HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/11/09 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
June 11, 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
CITY’S DOWNTOWN LOAN FUELS ARTISTS’ KILN
ALLEGIANT AIR BEGINS SERVICE TO OAKLAND
DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF TO CHAIR STATE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE COMMITTEE
CITY JOINS FILING OF COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL BROADBAND COMMENTS WITH THE FCC
RASOR MIXED USE CENTER PLAN NEARS COMPLETION
SHARING ROAD SAFETY MESSAGE GOES FROM BIG SCREEN TO LITTLE SCREEN
ART SHOW AND SILENT AUCTION BENEFITS CITY CENTER SKATEPARK CONSTRUCTION
“BEACH READS” BOOK SALE
WE ARE BETHEL CELEBRATES COMMUNITY
AROUND THE CITY
City’s Downtown Loan Fuels Artists’ Kiln
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Walking by the Studio West Art Gallery on 8 Avenue downtown, one can watch art in progress. The elegant
shapes and fantastic colors of glass art are not only displayed at the gallery, but many are also made there, thanks
to a recent $38,000 loan from the City’s Downtown Revitalization Loan Program. The loan helped fund the
necessary improvements for a full production glass studio. The studio is now viewable from the gallery floor and
the public is invited to watch resident artists create their work every Friday and Saturday night.
Studio West is owned and curated by Conrad Williams
and Erin Dougherty Williams. “We are excited about
the opportunity to initiate a new conversation within
our arts community, and we invite patrons to
experience the creation of both functional and fine art
glass created in our studio,” said Williams. “We plan
on enhancing this educational experience with visiting
artists, lectures and artist discussions that are open to
the public.”
Richard Herman, executive director of Metropolitan
Affordable Housing which owns the recently
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completed WestTown on 8 building, noted that
businesses like Studio West, “serve as a catalyst for
other downtown development. We greatly appreciate
the City of Eugene’s positive work to develop
downtown.”
The Downtown Revitalization Loan Program is designed to encourage investments downtown that contribute to the
economic vibrancy and density goals for the area. Loan funds are used for building rehabilitation or renovation,
façade improvements, tenant improvements, pedestrian cover, historic preservation or accessibility
improvements. For more information, contact Denny Braud at 682-5536 or denny.braud@ci.eugene.or.us.
Allegiant Air Begins Service to Oakland
Allegiant Air began service between Eugene and the Bay Area of California on Monday, June 8, 2009. The new
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June 11, 2009
flights operate two times weekly between the Eugene Airport and Oakland International Airport, with service
Monday and Friday.
1:30 p.m. 2:55 p.m. 11:25 a.m.
Flights leaving Eugene depart at arriving in Oakland at Flights depart Oakland at
12:50 p.m.
arriving in Eugene at Allegiant also offers low-cost, nonstop service to two other vacation destinations
from Eugene: Las Vegas and Phoenix-Mesa.
Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Company is focused on linking travelers in small cities to world-class leisure
destinations such as Las Vegas, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Phoenix-Mesa and Los
Angeles. Through its subsidiary, Allegiant Air, the company operates a low-cost, high-efficiency, all-jet passenger
airline offering air travel both on a stand-alone basis and bundled with hotel rooms, rental cars and other travel-
related services.
For more information contact Cathryn Stephens, director of marketing and public relations for the Eugene Airport,
at 682-6638 or cathryn.e.stephens@ci.eugene.or.us.
Deputy Fire Chief to Chair State Emergency Medical Service Committee
Eugene Fire & EMS Deputy Chief of Administration Denise Giard has been named chair of
Oregon’s Emergency Medical Service Committee, which advises the Department of Human
Services and EMS agencies statewide on maintaining and improving the quality of service.
The appointment was made at the committee’s meetings in Portland last week, and carries a
two-year term. Chief Giard has served on the committee since 2000. Members include
emergency room physicians, EMTs, and other professionals representing a number of EMS-
related sub-disciplines. The committee’s responsibilities include advising DHS regarding
state EMS rules and regulations, assisting with regional EMS coordination and planning, and
assisting Oregon communities in identifying system needs and quality improvement initiatives.
For more information, please contact Fire & EMS Chief Randy Groves at 682-7115.
City Joins Filing of Comprehensive National Broadband Comments with FCC
The City of Eugene has partnered with a number of other local governments and the National Association of
Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (www.natoa.org) to file comprehensive comments regarding the
creation of a National Broadband Plan with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). These comments
represent a vision of what America’s broadband future can become by adopting progressive policies in the public
interest, and reflect the values and concerns of communities across the nation.
The City has taken a forward-looking approach to broadband development and high-speed technologies since the
mid-90s when the City Council formed a subcommittee to prepare for adoption of the Federal Telecommunications
Act of 1996, the largest overhaul of national telecommunications laws since 1934. The council adopted a set of
Telecommunications Visions and Policies which focused on development of high speed broadband for improved
public service delivery and to foster residential and business uses.
In addition to a myriad of local governments, NATOA was joined by the Alliance for Community Media. The
comments filed at the FCC cover a wide range of issues, from how to define broadband capability and wireless
service issues to open networks and competition policy considerations. The comments reflect and include
NATOA’s Broadband Principles and build off of much of NATOA’s recent activity related to broadband. City staff
remains involved in NATOA’s Broadband Committee. The entire text of the comments, in Adobe PDF format, can
be found at: http://www.natoa.org/documents/National%20Broadband%20Plan%20Final%20Draft.pdf .
For additional information or questions, please contact Telecommunications and Cable Licensing Program
Manager Pam Berrian, Information Services Division, at 682-5590.
Rasor Mixed Use Center Plan Nears Completion
An open house on Monday, June 15, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., will introduce the final plan for the Rasor Mixed Use
Center project. The open house will be hosted in cooperation with the River Road Community Organization at the
River Road Annex, 1055 River Road. The Rasor Mixed Use Center project is focused on planning for the future of
the lower River Road area to accommodate more density while developing a walkable community that protects the
natural features and historic character of the neighborhood.
On May 28, 2009, the nine-member Community Advisory Committee held its final meeting and voted to support
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June 11, 2009
the draft Lower River Road Concept Plan. Recommendations in the plan include improving pedestrian and transit
options, identifying desired building types for commercial and residential zoned properties, as well as identifying
the need for local services such as a farmer’s market and grocery store.
The Eugene Planning Commission will be asked to acknowledge the Lower River Road Concept Plan on June 22,
2009. The final decision of the Planning Commission will conclude this grant project that has been funded by the
Transportation Growth Management Program of the Oregon Department of Transportation. The River Road
Community Organization, in cooperation with property owners and the public, will continue to build consensus
toward this common vision of a mixed use center in lower River Road aided by the final plan. For additional
information, contact Ken Guzowski at ken.j.guzowski@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5562 or go to the project website:
www.eugene-or.gov/rasorpark.
Sharing Road Safety Message Goes From Big Screen to Little Screen
The City of Eugene’s Share the Road public service announcement (PSA) is making its way from movie theatres
to local and cable television stations. The 30-second safety message is currently running before every movie at
the Valley River Center’s Stadium 15 theatres and it is estimated that it will reach approximately 280,000 movie
goers during its 26-week run. The PSA will be played over 1,400 times on 25 television news, entertainment and
educational programs from June through September. The PSA was developed and is being shown using an
Alliance for Community Traffic Safety grant, a telecommunication grant, and local transportation funds. The PSA
can be played online at www.eugene-or.gov/bicycles. Other venues for playing the video are being planned.
The PSA was developed to improve traffic
safety and awareness for all road and path
users. This safety effort, named Eye-to-Eye, is
a multi-city traffic safety campaign created to
foster a culture of awareness and respect on
shared paths and roadways and to make the
streets of communities safer for all roadway
users, motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. In
addition to encouraging empathy and respect
on the roadway, the Eye-to-Eye message will
be used as a banner over specific information
to educate all road users in what they can do to be safe, such as making eye contact with, and communicating
with, other road users, looking for bicyclists, stopping for pedestrians, using lights at night and following traffic
laws.
For more information, contact Lee Shoemaker at 682-5471 or lee.shoemaker@ci.eugene.or.us.
Art Show and Silent Auction Benefits City Center Skatepark Construction
On June 5, the local non-profit group, Skaters for Eugene Skateparks (SES),
hosted a lively art show and silent auction to raise funds for construction of the
City Center Skatepark. This unique art show featured customized skate decks,
sculptures and other skate-inspired artwork created by local and regional artists.
During the evening, 95% of the artwork was sold. The event raised about $6,000,
all of which will go towards the skatepark construction. The venue was packed
from 5:30 - 11:00 p.m. with enthusiastic supporters of the City Center Skatepark,
community members exploring downtown, and art enthusiasts. The City of
Eugene Planning and Development Department donated the space at 790
Willamette Street for the evening. Along with SES, sponsors of the art show
included the City of Eugene Parks and Open Space division, Wild Duck
Catering, Tactics, Ninkasi Brewing, Crater Lake Vodka/Bend Distillery,
Boardsports and Garage Artists.
For more information contact Park Development Coordinator Carrie Peterson at
541-682-4907 or carrie.a.peterson@ci.eugene.or.us.
“Beach Reads” Book Sale
Fill a beach bag with paperback bargains at the Friends of Eugene Public Library’s Beach Reads Book Sale. On
Saturday, June 20, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., at the Downtown Library, the Friends will offer a roomful of gently-used
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novels and mysteries perfect for summer reading, at just one dollar each.
All proceeds support Eugene Public Library programs and services. Admission is free. For more information, call
the Eugene Public Library at (541) 682-5450.
We Are Bethel Celebrates Community
This year’s We Are Bethel event was more successful than ever in
bringing the community together with more than 2,000 attendees.
Recreation Division’s Youth and Family Services Program
organizes the annual event in partnership with the Eugene Police
Department’s Bethel Public Safety Station, Bethel School District
and media sponsor KVAL TV. Eugene Cultural Services kicked
off the Summer Concerts in the Park Series at the event and
Eugene Public Library began taking registrants for its Summer
Ready Program at We Are Bethel (WAB).
The 2009 WAB included a a record number of community booths, a youth carnival to benefit Club Bethel youth,
live music throughout the day on two stages, a Can Can race station, potato sack race, hoop stick race, bicycle
parade, performances by local students, a variety of food vendors and prizes awarded all day. For more
information, contact Peter Chavannes at 682-5521.
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