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Home My WebLink About06/24/10 - City Council Newsletter EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER June 24, 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 “WATER WALKS” TALK BY BILL SULLIVAN AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY DISC GOLF CLINIC AND ICE CREAM SOCIAL PARKS AND OPEN SPACE RECEIVES OREGON YOUTH EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE FUNDING DIVERSITY AND EQUITY STRATEGIC PLAN (DESP) TURNS ONE INVESTIGATION OF WASTEWATER COLLECTION SYSTEM BEGINS JULY 6 IN FAIRMOUNT AREA DOG WASH IS FISH FRIENDLY AND ENCOURAGES CLEAN CANINES SAFETY FEST LIVES UP TO ITS NAME ONCE AGAIN AROUND THE CITY “Water Walks” Talk by Bill Sullivan at Eugene Public Library On Monday, July 5, at 6 p.m., author Bill Sullivan will present an illustrated talk on “Water Walks” at the Eugene Downtown Public Library. Admission is free. Led by one of Oregon’s favorite hiking guides, this virtual trip will include beautiful images of waterfalls, hot springs, sea caves, rivers, lakes, beaches, and more. Sullivan’s books will be available for purchase and signing. Eugene Public Library’s Summer Reading theme this year is “Make Waves!” Visit the Library or the Library website to learn about free events for kids, families, teens, and adults. For more information, call the Library at 541-682-5450 or go to www.eugene-or.gov/library. Disc Golf Clinic and Ice Cream Social The Adaptive Recreation program will introduce individuals 13 and older to disc golf at a fun event on June 26, 1 - 5 p.m., at Hilyard Center. The event, which is designed for individuals with developmental disabilities, starts will Frisbee lessons on the field behind the center. Disc golf instructors will give each attendee the opportunity to try the game and throw discs while interacting with friends and community members. After the game, ice cream sundaes will be served. The disc golf clinic is one of several new activities offered by Adaptive Recreation this summer, including an Adaptive Cycling Center, providing a variety of adaptive bikes for rent, Partner Dancing for People with Disabilities, Wheelchair Hikes, Hands and Voices Potluck, Speed Dating and chaperoned date nights. For more information, contact Adaptive Recreation Program Manager Andy Fernandez at 541-682-6306. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 June 24, 2010 Parks and Open Space Receives Oregon Youth Employment Initiative Funding The Parks and Open Space Division (POS) was recently awarded two grants totaling $62,000 from the Oregon Youth Conservations Corps’ Oregon Youth Employment Initiative (OYCC-OYEI). POS has been successful in three consecutive funding cycles for OYCC-OYEI grants, which are made available through the Federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The initiative was designed to provide employment opportunities for youth between the ages of 18 and 24 in the fields of natural resources and conservation education. This grant will provide POS funding to hire two crews of six youths to conduct natural resource maintenance in the City’s natural areas for a nine-week period this summer. The crews will focus on three main projects: trimming vegetation and removing debris in the City’s waterways to ensure proper conveyance while preserving habitat nd value; rehabilitating a section of the Ridgeline Trail beginning at the trailhead at 52 Avenue and Willamette Street; and restoring oak-pine habitat at the Mariposa Woodland area of Spencer Butte. For more information about these grants, please contact Natural Resource Maintenance Supervisor John Clark at 541-682-4826. Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan (DESP) Turns One A lot of work has been done in the first year of the Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan (DESP) to help ensure that equity, human rights and improved access are infused into the daily work done at the City of Eugene. The DESP Annual Report highlights the first year of work, providing a progress report on action item implementation and forecasting second year objectives. The report also provides ways for City staff to become more involved with organization-wide efforts and diversity work in departments. Reflecting input from thepublic, City employees and a diversity consultant, the five-year plan commits to a coordinated, strategic approach in aligning work with council goals and the City’s mission and values. The report will be printed and distributed starting next week. For more information, please contact Equity and Human Rights Manager Raquel Wells at 541-682-8439, or Raquel.c.wells@ci.eugene.or.us. Investigation of Wastewater Collection System Begins July 6 in Fairmount Area During the summer and early fall, Public Works Maintenance crews will be re-evaluating possible defects in the public wastewater collection system in the Far West, West University, Friendly Area, South University, Amazon, Fairmount, Southeast, Downtown and Jefferson Westside neighborhoods. The work will take place on weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., beginning Tuesday, July 6, and will involve two techniques: closed-circuit television inspection and isolated smoke-testing. Isolated smoke-testing enables staff to investigate defects that allow stormwater runoff and groundwater to enter the public wastewater collection system. In addition to isolated smoke- testing, closed-circuit television allows staff to pinpoint the location of possible defects. Testing will begin in the Fairmount Boulevard area. The entire project is expected to take several months to complete. During the tests, which are endorsed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, non-toxic, white smoke is released into underground sewer lines to identify problems. The smoke will not harm plants or animals and quickly dissipates leaving no residue or stains.Residents are notified before testing begins in their neighborhood by notices placed on doors one or two days before work begins. Harmless white smoke reveals potential leaks After smoke is blown into a sewer line, crew members use closed- circuit television inside the sewer system to locate where the smoke is exiting the public system. White smoke rising from the ground generally indicates a crack or other defects in a sewer line. Deteriorated sewer lines and improper stormwater connections cause a problem called inflow and infiltration. The region's wastewater collection and treatment system is designed to carry EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 June 24, 2010 only a certain amount of water and sewage. Inflow and infiltration of stormwater runoff and groundwater can overload the system, increasing the difficulty and cost of transporting and treating wastewater. If smoke-testing reveals a defect in the public portion of the wastewater collection system, the defect is corrected as soon as possible. If extensive defects are found, capital rehabilitation projects are planned, funded and completed to correct the problem. This year, as in years past, the City plans to spend more than $1 million on wastewater system capital rehabilitation. Two major wastewater system repair projects at various locations around the city are scheduled this summer. If smoke-testing identifies a stormwater connection prohibited in the City code, such as a roof drain connected to the sanitary sewer, the property owner is notified and is required to correct the problem. If the testing indicates a defect in the private portion of the sewer (usually in the line that connects the building to the public sewer), the owner is notified of potential problems with the sewer, and repair or replacement of the defective line is recommended. For more information on the program, contact Inflow/Infiltration Investigation Project Manager Carla Spangler at 541-682-4894 or at www.eugene-or.gov/smoketesting. For more information on the wastewater system capital repair program, call Project Manager David Starns at 541-682-8306. Dog Wash Is Fish Friendly and Encourages Clean Canines What does the Barks & Bubbles dog wash fundraiser have to do with protecting local waterways? Plenty! This Sunday, June 27, from 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., an outdoor dog wash fundraiser for PAAWS (People And Animals Who Serve) will use the stormwater program’s fish-friendly car wash kit to protect their storm drain from soapy run- off. The kit includes an inflatable cover for the storm drain, a sump pump to divert water and other accessories for easy use. A stormwater staff person will also be on hand to promote and register dog owners for the Canines for Clean Water program. Dog owners who make a pledge to be “super scoopers” and dispose of their dog waste properly receive a free bandana. The Barks & Bubbles fundraiser is located outside of Salon De Lange at 3007 North Delta Highway, behind Gold’s Gym. Well-behaved dogs on leash are invited to participate. Pet owners are asked to bring towels for drying their pet. For more information about the Canines for Clean Water Program, visit www.eugene-or.gov/cleancanines or contact Public Information Specialist Kathy Eva at 541-682-2739 or at Kathy.a.eva@ci.eugene.or.us. Safety Fest Lives Up to Its Name Once Again Eugene’s bike routes and waterways will be a little safer for kids again this year, thanks to the bicycle helmets and life jackets given away at the annual Family Fun & Safety Fest held last Saturday at Alton Baker Park. Organized by the Fire & EMS Department’s Water Rescue Team, the free Safety Fest draws thousands to the park each year to see exhibits and demonstrations, gather safety information, participate in free helmet and life jacket programs, and generally have a good time in the sunshine. This year, overall attendance was estimated to approach 10,000, and approximately 1,000 life jackets and 1,000 bicycle helmets were given to kids whose families could not otherwise afford them. The Fire & EMS Department would like to thank the many public and private- sector agencies who contributed to the success of this year’s Safety Fest, either by attending or making donations. Notable supporters included the Springfield Fire & Life Safety Department, Bi-Mart, KVAL-TV, Papa’s Pizza and Les Schwab. For more information, contact Cinimint Harper, Eugene Fire & EMS, at 541-682-7120. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 June 24, 2010