HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/10/10 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
June 10, 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
NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS INCLUDE ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES
SUMMER READING FOR ALL AGES: MAKE WAVES AT THE LIBRARY!
MAKING THE HIGHWAYS NEAR EUGENE SAFER FOR ALL TRAVELERS
EUGENE-KAKEGAWA SISTER CITY VISITS PLANNED
TRAINSONG SNAP WORKSHOP #1 – PRIORITIES INTO ACTION
AROUND THE CITY
NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships Include Activities for All Ages
The City of Eugene Recreation Division, University of Oregon Athletic Department, Oregon Track Club, Oregon
Track Club Elite, and other partners, have teamed up to provide youth with a front-row seat at the NCAA Track &
Field Championships at Hayward Field June 9 - 12.
In an effort to provide opportunities for youth and families to
watch the NCAA event, over 1,000 tickets were donated by Nike,
UCS Inc., and Beynon Sports Surfaces. The Recreation Division
joined with other members of the Track Town Youth Network to
connect with families who would otherwise be unable to attend.
Youth ages 5-18 years were eligible, along with their families and
chaperones. LTD provided coupons to ride the bus for families
who needed transportation.
More than 800 middle school students were treated to a field trip
to Hayward Field to cheer on the Decathlon athletes. Oregon
Track Club Elite athletes brought the events alive by teaching
youth about track and field. Youth received a modified “bib” and
were engaged in trivia contests to win posters and prizes. USA
Track & Field presented the Win with Integrity program which
encourages youth to make positive choices, stay in school and
remain active. Funding for transportation was provided by the
University of Oregon (UO) and Oregon Track Club.
The Recreation Division’s The Starting Block, a booth that has become a fixture at UO track and field meets, is
also at the championships, providing an energetic and active space for youth and adults to experience, connect
with, and learn about, track and field. Activities are free and include:
?
Track and Field Circuit – stretching, mini high jump, standing long jump, balance area, discus/hammer toss,
crayon rubbing station and shot put roll
?
Jump Zone – high jump and vertical jump
?
Technology Zone – interactive games (Wii) and iJoy Balance Boards
?
Equipment Area – hands-on display of equipment and gear
?
Photo Op – take a photo of yourself on the cover of Youth Runner’s Magazine
?
Sprints – challenge friends to a short sprint or try the mini-hurdles
?
Records and Rewards – see if you have the record of the day and spin for a prize
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
June 10, 2010
I’m A Track Fan booth, also provided by the Recreation Division, is designed to build excitement and enthusiasm
for track and field by asking fans to test their knowledgeabout track and field and then make a button of their
favorite team logo, mascot or track and field legend. This booth is provided in partnership with Oregon Track Club
Elite and fans will have the opportunity to ask questions and receive autographs. There is no cost to participate.
The Starting Block /Track Fan booths hours are:
?
June 10 – 3-7 p.m.
?
June 11 – 3:30-6:30 p.m.
?
June 12 – 8:30-11:30 a.m.
For more information, contact Kimberly McManus at 541-510-3862.
Summer Reading for All Ages: Make Waves at the Library!
This year, the Library’s Summer Reading theme is “Make Waves!” Children, teens, and adults can visit any
Eugene Public Library location – Downtown, Sheldon, or Bethel - to sign up, and pick up a calendar of free events.
At sign-up, kids and teens get a free book, courtesy of the
Friends of the Library. Adults get a coupon for a free coffee from
Novella Cafe or $1 off a purchase at Second Hand Prose Book
Store, both located at the Downtown Library, plus a colorful
Library logo notepad (while supplies last).
Events for kids and families begin the week of June 21 with the
Tom Question Show, featuring juggling, stilt-walking, and lots of
laughs. Catch the free show at the Downtown Library on
Monday, June 21, or Thursday, June 24, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Space is limited at downtown shows, with free tickets available
starting 30 minutes in advance. Tom Question will also perform
at Petersen Barn Community Center, 870 Berntzen Road, on
Tuesday, June 22, at 2 p.m., and at the Sheldon Community
Center, 2445 Willakenzie Road, on Wednesday, June 23, at 2
p.m.
Kids’ events throughout the summer will include a visit from the Oregon Coast Aquarium (and its giant inflatable
whale), storytelling by Chris Leebrick, the annual Teddy Bear Picnic, and “What Do You Know About H0?” by the
2
zany educators of Mad Science.
Programs for teens will include creative writing, tagged cartooning, acting, Zumba dance, movies, Teen Book
Group, and a talent show. For adults, the Library will host a wide variety of free workshops and classes on topics
ranging from tai chi to genealogy, watercolors to small business, and expressive writing to grant writing. Oregon’s
favorite hiking guide, Bill Sullivan, will give an illustrated talk on Water Walks and the Oregon Bach Festival will
offer a free concert. In addition, international activist and educator Alexandra Cousteau will speak at the Downtown
Library on Thursday, July 22, at 6 p.m., on Expedition: Blue Planet 2010, a cross-country campaign to raise
awareness and action on water issues.
For more information, visit the Eugene Public Library at www.eugene-or.gov/library, or call 541-682-5450.
Making the Highways near Eugene Safer for All Travelers
Crashes involving large semi-trucks or other large commercial
motor vehicles tend to have devastating consequences. That is
why it is so important that these vehicles' equipment and operators
are safe. On Tuesday, June 8, the Eugene Police Department
hosted a safety operation for commercial motor vehicles operating
on or near Interstate 5, Highway 126 and Interstate 105, which are
areas covered by the Oregon Department of Transportation’s
(ODOT) 2010 Oregon Commercial Vehicle Safety Plan and have
been identified as Accident Intensified MCSAP Corridors (AIM
Corridors).
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
June 10, 2010
The Eugene Police, ODOT, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Lane County Sheriff’s Office Weigh Masters,
Turner Police Department, and Oakridge Police Department worked together to identify violations involving
commercial motor vehicles, and conducted traffic stops and vehicle inspections.
The operation resulted in a 15 percent driver out-of-service rate (where the driver was taken out of service) and a
40 percent vehicle out-of-service rate. This is two times the national average for both numbers. The teams
conducted 47 inspections and there were 103 total violations (combined operator and vehicle). Of the 47
inspection, 23 were for possible weight violations, and of those 23, two operators were cited and two were warned
about weight violations. Seven drivers were placed out of service (drivers disqualified due to operating outside of
hour limitations or not possessing a Commercial Drivers License.) Nineteen vehicles were taken out of service for
issues such as loose or missing lug nuts, improper load tie-downs, missing frame-bolts, defective tires, and/or
brake problems. In addition, there were eight traffic citations during the operation.
For more information, contact Eugene Police Public Information Director Melinda McLaughlin at 541-682-5124.
Eugene-Kakegawa Sister City Visits Planned
A 10-member delegation from Eugene’s Sister City of Kakegawa, Japan, will visit Eugene in early July. Among
those joining the delegation will be Fusako Matsui, wife of Kakegawa Mayor Saburo Matsui. The Mayor is unable
to visit at this time, due to work commitments. A welcome and dinner party is planned for Monday, July 5, and the
Kakegawa delegation is expected to visit Eugene City Hall on July 6. To participate as a homestay sponsor or
learn more about delegation activities, please contact President of the Eugene-Kakegawa Sister City Committee
riverfish@comcast.net
John Simpson at 541-933-7522 or .
Kakegawa is a city in western Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, with an estimated population of 117,858. Eugene and
Kakegawa established a Sister City relationship in April 1979, and the two communities have shared many
delegations and events over the decades to promote friendship and greater understanding. Later this year, a
delegation from Eugene will travel to Kakegawa. The trip is scheduled October 4 - 15, and registration is open now
for elected officials, City staff and community members. The cost is $2,995. For information about the outgoing
.
trip, please contact trip leader Mike Takahashi at 541-698-6017 ormtakahashi@kiocompany.comTo learn more
about the Eugene-Kakegawa Sister City Committee, please visit the group’s website at http://www.ekscc.org/.
Sister Cities are a way for communitiesto establish meaningful and lasting global connections. Kakegawa is one of
Eugene’s four Sister Cities – the others are Irkutsk, Russia; Jinju, South Korea; and Kathmandu, Nepal. Eugene
has been selected to host the 2011 Youth Leadership Conference for Sister Cities International. For information,
please contact Keli Osborn, City Manager’s Office, 541-682-5406, or keli.m.osborn@ci.eugene.or.us.
Trainsong SNAP Workshop #1 – Priorities into Action
The Strategic Neighborhood Assessment and Planning (SNAP) pilot is underway. The first of two SNAP workshops
in the Trainsong neighborhood was held June 1. Twenty-two neighborhood residents, Councilor Andrea Ortiz, and
representatives of Eugene Tree Foundation, Looking Glass Station 7, and Health Policy Research Northwest
attended the workshop and suggested strategies and actions
for neighborhood improvement. The next step in the SNAP
process is development of a draft work plan to guide the
future work of Trainsong Neighbors.
Trainsong residents who responded to the 2009 Community-
wide Neighborhood Survey placed a high priority on safety,
neighborhood image, safe biking and walking, access to
essential services (such as grocery stores and pharmacies),
and access to parks and open space. These five priorities
form the basis for Trainsong’s work plan. As the SNAP
leadership team develops goals, strategies and
recommended actions to address neighborhood needs, it will
be looking closely at existing City programs for opportunities
to engage neighborhood residents in concrete improvements
to neighborhood livability.
For more information about SNAP, contact Rene Kane of the City Manager’s Office – Neighborhood Services at
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
June 10, 2010
541-682-6243.
Safety Plaza Dedication Adds Human Factor to Road Safety
The dedication of the Bailey Hill Road safety plaza this week
showed that tragic circumstances combined with personal
courage and perseverance can make the world a better
place. More than 50 community members gathered on
Tuesday afternoon to remember the young people who have
died in our community over the past three years as a result
of motor vehicle crashes. It was also an occasion to unveil a
display near the Churchill skate park that bears two safety
messages: motor vehicle crashes are the number-one
cause of death for Oregon youth; and “start seeing
everyone,” a reminder that eye-to-eye contact with drivers
saves lives.
Many people contributed to the design and construction of
the safety plaza. Tom Schneider and Marina Hajek had the
vision and the dedication to turn an idea into a reality. The
City of Eugene neighborhood matching grant program
provided some of the funding, the Churchill Area Neighbors
and the Bailey Hill Road Safety Committee helped organize
the volunteers who created the plaza, and many contributors
came forward to assist, including Rexius Forest Products,
Two-sided display board unveiled Tuesday at Bailey Hill
Home Depot, the Jane Higdon Foundation, Westleigh
safety plaza
Homeowners Association, Denture Master and Greg Lumsden Insurance Agency.
Schoolchildren created messages for the display boards, and fourth graders from nearby McCornack Elementary
School helped stamp the pumpkin leaf border around the concrete plaza. It also was a time for families who have
lost children to vehicle crashes to meet and share their emotions and stories. The children who were remembered
were Vaclav Hajek, Nima Gibba, Jaziah Vermilyea, David Minor, and Megan Kennedy.
Councilor Chris Pryor spoke at the dedication event. “This plaza is not just a memorial to Vaclav or any of the
other victims of traffic accidents,” Pryor said. “It is a statement about our commitment and our dedication to make
the future a better place. Looking forward instead of looking back; living in our neighborhoods, not just in our
homes.”
For more information, contact Eric Jones, Public Works Administration, at 541-682-5523.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
June 10, 2010