Springfield City Council — May 5, 2025

0:11 I'm going to call the Springfield City Council work session to order and have roll call. Mayor Van Gordon here. Councelor Weber here. Councelor Mo here. Councelor Rodley here. Councelor Blackwell here. Councelor Doyle here. And councelor Stout here. Thank you. Thank you. We have one item for the work session which is everybody's favorite topic. Master fees and charges update with Jeff Pascal. We'll get to that. It's coming up. Thank you. Um so yes, tonight we're here to review the master fees and charges schedule. It's an annual review. Um first I want to um extend my thanks to Tatiana Bina. She is the community

0:57 development um budget manager and she actually did all of the heavy lifting pulling all of these numbers together, all of these pages and all of the material that we're going to be discussing tonight along with um that since these fees cover several departments, there are staff in each of those departments that review their fees and provide those that information to her as well. So, I really want to um extend my thanks to all of them for getting all of this material together and prepared for you. Um, so here we are. We're going to get There we There we go. All right. So, tonight, um, we're going to give a little background. Um, then we'll cover the proposed changes, kind of the rationale that we we put to creating this proposal for you, and then just

1:43 show you some impact numbers. Um, one thing is is this is the review. Um in the past um we have when I looked back historically when others have brought I think it was finance who brought this um there were actually two work sessions before we came with the works or with the public hearing. Um and one of those was to get direction on the increase or what numbers to use. Um this year what I want to say is this is a proposal and so this is the opportunity for the council to review that proposal. So we've provided based on guidance that we have received from the council in past um we have provided you kind of two little two options or options on what that those CPI or those cost increases look like based on the type of fee. Um and each fee has been reviewed like I said by the

2:28 staff um who administer those programs. Um so background the council is responsible for um approving, updating, giving guidance on the fees. Um the fees are a critical revenue source for uh obviously services that the city provides um across the board um across the city. You can see on the slide the full list of different departments, different programs that that do pro that these fees affect or that the that are these fees are for. Um and then one of our goals is commit we're committed to maintaining fair balance and reasonable fee structure. So that's why we thoughtfully look at each fee. We think about the guidance that we've received from the council in the past um before

3:14 we bring a proposal before you. Um and one thing is is if you go back a long time in time we've in order to consolidate this I think each department used to bring their fee proposal individually. Now, that's why you see one large list and before you and that's what we're here for is to look at it and it's just to create some efficiency and um save some time with the council. Um so, as I mentioned, the fees were part of the based on the fee update is based on guidance that we have received from the council in the past. Um you'll see two different escalators. this consumer price index that the council has given guidance before. Um and that was the

3:59 um Bureau of Labor consumer price index um for s cities our size and then also in the past for those fees that are really driven by labor as an example our planning or land use applications which are really staff driven that's where the costs are derived um trying to attain that cost of recovery and that's where looking at our labor rate our labor rate based on the last compensation is 5.5% and that's what's in the FY26 budget. So that's why you'll see two different escalators. Um proposed changes um refle reflect those two primary escalators. Um again the 5.5% increase is what we're

4:45 experiencing based on our compensation for staff um in the current in the proposed budget. And then the 2.4 Four is materials and services. Um it is um important to note that each fee is reviewed individually. So the staff who are administer those programs look at the different fees. Um so you'll note that some fees didn't change at all. Um and that's based on the staff's guidance for what they do. So maybe the CPI doesn't affect those fees or materials and services or things like that. So it's not appropriate to raise those fees. Sometimes the when you some of the fees are so small when you apply the escalator it just doesn't make sense because we try to round the fees to the nearest whole dollar. So it's like when do you pick up and sometimes we'll do um

5:30 much like we did with the planning fees. Sometimes you'll go through and do a trueing up to see where you're at um with what the service costs. Um each of the fees is organized in attachment two which is the fee schedule. One thing I'd like to say about the fee schedule um and input on this is really welcome is we're trying to much like you saw with the planning fees kind of organize it so it's easy to see what the fee is and then trying rather than where we had in some cases where we had a descriptor and the fees kind of built into this long paragraph and you're trying to figure out what you're really paying. It's like we have an expl we're working towards having an explanation for the fee and then here's your table that lists the fees. So it's really easy hopefully easy to go see what it costs for what service. Um I

6:15 would say it's not perfect yet but we're that's our goal is with working with Tatiana that's our goal is to work towards that to where we're trying to be a little more clear and transparent about what the fees are and make it easier to find. Um as I said we'll talk about a little bit about impact. Um this is just to give idea of what the impact is. So this when you look at the revenue, this is the revenue generated by uh for each of those funds by those fees. So that's not the revenue for the the total revenue for the fund. This is just revenue generated by fees. And so then you can see what the impact is based on changing the fee calculation by 1% on what that would be to that revenue. So um with that open for discussion and

7:19 Go ahead, councelor Rodley. I just have sort of overall and you started to mention it so then I can just say more about that. I really appreciate all the tables and how simplified it is. I completely agree with that. I was like, "Oh my gosh, this is so interesting and so easy to see. Um, and not to get down in the weeds of it, but then I appreciated seeing here's exactly what that percentage increase would be. Um, I was like particularly looking, which is not in your Bailey Wick, but looking at like the court fees and seeing that those weren't going up too much, which I appreciated. So I just I appreciate the continued work to simplify it and to make it more accessible. So thank you.

8:04 Um so what are the next steps here? So once we head nod that this is the fee structure that we want. Does this come directly to a public hearing? How do we how do we go forward from here? Yes, we're scheduled for a public hearing. So based on guidance. So, if there's any specific guidance on changes you want to see on the proposal, we'll go back work on that and then that will be coming back before the council June 2nd for a public hearing. So, the uh I had a couple questions on on fees. If you look at uh attachment two, it's page 8 of 66. Um when I look across those general fees, there's just a lot of Right. was we're raising at $9.85 $58 and it seemed inconsistent with the

8:52 remainder remainder of the fees where we were trying to at least get to some some sense of uh I don't know like a something that's not so precise, let's put it that way. Okay, a whole dollar. So we could go back and we could look at those and come back if that's the round down round up. But most likely I could say we could just say round down to the nearest whole dollar if that's those are for I think those are mostly business license operator fees licenses like that. So if that's the guidance the council wants to give we can easily do that. Um I would be open to you evaluating them as far as administrative feasibility. Right. I'm not going to tell you so so precisely as run them all down to the whole dollar. just look at him across and and do some sort of sense check w with him.

9:38 Councelor Rodley. Yeah, that's I was gonna say when I look at them because there's some that are like 985 and I'm like let's go up but not down. So yeah, just that you covered it. Uh the second question about the the general fees and I'm sure we ask this every single year. There are fees in there that I'm like do we even issue a circus and carnival license for the year? I I don't know. No. So, we probably do have several fees where we're not experiencing that anymore or that situation. So, I will say if we got rid of it, we would probably suddenly get an application in what just the way the world works. Fair point. We would add it to our summer uh summer activity list. And then if we could go down to the fire and

10:25 emergency uh fee. And when I look at the transport ones, which is a a fund that we historically have challenges with, right, it looks like you just added the the 5 a.5% accelerator across the the trans just directly to the transport funds. Does that really align with what our cost recovery is? because 5 and a half% is specific on average generally to the to the city and I know that like it could vary by department. That that's a great question. I would have to get I can get that information back to you. Um since there isn't I don't see a fire representative if somebody wants to speak to that. I did tell them that I wasn't going to try and answer fees about their programs or answer questions

11:10 about their fees, but I can get that question back to you because you are correct. I think our the 5.5 is based on the SEIU non-representative compensation, not necessarily to fire. And so finding out what specifically goes into that fee, we can find that information out. Yeah. And I think this I I think these fees look tight enough they're ready to go to a public hearing. I think it's just more information. Um the other question that I had for them was and was do we do we have to true that up with the city of Eugene, right? so that that we're effectively charging the same fee. Okay. And yeah, either way, I'm good. But I think it's just one of those places where we want to pull on that a little bit more. I can make sure that by June 2nd when we have the public hearing, I can have that kind of

11:56 information for you. It feels like you have weeks. I know that feels like that, but anybody else or Stone? So, I mean, one of the things that caught my interest was the Vietnamese pig licensing fee and and I don't necessarily want to go too deep into that knowing that there's several permutations of whether it's citizen neutered or non those those have different rates on there. I I I'm saying that a little bit tongue and cheek to say um in your experience with the different departments as they've been processing their own fee. What would you say is a way that um you know when they address their fees, they're trying to make it easier to do business to do the permitting with the city of Springfield. Is that a common kind of trope in most

12:41 of our our staff's minds is how can I make this easier for the citizen to make an addition to a house, you know, uh build something new there, uh you know, license something properly. I I'd rather things be so easy that of course it makes sense to pay the fee as opposed to not pay the fee. And it's great that we have things as specific as a Vietnamese pig, but I'm just kind of curious, what are you seeing as far as just the overall approach to this? How can I make this easier to do business with the city of Springfield and to get everything, you know, nice and tidy? I I would say generally, and I can't speak for the other departments, I can to speak for CMD and some of the DPW fees. Um, but we have that conversation when we talk about planning fees. How are we trying to clarify, make them clear, um, easily

13:28 to under easier to understand. And you can kind of see that theme. Um, that's one thing Tatiana worked on when she got this was how can we kind of simplify and make them look similar, at least the tables. Like I said, it's not 100% there. There's some fees the way the calculations run that we have to go back and make sure we're not going to lose something. But I will say that we're I would say at least within CMD and DPW, we're always having that conversation about what are we doing? How can we make it more clear? because sometimes even if it's even it's not even certain super clear to staff all the time or it's you know if you're reading the language it's just not easy to understand and so always asking that question that um how are we trying to simplify or make it easy to understand so it is easy to do business with the city um especially

14:14 when you you think about customers coming into our front counter and asking questions how can we answer those questions those general questions easier at the at the um counter I I love that. And then how would you say like enforcement on some of these code issues comes through, especially when they're somewhat uh kind of I mean odd the Vietnamese pig is a great example like okay my neighbor's got a Vietnamese pig. How do I make sure that you know do is it a complaint driven system? Are we saying you know I think he's got an unlicensed Vietnamese pig next door and it's I don't know if he paid the right fee on that. I I'm just wondering if can can you just teach me a little bit a little background on how do we do enforcement on this in a way that really makes sense for the city that invites people's

15:00 cooperation um to this? Um, I can speak to how we operate code enforcement and maybe the Vietnamese pig or that falls under animal, you know, under a purview of police, but for code enforcement like building or in the right of way, that sort of thing, we typically are complaint driven. However, I can say if I'm the city engineer and I'm going out and this has happened to me, I notice something that is not correct, I have to stop. I have to address it. It's because it's a safety issue. Especially if it's a safety issue. if it's traffic control that isn't set up correctly. The the one that I can recall most um recently is I'm driving by and somebody just puts a barricade up in an ADA ramp and says ADA ramp close, right? I can't drive by and let that go. So, but for the most part

15:47 with citizens, we are complaint based. And so, as you probably recall through the ACP, the um that we just that conversation we just had and updating the code enforcement, our our goal is really education first. um that's what we're trying to gain compliance through education and really that those p fines and penalties are there when we can't gain that. And so it's similar to trying to get people to do business the correct way or their you know license things the correct way, build things the correct way. Um and really because we don't want to have to go out and and write citations. We'd rather have people gain um cooperative enforcement. Before we go to councelor Doyle, um I just want to point out this

16:33 is where compliance gets really hard. You literally could drive by and let it go, right? The right thing to do is to take take 30 seconds and or you know whatever time is and to address safety things in the city and I know that that's something that you know your team does all the time and I appreciate it. Council, thank you. I wanted to talk to you just a little bit about the historic fees. Um so it looks like you're are they going to go to an actual cost? Yeah. So, they used to be heavily discounted like you're going from $80 to $2,000. So, that was and and we've had some recent experience with that. And that was one thing Mark Rust, our our man planning current planning manager brought up when we had the council adopt the fees in December. That was like the first thing that we're like, we got to correct that. And so, that's what we're

17:19 doing. So, by going to an actual cost of service, if somebody's doing a big review, they're going to pay for what it costs. If they're just replacing a window, it's just going to be whatever that 30 minutes or whatever it takes for that review to make sure that their plan is correct. Okay. Excellent. I just it it looked like it was showing the increase on the the sheet and I wanted to make sure. So, is that only the type one or is that going to be type just type one? So, type two and type three are still going to be at the larger the three,000 and 5,000. Yes. So then does it really seem reasonable that we just enacted that fee and then now we're going up another 5 and a half%. I mean it went up like 800% and now we're going to tack on another 5 a half%. Yeah. Um councelor do I I think our fees were

18:04 based on the 2024 numbers that we had for the budget. So when we brought those in December was the best information we had or now the FY25. So the new fees were are going to be based on the FY26 and we had that discussion um in had the discussion about increasing fees gone on longer we would have probably gone back and revised our numbers to reflect the current you know this current budget proposal for FY26. Um, so that's where we at because we had gone for two years without increasing our fees and um, so that that's where we landed was we're right sizing it with the budget. Now, could we take a pass this year? Yeah, potentially. But then it may affect um, revenue in the general fund. Yeah. And so I'm I'm okay with the the fee

18:50 increase, the 5 and a half% that's not it's these particular fees on the historic because they were so they were increased so much. like we're not talking about, you know, even even a large amount, we're talking like an enormous amount. And so to see in less than a year and a half, we're now adding another three and five five and a half%. Seems like we do we really need to do that at this point when we're we might want to actually see if we're getting any people that are even willing to to get those permits at this point. So at that cost difference. So that that's fair. And I I think since the council's c previous councils have chosen to heavily discount that fee, I mean that could be guidance that the council gives us is to just leave that fee as is for this year, the historic fee because

19:37 you're right. You're you're correct. Those fees did go up quite a bit. Yeah. So that would be my my one little recommendation if we could. I think we're probably all in favor of just taking a look at that one, you know, as we continue to, you know, sharpen our pencils with this process. other than councelor Rodley. Well, I don't know. I was looking for a noun. I just would be curious as to what and I wasn't here historically as to why they were so heavily discounted and if indeed that need still exists um because maybe it was to incentivize folks to do development in the Washburn or wherever. And so um it could be that the need isn't there. So maybe it's there's a there's a happy medium. So, I'm just

20:22 curious as to the why. I I think what it is is really it's not development so much, but if somebody comes in, just as a simple example, and they want to replace their windows, a homeowner who doesn't live in the in the historic district does not need a permit, any permit to replace their windows. But if you live in the historic district, an obligation is you have even if you're not a contributing home building, you still have to have a historic review to get approval for the materials you're using. Yeah. It's not normal windows either. Yeah. And so that and they aren't I mean you have to if you're contributing there's there's a lot of factors. So, I think that's why there was the heav he heavily discounted rate because they were obligated to come in for review whereas another homeowner somewhere else in the city could kind of

21:08 do they can replace sighting with you can replace sighting without a permit. You can't in the um historic district. So, I think it was just that recognition that by choosing to live in the historic district, you have other obligations with how you maintain your home in the type of materials you use. Can I ask a followup? Um because when I hear when I hear that and I think okay if this is the only place that those are being required and then I hear heavily discounted it's like heavily discounted from what like what's the baseline that it's being heavily discounted from because Yeah. but it sounds like there was a you know initially a fee that somebody came up with. I'm like compared to are we discounting it compared to like nearby comm historical districts or like do you understand what I'm asking? I I think it's based on what

21:54 our other typical type two and type three reviews are and what that staff time that goes into it. I don't know that there was a comparison historically to other cities or other historic districts. I think it really was this is the type of um application it is. So here's what a similar application for other work if you're building something is. um versus if you know versus if you're just replacing something that person wouldn't have to come in for a type one application or if they were replacing site wouldn't have to come in for a type two application they could just do it and so but when you look at other type two applications I think that's where the fee you know rather than having a specific type two application for the historic district it's just a general application across the city and so discounting it if it's

22:39 in the historic district for that activity All right. Anybody else? Do you have enough feedback? I do. Thank you. All right. Thank you. We are journ till uh 7:00 when we were in the JO meeting. Thank you everybody. I'm going to call the Springfield City Council regular session to order with roll call. Mayor Van Gordon here. Councelor Weber here. Councelor Mo here. Councelor Rodley here. Councelor Blackwell here. Councelor Doyle here. Councelor Stout here. Thank you. I'd like to open the lane county commissioners regular session then call for roll call from our commissioners. My name is Commissioner Loveall.

23:28 Push that and go. Uh Pat Farboard, county commissioners. Are we just announcing ourselves? Because if so, Commissioner. Yes, please. Thank you. Lane County Commissioner Lorie Trigger. And we have Commissioner Ryan Senate, excused, absent tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Um, before we go further tonight, I just want to note I see a couple folks in the crowd that are waiting for another item. This is a special joint elected officials meeting, so we will get to our regular regular session as soon as this wraps up. So,

24:13 uh, then at that point, we'll take public testimony and do the items that you're uh, here for. Tonight we continue a public hearing open on April 21st on the matter of adopting amendments to the Springfield Development Code for text amendments to the campus industrial district in the definition section. The Springfield City Council is meeting jointly with the Lane County Board of Commissioner of County Commissioners because this item requires joint adoption. As we begin our meeting tonight, there's a designated time for public testimony for the public hearing. If you're attending in person, please complete the right uh request to speak card located at the entrance of the council chambers and give to the city recorder. If you're joining us online with a tablet, smartphone, or computer and wish to speak during the public hearing, please raise your hand in Zoom.

24:59 The order of public testimony is as follows. anyone in the person in the council chambers and then anyone who's raised their virtual hand in uh raised their virtual hand. I'm going to open the public hearing on an ordinance amending sections uh amending sections 3.200.400 and 1.61.110 of the Springfield Development Code adopting a savings clause and severability clause and providing an effective date. This is the third reading and continued public hearing on ordinance 25503 in the matter of amending lane code 10.600-15 to co-adopt amendments to the Springfield Development Codes Campus Industrial District sections

25:44 3.2.400 and 6.1.110 and adopting a savings and severability clause and providing an effective date. I hereby open the public hearing. Okay. So, uh we're going to go around for as the Springfield City Council and declare potential or actual conflicts of interest. We will start down with a councelor Blackwell and then the county commission will do their side. No potential or actual conflicts. No potential or actual conflict of interest. With an abundance of caution, I would like to declare a potential conflict of interest as a property owner in the gateway area.

26:30 I have no potential or actual conflicts of interest. No potential or actual conflicts of interest. I too have no potential or actual conflicts of interest. No potential or actual conflicts of interest. I'll call now call for any disclosures of any board of county commissioners abstensions due to conflicts of interest or biases and I'll call in order uh for this de declaration. Uh commissioner the buck. Hi there. I think you skipped us online for the prior round and so I just wanted to make sure I stated a potential conflict of interest for owning property in Springfield, but I don't think it's an actual conflict of interest. Yeah,

27:16 this is what we're doing now. Thank you, Commissioner Triger. I have no uh actual or potential conflicts of interest to declare nor any bias. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner uh Far. I have none. Thank you. And I would like to do a potential conflict of interest as I own multiple properties in downtown Springfield but have no conflicts or interests or biases toward this item. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, commissioners, counselors. Um, I would note that there was some written testimony that we received just prior to the meeting. copies have been distributed to uh the those in attendance tonight and

28:01 hopefully also digitally to uh the commissioners that are attending us uh remotely. Um the summary of the testimony is uh restated support um from Michael Reer on behalf of Peace Health. Um their support extends to the specific development code text amendments uh that would allow for medical clinics, outpatient care, uh physicians offices and other types of uses within the uh campus industrial district. It does not extend to uses such as hospitals, uh urgent care clinics, birthing centers, other types of hospital related and more medical services oriented uses. So I wanted to make that very clear. Um, I wanted to summarize a couple of the issues that have been brought forward.

28:47 Um, firstly, um, respondents had questioned why this site was not zone general commercial in some of the testimony that you've seen. The reason for that is staff had discouraged any type of action to open up general commercial such as community commercial zoning because it would have the effect of introducing potentially uses that could be deletterious or adverse to the campus industrial district. used car lots, mini storage facilities, fast food restaurants, gas stations, all these types of uses that could generate traffic, could generate um 24-hour uh activity on the site uh and open up to any one of a number of uses associated

29:32 with, for example, Main Street or the rest of the gateway commercial area. Um staff discouraged the applicant from pursuing that route. Secondarily, the question was raised, why not medical services? If they're looking for medical services type uses, redesate and reszone the property to medical services. The Haw Financial Group not being medical in nature and their other tenants not being medical in nature did not wish to essentially evict all of the existing tenants in the building in order to try to bring back some of the uh types of uses that they're looking for to supplement or to fill out uh the teny within the building. So therefore, the medical services zoning uh was not

30:17 something that was being uh sought. questions were raised about impacts to transportation facilities. Uh staff has provided in the staff report um confirmation that only a portion of the overall campus industrial zoning has actually been built. Some of it is not even active. Um the question about demand for services um again not all of the facilities have been built. We have seen a demand for emergency services spike when buildings shutter. Pacific s or sorry not Pacific source uh Royal Caribbean being an example. Uh as soon as the building was shuttered and the security left the site um there were problems almost instantly and unfortunately u that's led to um I guess

31:03 an ongoing presence on the site in order to deter uh trespass vandalism um and that sort of thing. So it's clear that services are available, services can be provided and unfortunately they're needed mostly when the buildings become vacated and clearly the applicant does not wish for that to happen in their building. Uh finally the applicant did provide a transportation analysis. It looked at reasonable most traffic generative uses on the site and concluded that this type of uh reasonzoning and and change of development code text uh would not have an adverse impact on the existing transportation facilities any of the um intersections um nearby. It would not

31:48 cause um an impact to the public transportation system. Um there is a robust transportation system in that area with a bus rapid transit. Uh multiple stops along the area. Uh there are bike lanes, there are walking paths, multi-purpose paths, and um unfortunately most of the available parking is often unused and utilized um for things like concerts at uh Austin Stadium. So there's, you know, a surplus of parking in the area. Um hopefully at some point there will be full capacity of the campus industrial district generating uh more employment opportunities, more jobs for uh Springfield and the area. And that's the intent of this uh code amendment that's

32:33 being presented tonight. So I'd be happy to answer any questions if you have them. Just wanted to summarize um some of the key points that have been raised during testimony and have been addressed by both the applicant and staff in your packet this evening. Are there any questions from the council? Hi, Councelor Weber. Thank you. Actually, I have a couple of questions if you don't mind. Um, first Andy, I want to just say thank you for all the work you've done and trying to make this last packet a little more easy to digest. There's been a lot of back and forth, a lot of questions, a lot of concerns, and I just really appreciate. We tried to reorganize to bring the the the important parts to the top. Yeah, I really appreciate that effort. Thank

33:18 you. Um, so I viewed a few well all of the mult planning commission meetings regarding this topic and they recommended we adopt the code amendments, but there was a conversation during one of those meetings about whether or not there's a mechanism to accommodate the applicant's request specific to that location. Um, and I couldn't find the the response and I just thought it might be helpful to to just know if there are any, you know, mechanisms that we could use to just give the applicant what they need in this time frame, but allowing the council to to have a future conversation about the vision for North Gateway without necessarily setting a precedence or not locking us in, but kind

34:05 of just making it look like this is what we want for the gateway area without having actually had a conversation about it. The cake and eat it too claws. Unfortunately, there really isn't anything like that. Um the the planning commission through both the applicant and and dealing with the respondents in their back and forth tried to make it as concise and as surgical as possible. One of the suggestions was to limit business hours, but that's unlike any other district in the city where the city would be responsible for regulating businesses, which is really not um what we don't have the staff for and it's really not our wherewithal to do that unless it's some type of nuisance um situation in which case either code enforcement or the police would be called. Um, the other thing I think

34:51 that's may have gone a little overlooked in all of this is that there is a pre-certification process for all campus industrial uses. So before anything ever gets approved or built, um an applicant has to come in and and basically pause it or offer what they're proposing on a site and it has to be reviewed and determined uh that it is allowable um on the site in in campus industrial district which is different than a lot of other sites where you know it's more general and flexible in nature. So, it's has an added layer of kind of scrutiny to this site and and this zoning district. And I think that's, you know, in in in its entirety, um a way to ensure that there aren't uses that suddenly appear overnight that no one

35:37 was expecting. Um and certainly council can monitor the situation and if necessary um if there are is some type of adverse impacts um not foreseen uh it could be revisited in the future and there could be other changes made to the code as well. Okay. So just to make sure I understand that because I think that answers my second question too. Um, so any future developments, whether it be a manufacturing company or a clinic or a medical health treatment facility, would have to go through some sort of a process with the city. It wouldn't just be automatically in the in the campus industrial district. That's correct. Yes. Um, under the city's code, there are definitely other, you know, state

36:24 processes that could supersede the cities or take the city's authority away. Um, so I'm not talking about those examples, right? Um, in the context of the development code and the comprehensive plan, um, only this is only allowing those business those changes to business parks. I want to go back and supplement Andy's response a little bit. Everything he said is 100% accurate. Um there are other code mechanisms that could allow you to look to each property. But those um so other types of code changes other than just expanding the uses a lot of business parks. You could make these additional uses in business parks like discretionary uses which require a a um hearing with the planning commission. that would give you

37:10 more side-by-side control over what uses are allowed, but it would add to the cost for uh the haw the haw business to get each of those uses approved. Um, and that would undercut their purpose and offering amendments. So, what staff did in in talking about the you the sight specific plan amendment zone change is the other thing that can be sight by sight. I think Andy did a great job of explaining why that's not a good fit here for the zoning districts that Springfield has available. Um the um site by sight, you know, just legislating for one specific business park to allow certain uses but for no other business park to allow those uses has some equal protection issues. Um where we can't draw a reasonable basis

37:57 to allow them for one property and not for the other. But allow constraining this to business parks is as close to that just for this one site and for no others as we can get given that there are only two business parks and our market analysis indicates there's not likely to be a proliferation of other business parks because they are so hard to get tenants which is exactly the reason that the applicants came in for these amendments. um there's really not likely to be in the very near future a lot of people wanting to go out and develop new business parks. And if the city if the if planning does see a lot more of these coming in um all at once, then that's definitely something that can be brought forward to the council and um can look at options there. Okay, great. Thank you.

38:43 I see a hand up from our county council, Mr. Rob Ovette. Sir, go ahead. Uh thank you, Chair Laval and um Mayor Van Gordon. I wonder if we could allow Amber Bell to be elevated to a panelist rather than in the waiting room. She is actually our planning director. I'm not sure she has any additional staff comments, but it would be uh good to get her in the panelist room here. Uh Springfield staff is working on that right now. So, oh, there we go. I just wanted to have her available in case she had any additional staff comments if it came to her turn. There's Amber. Thank you. And um I'm Amber Bell,

39:31 planning director Jared Bouter, senior planner, has been leading this project on the county side of um review and he was unable to make it this evening. Um, but I have no additional comments but am available. Thanks. All right. I don't see any other questions from from the county. All right. So, these propo proposed amendments to the Springfield Development Code have been initiated by the property owner. staff has provided response to to uh to testimony from the previous public hearing on April 21st.

40:16 Um we're going to now hear any additional testimony on this item. And as I call your cards, please state your name and mailing address for the records. I do have the applicant here. So, we're going to call the applicant first. And um and as they're walking up, we'll we'll most people have three minutes in this particular kind of uh of hearing. They have an untimed round. So, we'll turn it over to the applicant here. Please state your name and uh mailing address for the record. Good evening. I'm Andre Phelps. I'm with Andre Phelps Law. My address is 375 West uh 4th Avenue, Sweet 204 Eugene, Oregon. I'm here with Theresa Bisho of Bisho Consulting. Um we've sat here a few times on this topic and so we really

41:03 don't have much to add tonight. We just want to be available for any questions you may have. And um in I think really the only what the question that you had counselor Weber uh just to get to that. So it is true that originally um our client Haw International we did come to the city trying to sort of fix the issues that they were having with their property. But we went through multiple iterations with staff um trying to get to some sort of solution. And really how we feel is that this is a win-win situation. Um we've really really done this sort of very small which it originally felt like a very small change, right? Just affecting one

41:49 or two properties. Uh but really trying to help the viability of this area in general because it is underdeveloped. So um that's kind of where we're coming from. So, we just want to be here to be available for anything you have to ask. Are there any questions for the applicant? Okay. Great. Oh, just want to make sure that you get to read our letter that we that we our latest letter at page 104. It's just a few few pages long and it's not um to address some of the issues that came up at the last hearing. So, thank you. Thank you. Um, Chris Mallister.

42:39 Hey. Yes. Can you unmute the microphone? Yep. Dear members of the commission and city council, my name is Chris Mallister. I live in W 3 off of 21st. I'm proud to be a Springfield resident and I will support anything that makes Springfield grow as this is a combined meeting where we look at providing uh supporting business. One of the biggest complaints as me as a vendor in this community is working with our unhoused and our opportunity centers. Apparently Siri's talking to me as well. My apologies looking at my notes. Um I would like to just ask as we look at motiv motivating business and supporting our uh industrial areas and our business campuses that we look at offsetting every application that we do with opportunity for locals. A lot of times these uh contracts bring in outside uh vendors, outside providers and we still have a lot of crime and

43:24 issues that are unresolved in our joint area. as someone who helped with the guest house issue. We saw some of the same issues that affected Royal Caribbean at the uh the Gateway Guest House. And so we had to deal with a lot of the copper mining, a lot of the stealing, a lot of the crime, and even dead bodies found. As we look at progressing our area, either we need to have as a caveat of these changes, more enforcement with our deputies, a collaboration with our local police force, or opportunities for people to be safely so we can protect those who are not involved in these crimes from being blamed with the crimes that often are used by extremists who want to shut down social services in this community. I really care about Springfield growing. I'm Springfield born and raised. I was born on a wing that doesn't exist in our

44:09 new hospital cuz we done reforms. But that said, um I really feel as a longtime and forever resident of Springfield that we need to account for not just the businesses that come and go. Royal Caribbean left us very quickly after it got all the promises it needed to. And yes, it's paying its rents, but our people have still suffered. Over 15 of the people who used to work for them are in my homeless shelters or have been through my processes. So, how do we stop the next uh rendition of business before people from recreating these issues? So, if we're going to be actually supporting our entire community and we're trying to bring business back to Springfield to help Springfield grow like what we've done in the past with some of our other campuses and our other regional areas and as we deal with annexation of

44:55 Springfield into county lands, how do we jointly as a community community actually support people in having longevity? We cannot raise rates. We cannot give higher pay if we're still having to pay higher taxes to deal with the people who have been forgotten despite being generations Springfield. I appreciate your time. I appreciate this uh consideration and I please implore you to think not just of our strongest but also of our weakest. Thank you. Thank you. I do not have any more cards for this item. Can I interrupt real quick? I just want to make sure that Mr. Mallister that your address, mailing address is on the comment card. That needs to be provided because this is a land use hearing and I noticed you didn't state it in your Okay. Thanks.

45:41 I've got it. Got it. Thanks. Uh do we have any hands online? Uh apparently no hands online for this item. Okay. Um is there any staff response for the testimony? All right. We're any applicant response for the testimony? I see them nodding no. Okay. This this is the time for the council and the board to ask clarifying questions of staff, the applicant or persons who have testified. Is there something that the council or board would like more information about? Any questions before we close the hearing and begin deliberations? I'm seeing the county there. All right. Are there any

46:26 objections for either the city council or board of county commissioners closing the public hearing? I don't see any on the city council side. So, I'm going to close the public hearing. Lane County Board of Commissioners, any objection to closing the hearing? Seeing head nods to the negative, the public hearing is now closed. Are there any changes the council or board would like to make to the proposed amendments or finding effect? We're moving right along here. So, in Springfield's case that

47:11 we're going to bring back the ordinance for adoption as as written or as written on uh June 2nd, but I believe that's going to get rescheduled to the 16th, but that's I'll need to check with the clerk and verify on that. Is that correct, Alison? That's fine. We can do that. Okay. It also doesn't need to be announced by Springfield City Council. It can come back. Um, Thank you, mayor. That I'd like to also uh direct the county staff to bring back the ordinance for adoption as written and bring it back for adoption on June 10th of 2025. And the county is open to uh voting on a motion on this item at

47:56 present. Commissioner Far, would you help me out, please? Thank you, uh, Chair Level. Um, my motion states June 24th, so June 10th is the correct date. I'm assuming that the county would read that for deliberations on the 24th and the city would read it on the on the 10th is what I understand. And Amber has her hand raised. Looks like you dropped it. Okay. Thank you, Chair. I'd like to make a motion. Thank you. Please. I need to turn on the mic off. You're on. I I Okay. Also, I don't hold it. I just push it. I was the opposite. This is high-tech over here. Can we get uniform mics and miss? Okay. I I chair I move uh move to

48:41 approve the third reading and tentatively approve the ordinance number 253 as presented and set a fourth reading and deliberations for June 24th, 2025. Thank you. Do I have a second to that? Looks like Commissioner Buck seconded that with lip sync uh audio there. Is that correct? Commissioner Buck. Thank you very much. She's nodding her head. So I have a motion moved by Commissioner Far to move and approve the third reading tendly approve ordinance number 25503 as presented and set a fourth reading and deliberations for June 24th, 2025. Seconded by Commissioner Triger. This will be a roll call vote and I would like to ask our council to announce the roll call, please. Just for clarification, Chair, it was Commissioner Buck who seconded. Yes,

49:26 that's what I said. Did I say that? Nope. I said Commissioner Triger. My mistake. Commissioner Buck, maybe it was the mute u button on there that we didn't catch. Thank you very much. And now it's on record correctly. Um so for the vote, uh Commissioner Triger votes yes. Commissioner Buck. Oh no. Oh, we'll come back. Hopefully she'll come back. Um Commissioner Far. Um Vice Chair Siga is excused. Um, Chair Laval. Hi. Oh, can we just wait a moment and see if uh he's signing back on? It looks like Yeah. See if Commissioner B can get our vote on the

50:12 record. Just pause for a second. Darn. We were right there. This the argument we need for better bandwidth in the rural parts of our county. you have made the argument and I just want to make sure somebody city staff is watching the attendee. Uh

50:57 yes, they are and they are watching and we're continue to pause for station identification. Okay, great. Thanks. To the county. I know, right? If we wait too long, um, count council above that, we could do a quorum of three with, uh, one excused and one on technical difficulty. Yeah. Yes, indeed. If we could maybe just give another minute, I'd still like No worries. Get get her on on record. If if we can, but yes, that would work. We got a second vote. Interesting. I have a second and she doesn't get on that. I'd also be happy to call her and put her on speaker phone

51:44 from my phone if that is an acceptable way for her to cast a vote. I'm asking, I guess. Yeah, that would work as well. Let me try just ringing her real quick and see if she picks up. Great suggestion, Commissioner Trigger. Thank you. Yeah. Okay, I have Commissioner Buck on the line. Great. Uh, Commissioner Buck, did you hear the motion in the second before

52:30 uh technology got to you? I did second the motion. So, yes. That's right. Okay. So, I'll just call for your vote. Yes. All right. We've got uh four uh O and one excused, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much, Council. I appreciate it. Thank you again, Commissioner Trigger, for that rescue there. Good work. All right. J and I want to just thank the county commissioners for joining us this evening. Anytime you guys want to come over and visit, come on over. We enjoy having you. The snacks are good. I hear here. All right. The uh I'm going to adjourn the Springfield City Council JEO meeting and I like to adjourn the meeting of the Lane County Board of Commissioners. It's now journ. Thank you. Call the regular

53:17 I do that at least once a meeting. I'm going to call the regular session of the Springfield City Council to order with a roll call. Mayor Van Gordon here. Councelor Weber here. Councelor Mo here. Councelor Rodley here. Councelor Blackwell here. Councelor Doyle here and councelor step here. Thank you. Uh please join me with the pledge of allegiance.

54:03 There are two there are two right times designated for public testimony this evening under public hearings and business in the audience. If you are attending in person, please complete the request to speak card located at the front of the city council chambers and turn them into the city recorder. If you are joining us online with a tablet, smartphone or computer and wish to speak at either of those times, please use the raise hand feature in Zoom. The order of public testimony is as follows. Anyone in person in the council chambers and then anyone who has raised their virtual hand. First item, please. Mary, you have four um proclamations under Springfield up. The first one is 2025 building safety month proclamation. All right. I packed a stack of them this evening. Um, you traditionally May is uh

54:49 there's a lot of recognition for the great work that public employees in this uh community do. What we're going to do is we're going to go through a couple of them. I'm going to read them all so we're not you know I've already exceeded my steps for the evening. So then we'll we'll hand out the proclamations and because we've got a group of folks here um I'm going to pause in between uh each proclamation and give the council if they wish to add anything please do so. And I think this year we're going to in since we've got so many so many staff here, I'm going to invite the council down and we'll take one giant picture at the end of it. Sound like a plan. All right. Nobody's objecting yet. It's public works first. Is it? I thought it was buildings works. No.

55:34 Well, they stacked them that way. Hang on. This is the building safety month proclamation and I will read an abridged version of each of these proclamations. Whereas our city of city of Springfield, Oregon is committed to the recognition that our growth and strength depends on the safety and essential roles of our homes, buildings and infrastructure and they play both in everyday life and when disasters strike. And whereas our confidence in the resilience of these buildings that make up community make up our community is achieved through the devotion of guardians uh building safety and fire prevention officials, architects,

56:19 engineers, builders, trades people, design professionals, laborers, plumbers, and other people in the construction industry who work year round to ensure the safe construction of our buildings. Whereas game on is the theme of building safety month 2025 and encourages us all to raise awareness about building safety on a personal, local, and global scale. And whereas each year in observance to building safety month, people all over the world are asked to consider the commitment to improve building safety, resilience, and economic investment at home and in their community. I, Sean Van Gordon, mayor of Springfield, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2025 is building safety month.

57:11 Do you put these in a convenient order for me on an agenda? All right, hit it in. I know we've got to pack a helmet for everybody. Note to self, get councelor Doyle a helmet next year, too. So, National Public Works Week is from May 18th to May 24th, 2025. Um, whereas public profession uh public works professionals focus on infrastructures, facilities, and services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and to public health, high quality of life, and the well-being of the people of Springfield. And whereas it is in the public interest for citizens, civic leaders, and children in Springfield to

57:56 gain knowledge of and to maintain an ongoing interest and understanding of the importance of public works and public works programs in our respective communities. And whereas this year marks this year 2025 marks the 65th annual National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association. I, Shauna Gordon, mayor of Springfield, do hereby designate the week May 18th through 2024th as National Public Works Week. And I urge all of our community members to join with representatives of American Public Works Association and government agencies to pay tribute to our development and public works professionals, engineers, managers, and employees, and to recognize their substantial contributions they make to protecting this community.

58:47 Go ahead. Um, I just wanted to say that I do this every year with help from Neil. When I was first elected onto council, I was gifted a public works hat. Um, because it's one of my passion areas. That's not to say that I'm I'm for safe buildings. I'm for bicycles. I'm for SPD. Every year I say SPD has yet to give me a hat, but um I have such a deep appreciation. It's one of the things that drove me to getting involved. Um, all of the work that we do, whether it's just the everyday public works, the keeping the streets clean or our public works department is also part of our emergency services team. When things like, you know, ice storms happen, our public works folks are out there around the clock. So, I just do a little extra

59:34 because I adore our public works team and all the work that they do. And thank you all for indulging me yet again. I too just want to give a shout out. I've been working in public works for over 10 years now um in a different municipality and I am always amazed at the amount of work that that makes our cities run. And I think a lot of people don't realize because you just flush your toilet and it just works, right? And you don't think about the pipes that are under the ground and the work that goes into um making that stuff work. And so I have nothing but the utmost appreciation for our public works folks. So, thank you.

1:00:21 And before I switch, I just want to recognize the public works folks. I mean, the public works is our our really our community backbone. It's our, you know, the the skeletal system of the this community. And it really doesn't work without the hard work that public works does out there every single day. And they do it quietly and they do it diligently. And they really are one of our first responders. So, thank you Uh this is for National Law Enforcement Week for May 11th through 17th, 2025. Whereas there are more than 800,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United States, including in dedicated including the

1:01:06 dedicated members of the Springfield Police Department. And whereas since the first recorded death in 1786, more than 2400 law enforcement officers in the United States have made the ultimate sacrifice and been killed in the law of duty line of duty. And whereas the names of these prof these servants are on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington DC. And whereas the service and sacrifice of all officers killed in the line of duty is honored on the National Law Enforcement's Memorial Fund 37th candlelight vigil on the evening of May 13, 2025. And whereas May 15th, 2025 is designated as peace officer memorial day in honor of all all the fallen officers and their families and US flags are flown at half staff. I, Shawn Gordon,

1:01:52 mayor of Springfield, do hereby proclaim May 11th through 17th, 2025 as National Law Enforcement Week in the city of Springfield and publicly salute the service of law enforcement officers in our community and our communities across the country. Do you want to go? I I feel like I cannot pick a favorite child, but um so I just want to say that uh I deeply appreciate the work of Springfield Police Department and our law enforcement officers and um the work that we have done in the last several years to uh grow the force and diversify the force. And we have our new interim chief who's been with us for a few years

1:02:38 as the deputy chief. and it has been a true partnership and the work that they've been doing in the community. And so I'm very grateful that you all have come along and worked with us as a council and worked with our administrative staff. So I'm very proud of the work that we've done in Springfield and very proud of our our police officers here. Thank you. Thank you, Council Michael. I don't have a cool hat, but I just want to say that I'm glad you're getting recognized today and I appreciate all of you every day. Thank you. here. We really appreciate all the work you guys have done the last couple of years. It's been some of the most

1:03:23 important work that's happened in the city and you know it's I'm always grateful to see see this proclamation come across my desk and it's really a privilege to give it. All right. So that May is also bike month. So whereas the bicycle is an economic, healthy, and convenient form of transportation and an excellent tool for the enjoyment of Springfield scenic beauty. And whereas throughout the month of May, residents can experience the joy of biking and support the local economy by biking to nearby shopping and dining. And whereas the bicycle industry sales in bicycle tourism contribute to at least $440 million and $400 million respectively in Oregon's uh economy annually and generate 7,000 jobs. And

1:04:10 where whereas the city of Springfield and safe routs schools are promoting greater public awareness of bicycle operations and safety in an effort to improve health and safety for everybody on the street. I, Sean Van Gordon, the mayor of Springfield, do hereby proclaim May 2025 is bike month in Springfield, Oregon. And I challenge Springfield residents to get out and ride on our regional paths or visit local businesses by bike during the month of May. out. I just want to say that the coolest possible hat than any of us can wear is a helmet while we're riding our bicycles has presented prevented more concussions than not. So, and also I want to

1:04:56 recognize the great work that our bicycle and pedestrian committee do and they do a lot of work especially with various rides and various um community events. They're even having one I think on Wednesday. Um, so there's a tremendous amount of, I think, excitement around continuing to make Springfield more bike friendly. So, thank you. All right, before we come down and take a picture, um, I just want to reiterate to the staff that are in the room, really our heartfelt thank you. Um, your contributions to this community are really critical and they're really important and we couldn't do what we we do without you. and we really appreciate the work and the commitment to this uh this great cause, the city of Springfield. So, what we're going to do is I'm going to get the council to come down with us. We're going to do

1:05:41 something a little bit different because we have four proclamations. That's and then Mike's going to take a picture. So, if you're getting a proclamation, we're going to do it. One big photo.

1:08:13 All right. Thank you everybody for your patience with that. Next item, please. Next item is the consent calendar. I move to approve the consent calendar. Second. Could you call the vote, please? Yes. Councelor Weber. Yes. Councelor Lowe, yes. Councelor Rodley, yes. Councelor Blackwell, yes. Councelor Doyle, I. And Councelor Stout? Yes. Thank you. Motion passes. Six yeses, zero nos. Uh, next item, please. Next item is public hearings. You have one public hearing this evening. U, it is the wastewater and storm water user fees for fiscal year 2025 through 2026. And this has a motion.

1:09:01 Okay. Good evening, Mayor and Council. I'm Matt Stoutder, environmental services director for Springfield. Um, as you know, each year council considers uh user fees for both the regional MWC wastewater fees and the local wastewater and storm water fees set by the city of Springfield. Um, on April 14th, we came to you at a work session and got feedback, uh, presented options for your consideration, and we took that the feedback and incorporated it for tonight's public hearing. Um, if you approve the fees proposed for fiscal year 2526, uh, we will have adequate revenue to continue to operate and maintain our systems, deliver our services to residents, fund our capital improvement program, uh, meet our environmental regulatory regulatory requirements, uh, and ensure protection and of the public health and the local environment. Um before you tonight for

1:09:47 public hearing is a local storm water increase wast storm water rate increase of 3% 52 cents a month on an average bill. A local wastewater increase of 5% as discussed on the 14th $137 a month. And then the regional MWMC wastewater increase was 5% uh which is a $160 per month. U that regional increase I'll note was uh forwarded to the cities um after a public hearing that NWC had on April 11th. So, um, I'm available to answer any questions you might have, but at this time, I would request you hold a public hearing and consider adoption of the resolution to set user rates that will go into effect July 1, uh, 2025. Uh, Council Rodley, thank you. This is not a question, and it's not really necessarily directed at you. It's just

1:10:33 really more of my telegraphing. Um, when we did have this conversation in work session, I think I was a a lone vote for the lower amount. Um and so when for folks who are here so when we make this vote I will not be voting in the affirmative because I really do think that um in this current economic climate people are being hit really hard um and incomes are not going up and while I absolutely understand not falling behind and I absolutely support us continuing to to have fees to pay for these I just would rather we do it at a lower rate during this time. So, I just want everybody to know that I'm not against any of it. I just am for the lower rate

1:11:18 and not the higher fee. So, thank you. Any other questions? All right. I'm going to go ahead and open the public hearing. I have one card. It's Chris Mallister. Dear council, my name is Chris Mallister. I live in Ward 3. I also participate in the budget committee for the Springfield Utility Board. And I've been honored to serve as chair for multiple years. I've been looking at how we try and deal with our changes, our needs, our upgrades, dealing with microplastics, dealing with emergencies such as our uh winter uh strategies and our winter uh emergencies. And I look at what is in the city's purview and what

1:12:05 is in subs or Springfield Utility Board's purview. And I feel like if we're going to raise fees for the Springfield side of things that the city of Springfield needs to help out and do more. I feel like there's a lot that are tied into these fees that don't necessarily reflect the burden that's held by the lower income and people living in multi-unit uh facilities. there's often not enough access to uh to warm water and also water flow. A lot of times when there are uh issues with uh repairs is put into the private sector which is especially right after the ice storm were so backed up that some people did not get repairs for months afterwards. Some people are still not in their original homes since the ice storm happened and we need to really account for that. And so whereas part of it is

1:12:50 sub's responsibility to which I take uh um responsibility for on my part as a voting member of that body, I ask that you take responsibility and show that there's more that we're getting out of these dollars with every dollar spent. In light of my uh councelor Corey Rodley's uh comments, I do agree that these are hard times and that we need to do better. Um I do not support an increase in these uh fees. I resp I do uh request that we get more accountability from our city government and our in our works to make sure that we have better systems. Perhaps we start to install some of the situations that sub is having to go outsource or go through other contracts for or that we do collective bargaining and actually make team Springfield a team. And so that said, I am opposed to more further

1:13:36 increases as we just raise the rates. And we've raised the rates every year I've been here. And so the municipal one is the waste storm, the storm wastewater is one of the hardest ones to justify for our local residents, especially when water that is from other people's uh situations wind up taking a lot. And uh it's not countable. If there's a leak, we still have to pay because it's counted on our meter. And so if we have to wait until a problem gets fixed, it's still counted on our meter. And so I just ask for you to be mindful or if you're going to accept the rates that you go with a lower rate, not a higher rate. I yield. Thank you. Chris, before you go, could you just clarify one thing? Yes, sir. Are you speaking for the Springfield Utility Court here? I am here, as I put on my card, I put I represent self and uh I

1:14:21 just wanted to share my lived experience because in the past, I've been asked why do I know? All right. Thank you. Thank you. I don't have any other cards for this item. Neil, do we have anybody? Uh, no hands. Okay. I'm going to go ahead and close the public hearing. I move to adopt a resolution of the city of Springfield setting local and regional wastewater sewer user fees and local storm water drainage user fees as set forth in the Springfield Municipal Code. I will second. All right. Please. Councelor River. Yes. Councelor No. Yes. Councelor Rodley. No. Councelor Blackwell. Yes. Councelor Doyle.

1:15:06 I. and councelor Snap. Yes. Thank you. A motion passes. Five yeses, one no. Next item, please. Next item is business from the audience. Okay, I have a couple of cards. Um, first card, Chris Mallister. Good evening, dear council. My name is Chris Mallister and I come before this council as a former homeless youth here in Springfield. I asked for Springfield accountability. A couple years ago, the governor issued a uh executive order to try and hold our entire state responsible for helping find solutions

1:15:51 for our displaced seniors, our displaced children, our people of color, our people of different orientations who have been abandoned, especially in more recent times by governance systems. We chose to not be according to official record under what's called the MAC group, the multi- agency collaboration to not take part in the county's process and as such we do not have an allocation for Springfielders who live in Springfield. We often have this reputation of or this I guess myth of Eugeneians coming to Springfield to take advantage of our services when actually our Springfielders have to go last of line sometimes even to Cottage Grove to

1:16:36 get services. We are a city of peers. We are a city that is a charter city and a charter county. If the state does not meet our needs, we need to meet our needs. If our county does not meet our needs, we need to meet our needs. And as such, where do our queer people go when they are hurt out in Thirstston? Where do our people in uh who have been trapped in a broken down RV with nowhere to go and are pushed to Eugene on video by our police? I am a proud Springfielder. I support our government when it does right, and I try to speak truth to power when we do not meet our goals. And as such, I watch thousands of people go in and out of shelter beds that don't qualify for them, that are not meeting their needs, do not meet their education levels, do not meet

1:17:22 their language needs. And I am told that we are held accountable only by what the statute says. I have proven three times that our local government has not read the state executive orders. We take the voice of somebody who's paid to do their job and then we run with it and instead of checking the data, reading it and seeing how does it apply to the Springfield lens. As someone who is I'll be 41 in June. As someone who was born in this city, I have seen a lot of change. I've seen a lot of growth and I've seen a lot of harm. There will be 43 dead people that I have seen in the last four years from the Eugene Springfield area of which 19 of them were Springfielders. I have the ashes of seven of them because I don't have anywhere to put them. They died in my care. They died when I had to go because

1:18:09 of a sports game out to Junction City to get their their remains. So I ask the accountable oversight of our unelected government, as the accountable oversight of our police department, of our judicial system, that you all ask more questions, that you do more for the people who were born here, and that you hold a moment of silence at some point and maybe even have a homeless healthcare or homeless safety appreciation month or awareness month. Thank you for your time.

1:19:05 Hello. Uh, good evening. Um, Mayor Van Gordon, city manager, city council, police department, fire department, karma collectors. My name is Jason Bowman. Word two. Uh, I would like to designate this month and the rest of the year and for the remaining of our existence as human safety month. Uh, I would like to bring uh awareness to um traumatic brain injuries. I would hope that uh law enforcement could get the training that was needed so that way uh no other uh persons could be injured. We all appreciate the Bill of Rights in the Constitution. There comes a time when the blind man takes your hand says don't you see Springfield Lane County Cascadia ducks the water is mirled there

1:19:54 is no merit in Merrick faith is seeing your heart not your eyes even a blind man can tell you when the sun is not shining we will not arrest our way out of this test me test me you will not arrest me again or anyone else for exercising first amendment rights granted under the Constitution of the United States. Ben William Ben Brittney Williamson, Pacific Source, SPD, EPD, City of Springfield, Lane County, Oregon. Keep secrets keep people sick. Let it be known as no secret that someone directed these actions. Which politicians directed this assault? Who is responsible for this

1:20:42 human trafficking assault? Uh, deliberate injury. How many sheriffs are involved? How many co-conspirators? Hands off. These officers spent more time playing with guns in the academy than studying the Constitution. OS 6161.233 Fourth Amendment. Standard of reasonleness. Crisis intervention deescalation. GTFO 1-16-00 A DOJ policy of use of force. You tarnish the badge. Pack your belongings. The stock of Lane County sits in cattle. How do you rig a housing market? 24

1:21:32 CV01883. Ethical concerns for Ben Miller and his entire community. J. IC Alpine does not honor the constitution. This is a coordinated effort, a community effort. Sarakovski, unhoused CCS board member, bum Oregon advocate. Yeah. Wright commissioner's office. Uh business leader poverty alleviation officer agent homeless and poverty task force taking human rights. We pass special ops. Show us the budget. Show us the money. Audit Elhorn Hot Springs and Lodge Measure 11. Yeah, right. The obstruction needs to end today. You are all involved in a criminal enterprise hiding the egregious civil rights

1:22:18 violations. These need to end today. Thank you. Your time's up. Allison Hunter. Good evening, um, mayor, city councilors, city manager, and commissioners if they're still here. Um, my name is Allison Hunter. Um, I live in W 2. Uh, having moved back to the Lamut Valley a little over two years ago, I believe. um and living in Springfield for a little over a year. X marks the spot where Eugene

1:23:06 Springfield fire the gateway, the gatekeeping special operations seems to intersect. Finally, I am still here to raise the alarm. After being forcibly removed from Peace Health Sacred Heart Riverbend ER on 3823 while not receiving the CARES I was directed there to get, I have continued to experience chaos coordination in my medical care and other areas after my shoulder was broken on City of Eugene Community Supported Shelters Empire Pond on 11724 where I was not provided ADA accommodations. Uh, the chaos was escalated even more. A Eugene police officer threatened to

1:23:52 break my windows and tow our car in a parking spot as a disabled vehicle while TripleA was in route to jump my vehicle on 3624 when my husband went inside Pacific source to submit a written statement about the medical abuse of me, a disabled cerebral ruptured cerebral aneurysm survival multiple traumatic brain injury survivor. Springfield police delivered on the promise that the Eugene police made. Gateway to gatekeeping. The officers hurt us on purpose, misrepresenting us as resisting. One of them refused to answer when asked what agency he was with and for his badge number. After destroying our property and assaulting us, they trafficked us

1:24:38 through McKenzie Wamtt Hospital. The same officers who heard us gatekeeping our medical care a federal crime. Gatekeeping our medical further while held hostage in their jail. Inappropriate medical care. Well sourced. One of those officers admitted on his own camera to obstructing. We believe him and we believe it's a clubbing affair with many key players and associations. Likely unions are heavily invested. That officer went on to hurt me further on purpose right after turning his body camera off when leaving the ER room. Clearly a real pro. My phone was interfered with while they had us kidnapped. Our second set of keys has never ever been returned. Many games have been played by far too many, including attorneys with those keys.

1:25:24 Exclusion, suppression, omission, falsification, and obstructions as if they are sporting events. Our male has had much interference both in Eugene and Springfield. Our mailbox at our current residence has been locked for almost three months. It seems it will take an act of Congress to get USPS shelter care and Emerald Property Management and I'm guessing the county or whomever to allow us to receive mail unmolested at our residents. Please also investigate the special operations budget for Eugene Springfield Fire EMS. They seem to be cashing in on unhinged bets. Trauma by way of law enforcement and medical care is unconstitutional. Please see your way to actually be addressing these matters and report it to the appropriate agencies and agents. And thank you.

1:26:09 Thank you. Hi, I'm Curtis Blankenship. Uh W three. Um, I've paid taxes in Lane County since 1985, property taxes. Uh, and I have a degree in sustainable design. Um, what I wanted to talk to you about is the zombie properties here in Glenwood. Uh, there's about eight abandoned building or empty uh, commercial spaces uh, in Glenwood. And um, there's right now there's a glut on commercial property. You know, LA and and San Diego there's

1:26:54 like a 30% glut. you guys have like about a 20% glut of commercial properties, vacancies, uh that you know because people are doing things online, these commercial properties are are there's much more vacancies. And so what I'm proposing is give uh especially these buildings in Glenwood, give them a tax break if they uh are let them be used for temporary shelter for the for the homeless. You know, you can put uh on demand water heaters in there and incinerating toilets for just a temporary uh shelter. Um also, I'd like to see them uh turned into live work spaces. That that whole area would be perfect for live work spaces. Uh you know, the developers in this town, my father was a loan officer for home savings and loan in the 70s and

1:27:40 he loaned out on tracks of homes. And what he told me is developers will do whatever you want them to do. they don't care what they're developing. So, here would be it would be very expensive to convert those properties into live workspaces. But there there was some there's something that the developers could do in this town. Uh creating jobs. Um the uh you know it's it's affecting my sale my property values and your tax revenue goes down when uh I've been coming here since 1985. That area has always been bad. You know, what do you think investors think when they drive through that area in in this town? Uh Keading, I talked to Keading about zombie properties over in in Eugene and he talked about taxing a non-use

1:28:27 creating a non-use tax. So, kind of a a carrot and stick approach to this. I'm saying give them a tax break and then tax them if they're not going to uh uh fix them up. You know, in capitalism, you cannot just do whatever you want with your property. That's not what what property ownership is about. You can't just do whatever you want. Uh and like I say, investors uh you have to have an eye for the rest of the community. When you own a piece of property, you are part of another community. You can't just let that thing just go into disrepair and do whatever you want for with it. And if uh nothing else, you know, manifest destiny, we have a use for that property. Okay? You're not using it. We have a viable use for that property for homeless people and to keep uh keep property values where they're supposed to be. So, yeah. uh convert these zombie properties

1:29:14 into temp at least temporary uh uh space for homeless and eventually live workspaces and get all our property values and your tax revenue up. Thank you. Thank you. I don't not have any more cards. Uh do we have anybody online? No hands for the site. Is there any council response? Councelor Rodley, I just want to thank everyone for coming out and sharing your concerns and your ideas. Um, I'm appreciate it. I appreciate the diversity of thought that is happening and I just want to thank you for taking time to come out on a Monday night. Uh, council, I just wanted to comment to the last um, speaker that we had here in talking about Glennwood. I'm not sure if you've been following the comprehensive plan and what's happening with the Springfield Economic Development uh,

1:30:00 agency, but that's something that I would highly recommend that you look into. There's a lot going on in that area that you may not be aware of that's happening with zone changing with development and that sort of thing. It's really moving forward in a in a a very positive manner that hasn't happened in a lot of years. Um and so we do also have meetings um that you can attend as well. So I highly recommend getting involved. Sounds like you got some good ideas. Anybody else? Uh Chris, I want to just say thank you for coming. I know you've got a couple of questions. Um, if you could put them down into an email and send them, that would be helpful. I think there's probably like three different conversations that are happening. I don't want to try like I don't want to try to answer them without at least kind

1:30:46 of trying to detangle them a little bit. All right. Next item, please. Next item is under ordinances. Um, ordinance number one is K KV Street name change. This is the second reading. This is ordinance number one, an ordinance renaming Kiev Street, Kiev, in the Uke Village subdivision to Kiev Street, KYIV, as platted and recorded in book 73, page 98 and 99. Plat records of Blaine County, Oregon, and Township 17 South, range 3 west of the Wamut Meridian. And Tom Severs is here for this item. Good evening, mayor and city councilors. I am Tom Severs with the current planning section. Tonight we have the second reading of the Kiev Street name

1:31:32 change, an ordinance up for adoption to rename Kiev Street to the proper geographic spelling of the Ukrainian capital. Uh, one change was made to the report to reflect that the recommended condition be removed because the city has agreed to uh pay for the sign that is going to replace the old one. Um, that is the only change that was made. Uh, no further testimony was received and I yield back to the council. Any comments or questions before we take a motion? All right. Council Weber. I move to adopt ordinance number one. Second. Can you call a vote, please? Yes.

1:32:17 Councelor Weber, yes. Councelor Mo, yes. Councelor Rodley, yes. Councelor Blackwell, yes. Councelor Doyle, I. And councelor Stout, yes. Thank you. Motion passes. Six. Yeses, zero nos. And before we go to the next item, I we have a a little bit of a gift for you guys. Well, I will bring it down for you. You can take it away. It is the concept sign that they have to work through it. So, it is a little bit of a sample sign. Um, but uh they wanted to make sure that the

1:33:13 Oh, may we take a moment to invite the key of neighbor neighbors to come and take a photo with you? Thank you.

1:34:59 Well, we'll leave this in your capable hands. Thank you. Thank you for all your work.

1:35:50 Uh, next item is resolutions. Uh, resolution number one, the Eugene Springfield 2025 consolidated plan. This is resolution number one, a resolution approving the Eugene Springfield 2025 consolidated plan for submissions to the US Department of Housing urban development HUD. Aaron Ffield is here for this item. And while Aaron's coming up for the Kiev neighbors, um you're more than welcome to stay, but we probably have five or six more items to go, so feel don't feel obligated to uh hang around with us. Erin, you're up. Great. Thank you. Uh, good evening, mayor and council. Um, I'm here tonight uh with the resolution to approve the Eugene Springfield 2025 consolidated plan for submission to the

1:36:36 US Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is a requirement of HUD, the consolidated plan, and serves as a tool to guide the use of federal funds to address housing, homelessness, and community development priorities. The city of Springfield receives CDBG funds, community development block grant funds, um, as a HUD entitlement community and receives home funds as part of a consortia with the city of Eugene. And as such, the two cities must complete what's called a joint consolidated plan. The city council then allocates HUD funds each year through what's called an annual action plan, which must align with this 5-year 2025 consolidated plan. The cities of Springfield and Eugene

1:37:21 commenced the preparation of this plan about a year ago. Um, and that process has included an extensive process including data analysis and community input and consultation to identify housing, homelessness, and community development needs and to establish priorities, strategies, and performance goals to address those needs using HUD funds. As you may recall, I presented the DA the draft plan to council during work session back in January. This is the same plan, but now I am coming to you uh with a resolution for adoption. Your packet tonight includes a copy of the resolution, an executive summary, as well as a summary of public

1:38:06 participation efforts, including the agencies interviewed, surveyed, as well as public comments received. So once approved by HUD, the new consolidated plan will go into effect beginning July 1, 2025 through June 30th, 2030. Thank you. Questions we get a uh get a motion. This is a substantial amount of work and so yeah, thank you for doing all the work and I know that the Eugene staff was involved as well and please provide our thanks to them as well. I move to adopt resolution number one. Second.

1:38:51 Call the vote, please. Yes. Councelor Weber, yes. Councelor Mo, yes. Councelor Rodley, yes. Councelor Blackwell, yes. Councelor Doyle, I. And Councelor Stout? Yes. Thank you. Motion passes. Six yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. Any business from the city council? Councelor Stout. I had the opportunity to uh speak to a group of 10 middle schoolers um this last week and they wanted me to come speak to them as a an elected official and I was clear I hadn't been on the council for very long but it was an hour and a half which no one wants to hear me talking at someone for an hour and a half. So we what I chose to do was host a very nice um city council workshop and so we did a mock

1:39:36 city council and I just wanted to say it was extremely successful and I felt like the kids actually got something out of it. So if anyone is interested I'd be happy to share my outline and what what I designed so that um we can continue to engage um more youths in um in really getting some hands-on experience with this. That's all. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else? Um, I just had one quick request for the city manager. The We've been talking about North Gateway for a long time. And when I think about the questions people have about North Gateway, uh, I think it's back to this question about strategy and vision and what our and what our vision as a council and community are. And I'd

1:40:23 like us to schedule uh probably a fall work session and just kind of go through some of these issues and start to get our arms around some of these bigger questions that are that are behind what we're seeing out of North Gateway. Mayor, we can certainly do that. Uh we will put that on for uh probably September. Does that work for you? Yeah. Okay. Thank you. All right. Please. Next item under business from the city managers, item number one, ratification of the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission MWMC fiscal year 202526 regional wastewater program budget and capital improvements program CIP. Matt Stouter is here for this item. Right. Good evening again, Mayor and Council. I'm here speaking to you on

1:41:08 behalf of the MWC as the executive officer for the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission. Um, let's see here. I have some talking points. So, I'm going to deviate them from them slightly to try to be a little briefer. It's been a long evening for you. Um, as you know, our intergovernmental agreement that created MWMC provides for Springfield, Lane County, and Eugene to ratify the MWMC's budget. And so, we're here tonight to ask for you to do that uh for our fiscal year 2526 budget NCIP. um much of the detail if you want the detail I can give you I can answer questions and there is detail provided in the presentation that you may have already seen or will watch uh for the budget committee presentations on April 11th MWMC approved the regional budget and CIP and directed staff to forward it to the governing bodies they held three work

1:41:54 sessions to discuss the budget and then a public hearing prior to taking action action to adopt it does include that 5% rate adjustment that we talked about previously and as you know in accordance with the IGA. Springfield does all the administrative work for MWMC. Um the capital construction, financing, project delivery, that sort of thing. Uh Eugene does the operations and maintenance. So um quickly highle budget summary. Um the regional budget will allow us to continue to operate and maintain our existing facilities and infrastructure. Uh provide service to about 275,000 people. That's the service area for MWMC. uh and implement our key the commission's key outcomes and performance indicators uh deliver our capital program and then meet our regulatory and permit requirements and I will note um to the point previously

1:42:41 with the rates um almost everything we do is driven by mandate environmental mandates and one of the things our commission takes very seriously is how we spend that money um and how we how we actually deliver those those services. So with that for example we have a a $27.6 $6 million operating budget this year. Uh there's an 8 and a half% increase in that operating budget over last year. Um that's there's 7.6% increase on the personnel services side. It's a purge hit for us. We don't have any employees. We contract with Eugene and Springfield. However, uh the obligations that are carried by Eugene and Springfield are then passed to MWMC. So, we're paying for that. There was a large hit there. Um then we have obviously healthcare costs and those sorts of things. Uh we have we saw a 19.6% 6% increase in our M&S. Um, and

1:43:29 that's our indirect rates that we pay to the cities. Our chemical costs have went uh up substantially. Chemical cost to run the facility and treat the wastewater. And then our utility costs have uh increased substantially as well. Uh, and if you're wondering how we can do an 8 and a half% budget increase and only a 5% rate adjustment, uh, we have some creative ways that we do that. But we look we look to our reserves. Uh we have additional revenues that we get in addition to user fees for uh like our renewable natural gas project, that type of thing. I'll note that our capital budget this year is uh $98 million. There's some large projects to uh improve water quality. We have a an substantial upgrade to our ration basins. We have improvements to our administration building which is relocating and rehousing our entire operations console and facility. And we

1:44:15 have facility planning work. Uh so that's the high level summary of the budget. Uh we're here before you tonight to ask for you to ratify it. We'll be to Eugene on Monday, May 13th, and we'll be or May 12th, excuse me, and we'll be to the board of county commissioners on May 13th. Uh finally, we'll bring it back to the commission for final adoption. Questions uh before I take the motion, uh thanks for uh bringing the p the question about rates up, Matt. Uh I don't think that was pointed specifically at MWMC. there's just like, you know, after several years of high inflation, there's just a lot of economic sort of uncertainty and stress that is out there in the world. And I think that I would take those as just general comments. And I think it's our our opportunity to, you know, just

1:45:01 continue to tell the story of how hard people are working to make sure that we meet what our federal mandates are and then, you know, keep rates in a consistent and and level as we possibly can. I appreciate that. And I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize Lou for his great work putting together this budget. So, thank you, Lou. I move to ratify the FY2025-26 Regional Wastewater Program Budget and Capital Improvement Program, CIP. Second. Could you call the vote, please? Yes. Councelor Weber, yes. Councelor Mo, yes. Councelor Rodley, yes. Councelor Blackwell, yes. Councelor Doyle. Hi. And councelor Stout. Yes. Thank you.

1:45:46 Motion passes. Six yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. Next item is the fiscal year 2026 community development block grant CDBG annual action plan. Aaron Field is here for this item and this item has two motions. Good evening again, mayor and council. Um I'm here tonight with the fiscal year 26 CDBG action plan. Um this will be a plan for funding that we um will receive um and hopefully start spending July 1, 2025. Um this this plan sets the funding allocations for the use of CDBG funds for this next fiscal year. Um we are estimating that we'll have about

1:46:32 $575,000 in CDBG funds available. However, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development has not yet issued Springfield's final entitlement award. Um, the Springfield Council Community Development Advisory Committee has met. Um, they've met twice now, holding two public hearings, most recently on April 2nd. Um, they reviewed a draft plan that was put out for public comment, held the public hearing, and they have issued a recommendation to council on how to allocate funds once those funds are announced. By approving the plan now with direction on how to allocate funds will give the city flexibility to submit our action plan quickly once the award is

1:47:17 finalized. I will say this was direction we received from HUD to do a number of years ago knowing that they were late in getting the announcement out this year or in previous years. Um, I will say as part of the discussion with the CAD, we reviewed um a number of existing CDBG funded programs from prior years. Um, those are spelled out in your packet or summarized in your packet. Um, I don't need to go through all of them, but I will say the two pieces um that we're seeing consistent demand for that we continue to see demand for are the city's home repair program that is um funding to help low-income, very lowincome homeowners address health, safety, and accessib accessibility needs, repairs, maintenance in their home. And the second is social service funding through

1:48:04 Lane County Human Services Division. Um, so you can see through the CDAC's recommendation on in the attachment one, council briefing memo page three. And I'll just re I'll just review what their recommendation states. Um, sort of once we know what the allocation is. So there's sort of four parts to the recommendation. One, provide the maximum award amount of 15% of entitlement funds and available program income to the Lane County Human Services Division for Social Service Funding for low-income residents in Springfield. Provide the maximum amount award amount of 20% of entitlement funds and available program income toward grant administration and planning costs.

1:48:50 Award the remaining amount of funds to the home repair program up to $400,000. And if there are any remaining funds, leave those unallocated for future discussion of those needs. Um, I will say the draft allocation that's in your packet that you'll see again estimating 575,000 does follow that recommendation. So, if you were curious what does that recommendation look like if we receive 500, it's spelled out in the packet um attachment to page six. So, happy to answer questions. So, I just wanted to point out um in the six points that are on there um number six, which is improve low-income

1:49:35 neighborhoods, councelor Pisherary and I made it very clear that that was a priority and that that's been a priority for Springfield to help with um causes of slum and blight in our community. We've we've brought that up more than once and this is probably the second year. And so, I'm I'm very disappointed that that once again is just being pushed to the side. So, we're helping people in these communities take care of their like these these fixes like band-aids, but we keep them in a community where all they see is blight and slum around them. And how are we helping lift people up when they live in that type of a community? We need to be fixing those sidewalks. We need to be, you know, doing something to improve the livability of those communities. And so,

1:50:20 um, I'm I'm I'm really disappointed that once again that has just sort of been like not addressed as it has been requested to be addressed. Council Roman, thank you. Um, and I know we had this conversation before and I'm not going to be a blocker on this, but I I do think that we're missing an opportunity to be more strategic. I know that, you know, $575,000 doesn't in in the whole big scheme of thing doesn't seem like a ton. However, um I just think that there's there's more opportunity for us to be strategic around it. Whether it is investing in infrastructure in lower income neighborhoods, which I completely agree is something we need to do. Um I

1:51:05 am a big fan of the home ownership assistant. Was just talking to someone this past week about how important those programs were for them when they purchased their first house in Springfield. So, I understand that we are under a time crunch. I understand that we're all the things and I just I I just sort of hate that we're putting it in this all in one bucket. I do appreciate that we're giving as much as we possibly can to the Human Services Commission, but I would love it if we would somehow get to a more strategic conversation about this um moving forward. Thank you. Anything else? counc been following these programs very closely that Aaron has been a part of and uh she's doing a great job.

1:51:52 Um I'm concerned that a big picture federal money coming down is going to be pulled out or changed on us. I'm not going to get it. So uh she's aware of that. She's spoken to that. So, we're going to watch that and get as much as we can, spend it the best we can for the people. And within within the group that's been talking about this, they've discussed all these different options that you guys have talked about and they're doing the best they can to make recommendations for us. So, I agree with them. Answered well. Well, the thing is is that it is a recommendation board and yet we are the ones that ultimately should have that decision and we're not they're not making recommendations based on what we're saying that we want. So that's that's the part that I'm

1:52:37 concerned about. That's that's I guess that's sort of true. But they give it to us and and then we hopefully we agree with it. Maybe we don't. So, one of the um one of one of the thoughts I have I I think councelor Doyle's point's uh really uh nuanced and important here, but I but when I think about it, you know, I think about the transportation requests that we've made that are coming out of a kind of a different bucket and maybe we've got to figure out a way to put it together for everybody. This may not be a CDBG conversation, but when when I think about low-income neighborhoods, right, the our our legislative priorities has have about $3 million in ask for sidewalks, ADA enhancements. That bond

1:53:22 has got, you know, is touching low-income neighborhoods as well. And I could probably think of, you know, the the the tree platform and uh you know, a couple of and some of the sidewalk uh improvements we voted for. So maybe maybe the right answer here is that we take that question away and if we can maybe get a list of other stuff that we are doing that speaks to specifically that I know that this is coming from you know uh this effort around CDBG but like I I think we're also answering it with a lot of other work that we are we are doing around around the bend and then the other question that I have right because I kind of hear the frustration on you know AC across the panel is how do we get more of our general guidance

1:54:09 and advice to the committee that's doing you know doing this work um in a way to help guide them about what we want in the in in the in in the outcome so that we don't get to this point next year and we go well this is a this is the question that we have every single year and may and maybe that is your question Aaron which is so like is we we're we're trying to give feedback we're not doing a very good job in that. Like how do we close that loop with everybody so that we you know we kind of get more more nuanced and more clear clear recommendations from the committee and give them better better guidance. Great. Um and we haven't talked in detail but we've certainly brought up

1:54:54 the strategic conversation is top of mind. I think when I came previously it was sort of like I think we are in this time crunch that I am going to bring something to you for fiscal year 26 but would love to have that strategic conversation this fall in however we feel makes the most sense. Um so we're setting setting up for fiscal year 27. Yeah, and I I really appreciate that and I know that we've been in a rush since the end of CO and I think the thing that you know I'm looking at uh you know the city manager for is for help to get out of this place where we're running from strategic crunch to you know crunch you know time crunch to time crunch but instead get you know more broadly you know uh kind of this as a program I mean

1:55:39 back on track like we're doing it wrong but back more more of a strategic approach for the following year. Mayor, if I may, I would like to talk with with staff internally about some some of the ideas that I'm hearing from you and council this evening. I think that um the community development block grant process. I'm familiar with that on the county side as well as cities and it is fairly prescribed from HUD. But I think um what you're getting is a larger, like you said, more nuance conversation about how do we really address these conditions of blight in Springfield and help lift our residents um in that way. And there's a lot of ways that we can look at that. And so that's I think that's a cross-dep departmental response with um the city

1:56:24 manager's office obviously um community development division and you know potentially even our partners in team Springfield. So um you know I I can see a multitude of ways that we could approach this and I'd probably want to uh bring that back to council leadership and potentially back to the full council. But I would also like to say your dance card is full until the end of the fiscal year. So, I just want to kind of put that gentle reminder out there. I move to approve the community development advisory committee's recommendation on allocating funding for the fiscal year 2026 community development block grant annual action plan. Second.

1:57:12 Yes. Councor. Yes. Councelor Mer. Yes. Councor Rodley. Yes. Councelor Blackwell. Yes. Councelor Doyle. No. And councelor Stout. Yes. Thank you. Passes. Five yeses. No. Next. I don't have two motions. Motion. I move to authorize the city manager to execute all documents needed to give effect to the city's agreement with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development for these funds. Second. Yes. Councelor Weber. Yes. Councelor Mo. Yes. Councelor Rodley. Yes. Councelor Blackwell. Yes. Councelor Doyle. I and councelor Stout. Yes. Thank you. Motion passes. Six yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. Uh, next item is award contract to Corvalis Neighborhood

1:57:57 Housing Services, DBA Dev Northwest, Springfield's office. Um, Jeff Pascal is here for this item. And again, there are two motions for this. Uh, good evening. Thank you again uh for letting me come up here and speak to you, Mayor Council. Um so I just want to address before you move to the motions a couple of the comments and questions from last week when you saw this uh contract and work session just to verify that went back with staff verified the 80% versus 60% area median income that 80% is provided by Dev Northwest. So that's what's in the contract and that is what's correct. Um the other language in the scope of work has also been finished. So that missing

1:58:43 language. Um one other question that came up was a discussion about the dispersement method. Is this reimbursement or is this just lump sum? Um one thing that is not prescriptive in the department of um uh from DAS and remember their acronym but one thing that isn't prescribed is that um how we disperse the funds. And so from a staffing efficiency perspective, we were just going to once the contracts ex executed, disperse all of the funds and then they're required to turn in their quarterly um report to so we can verify how they've spent it. Are they on track to spend it and make sure those um those that the costs are appropriate. Um and so those are really the main issues. Um

1:59:30 I think there was another question on the remaining funds that we're holding back for affordable home ownership. Um, and one of the properties referenced is 52nd Street. Staff, housing staff currently is preparing a request for proposal. Um, and so council will have another opportunity as to where they would like to place that 100,000, the 52nd Street project or property is just an idea of a potential place where council can use those funds to help a project along. All right. I move to approve a contract with a not to exceed budget of $500,000 to support the development of affordable housing at 190 South 41st Street and 1577 Laura Street locations

2:00:17 in Springfield, Oregon. Second. Yes. Councelor Weber. Yes. Councelor Moan. Yes. Councelor Rodley. Yes. Councelor Blackwell, yes. Councelor Doyle, I. And Councelor Stout, yes. Thank you. Motion passes. Six yeses, zero nos. Next item, please. Next motion. Next motion. It's the two motions at 8:45 at night. I authorize the city manager to negotiate and execute all necessary documents to carry out the grant agreement with Deb Northwest. Councelor Weber, yes. Councelor Moon, yes. Councelor Rodley, Councelor Blackwell, yes. Councelor Doyle, and Councelor Stout, yes. Thank you. Motion passes. Six yeses, zero nos. Next item,

2:01:03 please. Any other business from the city manager? No further business. Thank you. Any business from the city attorney? No business. Thank you everybody. I know it was a pretty late night night, but I appreciate it. Have a good night. We are adjourned.