HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.24.2018 City Council Work Session MinutesMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall,125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
January 24, 2018
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg Evans,
Claire Syrett
Councilors Absent: Chris Pryor
Mayor Vinis opened the January 24, 2018, Work Session of the Eugene City Council.
1. WORK SESSION: Follow -Up to City Council January 10 Motion on Performance Auditor
Glenn Klein, City Attorney, reviewed a revised proposed charter amendment and discussed
Council options moving forward.
MOTION: Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Taylor, moved to direct the City
Manager to bring back a resolution referring the proposed Charter amendment to the May
ballot.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Semple, moved to defer
conversation on an auditor until after the May election.
Council Discussion
• Council should wait to see if the measure passes and if it does not, then can address the
auditor issue.
• There has not been enough time or citizen involvement to put an additional measure on the
ballot.
• Substitute motion has merit because a City Auditor is not needed in Eugene.
VOTE ON SUBSTITUTE MOTION: FAILED 3-4, Councilors Semple, Taylor and Clark in
favor.
Council Discussion
• If both measures are on the ballot and they both pass with majorities, then whichever receives
more yes votes will become effective.
• State and federal law would apply to employees; concerns about "at -will employees" have
been addressed.
• Questions regarding recruitment, salary, budget, timeline will need to be addressed.
• The proposed draft fixes the problems and concerns with the current auditor measure.
VOTE ON MAIN MOTION: PASSED 4-3, Councilors Semple, Taylor, Clark opposed.
2. WORK SESSION: Intergovernmental Relations and 2018 Legislative Update
Intergovernmental Relations Manager Ethan Nelson talked about the current intergovernmental
relations process, the 2018 legislative session, and the 2018 United Front effort.
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Work Session
Council Discussion
• Minority views should be respected and heard; the current process allows only binary yes or
no views to be communicated to Salem.
• Bills related to City policy such as Envision Eugene, Vision Zero, or the Climate Recovery
Ordinance should be brought to Council's attention.
• Consider a minority report addendum that articulates the issues that may not be in the
reports for positions Council is taking.
• An email report is needed, but not sufficient.
• Council should meet more often; too many issues to keep track of.
• Council needs to be responsive to hot topic issues and give staff direction.
• Consider new structure that includes all councilors on IGR Committee and accommodates
extra meetings.
• Council should prioritize issues at the local level.
• Need to determine how to best represent community's opinions when a decision is not
unanimous.
The meeting adjourned at 1:26 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Elena Domingo
Deputy City Recorder
MINUTES — Eugene City January 24, 2018 Page 2
Work Session