October 28, 1998
REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Harris Hall Main Floor 1:30 p.m.
Commissioner Steve Cornacchia presided with Commissioners Ellie Dumdi,
Bobby Green, Sr., Peter Sorenson and Cindy Weeldreyer present. Assistant County Counsel
Stephen Vorhes and Recording Secretary Melissa Zimmer were also present.
13. COMMISSIONERS' ANNOUNCEMENTS
Weeldreyer announced she attended the Oregon Economic Development Challenge of Change
Conference with Commissioner Dumdi. She said she found out there was a fiber optic company
putting a line in through Lane County and have been in contact with all of the East Lane
County communities that will be impacted. She added a meeting to talk about rural economic
development strategy can be used to help maximum the fact there is high speed broad bank
communications within a mile of most of the communities within her district, except for
the South Lane area. She also reported that the Southern Willamette Research Corridor
(Telecommunications Subcommittee) is bringing forward a vision for telecommunications for
this region and Ellie Dumdi will be present at the meeting.
Green reported the Juvenile Crime Prevention Task Force (a subcommittee of the Public
Safety Coordinating Council) has had three meetings and are developing the plan the
Governor's Juvenile Crime Prevention Task Force drafted. He added the plan is to address
targeted high risk youth. He said the task force is required to develop the plan and the
recommendation will go to the Public Safety Coordinating Council. He stated it was an open
process with a broad based representation. He said the task force consisted of
practitioners, clinicians, Bobby Lee from the Eugene City Council, and representatives
from 4J School District. He said there are 40 people involved. He said the plan is being
developed to be consistent with the $30 million plan that the governor has put forth. He
reported Lane County's share is about $2.5 million.
Sorenson reported that on Friday there is a gathering in Springfield with Congressman
DeFazio (sponsored by Lane Transit District), to thank him for his work on the
Transportation Bill that passed in Congress, and for the different projects funded
locally. He added he went to the annual meeting of the National Trust for Historic
Preservation in Savannah, Georgia. He said as part of the trip he toured the landfill for
Savannah because it was a site that Rochem had previously cleaned up. He spoke with
officials about Rochem's job referral and received nothing but praise about Rochem. He
said he toured the technology that they used including producing drinkable water out of a
landfill.
Dumdi stated she attended Mayor Bill Morrisette's dinner dance. She said the Fern Ridge
Library will have its ground breaking on Sunday, November 1. She added it is a success
story because it is a publicly supported library. She mentioned that Steve Cornacchia and
her retirement party will be December 14.
Cornacchia said since F1 lands were listed under the first ordinance and gave
direction, he needed to know if he had to read what was on the agenda.
Stephen Vorhes responded that neither ordinance was read. He said the assumption was
that it was set for a third reading and would include the second one as well. He said it
was set up as a discussion and deliberation, not as a reading. He said they will both take
place as a third reading and deliberation next week. He added if changes are accepted
then, a fourth reading will be set at least two weeks before the final action.
14. PUBLIC HEARINGS
a. SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING/Ordinance No. PA 1120/In the Matter of
Adopting the Creswell Transportation System Plan, and Adopting Savings and Severability
Clauses.
Harvey Hoglund, Public Works, reported the Board met with the Creswell City Council on
August 10 to review the draft transportation system plan that LCOG prepared. He said at
that time the record indicated there were a number of editorial changes that needed to be
fixed for the final plan. He said those have been done and the ordinance adopting the plan
was passed (contingent on those changes being made) the evening of the hearing in
Creswell. He added there was no further action required by the city. He said the plan is
in front of the Board for adoption. He said there is an ordinance and findings as part of
the packet. He stated the ordinance actually refers to the September, 1998 Creswell Plan,
and he said on the cover it says August. He indicated when the motion is formed, he would
like to make note of that correction. He said he will go back and prepare it on the
computer and send it to Melissa Zimmer this afternoon, so the ordinance will be properly
stated. He added that there is another component to this: the resolution that follows. He
said there was a proposal by ODOT to review a number of solutions to a modernization of
the Creswell interchange. He added the Community Advisory Committee was actively involved
in the selection of alternatives. He said they made a recommendation to the Planning
Commission, City Council and ODOT asking that the formal action taken would be for the
City Council and Board of Commissioners to endorse it as the tentative proposal for long
range reconstruction of that interchange. He said there was considerable discussion at the
hearing in August to prevent them from making further changes or modifications in the
design of the project. He added it also provides some indication of what the long range
possibility would be for reconstruction of the interchange. He said ODOT's best estimate
is that it is a project at least a decade away, but it is in the record as being an
indication of the long range intent for the area. He said the staff is recommending that
both the ordinance as amended and the resolution be adopted.
Commissioner Cornacchia opened Public Hearing. There being no one signed up to speak,
he closed the Public Hearing.
MOTION: to approve Ordinance No. PA 1120, as amended.
Weeldreyer MOVED, Dumdi SECONDED.
ROLL CALL VOTE: 5-0.
15. OTHER BUSINESS
a. RESOLUTION 98-10-28-19/In the Matter of Endorsing Concept 1 of the
Creswell/Interstate 5 Interchange Refinement Plan as the Tentative Design Alternative.
Weeldreyer stated she is going to recommend and vote to support this with one comment,
that this represents an incredible amount of hours the community has invested with state
transportation and County staff to talk about a new interchange. She said her concern is
that this doesn't allow for any right-of-way acquisition. She added her other concern is
property owners being impacted by this for loan purposes, for expansions of development on
their property that might be in this design alternative. She wanted the record to reflect
that she was assured this was not going to limit them in any way from being able to
qualify for loans. She said it is a long-term project and there is not enough state
transportation money to begin the right-of-way acquisition process sooner, so planning can
happen around it.
MOTION: to approve RESOLUTION 98-10-28-19.
Dumdi stated she agreed with what Weeldreyer said and it was also one of her concerns.
She said there have been other cases where discussions have been around projects that are
not going to happen right away and then development comes in and changes the whole thing.
She said she is also concerned about the way ODOT has been criticized by the way they
spend money. She added if they don't ensure the plan can move forward, they may have to go
out and do it again. She said they should look at how they plan things in the public's
interest so they do it in the most cost effective way possible.
VOTE: 5-0.
There being no further business, Commissioner Cornacchia adjourned the meeting at 2: 15
p.m.
Melissa Zimmer
Recording Secretary
