This is the second meeting of a series about planning issues surrounding EWEB's riverfront property. In the first, “Citizens as Master Planners,” Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy spoke about the eventual development of the EWEB property. City Club is planning to return with a discussion of overall EWEB riverfront planning and development in September. Today’s program has the more specific focus of discussing the feasibility of relocating Eugene's city hall into the existing EWEB building. Our most recent city hall vision came with a huge price tag that many found unrealistic, and EWEB's pending decision to move its headquarters operations to West Eugene has opened up this new and perhaps more affordable option.

Eugene City Councilor Mike Clark has been invited to make the case for what he sees as a special and unique opportunity. Although Eugene has a history of divisive land-use debates, there are those who believe that this proposal has the potential to gain widespread support throughout the community. Eugene City Councilor Betty Taylor will be our first responder. She'll remind us of some concerns that she and others have raised that require more careful consideration before the decision to make such a move is reached.

According to Barack Obama and his Ed Secretary Arne Duncan, public charter schools are a great boon to the education system. Why do they think so? Do tax dollars work harder in charter schools? Do kids get smarter? Or do charter schools draw off the best and brightest students and divert scarce revenues from hard-pressed mainstream schools? Are they bad for teachers’ working conditions? Are they fully accountable to the public?

In this program, a panel of informed participants with very different perspectives will answer these questions, among others. Using evidence from their own work and from the Oregon experience, they will add clarity and share visions about the impact of charter schools on mainstream public education. City Club President Jerry Diethelm will moderate the panel.

The Lane County Budget has had its share of controversies, critics and supporters this year. A budget of this magnitude involves literally hundreds of choices, with the media and public choosing to focus on only a few of those items. This year, the controversial items included funding for jail beds, fund swaps with the City of Eugene, and new assistants for Lane County Commissioners.

Ironically, the vote to close 84 jail beds and 100 forest work camp beds in June 2008, and the vote to reopen the 84 jail beds in June 2009, were both unanimous votes by the board. In contrast, the most contentious 3–2 vote in recent history was to increase the commissioners’ pay, enact a public safety income tax and not repeal the public safety income tax.

Even in the best of times, facts get misconstrued in the press, and misunderstandings abound. But economic times such as these call for increased understanding of all elements under consideration. Come hear what Lane County Commissioners Pete Sorenson and Faye Stewart have to say about this year’s budget, the reasons for the decisions that were made and their hopes for Lane County going forward.

Tasers may sound like science fiction—the word originally stood for Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle—but the stun guns are currently in widespread use in our community. Advocates say that the Taser is a vital tool that can save lives. Critics point to the potential for misuse, overuse or unintended injury or death. Still others support Taser use under more limited circumstances.

Tasers have been in use on the streets of Eugene for 1.5 years, in Springfield for 2.5 years and in the Lane County Jail for several years. Now that the Eugene Police Department has completed its pilot project and plans to equip more patrol officers with Tasers and the Lane County Sheriff’s Office is trying out the devices with patrol deputies, the time is ripe for an open-minded dialogue about Tasers in our community.

This program will present multiple perspectives on Tasers and engage members of diverse community groups. Community members are invited to attend at no cost — the $5 gallery fee will be waived for this City Club meeting. Come ready to hear diverse perspectives and engage in a courteous and lively table discussion!