HomeMy WebLinkAbout200909 WSMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Virtual Work Session
Eugene, Oregon 97401
September 9, 2020
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg
Evans, Claire Syrett and Chris Pryor
Mayor Vinis opened the September 9, 2020, work session of the Eugene City Council.
1. UPDATE: Holiday Farm Fire Update
Fire Chief Chris Heppel provided an update on the progress of fighting the Holiday Farm fire and
recovery efforts.
Council Discussion:
Councilor Clark - thanked Chief Heppel, staff and firefighters; asked Chief Heppel if he
anticipates a FEMA declaration and if a declaration would make additional resources available;
inquired into the best computer app to track fires in Oregon.
Councilor Syrett - thanked Chief Heppel and firefighters; asked clarifying questions about
evacuation notices; inquired about the fires at Fern Ridge.
Councilor Zelenka - thanked all who are working to save the community; asked Chief Heppel if
his department has adequate resources and if there is anything Council can do to help the fire-
fighting effort; encouraged constituents to help house evacuees or assist in any way possible;
asked how people receive emergency alerts and encouraged everyone to sign up.
2. ACTION: Motion on Ad Hoc Committee on Police Policy
Councilor Yeh explained this motion is to appoint an individual that was missing from the original
Ad Hoc Committee on Police Policy list.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Yeh, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved that
notwithstanding Council September 1 deadline for groups to appoint ad hoc committee
representatives, Sandra Shortridge is the second representative of the Indigenous Peoples
group appointed to the Ad Hoc Committee on Police Policy. PASSED 8:0.
WORK SESSION: Northwest Natural Gas Franchise Agreement Update
Intergovernmental Relations Manager Ethan Nelson and Assistant City Attorney Hwa Go provided an
update on the negotiations of potential renewal terms with representatives of Northwest Natural Gas
(NWNG).
Council Discussion:
Councilor Zelenka - complimented staff; stated this is a complicated negotiation and the first of
its kind in the country with no model to follow; asked staff to talk about progress and how the
process is going; stated NWNG will be regulated by Governor Brown's executive order through
the Department of Environmental Quality to reduce its emissions; stated he hopes that a
process of developing a mutually agreed -to contract will be a faster, easier and better way to
achieve the goals of the Climate Recovery Ordinance; stated the alternative path of regulation
will be long, arduous and expensive, but Council is ready to follow the regulatory path if needed.
MINUTES - Eugene City Council September 9, 2020 Page 1
Work Session
Councilor Clark - thanked staff for the report; asked if any part of the negotiation process is
public other than staff reports to Council; expressed concern for the challenge the general
public and rate payers will have in understanding the rate increases they will experience if they
were not able to be apprised of and understand how it happened; asked clarifying questions
regarding the increased cost of natural gas after full implementation.
Councilor Syrett - thanked staff; agreed this is an historic effort to link a franchise agreement to
a related agreement reducing carbon emissions; stated she is proud of the effort in trying to
come to this agreement and is pleased that establishment of ground rules has been productive;
stated it is important to acknowledge the success in understanding the language used and what
it means; asked clarifying questions relating to current and future franchise fees.
Councilor Yeh - thanked staff for remaining positive and continuing negotiations; agreed that
working together with NWNG as partners is the preferred route; agreed this is more
complicated than just increasing a City fee.
Councilor Taylor - stated there should be public involvement throughout the process; asked if
through these negotiations the discussion is about reducing the carbon or charging a fee for it.
• Councilor Zelenka - stated to put things in context, the wildfires are directly related to climate
change and so the cost of doing nothing is already evident, and the increases in cost seem
modest compared to what the area is experiencing now; stated that many reductions will come
from energy efficiency in the existing stock, and practicing energy efficiency will help people
reduce their bills by taking action to mitigate increases.
Councilor Clark - stated there is nothing voluntary about mandatory rate increases to the
general public; expressed a desire to see a commercial impact analysis, especially for local
restaurants already hit by COVID-19, included with the residential analysis.
Mayor Vinis - stated she appreciates the negotiations have taken a much more positive turn.
Councilor Evans left the meeting at 12:55 pm.
The meeting adjourned at 1:02 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Julie Adams
Deputy City Recorder
(Recorded by Jessica Gebb)
Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting here.
MINUTES - Eugene City Council September 9, 2020 Page 2
Work Session