BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS'
REGULAR MEETING
February 7, 2007
1:30 p.m.
Commissioners' Conference Room
APPROVED
1/23/2008
Commissioner Faye
Stewart presided with Commissioners Bill Dwyer, Bill Fleenor, Bobby Green, Sr.,
and Peter Sorenson present. Acting
County Administrator Dave Garnick,
County Counsel Teresa Wilson and Recording Secretary Melissa Zimmer were also
present.
14. PUBLIC
HEARINGS
a. PUBLIC HEARING
AND FINAL ORDER 07-2-7-13/In the Matter of Surrender of Segments of
County Road Numbers 615 (Butte Road), 1173 (Niblock Road), and 1088 (Harvey
Road) to the City of Creswell (NBA & PM 1/7/07).
Bill Robinson, Land
Management, explained that this is a request to transfer segments of County
roads into the City of Creswell. He
indicated Creswell passed a resolution in November asking Lane County to proceed
with this. He said it is under ORS
373.270. He added there was a road
partnership passed and agreed to by order in May 2004.
He stated they did a posting and notice.
He indicated they received no comment in the surveyor’s office other
than support from the city. He said
the roads have been annexed by the city and this is the next step to surrender
jurisdiction. He indicated it was recommended by the Director of Public Works
that they proceed that way. He
noted that these are roads that have been in the County since 1908.
Commissioner
Stewart opened the Public Hearing. There
being no one signed up to speak, he closed the Public Hearing.
MOTION:
to approve ORDER 07-2-7-13.
Dwyer MOVED,
Fleenor SECONDED.
VOTE:
5-0.
b. SECOND READING
AND PUBLIC HEARING Ordinance No. 1-07/In the Matter of Amending Chapters
10 and 16 of Lane Code to Revise Definitions and Provisions for Flood Hazard
Reduction in the Floodplain Combining Zones (LC 10.271-15, 10.271-25, 10.271-27,
10.271-30, 10.271-35, 16.244) (NBA & PM 1/24/07).
Keir Miller, Land
Management, explained that these are a series of amendments to the flood plain
combining zone ordinance. He noted
the proposed amendments were first reviewed by the Planning Commission on April
4, 2006. He said the Planning
Commission requested a small change to explain criteria for conducting crawl
spaces in the floodplain. He indicated that after the revision was made, the
Planning Commission recommended approval of the amendments. He said the First Reading took place on January 24 and last
week staff noticed there were inadvertent omissions in the finalized ordinance.
He stated a supplemental memo was written and a new draft ordinance was
sent out. He noted that Legal
Counsel and staff determined that by correcting the omissions, it would
constitute a significant change to the ordinance.
He said staff requested taking testimony but postponing making a final
decision on the amendments.
Miller said this is
before the Board because Lane County is a participating member in the National
Flood Insurance Program. He said
the agreement states that Lane County will adopt and enforce the Floodplain
Ordinance in reducing flood risks in specially designated hazard areas.
He stated the federal government will make subsidized loans available in
Lane County. He indicated they have
been participating in the program since 1970 and that 2,335 residences and
businesses receive flood insurance. He
commented that Lane County has more people covered under flood insurance in Lane
County than any other city or county in the state.
He indicated that FEMA periodically conducts an audit of their floodplain
program. He added that in 2003 they
found some minor issues with the floodplain ordinance they wanted updated.
He stated as part of their agreement, they are required to keep the flood
ordinance up to date and to be in compliance with U.S. standards of Title 44.
He added failure to do so could get them removed from the flood insurance
program and if that were to happen, flood insurance would no longer be
available. He indicated there is
$1.4 million in premiums paid by the 2,335 residences.
He said if they bring their code into compliance, they are able to enter
into the community ratings system, and it awards communities if they are above
and beyond the minimum standards of the flood insurance program. He added those
communities are given premium discounts to flood policy holders.
He said that amounts to between $70,000 and $625,000 per year to be saved
by policy holders in Lane County.
Miller indicated
that staff had done a preliminary review of the flood insurance program based on
what they were doing without implementing any new regulations and it appears
they could qualify to get into the community rating system.
He said they have to first bring the flood ordinance into compliance.
Commissioner
Stewart opened the Public Hearing. There
being no signed up to speak, he closed the Public Hearing.
MOTION:
to approve a Second Reading and Setting a Third Reading and
Public Hearing for Ordinance 1-07 on February 21, 2007, with the
record being left open
Dwyer MOVED,
Fleenor SECONDED.
VOTE:
5-0.
c. FIRST READING
AND PUBLIC HEARING Ordinance No. 2-07/In the Matter of Amending Chapter 4
of Lane Code to Add Provisions for a Lane County Public Safety Income Tax, to
Adopt Administration and Collection Provisions, To Renumber Differential Tax
Provisions, and to Set an Effective Date (LC 4.500 through 4.571) (Continued
Public Hearing: February 13, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.; Second Reading and Public
Hearing: February 21, 2007, 1:30 p.m.).
Wilson explained
that the background of the ordinance is due to the probable loss of Secure Rural
Schools.. She noted the Income Tax Ordinance for a First Reading and Public
Hearing is today, a Second Reading and Public Hearing on
February 13 and a Third Reading and Public Hearing on February 21, 2007.
She discussed the options. (Copy in file).
Commissioner
Stewart opened the Public Hearing.
Fran Curtis,
Eugene, said she will be in favor of the tax to support prevention.
She hoped the Board was heading toward providing programs instead of
finding funding for prevention so it will make sense.
Steve Allen
Kenter stated he is a
psychologist. He said that Birth to
Three prevents child abuse. He supported the measure as there are tax dollars
for intervention.
Minalee Saks,
Eugene, Director of Birth to Three, commented that it costs a lot less to offer
programs that work in the early years. She
stated that Birth to Three was not put into the tax measure and asked that it be
put in. She asked for less than
$100,000.
Cliff Kelly,
Elmira, urged the Board to support funding for Extension Service on behalf of
4-H, as an effective preventative. He
indicated it is a volunteer program and it is a way of leveraging dollars. He
added that a bulk of the programming is done by volunteers.
He didn’t know if the income tax was the best way to fund the Extension
Service.
Karen
Choweninski, Coburg,
commented that the safety issue was important.
She said she experienced a theft and whenever she called the Sheriff,
they were not available. She
thought prevention buys more for the tax dollars instead of putting criminals in
jail. She added that the Extension Service continues to meet the needs and
citizens of Lane County.
Carolyn Ashton,
Eugene, said she is an Extension Service employee.
She commented that the 4-H program is important and without it, she
didn’t know what the students would do. She
asked the Board to support Option 8.
Charlotte
Riersgard, Eugene, Staff
Chair, Extension Service. She stated the Extension Service has been providing
service to Lane County since 1914. She
was in support of public safety and the continuation of the Extension Service in
Option 8. She reported that last
year her staff and 900 volunteers made 40,000 educational contacts in the
community with nutrition, 4-H youth development, family stability, gardening,
small woodland management and food safety. She said they emphasize prevention
and they partner with community agencies. She
noted for every dollar they receive from the County, they leverage $2.90 from
federal and county sources. She
stated their goal is to continue to contribute to the long term health and
safety of the community. She said
they support the Board.
Charles Biggs,
Eugene, encouraged the Board to include Options 2 and 4 that would refer this to
the voters. He commented that if there is a tax it should be referred to
the voters. He heard the business
tax portion will only go to residents and that would only defer costs for the
services. He thought the tax would
be three percent on all residents.
Ken Tollenar,
Eugene, stated his concern of that tax is that it expands the deductions in
favor of private sector pensioners. He
said Option 6 and 7 impair the equity of the tax by shifting the burden of the
tax to middle class wage earners. He
stated seniors as a class of people are better able to share the burden of the
County income tax than those in the younger age brackets. He thought the County
should find ways to apply the tax to PERS and federal pension income, not expand
the deduction to the private sector retirees.
He thought the first step should be to seek repeal in this session of the
legislature of ORS 238.445, exemption for PERS income .
Carolyn Walsh,
Eugene, commented that Lane County
spent too much money on the public relations campaign.
Joe Bauman,
Veneta, stated that he wrote an op ed piece opposing the income tax in November.
He supported the general idea but didn’t like the way it was implemented.
He appreciated the Board taking the voters’ ideas. He thought the Board should enact the tax and take Option 1.
Barbara Olson,
Pleasant Hill, stated she is a lifetime participant of 4-H and a parent of a 4-H
participant. She was in favor of the Extension program. She commented that the
kids in 4-H keeps stay out of trouble. She
stated they need to start looking for a permanent fix for stability.
Patty Driscoll,
supported the Extension Service. She indicated there are over 250 volunteers in
Lane County in the Master Gardener Program. She said they are teaching 47
citizens about noxious weeds so they can answer questions as they come through
the program
There being no one
ease signed up to speak, Commissioner Stewart closed the Public Hearing.
MOTION:
to approve a First Reading and Setting at Second Reading and Continued Public
Hearing for Ordinance No. 2-07 on February 13, 2007 at 6:30 p.m.
Sorenson MOVED,
Dwyer SECONDED.
VOTE:
5-0.
15. COMMISSIONERS'
ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
16. CORRESPONDENCE
TO THE BOARD
None.
17. OTHER
BUSINESS
None.
There being no one else signed up to speak, Commissioner Stewart adjourned
the meeting at 4:10 p.m.
Melissa Zimmer
Recording Secretary