HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/22/11 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
September 22, 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
OPEN HOUSE FOR DRAFT PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE MASTER PLAN
ENERGY UPGRADES UNDERWAY AT ECHO HOLLOW AND SHELDON POOLS
EUGENE RECEIVES SILVER SAFETY AWARD
POLICE OFFICER TAKES BRONZE MEDALS IN WORLD POLICE AND FIRE GAMES IN NEW YORK CITY
RECREATION MEETS GOALS FOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND SERVICE
SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM AND DISCUSSION FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN EUGENE
LIBRARY ASKS PUBLIC FOR INPUT ABOUT LIBRARY COMPUTERS AND ONLINE SERVICES
EUGENE GROUNDBREAKING ON REGIONAL $8.3 MILLION BROADBAND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
GRANT TO ADVANCE EPD FORENSICS EVIDENCE UNIT
HOLLYWOOD VERSUS REALITY: OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTINGS
AROUND THE CITY
Open House for Draft Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan
On Monday, Sept. 26, there will be an additional opportunity for public feedback on
the draft Eugene Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan from 5 – 7 p.m. in the
downtown Eugene Public Library’s Bascom-Tykeson Room. At the open house,
copies of the plan as well as large versions of the maps will be available for review.
Comment forms will be provided and City staff will be on hand to answer questions
and take note of public comments.
As mentioned in last week’s newsletter, City staff is seeking input on this draft plan
through Oct. 14. The plan can be found at www.eugenepedbikeplan.org where
feedback is also being accepted. Staff will present the plan to the City Council on
Wednesday, Oct. 12.
Please contact Transportation Planning Manager Rob Inerfeld at 541-682-5343 or
rob.inerfeld@ci.eugene.or.us with any questions.
Energy Upgrades Underway at Echo Hollow and Sheldon Pools
In 2010, the City partnered with the Energy Trust of Oregon to analyze and identify energy saving measures at Echo
Hollow and Sheldon pools. The measures with the greatest energy savings and shortest payback periods were
incorporated into a construction project currently underway at the pools.
The energy saving measures being implemented at each pool include
the following:
Lighting – high efficiency fluorescent and LED fixtures
Automated pool blankets – insulate/reduce evaporation, easier
and safer to use
Optimal pool building ventilation – improve air quality and
achieve energy savings
HVAC controls - recalibrate and program for energy
optimization
Sheldon Pool solar water heating system - recalibrate existing
system for energy optimization
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
September 22, 2011
The energy measures were implemented at Sheldon during the summer shutdown period and the Echo Hollow
improvements are expected to be complete by Oct. 1. The contractor, Abacus Energy Management, projects that
the City will reduce energy use significantly. The contractor will monitor the energy savings over the next year of
pool operation and has guaranteed the projections through a performance contract.
The Energy Trust of Oregon, Eugene Water & Electric Board and Business Energy Tax Credit program are expected
to provide substantial incentives to help finance the energy measures. Please contact Project Manager Steve Loges,
Facility Management Division, at 541-682-8814 with questions.
Eugene Receives Silver Safety Award
The City of Eugene has again been recognized by the League of Oregon Cities for excellence in its safety
performance and low accident rates. The annual Safety Award Program was initiated by the League to stimulate
participation in loss prevention programs. The Silver Safety Award, which the City has received consecutively since
2001, will be presented on Sept. 30, at the League of Oregon Cities Annual Convention, in Bend.
For more information, please contact Safety/Loss Control and Environmental Program Manager Craig Sorseth at
541-682-5762.
Police Officer Takes Bronze Medals in World Police and Fire Games in New York City
Eugene Police Officer Adam Steele won two bronze medals in the recent World Police and Fire Games in New York
City. The games are second in scope only to the Olympics. These games consisted of approximately 18,000 athletes
from 85 countries, who competed in a variety of events. Officer Steele competed in the 400 meters and the 4x400
meter relay, winning a bronze medal in both. The World Police and Fire Games occur every two years and move to
th
different locations around the world. This year, New York City hosted the games in conjunction with the 10
anniversary of 9/11. For further information on the event, visit www.2011wpfg.org/.
Officer Steele is an amazing, stand-out athlete. Before he came to the Eugene Police Department, he concluded his
collegiate competitive career at the University of Minnesota in 2004 as an eight-time All-American. The pinnacle of
his collegiate career came at the 2003 NCAA outdoor championships in Sacramento, California. He earned the 400-
meter title in a school record time of 44.57, becoming Minnesota’s first-ever sprint national champion and first
outdoor champion in 30 years. His winning time was the fastest in the world at that point and ended up as the third-
fastest time in the world during the 2003 season. Adam earned a spot in the United States 4x400-meter relay pool for
the 2003 World Outdoor Championships in Paris, France. He subsequently earned a gold medal on the 4x400-meter
relay. His collegiate career culminated when he was named a Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor recipient, the
highest conference award bestowed on a student-athlete. He moved to Eugene in January 2007, and trained with
famed middle distance coach Frank Gagliano and the Oregon Track Club–Elite.
For more information, contact Melinda McLaughlin at 541-682-5124 or Melinda.V.Mclaughlin@ci.eugene.or.us.
Recreation Meets Goals for Volunteer Recruitment and Service
Over a three-year period, Recreation Services met measurable objectives andaction steps to increase volunteer
opportunities and outreach. From FY09 to FY11, the total number of volunteers increased by 25 percent to 590
individuals who contributed more than 35,000 hours of volunteer service, an increase of 22 percent.
Using the triple-bottom-line as the foundation of the program,
volunteers were given meaningful opportunities to participate
and contribute to the arts, outdoor education, and community
building. Recreation collaborated with local groups such as
Looking Glass, 4J Work Experience Program, Full Access,
and Sheldon High School Life Skills to offer volunteer
opportunities to diverse populations. Two grants for funding
were written in collaboration with other City divisions to
expand volunteer opportunities and coordination throughout
the City organization.
Volunteers provided valuable services and enhanced
opportunities throughout the division. Of the 35,000 hours of
volunteer time in FY11, more than 20,700 were contributed to
the Adult Services program; some 8,000 hours were contributed to Adaptive Recreation and its Alpine Adventures
downhill ski program; 3,500 hours were contributed to the Youth and Family program, including the Hershey Track
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2
September 22, 2011
and Field Meet and free Family Night events, and some 2,200 hours were contributed to Eugene’s two Teen Courts.
The volunteer program provided learning hours and school credit for more than 120 university, college, and high
school students. Dozens of volunteers were subsequently hired by the Recreation Division because of their prior
experience with the division.
For more information, contact Craig Smith at 541-682-5334.
Social Justice Film and Discussion Festival to be Held in Eugene
The Eugene community will soon have the opportunity to participate in an innovative, first-time film festival event.
The Good Works Film Festival, Oct. 7 - 10, 2011, will present a series of acclaimed, riveting and inspiring films with
an array of social issue themes. Former City Councilor and State Representative Cynthia Wooten teamed with
seasoned film festival organizer and curator, Linda Blackaby, to bring the event to Eugene.
The Good Works Film Festival is not just about great films; what happens after the lights come up is equally
important. The festival celebrates and facilitates thoughtful discussion, community engagement and positive action.
Numerous organizations and groups will participate in audience post-screening conversations with filmmakers and
panels or roundtables, in addition to no-charge networking and socializing at the “Festival Hub.”
The centerpiece of the festival is a film screening at 3 p.m., Saturday afternoon, Oct. 8, at The Studio in the Hult
Center. This film, “Not in Our Town: Light in the Darkness,” documents the story of a town taking action after anti-
immigrant violence devastates the community. The discussion roundtable will be led by Daniel Tichenor of the
Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics with Mayor Kitty Piercy, Senior Producer Rhian Miller and representatives
of CAUSA and Centro Latino Americano.
Another film highlight is “Not in our School,” a no-charge program for middle- and high-school students to be shown
in the Bascom-Tykeson Room of the Eugene Public Library. These short films are designed to spark dialogue and
action about bullying, cyber-bullying, diversity/multiculturalism, stereotypes and prejudice among students. City staff
is coordinating participation in the Library event and supporting overall event promotion.
The event website is www.goodworksfilmfestival.org. For more information, please call Kathy Madison, Library,
Recreation and Cultural Services, at 541-682-6342 or Telecommunications and Cable Program Manager Pam
Berrian at 541-682-5590.
Library Asks Public for Input about Library Computers and Online Services
The Eugene Public Library is asking the public to answer an anonymous survey to collect information about how
people use the Library’s computers, online resources, and wireless Internet connection, and about the value they
place on these services.
The anonymous survey can be taken online at the Library website or on free
computers at any Library location (Downtown, Sheldon, or Bethel): just click the
bright, lime green button. Paper copies are available on request at Library service
desks. The deadline to participate is Oct.1.
The survey takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete. It is available in English and
Spanish. The minimum age to participate is 14. Survey questions ask about
frequency of use of the Library’s online and computer resources, including the use
of these tools for specific purposes, such as education, health, business, and/or job
searches.
The Eugene Public Library is one of hundreds of libraries nationwide currently
participating in this survey. Results will be reported for the nation as a whole, and individually, for each library. The
information will assist the Eugene Public Library in responding to the needs and wishes of local users.
The survey is an extension of the 2009 U.S. IMPACT Study, which was the first large-scale investigation of how and
why people use library computers and online services, as well as how important they consider these services to be in
their lives. The study was instrumental in providing evidence that access to the Internet at U.S. public libraries has a
profound and measurable impact on individuals and communities. The current study is organized by the University of
Washington, with generous support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 3
September 22, 2011
Eugene Groundbreaking on Regional $8.3 Million Broadband Improvement Project
Installation of fiber-optical cable that will bring high-speed Internet access to Eugene-Springfield area schools, fire
stations and medical facilities will begin in earnest in the next few weeks. A groundbreaking ceremony will occur at
10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 23, at Irving Elementary School, 3200 Hyacinth Street in Eugene with remarks by the Director
of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program at the National Telecommunications and Information Agency,
Anthony Wilhelm.
The project is made possible by an $8.3 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration as a part of the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Broadband Technology
Opportunities Program, to expand broadband access to rural communities as well as to “anchor institutions” that are
critical to providing key public services, such as schools, medical service providers and public safety agencies.
Administered by the Lane Council of Governments, and in conjunction with the work of the Regional Fiber
Consortium, of which Eugene is a member, the grant will fund the installation of broadband cable in Lane, Douglas
and Klamath counties, and will cover 21 communities including Eugene, Springfield, Coburg, Cottage Grove, Veneta,
Lowell, Florence, and Oakridge.
In the Eugene-Springfield area, the grant will assist the following agencies and organizations with broadband access:
Eugene fire stations 8, 9, 11 and 15
Several Bethel School District facilities, including Danebo, Meadow View, Prairie Mountain, Fairfield and
Irving schools
The Springfield School District’s Walterville Elementary School
The Lane County Fairgrounds
Several area medical facilities
Specific to Eugene, the grant will provide critical fiber-optic infrastructure connections to Eugene’s Fire Station 8, Fire
Station 9, Fire Station 11, Fire Station 15, Petersen Barn, and a backup fiber path to the proposed new police
building.
The 2010 grant application received critical support from the Governor’s Office and the Oregon Public Utilities
Commission as well as from the communities to be served. Others who helped were Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron
Wyden, and Congressmen Peter DeFazio.
Project information is at www.connectingoregon.org. For additional information, contact Randy Kolb at 541-682-5075
or Pam Berrian at 541-682-5590.
Grant to Advance Police Forensics Evidence Unit
A new grant will help the Eugene Police Department’s Forensic Evidence Unit make some significant advances. The
Eugene Police Department (EPD) received notification it was awarded a Paul Coverdell Forensic Science
Improvement Grant for $40,000. This grant program is funded through the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of
Justice (National Institute of Justice) to improve the quality and timeliness of forensic science services, including
services provided by units of local government.
The EPD Forensic Evidence Unit (FEU) will use the award to obtain American Society of Crime Laboratory
Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD-LAB) certification, to train forensic laboratory and quality
assurance personnel assisting with certification and for overtime to eliminate backlog in the analysis of forensic
evidence.
ASCLD/LAB is a recognized organization that accredits forensic laboratories within the United States and throughout
the world. ASCLD/LAB accreditation reflects adherence to internationally recognized management and scientific
procedures for forensic laboratories. Obtaining accreditation is an important step toward ensuring that the laboratory
meets the highest professional standards. Accredited laboratories are better able to face challenges presented in
court and bring additional credibility in judicial proceedings. Accreditation provides for an independent, impartial,
objective system by which the laboratory can get a total operational review. It also provides a means by which the
agency can be measured and monitored over time in the overall quality assurance of laboratory services provided to
the Criminal Justice System.
FEU provides high quality and timely forensic processing for EPD cases as well as federal agencies. Currently, the
number of forensic laboratories in Oregon that have achieved ASCLD-LAB accreditation include one state laboratory
and two federal laboratories. FEU will be the first local agency laboratory in Oregon to achieve ASCLD-LAB
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certification. National/international ASCLD-LAB accredited forensic laboratories include 191 state laboratories, 130
local agency laboratories, 23 federal laboratories, 16 international (outside the United States) laboratories and 25
private laboratories. Due to recent national trends and legal issues, ASCLD-LAB applications have doubled in the
past year.
The backlog at FEU is affected by the staffing turnover, training, and processing volume. The lab is currently
experiencing delays in more than 200 cases, with an average turnaround of eight weeks. Training newly hired staff
will continue to impact this number and it is expected to increase over the course of nine to 12 months to more than
500 cases. The new grant will help FEU to address the backlog by paying for staff overtime to expedite cases.
EPD has been performing forensics since at least 1959. Currently FEU handles latent fingerprints (including
evidence screening), surveillance videos and advanced crime scene reconstruction (including serial number
restoration, trajectory, firearm test fires for functionality, presumptive blood testing, advanced photography and
bloodstain pattern reconstruction.) The unit handles approximately 120 new cases per month.
For more information, contact Jason Petersen at 541-682-2800.
Hollywood Versus Reality: Officer-Involved Shootings
After an officer-involved shooting incident, people review decisions professional law enforcement officers must make
in split seconds, with the benefit of hindsight, and often without having all the facts. Their reference is often what
they’ve seen produced by Hollywood, a product that doesn‘t need to conform to the laws of physics, human
physiology, or other factors. Senate Bill 111 (Deadly Use of Force Plan) requires the County to provide outreach and
education to the community.
On Monday, the District Attorney (DA) had a news briefing to let the media and public know that the DA’s Office and
other local law enforcement agencies, including the Eugene Police Department (EPD), have produced a professional
22-minute video that provides important details regarding officer-involved shootings and the process used to
investigate them. This will be shared with the public via the Internet.
The video includes a series of segments designed to debunk common myths and misconceptions, most of which are
addressed by national and regional experts, including Dr. Bill Lewinski of Force Science Research, Dr. Alexis
Artwohl, Eugene Police Officer Joe Kidd, District Attorney Alex Gardner, and Sgt. Alan Gilbert of the Oregon State
Police. EPD took a primary role in its development and production and an EPD officer is featured.
For more information, contact Melinda McLaughlin at 541-682-5124 or go to one of these links: http://bit.ly/q0V69v,
http://www.facebook.com/LaneCountySheriffsOffice?sk=wall or http://vimeo.com/29282684.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5
September 22, 2011