A new era began at the West University Neighbors meeting Thursday night as ASUO President Adam Walsh was elected chairman and received a gift from outgoing chairman Drix Rixmann.
“I pass this apple on to you,” Rixmann said, as he passed an apple with leaves rubber-banded to it to Walsh. “God bless you, buddy.”
Walsh, a former WUN board member, was the only candidate for the position. Eight other board members also ran unopposed and were elected unanimously by the roughly 30 people, including many students, who attended the meeting in downtown Eugene.
The WUN unanimously passed a resolution opposing the University’s sale of the Westmoreland Apartments. Walsh will be speaking in opposition to the sale in front of the Oregon University System Finance and Administration Committee in Portland this morning, he said at the meeting.
Walsh spoke at length on the topic before the vote, expressing concern over what he called a lack of community participation in the sale and the loss of affordable housing for students and their families. He encouraged everyone, not just students, to get involved if they feel strongly.
“This is important not only for students, but the allies of students,” Walsh said.
The board also suggested future discussions about the creation of a neighborhood watch program, continuing work on the West University Park and future meeting locations.
Walsh said he was interested in creating a candidate forum for the upcoming city council elections. The WUN is represented by Ward 3 City Councilor David Kelly, who is up for re-election but has not yet stated whether he will run. Bruce Mulligan – a member of the Eugene Budget Committee, which makes budget recommendations to the city council – has already filed to run against Kelly.
“Most neighborhood associations do candidate forums,” Walsh said. “It’s important to create a dialogue around our potential representatives.”
Walsh said that a forum would benefit both candidates and community members.
“People at meetings are not only the ones that vote but the ones who tell their friends who they are voting for,” Walsh said.
The group also heard from Julia Augustus of the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity, who is organizing a neighborhood cleanup for Nov. 12.
Augustus said that as part of the fraternity she has to perform community service, and this year she wanted to take a more proactive approach.
“I thought it would be cool if we initiated our own event, and a cleanup seemed like a good thing to do,” she said.
There will be a cleanup table set up in front of the University Bookstore that day, and volunteers can get maps, garbage bags, drinks and snacks provided by EMU Food Services. Augustus said she is also in contact with Target to get donations of garbage bags, gloves and possibly T-shirts.
Walsh said he is hoping to make the WUN a place where students and residents can discuss issues facing the neighborhood, but also learn about how the city works. Last year, the WUN was visited by both the mayor and the police chief, and Walsh hopes to bring both back this year, he said.
“Personally I was able to learn a lot,” Walsh said. “I would like to bring about the same type of atmosphere.”
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