Eugene citizens got their first chance to talk one-on-one with Mayor Kitty Piercy on Tuesday afternoon, voicing concerns on everything from the city police department to the amount of noise generated by trains.
The city holds one-on-one
sessions every month where interested members of the public can sit down with the mayor and talk about community issues.
Ten people spoke at Tuesday’s session in City Council Chambers, which is more than the number
of people who usually show up, Piercy said. Eugene Police Department’s Sgt. Kris Martes sat at
the meeting table with Piercy and took notes.
Eugene resident Steven Leppanen questioned Piercy about the recent uproar surrounding EPD’s use
of self-painted “no soliciting” and “no trespassing” signs on curbs
and sidewalks around Eugene. The signs made national headlines after city officials and community
members said they might violate
a 1996 court ruling that declared
a state “no soliciting” statute
unconstitutional.
The City Council is going to address this issue soon, and police have been told not to put out any signs until further notice, Piercy said.
Leppanen also said the proposed city smoking ordinance, which would change the ban on smoking within 10 feet of a building to 25 feet, needs to be examined for its impact on downtown restaurants and bars.
“Not being able to smoke on public sidewalks is just political correctness run amok,” Leppanen said.
Janet O’Bryant of Eugene asked Piercy to consider the growing problem of train noise, which she said is always increasing in decibels.
“It’s a nationwide problem; it’s not just in Eugene,” O’Bryant said.
Cal Young Neighborhood Association Chairman Charles Biggs asked Piercy about changing the process for signing up to speak at City Council meetings so that citizens can sign up through the course of public testimony.
A victim of former Eugene police officer Roger Magana gave a riveting and unexpected speech at Monday’s City Council meeting, Biggs said, and many attendees wanted to speak afterward but could not because the current process does not allow citizens to sign up after public testimony has started.
Magana was sentenced in July to 94 years in prison after being found guilty of crimes including sexual assault, rape and kidnapping. The victims were women involved in prostitution and drugs.
Piercy listened intently and said she wants to deliver a personal apology to the women.
“I want them to hear from their mayor an apology,” Piercy said. “We know that wrong was done.”
Eugene resident Eric Gran discussed the ongoing prostitution and drug use problems occurring in Monroe Park, located at West 10th Avenue and Monroe Street.
“It’s just an all-out rave party in the park,” Gran said. “The pot smoke is so thick you can smell it in the houses across the street.”
Gran said area residents have been trying to do something about the problem for quite some time but have been unsuccessful.
Gran and Martes agreed that a
location near the park offering free food to the needy may be a
contributing factor to the activity, though both expressed dismay that such a place may have to be moved.
Piercy recommended that the neighbors work together with Ward 1 City Councilor Bonnie Bettman to reduce the amount of criminal activity “layer by layer.”
Piercy said she is hoping to change the location of next month’s one-on-one session to a more convenient and public place, such as a grocery store, so more people will feel comfortable attending.

[email protected]