HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Minutes - 05/07/13 BCC InterviewsMINUTES
Eugene City Council
Saul Room - Atrium
99 West 10th Avenue — Eugene, Oregon
May 7, 2013
5:30 p.m.
COUNCILORS PRESENT: George Poling, George Brown, Betty Taylor, Claire Syrett, Greg Evans.
COUNCILORS ABSENT: Chris Pryor, Mike Clark, Alan Zelenka.
Council President George Poling called the May 7, 2013, session of the Eugene City Council to order.
A. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS INTERVIEWS
The council interviewed Tony Brandt, Will Shaver, Linda Hamilton, and Bob Cassidy for vacancies
on the Budget Committee. Each candidate was asked the following questions:
1. What are top three financial challenges that the local governments in the US are facing today?
What are some of the strategies that can be utilized to address those challenges?
2. What are the steps that the City organization can take to make the City budget more
understandable to citizens and to increase public engagement in the budget process?
3. With the City's General Fund facing deficits in the next several years, there have been
proposals to spend down reserves in order to balance the City budget. Please describe pros
and cons of using one -time funds to support ongoing services.
4. Taking into account broad community input is an important part of the Budget Committee
discussions and decision- making. What types of information and community feedback would
you consider as part of analyzing and discussing the City's budget?
The council interviewed David Van Der Haeghen, Philip Carrasco, Mary Clayton, Arun Toke, Debra
Merskin, and Edward Goehring for vacancies on the Human Rights Commission. Each candidate
was asked the following questions:
1. Can you tell us a little bit aboutyour efforts to promote diversity, equality, equity, and
understanding of human rights within the community, either through volunteer work or in
your employment activities? Please give examples.
2. Volunteering for a City human rights commission that advises elected officials and works with
City staff is differentfrom a community -based human rights organization. Given those
differences what skills or abilities do you have that would makeyou effective in this role?
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Boards and Commissions Interviews
3. The HRC's 2012 -13 priorities include working with the community and advising City Council
on issues involving integration of immigrants into the community; homelessness; problems
experienced by youth; and racism and other expressions of bias and hate. Can you comment on
your experiences and /or your interest in addressing these issues?
4. What do you see as the most important human rights issues in our community now? What are
some solutionsyou think will help resolve those issues?
The council interviewed Laurie Trieger for a vacancy on the Planning Commission. Ms. Trieger was
asked the following questions:
1. What key issues would you hope to address as a member of the Planning Commission?
2. The Eugene Planning Commission often works on lengthy processes and decisions as a group.
Describe your prior skills and experience that will assistyou in working with the Planning
commission in a collective manner.
3. The Planning Commission meets most Mondays from 11:30 -1:30 and sometimes on Tuesday
evenings. There is often a high volume of materials to review and consider between meetings.
Do you have the time and flexibility in yourschedule to accommodate this level of
commitment?
4. Please describe howyou would contribute to the diversity of views on the Planning
Commission. In what ways would you seek to bring the perspectives of underrepresented
members of our community into the land use planning and decision process?
S. The Planning Commission must often consider and balance complex issues when reviewing
planning documents and making land use decisions. As an example, the city is in the process of
implementing strategies to accommodate 34,000 new residents over the next 20 years, In your
opinion, what are the most important factors for the Planning Commission to consider in this
effort?
Mr. Poling adjourned the meeting at 8:45 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
,6,t-A I -'t
Beth Forrest
City Recorder
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Boards and Commissions Interviews