HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/23/11 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
June 23, 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
SUSTAINABLE SHOWCASE FEATURED AT KLCC WALKIN’ THE WHIT GARDEN TOUR
ADAPTIVE RECREATION OFFERS WEEKLY BIKE RIDES
JINJU DELEGATION CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP WITH JULY VISIT TO EUGENE
DIRECTOR OF THE NATURAL STEP TO LECTURE IN EUGENE ON JUNE 28
FISH-FRIENDLY CAR WASH KIT SUPPORTS DOG WASH FUNDRAISER
STREET WORK STARTS MONDAY IN WEST UNIVERSITY AREA
MOVING FROM PLAN TO ACTION: CITY SUPPORTS MICRO-ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT
LEYENDAS DE MÉXICO LEGENDS OF MEXICO AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
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TRINE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CELEBRATION
AROUND THE CITY
Sustainable Showcase Featured at KLCC Walkin’ the Whit Garden Tour
The River House compost education site (301 North Adams) will showcase sustainable practices this coming
Sunday, June 26, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.,during the KLCC Walkin’ the Whit Garden Tour, a garden tour of the
Whiteaker neighborhood. The demonstrations will
bring together multiple agencies to provide
information about sustainable practices at home, in
city parks, and throughout Eugene. No ticket is
needed to participate in the activities at the River
House. Highlights will include:
Five City programs offer advice and information
on composting ,food growing, keeping
stormwater clean, rainwater harvesting,
volunteering in City parks, community gardening
opportunities, and enriching outdoor
experiences throughout Eugene.
OSU Extension in Lane County offers
information on weed identification, insect
identification, plant disease problems, vegetable
gardening, pruning, and sustainable gardening
techniques. Additionally, food preservation staff
will be on hand to answer food safety and
preservation questions, as well as provide samples and show how to make jams, pickled vegetables and flavored
vinegars on-site with the mobile cannery unit. This will be a great opportunity to see food preservation in action
Eugene Water & Electric Board staff will feature rainwater harvesting information and a demonstration rainwater-
harvesting system. Other information includes leak detection and repair fix-it brochures and flyers promoting new
leak repair assistance loan and grant programs.
Eugene Backyard Farmer will be available to talk about raising chickens, eating eggs produced by home-raised
chickens, butchering chickens, and fertilizing and composting with chicken manure.
Four classes on food preservation techniques will be offered throughout the day on making jam, flavored oils and
vinegars, pickling vegetables, and backyard composting.
A raffle for a free compost bin will be held.
For more information, contact Anne Donahue at 541-682-5542 or anne.c.donahue@ci.eugene.or.us.
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June 23, 2011
Adaptive Recreation Offers Weekly Bike Rides
The Adaptive Recreation program is offering weekly bike rides for individuals
with a disability who are 16 and older. Riders will learn bicycle safety skills while
riding on a different bike route each week. Rides are every Thursday from 11
a.m. – 2 p.m., June 23 - August 25. The cost is $8 per ride and pre-registration is
required.
Riders are encouraged to bring a bike although some will be available for use.
All rides begin at Hilyard Community Center. Participants should bring a sack
lunch for a picnic stop along the way. Volunteers are needed to ride along. For
more information, call Patty Prather at 541-682-5311.
Jinju Delegation Celebrates 50 Years of Friendship with July Visit to Eugene
The Eugene-Jinju Sister City Committee is busy making preparations for a visiting delegation from its sister city in
South Korea. This is a special visit marking 50 years of friendship between Eugene and Jinju. The delegation will be
in Eugene July 10 - 13.
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One highlight for the visit will be a 50 anniversary ceremony and dinner at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall, 1626
Willamette Street, July 12, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The dinner is open to all friends of Eugene-Jinju by online reservation,
however seating is limited. Contact Jinsoo Lee, secretary/treasurer of the sister city committee, at
(
jslee74@hotmail.com to reserve a place. The suggested donation is $20 at the door. Mayor and Council: for
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reservations, please contact Maureen Robesonat 541-682-5336 or maureen.t.robeson@ci.eugene.or.us.
Guests will enjoy music by master jazz guitarist Don Latarski, vocal music by In Accord Community Choir,
performances by Korean youth artists, historical photo presentations, a Korean-American food buffet, wine by King
Estates Winery, and special presentations by the mayors of Eugene and Jinju.
The sister cities program has been part of City of Eugene government since 1961, when Jinju became Eugene’s first
sister city. The 2011 delegation will include Mayor Lee Chang-hee and his wife, First Lady Kim Hyung-nam, as well
as Jinju city councilors and others active in economic development, planning and international relations.
The group’s itinerary will include a visit to City Hall on Tuesday, July 12, at 8 a.m. Other activities include a Bach
Festival concert; breakfast hosted by the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce; lunch with the Eugene Emerald
Rotary Club; visit to University of Oregon sports facilities; agri-tours at Hey Bayles! Farm and King Estates Winery;
and an Oregon coast tour. The Jinju delegation also will take in a Eugene Emeralds baseball game on Tuesday
evening, July 12, with Mayor Lee expected to throw out the first pitch.
Jinju, also known as Chinju, is in southern South Korea, along the Nam River. Jinju is a transportation junction
connecting the surrounding provinces and is the economic, educational and cultural center of the western counties of
South Kyŏngsang province. Jinju Agricultural College is located there. A national park encompassing Mount Chiri
(6,283 feet) and the surrounding area is northwest of the city. An old city, Jinju has many historical remains. Its 2008
population was estimated at 334,237.
For more information about the visiting delegation or the work of the Eugene-Jinju Sister City Committee, such as its
student exchange/homestay program, please contact Ki-won Rhew, at 541-344-4464 or kiwon@rhew.us; or Linda
DeSpain at 541-687-2427 or ldespain1957@yahoo.com. For additional information on Eugene’s Sister City program,
contact Keli Osborn, City Manager’s Office, 541-682-5406 or keli.m.osborn@ci.eugene.or.us.
Director of The Natural Step to Lecture in Eugene on June 28
The City’s Waste Prevention and Green Building Program, in partnership with the Cascadia Green Building Council,
will host Regina Hauser, director of The Natural Step Network USA, for a free lecture on Tuesday, June 28 at noon in
the Bascom-Tykeson Room at the Eugene Downtown Library. Her talk, titled, “Integrating
Sustainability into Your Business: It’s Easier than You Think,” will focus on the progress of
sustainability efforts in the business world. In its early stages, being sustainable was
perceived as an expensive add-on to business. As it progressed, sustainability became
associated with efficiencies and cost savings. Today, sustainability has become a strategy
for future success. Hauser will also speak about how developing the habit of sustainability,
like other habits, can be learned easily.
The Natural Step Network (TNS) is a non-profit organization that has been active since
1997 in helping businesses of all sizes, and communities, take meaningful steps toward
sustainability. TNS helps organizations translate sustainability into action and value through the use of a strategic
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
June 23, 2011
framework for practical implementation. In addition, it promotes learning and inspiration from a network of leaders
from the private and public sector. To learn more about The Natural Step, visit www.naturalstep.org.
For more information or to RSVP to the event, please contact Jenna Garmon at 541-682-5541 or
jenna.r.garmon@ci.eugene.or.us.
Fish-Friendly Car Wash Kit Supports Dog Wash Fundraiser
Sunday, June 26, a fundraiser for PAAWS, People and Animals Who Serve, will do its part
to protect local waterways by using a fish-friendly car wash kit to cover a storm drain in a
dog wash area. Over the last several years, several dog wash fundraising groups have
borrowed the kit for use at outdoor events.
The kit was created by the cities of Eugene and Springfield for the purpose of protecting
local waterways when non-profit groups hold car wash fundraisers. Using models from
other communities, these kits include all the parts necessary to turn a car wash event into
a fish-friendly one. Kits include easy-to-follow directions, a fish-friendly car wash sign,
storm drain covers and sump pumps to divert wash water to waste water treatment sewers
or grassy and vegetated areas. A new video clip at happyrivers.org shows how to use the
kits.
The Barks & Bubbles dog wash will be held outside of Salon De Lange at 3007 North
Delta Highway (next to Gold’s Gym) on Sunday, June 26, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
This is a B.Y.O.T. (bring your own towel) event. For details, call 541-343-0520.
Groups interested in learning more about the kits and their availability for a specific date can contact Kathy Eva,
public information specialist for the Stormwater Management Program in Eugene, at 541-682-2739 or
kathy.a.eva@ci.eugene.or.us. For events in Springfield, call 541-726-3626.
Street Work Starts Monday in West University Area
Work is scheduled to begin Monday, June 27, on a $2
million project to reconstruct Alder Street from Broadway to
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18 avenues and 13 Avenue from Alder to Kincaid streets.
The project combines standard pavement repair work and
innovative street-scaping improvements to make Alder
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Street and 13 Avenue safer and friendlier for all road
users, including pedestrians and cyclists in the area.
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The street repairs will be extensive and will require closing portions of Alder Street and 13 Avenue during
construction. City staff is working closely with local businesses, residents, students and other stakeholders to
mitigate, as much as possible, construction impacts. The City also is coordinating with other projects in the area,
including Lane Transit District’s (LTD) University of Oregon (UO) station renovation project on Kincaid Street.
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The first phase of construction will close Alder Street from Broadway to 11 Avenue and leave one lane open for
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southbound traffic on Alder Street between 11 and 13 avenues. On-street parking in that area will be temporarily
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removed. Full closure of Alder Street will be required during the construction phases on Alder Street between 13
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and 18 avenues and on 13 Avenue between Alder and Kincaid streets.
In addition to the road repairs, several innovative street-scaping enhancements will be included in the project. A two-
way “cycletrack” on the east side of Alder Street will replace the existing bicycle lane configuration on Alder between
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18 Avenue and Franklin Boulevard. A cycletrack is a bike facility that is separated from vehicular traffic by a parking
strip or striped buffer area. By separating cyclists from vehicular traffic, the cycletrack is expected to attract more
families and cyclists who are uncomfortable riding in mixed traffic. A new signal at Franklin Boulevard will enable
bicyclists and pedestrians to safely cross the boulevard and use a wide sidewalk to access the Ruth Bascom
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Riverbank Path system. Back-in diagonal parking will be installed on the south side of 13 Avenue between Alder
and Kincaid streets. Back-in diagonal parking increases safety because drivers can see oncoming traffic (including
bicycles and pedestrians) when they are pulling out of their space and it reduces the chances of bicyclists getting
“doored.” Enhancing the tree canopy in the west university area is an important project goal. Twenty-one trees will be
replanted in the project area, including new trees on 13th Avenue between Alder and Kincaid streets.
The primary source of funding for the project is the 2008 voter-approved bond measure to fix city streets. The funding
mix also includes local gas tax funds and a $707,000 state bicycle and pedestrian program grant. Wildish
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June 23, 2011
Construction is the general contractor for the project, which is designed and managed by the Eugene Public Works
Department. Additional information about the project is available at www.eugene-or.gov/alder or by calling Project
Manager John Bonham at 541-682-5300.
Moving from Plan to Action: City Supports Micro-Enterprise Development
In support of the Regional Prosperity Economic Development Plan, the City of Eugene partnered with eDev to help
small, local businesses get started and support their growth. eDev is a nonprofit micro-enterprise development
organization located in Eugene that serves Lane County. The mission of the organization is to provide business
development services to people who want to start a small business or who want to build an existing business.
As part of the plan’s strategy to energize a creative economy, $30,000 of Community Development Block Grant
funds will help provide ongoing, comprehensive training and educational opportunities to potential low-income micro-
entrepreneurs in Eugene. The classes provided by eDev cover topics like writing a business plan, researching niche
and target markets, understanding the cost of doing business, using balance sheets/pricing/cash flow statements,
marketing, legal matters, taxation, and financing options, social media as relates to business development, starting a
business, different types of legal business structures, and other topics related to the development of a business.
A few examples of local entrepreneurs who have already benefitted from the program include:
Mira Fanin, the proud owner of Sweet Skins located at 782 Blair in Eugene. Mira creates designs that are
accessible and wearable by women of all shapes, sizes and color. Mira continues to learn about marketing,
manufacturing and
distribution through eDev
classes and support.
Michael Sussman, who was
unemployed and at a
crossroads in his career when
he arrived at eDev. eDev
staff helped Michael explore
his options and he decided to
start a bookkeeping company
in 2010 with an eco-friendly focus.
Katherine Ehmlen of Creative Minds, a current eDev participant who plans to expand her business in the next
year. She not only writes and paints, but is also a gifted photographer.
In addition, a $25,000 contract will support two other business development and job creation programs. First, the
Economic Gardening program will provide nine workshops in Eugene featuring in-depth business information,
education and training in each of the seven targeted business development areas in the Regional Prosperity
Economic Plan. The business opportunities were developed in cooperation with eDev’s project partners: UO
Lundquist Business School; UO Community Planning Workshop; UO Research Park; Emerald Valley High
Performance Enterprise Consortium; Lane Community College Green Job Training, and private businesses.
The second program, Business Development/Mentoring, will provide 12 skill and business development/growth
workshops in Eugene for Eugene (and non-Eugene) residents. In addition, eDev anticipates making at least four to
five loans to Eugene businesses totaling a minimum of $90,000 through its Small Business Administration Microloan
Program.
For more information, contact Mike Sullivan at 541-682-5448.
Leyendas de México / Legends of Mexico at Eugene Public Library
The Downtown Eugene Public Library will host Leyendas de México / Legends
of Mexico, a free bilingual show for all ages by Nuestro Canto at 6 p.m. on First
Friday, July 1. The show is a lively and enchanting celebration of the music,
dance, languages, and folklore of Mexico.
This performance is part of Summer Reading 2011, featuring a series of free
events at the Eugene Public Library united by the theme “One World, Many
Stories.” The Downtown Library stays open until 8 p.m. on First Fridays.
For more information, visit www.eugene-or.gov/library or call the Eugene Public
Library at 541-682-5450.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
June 23, 2011
Trine Leadership Academy Celebration
June 14 was celebration day for the 2011 Trine Leadership Academy. Participants in the academy celebrated
completion of the sixth leadership academy program to be conducted at the City since 2004. The main purpose of
the academies is to bring together a group of formal
and informal leaders from across the organization to
share in an intense program of leadership self-
development and to create better cross-
organizational understanding and build critical
networks at the City. Each year is unique based on
the current initiatives and focuses of the City.
The Trine Leadership Program integrated three
specific development themes while meeting one of
the program’s primary goals of building important
networks and connections between the 25
participants, who represented nearly all of the
departments at the City. Participants explored the
concepts of leadership principles, based on James
Kouzes’ and Barry Posner’s book Leadership
Challenge, along with the framework of effective
qualities of organizational change using the book
SWITCH as a foundation.
Unique to this year’s program was a project component which provided a rich environment in which to apply the
principles in real life. The projects were focused on the challenge of fully integrating the triple-bottom-line into
decision-making across the organization. The six months were spent developing a deeper understanding of the
concepts of the triple-bottom-line and exploring how other leadership development concepts support the triple-
bottom-line initiative.
On the last day, project presentations reflected the level of knowledge the group had gained on all of these concepts,
and reinforced the value of the relationships built across the organization. Although each year the Employee
Learning and Development program focuses on group leadership development activities, the next formal leadership
academy is slated for FY13. Watch the Employee Learning and Development bulletins on CESHARE and in emails
for upcoming programs for FY12. Congratulations to the entire group who completed this years’ program.
For more information, please contact Performance and Development Manager Denise Smith at 541-682-5731 or
denise.d.smith@ci.eugene.or.us.
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June 23, 2011