HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/26/1994 Work Session
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City of Springfield
Work Session Council Meeting
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE
SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL HELD
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1994
The City of Springfield Council met in Springfield City Hall, Meeting Room 2, 225 Fifth Street,
Springfield, Oregon, on Monday, September 26, 1994, at 6:04 p.m. with Mayor Morrisette
presiding.
ATTENDANCE
Present were Mayor Morrisette and Councilors Burge, Shaver, Walters, Beyer and Maine.
Councilor Schanz was absent (unexcused.) Also present were Assistant City Manager Gino
Grimaldi, City Attorney Tim Harold, City Recorder Eileen Stein and members of the staff.
1. Review of Springfield Human Services Demand and Funding.
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Assistant City Manager Gino Grimaldi introduced Steve Manela, Intergovernmental Human
Services Administrator. Mr. Grimaldi explained what Mr. Manela's job entails and how the city
contributes to the Intergovernmental Human Services Fund, and in what amounts. Mr. Grimaldi
explained the purpose of this item is to review the Intergovernmental Human Services program
and to consider a request by the Intergovernmental Human Services Committee that an issue
paper be prepared for the FY 1995/96 budget cycle to increase Springfield's share of funding the
Intergovernmental Human Services Program.
Mr. Manela commented that it had been five years since his last conversation with the City
Council regarding funding levels. Mr. Manela discussed the human services that are provided in
Springfield that are funded through the Intergovernmental Human Services Fund. He indicated
that the purpose of the request for increased funding was to enable more services to be provided
and made accessible for Springfield residents. He discussed how some services which are
provided in Eugene are provided to a lesser extent in Springfield and it was the desire of the
Intergovernmental Human Services Committee to reach more Springfield residents. He
commented that similar requests for increased funding were being made to the Eugene City
Council and Lane County Board of Commissioners.
Mr. Manela distributed two handouts, one providing an overview of priority services and
populations, and the other providing an overview of the structure of the Intergovernmental
Human Services Committee. He commented it is the job of the committee to determine what
services are funded. He then reviewed statistics regarding Springfield's population that show the
need for services such as those funded by the program.
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Mr. Manela answered questions of the Council regarding how much the city currently
contributes to the program, in General Fund support and through Community Development
Block Grant (CDBG) funding, and how this compares to the level of support provided by the city
of Eugene. Questions were also asked about what services are provided in Springfield that are
funded through the program.
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Work Session Minutes
September 26, 1994
Page 2
Mr. Manela discussed options for service expansion in Springfield if funding for the program
were increased, including expansion of the Interfaith Shelter Program, increasing the number of
meals provided through the St. Alice Community Soup Kitchen, expansion of the CAHOOTS
crisis intervention program into Springfield, and provision of an Emergency Services
Coordinator at St. Alice's Community Services Program. Mr. Manela answered councilors
questions regarding these and other service strategies.
Council discussed the request and asked questions regarding the success of the program and the
success of intervention programs in general. Mr. Manela commented that the issue paper would
provide more statistics and factual data about Springfield demographics and the efficacy of the
program. Council discussed other information that it would like to see addressed in the issue
paper. In general, concern was expressed about where the city would find the money to make a
larger contribution.
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Mr. Richie Weinman, Housing Services Coordinator for the city of Eugene, addressed the
Council regarding the program and its benefit to the community. He discussed how he
coordinates with the program in his role as Eugene's Housing Coordinator. He commented that
the whole purpose of the program is to address what are really public safety issues. He discussed
the difficulties of documenting program successes because those people who are successful do
not appear in program statistics; whereas those people who repeatedly use or are in need of
program services do continue to be counted. He commented how difficult it is to break the cycle
of reaction to crisis rather than being able to develop measures to prevent such crisis.
Mr. Grimaldi repeated that the purpose ofthe meeting was to seek Council approval to prepare
an issue paper for the upcoming budget cycle, not to make a funding decision. Mr. Grimaldi
answered questions regarding the benefit of keeping funds pooled rather than earmarking funds
for specific purposes. He commented that the issue paper would discuss service options relative
to different levels of contribution.
By consensus, the Council directed staff to prepare an issue paper, although concern was again
expressed about where the money would come from. It was agreed this issue should be
addressed relative to other important needs such as public safety and the construction and
operation of Fire Station #5, during the review of the FY 1995/96 budget.
2. Other Business
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a. Special Meeting - City Recorder Eileen Stein discussed the need for a special meeting of
the City Council on Tuesday, October 4, at 12 noon. The purpose of the meeting is to
approve the sale of limited general obligation bonds for the Bancroft program.
Councilors Burge, Walters, Beyer and Maine indicated they could attend. Mayor
Morrisette would also be able to attend. If needed, Councilor Shaver could be available
via speaker phone.
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Work Session Minutes
September 26, 1994
Page 3
b. Mayor Morrisette discussed a meeting he had earlier this week with officials from
Springfield School District and Willamalane. The purpose of the meeting was to review
the status of an earlier request by the District and Willamalane for use of Sports Center
property to relocate softball fields from Bob Artz Park. The fields would be dislocated
because the site would be used to build a new middle school that was to be built as part
of the District's capital bond, approved by Springfield voters on September 20. Council
discussed the request and reconfirmed their earlier decision that the Sports Center site
should be used for a proposed fieldhouse to be operated by Broadbased Inc., but that
consideration would be given to this proposal if the city could not come to agreement
with Broadbased, Inc.
c. Councilor Burge discussed the memo in the Communication Packet regarding the
Planning Commission's request that Meeting Room #2 be renamed in memory of
Councilor Jesse Maine who passed away in March. By consensus, it was agreed this
item should be scheduled for formal approval at the next regular meeting.
ADJOURMENT
The meeting was adjourned at 7:21 p.m.
Minutes Recorder - Eileen Stein
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Attest:
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City Recorder