HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/30/09 City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
April 30, 2009
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
2008 TOXICS DATA NOW AVAILABLE ON INTERNET
COUNTY CUTS ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG EVALUATION SERVICES (ADES) PROGRAM
COMPOSTING AWARENESS WEEK PUTS GARBAGE TO GOOD USE
CITY OF EUGENE PAVES WAY FOR WARM-MIX ASPHALT USE IN OREGON
EUGENE JOINS OTHER AGENCIES FOR SEISMIC BRIDGE INSPECTION EXERCISE
EVENT SHOWCASES HAND-CRAFTED GIFTS
CATCH THE CITY SINGERS AT THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY
EUGENE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTED IN STATE FILM MAGAZINE
AROUND THE CITY
2008 Toxics Data Now Available On Internet
In accordance with City Charter Section 54, qualifying local manufacturers have submitted reports to the City
regarding their use of hazardous substances during 2008, and that information is available to the public on the
program's website, www.eugene-or.gov/toxics. Among many other features, the website has the ability to sort data
into categories, including certain groups of output types. An initial analysis of the
2008 reports produced some fascinating figures. For all reporting companies taken
together, environmental releases -- to the air, sanitary sewer system, surface
waters, or amounts disposed of on-site -- were down from 1.2 million pounds in
2007 to less than 570,000 pounds in 2008. This was due only in part to the 2008
closure of the Hynix manufacturing facility in west Eugene. Other contributions to
the overall reduction came from Lanz Cabinet Shop, which reduced its air
emissions of acetone by more than 100,000 pounds and its air emissions of butyl
acetate by more than 25,000 pounds; Flakeboard America, which reduced its
formaldehyde air emissions by more than 16,000 pounds and its methanol
emissions by more than 25,000 pounds; and Emerald Forest Products, which reported nearly 150,000 pounds of
methanol air emissions for 2007, but less than 10,000 in the same category for 2008. The Hynix closure
accounted for most of the drop in releases to the sanitary sewer system. In 2007, it had reported in that category
65,000 pounds of sodium fluoride, 31,000 pounds of isopropyl alcohol, and 85,000 pounds of nitrate compounds.
Another category of releases tracked by the program are those away from the manufacturing facility to outside
destinations, whether for recycling, treatment, sale, or other disposition. These amounts include quantities shipped
in product and quantities transferred away as waste. For 2007, the aggregate total for reporting manufacturers
was more than 10.7 million pounds; for 2008, it was below 7.5 million pounds. While the great bulk of this
difference is attributable to the Hynix closure, Parker Hannifinn Corporation (Atlas Cylinder) reported a reduction of
approximately 350,000 of metals (chromium and copper) in its products, compared to 2007.
More information is available on the City's Toxics Right-to-Know website, and printed copies of the data may be
reviewed at the Eugene Public Library, in accordance with Charter requirements. Questions about the program
should be directed to Glen Potter of the City Fire Marshal's Office at 682-7118.
County Cuts Alcohol and other Drug Evaluation Services (ADES) Program
In early February, Lane County Mental Health informed all courts within the county that, due to budget reductions,
it would no longer provide Alcohol and other Drug Evaluation Services (ADES) for court DUII diversion and
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
April 30, 2009
conviction programs. ORS 813.020 of the Oregon Vehicle Code requires that a person convicted of a DUII or
granted a DUII diversion by the court must go through a screening interview and successfully complete a treatment
program. The court is required to appoint ADES to evaluate and monitor the individuals to ensure compliance.
Lane County Mental Health has been providing the service for almost 30 years and terminating it will be a
significant impact to each of the courts. In Lane County, ADES evaluates and monitors approximately 1,900 DUII
referrals each year, with almost another 600 that are referred back for clients who fail to complete treatment
programs.
In a joint effort to maintain this vital service, City of Eugene Municipal Court, Springfield Municipal Court and Lane
County Circuit Court worked together to establish a contractual ADES program through a competitive process. In
response to a request for proposal solicitation, six contractors offered responsive proposals, with two earning
invitations for interviews. After an extensive evaluation, the contract was awarded to Quality Research
Associates.
The City of Eugene will act as the lead agency and will manage the ADES contract once it has been established.
An agreement should be in place with the new ADES by May 4, 2009. For more information please contact Jeff
Perry at 682-5019.
Composting Awareness Week Puts Garbage to Good Use
In honor of Composting Awareness Week, May 3 – 9, the City of Eugene, Oregon State University Extension
Service—Lane County, Rexius and FOOD For Lane County will hold a number of events to promote the value of
compost. Events for the week include:
?
Backyard compost demonstrations at the River House
compost site at 301 North Adams on Monday, May 4, and
Thursday, May 7, from 3:00-4:00 p.m., sponsored by the City
of Eugene and taught by OSU Extension Service volunteers;
th
?
Worm Bin tours at the City Atrium, 99 West 10 Avenue, to
show downtown offices and businesses an option for onsite
vermicomposting of food waste on Tuesday, May 5, at 3:00
p.m. and Friday, May 8, at 10:00 a.m.;
?
Two compost bin giveaways per day at OSU Extension
th
Service, 950 West 13 Avenue, on Monday, May 4 through
Thursday, May 7 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and 2:00-5:00
p.m., and
?
Delivery of donated Olympic Trials Compost by Rexius on
Wednesday, May 6, at 3:00 p.m., to the FOOD For Lane
County Churchill Community Garden.
The Churchill Community Garden is located between Churchill High School and Kennedy Middle School at 2200
Bailey Hill Road in Eugene. Produce grown in the garden is donated to FOOD for Lane County for distribution in
the community. Through a partnership with a local nonprofit Huerto de la Familia/The Family Garden, Latino
families participate in the garden. Huerto de la Familia strives to alleviate poverty and hunger among low-income
Latino families by helping them grow their own organic food.
For more information, contact Anne Donahue with the Solid Waste and Green Building Program at 682-5542 or
anne.c.donahue@ci.eugene.or.us.
City of Eugene Paves Way for Warm-Mix Asphalt Use in Oregon
A cool new technology is hitting the streets in Eugene. More than 20,000 tons of warm-mix asphalt is scheduled to
be used to repair city streets this summer. Warm-mix asphalt is better for the environment, better for health, and
better for long-term pavement life, according to Matt Rodrigues, Eugene’s pavement preservation program
manager.
This week, crews from Eugene Sand Construction began putting down about 8,000 tons of warm-mix asphalt
paving on Roosevelt Boulevard between Maple Street and Beltline Road. This is the largest placement of warm-
mix asphalt in Oregon to-date. Five other Eugene pavement preservation projects also are in line to receive the
material this construction season. Warm-mix asphalt is a technology that allows asphalt concrete to be produced
50 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than traditional hot-mix asphalt concrete, which typically runs at 300 degrees
Fahrenheit or hotter. This reduction in temperature can substantially reduce energy use at the mixing plant and
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
April 30, 2009
subsequently reduce greenhouse gas emissions during production. Additionally, production of asphalt concrete at
this lowered temperature drastically reduces the amount of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. This
reduction can be observed by the reduction of smoke and odor typically associated with traditional hot-mix asphalt
concrete.
“This is a great example of Eugene’s commitment to finding environmentally sustainable and healthier ways to
deliver city services,” says Rodrigues. The City should also see performance benefits from using warm-mix asphalt
as the lower production temperature reduces oxidation of the asphalt mix during the traditional hot-mix asphalt
production process. This leaves more effective asphalt in the mix, which will help to reduce the aging effect of
asphalt that can lead to brittleness and cracking. Warm-mix asphalt concrete also has the potential for increased
compaction over traditional mix, which will help to reduce potential damage to streets due to repetitive loading
over time.
Warm-mix asphalt was pioneered in Europe and is gradually picking up momentum in the United States. In
addition to Roosevelt Boulevard, the other Eugene street projects scheduled for warm-mix paving this summer are
th
Danebo Road (Royal to West 11 avenues), Royal Avenue from Waite to Terry streets, Bertelsen Road from West
ththth
11 to West 18 avenues, Seneca Road from Roosevelt Boulevard to West 7 Avenue, and McKinley Street from
thth
West 5 to West 11 avenues. For more information, contact Matt Rodrigues at 682-6036.
Eugene Joins Other Agencies for Seismic Bridge Inspection Exercise
Six crews from Eugene Public Works Engineering and Maintenance divisions on Tuesday participated in a
regional exercise to physically inspect every main route bridge within Lane County following a simulated
earthquake. This was the first real test of an emergency management plan to maintain vital transportation links
should a significant seismic event occur.
As part of this partnering program, crews were not limited to inspecting just those bridges maintained by their
various jurisdictions. Eugene Public Works crews inspected about 70 bridges and culvert crossings, including the
Washington-Jefferson Street Bridge, Ferry Street Bridge and the I-105 bridges over Coburg Road.
The goal of this joint exercise was to find out what it really takes to go out and see if bridges on these vital lifeline
routes are safe following a major earthquake. Over the next several weeks, crews will debrief with their peers from
other agencies. Lessons learned will be incorporated into the emergency management plan, which will get another
major testing in July as part of the Cascadia Peril exercise. For more information about the bridge inspection
exercise, contact Eugene City Engineer Mark Schoening at 682-5243.
Event Showcases Hand-Crafted Gifts
Adaptive Recreation will host the semiannual Art Careers Art Show
and Sale from 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, May 1. The free
event features gifts and collectables made by students in the Art
Careers Program held at Hilyard Community Center, 2580 Hilyard
St. Proceeds of every sale will go directly to the artist. This is a
wonderful event to attend and an opportunity to meet the artists and
purchase unique gifts.
For more information or to register, call 682-5311.
Catch the City Singers at the Downtown Library
On First Friday, May 1, at 6:00 p.m., the City Singers will perform a free concert at Eugene Public Library,
Downtown. This talented choir is made up entirely of City of Eugene employees who rehearse and perform on their
own time. Creating music together outside the bounds of their “day jobs" will be architects and 9-1-1 specialists,
purchasers and police officers, librarians and court administrators, and many more.
Directed by Mo Robeson, the group’s selections range from 16th century madrigals to doo-wop to Billy Joel. The
City Singers' programs often feature international folk pieces as well, including songs in Hebrew, Korean,
Japanese, Latin, Spanish, and a number of African dialects. For more information, contact Eugene Public Library
at 682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
Eugene International Film Festival Highlighted in State Film Magazine
The Eugene International Film Festival is recognized in the 2009 issue of Oregon Film Magazine, a nationally
distributed publication. Focusing on the 2008 film festival of the four-year-old, non-profit organization, the article
highlights the attention drawn to the event and the national, film-related talent living in this community.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
April 30, 2009
The all-voluntary board has separately announced the completion of an independent report of its 2008 financial
impact in the Eugene community and the repeat attendance of multiple, on-site film buyers - an immediate sign to
film entrants that the Eugene International Film Festival is a serious place to engage these artists. The presence
of the buyers elicits greater attendance by filmmakers which, in turn, strengthens the experience for all attendees
who are able to discuss the art with filmmakers throughout the three-day event.
A copy of the magazine has been provided for each member of the City Council by the Oregon Film and Video
Office in appreciation for the City of Eugene’s support of the visual arts, including cable television advertising for
the event and the purchase of filmmaker telecommunications equipment for films produced in Eugene, made
possible by limited duration funds from the Telecommunications program.
The 2009 Eugene International Film Festival will be held October 8-11 (www.eugenefilmfest.org). For additional
copies of the Oregon Film Magazine article or for information about the City’s support of other organizations
receiving limited duration, telecommunications-related support assistance, please contact Pam Berrian,
Telecommunications and Cable Licensing program manager, at 682-5590.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
April 30, 2009