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HomeMy WebLinkAbout181031 WSMINUTES – Eugene City Council October 31, 2018 Page 1 Work Session M I N U T E S Eugene City Council Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue Eugene, Oregon 97401 October 31, 2018 12:00 p.m. Councilors Present: Emily Semple, Jennifer Yeh, Claire Syrett, Alan Zelenka, Greg Evans, Mike Clark (via phone until 12:20 p.m.) Councilors Absent: Chris Pryor, Betty Taylor Mayor Vinis opened the October 31, 2018, Work Session of the Eugene City Council. 1.DISCUSSION: County Proposed Partnership - Highway 99 Temporary SiteCity Manager Jon Ruiz outlined the proposal from Lane County to partner with the City ofEugene in the establishment of a temporary dusk-to-dawn camping site on Highway 99.Council Discussion •The actions recently taken by Lane County and City of Eugene staff were prompted bythe 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Martin v Boise. •Proposed site is a good alternative with a lower impact on the community; considercreating a pedestrian crossing across Highway 99 if that portion of road comes intoCity’s jurisdiction. •Support partnership with County and concept in general; however, the proposal won’tsolve the issues downtown. •The pursuit of a downtown facility that provides needed services for the homelessshould still be a priority. •Since the proposed camp is low barrier, there is some concern about the concentrationof people with serious mental health and substance abuse issues. •Small, incremental steps will make a difference in the long run. •The Highway 99 site will provide a number of services for those who stay there;recently approved public safety bridge funding will be used in part for downtownfacilities and efforts. •Local service providers have limited capacity and may not be able to support multipleday center locations; proposed site can remain open indefinitely, until suitablealternatives are available. •The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision will still stand, regardless of actions taken bycouncil and Lane County. •Access to showers is needed in any location. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Semple, seconded by Councilor Syrett, in lieu of City Council’s October 22 motion, move to direct the City Manager to work with Lane County and other service providers to enhance the case management and other services that are provided to the homeless on Lane County’s property and on nearby properties, and to move forward with piloting a day center in the downtown area. PASSED 5:0. 2.WORK SESSION: Human Rights Commission FY2019 Work Plan and FY2018 Annual Report Human Rights and Equity Analyst Katie Babits and Human Rights Commissioner Ela Kubok presented highlights from the commission's FY2019 Work Plan and FY2018 Annual Report. Council Discussion •The council greatly appreciates the efforts of the volunteer commissioners and support staff. •The work of the commission is difficult and critically important to the well-being of the community. •The Marginalized Voices report is excellent; format and content of other commission reports is very effective. •More frequent contact between the commission and City Council is needed. •Current events and political atmosphere make reports on hate and bias crimes essential. •Community members are more concerned than ever about personal safety; proactive measures to promote zero tolerance for hate speech and actions needed. MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Semple, seconded by Councilor Syrett, moved to approve the Human Rights Commission FY2019 work plan. PASSED: 5:0. 3.WORK SESSION: Annual Report from Police Commission Police Commission Chair Bill Whalen and Vice Chair Scott Nowicki presented the Police Commission's Annual Report. Council Discussion •Work of the commission is critically important; the group has re-engaged around its core mission and is making progress on key issues such as the department's taser and excessive force policies. •The Police Commission provides a way for the community to be involved in developing, reviewing, and changing policies around police services. •The format of the annual report is helpful to readers. The meeting adjourned at 1:02 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Beth Forrest City Recorder Link to the webcast of this City Council meeting: here. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session October 3 I, 2018 Page 2