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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/27/11 - City Council Newsletter EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER October 27, 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 PUBLIC WORKS GEARS UP FOR WINTER WEATHER LAUNCH OF VIRTUAL BUSINESS RESOURCE MAKES PLAN PRIORITY A REALITY BAGS, COATS AND BOOTS TO BEAT THE COLD WEATHER A DOUBLE-HEADER FOR BASEBALL FANS AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY AROUND THE CITY Public Works Gears Up for Winter Weather Public Works is gearing up for winter weather. Maintenance is being performed on snow and ice removal equipment. Trucks are being outfitted with snow plows, sanders and de-icing applicators. 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. 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. 30, in The Register-Guard, as required by 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 Winter storms such as this one several years ago are essential traffic can move safely around town, and that parked and probably months off, butpreparation starts now. stalled vehicles do not hamper snow removal operations. 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, visit www.eugene-or.gov/snow or contact Public Works Maintenance Surface Operations Manager Eric Johnson at 541-682-4904 or eric.p.johnson@ci.eugene.or.us. Launch of Virtual Business Resource Makes Plan Priority a Reality Succeeding in business involves perseverance, flexibility, and business knowledge. Local entrepreneurs now have a new, powerful, online resource Lane Business Link, called thanks to a collaboration involving the Eugene and Springfield Chambers of Commerce, the cities of Eugene and Springfield, Lane County's Community and Economic Development Department and Lane Community College's Small Business Development Center. Regional Prosperity Economic Creating this virtual one-stop resource for businesses was listed as a priority in the Development Plan adopted by the cities of Eugene and Springfield along with Lane County in 2010. The goal was to provide a well-coordinated array of information and tools assistance. To help new businesses get off the ground and existing businesses grow, this new resource offers assistance with planning, marketing, siting, financing and collaboration, all in one location. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1 October 27, 2011 Lane Business Link is a comprehensive, virtual, one-stop resource for businesses that combines local, state, federal and best-of-the-web resources to help them start and grow. Among its many features are:  Government requirements for new and ongoing businesses, and for employers, including an interactive tool to select a business entity and links with all the forms to create the business entity.  Funding programs available to businesses.  Industry-specific resources, including tools for hospitality, manufacturing, agriculture, retail, youth, and more. The site will be updated regularly with new resources and tools. To suggest changes and/or additions, or ask Lane Business Link questions regarding , contact Ben Sappington at 541-242-2359. For more information, contact Denny Braud at Denny.Braud@ci.eugene.or.us or 541-682-5536. Bags, Coats and Boots to Beat the Cold Weather For the fourth year in a row, Eugene Police Officer Randy Ellis has spearheaded a campaign to provide sleeping bags for people without homes as cold weather hits. His goal is to provide as many sleeping bags, shoes/boots, and coats for the homeless as possible. This year, more than $6,000 was collected, including a $2,500 match from community member Don Dezarn, of Pacific Headwear. This was in addition to the many donations of coats, shoes, and sleeping bags. Thanks to the generous donations, Officer Ellis was able to take the money and purchase a good supply of cold weather items and distribute them through Sponsors, Whitebird, First Christian Church, and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. This year the donations purchased:  110 pairs of gloves 35 tarps  200 pairs of socks 50 rain ponchos  100 fleece blankets 45 hooded sweatshirts  100 stocking caps 75 jackets  75 sleeping bags 32 pairs of men’s boots  60 back packs 39 pairs of women’s shoes  14 bike locks 60 jeans/pants  55 fleece sweatshirts 18 sets of heavy rain gear  25 ball caps 10 sweat pants  60 McDonald’s gift cards worth $5 each 10 nylon rain pants  100 pairs of men’s underwear 160 pairs of women’s socks  80 men’s undershirts 125 pairs of women’s underwear Clothing donations included: 75 pairs of boots/shoes, 20 30-gallon bags of miscellaneous clothing, 20 sleeping bags, th and 20 back packs. Donations can still be dropped off at the West University Public Safety Station at 791 East 13 Avenue. For more information, contact Officer Ellis at 541-682-8350. A Double-Header for Baseball Fans at Eugene Public Library Two free talks about baseball are coming up at the Downtown Library. On Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m., hear the authors of the new book, “This Is Our Time: The Inside Story of the 2010 World Series Champion San Francisco Giants.” Chris Haft and Eric Alan tell the story of how, in uniquely wild style, the 2010 San Francisco Giants followed the 1969 New York Mets and the 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers into history as “impossible” World Series champions. Haft is the MLB.com beat writer for the San Francisco Giants. A pro sportswriter for 30 years, he’s reported on Major League Baseball full-time for the past twenty years. Alan is an author, lyricist, photographer, radio broadcaster, and longtime Giants fan. On Friday, Nov. 4, at 6 p.m., Lee Lowenfish will give a talk titled “Conservative Revolutionary: How Branch Rickey’s Signing of Jackie Robinson Jump-Started the Modern American Civil Rights Movement.” Lowenfish is the author of four books about baseball, including “Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman,” which won the Society for American Baseball Research’s Seymour Medal as Book of the Year. His talk is offered in connection with the traveling exhibit “Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience” at the University of Oregon’s Knight Library through Nov. 18. For more information, please contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 October 27, 2011