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HomeMy WebLinkAbout250115 WSMINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session Eugene, Oregon 97401 January 15, 2025 12:00 p.m. Councilors Present: Eliza Kashinsky, Matt Keating, Alan Zelenka, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg Evans, Lyndsie Leech, and Randy Groves Mayor Knudson opened the January 15, 2025, Eugene City Council Work Session in a virtual format. 1. WORK SESSION: Council Budget Priorities Workshop (Part 1) City Manager, Sarah Medary, introduced Chief Financial Officer, Twylla Miller, and provided information on the City's budget development, programs, and financial policies to begin a discussion on budget priorities to inform the development of the 2025-2027 Proposed Budget. Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Clark -noted interest in ensuring full Council participation in major priority-setting decisions; noted support to align budget decisions with community survey results to prioritize core services first; thinks core services are police and fire, followed by public works; noted opposition for across-the-board cuts that would affect emergency services. • Councilor Yeh -noted support for ensuring full Council participation in major priority-setting decisions; asked for the next steps if Council's choose the $11.5 million budget cut option; noted support for initially keeping all budget items on the table; noted support for reserving specific police and Planning and Development Department (PDD) mandate funds for their intended purposes. • Councilor Kashinsky -asked if discussions were focused on choosing between $11.5 million and $9 million in budget cuts; clarified the budget figures represent annual costs, not biennial; noted support for reviewing a proposal for the $11.5 million to increase transparency and understand impacts of potential cuts. • Councilor Groves -noted support for reviewing a proposal for the $11.5 million in budget cuts; noted opposition to cuts in police and fire departments, especially considering the impacts of the fires occurring in Los Angeles; noted Fire has not grown as a department despite increased demands; noted the importance of other services, such as Neighborhood Services Officers; noted support for asset preservation and to avoid the City overextending its responsibilities. • Councilor Evans -noted support for a strategic approach to budget cuts as opposed to across-the-board cuts; noted support for prioritizing core services such as police, MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 15, 2025 Page 1 fire, and public works followed by PDD; noted support for reviewing a proposal for the $11.5 million in budget cuts. • Councilor Leech -noted support for reviewing a proposal for the $11.5 million in budget cuts; noted support for a strategic approach to budget cuts as opposed to across-the-board cuts; noted support for maintaining prevention programs as reducing them would lead to higher long-term costs; noted interest in reviewing proposed budget cuts before making final decisions. • Councilor Keating -noted support for reviewing a proposal for the $11.5 million in budget cuts; asked if animal services and code enforcement are police programs; noted human services, emergency shelters, animal services, and behavioral health stabilization services fall under public safety; noted opposition for cuts to police, fire, Emergency Medical Services, and public works; noted commitment to the library but interest in reviewing programs that could be supported by other organizations; noted support for a strategic approach to budget cuts. • Councilor Zelenka -noted support for reviewing a proposal for the $11.5 million in budget cuts; noted the City has made $67 million in cuts over the past decade; noted further reductions would eliminate services that are important to community members; noted opposition to cutting libraries, parks, recreation, and human services; noted a surgical approach to the budget cuts will be cumbersome; noted support for passing a fire fee and considering a bond measure for fire infrastructure. • Councilor Clark-acknowledged the value of libraries and recreational programs but noted emergency services must take precedence; noted interest in evaluating programs that have grown over time while core services have remained stagnant; noted support for a strategic approach to budget cuts. • Councilor Evans -noted concern with cutting the fire department's budget and then not having the foundational infrastructure to respond to a major disaster; noted support for maintaining and growing foundational infrastructure; noted recent fires and earthquakes support investing in emergency response capacity. • Councilor Groves -noted the importance of all City services but stressed the need to prioritize foundational services in the general fund; noted additional services could be funded through a levy; noted concern with the community not fully understanding the City's financial challenges, driven by State taxation policies. • Councilor Kashinsky -noted Council previously directed the City Manager to explore new revenue options instead of making drastic cuts, and the fire fee proposal is the result of that directive; noted cuts to valued community programs would be felt throughout the City; noted if Council proceeds with cuts, there will be no ability to restore services; noted support for pursuing the fire fee to preserve services; noted the City will continue to have to make cuts due to structural tax issues at the State level. MOTION: Councilor Keating, seconded by Councilor Groves, moved to direct the City Manager to bring back $11.5 million in potential budget reduction strategies to address the General Fund gap. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 15, 2025 Page 2 VOTE: 8:0 PASSED IN FAVOR: Kashinsky, Keating, Zelenka, Yeh, Clark, Evans, Leech and Groves OPPOSED:None Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Zelenka -noted the proposed budget decisions will not directly impact fire prevention; noted climate change is the primary cause of the Los Angeles fire, not a lack of fire response; noted support for a bond for fire equipment and stations, increasing fire funds via the fire fee, and implementing a $5 million fire levy; noted opposition for line-item percentage cuts; noted support for the City Manager to present a proposal with targeted service reductions. • Councilor Leech -asked for clarification on cost recovery figures in the budget and how they impact funding decisions; noted some programs generate revenue beyond their expenses, making across-the-board cuts inefficient; asked why $240,000 from the General Fund is being designated to Stormwater; noted support for a proportional approach to budget reduction. • Councilor Evans -noted interest in consolidating service delivery as a cost-saving measure; asked for the status of the proposed fire merger with Springfield; noted the need for a future discussion on the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget. • Councilor Clark -noted concern that implementing the fire fee alongside expected increased utility costs could lead to public backlash and a potential referendum; noted opposition for across-the-board cuts as it could lead to fire station closures and increased risks to public safety. • Councilor Groves -noted while fire departments cannot prevent fires from starting, their role is to quickly respond and contain them before they become unmanageable; noted the Los Angeles fire response challenges were increased by budget cuts and reductions in state fire mitigation funding. • Councilor Yeh -noted prioritizing budget cuts is Council's responsibility, not the City Manager's; noted support for starting with proportional budget reductions. • Councilor Zelenka -noted interest in having the City Manager present three budget options: proportional cuts, no cuts to the police and fire department, and a strategic approach deemed appropriate by staff. • Councilor Yeh -asked for the feasibility of bringing back three full budget proposals due to the significant staff time required. • Councilor Kashinsky -clarified the vote being taken will not finalize cuts but rather direct staff to bring back data for further discussion on budget reductions. • Councilor Keating -asked if the City Manager would then be tasked with identifying $1.5 million in additional reductions to meet the $11.5 million target if the fire fee is passed; asked if proposed reductions would be presented from the $1.5 million or $11.5 million in budget cuts. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 15, 2025 Page 3 MOTION: Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Keating, moved to extend the meeting by 15 minutes. VOTE: 8:0 PASSED IN FAVOR: Kashinsky, Keating, Zelenka Yeh, Clark, Evans, Leech and Groves OPPOSED: None Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Zelenka -noted decisions cannot be made without a clear understanding of the impact of cuts; noted opposition to moving forward without the three different options; noted interest in giving additional time for the staff to develop the options. MOTION: Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Groves, moved to not make a decision on prioritization without a full complement of Councilors at the table. Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Keating -noted support for intent behind the motion; stated concern about the wording, as requiring a full complement of Councilors could allow any single member's absence to prevent the Council from moving forward; asked staff to clarify the process around motions and operating agreements. MOTION RESTATED: Councilor Clark, seconded by Councilor Groves, moved to not make a decision on priorities next week Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Kashinsky -asked for clarification on the scheduling of future meetings if a decision could not be made at the next session; noted the need for a clear date to make final budget decisions as discussion could continue indefinitely. VOTE: 7:1 PASSED IN FAVOR: Kashinsky, Keating, Zelenka Yeh, Clark, Evans, and Groves OPPOSED: Leech Councilor Discussion: • Mayor Knudson -asked for input from the City Manager on how to capture the feedback provided and incorporate it into future discussions. MOTION: Councilor Keating, seconded by Councilor Groves, moved to direct the City Manager to bring back two options for Council discussion: 1) allocating the $11.5 million across City departments and services based on the current proportional share of the General Fund of each department; and 2) allocating the $11.5 million across City departments and services in a manner that preserves core public safety services. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 15, 2025 Page 4 Councilor Discussion: • Councilor Zelenka -noted the term "core services" could be interpreted differently; asked for a friendly amendment to add the targeted cuts option to the decision- making process (friendly rejected). • Councilor Keating -asked for a clarification on the meeting procedures. • Councilor Evans -clarified the total budget cuts being discussed over the biennium would amount to $23 million. MOTION: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Keating, moved to add a third option and date allocating the 11.5 million in a surgical manner as proposed by the City Manager. VOTE: 2:6 FAILED IN FAVOR: Keating and Zelenka OPPOSED: Kashinsky, Yeh, Clark, Evans, Leech and Groves VOTE ON MAIN MOTION: 8:0 PASSED IN FAVOR: Kashinsky, Keating, Zelenka, Yeh, Clark, Evans, Leech and Groves OPPOSED: None Mayor Knudson adjourned the meeting at 1:49 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Katie LaSala City Recorder (Recorded by Natalie Venhuda) Link to the web cast of this City Council meeting here. MINUTES -Eugene City Council Work Session January 15, 2025 Page 5