HomeMy WebLinkAbout180220 PH and WSMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8 th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
February 20, 2018
7:30p.m.
Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Betty Taylor, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg Evans, Claire Syrett,
Chris Pryor
Councilors Absent: Alan Zelenka
Mayor Vinis called the February 20, 2018, City Council public hearing to order.
1. PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION: An Ordinance Adopting Hazardous Substance
User Fees for the Fiscal Year Commencing July 1, 2018
No one testified. Action could not be taken because not all Councilors were present and a
unanimous vote was needed. Scheduled for Council action on February 26, 2018.
2. PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION: An Ordinance Providing for Withdrawal of
Annexed Properties from the Following Special Districts: the Santa Clara Fire District;
Santa Clara Water District; Willakenzie Rural Fire Protection District, River Road Parks
and Recreation District; River Road Water District; and Zumwalt Rural Fire Protection
District
No one testified. Action scheduled for February 26, 2018.
3. WORK SESSION: Community Justice System Update
Assistant City Manager Kristie Hammitt and Interim Executive Police Director David James
provided an overview and update on the current state of the City of Eugene's public safety and
municipal justice system.
Council Discussion
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The 25 percent increase in cost of jail beds is due to the fact that the federal government is no
longer contracting with the County jail.
The gap in call response times and impact of fewer people reporting property crimes shows
what may look like a decline in property crimes.
Department does not have the ability to do proactive policing, it is all response-based policing .
Behavior related issues are moving into other parts of town from downtown. Implementation
of a behavior response system is needed, particularly with summer coming.
Council should be thinking about the costs of funding 12 more officers, 911 dispatch support,
more jail beds, etc., as budget season approaches.
Staff report highlights troubling information and statistics. Need to be focusing on gaps;
although the CORT and Community Court programs have been rewarding and effective.
Would like to see how cost-effective these programs are vs. the citation and arrest cycle .
Community court has a 99 percent resolution rate within 90 days .
Would like to see more information/details about resource capacity at Municipal Court.
Explore possible options for looking at additional beds or alternative programs to
incarceration.
MINUTES -Eugene City
Work Session
February 20, 2018 Page I
• A new chief will be integrally involved in th is conversa t ion and wi ll have a lot to learn. They
will help figure out how to fil l the gaps that have been identi fied.
• Consider officer involvement and feedback when identifying solutions or using resources in a
different way.
• Would like to see more mental health services instead of more jail beds. Mental health crisis
has turned into a crimin al cris is .
• Communicate timeline for community outreach and engagement, from li steni ng to acting.
• Important to tip the balance more towards office r-initiated po lic in g vs. comp laint-driven
response .
T he meeting adjourned at 9:00 p.m .
Respectfully submitted,
Elena Domingo
Deputy City Recorder
M INUTES -Eugene City
Wo rk Session
Feb ru a ry 20, 20 18 Page 2