HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/29/09 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
October 29, 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
TROUBLE-MAKING HAZARDOUS TRICKSTERS, VOLUNTEER HELP FEATURED IN NEWSLETTER
EUGENE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE RELEASES FIRST ANNUAL REPORT
NEW, IMPROVED LEAF PROGRAM HITS STREETS
FIRE & EMS RECEIVES PUBLIC EDUCATION GRANT FROM FIREMAN’S FUND INSURANCE
PLANNING DIVISION ENHANCES INTERN PROGRAM
MEDICS PREPARE FOR FIREFIGHTER ROLE
CLIMATE AND ENERGY PUBLIC FORUMS CONTINUE
MEDICARE INFO WORKSHOPS AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
CITY HALLOWEEN EVENTS ARE FUN FOR YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE
BUSTING IMMIGRATION MYTHS
CITY SPONSORS FREE TRAINING ON SMALL HOUSE DESIGN
HABITAT ENHANCEMENT EFFORTS BEGIN IN NEW AREA OF DELTA PONDS
AROUND THE CITY
Trouble-Making Hazardous Tricksters, Volunteer Help Featured In Newsletter
Remember Mr. Yuk – the ugly face sticker placed on chemical containers to warn kids about dangerous products?
Important information about those toxic tricksters that can end up in local rivers, often unintentionally, has been
highlighted in Stormwater Connections due to arrive in Eugene area mailboxes over the next two weeks.
And, for anyone trying to clear the garage or shed of hazardous materials like paint thinner, old motor oil or
electronic waste, some free and easy disposal options have been listed.
For those curious about local projects where volunteers, like
the boys shown in this photo, can help with park and creek
improvements, read more in the wetlands and waterways
section.
Eugene residents have few concerns when it comes to
flooding locally, unlike other parts of the country where
entire communities have been at risk. Read about the risk of
local flooding in the flood hazard section. Learn about
protection and preparedness tips, what to do if flooding
occurs, how to find out if one lives in a flood hazard area,
and much more.
Keeping community members informed and educated about
stormwater pollution and ways to protect local waterways is
a best management practice in the City’s Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP). Articles in Stormwater
Connections typically address seasonal or current issues and cover at least one subject of interest to younger
citizens.
Copies of the newsletter have been placed in the City Manager’s Office. For more information, or additional copies
of the newsletter, contact Public Information Specialist for the Stormwater Management Program, Kathy Eva, at
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
October 29, 2009
682-2739.
Eugene Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee Releases First Annual Report
The City of Eugene’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) has released its first annual report to
the public. It presents the work accomplished by the BPAC during the first year of its existence as a committee, as
well as work accomplished by others in the
community towards achieving the goals of the City of
Eugene Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan. This
document provides information about the BPAC, a
summary of the 2009 Eugene Walking and Biking
Summit, and an up-to-date account on the Eugene
Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan and
recommendations for future action.
The BPAC was formed to help implement the Eugene
Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Plan, and advise
City staff, community organizations, and partners on
implementation of the Pedestrian and Bicycle
Strategic Plan. Additionally, the BPAC represents
community and constituent interests in transportation
planning decisions, and provides feedback to staff on projects relating to walking and bicycling. BPAC meetings
are held on the second Thursday of each month, and members of the public are encouraged to attend. The
annual report and more information about BPAC is available at www.eugene-or.gov/bpac. For more information
about the report or BPAC, contact City of Eugene Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator Lee Shoemaker at 682-5471
or lee.shoemaker@ci.eugene.or.us.
New, Improved Leaf Program Hits Streets
A new and improved fall 2009 leaf program is up and running. The City’s
formal leaf collection program begins November 2, although crews are
already working to clean priority bike lanes. Here’s the schedule for the first
round of collections (unimproved streets are collected during the second
round):
November 2 - 11 -- Central and West Eugene
November 9 - 30 -- North Eugene
November 30 - December 18 -- Southeast Eugene
December 14 - 24 -- Southwest Eugene
The 2009 operational changes to the decades-old program are intended to
improve safety for cyclists while continuing to provide leaf collection
services to local residents, keep leaves out of local waterways and minimize the number of leaf-related flooding
incidents.
Here’s a summary of the changes made to-date:
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Public Works Maintenance purchased a new leaf vacuum, dedicated to maintaining 25 miles of priority
bike routes in Eugene. The City has worked with local cyclists to identify approximately 25 miles of priority
on-street bike lanes in Eugene. The Public Works Maintenance Division has increased the frequency of
sweeping on these streets with a goal of keeping these high priority routes as clean as possible.
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Several additional maintenance workers have been assigned to leaf duty, with a primary focus on cleaning
priority bike routes, inspecting routes and communicating with residents as needed.
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A new website has been created at www.eugene-or.gov/leaf. The website includes an interactive, easy-to-
use, map-based form so residents can report problems with
leaves in bike lanes. The information is fed into the Public
Works maintenance management system so crews can quickly
evaluate and respond to problems. The website includes an
automated map that shows where priority bike lanes have been
cleaned in the past several days. There’s also an online form to
request home delivery of leaves.
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A robust outreach program has been underway for several
weeks. Outreach materials have included postcards sent to
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
October 29, 2009
more than 1,600 residents whose properties are adjacent to curbside bike lanes and to dozens of area
landscapers and yard-service owners. The postcards remind people to not place leaves in bike lanes and
offer alternatives such as using yard-debris containers or composting leaves on site. Public Works also
has produced a 30-second video PSA for local TV stations, placed messages on the back of LTD buses,
and scheduled ads to run in local newspapers.
The response from the local bicycling community for the most part has been favorable. Staff continues to work
with residents on viable alternatives that allow leaves and cyclists to co-exist. For more information, contact PWM
Surface Operations Manager Eric Johnson at 682-4904 or Eric.P.Johnson@ci.eugene.or.us.
Fire & EMS Receives Public Education Grant from Fireman’s Fund Insurance
Cody, Official Fire Safety Dalmatian of Eugene’s Fire & EMS Department, will have
additional resources for teaching fire safety skills to Eugene’s young people, thanks to a
$7,500 no-match grant from Fireman’s Fund Insurance. This is the second grant Fireman’s
Fund has awarded to the Cody Program; the first allowed the department to purchase a
trailer to transport Cody’s props and curriculum materials. The new grant will enable Cody
and his owner and trainer, Deputy Fire Marshal Amy Linder, to purchase 10 traveling trunks
pre-loaded with age-appropriate fire safety information that can be used for classroom
teaching with or without Cody’s presence. The grant will also provide for the purchase of a
number of smoke alarms that will be carried on the City’s fire engines and offered to local
residents when fire crews identify a need. For more information, please contact Interim Fire
Marshal Doug Perry at 682-5887.
Planning Division Enhances Intern Program
For over 20 years, the Planning & Development Department has been fortunate to provide real world opportunities
to smart and motivated student interns. Over the past year, the Planning Division has increased the division’s
intern capacity, raising the program’s visibility and generally strengthening it overall. As part of the Planning
Division Intern Program, interns work in a professional office environment, receive mentoring from City staff, and
most importantly, gain valuable professional experience from their work
on a variety of planning-related projects.
In return, the program builds on City and school relationships,
particularly with the University of Oregon’s Planning, Public Policy, and
Management Department and the School of Architecture and Allied
Arts. In addition, this program allows Planning staff to build
relationships with future planners while receiving much needed
assistance on a variety of high priority projects. Given that the
internship program is primarily volunteer-based, these services have
been particularly valuable during these budget-tightening times.
This term, Planning Division interns have provided critical assistance with several priority projects, including
Strategic Neighborhood Action Plans, Infill Compatibility Standards and Opportunity Sitting, and Walnut Station
Mixed Use Center. For more information on the Planning Division Intern Program, see http://www.eugene-
or.gov/planningintern or contact Heather O’Donnell via email at heather.m.odonnell@ci.eugene.or.us, or by phone
at 682-5488.
Medics Prepare for Firefighter Role
As one more means of controlling ambulance service costs, and in view of its new partnership with Rural/Metro
Ambulance, the Fire & EMS Department has made the decision to discontinue the “90-series” single-role
ambulance service, which had been provided during times of peak demand (basically daytimes and evenings)
since 2002. To place the existing 90-series employees, the department offered these individuals – all women –
the opportunity to enter into training to become regular firefighter/paramedics. Of seven eligible employees, six
accepted and are currently undergoing training. Upon successful completion of firefighting training they will be
assigned to fire stations on regular shift assignments. There they will serve in employee-in-transition status until
they have met performance objectives established by the department.
The vacancies that these individuals will fill were created through normal attrition in the firefighter ranks. Here and
elsewhere, firefighters are typically hired in groups in order to minimize training costs and provide adequate
staffing flexibility.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
October 29, 2009
Because the employees already have extensive medical training (all are full-fledged paramedics), the 13-week
training will focus on fire suppression and rescue skills as well as physical conditioning. Only those candidates
who meet the full slate of requirements for regular firefighter duty will be placed on the line.
The City Council will be provided with updates as the special academy progresses. For more information, please
contact Fire & EMS Training Chief Joe Zaludek at 682-7103.
Climate and Energy Public Forums Continue
Community members are invited to join a public forum on Thursday
food andagriculture
evening, November 5, to discuss issues as part
of the public process supporting the Community Climate & Energy
Action Plan. The forum is scheduled for 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. in the
meeting rooms at EWEB, 500 East 4th Avenue. It’s one of six topic-
forums scheduled this fall and through March 2010. In early October,
more than 60participants attended a public forum on buildings and
energy, providing critical input on actions which community members,
governments, businesses and other organizations can take to better
adapt and use to mitigate the impacts of climate change and rising fuel
costs. To learn more, visit the Climate & Energy Action plan at
www.sustaineugene.com/eugeneclimate or contact City of Eugene
Climate and Energy Action Coordinator Matt McRae at
matt.a.mcrae@ci.eugene.or.us or 682-5864.
Medicare Info Workshops at Eugene Public Library
It's Medicare enrollment time - and because circumstances may have changed since last year, it's recommended
that all recipients review and evaluate their coverage. Where can seniors and their adult children find unbiased
help?
Look to the friendly experts of Lane County Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA), a program of
the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. SHIBA’s Marilyn Cabrera will lead a free information
session at the Eugene Downtown Public Library on Tuesday, November 3, at 2:00 p.m. The session will be
repeated on Tuesday, November 10, at 2:00 p.m.
SHIBA is available to help recipients select a Medicare prescription drug plan, find out if they are receiving all
possible benefits, compare supplemental health insurance policies, review a bill, or file an appeal or complaint.
These free information sessions are co-sponsored by the Eugene Public Library, Willamalane Park and Recreation
District, and SHIBA. For more information, contact the Library at 682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
City Halloween Events are Fun for Young and Old Alike
For the wee ones, Recreation Services’ Youth and Family Program is holding the
Boooo Barn for ages 1 - 11, on October 30, 4:30 - 7:30 p.m., at Petersen Barn
Community Center. The free event includes games, fall crafts and, more.
Recreation’s Aquatics Program presents a Spooky Splash Dance for middle school
students featuring dancing with a live D.J. and swimming in the pool. The event is
from 7:45 - 9:45 p.m., October 30, at Echo Hollow Pool. Prizes will be awarded for
best costume. The cost is $3 per person.
Adults, age 50 and older, will enjoy a bewitching and delicious Halloween lunch on
October 29, 11:59 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at Petersen Barn Community Center.
Presented by Recreation’s Adult and Senior Program, the event includes “scary,
scary” stories and prizes awarded for the most creative attire. The cost is $5. For
more information about these events, contact Craig Smith at 682-5334.
Busting Immigration Myths
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
October 29, 2009
On Sunday, November 8, the Human Rights Commission Education and Outreach Committee, is facilitating a
community presentation and discussion to examine immigration myths and realities. The event is scheduled to
occur from 3:00 -5:00 p.m. in the Bascom-Tykeson Room, at the Eugene Downtown Public Library.
Education and Outreach Committee members believe understanding and awareness of issues, impacts and ideas
about immigration are becoming increasingly critical in the Eugene community. This forum highlights one young
woman’s field studies in an academic program, “Roots and Routes of Migration.”
The afternoon program will include a panel discussion with Sonia Lauer, joined by Immigrant Rights Advocacy
Program Coordinator of Amigos Multicultural Services Center, Guadalupe Quinn, and Lynn Stephen of the
University of Oregon Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies. “We learned everything from the reasons
people migrate, to the history and economics behind migration, to the routes Mexicans and Central Americans use
while migrating to the United States. In the program, we also traveled to the Mexico-Guatemalan border and north
through Chiapas and Oaxaca. While in the program I spoke with a variety of people including a Scalabrini priest, a
wall artist, border patrol agents, recently repatriated unauthorized residents, migrants making their way through
Mexico and about to cross the US border, families of migrants, indigenous activists, Zapatistas, Mexican farmers,
and organizations working for human rights and social justice. I learned so much on the border and I feel that I
have a responsibility to share what I saw and experienced,” says Ms. Lauer.
For more information, please contact Human Rights Analyst Holly LeMasurier of the City Manager’s Office at
holly.k.lemasurier@ci.eugene.or.us or call 682-5619.
City Sponsors Free Training on Small House Design
House sizes have more than doubled during the last 50 years, but smaller homes can often work just as well for
significantly lower costs. A City-sponsored workshop will provide the opportunity to learn unique design concepts
that challenge the notion that “bigger is better,” and emphasize how to make efficient use of space. Participants
will learn how to increase room functionality, create a spacious feeling in 1200 square feet, market to builders and
future homeowners, and get a good return on their investments. Space is limited so people are encouraged to
register soon.
When: Thursday, November 5: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Where: Tykeson Room, Eugene Downtown Library, 100 West 10th Avenue, Eugene
RSVP: Visit to register online
http://tiny.cc/RSVPhome
Cost: FREE - Sponsored by City of Eugene
For more information, visit http://tiny.cc/smallhome or contact Brian D’Agostine at Brian.D'Agostine@csgrp.com
or call 503-381-6102.
Habitat Enhancement Efforts Begin in New Area of Delta Ponds
In July, the City of Eugene was awarded a $1.642 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) for the Delta Ponds Habitat Enhancement Project. This grant funding was made available
by the 2009 American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act. Grant-funded activities include
the enhancement of 16.4 acres of degraded
riparian habitat, the creation of 4.6 acres of new
riparian and emergent wetland habitat, and the
excavation of seven channels that will improve
hydrologic connectivity between ponds.
This week, work began to remove large stands of
non-native, invasive blackberry in areas east of
Delta Highway. The City hired a local contractor,
Walama Restoration Project, to implement this
work. Walama will be clearing invasive species,
including blackberry, ivy, and Scotch broom in this
area throughout the fall. These 16.4 acres will be
re-treated in 2010 and then planted with over
15,000 native trees and shrubs in the winter of
2010-11.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5
Workers begin to clear brush in Delta Ponds area
October 29, 2009
The riparian and wetland habitat creation and the hydrological connections that are also being funded by the
NOAA grant will take place in 2010. Over the period of two years, the NOAA funding is expected to create or retain
63 jobs in Lane County.
For more information about the Delta Ponds Habitat Enhancement Project, please contact Natural Resources
Enhancement Coordinator Lauri Holts at 682-4925.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 6
October 29, 2009