HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/07/10 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
October 7, 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
FIREFIGHTERS HELP RAISE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
NEIGHBORHOODS SNAP IT UP
HULT CENTER SELECTS NEW STEINWAY CONCERT GRAND
CITY RECEIVES SILVER SAFETY AWARD
NEW EVENTS FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES AT THE LIBRARY
OPEN HOUSE OFFERS OPPORTUNITY FOR INPUT ON PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
PUBLIC WORKS VIDEO EARNS NATIONAL AWARD FOR CHILDREN’S PROGRAMMING
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HOSTS PRESENTATIONS ON VETERANS ISSUES
CITY JOINS ARCHITECTS IN SPONSORING FREE COMMUNITY PRESENTATION
AROUND THE CITY
Firefighters Help Raise Breast Cancer Awareness
Paid, professional union firefighters in Lane County are part of the “Cares Enough to Wear Pink” campaign. For
three shifts - October 7, 8, and 9 - firefighters are replacing their blue duty t-shirts with pink shirts with a special logo
to raise awareness of breast cancer research, and in support of friends, co-workers, and family members with
breast cancer.
Fire departments participating in this event are
Springfield, Eugene, South Lane Fire District, and
Lane Rural Fire/Rescue.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast
cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of
cancer in women, and is the second leading cause of
cancer death of women in the United States. Many
friends and family members of fire department
employees in Lane County have been affected by this
widespread disease.
Fire Chiefs Randy Groves (Eugene/Springfield), Dale
Borland (Lane Rural), and Dave Nielson (South Lane)
and their command teams have declared their support
for this campaign.
The union firefighters from Eugene International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 851 and Springfield IAFF
Local 1395 purchased the t-shirts and fully funded this campaign. (South Lane and Lane Rural are part of Eugene
IAFF Local 851.) No City funds were used. This awareness campaign was endorsed by the IAFF by resolution at
its last national convention.
For more information, please contact IAFF Local 851 President Captain Scott Olmos at 541-682-7100.
Neighborhoods SNAP It Up
Neighborhood Services has reopened the Strategic Neighborhood Assessment and Planning (SNAP) process for
new neighborhood applications after a very successful pilot process with the Trainsong neighborhood. The SNAP
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October 7, 2010
process offers focused Neighborhood Services staff assistance to neighborhood leadership to assess
neighborhood needs and develop a plan outlining goals, strategies and actions. The SNAP process engages a
broad community of neighborhood stakeholders, builds partnerships and collaborations with the City and other
organizations for needed skills and resources, and provides direction for neighborhood leadership.
City-recognized neighborhood associations are all eligible to participate in a SNAP process. Other neighborhood-
based groups may initiate a SNAP, but must do so with the support and collaboration of their neighborhood
association. Two different types of SNAP processes are currently offered: one that focuses on a one- to two-year
work plan for the neighborhood - or one that addresses a specific project or issue. The SNAP process can take
between three to six months to complete depending on the scope of the project and the capacity of neighborhood
leadership. Once a SNAP is successfully completed, the neighborhood is eligible for up to $5,000 in grant funds to
help implement part of its SNAP plan.
The updated SNAP Guide and Application were released on October 1, 2010. A pre-application consultation with
Neighborhood Services staff is required by October 29, and applications are due on November 12. The selected
neighborhood(s) will be notified by December 10, and work will start in January 2011.
The SNAP Guide and Application are available to interested parties on the Neighborhood Services website
http://www.eugene-or.gov/nap. For more information, contact Neighborhood Services staff Lorna Flormoe at
lorna.r.flormoe@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5670, or Rene Kane at 541-682-6243 or rene.c.kane@ci.eugene.or.us.
Hult Center Selects New Steinway Concert Grand
This spring, it became apparent that the Hult Center’s 30-year-old Steinway had reached the end of its service life
when it would no longer hold its tune through performances, and repairs would not return the piano to its former
glory and the performance level necessary for a concert grand.
To find a replacement, Cultural Services Division Manager Karm Hagedorn, and Events Manager, Theresa
Sizemore (who is a skilled piano technician and teacher), along with University of Oregon (UO) School of Music
piano faculty members, Claire Wachter and Dean
Kramer, traveled the region to play and listen to eight
available Steinway Concert Grande model D pianos. The
two finalists were recently transported to Silva Concert
Hall for a “piano play-off.”
The selection team moved throughout the hall during the
performances given by doctors Kramer and Wachter,
and Chris Hepp of Sherman Clay Pianos, critiquing and
discussing each piano’s “voice,” sustain, tone, action,
“playability” and other more subtle nuances. UO Piano
Technician Alan Philips lent further technical expertise.
After careful deliberation, the team selected the piano
dubbed the “Bellevue”, a reference to the former
location of this piano. Both pianos demonstrated the capability to fill the 2,500-seat hall and, while the new Hult
Center Steinway has already been described as “majestic,” “virile,” and “regal,” the tipping point for its selection
was that it also, in Hagedorn’s words, “resonates and responds with a delicate sweetness that will capture your
heart.” Everyone from beginning piano students to touring professionals will play this fine instrument and Hult
Center staff is proud to have had the opportunity to bring it home to Eugene.
For more information, call Karm Hagedorn at 541-682-5700.
City Receives Silver Safety Award
The City of Eugene was presented with the Silver Safety Award at the annual League of Oregon Cities Conference,
held at the Eugene Hilton on September 24. The annual Safety Award Program for Oregon cites was initiated by
the league to stimulate participation in loss prevention programs and provides recognition to cities with low accident
frequency rates. The City has received this award, which demonstrates excellence on the part of City employees to
improve safety performance, every year since 2001.
For more information, please contact Safety/Loss Control and Environmental Program Manager Craig Sorseth,
Risk Services Division, at 541-682-5762.
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October 7, 2010
New Events for Youth and Families at the Library
Children and families are enjoying a new free activity each Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m., at the Downtown Eugene
Public Library. At Science Magic on Sunday, October 10, drop in to get a hands-on experience with the Science
Factory, exploring magnets, plants, water, and more. Family Board Games will be featured on Sunday, October 17,
when super-gamer Chris Ballowe will provide and teach games highlighting math and science. On Sunday, October
24, hear fun - and only slightly scary - Halloween stories. Make music together at a drum circle with Jill Sager of
Hands On Rhythm on Sunday, October 31.
Also new this fall: weekly Teen Gaming at the Sheldon Branch Library. Middle and high school students are invited
to drop in on Wednesdays, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., to play board, card, and role-playing games.
For more information, call the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-8316 or visit www.eugene-or.gov/library.
Open House Offers Opportunity for Input on Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan
New data confirms that Eugeneans are continuing to increase their use of bicycling and walking to meet their
transportation needs, setting the stage for a timely discussion of the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. An
open house session on the master plan is scheduled on Thursday, October 14, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Monroe
Middle School cafeteria, 2800 Bailey Lane, off Coburg Road in north Eugene.
Citizen project advisory committee members and staff from the Eugene Public Works Transportation Planning team
have spent the past several months assembling input and information for an “Existing Conditions Report.” This will
be presented at the open house, and additional feedback will be invited.
The overall goal of the Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan is to improve Eugene’s walking and biking network by
filling in gaps or missing connections and deploying new design tools. According to a recent study by the U.S.
Census Bureau, that goal is more important than ever. The 2009 American Community Survey reports that of
65,400 workers age 16 and older in the city of Eugene, 10.8 percent bicycled to work, 6.7 percent walked, and 5.0
percent used public transportation. While that’s still a minority of commuters, the percentage of cyclists is on the
rise. In 2008, cyclists accounted for 8.0 percent of commuter trips, and in 2007 the figure was 8.5 percent.
“Even though there were fewer people employed in 2009, compared to the prior years, the percentage of bike
commuters increased quite a bit,” said David Roth, a member of the Transportation Planning team. Roth also noted
that at 10.8 percent, Eugene is one of the top cities in the nation for bicycle commuting, and often competes with
Boulder, Colorado, in ridership ratings. “I was hoping we had them beat, but it appears they saw even larger gains
than us with a 2009 bike commute mode share of 12.3 percent,” Roth said.
Yet another opportunity to get involved in bicycle and pedestrian design is a “Transportation Remix” on Friday,
th
October 22, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Oregon Electric Station, 27 East 5 Avenue. The panel of speakers includes
Edward Fischer, former Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) State Traffic Engineer; Jessica Roberts, Alta
Planning and Design; and Hugh Prichard, retired developer and real estate broker. The panel will be moderated by
ODOT Pedestrian and Bicycle Program Manager Sheila Lyons.
For more information, call Associate Transportation Planner David Roth at 541-682-5727.
Public Works Video Earns National Award for Children’s
Programming
“Discover Public Works,” a video developed by the Public Works
Department for use in local schools, has received a national award for
children’s programming.
The National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors
(NATOA) gave the video a second-place government programming
award in the children/young adults category. The video also earned an
honorable mention in the category for profiles of a city or county
department. The awards were announced October 1 at NATOA’s annual
conference in Washington, D.C.
The video was produced by Metro TV, and the award nomination was submitted with the assistance of the
Information Services Division’s Telecommunications Program. The 11-minute 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. A streaming video
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October 7, 2010
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 541-682-5523, or eric.r.jones@ci.eugene.or.us,
Human Rights Commission Hosts Presentations on Veterans Issues
The Human Rights Commission is hosting Dean Ehly at the commission’s October 19 meeting. Ehly is a licensed
clinical social worker and a program manager with the Veterans Administration. He will share information and
conduct a question-and-answer forum with commissioners to provide a basic orientation on local veterans’
services, veteran-specific issues, and veterans’ advocacy. Ehly meets with local veterans when they return to Lane
County and coordinates veterans’ reintegration. The Human Rights Commission welcomes elected officials and
City of Eugene staff to the presentation and hopes this will help raise awareness of local services and sensitivity for
veterans as Veterans’ Day approaches. The meeting is set for Tuesday, October 19, from 6 - 7 p.m., in the McNutt
Room at City Hall, 777 Pearl Street.
In addition, the Human Rights Commission Accessibility Committee will host a lunch-hour panel discussion on
November 8 including unique participants from local support and advocacy groups. The presentation, Community
Support for Veterans with Disabilities, will take place in the Eugene Public Library’s Bascom-Tykeson rooms,
beginning at noon.
For information about these events, please contact Holly LeMasurier, human rights analyst in the City Manager's
Office at holly.k.lemasurier@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5619.
City Joins Architects in Sponsoring Free Community Presentation
The public is invited to the Hult Center’s Soreng Theater on Friday, October 15, for a free presentation at 5:30 p.m.
This community event will feature Alan Durning, executive director of the Sightline Institute in Seattle, the largest
think tank in the Pacific Northwest. Sponsored in part by the Office of Sustainability and Neighborhood Services,
Mr. Durning’s lecture is entitled “Living on the Edge: How the Northwest Can Lead Us (Out).” Mr. Durning is the
author of several books, including This Place on Earth, and he’s considered to be a challenging and inspiring
speaker. His presentation is also sponsored by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
The evening presentation is one of many sessions planned during a three-day AIA Northwest and Pacific Region
Conference. The conference will bring hundreds of architects to Eugene next week. Also scheduled for Friday,
October 15, is a special, noon collaboration at the Hult Center between the City Club of Eugene and the Corvallis
City Club. The luncheon will include a conversation with Shelley Poticha, Mayor Kitty Piercy and Corvallis City
Councilor Dan Brown. Ms. Poticha, a former Eugene resident, is senior advisor for Sustainable Housing and
Communities in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
For more information, please contact Cindy Clarke in Neighborhood Services at cindy.j.clarke@ci.eugene.or.us or
541-682-5272, or Keli Osborn at keli.m.osborn@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5406.
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