HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/01/09 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
October 1, 2009
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION
SOLAR & GREEN BUILDING TOUR SPANS FROM CRESCENT TO CRESCENT
FALL FAMILY FUN AND FITNESS COMES TO SHELDON POOL AND COMMUNITY CENTER
BILINGUAL FAMILY FIESTA AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
EXPERT HELP FOR JOB HUNTERS
RECREATION STAFF MEMBER HONORED
NW REGIONAL WATER POLO TOURNAMENT AT AMAZON POOL
FIRE & EMS PREPARING FOR FIRE PREVENTION MONTH
SCHOOLS GET OPPORTUNITY TO “DISCOVER PUBLIC WORKS”
AROUND THE CITY
Solar & Green Building Tour Spans from Crescent to Crescent
The City of Eugene and the Eugene Water & Electric Board (EWEB) will host an extensive solar and green
building tour in Eugene as part of the world’s largest grassroots solar event. The Solar & Green Building Tour
offers participants the opportunity to tour eight sites spanning from
Crescent Village in North Eugene to Crescent Ridge in the South Hills.
The tour will highlight how solar energy, energy efficiency, and other
sustainable approaches can reduce monthly utility bills and help tackle
climate change. It will showcase a variety of building types, technologies
and local firms. Two projects are LEED platinum-certified, the highest
rating by the U.S. Green Building Council. The tour will include new
construction, residential remodels, a ‘mother-in-law cottage’ infill project,
and mixed-use development.
Eugene’s green building and solar tour is part of the American Solar
Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Tour where over 150,000 people in
3,000 communities will participate in open house tours of solar powered
and energy efficient homes (www.nationalsolartour.org). Attendees will
be able to explore green buildings first-hand and talk directly with the
builders, solar contractors and homeowners. Lane Community College (LCC) will also introduce its new
solar/electric vehicle charging-station project.
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The tour will begin at 11:00 a.m. at EWEB, 500 East 4 Avenue, with a kick-off presentation by Mayor Kitty Piercy.
Self-guided tours will include eight sites in areas throughout the city. To minimize driving times, participants will
choose from a ‘north loop’ or ‘south loop,’ each touring four different buildings. A biking tour of three central sites
is another option. A reception at La Perla Pizzeria, at 1313 Pearl Street, will be held at the end of the tour.
To participate, please register at SolarTour@eweb.org. For more information, contact Jenna Garmon at
Jenna.R.Garmon@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5541.
Fall Family Fun and Fitness Comes to Sheldon Pool and Community Center
Often imitated, never duplicated, Family Fun Night at Sheldon Pool and Community Center had more than 300
people in attendance on September 18. The event celebrated Sheldon Pool’s reopening and the beginning of the
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October 1, 2009
fall season. The athletically themed event included obstacle courses, Wii fitness games, arts and crafts, and the
movie “Monster House” to draw the crowd. Along with a donation of milk from Lochmead Farms, the event also
fed attendees a dinner of spaghetti and salad – all for free.
Family Fun Nights are always a favorite in the Sheldon area and are one of the many ways the Recreation Division
supports and builds community. Planning is already underway for the next one on
December 4. For more information, call Craig Smith at 682-5334.
Bilingual Family Fiesta at Eugene Public Library
Bilingual Family Fiestameansfreefun in Spanish and English at the Downtown Eugene
Public Library. Bring the whole family on Saturday, October 3, from 11:30 a.m. until
12:30 p.m., to enjoy songs, dances, and snackswith The Children of Bethel Ballet
Folklorico, led by Mago Gilson. For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library
at 682-5450 or visit www.eugene-or.gov/library.
Expert Help for Job Hunters
Looking for work? On Saturday, October 10, the Eugene Public Library will offer two free programs to help. At
10:00 a.m., learn to research opportunities and create an effective résumé at “Job Search & Résumés”, a hands-
on computer class. Try free Library tools including Microsoft Word's Résumé Wizard, the Oregon Career
Information System, and LearningExpress. Find out more about Internet resources such as Craigslist,
Monster.com, and the Oregon Employment Department website. Internet experience is required. Pre-registration is
also required and may be done by calling 682-5450 (press 2).
At 3:00 p.m., get guidance and information from the professionals of the Oregon Employment Department and
Goodwill Industries at “Finding a Job.” Drop in for this panel presentation covering topics ranging from locating
jobs to preparing for interviews. Also, learn about the latest in employment resources and services available at the
Library. For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 682-5450 or visit www.eugene-or.gov/library.
Recreation Staff Member Honored
The Oregon Recreation and Parks Association (ORPA) presented
Recreation Program Assistant Aimee Goglia with the first annual ORPA
Environmental Impact Award in recognition of her creative programming
with the Recreation Division’s Urban Outdoor Adventures and Project Full
Moon Rising.
Aimee pioneered a trial program at the Arts and Technology Academy at
Jefferson (ATA) last year, in which she and two other staff members took
first-graders on weekly field trips to introduce them to the natural world
and outdoor recreation. One parent of a first-grader in the program wrote,
“We are a very outdoorsy family, but the [Outdoor] program at ATA
offered experiences to our first-grader that we, as a family, cannot.”
The ORPA award identifies recreation professionals and programs that
have made significant contributions to connecting people with
outdoor/environmental opportunities and resources. In addition to these local programs, Aimee has also worked to
elevate the value of outdoor recreation on the state level and at national conferences.
The Recreation Division was recently awarded a three-year, $430,000 grant, from the U.S. Department of
Education, to expand current after-school enrichment programs, including Aimee’s outdoor program. For
information, contact Craig Smith at 682-5334.
NW Regional Water Polo Tournament at Amazon Pool
Some 500 spectators and team members are expected to attend the Collegiate Water Polo Association’s
Northwest Regional tournament at Amazon Pool this weekend. Seven teams will compete in this, the first of two
tournaments, to determine the standings for the regional tournament to be held later this month in Florida. The
tournament is a good opportunity to see talented local players.
The event is hosted by the University of Oregon, in partnership with the City Aquatics Program. The UO has
rented the facility and will staff the event. Amazon Pool is a favorite for competitive swimming events because of
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October 1, 2009
its design. The competition runs all day on Saturday, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The last match on Sunday is a “civil
war” between the UO and Oregon State University, scheduled to begin at 1:10 p.m. For details on the tournament
schedule, click here. For more information, contact Rich Fay at 682-5331.
Fire & EMS Preparing for Fire Prevention Month
October is National Fire Prevention Month, and Eugene’s Fire & EMS Department is again making preparations in
partnership with other local agencies to help keep everyone safe from fire. This coming Sunday, October 4, the
department is teaming up with the Oregon Pacific Chapter of the American Red Cross, Bi-Mart, and the University
of Oregon Greek Life to canvass door-to-door in Eugene’s Trainsong Neighborhood, urging families to check their
smoke detectors, providing fire prevention information, and providing free smoke alarms and replacement
batteries. That initiative will begin with kickoff ceremonies at 1:00 p.m. at the Oregon Pacific Chapter office at 862
Bethel Drive. The Mayor and members of the City Council are invited, along with local media.
Throughout October, as is the practice
every year, Fire & EMS crews will be
visiting every second-grade classroom in
Eugene (4J, Bethel, and private) to
present fire safety information to
students and invite them to share it with
their families. In addition, Fire & EMS
will be participating, along with a number of local safety agencies, in a fire safety exhibition and demonstration at
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Lowe’s Home Supply, 3595 West 11 Avenue, on October 24. That event is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
In October, and throughout the year, the Fire & EMS Department is always prepared to provide fire safety
information and instruction to any group or individual. For more information, please contact Deputy Fire Marshal
Sandra Johnston at 682-5420.
Schools Get Opportunity to “Discover Public Works”
Local schoolchildren will have an opportunity to “Discover Public Works” through a new video currently being
distributed to area schools.
The Public Works Department worked with Metro TV to
produce the 11-minute video, which is geared to elementary-
and middle-school-age children. The video is narrated by two
students from Kennedy Middle School and includes fun facts
and action video from each of the department’s six divisions:
Airport, Administration, Engineering, Maintenance, Parks and
Open Space, and Wastewater.
The focus of the first round of video distribution is teachers who
in the past have brought their classes to Public Works Day, an
annual event typically held on the third Thursday in May. Last
May, the Public Works Department decided to defer the event
to 2010 in response to budget concerns. A number of local
teachers subsequently asked the department to find some way
to teach children about how public works services are provided in our community. The video is intended to address
those requests.
A streaming video version of “Discover Public Works” can be downloaded at www.eugene-or.gov/pw (click on the
graphic link in the right column). For more information about the video, contact Eric Jones, public affairs manager
for the Public Works Department, at 682-5523 or eric.r.jones@ci.eugene.or.us.
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