HomeMy WebLinkAboutCCMinutes - 06/28/04 Mtg MINUTES
Eugene City Council
Regular Meeting
Council Chamber--Eugene City Hall
June 28, 2004
7:30 p.m.
COUNCILORS PRESENT: Bonny Bettman, George Poling, Nancy Nathanson, Scott Meisner, David
Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Papd, Jennifer Solomon.
Council President Bonny Bettman called the regular meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. Mayor
Torrey, though unable to preside over the meeting, participated by speakerphone.
1. PUBLIC FORUM
Council President Bettman reviewed the rules of the Public Forum.
R. Kris Millegan, 39830 McKenzie Highway, Springfield, spoke in support of the organizers of the
Emerald Empire Hempfest, whose application for a permit had been denied for 2004 due to problems
experienced at the previous year's event. He felt that if the problems had been so egregious, they should
have been dealt with at the time of last year's event. He questioned the merit of shutting down the Hempfest
while allowing the celebratory behavior in the Autzen Stadium parking lot during football games. He
thought the Hempfest was very similar to the logging show. He lauded hemp as a plant with many uses and
advocated for the northwest to become a large-scale producer of hemp.
Charles Biggs, 540 Antelope Way, noted that the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission
(MWMC) recently won an award for environmental stewardship. He found it ironic that, in the face of this
award, the MWMC asserted the wastewater facility was so old that there were times raw sewage was
dumped in the river. He reiterated that the temperature requirements could be met by the creation of a bio-
swale. He restated his concern that the budget for the MWMC and the 24-percent rate increase were high.
He suggested that the tax load to pay for the facility be reduced in 20 years.
Eileen Erdelt, 1607 Mill Street, Springfield, said she had been educated in Africa and Europe and had
returned to the United States because she believed hemp should be legalized. She asserted that hemp could
be used for food, fuel, medicine, and paper. She said she helped to organize the event and had a good
relationship with the parks personnel. She felt hemp could help the ailing economy. She related that as of
the previous week, the Eugene Police Department (EPD) had barred the festival from happening this year,.
She stated that this was a first amendment infringement and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
agreed. She felt hemp could save the local economy and also reduce global warming by reducing the need to
cut down trees.
Stanley Pender, 266 High Street, spoke in support of granting the Hempfest a permit. He shared that he
had been reading a book called Drug War History in Politics. He said he had smoked marijuana for 28
years was not a criminal. He estimated that he had smoked marijuana with approximately 200 people and
asserted that he knew no criminals. He felt it was bad for the community to support the "myth" that people
smoking marijuana was a crime. He alleged that 15 million people had used marijuana within the last few
days.
David Sonnichsen, 2435 Skyline Boulevard, opposed the extension of Agate Street because he alleged it
would cause the City to convert the Autzen Foot Bridge to a bridge for motorized vehicles. He felt this
would cause irreparable degradation to both the south and north banks of the Willamette River. He said, as
chair of the Whilamut Natural Area Citizen Planning Committee, he had polled 11 of the 15 members and
the members unanimously questioned the advisability of the proposal. He alleged the public did not know
the details of the proposal because there was no announcement and no public scrutiny. He urged the Eugene
City Council to open up the process to the public.
Amy Pincus-Merwin, 2220 Sandy Drive, said she favored holding the Hempfest. She had attended the
previous year's festival and thought it was a great event.
Ms. Pincus-Merwin explained that she was unable to stay until the appropriate public hearing due to a
recent surgery, but wished to give her testimony on behalf of the Community Cable Access television
(CCATV). She requested the funding for CCATV be restored and increased. She acknowledged the
organization had difficulties, although it operated well in spite of being an entirely volunteer organization.
She called CCATV the "last, open-access, free speech venue in the City." She noted that Metro Television
received a budget of over $250,000 per year while CCATV received nothing. She alleged that this was
unprecedented throughout the nation as no other community cable access station was unfunded. She called
this a "point of shame." She stressed the importance of funding the station to the level at which it could be a
functional organization with fund-raising capabilities and proper equipment. She added that she was
dismayed to mm on Metro Television on election night and see a film of a ballet from the 1970s.
Matt Laubach, 790 East 23rd Avenue, spoke in support of restoring the funding to community television.
He called the current contract an "unfunded mandate." He said Portland had five cable access stations
funded by the franchise fees. He called cable access stations a "unique source of news information." He
related that he worked at KLCC and felt that he could put things on CCATV that he was unable to put on
the radio at KLCC. He asserted that Portland community access television received $250,000 while the
CCATV in the City of Eugene received $7,500.
Councilor Papd called a point of order. He questioned whether the previous testimony should be included in
the Public Forum as it specifically referred to an item for which a public hearing was scheduled. Councilor
Bettman added that testimony given in the Public Forum would not be included in the public record of the
hearing.
City Attorney Jerry Lidz did not recommend a specific response or action. He indicated that the testimony
had been given and could not be taken back at this point.
Councilor Bettman closed the Public Forum.
Councilor Papd asked staff to provide, in memorandum form, the City's opinion on the Hempfest issue.
Councilor Kelly thanked those who spoke in the Public Forum. He urged City staff to treat the Hempfest
like all other gatherings. He was happy to hear that there would be a meeting between law enforcement staff
and organizers of the festival. He felt the festival should not be judged by the activities of a few people who
had attended it.
Regarding Mr. Sonnichsen's testimony, Councilor Kelly said the proposal regarding the potential road
layout was a matter of public record. He stated that copies of preliminary drawings were available upon
request. He noted that a council motion directed staff to work on additional routings for this particular
access point. He underscored that it was a challenge to find additional access that was free from railroad
encumbrance and stressed that there would be opportunities for the public to provide input.
Councilor Taylor suggested that the potential road by the Willamette River should be widely publicized.
She felt the underpass that had been placed at the end of Agate Street had been expensive and had made it
easier to take the street farther. She thought the public should pay careful attention to the issue.
Councilor Taylor said she did not understand why the Hempfest had difficulty in obtaining a permit. She
thought the Hempfest to be less dangerous than the 4th of July fireworks display. She asserted that it should
be treated no differently than other gatherings.
Councilor Bettman thanked everyone for testifying. She agreed with Councilor Kelly regarding the potential
extension of Agate Street. She urged the public to be involved in the process to determine how the much-
needed access would be provided.
3. CONSENT CALENDAR
A. Approval of City Council Minutes
- May 19, 2004, Work Session
- May 24, 2004, Work Session
- May 24, 2004, City Council Meeting
- May 26, 2004, Work Session
- June 9, 2004, Work Session
B. Approval of Tentative Working Agenda
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved approval of
the Consent Calendar.
Councilor Kelly submitted corrections to the minutes via email. He wished to comment on the Tentative
Working Agenda, though did not want to pull it from the Consent Calendar. He noted that the work session
scheduled for August 9 included two items that could potentially each take one hour.
Councilor Nathanson pulled the minutes from the May 24 work session to submit changes in the language.
Councilor Bettman noted her submission of corrections to the minutes via email.
Roll call vote; the motion to approve the Consent Calendar with the exception of the min-
utes from the work session of May 24, 2004, passed unanimously, 8:0.
3. PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION:
Resolution 4796 Adopting a Supplemental Budget; Making Appropriations for the City of
Eugene for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2003, and Ending June 30, 2004
City Manager Dennis Taylor asked Budget Manager Kitty Murdoch of the Central Services Department to
speak about the Supplemental Budget.
Ms. Murdoch provided an overview of the proposed supplemental budget, as written on page 70 of the
Agenda Item Summary (ALS).
Councilor Bettman called for questions and comments.
Councilor Taylor noted that $50,000 was allocated for a transportation study for the relocation of the
hospital and asked why this was not being taken from the $500,000 that had been set aside in a hospital
siting reserve. Mr. Taylor responded that it had been recommended that the $500,000 not be diluted by
parsing it out on a number of studies.
Councilor Taylor expressed reservations about spending money on a study for a site that had yet to be
decided upon.
Councilor Pap~ asked Ms. Murdoch to explain the reserve for encumbrances. Ms. Murdoch responded that
this was part of the carryover process in which funds were moved from one fiscal year to the next to pay for
goods that were purchased but not yet paid for at year-end. She stressed that the items shown in the
transaction summary were for goods ordered in fiscal year (FY) 2003 and paid for in FY04.
In response to a question from Councilor Pap~, Ms. Murdoch explained that the balance available would
become zero after the $1.356 million was pulled from the Risk Benefits fund.
Councilor Bettman opened the public hearing.
Charles Biggs, 540 Antelope Way, asserted that the proposed hospital would take 30 to 50 years to pay the
City back for street improvements.
Mr. Biggs alleged the City was selling the Sears building at a loss. He felt this would lead to less money to
work with in the future.
Mr. Biggs noted that the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) listed an item in the parks section which, at a cost
of $5 million, would build a community park on Kinney Loop. He opined there were enough sports parks in
that area already.
Councilor Bettman, seeing no others who wished to testify, closed the public hearing.
Councilor Kelly asked that the final hospital financial package include what property tax increment revenue
and other revenue sources would be realized from its development. City Manager Taylor assured him it
would.
Councilor Kelly requested a memorandum on the dramatic increases in risk expenditures. City Manager
Taylor thought this would be a useful work session related to the long-term strategy of how to manage the
risk benefits for all of the employees.
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution 4796 adopting a Supplemental Budget; making appropriations
for the City of Eugene for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2003, and end-
ing June 30, 2004.
Councilor Pap~ agreed a work session on risk analysis would be beneficial. He recommended staff provide
projected and actual costs of benefits.
Councilor Bettman indicated her support for the motion. She asked if the $50,000 transportation study
would look at options for alternative access to the hospital site. City Manager Taylor responded that, per
council direction, it would.
Councilor Bettman, noting the $9 million in telecommunications fees, asked if they were not received in
FY04. Assistant City Manager Carlson replied that the revenue was received, but recognition of it had
been deferred. He explained that Qwest appealed the award and, as a result, the money was being left in a
type of %scrow account" pending the ruling. City Manager Taylor predicted the case would be resolved by
fall.
Councilor Bettman wished to register her chagrin that the operational budget for the Fire Department was
being utilized to buy new equipment.
Councilor Meisner questioned the transfer from General Contingency for the traffic analysis for the hospital
site. He wondered why no consideration was given to utilizing urban renewal district funds to pay for it.
City Manager Taylor replied that, at this time, staff did not want to commit either the $500,000 that had
been set aside for hospital siting nor urban renewal funding until the scope of the changes was known.
Councilor Meisner asserted that the urban renewal district needed to do this type of planning for its future
effectiveness.
Councilor Bettman asked Ms. Murdoch to speak to Councilor Meisner's statement. Ms. Murdoch stated
that the reason the decision was made in this way was that almost the entire Riverfront Fund was being used
to pay off the Chiquita property. She said staff was uncomfortable with allocating the small amount of
money that would be left.
Referring to the same issue, Councilor Pap~ asked why the study was not funded through an interfund loan.
Dee Ann Hardt, Finance Director for the Central Services Department, replied that because there was a
balance remaining in the General Fund Contingency account of $219,000, it seemed inappropriate to use
$50,000 from this source to pay for the transportation study. She stated that the urban renewal district was
currently %trapped."
Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0.
Council President Bettman adjourned the meeting of the City Council and convened the meeting of the
Eugene Urban Renewal Agency at 8:22 p.m.
4. PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION:
Resolution 1030 Adopting a Supplemental Budget; Making Appropriations for the Urban
Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene for the Fiscal Year Beginning July 1, 2003, and
Ending June 30, 2004
Ms. Murdoch explained that the transactions consisted of an appropriation of $300,000 for demolition of the
Sears building and a $20,000 payment to the Planning and Development Department for services provided.
Councilor Bettman opened the public hearing. Seeing no one who wished to speak, Councilor Bettman
closed the public hearing.
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution 1030 adopting a Supplemental Budget; making appropriations
for the Urban Renewal Agency of Eugene for the Fiscal year Beginning
Julyl, 2003, and ending June 30, 2004. Roll call vote; the motion passed
unanimously, 8:0.
5. PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION:
Resolution 1031 of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene Adopting the Budget,
Making Appropriations, and Declaring the Amount of Tax to be Received for the Fiscal
Year Beginning July 1, 2004, and Ending June 20, 2005
Mr. Taylor explained that this was the Urban Renewal Agency budget for Fiscal Year 2005.
Ms. Murdoch stated that this was the same budget that had been presented to the Budget Committee, except
for the addition of $747,960 in capital carryover. She said the total budget for urban renewal was $12.8
million and one of its major activities would be to repay the Chiquita loan made for the federal courthouse
site.
Councilor Bettman opened the public hearing. Councilor Bettman, seeing no one who wished to testify,
closed the public hearing.
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution 1031 of the Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Eugene
adopting the Budget, making appropriations, and declaring the amount of
tax to be received for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2004, and ending
June 30, 2005. Roll call vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0.
Council President Bettman adjourned the Eugene Urban Renewal Agency and reconvened the City Council
at 8:26 p.m.
6. PUBLIC HEARING AND ACTION:
Resolution 4797 Adopting the Budget, Making Appropriations, Determining, Levying and
Categorizing the Annual Ad Valorem Property Tax Levy for the City of Eugene for the
Fiscal year Beginning July 1, 2004, and Ending June 30, 2005; Resolution 4798 Electing to
Receive State Revenue Sharing Funds Pursuant to Section 221.770 of Oregon Revised
Statutes; and Resolution 4799 Certifying that the City of Eugene Provides the Municipal
Service Required by Oregon Revised Statutes Section 221.760
Mr. Taylor conveyed his satisfaction with the recommended budget presented before the council.
Ms. Murdoch stated that nothing had been added to the FY05 adopted budget but the reserve for encum-
brance and the capital carryover numbers.
Councilor Bettman opened the public hearing.
Stephen Woodward, 1947 West 17th Avenue Apartment A, explained that he produced a national award-
winning television show. He asked the council to reconsider its decision not to fund Community Cable
Access television (CCATV). He pointed out that the City collected money from cable distributors for
community government and educational access and CCATV received none of it. He asserted this stifled a
community voice and the growth of small business.
David Hinkley, 1250 Lawrence, #6, thanked the council and the Budget Committee for allocating money
toward the neighborhood newsletters. He called them an "important component" to a successful neighbor-
hood program.
Phillip Carroll, 1054 Van Buren Street, thanked the council, on behalf of the Tree Foundation, for funding
the NeighborWoods Programs. He conveyed the foundation's happiness that the program was
being funded by storm water funds. He emphasized that tree canopies intercept rainfall and promote healthy
soil that can absorb and process pollutants in rainwater. He commented that the money was spent well and
commended the enthusiastic and effective staff who worked in the program. He shared that approximately
250 trees had been planted locally by the Tree Foundation.
Verna Reidy, 263 West 16th Avenue, supported funding for CCATV. She shared her desire to teach yoga
in a CCA television show. She felt it would be a vote for freedom of speech to provide funding for CCATV.
She stressed that it was not a lot of money that was being asked for.
Councilor Bettman closed the public hearing.
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution 4798 electing to receive State Revenue Sharing funds pursuant
to Section 221.770 of Oregon Revised Statutes. Roll call vote; the motion
passed unanimously, 8:0.
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution 4799 certifying that the City of Eugene provides the municipal
service required by Oregon Revised Statutes Section 221.760. Roll call
vote; the motion passed unanimously, 8:0.
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution 4797 adopting the budget, making appropriations, determining,
levying and categorizing the annual ad valorem property tax levy for the
City of Eugene for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2004, and ending June
30, 2005.
Councilor Taylor, seconded by Councilor Kelly, moved to amend the mo-
tion to provide a one-time allocation of $10,000 for Community Cable Ac-
cess Television.
Councilor Taylor spoke of the benefits of CCATV.
Councilor Kelly supported the amendment. He felt the council had not dealt fairly with CCATV last year.
He added that he had been moved by the testimony.
Councilor Papd agreed that community television was an asset, but disagreed that CCATV had not been
treated fairly. He noted that two years previously, Councilor Meisner had challenged CCATV to do some
private fundraising and to show the council evidence of it. He would have been more open to the plea for
funding if CCATV had risen to the challenge. He thought the council too often represented "low-hanging
fruit" for organizations seeking funding.
Councilor Nathanson asked staff to estimate what other organizations would have come before the council
with last-minute appeals if they had thought they could have been allocated more funding. She also
wondered to what degree the other jurisdictions contributed to CCATV. City Manager Taylor responded
that the City of Eugene was the only entity that funded CCATV. He predicted that last-minute changes
occurring after all of the rest of the processes that went into the budget had transpired could create a pattern
among entities that sought funding from the City. He underscored the challenges burgeoning health care
costs alone presented to the City and stressed that the City had been forced to take a stance of austerity.
Councilor Nathanson commented that the City Council used to have two different kinds of contingency
funds. She thought it important to differentiate between contingency for discretionary services and
unanticipated contingencies. She stated that the former had been effectively eliminated.
Councilor Bettman suggested that the council should prioritize the contingency funds at the end of the year.
Councilor Bettman agreed that amending the budget could bring in other last-minute requests, but said she
would support the amendment. She said the CCTV station provided a venue for free speech, noting that,
among others, the station had provided coverage of Police Commission forums. She urged the people
working in the CCATV to put together a business plan and a financing plan to bring before the Budget
Committee earlier in the budget planning process.
Councilor Kelly pointed out that there were significant donations of equipment that satisfied the requirement
for matching funds. He recalled that Lane County had provided funding prior to FY04. He commented
that, when cable was created, there were to be three cornerstones: public access, education, and government
television. He said the City was neglecting public access.
Councilor Kelly expressed dismay that the City Manager would call into question items brought before the
council at this stage. He emphasized that it was a public hearing and, as such, should hold weight. City
Manager Taylor responded that his concern was primarily that there were many opportunities to weigh in on
the budget process. He was particularly concerned that two people could make some compelling testimony
and "walk away with $10,000." He felt it was precedent-setting.
Councilor Taylor commented that when the funding was dropped, it had been dropped at the last minute
with no notification that it would even be discussed. She felt that CCATV made great contributions to the
community and provided learning opportunities for young people. She said this amendment should be
supported because it supported free speech.
Mayor Torrey stated, by speakerphone, that he intended to vote in opposition should there be a tie. He said
the organization had the capacity through television to ask for funds from the people who use the service.
He thought this was a benefit that other programs seeking funding did not have.
Roll call vote; the amendment failed, 5:3, councilors Bettman, Kelly, and
Taylor voting in favor.
Councilor Kelly shared his appreciation for the restoration of some of the programs funded by Storm Water
Funds. He said the restoration did not go as far as it should, however, and the remaining cuts did not reflect
the values of the community.
Roll call vote; the main motion passed, 8:0.
Council President Bettman called for a five-minute break.
7. ACTION:
Resolution 4793 Adopting the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission Facili-
ties Plan and 20-Year Project List for the Eugene-Springfield Regional Wastewater
Treatment Facilities
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution 4793 Adopting the 2004 Metropolitan Wastewater Management
Commission Facilities Plan and 20-Year Project List for the Eugene-
Springfield Regional Wastewater Treatment Facilities.
Councilor Meisner conveyed his respect for the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission
(MWMC) board and staff, but was not confident that the plan was the most cost-efficient means of
addressing the wastewater issues. He felt the stakeholders had not had adequate opportunity to weigh in on
MWMC plan.
Councilor Poling supported the motion. He commented that the MWMC staff, engineers, and legal staff
made their argument and those opposed had made their argument 180 degrees in opposition. He recom-
mended approval so that this would move forward, adding that if it was going to go to court, it would go to
court. Regarding public comment, he questioned how the right amount could be quantified. He stressed that
the MWMC would need direction, should the process have to be embarked upon again, on just what amount
of public input was necessary.
Councilor Solomon opined that the MWMC had come to represent all that was wrong with government.
She called it a ~morass" of acronyms, plans, and diagrams difficult for the average citizen to fathom. She
was particularly concerned that, in addition to the higher rates, the MWMC had been unwilling to work with
the community of Coburg to develop a regional facility. She felt this would have represented true regional
planning.
Councilor Papd commented that the MWMC had not had much input over the years because it had been
primarily concerned with the management of existing facilities. He said this was the first time it had been
faced with substantial improvements. He wanted the MWMC to obtain a second opinion from an
engineering firm other than CH2M Hill. He added that noticing had not included any reference to the
amount of money that was in question. He thought the public would have participated more had it known
the price tag for the 20-year project list was $144 million.
Councilor Kelly countered that there was more than a second opinion in the draft in that there were five
alternatives represented there, all of which had been sorted through by the consultant and the MWMC. He
noted that some of the testimony in support of the plan was from people who worked in the wastewater
profession. He supported Coburg's possible involvement in the plan and did not see that the resolution
before the council precluded such partnership.
City Manager Taylor interjected that there had been a preliminary discussion regarding such an endeavor.
He predicted that adoption of the resolution would free up staff time and allow staff to further pursue the
proposed partnership.
Councilor Kelly agreed that the wastewater facilities were complex, but asserted that all such facilities were
complex in the eyes of someone who was without the appropriate engineering background.
Mayor Torrey, commenting by speakerphone, echoed Councilor Kelly. He said he had talked to many
people who had shared similar concerns regarding the amount of money to be spent on a ~quick decision."
He disagreed that the decision had been made quickly. The MWMC had been involved in the formation of
this plan for a long time. He underscored that the citizen participant on the MWMC was a well-respected
engineer and that he was unequivocal in his support of the plan. He recognized that people in the business
community did not want to spend money frivolously, but they also wanted to ensure that the infra-structure
needed for future development was available. He stressed that half of the cost increase was due to cost-of-
living increases. Mayor Torrey urged the council not to hold back simply because it did not have a complete
understanding of it, adding that, should a project not pan out to be what the community needed, the council
could certainly determine that over the 20-year course of the long-term plan. He remained convinced the
improvements were needed, however.
Regarding the ;;Coburg question," Mayor Torrey opined that a joint project should be considered whether
the City Council approved the plan or not.
Councilor Bettman concurred with the comments of councilors Poling and Kelly and Mayor Torrey. She
said the large portion of the plan sought to accommodate new growth. She alleged that SDCs were set
artificially low and that ratepayers subsidized new growth. She stated that she would support the motion,
though she felt this distribution of rate burden to be unfair.
Councilor Bettman expressed concern that the addition of the community of Coburg into the wastewater
treatment system would cost the City of Eugene ratepayers more.
Councilor Pap~ commented that the concerns in Coburg regarding wastewater were not new.
Councilor Pap~ referred to page 155 of the agenda item summary and asserted that the overflows did not
exceed the limit set forth by the federal government. Peter Ruffler, Director of the Wastewater Division of
the Public Works Department, predicted the overflows would increase. He said, looking at the historical
record, there had been several continuous years of low rainfall, but prior to that there had been several
instances of overflow due to storm events.
Mr. Ruffler stated that a comprehensive evaluation of wet weather flow management plans that had looked
at various options to handle peak flow issues had been conducted and the results were reflected in the
MWMC facilities plan and project list.
Councilor Poling related that, though Coburg had no SDCs in place for water, there had not been a reason to
have such a charge thus far. He indicated that Coburg City Manager Mike Hudson had emphasized the
community's willingness to ~pay its way."
Councilor Meisner stated that the council had the material and had studied it, but the public did not have
such a reference. He asked staff to state for the public the amount of the rate increase. MWMC staff
member Susie Smith responded that the increase was projected over the course of five years to be between
$5.60 and $6.50 per month. Councilor Meisner reiterated that the MWMC had not done a ~good enough"
job of making the public aware of this.
Gary Caldwell, staff member for MWMC, explained that the first four years of increases would get the rate
revenue to the debt service support level. Increases beyond that point would be for inflation and operational
increases. Councilor Meisner asked if there would be a decrease after six years. Mr. Caldwell replied that
nothing in his projections indicated there would be a decrease in the rates.
Councilor Taylor called the rate increases unfortunate. She felt that ratepayers were shouldering the
expense of growth. However, she thought any sewage overflow into the river to be unacceptable.
Councilor Taylor commented that, when and if Coburg was brought into the MWMC, measures should be
taken to insure that none of the added expense would be the responsibility of the Eugene ratepayers.
Roll call vote; the motion to approve Resolution 4793 passed, 5:3; council-
ors Meisner, Solomon, and Pap6 voting no.
8. ACTION:
Proposed Modifications to Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission Regional
Wastewater System Development Charge Methodology and Rates
Resolution No. 4794 Adopting an Amended System Development Charge Methodology for
Regional Wastewater System, Amending Resolution No. 4740, and Repealing Resolution No.
4776;
and
Resolution No. 4795 Adopting Amended System Development Charge Rates for Regional
Wastewater System and Amending Resolution No. 4740
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution No. 4794 adopting an amended System Development Charge
methodology for regional wastewater system, amending Resolution No.
4740, and repealing Resolution No. 4776. Roll call vote; the motion
passed, 7:1; Councilor Pap6 voting in opposition.
Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Nathanson, moved to adopt
Resolution No. 4795 adopting amended System Development Charge rates
for regional wastewater system, and amending Resolution No. 4740.
Councilor Pap6 asked if ratepayers would have to pay to make the lines more impervious. Mr. Ruffler
replied that current rates include a component to fix infiltration and inflow which, if eliminated, would
resolve the peak wet weather overflow.
In response to another question from Councilor Pap6, Mr. Ruffler said the wet weather management plan
had estimated the return on the investment in fixing the pipes. He asserted it was impossible to "get to
perfection."
Councilor Bettman agreed it was more sustainable to address the inflow and infiltration, but it would also
require regulating new development to use different materials to build wastewater systems.
Roll call vote; the motion passed, 6:2; councilors Solomon and Pap6 voting
in opposition.
Council President Bettman adjourned the meeting at 9:43 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Dennis M. Taylor
City Manager
(Recorded by Ruth Atcherson)