HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/04/12 - City Council Newsletter
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
October 4, 2012
City of Eugene
thnd
125 East 8 Avenue, 2 Floor
Eugene, Oregon 97401
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.eugene-or.gov
IN THIS EDITION
EUGENE SUNDAY STREETS ATTRACTS OVER THREE THOUSAND COMMUNITY MEMBERS
RECREATION’S OUTDOOR PROGRAM HOSTS FAMILY WALKS
CITY OF EUGENE SELECTED BY STATE FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNITY BROADBAND PLANNING GRANT
BUSINESS PLANNING AND GRANT SEEKING AT EUGENE PUBLIC LIBRARY
EUGENE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PLAN NEARS MAJOR MILESTONE
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CELEBRATING OREGON DAY OF CULTURE AND THE HULT CENTER’S 30 BIRTHDAY
CRIME PREVENTION TEAM FLEXES “RESPONSE” MUSCLES TO RESPOND TO EMERGING CRIME TREND
AROUND THE CITY
Eugene Sunday Streets Attracts Over Three Thousand Community Members
Eugene Sunday Streets has been declared a success two years in a row. The City of Eugene Transportation Planning
Office has received a number of positive, unsolicited comments from the community about how great the second
Eugene Sunday Streets was for everyone. Based on
estimates, approximately 3,035 community members
participated this year. That’s over 1,000 more people than
last year.
These types of events are increasing in popularity in the
community. People of all ages walked, rolled, skated and
danced along the route, including Mayor Kitty Piercy and
Slug Queen Sadie Slimy Stitches. Activity centers at
Amazon, University and Washburne parks were bustling
with live music, circus art classes, yoga, dancing and fun.
As a result of all of the positive comments, the City will
seek funding to feature two Eugene Sunday Streets
events in the summer of 2013.
City staff is collecting feedback from the participants, businesses and residents along the route and the 200 volunteers
who helped put on the event. All participants are encouraged to take an online survey at www.eugene-
or.gov/esssurvey.
For more information, please contact Lindsay Selser at 541-682-5094 or sundaystreets@ci.eugene.or.us, or visit
www.eugenesundaystreets.org.
Recreation’s Outdoor Program Hosts Family Walks
On Oct. 5 and 6, Recreation’s Outdoor Program will guide families on free walks in
natural areas around Eugene. On First Friday, Oct. 5, parents are invited to
discover Hendricks Park with their babies. Meet at the F.M. Wilkins Shelter. Baby
Walks are from 10 -11 a.m., are on paved paths and will happen rain or shine.
Strollers or baby-carriers are recommended.
All ages are invited to First Saturday Park Walks from 9 - 11 a.m. On Oct. 6,
naturalists from the Outdoor Program will lead an interpretive walk on Mt. Baldy.
Meet at the parking lot off Dillard Road at Dillard East trailhead. Both walks are
free and drop-in; no registration required. For more information, call Aimee Goglia
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 1
October 4, 2012
at 541-682-5329.
City of Eugene Selected by State for Strategic Community Broadband Planning Grant
The City of Eugene was selected to participate in the Oregon Broadband Outreach and Strategic Planning Project to
create a strategic broadband plan for the community. The goals of the project include increasing rates of broadband
adoption and utilization in Oregon communities like Eugene. The City
of Eugene is among the first four Oregon cities to be selected for this
effort and will receive up to $5,000 for expenses and $35,800 in
technical assistance from the State. The assistance will help create a
community broadband plan to increase access to high capacity
broadband and reduce barriers to widespread use. The project will
start in early October, and conclude by the end of April 2013.
Increasing utilization of advanced broadband technology and
services in Eugene advances economic opportunity and equity goals
outlined in the Regional Prosperity Economic Development Plan and
Envision Eugene. The community strategic plan will help improve
access to the broadband infrastructure and address barriers to
widespread adoption, in addition to exploring ways to innovate
government service delivery. Participating in the project is a great opportunity for Eugene to connect some of its most
important economic development, education and community efforts to state and federal initiatives. The project will
bring together key partners from the University of Oregon, public institutions, local industry and local school districts in
two summits, to develop the plan, and position the City of Eugene to become a national leader in broadband utilization.
Oregon was awarded a federal grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to support
strategic planning for broadband growth and adoption. As a part of that grant, the Oregon Business Development
Department on behalf of the Oregon Broadband Advisory Council is implementing the Oregon Broadband Outreach
and Strategic Planning Project to develop eight local community plans to accelerate broadband utilization.
For more information, please contact Economic Development Analyst William Ellis at 541-682-8367 or
William.R.Ellis@ci.eugene.or.us, or City of Eugene Telecommunications Manager Pam Berrian at 541-682-5590 or
pam.c.berrian@ci.eugene.or.us.
Business Planning and Grant Seeking at Eugene Public Library
This month, the Downtown Eugene Public Library offers free talks by two experts with valuable financial information.
Small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs: catch a golden opportunity to hear Palo Alto Software founder and
chairman Tim Berry (pictured at right) on the crucial topic of business planning. On
Thursday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m., Berry will deliver nuts-and-bolts explanations and steps
to follow, from strategies to schedules to sales projections. The author of books and
software including Business Plan Pro, and the official business planning coach at
Entrepreneur.com, Berry has consulted for, and/or presented to, organizations
including Apple, Hewlett-Packard and the Disney Entrepreneurial Center.
Non-profit representatives can get an introduction to the world of foundation
fundraising at Basics for Grant Seekers on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 3 p.m. Speaker C.
Davis Parchment of the Foundation Center - San Francisco will offer an overview of
the process for those seeking grants from foundations, corporations, and grant-
making public charities. Topics include what to have in place before seeking a grant,
how to research grant opportunities, and helpful tools and resources.
For more information, contact the Eugene Public Library at 541-682-5450 or www.eugene-or.gov/library.
Eugene Transportation System Plan Nears Major Milestone
On Monday, Oct. 8, 2012, the Transportation Community Resource Group (TCRG), will consider the key components
that will comprise the next phase of comprehensive planning for the Eugene transportation system. After more than a
year’s study and discussion, the TCRG will receive the following packages:
A map showing congested streets and intersections in year 2035, assuming that improvements not already
funded will not be built;
A draft set of Goals and Objectives that could set City policies and priorities for transportation spending;
A list of major transportation projects that will be evaluated; and
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October 4, 2012
A set of criteria that will be used to compare and contrast different ways of addressing anticipated
transportation problems.
The TCRG meeting will be in the Eugene Library’s Bascom-Tykeson Room, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The public is
invited to comment on all phases of Eugene’s transportation system plan (TSP) and attend the TCRG meetings. All
the transportation planning materials are available online at www.EugeneTSP.org.
The next phase of work, which will take about a year to complete, will compare, sort, and bundle projects and
programs into the set that best meets goals and objectives within predicted funding abilities. After more public review,
the results will be packaged for adoption. The transportation plan is being coordinated with Envision Eugene, Lane
Transit District’s Long-Range Transit Plan, the Eugene Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan and other plans.
For more information about the transportation system plan or the community forums, please contact Senior
Transportation Planner Kurt Yeiter at 541-682-8379 or visit the project website at www.EugeneTSP.org.
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Celebrating Oregon Day of Culture and the Hult Center’s 30 Birthday
Mayor Piercy joins a state-wide celebration by declaring Friday, Oct. 5, 2012, as Oregon Day of Culture. Please join
the Mayor on Friday, Oct. 5, at 6:30 p.m., in Broadway Plaza where she’ll make her proclamation during this month’s
First Friday ArtWalk. Following the Mayor’s proclamation, Cultural Services
is presenting a photo projection on a large screen in Broadway Plaza until
8 p.m.
The Hult Center for the Performing Arts opened 30 years ago on Sept. 24,
1982. What a great, magical moment for the city and what wonderful
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memories from the first 30 years! In honor of its 30 birthday, the Hult
Center is celebrating by proudly sponsoring the October Lane Arts
Council’s First Friday ArtWalk and partnering with Oakshire Brewing
Company for a special brew appropriately named “Pearl Red.” (The pearl
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is the gem of the 30 anniversary and the Hult Center is the jewel in
Eugene’s crown.) Enjoy this tasty Pacific Northwest red ale for the first time on Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Eugene Ballet
Company’s performance of Dark Side of the Moon, with live music by local band, the Floydian Slips. To further
celebrate, in November the Hult Center will install a real “post-it wall” in the lobby for everyone to share Memories,
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Moments and Magic. The Hult is also partnering with King Estate Wineries for a special label Hult 30 Birthday Pinot
Noir - just in time for the holidays.
October is National Arts and Humanities Month. The Oregon Cultural Trust celebrates the role of the arts, humanities
and heritage in everyday life with Oregon Days of Culture, Oct. 1 - 8, 2011, and calls for Oregonians to participate and
give to Oregon culture on the anniversary of the innovative legislation - the Oregon Cultural Trust Tax Credit. In the 10
years since the creation of the tax credit, the Cultural Trust has invested over $800,000 in Eugene’s arts, culture and
heritage nonprofits. Visit the searchable event calendar at www.OregonDaysofCulture.org for events in Eugene and
the entire state.
For more information, please contact Community Events Manager Billie Moser at 541-682-6347 or
billie.r.moser@ci.eugene.or.us
Crime Prevention Team Flexes “Response” Muscles to Respond to Emerging Crime Trend
Prediction and response are the keys to the Eugene Police Department’s (EPD) data-led policing strategy. Frequently,
the Crime Prevention Unit forecasts areas of known property crime problems (high-density living, holiday shoppers in
parking lots) and deploys staff in hopes of limiting victimization before it
occurs. The flip-side of the flexible policing strategy is response to
problem areas as they develop, through deploying the appropriate
resources to curb an emerging crime trend. This responsive action is
based upon statistics provided about crimes that have just occurred and,
to be most successful, requires quick response. This flexible, reactive
response is exactly what the Crime Prevention Team is all about.
During a weekly planning meeting, staff learned of an area in West
Eugene that was reporting an increase in a range of property crimes.
The next day, Crime Prevention Team members had developed a plan
to notify neighborhood residents of the crime increase and provide them
with usable information they could implement to make their property and
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October 4, 2012
neighborhood more secure. Staff hit the ground last Thursday morning going door-to-door to speak with residents of
the neighborhood. The Seniors on Patrol Team has spent additional hours patrolling the identified area of Taney to
Highway 99, and Barger to Royal, keeping a keen eye out for suspicious behavior. The efforts reach beyond that of
just the EPD as Bethel School District, whose area is affected by this most recent trend, agreed to partner with the
department by distributing crime prevention information to district families.
Along with the one-on-one contact by staff, a community meeting was held on Wednesday Oct. 3, at Fairfield
Elementary for both area neighbors and all interested community members to follow up with additional prevention tips
and to discuss crime trends throughout the city. With nearly 100 citizens in attendance and through the continued
partnership with Bethel Schools, which provided the technology to allow the presentation to be offered simultaneously
in Spanish, the meeting was a success.
This week, strategic meetings and all the hard work with statistics proved successful when only three burglaries (a
dramatic decrease) were reported and all three resulted in arrests. One of the arrests was the direct result of an
observant neighbor who told officers the reason he called police to report the suspicious behavior was due to
information he had heard from the Crime Prevention outreach.
For more information, please contact Crime Prevention Sergeant Lisa Barrong at Lisa.R.Barrong@ci.eugene.or.us or
541-682-8248.
EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 4
October 4, 2012