HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/02/2008 Team Springfield
(j
~TEAM
@J
JOINT ELECTED OFFICIALS MEETING
February 2, 2008
8:30 - 11 :30 a.m.
Willamalane Park and Recreation District
250 South 32nd Street
Springfield, OR
Present: Chief Administrative Officers - Bob Keefer, Willamalane Park and Recreation
District, Gino Grimaldi, City of Springfield, Nancy Golden, Springfield Public School District
#19, Bob Linahan, Springfield Utility Board
Chief Elected Officers - Willamalane Board members Lee Beyer, Danelle Ralston, Greg James,
Gary Ross, and Helen Wagner; Springfield Mayor, Sid Leiken, and City Councilors Christine
Lundberg, Anne Ballew, Dave Ralston, John Woodrow, and Joe Pishioneri; Springfield Public
School District #19 Board members Laurie Adams, Jonathan Light, Al King, Garry Weber, and
Nancy Bigley; Springfield Utility Board members Joe Mathieu, Virginia Lauritsen, and Bobbie
Adams
Staff Present: Chris Pryor, Jason Genck, Joel Miller, and Rita Grimes, Willamalane Park and
Recreation District; Steve Barrett, and Jeff DeFranco, Springfield Public School District #19;
Bill Grile, Jeff Towery, and Niel Laudati, City of Springfield.
)
Guest Speaker: Priscilla Gould, Executive Director, United Way of Lane County
Call to OrderlW elcome/lntroductions
Mayor Sid Leiken called the Annual Meeting ofthe Joint CAOs and CEOs to order and asked
the participants to introduce themselves. He expressed his thanks to Willamalane for sponsoring
the meeting and to each participant for taking the time to be there. He then introduced guest
speaker, Priscilla Gould, Executive Director of United Way of Lane County.
United Way Presentation -100% Access
Ms Gould presented information on the 100% Access Healthcare Initiative. 100% Access
partners include CEOs from all the major healthcare organizations, directors of the primary
healthcare safety net clinics who currently see the uninsured, and other top-level stakeholders
from local governments, non-profit agencies and businesses from around Lane County. The goal
of the 100% Access Initiative is to connect people with no insurance to existing health insurance
programs and medical services, and to develop new community-based options where gaps exist.
See meeting handouts.
TEAM Springfield Update and TEAM Springfield Agency Updates (CAOs/CEOs)
School Board President, Garry Weber, presented the Springfield Public School District's White
Paper. Bond projects included finalized designs for two new elementary schools, which are
slated to open in fall 2009. The new schools are designed to be among the greenest schools in
the county. Completed Bond projects include new tracks, technology, roofs, boilers, and siding.
Summer 2008 projects include heating and ventilating upgrades to several schools. The
District's literacy initiatives are thriving. Last year's scores showed substantial reading progress
in early grades. Substantial progress has been made in developing the Talented and Gifted
initiative to reach higher end students. Plans are underway for expansion of the Academy of
Arts and Academics facility. The District's United Front efforts have resulted in federal grant
money for the A3 expansion and for card swipe entrance systems to improve access control and
lockdown capability at Springfield and Thurston High Schools.
Superintendent Bob Keefer gave the update for Willamalane Park and Recreation District.
He mentioned the new Community Recreation Center; the Dorris Ranch Master Plan Update; the
River Bank Clean up along the West D Street greenway at Island Park; the development oftwo
new parks - Quarry Park within the Mountain Gate development and Jasper Meadows Park in
southwest Springfield; energy efficiency measures taken at both community pools; the
development of an integrated cost-recovery program throughout the District; and a potential
After-School Local Option Levy to be placed on the November 2008 ballot. He asked for the
endorsement and support of the TEAM Springfield agencies for that levy.
Bob Linahan, General Manager of Springfield Utility Board, reported on SUB's new renewable
portfolio standards; green power offerings to its customers; climate change legislation which
involves reducing greenhouse emissions in 2010 and by 2020 reducing greenhouse emission
levels to 10% less than the 1990 levels. SUB will be signing a new 17 year power sales contract
which will start October 1, 2011 and they are pursuing the purchase of an electric substation site
in Glenwood and a water treatment plant site in North Gateway.
City of Springfield Manager, Gino Grimaldi, presented the City's 2007 highlights including
voter approval of a downtown urban renewal district; the issuance of more than 5,000
construction permits and more than 600 city business licenses; oversight of more than $151
million in commercial/industrial investment and nearly $45 million of residential investment
including more than 200 new single family dwellings; passage ofHB 3337 allowing Springfield
to establish its own, discrete urban growth boundary; helped 19 households with SHOP loans,
103 households with emergency home repairs and 26 households with emergency rental
assistance; partnered with the Relief Nursery to secure property on South 42nd Street; co-
sponsored Project Homeless Connect; expedited certain residential construction permits within
one hour of submittal; expanded the Community Services DivisionlBuilding Safety website
increasing accessibility and effectiveness; enhanced electronic permitting software eliminating
contractor need to visit City Hall for some permits; implemented the 3rd Battalion approach with
the City of Eugene to make combined fire and ambulance systems truly seamless.
Planning is underway for improvements to Franklin Boulevard; planning and design is underway
for a replacement fire station in Thurston; construction of the Justice Center is well underway
with move in for Police Department scheduled for fall of 2008 and the j ail expected to open one
year later; and the new Oregon National Guard Armory facility is to be located off Marcola Road
. with space available for the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
The centennial anniversary ofthe Springfield Public Library is in April. The library serves
around 700 patrons daily, and in addition to staff, operates with 3,100 volunteer hours.
Bob Keefer gave the 2007 report on behalf of TEAM Springfield. Agencies contributed
$35,000 to provide enhanced police patrols around the downtown area and Meadow Park.
Random police bicycle patrols between May 1 and October 14, 2007 resulted in 281 documented
illegal activities, 67 traffic stops, 95 individual stops, served 35 arrest warrants, and arrested 55
individuals charged with prostitution. TEAM Springfield Public Information Officers, published
and distributed 2 TEAM Springfield newsletters, as well as a glossy, four-page flyer, Summer of
Fun, distributed as an insert in the Register-Guard newspaper and through local public outlets.
By donating $5,000, TEAM Springfield became an official sponsor of the Gift of Literacy
Project. Other donations to support cultural festivals and events included $5,000 to Springfield
Utility Board for the July 4 Light of Liberty Celebration at Island Park, and $1,500 in
. sponsorship funds used to promote Fiesta Latina, also held at Island Park on September 14 and
15. In addition, TEAM Springfield provided $1,500 toward Springfield High School's
Vocational Training Day, held at Lane Community College. 220 students attended the all day
event where they participated in 40 minute panel discussions with businesses from 25 different
areas, focused around the necessary preparation, education, and training needed for each
occupation.
TEAM Springfield increased efforts to revitalize downtown Springfield through increased police
presence, assisting with the opening of the Wildish Theater, supporting dissemination of factual
information about the proposed Urban Renewal District, and by sponsoring several concerts in
the downtown during the summer. We investigated and evaluated the possibility of locating a
"farmers' market" in downtown and, City crews, with financial assistance from TEAM
Springfield, began repairing some of the damage caused by graffiti artists. Staffs from TEAM
Springfield agencies, and the City of Eugene, are participating in an effort to document and abate
graffiti in the Metro area.
Round Table Discussion of Urban Renewal Vision
Due to lack of time, the group discussed the Urban Renewal Vision together. Chart notes follow:
1. What do you want downtown to look like 15 years from now?
. Unique and different (i.e. arts/crafts/ A3 High School)
. Specialty retail - small office
. District with neighborhood feel - blending local feel
· Additional housing - mix of income levels, condos, etc.
. Parking plan - protected
. Slow traffic on Main Street - promoting foot traffic
. Capitalize on Island Park and Mill Race (address visibility/access)
. Address entry from Glenwood (re: 2nd Street assets)
. A destination including entertainment
. Building height variation
. Bars (are a problem) across from City Hall, et al
. Problematic buildings by Jim's Landing
. Selective building purchases
. Higher quality pubs
· Ethnically diverselbalanced
· Historical Commission help regarding historical heritage
. Factor impact ofI-5 bridge/ramps
. Reduce risk for private investment
· Bend: Has balanced historical, downtown and related/tied its revitalization to its water
. Cooperation with ODOT is important
. Downtown is more ready to go but Glenwood has "the" potential
. New basketball arena will stimulate restaurants, etc. on the river and downtown
. We must believe!
. Carefully looking at South A Street's appearance
. People/trip generators for teens and adults
. L TD links us with Eugene
2. What needs to be in place to maintain and enhance a strong civic presence in
downtown?
. More park concerts
. Key Chamber involvement
. Variety of restaurants
. TEAM Springfield work with ODOT regarding Main/South A Streets Gurisdiction
exchange)
. Transportation White Paper to TEAM Springfield
. Leverage national holiday events downtown - all of them
. Art
. We have not yet capitalized on Island Park
. 2-way traffic on Main/South A Streets will allow a closure to better link with Island
Park
. Like Pearl District - have a balance
There being no more time for discussion, Mayor Leiken adjourned the meeting at 11 :30 a.m.
Minutes recorder - Julie Wilson.
Attest:
,~
Amy So
City Re der