HomeMy WebLinkAbout251027 WSMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Work Session
Eugene, Oregon 97401
October 27, 2025
5:30 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 October 27, 2025, work session of the Eugene City Council in a
hybrid format at 500 E 4 th Avenue, North Building, Eugene OR 97401.
1. WORK SESSION: Library Local Option Levy (Cont'd)
Assistant City Manager, Kristie Hammitt, introduced Josh Bates, Executive Director for
Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services, Angela Ocana, Library Services Director, and
Neil Obringer, Assistant Finance Director, who provided background on the expiring
library levy, which will sunset in June 2026.
Councilor Discussion:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Councilor Groves -stated support for the library; noted the downtown library is
an anchor for revitalization efforts; emphasized the importance of
understanding cost differences between Eugene and Salem's library services;
requested more granular financial comparisons.
Councilor Zelenka -noted strong public support for the library based on past
levy results; stated support for early literacy and kiosk expansion, calling them
cost-effective.
Councilor Keating -stated support for balancing fiscal responsibility and
continued community investment; asked how many Eugene children are served
by the Imagination Library program; asked about coordination between library
programs and community partners; asked about the pilot book return bin in
south Eugene; asked about the plans for the fourth floor of the library.
Councilor Kashinsky -stated interest in polling results to guide decision-
making; noted library investments align with climate and accessibility goals.
Councilor Clark -stated support for the levy but cautioned against expansion
due to other city priorities like fire services; stated the importance of fiscal
balance and prioritization.
Councilor Leech -stated how libraries have been personally important in her
life; stated strong support for Concept 2; noted interest in expansion if polling
supports it.
Councilor Yeh -praised the library's approach and fiscal responsibility;
suggested renaming Concept 3 to better reflect the kiosk model rather than
building expansion.
Mayor Knudson -stated community feedback consistently praises the library;
emphasized the value of early literacy as a foundation for educational success.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
October 27, 2025 Page 1
2. WORK SESSION: Unlawful Transfer on Vehicular Portion of Right-of-Way (Cont'd)
Assistant City Manager, Kristie Hammitt, introduced Police Chief, Chris Skinner, who
introduced the topic.
Councilor Discussion:
• Councilor Groves -stated the ordinance is about safety and not about targeting
unhoused individuals; noted personal experience as a fire captain and the
difficulty of collecting data on such incidents; stated the ordinance would apply
to all individuals soliciting in the roadway; noted drivers can leave the travel
lane to make a donation.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Councilor Kashinsky -stated data does not support this ordinance as a safety
measure; stated a preference for focusing resources on proven causes of traffic
fatalities like speeding, intoxicated driving, and visibility.
Councilor Clark -stated the ordinance is about setting behavioral expectations
for drivers; stated support for moving the ordinance to public hearing to gather
community input.
Councilor Keating -emphasized his preference for education and signage over
enforcement of penalties; stated support for a public hearing to gather
community input.
Councilor Zelenka -stated the data does not support this ordinance as a safety
measure; stated the ordinance is unnecessary and targets unhoused individuals.
Councilor Evans -clarified the vote was to move to public hearing, not to adopt
the ordinance; noted it may be better to send donations to social service
agencies rather than individuals; emphasized the need for public input.
Councilor Yeh -noted that the community lacks adequate services for unhoused
individuals and emphasized that personal donations, such as food or supplies,
can be meaningful while people wait for help; spoke against the ordinance,
citing lack of new information and concerns about targeting homelessness.
Councilor Leech -emphasized the need to focus limited resources on the most
impactful public safety issues; expressed concern about spending money on
signage or enforcement for this ordinance without supporting data; stated
similar proposals have failed before and that no new information has been
presented; noted opposition to the ordinance but would consider revisiting it if
future data showed this issue to be a top priority.
Councilor Keating -noted the vote was not to adopt or reject the ordinance but
to move it to a public hearing; stated the hearing would allow for more
information gathering and give the public a chance to share their views.
Councilor Kashinsky -noted Council has limited time and resources, and
holding a public hearing on this ordinance would delay other priorities;
questioned whether the hearing would provide new insights and emphasized
focusing on issues with the greatest community impact.
Councilor Groves -noted many public hearings are brief and could
accommodate this topic; stated support for moving the ordinance to a public
hearing; noted data on the issue is not currently collected in a searchable
format.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
October 27, 2025 Page 2
• Councilor Leech -asked about the possibility of changing the data collection
process to include information about crashes caused by pedestrians in the
travel lane.
• Councilor Yeh -stated she is open to a broader conversation about sti•eet safety
and supports data-driven solutions; noted the proposed ordinance may be more
about discomfort with visible homelessness; stated the need for meaningful,
systemic change.
MOTION: Councilor Evans, seconded by Councilor Leech, moved to
direct the City Manager to schedule a public hearing on the draft
unlawful transfer on vehicular portions of the right-of-way ordinance as
set forth in Attachment A to this AIS.
VOTE: 5:4 PASSED
IN FAVOR: Keating, Clark, Evans, Groves and Mayor Knudson (tie-
breaking vote).
OPPOSED: Kashinsky, Zelenka, Yeh, and Leech.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Katie LaSala
City Recorder
(Recorded by Cherish Bradshaw)
Link to the web cast of this City Council meeting here.
MINUTES -Eugene City Council
Work Session
October 27, 2025 Page 3