘RIPARIAN REDEEMERS’ FROM FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH TAKE PRIDE IN AMERICA AROUND THE CITY Staff Changes in the City Manager’s Office Kris Aanderud, the administrative assistant in the City Recorder’s Office (CRO), has taken a 4-month temporary assignment in Public Works Maintenance Division. As a result, Sandra Stubbs, the friendly face at the City Manager’s Office (CMO) front desk, is temporarily filling the vacancy in the CRO. Sandra’s duties will include CMO contract administration, tracking deeds and recordings, assistance with the archives facility, assistance in the upcoming November special election and, of course, a variety of other duties. We are all very happy that Sandra was interested and is enjoying her new career development placement. With the temporary vacancy created by Sandra’s opportunity, there is a new voice and face greeting the public. CMO has hired a temporary employee, Vicki Cox, to staff the front desk. Vicki and her family recently returned home to Eugene after 20 years in Georgia. She previously worked as a receptionist and general office manager in a flooring company there. Please stop in and say hello to Vicki and wish Sandra well in her new role! For further information, please contact, Mary Feldman, City Recorder’s Office, 682-8353. Mayor and Manager Join in Honoring Eugene Volunteers at Annual Celebration Last Sunday evening was a typical hot August night, but thanks to a slight breeze off the river and the cool sounds of a live band, Alton Baker Park was the place to be during the fourth annual City of Eugene Volunteer Celebration. Staff and elected officials gathered to honor volunteers and guests with a barbeque dinner, raffle prizes, live music by the local band The Project, and a KidZone complete with a lively clown and face painting. In their welcoming addresses both Mayor Piercy and City Manager Dennis Taylor remarked on their own enriching experiences with volunteerism over the years and their respect and admiration for those who give EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 August 30, 2005 their time so selflessly to the community. Volunteer participation has grown 24% over the last year, with almost 8,000 volunteers donating a record 95,000 hours. The support, stewardship, and advocacy gained through volunteerism are an integral and vital part of the quality services the City provides to the community, now more than ever. For many volunteers, giving back to their community provides a sense of purpose, an opportunity to stay active, and meaningful interactions with their neighbors. At this celebration one volunteer commented, “what else am I going to do with my free time, sit and watch TV?” Volunteer program coordinators throughout the organization are working hard to harness and mobilize this kind of energy effectively. The coordinators are proud of their volunteers and were honored to spend an evening enjoying their camaraderie. A volunteer brochure is available in the City Manager’s Office with more information about programs throughout the organization. For more information about the annual volunteer celebration, contact Carrie Peterson, Park Development Coordinator, at 682-4907. Stakeholders Convene to Study Improvements to River Avenue Representatives of various groups with a stake in the design of improvements to River Avenue will hold their initial meeting on Wednesday, August 24, at 7 p.m., at the regional Water Pollution Control Facility (treatment plant) at 410 River Avenue. Members of the stakeholder group are Gordon B. Howard, Clayton Austin, Greg Austin, Chuck Meeker, Paul Spain, and Daniel M. Hill, all representing property owners; Krista Rojas and Teresa Damron from the River Road Community Organization; Ann Vaughn and Mort Hyman from the Santa Clara Community Organization; and Yuri Samer of the Eugene Bicycle Coalition. City Public Works staff members Michelle Cahill and Chris Henry also will sit on the stakeholders panel. Paul Hoobyar, who works with David Reed on the River Road-Santa Clara transition team, will serve as facilitator in the process being used to look at design options and search for a preferred alternative. More information can be found on the City’s web site under Public Works/Projects/River Avenue, or by calling Michelle Cahill, Principal Engineer, at 682-6855. Summer Reading is HOT at Eugene Public Library Eugene Public Library’s (EPL) Summer Reading for All Ages program broke records this year, with more than 3200 kids and teens participating—an increase of more than 1000 over last year’s total! Also, in its first year, Summer Reading for Adults drew more than 500 participants and collected over 1200 book reviews. Summer Reading programs for youth are fun and much more. Research shows that for school-aged children, participation keeps reading skills up while school’s out. (In addition to the programs for school-aged kids, over 1150 young children, ages 5 and under, took part in the summer “read to me” program, including the annual Teddy Bear Picnic.) More than 1700 elementary-age kids signed up for Summer Reading, inspired by the theme Dragons, Dreams, and Daring Deeds. Creative workshops with activities spanning the globe attracted 900 kids to the Downtown Library, and Bethel and Sheldon branches. Kids also set goals, including telling Library staff about books they read. More than 500 of these one-on-one chats gave kids the chance to learn how to discuss books and choose what to read next. The program’s finale was a huge swim party in the “Castle Moat” (Amazon Pool)! More than 320 middle and high school youth enthusiastically took the challenge to Joust Read, with nearly 240 attending workshops—twice as many as last year! Teens explored new skills and activities ranging from storytelling and book discussions to speed chess and a make-your-own-catapult contest. Says Mary Ginnane, EPL Youth Services Manager, “We’re thrilled that thousands of local kids used and EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 August 30, 2005 improved their reading skills this summer, and everyone had a lot of fun, too!” Ginnane expressed appreciation for EPL’s collaborators on Summer Reading activities including the staff of the University of Oregon Youth Enrichment and Talented and Gifted Programs; the many volunteers who helped; and the Eugene Education Association, which provided additional support to put brand new, free books in young readers’ hands. Summer Reading for Adults debuted this year as part of EPL’s centennial celebration. EPL created special book lists recommending 100 titles in categories such as mysteries and Oregon authors. Many adults reported reading “outside their genre” this summer, finding suggestions in the book lists, NoveList electronic database, and reader’s advisory conversations with EPL staff. Adults who read and briefly reviewed three books received coupons for a free coffee at the Downtown Library’s Novella Café. EPL Adult Services Librarian Lila Ekstrom reports that she is “impressed—but not surprised—by the high quality of these thoughtful, informative reviews, which we’ll share with the public this fall and winter.” EPL Director Connie Bennett congratulated Library staff and volunteers on a “terrific job,” and expressed “great appreciation for the support of the Friends of the Library and the Eugene Public Library Foundation, which helps bring these rewarding programs to the community.” For more information, contact Connie Bennett at 682-5450. West University Neighbors Invited to Comment on Park Proposal On Thursday, August 25, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., West University neighbors are invited to discuss a proposal to reconfigure and reopen West University Park. Adjacent property owners have offered a property exchange that would change the shape of the park. The City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Division is seeking input from all neighborhood residents and business owners to evaluate the proposal, which has received endorsement by the West University Neighbors association board. West University Park was closed in 1995 due to severe problems with negative use. Since that time, the park has remained closed, and a range of other efforts have been made to improve public safety in the area. The th meeting will be held in West University Park, located at 650 E. 14 Avenue. For more information or to give input, contact park planner Robin Hostick at 682-4915 or robin.a.hostick@ci.eugene.or.us, or visit the park’s webpage at www.ci.eugene.or.us/PARKS/brewer. Recreation Services’ 2nd Annual Whiteaker Neighborhood River Festival Over 600 frolickers gathered at River House Eddy on the banks of the Willamette River to enjoy this summer’s Whiteaker Neighborhood River Festival. Free hot dogs and lemonade provided fuel to participants on this fun-filled afternoon. Families enjoyed a variety of recreation activities including summertime storytelling by Eugene Public Library staff, Tai Chi demonstrated by Suman, and a family drumming circle led by Hands On Drumming which concluded the event. Centro LatinoAmericano, a new participant this year, contributed volunteers and the Public Works Stormwater Management Program hosted an information booth. The festival’s main attractions occurred in and around the water. The River House offered a demonstration of its river kayaks and canoes, and squeals of joy were heard up and down the Willamette River when a giant Slip’n’Slide was unveiled and kids of all ages took turns sloshing down the slippery slope. This activity was so much fun that Channel 9 weatherman John Fisher couldn’t resist a cooling slide during his weather forecast. The response from attendees about the festivities was overwhelmingly positive and the Outdoor Program and Centro staff received many thanks and encouragement to continue this annual affair. For more information, contact Youth and Family Services Program Manager Craig Smith at 682-6340. New Parking Lot and Trailhead Improvements Completed at North Delta Ponds Last month, crews substantially completed construction of a parking lot and trailhead servicing Delta Ponds. Located off Goodpasture Island Road at the northern end of the pond complex, the 10-car EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 August 30, 2005 parking lot provides access to a planned loop trail system around the ponds. The parking lot was built by Delta Construction under a contract designed and managed by the Public Works Engineering and Parks and Open Space divisions. Te current trail was built with volunteer labor from area Rotary Clubs. Currently, 1,800 linear feet of path have been constructed between Goodpasture Island Road and Debrick Slough. This is the first leg of a looped path that eventually will encompass 1.3 miles of trail, interpretive signage, and view points. A boardwalk leading down to the water’s edge also will be completed in the future. The future trail will be constructed in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers, who are co-sponsoring a habitat enhancement project and associated recreation improvements. The trail and parking lot were funded in part by a grant from the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and through a land donation from Renata and John Tilson. The trailhead improvements also include bike racks, a drinking fountain, portable restrooms, and benches. For more information, contact Parks planner Carolyn Weiss at 682-4914. C-SPAN School Bus Visit Highlights Public Access to Government The C-SPAN School Bus continued on its trek around the country to highlight C-SPAN's mission of providing public access to unfiltered government information. In welcoming the 45-foot TV production bus to the Eugene Public Library, Mayor Kitty Piercy said, "Democracy does not work without effective participation and that requires access to, and the exchange of, information. On a national level, the C-SPAN networks provide the kind of information that makes effective participation possible." On the local level, City Manager Taylor noted that LCOG's Metro-TV on cable channel 21 provides C-SPAN-style broadcasts and replays of public meetings including the Eugene City Council. Taylor said the City of Eugene's new portal website at www.eugene-or.gov is another example of the City's commitment to open government and enhanced access to public information. The new website provides convenient access to the City’s full range of public documents and web-based information including the City Code, City Council meeting minutes and full agenda materials, proposed and adopted budgets, public meetings calendar, and local officials' background and contact information. The website also allows users to conduct an increasing range of transactions on-line, including registering for recreation programs, paying parking tickets, and researching neighborhood crime data, all at their own convenience. Along with Lane County Commissioners Anna Morrison and Faye Stewart, Piercy and Taylor got a close- up look at the high-tech vehicle's TV production capabilities. Interested community members toured the bus, receiving an overview of C-SPAN programming and tips on critical viewing techniques. For more information, contact Jan Bohman, City Manager's Office, 682-5587. ‘Riparian Redeemers’ from First United Methodist Church Take Pride in America On Saturday, August 20, Eugene Stream Team and the First United Methodist Church Creation Care Committee’s “Riparian Redeemers” will team up for a “Take Pride in America” event by removing invasive species from a gallery forest in the West Eugene Wetlands. The event begins at 9 a.m. near the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Wallis Street in west Eugene. Mayor Kitty Piercy will join the group to thank them for their continued hard work, which embodies the EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 August 30, 2005 spirit of “Take Pride in America,” a national partnership established by the U.S. Department of the Interior that aims to engage, support and recognize volunteers who work to improve public parks, forests, grasslands, wildlife refuges, cultural and historical sites, local playgrounds and other recreation areas. Early in 2004 members of the First United Methodist Church’s Creation Care Committee contacted the Eugene Stream Team about adopting a wetland site. They took their adoption of a natural area more seriously than most, taking the time to tour several potential sites and evaluate them carefully. Access and proximity to water were important considerations. The “Riparian Redeemers” at plant nursery last winter group chose Stewart Woods and Grimes Pond, land that is owned by the BLM and managed by the City of Eugene under the West Eugene Wetlands partnership. Stream Team conducted two well-attended tours of the site. Information and ideas were free flowing about the ecology and needs of the site. “Our purpose for adopting this site is to experience a deep sense of place within the natural world and come to understand our intimate connection with it,” says Patty Hine, chair of the church’s “Riparian Redeemers.” “It is work that enlightens and delights the worker, while caring for a beloved place in our community.” Their work parties began in the ash grove, known as a gallery forest, just over a year ago and have occurred nearly every month since then. Working in all kinds of weather, they tackled the thorny job of removing blackberries and thistles, followed by the planting of small forbs and bulbs along the path that transects the forest. In between their work parties at the ash grove, they took up hammers and drills to build raised beds at the new Native Plant Nursery in Alton Baker Park. Last winter, cuttings were taken from Stewart Woods for propagation at the nursery, and seeds were planted for small understory flowers. The group invited Kathleen Dean Moore, a nature writer and professor of philosophy at Oregon State University, to join them for an inspirational gathering of meditation, poetry and song in the woods at twilight. his summer, in order to explore and appreciate other types of wetlands, the group took a tour of the Nature Conservancy’s land at Willow Creek led by Stream Team and the Audubon Society. “The work the First United Methodist Church is doing is a real contribution to the West Eugene Wetlands and we can’t thank them enough for their level of commitment and the sweat equity they have already invested,” says Stream Team Coordinator Lorna Baldwin. For more information, contact Baldwin at 682-4850. THIS WEEK NEXT WEEK 08/30 T 5:00pm KP Mayor’s One-on-One Market of Choice (Franklin Blvd.) COUNCIL BREAK - AUGUST 11 - SEPTEMBER 11 UPCOMING September------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 09/05 M Labor Day Holiday - City Offices Closed 09/08 Th 5:30pm BB,AO Police Commission McNutt Room EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 August 30, 2005 09/12 M 5:30pm All Council Dinner Work Session McNutt Room 09/12 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 09/14 W 5:30pm All Council Process Session Bascom-Tykeson Rms. 09/20 T 6:00pm DK Human Rights Commission McNutt Room 09/21 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room 09/26 M 5:30pm All Council Dinner Work Session McNutt Room 09/26 M 7:30pm All Council Meeting Council Chamber 09/28 W Noon All Council Lunch Work Session McNutt Room ** Denotes changes or additions to calendar UNAVAILABLE FOR CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS Kelly: August 18 - 22; September 1 - 4 Taylor: September 22 - 26 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 6 August 30, 2005