HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Newsletter - 12/24/08
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
December 24, 2008
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
ALPINE ADVENTURES OFFERS ADAPTIVE SKI PROGRAM
JAZZ AND MANGA FOR FIRST FRIDAY AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
SECOND ROUND OF LEAF COLLECTION RESCHEDULED FOLLOWING WINTER STORM
COMMUNITY OUTREACH CONVEYS HARMFUL EFFECTS OF FEEDING WATERFOWL
STATE REVISES BOTTLE BILL AND ELECTRONICS RECYCLING
AROUND THE CITY
Alpine Adventures Offers Adaptive Ski Program
Recreation Service’s Outdoor Program is again offering Alpine Adventures, the region’s
premier downhill skiing program for children and adults with physical disabilities. Individuals
with any level of skiing experience may participate in the program, which is held on Fridays,
January 16 through March 13. Participants register for a three-week session, which includes
adapted ski equipment, transportation to the Hoodoo or Willamette Pass Ski Area, a lift
ticket, instruction, volunteer support throughout the day, and more fun than imaginable! For
more information, contact Kellie Nemke at 682-6324.
Jazz and Manga for First Friday at Eugene Public Library
John Powell will perform traditional jazz standards on piano and vocals at the Downtown Library on First Friday,
January 2, 5:30 p.m. A longtime Eugene musician and entertainer, Powell is well known for his work with The
Valley Boys, The Cheeseburgers, The Ron Lloyd Band, and Wheatfield. For this performance
he returns to his roots, mixing smooth styling from the big bands and classic crooners with
contemporary music gathered over the years. At 6:30 p.m., Marianne Walker will present a
multimedia talk on the history of manga and anime. See where this visual style comes from,
where it's going, and why it's sweeping the globe. Walker is a professional illustrator, instructor,
and product specialist for Copic Markers. Admission is free. For more information, contact the
Eugene Public Library at 682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
Second Round of Leaf Collection Rescheduled Following Winter Storm
The second and final round of leaf collection in Eugene is now scheduled to begin Wednesday, December 31, in
west Eugene. The collection schedule was pushed back more than a week as leaf program crews were reassigned
to emergency snow and ice duties following a major winter storm the week of December 15. The storm continues
to have lingering effects on street maintenance operations. Currently,
three of the City’s four street sweepers are concentrating on picking up
the remainder of the more than 1,000 cubic yards of sand spread on the
streets for traction during the storm. This means that for the next several
weeks the sweepers will not be following close behind the leaf collection
crews, which will likely mean some leaf debris remains on the streets
until the sweepers can catch up. The final schedule for the second round
of leaf collection is still being worked out. Collection areas will be in the
following order: west Eugene, central Eugene, north Eugene, southeast
Eugene, and southwest Eugene. The second round of leaf collection
includes unimproved streets, which typically do not have curbs, gutters
and sidewalks. During the first round of collection, Public Works crews
concentrate on improved streets to ensure that major routes and bike
Leaf crews and equipment were reassigned to ice-snow
lanes are kept clean. After a street has been picked up in the second
duty during the storm
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
December 23, 2008
round, no more leaves are allowed to be piled in the street. As always, property owners who choose to place
leaves in the street are responsible for keeping bike lanes open and passable, catch basins clear, and sticks,
branches and other debris out of leaf piles.
Each year, the Eugene Public Works Department collects more than 15,000 cubic yards of leaves in an effort to
keep leaves from plugging the storm drainage system and degrading water quality in local streams. The following
are some tips for managing leaves:
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Pile leaves well away from catch basins. If a catch basin plugs, scrape the leaves away from the grate. Be
careful working in standing water.
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Consider using leaves as compost or mulch rather than piling them in the street.
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Remove leaves from sidewalks. Wet, slippery leaves are a hazard to pedestrians.
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Avoid putting leaves in bike lanes. Leaf piles that obstruct bike lanes are a hazard to cyclists.
For more information, contact Public Works Maintenance Supervisor, Damon Joyner, at 541-682-4835.
Information is also available on the leaf program hotline at 682-5383, or on the web at www.eugene-or.gov/leaf.
Community Outreach Conveys Harmful Effects of Feeding Waterfowl
Over 60 Canada and domestic white geese have taken up year-round residency in Alton Baker Park, in part due to
people feeding these birds throughout the year. Although feeding and interacting with waterfowl has been an
enjoyable activity for local residents over the years, many do not realize it can cause environmental degradation,
long-term health problems for these animals, and potential health risks to
humans. An easily visible and common health problem for the waterfowl
in Eugene parks is called “angel wing,” a deformity in young birds which is
acquired as a result of a diet high in carbohydrates. Food sources such as
bread bring on the condition, causing their wings to twist outward,
rendering them flightless. Feeding waterfowl also discourages their natural
behavior, leading to high concentrations that cause costly environmental
damage and make the park less enjoyable for many community members.
In addition, bird droppings in a concentrated area can create high levels of
bacteria and parasites in water, which can harm fish populations and pose
a risk to human health. The City of Eugene Parks and Open Space
Division has begun an education program to help community members
learn more about the impacts of feeding waterfowl and to encourage them
Goose with “angel wing”
to enjoy these animals from a distance. This education effort includes new interpretive signage in Alton Baker
Park, a recent overview of the issue in Eugene Outdoors, and planned media outreach in the spring of 2009. In
December, the program was also covered by the Register-Guard, Associated Press, and Seattle Times. For more
information, contact Turf and Grounds Supervisor, Rob Hallett at 682-4935 or rob.hallett@ci.eugene.or.us .
State Revises Bottle Bill and Electronics Recycling
Bottle Bill --
Under the Oregon Bottle Bill, people pay a 5-cent container deposit when they buy beer and soft
drinks and can return the containers to obtain the 5-cent refund for each container returned. The law has been
successful and popular, with high recycling rates and reduced litter, but higher costs for grocers. The 2007
Legislature added a 5-cent refund value to water and flavored water containers, effective January 1. For
information, visit the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality website at
http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/sw/bottlebill/index.htm.
E-cycles –
Electronics recycling will become a lot easier in Lane County due to a new statewide “E-Cycles”
program resulting from the 2007 Oregon Electronics Recycling Law. As of January 1, any Oregonian can recycle
seven or fewer of the following items at no charge: computers and monitors, laptops and televisions. All cities,
with a population larger than 10,000, are required to provide access to free recycling. Locally, this new opportunity
will be in effect at two businesses, Next Step Recycling and Goodwill of Lane County, as well as at Lane County’s
Glenwood Transfer Station. Oregonians can learn more about Oregon E-Cycles and how it works through a new
web site, www.oregonecycles.org, or by calling the toll-free hotline, 1-800-5-ECYCLE (1-800-532-9253). Site users
will be able to find the nearest recycling/collection site to drop off unwanted items. For more information on either
program contact Solid Waste and Green Building Program Manager, Ethan Nelson, at
ethan.a.nelson@ci.eugene.or.us or by calling 682-5224.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
December 23, 2008