HomeMy WebLinkAbout240724 WSMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Work Session
Eugene, Oregon 97401
July 24, 2024
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Matt Keating, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark,
Greg Evans, and Randy Groves
Councilors Absent: Lyndsie Leech
Mayor Vinis opened the July 24, 2024, Eugene City Council Work Session in a virtual format.
1. WORK SESSION: Strategic Plan Annual Report
City Manager, Sarah Medary, introduced Strategic Planning and Performance Program
Manager, Jason Derick, who provided an update on the organizational efforts to advance
the City Council's and community's priorities.
Councilor Discussion:
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Mayor Vinis -noted interest in the 61 percent completion of actions in the
Climate Action Plan and the 6,000 public record requests; noted the Strategic
Plan has enabled the City to reference and coordinate existing plans as well as
provided the City strong foundation for legislative requests; noted success on
legislative agendas this past year.
Councilor Keating -noted concern about wildfire danger from his recent trip,
and his interest in wildfire planning and fuels management; noted excitement
with the 61 percent completion of actions in the Climate Action Plan; noted a
constituent reached out to him about the City's reporting system being down but
could not confirm which reporting system; asked the best way to report
problems like vehicle camping or aggressive dogs when the system is down;
asked if City's employer rating category included for-profit entities; asked what
action items the City can do to become a top five employer of its size in Oregon;
asked how the City could communicate with as many residents as possible;
asked how the City communicates through the Newsroom.
Councilor Groves -noted interest in reaching residents who do not typically
complete surveys; noted interest in how residents access information and
developing a plan to reach as many community members as possible; noted that
he sometimes receives complaints from community members for work the City
is not involved in; stated interest in communicating better the work and
responsibility of different government entities; asked how many record requests
are from repeat requesters versus unique requestors.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
July 24, 2024 Page 1
■ Councilor Yeh -noted her appreciation for the Strategic Plan implementation
process, particularly the involvement of community and staff; asked if there is a
way to capture challenges the City faces in its Strategic Plan.
• Councilor Semple -noted appreciation for the execution, accessibility, and
visibility of the Strategic Plan; stated her original apprehension with the
Strategic Plan process, and how her views have changed; noted how encouraging
it has been to see the City's progress on certain Strategic Plan efforts.
• Councilor Keating -noted the current wildfire season's impacts in the county;
stated interest in Eugene Springfield Fire's Wildfire Planning and Fuels
Management team impact on the community in the short and long term; noted
interest in how the community is safer with its investment in the team and a
desire to learn more about the program.
• Councilor Groves -noted reducing fuel load contributes greatly to preventing
and mitigating fuels to make it safer; noted it must be an ongoing process as
fuels regrow within a couple of years; noted having defensible spaces around
structures is vital to provide community safety.
• Mayor Vinis -noted Eugene's heat dome two weeks previously did not result in
a surge of complaints; asked if the City and County responses met community
needs.
• Councilor Yeh -noted interest in receiving information on the changes in
cultural services, how they are supporting other groups instead of doing their
own programming, and what the effects have been.
2. WORK SESSION: City Manager Updates
City Manager, Sarah Medary, informed Council of upcoming Agenda Items and
introduced Central Services Executive Director, Mia Cariaga, who provided an
overview of the steps to fill the Interim Police Auditor role.
Councilor Discussion:
• Councilor Keating -noted the City Hall had a ribbon cutting on July 18, 2024 to
celebrate its grand opening and has had three meetings in the new City Hall;
expressed appreciation for City staff orchestrating City meetings and events.
• Mayor Vinis -noted appreciation for staff, particularly at the July 22, 2024 City
Council Meeting.
Mayor Vinis adjourned the meeting at 1:03 p.m.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
July 24, 2024 Page 2
Respectfully submitted,
Katie LaSala
City Recorder
(Recorded by Natalie Venhuda)
Link to the we beast of this City Council meeting here.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
July 24, 2024 Page 3