HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 02/11/2013 Work SessionMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Harris Hall, 125 East 8 th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
February 11, 2013
5:30 p.m.
Councilors Present: George Brown, Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka, George Poling, Mike Clark, Greg Evans,
Claire Syrett, Chris Pryor.
Her Honor, Mayor Piercy called the February 11, 2013, work session of the Eugene City Council to order.
Mayor Piercy changed the order of the agenda items, moving the local option levy for city services to the first
item.
A. WORK SESSION: Local Option Levy for City Services
City Manager, Jon Ruiz gave a PowerPoint presentation sharing options to address the budget gap. The
three options he addressed are:
• $6 million levy
• $3 million levy
• Option for City fee
City budget staff will prepare two budgets: one with funding; one without. The budget without funding
would require approximately $5 million in service cuts to operate a balanced budget.
Comments, concerns and issues shared by the Mayor and council:
• Some councilors favored a fee.
• Some councilors supported a full levy so there can be a vote.
• Support was expressed for preserving human services and public safety funding.
• There is concern about consequences if the fee or levy gets voted down.
• Financial information about Laurelwood Golf Course was requested.
• The fee may be more stable, but also more challenging to sell to voters.
• Some expressed an interest in looking at all parks, not just Laurelwood, noting that a complete
analysis would be a useful assessment tool.
The City Attorney read the elements of a proposed ordinance prepared in anticipation of this item being
placed on the ballot.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Brown, seconded by Councilor Syrett, moved to direct the
City Manager to bring back for final approval a city service fee ballot measure that could be used to
close the budget gap and fund fire and police service, homeless and basic human services, and core
quality of life services, such as libraries and swimming pools. PASSED: 5:3, Councilors Poling,
Clark, and Taylor opposed
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Brown, seconded by Councilor Syrett, moved to direct the
City Manager to include an option for a partial exemption schedules for Eugene 4j and Bethel
School Districts. A friendly amendment clarifying that school districts would fall into the
"residential" definition of the ordinance was accepted. PASSED: 7:1, Councilor Poling opposed.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Zelenka, seconded by Councilor Brown, moved to change
Section 2.2015(3) and increase the non - residential fee to $30. PASSED: 5:3, Councilors Poling,
Evans and Clark opposed.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Poling, seconded by Councilor Pryor, moved to add another
category to include non - profit organizations that deal with social services and qualify for 502(c)(3).
FAILED: 2:6, Councilors Poling and Pryor in favor.
The meeting adjourned at 7:02 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Ah4-
Michelle Mortensen
Deputy City Recorder
MINUTES — Eugene City Council February 11, 2013 Page 2
Work Session