HomeMy WebLinkAbout250611 WSMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Work Session
Eugene, Oregon 97401
June 11, 2025
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Eliza Kashinsky, Matt Keating, Jennifer Yeh, Mike Clark, Greg Evans,
Lyndsie Leech, and Randy Groves
Councilors Absent: Alan Zelenka
Mayor Knudson opened the June 11, 2025, Eugene City Council Work Session in a virtual
format.
1. WORK SESSION: City Manager Update
City Manager, Sarah Medary, provided updates on the federal funding landscape and
current grant-funded projects in the City.
Councilor Discussion:
• Councilor Kashinsky -asked what policy changes are being requested in federal
grants that the City of Eugene cannot meet; stated the community holds strong
values around inclusion; asked if diversity, equity and inclusion laws are part of
long-standing federal laws protecting certain classes; asked if policy discussions
would be held at Council before any changes are made to comply with federal
guidelines that may contradict the City's policies against discrimination; asked if
there have been challenging impacts or requests made by the federal administration
outside of the federal grants process.
• Mayor Knudson -asked staff to list the four airport projects impacted by delays in
receiving federal funds; asked staff to confirm whether half of the federal funds on
hold are for airport projects and the other half are throughout the City in projects
related to infrastructure improvements and housing.
• Councilor Evans -asked how funding delays may jeopardize the execution and
implementation of projects; noted the City will need to communicate with partners
regarding delays due to federal funding being held back.
City Manager, Sarah Medary, provided updates on other federal funding impacts to various
grant projects in Lane County and at Lane Community College and the University of
Oregon.
• Councilor Evans -asked if Council could receive regular updates on the local and
financial impacts of federal actions.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
June 11, 2025 Page 1
• Councilor Groves -noted confidence in the City Manager's ability to bring important
matters to the Council.
• Councilor Keating -asked how the City is communicating with the community
regarding the paused status of projects slated to receive federal funds.
• Councilor Evans -noted the City cannot remove Avelo Airlines from the Eugene
Airport; asked if there is a plan for short-or long-term protests regarding
deportations and other federal actions; asked if there is a plan in place to address
any potential bad actors in the protests.
• Mayor Knudson -noted there may be significant impacts to Lane County Public
Health and emergency services with the continuation of funding freezes; asked staff
how the City can collaborate with agency partners to provide information to the
community regarding the services that may be impacted or become unavailable.
• Councilor Yeh -noted appreciation for the way that staff are providing facts and
status updates; stated that communication to the public about impacts is an
important role for the City to address.
Mayor Knudson adjourned the meeting at 12:55 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Katie LaSala
City Recorder
(Recorded by Sara McKinney)
Link to the web cast of this City Council meeting here .
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
June 11, 2025 Page 2