Primary elections will be held May 16 to determine which two of the three candidates competing for the Ward 3 seat on the Eugene City council will square off in the general election. Because Ward 3 encompasses the University and surrounding neighborhoods, this election is especially important to ensure that the needs of students are fairly addressed by the City Council.
There are a number of Ward 3 issues the final Ward 3 representative, and the council, should address. Foremost, property crime in the campus area appears to be escalating. Early this school year the Emerald reported that theft in University neighborhoods was on the rise, including automobile break-ins leading to the loss of items such as iPods and stereos (“Theft hits UO; police infer more is to come,” ODE, Sep. 26). Already this term, a laptop computer was stolen from the Chi Omega sorority house when a thief gained entrance through a window opening that was less than one foot wide. Bicycle theft has always been a problem on the University campus, and just this weekend Department of Public Safety officers were lucky enough to apprehend two men attempting to steal bicycles near University dorms. However, as the majority of students are aware, most bicycle thieves easily get away with their crime.
In addition to funding more police officers, especially a task force focusing on drug use, the council could potentially decrease property crime by encouraging the use of more police officers on bicycle and on foot to patrol University neighborhoods. With DPS or EPD on the sidewalk rather than in patrol cars, property crimes might be more easily spotted and prevented, and potential criminals would be likely dissuaded from committing a crime in the presence of an officer. It would also make officers more available to build relationships with residents, a vital aspect of community policing.
Another important goal for the Ward 3 candidate should be to get students more involved in neighborhood agendas and meetings. The West University Neighbors, for example, holds monthly general meetings, yet many students who populate that neighborhood remain uninvolved in the organization; instead, it remains the domain of a few zealous and eccentric community members who, although they may mean well, do not truly represent students. The WUN could certainly benefit from the input of student residents on issues of land use and neighborhood aesthetics, and students could benefit from the opportunity to become more involved in the Eugene community. The Fairmount Neighbors Association and the South University Neighbors are two other neighborhood groups in which student involvement could be improved.
The Ward 3 candidate must also represent students’ needs for better parking around campus and student interests in the University’s plans for a new arena and other renovation east of campus.
In his time as Ward 3 City Councilor, David Kelly has acted as a supportive agent for students, especially throughout the fight for fair housing standards and improved rental codes. When Kelly steps down from the council, it is imperative that his replacement continue to uphold the tradition of protecting student renters, a large portion of the University population. Most importantly, the Ward 3 representative as well as the council must simply remember that students are not just members of the University. We are important contributors to the Eugene community as well.