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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1976)
Melevin ‘Try to live within the means available to us’ By ANNE KERN Of the Emerald Doug Melevin, Democratic candidate for Lane County Commissioner Pos. No. One, recommends that the county “try to live within the means available to us,” rather than in crease or add taxes. Melevin supports recycling of garbage and favors the county library proposal "with making adjustments for costs’’ and actively opposes the pre sent jail proposal and any new major construction. "I don’t think the people will vote in any new taxes or budget increases, and I want to follow the wishes of the people,” Melevin says. He adds that if there's no money to spend, the commission can't spend it and the only al ternative is to cut back. Melevin, who narrowly lost the district attorney's race four Weinstein: Opposes new taxes, wants improved programs for needy By GWENDA RICHARDS Of the Emerald Archie Weinstein, Democra tic candidate for Lane County Commission No. One, feels that any board increase should be the result of a general vote. He would like to cut county spending and prohibit new taxes. He feels that the six per cent increase limitation in the county budget should be enough. He says that the 1990 Plan is unfeasible because “you Archie Weinstein can't plan 20 years ahead. They said it was flexible; it be came inflexible.” He feels that the plan should be axed and replaced by a new one. He does not approve of the Lane Council of Governments (L-COG), and would like to see the size decreased to three to-five members. He feels that the county commissioners, in conjunction with a lay group, should be doing what L-COG is doing now. Concerning his fiscal priorities for social services, Weinstein would like to review and improve programs for senior citizens and the needy. Through "close administra tion," he suggests that 40 to 50 per cent of administrative costs could be redirected to these groups. He does not advocate the “metro district” for sewers, water and fire protection, claiming that there are too many districts. Weinstein believes that the solid waste problem and any county construction should be budgeted based on competi tive bids. He wants the county to hold back on any construction for a three-to-four year period to “tighten up belts." If any build ing is done, he would like to see competitive bidding in itiated for any amount over $5,000, and a vote on anything over $500,000 required. He does not feel that the proposed county library is a campaign issue. Weinstein would like the proposed jail plan to be re vised to include competitive bidding from different ar chitects. He feels that the proposed cost is too high. For a temporary solution, he sug gests directing $1 million to remodel the present jail and to establish a misdemeanor court nearby. He believes that this would stop the routing of minor cases to jail. Weinstein, a merchant, real estate developer for 40 years, and owner of Weinstein Enter prises, has never held an elected office. He studied law at the University and ran un successfully as an indepen dent for County Commissioner Position Number 2 in 1974. years ago, says the garbage disposal problem should be worked into an educational program to get the residential consumers to sort their own garbage and then the “expen sive sorting machines will not be necessary.” He looks for the future to introduce stan dard size glass jars that could also be used for home can ning. “Knowledge is the only thing that will save our country,” says Melevin about the county library proposal. "The benefits over the long run would be trememdous.” he says the cost problems can be worked out. Melevin thinks the jail prop osal will fail because of the sizeable tax increase it calls for. He favors a custody oriented proposal over the proposed treatment-oriented one. He also advocates reg ional jail facilities in conjunc tions with state facilities and would like to see less em phasis placed on convictions of victimless crimes in general, such as lesser drug offenses. The county should be in the “repair business," Melevin in sists. He opposes any county involvement in major construc tion except repair work. Melevin says he hasn’t seen any proposals that would satisfy the complaints that have led to proposing a larger board. The major complaint is non-representation of the out lying areas by the commis sioners controlled by the Eugene-Springfield votes. He says the county needs to look at "re-organizing the entire government" before advocat ing any member increase. On the 1990 Plan, Melevin says more flexibility is needed in the plan “so as times change, you can change the plan.” Doug Melevin Van Devender: Planning is essential, more efficiency necessary; recycling a step in the right direction By GWEN DA RICHARDS Of the Emerald Agnes Van Devender, Democratic candidate for Lane County Committioner Pos. No. One, says the board should be increased to five members and believes it should be districted so outlying areas are represented. She does not think the county should seek new ways to fund its programs and states that the county should live within available sources. Van Devender, who agrees that planning is essential, would like to see the Lane Council of Governments re duce its staff and increase effi ciency. She cites health services and public safety as social service priorities and is particu larly impressed by various ex isting programs for the elderly. Because she feels that each area has specific needs, Van Devender does not feel that a “metro district" for sewers, water and fire protection should be formed. Instead, she feels that the present dis trict system is good, and says new districts should be formed as they are needed. She would like to see solid waste recycled as fuel for heat ing plants and hopes for further experimentation along this line. She is displeased with the sanitary land fill, par ticularly because of the rodent population that has de veloped, and feels that recycl ing is a step in the right direc tion. Van Devender agrees that a new county jail is needed, but questions the proposed Agnes Van Devender $11.77 million cost. Concern ing the mental health unit proposal included in the jail package, she would agree to it if combined with existing Lane County mental health ser vices. “If it stands alone for prison use, that’s more than we need." She opposes the county lib rary proposal, stating that “I don’t see how we can add ser vices knowing the tax situation in Lane County.’’ Van Devender, bom in Wis consin in 1918, served on the Junction City Dist. No. 69 school board for a four-year term beginning in 1972. She served on the same school district’s budget committee in 1971, and was its representa tive on the Lane Intermediary Education District budget committee in 1976. She is pre sently working on the Lane Transit District Budget com mittee. She was past president of the local Luthern Church Women and worked with Brownie Scouts, Cub Scouts and the Parent-Teacher As sociation. Married for 34 years to George Van Devender, a Georgie Pacific plywood plant worker, she is a mother of three and a grandmother of four.
