CITY TABLES PURCHASE
OF AMAZON HEADWATERS
The fate of the Beverly property and the Amazon
Creek headwaters it contains is still up in the air, thanks
to the Eugene City Council’s motion to table the issue
in a Feb. 19 work session. The property is near Spencer
Butte in the south hills.
The delay preceded the 4J School Board’s vote that
night to accept the city’s offer to purchase Civic Stadi-
um. The Southeast Neighbors and those who would like
to see the headwaters protected from development say
that some key points were glossed over in the work ses-
sion (see Letters), and by tabling the matter of purchas-
ing the Beverly property, the council is only stalling.
“We were hoping to see it move into executive ses-
sion, which didn’t happen,” says Heather Sielicki of the
Southeast Neighbors. “I understand there is that urge to
talk, but it postpones the decision making, and at some
point they have to take responsibility.”
During the work session, Councilor Mike Clark said
that although Martin and Leslie Beverly lowered the ask-
ing price from $4 million to $2.5 million for their three
tax lots that contain the ecologically sensitive Amazon
headwaters, the price of $1.5 million is still too high for
the two lots at risk of having houses built on them.
Councilor Claire Syrett said she was hesitant to pur-
chase the headwaters with 2006 bond money intended
for park and natural area acquisitions when other areas
of Eugene, including her own ward, lack adequate park
space. She and other councilors suggested that commu-
nity members might contribute to purchase the land.
A few suggestions include The Audubon Society,
The Nature Conservancy and The Be Noble Founda-
tion, headed by Deborah and Peter Noble, who started
the foundation to save the Amazon Headwaters in hon-
or of their son Erin, who died in a 2012 plane crash.
Deborah Noble says the city could also look at using
the money from the system development charge (SDC)
fund, gathered from city development fees and used to
pay for parks, new streets and other growth-related im-
provements.
Councilor Betty Taylor also suggested using SDC
fund money to purchase parkland in other parts of Eu-
gene while using the $1.1 million available from the
2006 bond measure to acquire the headwaters. “I think
there’s nothing more urgent or similar to this particu-
SLANT
• It is disappointing that two Eugene attorneys who are
powerful statewide have led the effort to stop HB 4143,
which would give to legal aid the funds left over when all the
winners of class-action lawsuits do not collect their shares,
for whatever reasons. Oregon and New Hampshire are the
only states that return the uncollected funds to the guilty
defendants. David Frohnmayer and Bill Gary, representing
big oil and big tobacco, argue now that this short legislative
session allows too little time to consider this issue. That’s an
ironic argument when we remember that Gary represented
Nike in locking in an unprecedented 30-year tax deal in a
special one-day session.
Senate President Peter Courtney, who knows the
logistics of legislation as well as anybody in this state, has
argued passionately for the state Senate to pass HB 4143.
It passed the House 36-21. Attorney General Rosenblum
former attorneys general Hardy Myers and Ted Kulongoski
and favor HB 4143. This is a test of whether the big-money
lobbying that dominates D.C. also dominates Salem.
• 4J School Board Member Jim Torrey complimented
the local YMCA for playing the best “ground game” in the
competition for the 10.2 acres including Civic Stadium at
the decisive school board meeting Feb. 19. Internet messages
from the Y flooded board members’ inboxes. But the board
voted 6-1 (Beth Gerot dissenting) to sell to the city. It was
clear at that meeting that Fred Meyer (Kroger) is now standing
in the wings eager to buy the valuable property no matter the
price if the city can’t meet its own requirements.
• The long squabble over historic street lamps for WOW
Hall might be ending soon. We understand a productive
meeting happened Feb. 21 between WOW Hall, Eugene
Public Works, Councilor George Brown and Eugene
Neighborhood Services. Jon Pincus of WOW Hall says
negotiations will continue and will involve architect Steve
Baker, a member of the Eugene Historic Review Board and
Planning Commission. What’s next? If the project goes
forward, the next phase of fundraising will begin. Find out
more at wkly.ws/1ox.
• We hear tireless advocate for the homeless Alley
Valkyrie is moving to Portland. It’s a “decision based on
personal finances and psychological well-being,” she writes
on her public Facebook page. Valkyrie’s business, Practical
Rabbit, where she dyes and prints clothing and patches and
felts fuzzy creatures, makes more money in PDX, she says.
We wish her the best, want to give Portland city government
a heads up and can’t help but wonder if we can’t raise
money through some Kickstarter campaign to hire her as
Eugene’s official squeaky wheel to keep her here a while
longer.
• Skin deep in Springfield — Needles buzzed
across acres of exposed flesh this past weekend, Feb.
21-23, as dozens of the nation’s best artists plied their
trade at the inaugural Evergreen Tattoo Expo at
Springfield’s Willamalane Center. Experts from far-flung
places like London and Puerto Rico mingled with artists
closer to home, such as Tyler Jones (aka “Mr. Jones”)
from Off the Map Tattoo in Grants Pass. Evergreen
organizer Erin Smith says the expo was a hit, receiving
“tons of praise” from the artists. “We’ve already sold
booths and are making plans for next year,” she adds.
PHOTO BY TODD COOPER
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
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Sp
Public Hearing
for the Draft 2015 – 2018
Statewide Transportation
Improvement Program (STIP)
March 12, 2014 5:30 p.m.
Lane ACT meeting at the ODOT office
644 A Street, Springfi eld
McLane Room, 2nd Floor
2015-2018 Draft STIP public hearing will be on the LaneACT agenda. For
those interested, this will be the time for public oral comments to be accepted.
View the draft 2015-2018 STIP at:
www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION2/Pages/1518Draft STIP.aspx
Official Show Sponsor
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