HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/27/10 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
May 27, 2010
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
2010 WE ARE BETHEL CELEBRATION: INTERGALACTIC GALA
WEEEDO IT AGAIN!
CHILDREN'S BOOKS COME TO LIFE AT LIBRARY WEBSITE
BROCHURES NOTIFY CUSTOMERS OF NEW WASTEWATER AND STORMWATER USER FEES
WETLAND MITIGATION BANK REVISES ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUMENT
AIRPORT DIRECTOR ELECTED TO BOARD
AROUND THE CITY
2010 We Are Bethel Celebration: Intergalactic Gala
Don your most original cosmic costume and come on over to the ninth annual We Are Bethel Celebration on
Saturday, June 5, from noon to 6 p.m., at Petersen Barn Community Center, 870 Berntzen Road. Admission is
free.
The annual We Are Bethel Celebration, presented by Recreation Division’s Youth and Family Services, offers
traditional community spirit and “good, ole fashion” family fun. This year, the celebration theme is Intergalactic
Gala; kids and adults are encouraged to wear costumes.
The event features the Youth Cosmic Carnival (25-cent tickets) to benefit Club Bethel youth, and live music all
day, including the kick-off Summer in the City – Live Music series (formerly Concerts in the Park), by Marv Ellis
and the Platform. Other performances are by the Shasta Jazz Band, and NAACP ACT-SO students. Activities at
the event include longboarding and tree climbing, and City Councillor Andrea Ortiz will be honoured at the “Milk
Toast.” (See below for the entire event schedule.)
Youth and Family Services staff has organized the annual event in collaboration with the Bethel School District
and the Eugene Police Department.
The We Are Bethel entertainment line-up includes:
Noon – Welcome to Intergalactic Gala
12:05 – Willamette Jazz Band
12:35 – Shasta Jazz Band
1:05 – NAACP ACT-SO Students
1:15 – Home Source Music Combo
1:40 – Milk Toast – City Councilor Andrea Ortiz
1:50 – Kappa Alpha Psi Step Team
2:00 – Marv Ellis & the Platform
3:30 – Sirens Dance Co.
3:40 – Forest Waters
4:00 – TBA
4:20 – Shedd Institute Voice Students
4:40 – South in the North
5:00 – DJ
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May 27, 2010
For more information, call Anya Steinbruck at 541-682-5521.
WEEEDO It Again!
The final West Eugene EmX Extension Design Options
(WEEEDO) public open house is scheduled for Thursday June
3, from 4 to 6 p.m., at the Eugene Public Library’s Singer Room.
Lane Transit District is currently studying several options for
extending EmX bus rapid transit service from the downtown
th
Eugene Station to the West 11 Avenue corridor. Possible
thth
alignments include using 13 Avenue or 6 and 7th avenues to
th
reach 11 Avenue west of Chambers Street. Decisions on the
preferred alignment are expected in late 2010.
The City of Eugene and Lane Transit District secured a State
Transportation Growth Management “Quick Response” grant to
provide several site-specific designs along the proposed West
Eugene EmX routes. Consideration of good design at this early stage of project development through the
WEEEDO project will illustrate the best possible outcomes for different routes under consideration, develop
designs that respond to the land uses alongside the proposed EmX routes, integrate neighborhood improvements
into the transit project’s design, and provide information that will be helpful in the decision-making process about
the EmX extension project. “We want to engage the neighborhood, businesses, and residents in a conversation
about what we are doing and gather their ideas on how to better the design,” said LTD’s Director of Planning and
Development Tom Schwetz.
The WEEEDO project does not focus on routing; it is intended to supplement the larger EmX alternatives analysis
and environmental impact assessment by gathering public suggestions related to the proposed West Eugene EmX
alternatives.
The local design firm of Cameron McCarthy Gilbert & Scheibe was hired to facilitate public meetings and perform
the design work for WEEEDO. An advisory group of 16 people was formed to represent residential and business
interests from within the study area, affected neighborhood organizations, the general public, and transportation
and environmental interests. The first public workshop, held last March,was attended by about 60 people. At the
June workshop, the public will have the opportunity to discuss and comment on site-specific enhancements. The
sites were chosen through input received from the advisory group and the first open house. The WEEEDO project
is expected to be finished by July.
For more information, contact Kurt Yeiter, Transportation Planning Team, Public Works Engineering, at 541-682-
8379. Additional information about EmX and the WEEEDO project is available at Lane Transit District’s website
www.ltd.org.
Children's Books Come to Life at Library Website
Delightful “talking” books for kids are now available free online through www.tumblebooks.com/library/at the
Eugene Public Library website.Tumblebooks offers a wide variety of classics and new books brought to life
onscreen with colorful animation, professional narration, and engaging sound effects and music.
Tumblebooks offers hundreds of picture books for younger children as well as
,
short novels for older kids. Kids can turn on the audio to be read towith the
onscreen text highlighted
as the words are readaloud. Or they can turn off
the audio to read on their own.
Tumblebooks also provides books in Spanish, games and puzzles to build
language skills, and full-length streaming audio books to listen to with no CDs,
DVDs, or downloading needed.
For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-8316 or visit www.eugene-or.gov/library.
Brochures Notify Customers of New Wastewater and Stormwater User Fees
The City of Eugene’s annual wastewater and stormwater rate notification brochures will be distributed via Eugene
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May 27, 2010
Water & Electric Board (EWEB) utility bills beginning in June. The rate notification brochure informs customers of
rates and provides an overview of City services supported by these fees.
Wastewater fees are applied to all utility customers whose properties are connected to the public wastewater
system. The City of Eugene provides local wastewater collection services, and the Metropolitan Wastewater
Management Commission (MWMC) operates the regional wastewater treatment facilities.
The combined effect of the local and regional wastewater fee increases for a typical residential customer is an
increase of $1.76 per month, from the current $28.39 per month to $30.15 per month. Of this typical increase,
$1.00 is related to the regional portion while $0.76 is from the local portion of the fee. Other user categories will
see similar effects in terms of the percentage increase, with dollar amounts varying depending on volume and
strength of wastewater discharge.
Stormwater fees are applied to all utility customers with developed properties in Eugene. The fees support
services that maintain flood protection and drainage services, maintain and enhance stormwater-related natural
resources, and improve water quality. These services include street sweeping, seasonal leaf pick-up, maintenance
of underground stormwater pipes and efforts to reduce pollutants and adhere to water quality standards.
Stormwater customers will see no increase in fees at this time. The City Manager approved the wastewater rate
increase by administrative order on April 29. The new wastewater rates will become effective on bills issued in
July. For more information about the wastewater fee increase, please contact Tish Peterson at 541-682-6087 or by
e-mail at tish.a.peterson@ci.eugene.or.us. To find information on the website, visit www.eugene-
or.gov/stormwater.
Wetland Mitigation Bank Revises Administrative Instrument
The Parks and Open Space Division has begun the process of updating the agreement authorizing the City’s
Wetland Mitigation Bank (Bank). Currently, the Bank operates under rules outlined in a Memorandum of
Agreement with the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) signed in
1995. As the first authorized wetland mitigation bank in the state, the City’s Memorandum of Agreement was
groundbreaking and served as the prototype for subsequent private banks. However, over the past 15 years, many
regulations have changed and some requirements for current mitigation banks are different. Thus, the City’s
Wetland Mitigation Bank has submitted a “prospectus” that would update the Bank to make it consistent with
current regulations. The prospectus will be open for public comment for 30 days, closing on June 23, after which
the DSL and Corps will work with Bank staff to finalize an updated agreement.
The Bank has been a valuable tool for the Parks and Open Space Division to meet multiple goals for the City,
including water quality protection, flood control, habitat for native plants and animals, recreation, and education.
The Bank has helped restore wetlands in areas like Meadowlark Prairie and Dragonfly Bend. These public lands
provide important recreation and education opportunities that are highly valued by the community and correspond
with adopted City Council goals. For more information, please contact Natural Areas Restoration Supervisor
Trevor Taylor at 541-682-4888.
Airport Director Elected to Board
Eugene Airport Director Tim Doll, A.A.E. has been elected to the national board of the American Association of
Airport Executives (AAAE) for 2010-2011.
Founded in 1928, AAAE is the world’s largest professional organization representing the men and women who
work at public-use commercial and general aviation airports. The association’s 5,000-plus members represent 850
airports and hundreds of companies and organizations that support the airport industry. Headquartered in
Alexandria, Virginia, AAAE serves its membership through results-oriented representation in Washington, D.C.,
and delivers a wide range of industry services and professional development opportunities, including training,
conferences, and a highly respected accreditation program.
For more information, contact Cathryn Stephens at 541-682-5430.
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May 27, 2010