Eugene weekly., August 18, 2011, Page 9, Image 9

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• A couple of key Lane County citizen panels were eliminated Aug. 3 by
the County Commission (see News Briefs). Gone are the Vegetation
Management Advisory Committee (VMAC) and the Commission for the
Advancement of Human Rights (CAHR). The move apparently caught some
members of these panels by surprise; they didn’t even know their years of
hard work and public service were on the line. It was another 3-2 vote that
reflects the conservative shift on the board with Commissioners Sorenson
and Handy losing to Leiken, Bozievich and Stewart (see our cover story on
“Shifty Politics,” 7/14).
Local timber barons, who contributed substantially to the election
campaigns of the three conservative commissioners, are likely celebrating
the end of VMAC, which for more than 25 years served as a sounding board
on public health, clean water and species survival. VMAC has been outspoken
on private timberland spraying and has helped educate county residents on
the hazards of home and garden pesticide use.
One reason given for cutting these panels was “we don’t have the money,”
though the county’s administrative costs for VMAC are a fraction of the
expense of the Rick Dancer Vimeo series that attacked labor unions. Another
stated reason was “they don’t have a lot of members and they don’t do
much,” but ironically, conservative commissioners never made their
appointments to these panels.
On a related note, the commissioners voted 4-1 at the same meeting on a
non-binding resolution in support of the Lane County Summer Food Program,
federal money that goes to FOOD for Lane County to provide free lunches for
kids in low-income neighborhoods. Lots of volunteers involved. Guess who
was the lone, courageous vote against feeding hungry poor kids? Yep.
Bozievich. Let them drink tea.
• We’ve lost some prominent people in Lane County lately, and
hopefully no more for a while. Longtime arts supporter and innovator Candy
Moffett died July 27, businesswoman and philanthropist Carolyn Chambers
died Aug. 8, and stone carver and metalwork artist David P. Miller died Aug.
10. All are big losses to our community, and they will be long remembered.
• Is there more to our story last week about accusations of sexual
harassment at the UO Department of Philosophy? The UO’s statement on
the results of its investigation can be found in its entirety at http://wkly.
ws/13j along with a string of strong comments, and some contradict the
findings of the UO Office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity.
• New hope for saving Civic Stadium? We’re encouraged by the
collaborative plan put forth by Rick Wright and the Civic Community Group
that would not only save the historic stadium but also provide a new home
for the aging YMCA. The proposal goes before the 4J School Board this week
and we hope board members share our enthusiasm.
• Despite noisy opposition and now a state query, LTD is still pursuing the
massive and lengthy bureaucratic process for the West Eugene EmX
project, and more open houses are planned for September. Check out www.
ltd.org or find LTD on Facebook. New on the LTD website (http://wkly.ws/13f)
is a series of “mythbuster” statements worth reading. Here’s a sample: “A
primary goal of EmX is to control LTD’s operating costs by implementing a
system that is more efficient to operate than standard bus service.” And to
combat the “No Buses to Nowhere” signs, the website also cites government
projections of growth in both population and employment along the West
Eugene EmX corridor, saying “a significant amount of Eugene’s higher-
density residential population (will be) located within easy walking distance of
the West 11th corridor.”
To really judge whether the West Eugene EmX is a good idea, we need to
look ahead 10 to 50 years at our evolving transportation needs. We don’t see
that kind of thinking among the opponents of the project.
• Our annual Best of Eugene ballot is now running in print when we have
space and online 24/7 at www.bestofeugene.com and we have some fun new
categories this year. No ballot stuffing, please, but it’s OK to use social media
to encourage friends and family to vote. These are important community
awards and the winners are determined by you, our readers.
SLANT includes short opinion pieces, observations and rumor-chasing notes compiled by the EW staff. Heard
any good rumors lately? Contact Ted Taylor at 484-0519, editor@eugeneweekly.com
ON SALE TOMORROW!
October 4-6 7:30pm
Hult Center
Tickets at www.hultcenter.org, (541)682.5000, Hult Center
Box Office and U of Oregon Ticket Office(EMU).
Groups(15+) Call (541)682.5000.
Visit BroadwayinEugene.com for more information.
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EUGENE WEEKLY AUGUST 18, 2011 9