HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/08/11- City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
September 8, 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 EDITION
CONTROLLED ECOLOGICAL BURNS HELP NATIVE FIRE-DEPENDENT SPECIES THRIVE
FACILITIES USES TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE FOR CLEANING PRODUCTS
PARKING SERVICES TAKES LEADERSHIP ROLE IN REGIONAL ORGANIZATION
CITY TO HOST FREE FINANCIAL PLANNING DAY ON OCTOBER 22
NEW SERIES FOCUSES ON HOSPICE CARE
ENERGY EFFICIENCY PAYS OFF
SUMMER READING SUCCESS AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
CITY AWARDED EUGENE WATER & ELECTRIC BOARD SMART ENERGY REBATES
AROUND THE CITY
Controlled Ecological Burns Help Native Fire-Dependent Species Thrive
This fall, the Rivers to Ridges partners will be undertaking controlled ecological burns at several West Eugene
Wetlands sites. The City of Eugene’s Natural Resources Team, with the assistance of the Eugene Fire and EMS
Department (EFD), has planned a small controlled
ecological burn at the Willow Corner site. The burn
planned on this six-acre City-owned land, at the corner of
th
West 18 Avenue and Bertelsen Road, is part of a much
larger controlled ecological burn planned in collaboration
with the West Eugene Wetland partner organizations,
including The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Bureau of
Land Management.
The Rivers to Ridges Partnership (formerly known as the
West Eugene Wetlands Partnership) relies on controlled
ecological burning as a restoration tool to protect valuable
biological diversity in prairie and savanna ecosystems.
Removal of standing dead vegetation also benefits the
community by decreasing the chances of an uncontrolled
wildfire at the wildland-urban interface. City staff works
hard to make sure the community is protected from
City of Eugene and Oregon Department of Forestry crews
potential negative impacts of fire. EFD and the City’s
monitor a controlled ecological burn.
Natural Resources staff carefully assess weather
conditions and burn only on days when the wind will blow smoke away from residential areas. The Lane Regional Air
Protection Agency reviews the controlled burn plans each year, issuing a permit and conditions under which burns
may proceed. City crews mow fuel breaks around the perimeter of each burn unit to prevent fire from traveling
outside the planned burn area. Finally, controlled ecological burns are managed by experienced and highly trained
fire crews, including the Eugene Fire Department, who are working from detailed burn plans. These plans provide
extensive prescriptions describing how to conduct the burn to provide the maximum protection for the community.
Additional controlled ecological burns may be performed by Rivers to Ridges partner agencies on lands elsewhere in
the wetlands, including on lands owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, The Nature Conservancy, and the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Together these efforts will result in the enhancement and protection of many of the
important natural areas enjoyed by the community. For more information, contact Natural Area Restoration
Supervisor Trevor Taylor at trevor.h.taylor@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-4888.
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September 8, 2011
Facilities Uses Triple Bottom Line for Cleaning Products
For years in the Facility Management Division, the same four questions have been asked when choosing any
cleaning product: 1) Is it safe to use around people? 2) What impact does it have on the environment? 3) Is it
effective? and 4) How much does it cost? All are components of what is called the triple bottom line. Using this
criteria, Facilities staff has been using an effective, sustainable hydrogen peroxide cleaning product (Envirox 118),
which is Green Seal certified, since 2006. Independent agencies like
Green Seal certify a product’s sustainability – from cradle (the
manufacturing process) to grave (shipping, product use, packaging,
and disposal).
Envirox 118 is completely water-soluble, allowing the City to replace a
host of more toxic and hazardous chemicals. It is biodegradable and
has an EPA safety rating of “0” which means there are no health
hazards associated with it and it contains no Priority Pollutants under
the Clean Water Act. It’s versatile, too. It cleans hard surfaces,
carpets, and glass; it sanitizes, oxidizes, and neutralizes odors. What
this one product does what used to require five chemicals – none of
which were as safe to use. The fact that one product can be used for
a multitude of tasks helps reduce the City’s chemical footprint, making
it a major factor in achieving the City’s sustainability goals.
In addition, the plastic drums and jugs this cleaning product comes in are made of post-consumer recycled products
and, once emptied, jugs can be refilled and drums can be returned to the manufacturer to be reused.
The Facility Management Division is focused on contributing to the City Council vision that Eugene government be
responsible stewards of physical assets and natural resources. The reduction in use of toxic cleaning chemicals,
along with the reduction in containers needing to be recycled, helps decrease the City’s impact on the environment
and helps reach its goals for zero waste.
For more information, please contact Custodial Supervisor Kevin Mooneyham, of the Facility Management Division,
at 541-682-5207 or Facility Operations Supervisor Dave Lane at 541-682-8327.
Parking Services Takes Leadership Role in Regional Organization
Parking Services Manager Jeff Petry was recently elected to the Pacific
Intermountain Parking & Transportation Association’s (PIPTA) Board of
Directors by its nine-state membership base. PIPTA is a leader in
advancing parking solutions that improve access and mobility and create a
robust and respected parking and transportation system. Jeff was also
selected to serve on the International Parking Institute’s Sustainability
Committee and Advisory Council. He looks forward to working with parking
professionals from across the country to integrate the triple bottom line of
economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental health into the
parking profession.
For more information, contact Parking Services Manager Jeff Petry at 541-682-5079 or jeff.t.petry@ci.eugene.or.us.
City to Host Free Financial Planning Day on October 22
In these challenging economic times, Eugene-area residents will be able to get free financial planning advice from
professional financial planners at Eugene Financial Planning Day. The event is in its second year in Eugene, and will
be held on October 22 at Willamette High School. Eugene Financial Planning Day is organized by the City of
®
Eugene, in partnership with Financial Planning Associationof Mid-Oregon and chapter president Craig Weicker, as
part of a national initiative created by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Financial Planning
Association, Foundation for Financial Planning and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. This year’s event is also co-
sponsored by United Way of Lane County as part of its Financial Stability Partnership Initiative. The collaboration is
an effort involving city governments and thousands of financial planners nationwide, united in an effort to provide free
financial education and programming to communities throughout the United States.
Financial planners will be set up at tables to meet one-on-one with attendees to answer questions about getting out
of debt, retirement planning, investment strategies, income taxes, insurance, mortgages and foreclosures, among
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September 8, 2011
many other topics. The advice will be offered on a “no strings attached” basis and planners will not give out business
cards or sell financial products or services. The event will also feature a series of classroom-style educational
workshops addressing key personal finance topics.
Eugene Financial Planning Day is free and open to the public. The October 22 event will occur at Willamette High
School, located at 1801 Echo Hollow Drive in Eugene. Activities will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free online
registration for Eugene Financial Planning Day is available at www.financialplanningdays.org/Eugene or by calling
toll free at 877-861-7826. Walk-ins also will be welcome.
For more information, please contact Keli Osborn, City Manager’s Office, keli.m.osborn@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-
5406.
New Series Focuses on Hospice Care
In recognition of the growing number of senior citizens, Recreation’s Adult Services Program began a new series of
presentations this week on hospice care. On Tuesday, professionals from Signature Hospice presented Hospice 101 –
all one needs to know about hospice care including eligibility, coverage, and pain and symptom management. In
coming weeks, the following presentations will be offered:
Seniors Speak Up!
Oct. 4 - This presentation is designed to learn how to effectively communicate one’s wishes
as a patient and how to have those wishes honored.
Caring for the Caregiver.
Oct.25 -Learn how to get support and make the right choices as a caregiver when it
comes to taking care of one’s self.
Dealing With Grief.
Nov.29 -Learn about resources and support available in the community and how to
understand and cope with the many forms of loss.
Pain Management.
Dec. 14 - Learn about tools to effectively manage various degrees of pain.
All presentations are from 11 a.m. - noon at Campbell Community Center, 155 High Street. The presentations are free,
but pre-registration is required. Register online at www.eugene-or.gov/recenroll.
For more information, please call 541-682-5318.
Energy Efficiency Pays Off
The City of Eugene has received over $1 million in energy efficiency incentives for its buildings since the inception of
the Facility Management Division’s Energy Management Program in 1995. Over 100 separate incentives, ranging in
size from $50 to $150,000, have been received by the City during this period. Eugene Water & Electric Board has
been the primary source of incentives, with growing involvement by the Energy Trust of Oregon for measures that
conserve natural gas. Additionally, the City has been able to use the Business Energy Tax Credit (BETC) pass-
through program from the Oregon Department of Energy to support some projects.
The intention of utility-based incentive programs is to offset the additional cost of implementing energy efficiency
measures. Seven projects to improve the operational efficiency of the City’s indoor swimming pools, transition
buildings to a high-efficiency alternative to steam heat, and upgrade numerous smaller heating/cooling systems are
currently underway in City facilities. These projects are expected to garner up to $250,000 in incentive funds that will
help offset the cost of upgrades.
The Energy Management Program encourages and facilitates the energy efficiency efforts in City facilities in order to
reduce utility costs and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the operation of City facilities.
For more information, contact Sustainable Operations Analyst Lynne Eichner-Kelley, Facility Management Division,
at 541-682-5083.
Summer Reading Success at Eugene Public Library
This year, Summer Reading at the Eugene Public Library drew thousands of readers of all
ages with the multicultural theme “One World, Many Stories.”
Nearly 6,000 children and 1,100 teens signed up. Each got to choose a free book, courtesy
of the Friends of the Library. Summer storytimes served more than 5,600 young children
and their grown-ups. Almost 3,000 elementary-age kids and teens attended Summer
Reading activities, featuring hands-on learning about writing, visual arts, music, dance,
nature, and more. Special events ranged from the annual Teddy Bear Picnic, to a talent
show, to a family swim party.
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September 8, 2011
Summer Reading is fun and also important to the community’s well-being. Studies show that summer reading
programs help keep students' reading skills up while school is out, contributing to their long-term educational
success.
Summer Reading for Adults engaged more than 1,400 participants who enjoyed a wide variety of author talks,
classes, concerts, and online recommended reading lists and reviews. Adults received Library logo notepads and
coupons for Novella Café and the Friends of the Library bookstore. Plus, 10 lucky readers won gift certificates to
Unique Eugene stores.
Community partners supporting Summer Reading included dozens of Library volunteers, the Friends of the Library,
the Eugene Public Library Foundation, United Way of Lane County, Novella Café, and the UO Bookstore/Duck Store.
For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
City Awarded Eugene Water & Electric Board Smart Energy Rebates
The City has a long history of innovative energy management practices, and maintains a strong commitment to
sustainability practices in all City operations. For many years, the Information Services Division (ISD) has purchased
and installed energy saving PCs, implemented power savings policies, utilized recycled computer hardware and
sustainable disposal methods.
In an effort to further enhance the City’s ability to manage power consumption and software patching on City PCs,
ISD has purchased and installed 1E, a leading edge energy management software. Once fully implemented, it will
provide:
granular power setting control;
accurate reports on energy savings;
capability to wake up PCs during off-hours to install software patches without impacting user productivity.
The purchase of the software also qualifies for Eugene Water & Electric Board’s Smart Energy Rebate program.
Each networked desktop PC is entitled to a $10 rebate which totals $12,390, slightly over half of the software
purchase price. This is a win-win transaction for the City, making positive impacts to overall environmental health
while promoting responsible financial stewardship.
For more information, contact Peter Shum at 541-682-5466. For more information about 1E software, visit its website
at http://www.1e.com/.
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September 8, 2011