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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1978)
Rust hopes for a quieter year in 78 Meetings should run smoothly By JANE LEHMAN Of the Emerald Lane County commissioner’s meetings should run more smoothly this year compared to 1977, believes Jerry Rust, the newly elected chairman of the commissioner’s board. Rust criticized fellow commis sioner Archie Weinstein last week during an Emerald interview for contributing to “a considerable waste of time” while chairing the commissioner meetings last year. Rust says that he will carry through with Weinstein’s original promise of a “no frills” style of leadership this year. In the past year, the county commissioner meetings have fre quently turned into verbal sparring matches between Weinstein and either Rust or commissioner Bob past, is a collective responsibility. The board has the power and au thority to set rules and proce dures." Even though Rust admits to the problem, he feels it has been blown out of proportion by the news media. “In some instances there has been an unfair portrayal of the board by various elements of the media. Ninety-five percent of the time it has been business as usual. But the remaining five per cent gets the play,” he em phasizes. But, as he admits, “Archie is very quotable, but we don’t need a stand-up comedian as board chairman. Board business can be amusing once in a while but we’re affecting people’s lives, pocket books and environment. Rust says the meetings he has “I don’t expect to be in a position of rapping the gavel and stymy ing the exchange of ideas. A commissioner is elected to speak his mind. I hope to guide discus sion toward the issue.” At the same time, Rust does not want to see too much structure enter into debates. “I’d like to see discussion as free from formal encumberments as possible," he says. The 2-1 vote against Weinstein is another phenomenan that has characterized board decisions. Occasionally Rust and Wood have decided the issues, with Weinstein abstaining. A check of the records of “short" minutes kept on the meet ings indicates that durjng the months of October through De cember Weinstein cast the lone dissenting vote 16 times, while abstaining 11 times. The rest of the board votes, with the excep tion of two negative Wood ballots, were unanimous. Rust says that he and Wood do not intentionally align themselves in a coalition block. _ “I don’t look at Archie or Bob when-1 vote. It is my vote based just on the merits of the issue. I try to work for concensus, especially with a three member body since it adds creditability to our deci sions.” Despite Weinstein’s apparent ‘Archie is quotable, but we don’t need a stand-up comedian as board chairman’ Wood. However, Weinstein alone cannot be blamed for the be havior, said Rust. “This is by no means derogat ory toward Archie Weinstein as chairman,” Rust says. “This, which has been a problem in the conducted so far have been with out incident. But, he adds, nothing controversial has come up on the agenda so far. If such an issue does arise, Rust says he has defi nite ideas on how to handle the matter. _“All the things of the Universe Wheel have spirit and life, including the rivers, rocks, earth, sky, plants and animals. But it is only man, of all the Beings on the Wheel, who is the determiner. Our determining Spirit can be made whole through the learning of our harmony with all our brothers and sisters and with all the other spirits of the Universe.” Hyemeyohsts Storm Grammar Literature Reading Science Math Social Studies 3 undergraduate or graduate credits... For information and applications contact: High School Egwvoloncy Ppogpdm Emerald Hall x3531 Also available is a work study position at $2.65 an hour. * Photo by Sloven Scher philosophical break with the other two commissioners, Rust finds that “Archie has been a tremend ous political ally,” on some issues, namely the county reorganization plan and a move to change the county’s central purchasing prac tices. In looking at the vote split, Rust observes that the devisiveness has been over land-use planning issues. Rust explains the differ ences in terms of interpretation of the board’s duties. “The board serves as a court in the case of land-use appeals on county planning commission de cisions. When a citizen appeals to us, Archie’s never voted to turn him down. He feels property rights are more important than the law. I take my quasi-judicial role very seriously. Archie doesn’t under stand his quasi-judicial function.” Rust hastens to add, though, that Weinstein has a legitimate point in challenging county ordi nances or the state legislation concerning the land planning. But, he says, the way to effect the change is by changing the original law. Rust has come in for some criti cism during his first year in office for allegedly failing to follow through on innovative ideas he proposed during his campaign. Rust strongly disagrees with that assessment of his work and points to a host of accomplishments to back his stand. Rust is especially proud of creating an Office of Appropriate Technology for the county. He also cites innovations in slash waste management, embracing the concept of honor farming, and various economic development moves ranging from encouraging fish farming to examining com munity development corpora tions. According to Rust, the board has also instigated a practice of methane gas generation in old garbage dumps, found new uses for scrap iron and pushed the use of hard woods, which normally go to waste. "I’ve put some item on nearly every week’s agenda and always brought up items for new busi ness,” he said in defense of his reputation for innovation. Rust is happy to see the expan sion of the board of commission ers to five positions beginning January 1979. The process to de cide on the new commissioners starts with the May primary. The position that is currently Wood's seat will be phased out when his term expires. Rust was initially against the (Continued on Page 9) See BERG’S FOR COMPLETE SKI BENTAL SERVICE I TWO LOCATIONS I —CROSS COUNTRY SKIS— Rent Cross-Country Skis at our 11 th & Mill Store We offer the finest in cross-country, no-wax ski equip ment . 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