HomeMy WebLinkAbout200923 WSCouncil Discussion: •Councilor Clark-encouraged moving forward with the other aspects of consolidation,
including the completion of the governance process; opposed the idea of creating a fire
district; asked how the City Council could help with consolidation efforts; suggested the
creation of a subcommittee of Eugene and Springfield city councilors.•Councilor Semple -suggested directing additional funds from the Community Safety
Initiative to Fire services.•Councilor Yeh -noted that the fire merger is a source of local pride and a great example of
intergovernmental cooperation; encouraged continued work to chip away at gaps in the
system; supported the creation of a subcommittee.•Councilor Pryor -stated that the right people were involved in the consolidation process
which ensured a good outcome; suggested convening the Eugene and Springfield city
councils in a joint meeting to identify the direction staff should pursue and to hear
recommendations after the proposed subcommittee completed its work.•Councilor Syrett -enoucarged moving forward with the next phases of consolidation;
expressed skepticism about the efficacy of creating a special district; asked questions about
governance of special districts.•Councilor Zelenka -said the goal of enhanced service for the Eugene and Springfield areas
was achieved and now efforts should be on improving efficiency in fire service
administration; asked whether one jurisdiction was subsidizing more of the program than
the other.•Councilor Evans -noted that the department was facing a capacity issue which will increase
as the community grows.•Councilor Taylor -suggested getting input from the firefighters as a first step; asked about
the distribution of costs and who is responsible for appointing the Fire Chief.•Councilor Clark -suggested starting with smaller groups first when soliciting input on how
to proceed, noting the very different perspectives and situations between the two city
councils and populations.
The meeting adjourned at 1:36 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
�' Julie Adams
Deputy City Recorder
Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting here.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
September 23, 2020 Page 2