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HomeMy WebLinkAboutccnews102810 EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER October 28, 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 WEST EUGENE EMX ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS REPORT AVAILABLE BUILDING INSPECTORS TRY PEDAL POWER FOR LARGE SITE INSPECTIONS HOLIDAY BAZAAR BENEFITS ADULT PROGRAM FREEZING WEATHER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER BORROW EBOOKS ONLINE FROM EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCAL LEADERS SET FOR “LET’S TALK TRANSIT” TOWN HALL ON NOVEMBER 9 SUPPORT AND SERVICES FOR VETERANS INFORMATION SHARE EUGENE AIRPORT AWARDED $500,000 AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT GRANT EUGENE AND MULTI-CITY TELECOM RIGHTS-OF-WAY FEES AUDIT RECOGNIZED ENHANCED SCREENING PROCEDURES AT EUG EUGENE FIRE & EMS PROMOTES FIRST FEMALE CAPTAIN NEW LOOK FOR MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL WEB PAGES AROUND THE CITY West Eugene EmX Alternatives Analysis Report Available Lane Transit District (LTD) and the City have been eagerly awaiting the release of the alternatives analysis report for the West Eugene EmX project. At LTD’s request, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has agreed to allow LTD to release the alternatives analysis report to have an important community conversation about the project. FTA will continue to review the document and the agency’s comments will be incorporated at a later date. Some comments have already been provided by FTA, and LTD staff is incorporating them into the document. The document is scheduled to be released to the public on Thursday, Oct. 28. The good news is that everyone will be able to roll up their sleeves, review the data and begin the discussions leading up to the selection of a locally preferred alternative. An electronic copy of the report will be available at www.ltd.org (look for the link on that page). Paper copies can th be reviewed at the Eugene Public Library (100 West 10 Avenue), Sheldon Branch Library (1566 Coburg Road), Bethel Branch Library (1990 Echo Hollow Road), Springfield Public Library (225 Fifth Street, Springfield), Eugene City th Manager’s Office (777 Pearl Street, Room 105), LTD Customer Service (Willamette and 11 Avenue), LTD th Administrative Offices (3500 East 17 Avenue) Eugene Chamber of Commerce (1401 Willamette Street), Springfield Chamber of Commerce (101 South A Street), and Housing and Community Services Agency (HACSA) Housing Authority of Lane County (177 Day Island Drive). LTD encourages use of the electronic version out of sensitivity for the environment and cost. LTD will, however, be printing several hundred copies of the report summary document and distributing it widely. A hard copy or electronic disk of the full, over-500-page document is available upon request at cost (currently estimated at $100 for a hard copy or $10 for a disk). EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 October 28, 2010 Because the alternatives analysis report is a sizeable report with a lot of data, several open houses will be held to answer questions. Dates and times (locations are still being determined) are: Wednesday, Nov. 3, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 4, from 4 to 7 p.m., and Tuesday, Nov. 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Since July, when the alternatives analysis report was submitted to the FTA, LTD has continued to meet with citizens, decision makers, property owners and businesses along each of the alignments. These valuable conversations have provided LTD with an opportunity to incorporate feedback into mitigation planning that will help reduce many of the impacts along the proposed corridors. Mitigation plans are expected to be available within the next two weeks. For more information, contact Transportation Planning Manager Rob Inerfeld at 541-682-5343 or rob.inerfeld@ci.eugene.or.us. Building Inspectors Try Pedal Power for Large Site Inspections Building Inspector Bob Wentz has a lot of ground to cover when it comes to inspecting new construction on the University of Oregon campus, but his job just got faster and greener thanks to a new folding bike. Planning and Development’s Building Inspection Team recently invested in two folding bikes that can be easily transported to construction areas. Once an inspector has parked a vehicle in a central location, the bike can be unfolded and ridden to each inspection site. The bikes not only save the inspectors time driving from site to site, but they also support the City’s climate and energy goals by reducing vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gas emissions. For more information, contact Building Inspection Supervisor Kyle Richardson at 541-682-8338 or kyle.richardson@ci.eugene.or.us. Holiday Bazaar Benefits Adult Program The annual Holiday Bazaar at Campbell Community Center will be held on Saturday, Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. This event features handcrafted and donated items that make great gifts for all, including crafts, quilts, wooden items, pies and baked goods, preserves and Campbell’s famous sweet hot mustard, and a silent auction and raffle. Breakfast snacks and lunch will be sold. The bazaar is open to the public and admission is free. Proceeds benefit the Adult Services Program. For more information, please contactYvaughn Tompkins at 541-682-5318. Freezing Weather Is Just Around the Corner Public Works Maintenance is gearing up for winter weather. Dump trucks are being switched into snow plows. Maintenance is being performed on sander trucks. Storage tanks are being filled with de-icer that can be used to prevent ice from forming and snow from sticking to priority routes and steep inclines. This week, crews are participating in a refresher course on winter operations. Training topics include reviewing snow routes, operating snow plows and sanding and de-icing equipment, and installing snow chains. Local residents also have an opportunity to learn about priority routes for ice and snow removal with the annual publication of the ice and snow route map on Sunday, Oct. 31, in the Register-Guard, as required in the Eugene Code. The map illustrates priority snow routes and lists TV and radio stations that provide weather updates in the event of freezing weather. Typically, emergency routes are collectors, arterials and bus routes. The code gives the City the authority to ban parking along priority routes. By banning parking the City is able to ensure that emergency vehicles, buses and other essential traffic can move safely around town, and that parked and stalled vehicles do not hamper snow removal operation. Property owners are reminded that it is their responsibility to keep sidewalks safe and clear of ice and snow. For more information about winter storm abatement and preparation, contact Public Works Maintenance Surface Operations Manager Eric Johnson at 541-682-4904 or eric.p.johnson@ci.eugene.or.us. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 October 28, 2010 Borrow eBooks Online from Eugene Public Library Learn why electronic books are becoming so popular and how to borrow thousands of titles free from the Eugene Public Library on Sunday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. The Downtown Library will hold a hands-on computer class titled “Intro to eBooks.” Several brands of eReaders will be on hand to compare, or participants may bring their own. The class is free, but due to limited space, pre- registration is required by calling the Library at 541-682-5450 (press 2). Additional computer classes now accepting sign-ups include “Store and Share Digital Photos” on Nov. 4 or Nov. 18, at 6 p.m.; “Genealogy” on Nov. 6 or Nov. 20, at 10 a.m.; and “Intro to Computers” on Nov.13, at 10 a.m. For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. Local Leaders Set For Let’s Talk Transit Town Hall on November 9 Is public transit a good investment? How does transit benefit the community? What kind of transit system does the greater Eugene-Springfield area need? Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy and other elected officials and community leaders will discuss these important questions at a Let’s Talk Transit Town Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 9. The town hall will be th held at the Hilton Eugene & Conference Center, 66 East 6 Avenue. A complimentary continental breakfast will be available at 7 a.m., followed by the program from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The town hall is free to the public, but to ensure a seat, participants must pre-register by Wednesday, Nov. 3, by e-mailing rsvp@ltd.org or calling 541-682-6106. In addition to Mayor Piercy, speakers will include John Inglish of the Utah Transit Authority; Congressman Peter DeFazio, chair of the House Highway and Transit Subcommittee; Springfield City Councilor Christine Lundberg, and LTD Board Member Greg Evans. Participants will be invited to join in the discussion about the community’s current and future transit needs and share their thoughts. All comments will be summarized in a report following the town hall. Co-sponsors of the Let's Talk Transit Town Hall include the City of Eugene, Lane Transit District, Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Transportation for America, Oregon Environmental Council, and Climate Justice League. For more information, contact Transportation Planning Manager Rob Inerfeld at 541-682-5343 or rob.inerfeld@ci.eugene.or.us. Support and Services for Veterans Information Share A lunchtime information share will be held Monday, Nov. 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Bascom-Tykeson Room at the Eugene Public Library. In honor of Veterans Day, participants will learn about local support and service provider work with returning veterans and their families. Service providers will share how they help returning veterans reintegrate into civilian life, provide family support, and discuss ways to help them reconnect to a welcoming community. Feel free to bring a lunch; light snacks will be provided. For more information, contact Holly LeMasurier at 541/682-5619 or holly.k.lemasurier@ci.eugene.or.us. Eugene Airport Awarded $500,000 Air Service Development Grant The Eugene Airport (EUG) has been awarded a $500,000 Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) grant for potential future nonstop flights to San Jose. The Department of Transportation received 74 applications from 35 states, and selected 19 to receive a share of $7 million in federal grant funding. The grant for EUG will provide a minimum revenue guarantee for an airline establishing daily nonstop service between the Eugene Airport and Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport. Grant funds will also be used to create and execute a targeted marketing and advertising campaign to support the service. Horizon Air is the airline most likely to provide this service and company officials provided a letter of support for the grant application. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 October 28, 2010 San Jose was identified as the best underserved, nonstop air service market to pursue for this grant application. San th Jose is the 12 top destination of passengers using EUG, but the Eugene Airport retains only 15 percent of local passengers with 85 percent driving to Portland Airport (PDX). The retention rate is significantly lower than most other destinations of EUG’s top 50 markets. This provides a great opportunity to recapture market share to San Jose while filling an identified transportation need in the community. New nonstop routes have also been shown to stimulate passenger traffic on the new route, in addition to building business relationships between the two communities. A public-private partnership has been established to support the proposed air service initiative made up of the City of Eugene, Lane County Government, Eugene Chamber of Commerce, Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Lane Metro Partnership, and Travel Lane County. This partnership will provide $281,100 in matching funds, including $55,000 from non-airport sources. To be considered for the SCASDP an airport must currently have insufficient air service, unreasonably high air fares, and/or geographic diversity; for example, being located near an airport that pulls traffic away from the smaller airport. Priority considerations for the Department of Transportation also include local cash contributions, established public/private partnerships, material benefits to the general public, and timely use of grant funds in selecting a grantee. For more information contactCathryn Stephens, C.M., director of communication and development at EUG, at cathryn.e.stephens@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5430. Eugene and Multi-City Telecom Rights-of-Way Fees Audit Recognized th Eugene and other cities taking part in a 70-city audit were recognized with an award last week at the 15 annual Oregon Connections Telecommunications Conference. The award category was Excellence in Telecommunications Projects and Regional/Local Strategies and went to the Oregon Municipal Audit Review Committee (OMARC). Eugene was also on OMARC’s smaller steering committee, represented by Pam Berrian, Telecommunications staff, and Twylla Miller, Finance staff. OMARC was formed by participating cities to audit rights-of-way use fees paid by two incumbent phone companies, Verizon and Qwest. The scope of the review was unprecedented not only because it involved 70 cities and two companies at once, but it also covered a six-year period rather than the typical one- or two-year audit periods. Qwest and Verizon joined with OMARC cities in a joint kick-off, and OMARC went on to become a model in workload efficiency and joint communications between cities and providers. OMARCs steering committee managed each city's financial contribution towards the audit, researched critical definitions and calculations, and ensured a smooth communication flow with Qwest and Verizon. The result was that OMARC, Qwest and Verizon reached an amicable financial settlement that returned about $3 million in one-time funds to the cities and also provided the carriers certainty about future calculations. In the end, OMARC created trust among all concerned. For more information, please contact Telecommunications Program Manager Pam Berrian at 541-682-5590 or pam.c.berrian@ci.eugene.or.us. Enhanced Screening Procedures at Eugene Airport On Friday, Oct. 29, new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) “enhanced pat-down procedures” will be used at all airports in Oregon, including the Eugene Airport (EUG), and are being rolled out across the country by the end of the month. Eugene Airport officials work closely with local representatives from the TSA to encourage a positive passenger screening process at EUG. Eugene Airport officials can and do make suggestions to TSA officials, but the TSA has final say on the screening procedures used and how they are performed. Passengers should be sure to follow TSA screening guidance which can be found at http://www.tsa.gov/travelers. Some of these guidelines include:  Removing all metal from pockets, etc. before going through metal detectors, including large metal jewelry. Screeners should be told about metal artificial hips or knees before passengers pass through the metal detector.  Following the 3-1-1 liquids and gels rule: three, three-ounce containers, inside a quart-size zip-top bag, one per passenger; remove the bag from a carry-on bag for screening. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 October 28, 2010  Organize carry-on bags in layers so they can be easily screened: a layer of clothes, then electronics, more clothes, and then any heavier items. The TSA passenger-screening checkpoint at EUG does not currently feature Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machines; this technology will likely be installed at EUG in the future. Eugene Airport staff does not know when this will happen, but have been talking with TSA officials about how to accommodate the larger machines in the existing check point space. More information is located on the TSA website http://www.tsa.gov/. Comments to the TSA can be made at https://contact.tsa.dhs.gov/talktotsa/talktotsa.aspx. Comments to the Eugene Airport can be made by email at pwairport@ci.eugene.or.us or by calling 541-682-5430. For more information, contact Eugene Airport Director of Communication and Development Cathryn Stephens at 541-682-5430 or cathryn.e.stephens@ci.eugene.or.us. Eugene Fire & EMS Promotes First Female Captain As a matter of normal organizational succession, Eugene’s Fire & EMS Department, like most other fire departments, routinely promotes firefighters in its ranks. However, in its 138 years of operation, the department has never promoted a female firefighter to the rank of captain until now. Jean Woodrich is one of the department’s three newest captains, with Sven Wahlroos and Jeffrey Loewenheim being the other two. While the department takes pride in its accomplishments in the area of gender diversity, it recognizes that tradition and preconception have been obstacles to the recruitment and advancement of women in the fire service. There have been, and currently are, a number of female firefighters in the department, and one female chief officer who was recruited from an outside agency, but Woodrich is the first to have worked her way up the ranks to captain. Woodrich, Wahlroos, and Loewenheim have the rank of Captain 1 as opposed to Captain 2. A Captain 1 is responsible for a three-person fire suppression company and apparatus (engine or truck) and generally is assigned to a two-company fire station; a Captain 2 is normally responsible for the operations of a station. Before being promoted, Woodrich was a Eugene firefighter from 1992 to 2002, and an engineer (apparatus operator) from 2002 to the present. The department’s officer (captain) development process is rigorous, requiring at least a year of serious commitment in most cases, and includes practical and classroom training, college-level course work, Department of Public Safety Standards and Training Fire Officer 1 certification, multiple drill sessions, dozens of Acting-in Capacity (AIC) shifts under a mentor’s scrutiny, and demonstrated proficiency in budgeting, management theory, cultural competency, customer service, and an all-hazards approach. The Fire & EMS Department is proud of all individuals who have achieved this rank, and the three new captains are certainly no exception. For more information, please contact Deputy Chief of Shift Operations Karen Brack at 541-682-7147. New Look For Mayor and City Council Web Pages The Mayor and City Council web pages have received a much-needed facelift. This section of the portal was recently redesigned to give the pages a fresher look and to make the information and resources contained there more user-friendly and accessible. Old information has been removed or updated and duplicate information has been eliminated. In addition, the buttons on the City’s home page have changed to give users more direct access to the Mayor and City Council page and to City Council meeting information. Once all changes have been made to the Mayor and City Council section, work will begin to update and refresh the other City Manager’s Office pages. Any suggestions on what will make our web presence more relevant and useful are welcome. For information, please contact Beth Forrest at 541-682-5882. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 October 28, 2010