New Search
EUGENE <br /> EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER <br /> May 29, 2003 <br /> City of Eugene <br /> 777 Pearl Street, Room 105 <br /> Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793 <br /> (541)682-5010 <br /> (541)682-5414 (FAX) <br /> www.ci.eugene.or.us <br /> ',IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION <br /> MAYOR TORREY RELEASES REPORT ON SCHOOL FUNDING <br /> NEW GAZEBO AT OWEN ROSE GARDEN TO BE DEDICATED NEXT WEEK <br /> TOUR `TALKING STONES'IN ALTON BAKER PARK THIS SATURDAY <br /> VOLUNTEERS TO RESTORE HISTORIC TRAIL IN HENDRICKS PARK THIS WEEKEND <br /> EUGENE EARNS MENTION AS `SUCCESS STORY'ON NATIONAL TELECOMM WEBSITE <br /> AROUND THE CITY <br /> Mayor Torrey Releases Report on School Funding <br /> Responding to what he saw as misplaced priorities on the part of Governor Kulongoski and the Oregon Legislature, <br /> Mayor Jim Torrey embarked on a personal crusade across the state to bring attention to the education funding crisis. <br /> From January 17 to May 2, 2003, Mayor Torrey visited each of the 36 Oregon county seats and asked a series of <br /> questions to gauge perceptions about school resource management, the effectiveness of the Quality Education Model, <br /> CIM and CAM, and empowering communities to raise revenue locally for education needs. At each stop, he met with <br /> mayors, county commissioners, school board members, chamber of commerce members and community leaders. <br /> Mayor Torrey's goal in convening these meetings was to discuss the school funding crisis Oregon now faces and to find <br /> common ground among all communities for identifying workable solutions. One solution discussed at each session <br /> centered on developing a constitutional amendment allowing local electors to authorize additional property taxes, or <br /> "gap" levy to support their local schools until an equitable and permanent solution to the crisis is found. All of the <br /> communities supported the concept of forming a broad-based task force to pursue and research possible solutions to <br /> present to the Oregon legislature, which could then be referred to voters. <br /> After completing the tour, Mayor Torrey compiled and summarized the responses he obtained to each of the eight <br /> questions. At a press conference in the State Capitol on May 22, 2003, he released Education Funding: A Report From <br /> the Grass Roots. The 19-page report can be viewed on the City of Eugene website at www.ci.eugene.or.us. For more <br /> information about the county seat tour, contact Beth Forrest at 682-5882 or via email at beth.l.forrest @ci.eugene.or.us. <br /> New Gazebo at Owen Rose Garden to be Dedicated Next Week <br /> The Eugene Delta Rotary will dedicate its most recent project at <br /> Owen Rose Garden—a gazebo in the heart of the garden—at the <br /> monthly club meeting Friday, June 6, from noon to 1:30 p.m. <br /> Mayor Jim Torrey, Delta Rotary Project Coordinator Paul Peschiera <br /> and Parks and Open Space Director Johnny Medlin will discuss the 4 , <br /> accomplishments of this unique public-private partnership. Dick <br /> Owen, George Owen's son, will also share a few words about his <br /> father's vision to create a garden where the people of Eugene could . <br /> "go and smell the roses." •, • <br /> In partnership with the City's Parks and Open Space Division, the R. <br /> Rotarians raised funds, purchased materials and constructed a <br /> gazebo in just over a year. The gazebo is a 28-foot hexagonal <br /> PAGE 1 <br /> EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER <br />