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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2C: Ratification of IGR Actions ECC UGENE ITY OUNCIL AIS GENDA TEM UMMARY Ratification of Intergovernmental Relations Committee Actions of October 22, 2008 Meeting Date: November 24, 2008 Agenda Item Number: 2C Department: City Manager’s Office Staff Contact: Brenda Wilson www.eugene-or.gov Contact Telephone Number: 682-8441 ISSUE STATEMENT This is an action item to ratify the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Committee meeting of October 22, 2008. BACKGROUND As a matter of procedure, the City Council is routinely asked to ratify the actions taken by the Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) Committee. This is done by submitting the minutes of each committee meeting to the council. RELATED CITY POLICIES Ratification of IGR Committee actions is the making or affirming of the City of Eugene’s policy with respect to Federal and State legislative issues or such other matters as may come to the council from the committee. COUNCIL OPTIONS The council may ratify or decline to ratify the IGR Committee’s actions as set forth in the minutes of the committee's meeting. CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION The City Manager recommends ratification of the IGR Committee's actions as set forth in the minutes of the committee's meeting. SUGGESTED MOTION Move to ratify the IGR Committee's actions as set forth in the minutes of the October 22, 2008, IGR meeting. ATTACHMENTS A. IGR Committee Minutes of October 22, 2008 Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M081124\S0811242C.doc FOR MORE INFORMATION Staff Contact: Brenda Wilson Telephone: 682-8441 Staff E-Mail: brenda.s.wilson@ci.eugene.or.us Z:\CMO\2008 Council Agendas\M081124\S0811242C.doc ATTACHMENT A M I N U T E S Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations McNutt Room—Eugene City Hall 777 Pearl Street—Eugene, Oregon October 22, 2008 1:30 p.m. PRESENT: Betty Taylor, Chair; Andrea Ortiz, George Poling, members; Brenda Wilson, Jessica Mumme, City Manager's Office; Trevor Taylor, Parks and Open Space. 1. Call to Order and Review Agenda Ms. Taylor called the meeting of the Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations (CCIGR) to order. Ms. Wilson asked the committee to revise the agenda by adding discussion and possible approval of a grant application to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and possible approval of a letter of support for a federal funding request for Clear Lake. She asked that the committee delete item IV, SAFTEA-LU Policies Discussion pending discussion with staff from Representative Peter DeFazio’s Office. 2. Approval of Minutes Ms. Ortiz, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to approve the minutes of September 24, 2008. The motion passed unanimously. 3. National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Grant Mr. Taylor was present to discuss a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant for the West Eugene Wetlands. He indicated that the grant was focused on habitat restoration for endangered plant species. The City would accept the grant on behalf of the West Eugene Wetlands Partnership, and members of the partnership would use the grant proceeds for various projects. Mr. Taylor noted that the foundation had contacted the partnership about the potential of submitting an application. He requested permission to move forward with the grant application. Ms. Ortiz, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to support the grant application to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on behalf of the West Eugene Wetlands Partnership. The mo- tion passed unanimously. Mr. Taylor said he would let the committee know if the application was successful. MINUTES—Council Committee on Intergovernmental October 22, 2008 Page 1 Relations 4. Approval of Legislative Policies Document Ms. Ortiz, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to approve the Legislative Policies Document. The motion passed unanimously. 5. SAFTEA-LU Policies Discussion The Council Committee on Intergovernmental Relations agreed to postpone This item was deferred. the discussion on this item until staff has completed discussions with the federal lobbyist and the federal priority partners about the reauthorization bill given that Mr. DeFazio will speak later in the week to the Oregon Transportation Committee on the reauthorization bill. 6. Oregonians for Working Families Ms. Wilson reported that the association Oregonians for Working Families planned to submit a concept to the State legislature to increase the State Earned Income Tax Credit supplement granted to low- and moderate-income families living at the poverty level. Twenty-four states, including Oregon, supplemented the federal Earned Income Tax Credit. However, Oregon’s credit was among the lowest of the states supplementing credits. Ms. Wilson said the association hoped to increase Oregon’s credit from 6 percent to 18 percent. She noted that the credit would benefit one in every eight Oregonians and provide recipients with an additional $485 annually. The association requested the City’s support. Ms. Ortiz, seconded by Mr. Poling, moved to endorse the increase in the State earned in- come Tax Credit. The motion passed unanimously, 3:0. 7. Field Burning Ms. Wilson reported on Governor Ted Kulongoski’s plan to propose a bill that would phase out field burning within three years. She recalled that Representative Paul Holvey introduced a bill in the last legislative session to ban field burning completely and noted that he planned to introduce another such bill in the upcoming session. Rep. Holvey had accepted an amendment to specifically exempt ecological burning in his last bill at the request of the City of Eugene but was unwilling to accept a similar amendment for the upcoming session’s bill due to concerns regarding how political the issue was. Rep. Holvey noted he had not been aware that the City took advantage of its ecological burning to provide its fire fighters with training in fighting wild lands fires. He had indicated he would have his bill drafted so as to not specifically exclude ecological field burning. Ms. Wilson requested committee direction in regard to the two bills she anticipated would be introduced. Responding to a question from Mr. Poling, Ms. Wilson confirmed that the governor’s phase out bill would probably include an exemption for ecological burning. Rep. Holvey would not specifically exclude ecological burns in his bill. Mr. Poling supported the governor’s phase out proposal with the guarantee Eugene had the governor’s MINUTES—Council Committee on Intergovernmental October 22, 2008 Page 2 Relations support for ecological burning. He preferred that bill over Rep. Holvey’s bill, which he characterized as a “knee-jerk” legislation responding to a hot button issue with insufficient research into the ramifications of the approach embodied in the proposal. Ms. Taylor preferred Rep. Holvey’s proposal because of its immediate impact. She said the community had been dealing with the issue of field burning for a long time. The governor’s proposal would allow field burning to go on for three years, which was a health hazard for many in the community. Ms. Ortiz wanted to support Rep. Holvey’s bill but was concerned about its impact on Eugene’s ecological burning. She determined from Ms. Wilson that Rep. Holvey thought his bill could be worded in a way that did not specifically point out ecological burning, so it was not excluded. Ms. Ortiz suggested that the issue be deferred to the full council for action. She supported both Rep. Holvey’s bill and the governor’s proposal. She liked the more immediate impact of Rep. Holvey’s bill. She agreed with Ms. Taylor that the community had been dealing with the issue a long time. Mr. Poling wanted any legislation to exclude ecological burning and was concerned that Rep. Holvey was unwilling to be specific about the issue. Ms. Wilson determined that Ms. Taylor supported the governor’s phase out plan if Rep. Holvey’s bill did not pass. Ms. Wilson indicated that she did not think Rep. Holvey’s bill would pass. She determined that the committee supported the governor’s concept. If Rep. Holvey was willing to include an exemption for ecological burning, Mr. Poling indicated he would be willing to reconsider Rep. Holvey’s bill. 8. Clear Lake Letter of Support Ms. Wilson said that Lane County was seeking support for Linn County’s request for federal funding to replace a single-walled 1,000 diesel tank located 200 yards off Clear Lake. Clear Lake is located at the headwaters of the McKenzie River, which provides drinking water to over 200,000 Lane County residents. She said the two counties were requesting a letter of support from the City of Eugene. Mr. Poling, seconded by Ms. Ortiz, moved to write a letter of support on behalf of Lane and Linn counties. 9. Items from Members and Staff Ms. Wilson asked the committee to begin to think about the beginning of the next legislative session, which will begin on January 12. She stated that the committee will need to meet weekly until the session adjourned. She asked the committee to consider the best day of the week and time of day to meet. The committee tentatively scheduled its next meetings for November 5 and December 3. Ms. Taylor adjourned the meeting at 2 p.m. (Recorded by Kimberly Young) MINUTES—Council Committee on Intergovernmental October 22, 2008 Page 3 Relations