HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/19/11 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
May 19, 2011
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
CITY’S FLEET SERVICES SECTION EARNS ECO-BIZ CERTIFICATION
CELEBRATE BETHEL AND WEST EUGENE ON JUNE 4
FIRST PUBLIC WORKSHOP HELD FOR PROPOSED YMCA COMMUNITY CENTER IN BETHEL PARK
“SELF-COMPASSION” TALK AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
OREGON GLOBAL WARMING COMMISSION ROADMAP TO 2020 COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
AROUND THE CITY
City’s Fleet Services Section Earns Eco-Biz Certification
The City’s Fleet Services Section recently completed a two-year journey to become an Eco-Biz certified fleet
operation. The Ecological Business Program (Eco-Biz) is sponsored by the Lane County Pollution Prevention
Coalition and recognizes both public and
private organizations that reach the highest
standards in minimizing their impact on the
environment. The goal of the program is to
prevent and minimize pollution generated by
small businesses in the Lane County area.
This is one of the first multimedia (air, water,
solid waste) certification programs in the nation.
The coalition includes City of Eugene, City of
Springfield, Oregon Department of
Environmental Quality, Lane Regional Air
Protection Agency, Lane County Waste
Management, Eugene Water and Electric
Board, Springfield Utility Board and
Metropolitan Wastewater Management
Commission.
Mayor Kitty Piercy visited the Fleet shop on Wednesday afternoon to recognize and thank
the Fleet Services staff for their continued commitment to reducing the environmental impact
in the community. “To qualify, Eugene Fleet adopted sustainable practices using non-
hazardous materials, reducing waste and preventing spills from entering the sanitary and
storm drains,” said Mayor Piercy, who also recognized Denise Vilanova, a program
coordinator in the Fleet Services section, for helping guide the process to achieve Eco-Biz
certification. For more information, contact Tony Jobanek at 541-682-4808.
Celebrate Bethel and West Eugene on June 4
th
The City of Eugene Youth and Family program invites everyone to the 10 annual We Are
Bethel Celebration on Saturday, June 4, 12 - 6 p.m. at Petersen Barn Community Center,
870 Berntzen Road. This year’s theme is West Side Story…Jets and Sharks.
This event celebrating Bethel and West Eugene neighborhoods is free and includes music, featuring Medium Troy and
youth performances, a rumble tumble carnival for the kids (25¢ tickets), community booths, and food for purchase.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
May 19, 2011
The event line-up starts on the main stage with a welcome at noon, followed by performances by Willamette High
School, the Shasta Jazz Band and Meadowview Jazz Band. At 1 p.m. there will be a “Milk Toast” honoring a person
who has worked to build community in the Bethel/West Eugene area. The headline act, Medium Troy, will perform at
2:30 p.m., followed by Grrlz Rock and KEF.
Performances on the second stage begin at 1:30 p.m. with ACT-SO Youth, followed by contact improv, Sirens Dance
Co., and Purple Glove. For more information call Peter Chavannes at 541-682-5521.
First Public Workshop Held for Proposed YMCA Community Center in Bethel Park
City of Eugene staff presented at a public workshop on the proposed YMCA Community Center in Bethel Community
Park on Wednesday, May 11. The meeting at Meadowview
School was attended by more than 40 community members
and several staff members from the YMCA, Bethel School
District, Bethel Branch Library, Parks and Open Space
Division, and Recreation Division.
Staff presented information about the YMCA proposal, the
park, the master plan and the process for updating the master
plan. An online survey is being used as the primary means of
receiving public input on the project. A link to the survey is on
the project website at www.eugene-or.gov/bethelpark. The
staff team will review input from the survey and prepare two or
three alternatives to be presented and reviewed at the second
public workshop in September. For more information, contact
Project Manager Emily Proudfoot at 541-682-4915 or
Pat McGillivray, Bethel School District, talks about the
emily.a.proudfoot@ci.eugene.or.us.
proposed YMCA at Bethel Park
“Self-Compassion” Talk at Eugene Public Library
What would happen if people criticized themselves less? Would they behave badly and never accomplish anything?
Or might they actually become more effective, healthier, and happier?
Based on empirical research, illustrated with everyday examples, psychologist Kristin Neff
recommends a different idea: people should be kind to themselves. She will give a free
talk about her book “Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity
Behind” at the Downtown Eugene Public Library on Thursday, May 26, at 6 p.m.
Many people believe that intentionally raised self-esteem and its flip-side, self-criticism,
are crucial to living a better life – but research by Neff and others strongly suggests that
approach puts people on an emotional rollercoaster, rising and falling with each success
and failure. In fact, people who are more self-compassionate lead healthier and more
productive lives. They are less depressed and anxious, more satisfied with their lives, and more optimistic about the
future.
According to Gloria Steinem, Neff’s book is “a portable friend to all readers — especially but not only women — who
need to learn that the Golden Rule works only if it’s reversible: we must learn to treat ourselves as well as we wish to
treat others.”
Based at the University of Texas at Austin, Neff is a pioneering researcher on self-compassion. Her focus on this
subject was inspired by the Buddhist tradition of Insight Meditation. Neff published the first journal article that
specifically defined self-compassion, and she created the Self-Compassion Scale currently in use by researchers
worldwide.
To learn more about Dr. Neff’s work, visit www.self-compassion.org or see her recent columns for Psychology Today
or The Huffington Post. At the Library talk, books will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of the University
of Oregon Bookstore/Duck Store.
For more information, call the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or visit www.eugene-or.gov/library.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
May 19, 2011
Oregon Global Warming Commission Roadmap to 2020 Community Workshop
The Oregon Global Warming Commission and the City of Eugene are partnering with
the Eugene Water & Electric Board, City of Springfield, University of Oregon Office of
Sustainability, Sustainability Commission and other local sponsors to host a free,
interactive public workshop on Thursday May 26, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Eugene
Hilton located at 66 East 6th Avenue in Eugene.
The workshop will focus on Oregon’s statewide climate action plan, the Roadmap to
2020, and Eugene’s Climate and Energy Action Plan. Participants will help shape the State’s greenhouse gas
reduction strategies, helping ensure that the strategies support related initiatives in the community. The invitation is
extended to the public and policymakers alike. Please RSVP to roadmap2020@ci.eugene.or.us.
For more information, contact Climate and Energy Analyst Matt McRae, City Manager’s Office, at 541-682-5485 or
visit www.eugene-or.gov/sustainability.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
May 19, 2011