Eugene weekly., June 01, 2006, Page 9, Image 9

• We were hoping to see some movement toward adopting the collaboration model
proposed for the West Eugene Parkway by the Osprey Group, but the City Council’s
actions last week were less than ideal. Nobody expects collaboration on the WEP to
result in a local nod for the highway as-is — such an outcome would guarantee years
of heavy litigation. But the council voted to keep the WEP as-is on the metro area’s
transportation project list, just delay funding until January 2009. What are the impli-
cations of this strategy? What are the alternatives? Unexpected consequences? Will
this plan fly with the Metropolitan Policy Committee? Councilors didn’t even have a
chance to ask all their questions. And why the rush to light a long fuse on a big time
bomb? Our primary concern is that even if we hash out a marvelously logical plan to
deal with west Eugene traffic, 18 months of collaboration could be blown to bits by
any number of things, including a hasty council vote made back in 2006.
• City Manager Dennis Taylor gets his annual evaluation by the Eugene City Council
this week just after we go to press. We hear the level of dissatisfaction with Taylor
has not improved since last year when he was berated for keeping councilors in the
dark, setting policy when he should have been following policy, resisting council
directions, being heavy-handed in labor negotiations, and other problems (see EW
cover story, 8/4/05). He earned an overall score of 3.6 out of a possible 5. We don’t
expect the council to fire him, but unless his performance and communication skills
have improved, it would send a clear message to deny him his annual pay raise. Kitty
Piercy’s tie vote was the only reason he got a raise last year. When we evolve to a
strong-mayor form of city government, we might have the same kinds of problems,
but at least the mayor would be directly accountable to the people. Taylor, through
his secrecy and control of information, has managed to avoid being accountable to
anyone but the few councilors who are trying to pay attention.
news
briefs
UO APPROVES
DIVERSITY PLAN
The UO faculty Senate is accustomed to
meeting before a sparse audience — perhaps
a half-dozen campus politicians and a sleepy
student reporter. But on May 24, nearly 400
people packed into 150 Columbia Hall for
what would prove to be an unusually emo-
tional Senate meeting.
“I didn’t know so many people cared
about the spring curriculum report,” quipped
University Senate President Peter Keyes.
But everyone in attendance knew the real
reason the room was buzzing: The Senate
would finally vote on the contentious UO
Diversity Plan, which has been in the works
for almost four years and revised three times.
UO President David Frohnmayer empha-
sized his support for the plan, calling it “a bal-
ance between equity and … economics.” He
reminded senators that the document does not
reflect the views of any individual, but rather
the feedback from more than 1,000 members
of the university community.
Frohnmayer also denied that the plan was
conceived in a 2002 lawsuit settlement with a
former senior administrator, claiming that the
university intended to draft the plan months
before the lawsuit was filed. However, the
settlement marked the first time that the uni-
versity committed to the plan in writing, and
a federal court retains jurisdiction over the
matter.
Faculty in favor of and opposed to the
plan took turns at the microphone for more
than an hour. Supporters described the plan as
a long-overdue first step toward equity,
though some expressed concerns it doesn’t
go far enough. Opponents suggested that the
plan is oppressive, too expensive and unfairly
gives preferential treatment to targeted mi-
nority groups.
Economics professor Christopher Ellis, a
UO senator who opposes the plan, proposed a
failed motion to delay the vote. He later drew
hisses and boos when he said, “Part of the
problem of our society is that the poor fail to
achieve. The poor are also largely black and
Hispanic.”
History professor Martin Summers, who
supports the plan, called opponents’ sugges-
tion to improve campus racial diversity by
reaching out to low-income, middle-school
students “disingenuous.” He also spoke
about his decision to leave the UO for the
University of Texas, a move that prompted
student protests in his support earlier this
spring. He said that he accepted the offer
from UT not because it pays better than the
UO but because that university has demon-
strated a stronger commitment to African-
American studies and built a critical mass of
African-American scholars. Several dozen
audience members gave him a standing ova-
tion.
The Senate soundly passed the motion to
adopt the Diversity Plan by a vote of 32-6.
For College of Education staff member
Shoshana Kerewsky, the vote reflects the
campus community’s overwhelming support
for the plan. “Most of the senators agree that
it’s time to do something,” she said. “This, at
least, is a first step.” — Kera Abraham
• Last week’s second public forum on the Eugene City Hall Complex Master Plan
looked at issues of space needs, project values and police consolidation, and the
next forum Aug. 24 will look at siting issues such as access and transportation (see
www.EugeneCityHall.com). What’s odd is that the city just put out an RFP (request
for proposal) for the old Sears Building hole-in-the-ground across the street from
the new library. This city-owned lot, recently nixed as a site for a new Oregon
Research Institute building, could be an excellent spot for a high-rise City Hall.
• Meanwhile, what’s up with Conner & Woolley following the breakup with the Opus
Group partners on the Broadway District project? We’ve asked, but no response.
C&W should get busy if they are going to try to create a mini-Pearl District in down-
town Eugene. Some competition could come from an unexpected direction. We hear
that a pack of local and regional investors are looking seriously at creating an ambi-
tious mixed-use development along the river in Glenwood. PeaceHealth and
McKenzie-Willamette boards rejected the area for a hospital site, but wiser folks are
seeing the potential. Cheap land, willing sellers, great location, easy bus and car
access, and depending on which way you look, great scenery.
• In late-breaking news, the Oregon Bach Festival announced May 31 that co-founder
and Executive Director Royce Saltzman is stepping down and will instead be work on
fundraising to complete the OBF’s $10 million endowment. Saltzman, 77, will remain
in his position through the 2007 festival.
EWEB WORKERS
WANT AVERAGE
EWEB union negotiators met with the
EWEB board May 29 in an attempt to head
off a strike. Bargaining team member and
EWEB electric meter technician Rob Dotson
says that the main sticking point is the differ-
ence between health care proposals.
The two sides have been negotiating since
September, Dotson says. Last year’s contract
expired on December 31, 2005. Board mem-
bers say they’re offering a fair contract. But
JUNE 1, 2006 9