HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 04/29/09 Work Session
M I N U T E S
Eugene City Council
Work Session
McNutt Room – City Hall
777 Pearl Street—Eugene, Oregon
April 29, 2009
12:00 p.m.
COUNCILORS PRESENT: Chris Pryor, Mike Clark, George Poling, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka,
Jennifer Solomon, George Brown, Andrea Ortiz.
Her Honor Mayor Kitty Piercy called the work session of the Eugene City Council to order at 12:45 p.m.
A. WORK SESSION – Review Candidates for Police Auditor Interviews
Human Resources Director Alana Holmes reported on the status of the police auditor recruitment
interviews and asked the council for direction regarding the coverage of spousal travel expenses for the
candidates.
Ms. Piercy, responding to a question from Mr. Clark, noted that the total cost for spousal travel expenses
from the previous interview sessions was approximately $210.00 per person. Ms. Holmes further noted
that the travel expenses from the previous sessions were not higher because some candidates had chosen to
travel by car with their spouses rather than fly.
Mr. Zelenka, seconded by Mr. Clark, moved to direct City staff to include spousal
travel expenditures as an allowable expense for police auditor candidates. The
motion passed unanimously, 8:0.
B. WORK SESSION – Review Candidates for Police Auditor Interviews
Assistant City Manager Sarah Medary presented information regarding the Eugene Counts Framework
(ECF) statement chart which had been revised from the council’s work session meeting on April 15, 2009,
and further noted that staff was seeking input from the council regarding the language to be used in the
Accessible and Thriving Culture and Recreation; Effective, Accountable Municipal Government; and Fair,
Stable and Adequate Financial Resources portions of the ECF.
Ms. Medary noted that staff would return to the council with a revised ECF on May 26, 2009.
The council members and executive staff discussed several variations on the language contained in the
Accessible and Thriving Culture and Recreation portion of the draft ECF statement as well as many
revisions regarding the same. The council members and staff discussed the language and overall
philosophies of the various bullet points as presented by the Ms. Medary and further discussed several
revisions.
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The councilors and Mayor, and staff, briefly discussed the language of the Accessible and Thriving Culture
and Recreation section’s corresponding Outcomes statements as listed in the draft ECF chart.
Council Coordinator Beth Forrest confirmed that the revision to the aforementioned portion of the ECF
chart would be revised per the council’s recommendations and discussions to read, “A community that
emphasized the arts and outdoors as an integral part of our social and economic well being that is available
to all.” Ms. Medary noted that she would continue to apply any suggestions or further input regarding the
statement the council members might choose to offer.
The council members and staff continued the discussion regarding the revised language of the Accessible
and Thriving Culture and Recreation portion of the ECF statement.
Ms. Piercy hoped that the language of the statement under discussion would accurately reflect the City’s
commitment to the cultural and recreational well-being of the community.
Ms. Medary noted that the staff, in revising the language of the ECF from the previous work session, had
struggled with the language that would describe appropriate measurement tools for the various outcomes
listed in the ECF.
Ms. Piercy suggested that language reflecting the number of cultural opportunities available in the
downtown area be included as part of the outcomes under the Accessible and Thriving Culture and
Recreation portion of the ECF and further suggested that such outcomes might be used to enhance the
safety and livability of the downtown area.
The council members and staff discussed various potential revisions and additions to the stated outcomes of
the Accessible and Thriving Culture and Recreation portion of the ECF statements.
Ms. Medary noted that there had been no recent changes to the language of the Effective, Accountable
Municipal Government statement from the ECF chart.
Mr. Pryor suggested that the language of the Effective, Accountable Municipal Government statement be
revised to include language that would describe the City’s duty to deliver effective and efficient services to
the community. Ms. Medary replied that the language from the Fair, Stable and Adequate Financial
Resources section might reflect Mr. Pryor’s suggestion in that regard.
Mr. Poling suggested that the outcome, “Number of Police Auditor Complaints” be revised to “Number of
Employee Complaints/Commendations.”
The council members and staff discussed various potential revisions and additions to the Effective,
Accountable Municipal Government statement and corresponding outcomes from the ECF statement.
Ms. Medary, responding to a question from Ms. Taylor, noted that community survey results were being
listed as outcomes for several different sections of the ECF as they would be applied across a variety of
disciplines to measure the effectiveness of the City’s strategies. Ms. Taylor preferred that community
survey results be removed from all of the outcome descriptions in the ECF.
The council members and staff briefly discussed the ways in which community survey results and other
strategies might be used to gauge the outcomes listed under the various sections of the ECF.
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The council members and staff discussed various potential revisions and additions to the Fair, Stable, and
Adequate Financial Resources statement and corresponding outcomes from the ECF statement.
Mr. Pryor worried that an improper or imprecise wording of the statement under Fair, Stable, and
Adequate Financial Resources might allow that statement to be used as an escape clause wherein the City
might not be ultimately responsible for carrying out the provisions of the ECF.
Mr. Zelenka noted that outcomes from the Fair, Stable, and Adequate Financial Resources section of the
ECF might also apply to both the Safe Community and Municipal Government sections of the ECF.
Mr. Pryor noted that the “Infrastructure maintenance backlog” outcome might also need to be revised to
consider strategies for how various areas of the City’s infrastructure might be measured in terms of their
effectiveness and viability.
The council members and staff discussed various strategies and elements related to the outcomes of the
Fair, Stable, and Adequate Financial Resources statement from the ECF.
Mr. Clark commented that it might be necessary to consider some measure of the public’s general priorities
in relation to the various outcomes described in the ECF.
Ms. Medary reviewed the revisions incorporated into the ECF from the previous work session for the
benefit of the councilors and Mayor and reminded them that staff would return with another draft of the
ECF statement on May 26, 2009.
City Attorney Glen Klein, responding to a question from Mr. Zelenka, described the manner in which
Councilor George Brown might change his vote on a previous council decision.
Mr. Brown noted that he had reconsidered his position on a recent council vote regarding the Civilian
Review Board and might wish to enter a motion to reconsider at the next council work session. Ms. Piercy
confirmed that Mr. Brown would bring up the matter at a future council meeting.
Ms. Piercy adjourned the work session at 1:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Jon Ruiz
City Manager
(Recorded by Wade Hicks)
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