The city of Eugene has been consistently rated by various publications one of the most livable cities in the country, and the Eugene City Council intends to keep it that way. Though their opinions and actions may differ, the councilors are trying to support decisions that reflect what the people of this city want. Their statements of vision and values point to sustainable development, environmental protection, neighborhood preservation, inclusiveness for all residents and viable economic opportunities.
Each councilor has been elected to represent a portion of Eugene. With eight councilors total, the mayor has the deciding vote for any tie-breaking situations. All eight volunteer their time and effort and most have day jobs that they perform in addition to serving on the council. These eight officials represent the community on a small, but very important scale. What issues are important to them may affect the development of Eugene for years to come. With that in mind, check out who is representing the greater Eugene area:
Bonny Bettman, Ward 1, represents the central Eugene area. She attended the University, focusing on public policy and management. Her interests include sustainable economic development, land use and transportation, in addition to fiscal responsibility, preservation of Eugene’s safety and livability, environmental protection and ensuring fair and accountable public processes. Bettman is a founding member of Citizens for Public Accountability. She began serving as councilor in January, 2005, according to the City of Eugene’s Web site.
“One of the best things about downtown is the farmer’s market,” said Betty Taylor, Ward 2. Taylor represents the southern-most section of Eugene that encompasses a hilly, forested area with abundant land designated for parks as well as residential neighborhoods nestled in the trees. “I’m very proud of the process we used to secure some of the Amazon Headwaters with eminent domain,” said Taylor. She headed up this acquisition in April. She also mentioned how pleased she was to have a police complaint auditor in place. When discussing the future of Eugene, Taylor said that she’d like to kill the misguided development of downtown and put in place a sensible plan for small-scale development. “I’d rather do that than destroying what’s already there,” said Taylor. Taylor attended the University for her Ph.D. in English and was an English teacher at high schools, community college and university levels, according to the city’s Web site.
Alan Zelenka is the councilor for Ward 3, which represents eastern Eugene. He obtained his master’s degree in energy and environmental policy and planning from the University. He has also lived in Eugene for more than 20 years. Zelenka’s most important goals for the city council include protecting the environment and promoting sustainability, encouraging smart growth while upholding neighborhood integrity and livability, and having a government that places its people’s interests above any special interests.
The northeast corner of Eugene, directly adjacent to Springfield and north of the Willamette River, is represented by George Poling, Ward 4. He began his term as councilor in January, 2003. Poling is a former law enforcement officer and has served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves as well. According to the city’s Web site, Poling is interested in public safety, transportation improvements and maintenance, and economic stability through job creation and business investments.
“As a councilor my job is to make sure the potholes get fixed and the guys in the red trucks show up when you call 911,” said Mike Clark, Ward 5. Councilor Clark represents the area east of where the Willamette River curves northward and west of the boundary line. So far, Clark says he’s happy the council has addressed fixing the potholes, working on the transportation system and revitalizing downtown. He attended the University in the 1980s and has worked in diverse occupations involving marketing, campaign consultation and media advertising. Clark currently sits on the council committees that focus on budget, human rights and public safety. “I want to make sure Eugene continues to be one of the more livable cities in the country,” said Clark.
Jennifer Solomon, Ward 6, is very proud of the area she represents. Ward 6 is in the northwestern corner of Eugene. She said that she was impressed by the work citizens did last fall with a parks bond measure. The people wanted the city to include an area called Golden Gardens Ponds, former gravel pits where several people have drowned, on the ballot for funding to improve the area. “It was a huge community effort in the Bethel area. People there take on something important to them and make it work,” said Solomon. In addition, Solomon is very concerned with transportation funds. She said, “We can’t just sit around and wait for the county and state to provide the money.” Her goals also include moving toward downtown development. She wants to “see it through the process and work with developers for something that Eugene citizens want.” When looking at the bigger picture of the area, Solomon is also concerned with the lack of land for Eugene development. She thinks the council absolutely needs to address the need for more land to develop affordable housing.
“I think Eugene is a wonderful place to be: a safe community, a good place to raise a family and only an hour away from the ocean and the mountains,” said Andrea Ortiz, Ward 7. Ortiz represents the north-central part of Eugene. She currently sits as the city council president and is a certified nurse’s aid. Ortiz emphasized the importance of inclusiveness for people of color in the Eugene area. She said that if people feel alienated by the community at large, many youths may move away to larger cities and cause an even larger decline within Eugene’s minority communities. Ortiz also mentioned her interest in sustainability and the importance of patience with the council, that they progress slowly but surely. The council also needs to be accountable to its constituents, said Ortiz. “It is a reflection of the community that elects us.”
Southeastern Eugene is represented by Chris Pryor, Ward 8. He is a public affairs manager and has past experience in marketing services. He also served on the Eugene School Board for more than 10 years. As a councilor he is interested in transportation solutions, parks and open space planning, strong neighborhoods and public-private partnerships to build community consensus.
Mayor Kitty Piercy began her public service to Eugene in January 2005. “Eugene is a great city; it’s a dynamic, interactive, engaged community.” She’s most proud of sustainability. The council has been involved in a two-year process for a sustainable business initiative. Piercy calls successful programs that simultaneously achieve social, economical and environmental sustainability the triple bottom line. Her goal is to have Eugene be an exemplary city with sustainable business practices through this initiative. Piercy is also looking forward to the 2008 Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field. But her ultimate goal is to “continue to have one of the most livable towns and communities around.”
Contact information for city council members and the mayor’s office are available online at www.eugene-or.gov. This interactive site also supplies users with short biographies of the individual councilors and a map of each ward for those interested in who represents their area.