Dear CHOICES Subscribers, As in the eye of a hurricane, it has been a quiet around PeaceHealth and McKenzie-Willamette lately. But you need a map to track all the winds swirling around these two centers. Let's see if we can read where the winds are headed... Across the street from the proposed new PeaceHealth hospital, the Sony factory sits idle. Readers have proposed using the site for a sports center or a Willamette Valley Conference and Trade Center. Down the street, Sycan B Corp. is nearing an agreement to purchase the Doubletree Hotel. President Richard Boyles may see opportunities coming with all the planned growth in the Gateway area. Meanwhile, a proposal to build a convention center in downtown Springfield is looking dead after the Springfield City Council declined to fund further study of the idea. But the Springfield City Council did approve an agreement that moves the Jasper Road Extension one step closer to being built, perhaps as soon as next summer. The road in southeast Springfield would serve the Jasper-Natron area, which has been called one of the last large undeveloped sections of the Eugene-Springfield metro area. The city has studied developing the 810 acres with housing, business parks, industrial space and supporting stores and services. The Lane County Commissioners approved a deal to allow a National Guard Armory to be built in Springfield along Marcola Road. The prior proposal to build the armory across from Lane Community College had resulted in citizen opposition and lawsuits. Springfield voted to name the extension of the Pioneer Parkway, which will run past the proposed new PeaceHealth hospital, for Martin Luther King, Jr. And Lane Transit District has settled on a bus -- "Invero" from New Flyer of America -- for its Bus Rapid Transit system. LTD plans to open the first phase of BRT between downtown Eugene and Springfield by the summer of 2006, with phases along the Pioneer Parkway Extension and Coburg Road to follow. Springfield has killed a planned new "Transportation System Maintenance Fee," hoping instead that Lane County will give Springfield part of the new funding it receives from a state highway funding package. But that package to repair the state's crumbling bridges and to fund other road maintenance and improvements was just sent back to committee by the Oregon Senate. Lastly, an effort named "Rivers to Ridges" is looking to protect the area's natural areas for recreation. Imagine heading into the Coburg hills to hike public trails and soak up sweeping views of rivers, farmlands and cities -- and a new 9-story hospital. So where are all these winds headed? Some such as the renaming of the Pioneer Parkway Extension, progress on Bus Rapid Transit and the land deals in the Gateway area suggest that the pieces are falling into place for a new hospital in north Springfield. But the recent victory by opponents of a proposed new National Guard Armory across from LCC suggests that not only can you fight city hall, you can even fight the Army and win! Not only that, but the armory deal sounds like a win-win deal. Wetlands are protected and the National Guard gets a more appropriate site. So perhaps PeaceHealth will end up building a new hospital on a more appropriate site, one that does not obstruct the view of the Coburg Hills and require so much new transportation infrastructure. If so, such a deal is going to need the help of the Lane Board of County Commissioners. Unfortunately, we will soon be losing the capable leadership of Tom Lininger. And State Senator Tony Corcoran, viewed by some as the leading candidate to replace Lininger, has withdrawn his name from consideration, saying he is needed in Salem. For some, the Fourth of July signals the middle of summer. If you haven't had a chance to get out and enjoy Oregon's natural beauty, make a point to do so soon, for example, with a hike, bike ride or boat trip along or down the McKenzie River. Rob Zako, Editor 343-5201 rzako@efn.org ================================================================================ Health Options Digest July 8, 2003 Coalition for Health Options In Central Eugene-Springfield (CHOICES) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPPORTUNITIES City seeks volunteers for panels SPRINGFIELD -- The city has openings on its Community Development Advisory Committee and Building Board of Appeals. Applications are sought for five vacancies on the advisory committee. All of the incumbents are eligible to re-apply; the positions are at-large appointments. The new terms for two of the positions will begin upon appointment by the City Council and will continue through Dec. 31, 2005. The new terms for the other three positions will continue through March 31, 2007. The volunteer committee advises the City Council on all matters related to the city's housing and community development activities, which are funded annually by a Community Development Block Grant and a HOME Investment Partnerships Program grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. July 11; application forms are available in the city manager's office at City Hall, 225 Fifth St. For more information, call Kevin Ko at 726-2302. The city is also accepting applications for all five positions on its Building Board of Appeals. Two of the positions will complete the remainder of the terms that expire Dec. 31, 2004. The other three positions will complete the remainder of the terms that expire Dec. 31, 2006. At least four board members must have training or expertise in building design or construction; the fifth must be a property owner in Springfield. The board determines the suitability of alternate materials and methods of construction, gives reasonable interpretations of building safety codes and hears various building and sign code appeals. Applications are available at the City Manager's Office in City Hall, Fifth and A streets. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. July 11. For more information, call Lisa Hopper at 726-3753. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/06/30/b3.cr.openings.0630.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEARBY DEVELOPMENTS Sony should donate facility By Ellen Columbo, Junction City Letter to The Register-Guard, 7/4/03 Let's see. Sony was given land by Springfield on which to build its CD production facility. Sony was given huge tax breaks by the city in exchange for providing good paying jobs. Sony was provided with infrastructure by Springfield that allowed Sony to sell off additional free land at a huge profit. Sony closed its facility after eight years when their tax breaks ran out. Now, the facility will sit empty until a buyer is found. Springfield's mayor has stated he has no interest in approaching Sony to recoup city losses. As a former Sony employee, I have a suggestion that might create a win/win situation. Since the city paid for the facility, why not ask Sony to donate the building and the land it sits on for use as a city sports complex? Think about it. Sony could use the donation as a tax write-off now; it could take forever to find a buyer. The city has long wanted a sports complex. The facility already has parking, bathrooms, water fountains, telephone and computer lines, a cafeteria, a kitchen, a locker room, a multi-media room, an outdoor basketball court, a wellness center with workout equipment, an aerobics room, security cameras, vast spaces inside that could be used for both volleyball and basketball courts, and enough land to have an outdoor soccer field. This would go a long way toward getting the bad taste out of our mouths about the way Sony has dealt with Springfield and Oregon. As it stands now, Sony has become, and remains, just another four-letter word. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/04/ed.letters.0704.html Make use of Sony building By Eric Carlson, Springfield Letter to The Register-Guard, 7/8/03 I read with great interest the letter from Ellen Columbo (letters, July 4) concerning the empty Sony facility in Springfield. I agree that Sony should be approached to donate the building. However, since plans already exist to build a sports complex in Springfield, I'd like to suggest another use. How does the Willamette Valley Conference and Trade Center sound? Having worked in the convention business for 20 years, I know something about this. This area has meeting facilities spread out across Lane County. A central meeting place makes sense. Yes, the Lane County Convention Center already exists, but it's small, old and not easily accessible for patrons or promoters. The Sony facility is exactly the opposite. The building and infrastructure already exist. Lots of hotel rooms already exist in the near area. But perhaps the best reason to explore this possibility is the jobs it would create. Jobs would be created for the conversion from a manufacturing facility to a public assembly facility. Event-driven jobs would be created once the facility opened. More events, more jobs. The most important thing to remember is that this industry helps everyone connected to it. Patrons need to sleep somewhere, eat somewhere, recreate somewhere. They spend their money here, then go home. It's a win-win situation. Local convention and tourism officials should at least do a feasibility study of this idea. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/08/ed.letters.0708.html DoubleTree goes local with name change A new sign appeared in front of the DoubleTree Hotel last Thursday, signaling a change in ownership and management at the 234-bed hotel. The Sycan B Corp., a Springfield development corporation, is nearing a final agreement to buy the hotel at 3280 Gateway St. from Boykin, a Cleveland-based real estate involvement trust. The transaction should close this week or next. The hotel's new name will be Clarion, which is one of Choice Hotels International's top franchise brands, said Richard Boyles, the president of Sycan. (more...) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2003/07/02/business/news2.txt Dead center? Is the latest study of a Springfield convention center starting to flat-line? In April, a consultant hired by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Association of Lane County Oregon, presented a vision for a 10-acre complex anchored by a 40,000-square-foot convention facility by downtown's Island Park. He called it "The Northwest Center at Springfield" -- but maybe it should be amended to include, "R.I.P." (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/05/b1.cr.spcitybeat.0705.html Agreement could drive road project nearer goal SPRINGFIELD -- Officials may soon clear one of the final hurdles to tapping 800 acres for development in southeast Springfield, but it could be years before shovel meets dirt. The City Council tonight will consider an agreement with property owners in the Jasper-Natron area that would allow Lane County to build the Jasper Road extension, crucial to access there, economic development manager John Tamulonis said. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/06/30/b1.cr.jasperroad.0630.html Springfield Council approves agreement for Jasper Road Extension ... In other business, the council ... authorized the city manager to complete negotiations and sign a purchase agreement with Milland Properties Limited Partnership for 13.03 acres along the to-be-constructed Jasper Road extension. The transaction will cost the city $312,720. The money will likely come from transportation system development charges and Sports Center reserves. The city plans to dedicate 4.28 acres of the property to Lane County for a right-of-way needed in the road extension. The remaining acreage will be sold later to recoup some of the purchase price. (end) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2003/07/02/local/news4.txt Armory on its way to Springfield Springfield will be the new home of an armed forces reserve center complex if all goes as planned. The Lane County Board of Commissioners will vote on a motion Wednesday to amend the intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon Military Department for acquisition of a 22 1/2-acre parcel of land on Marcola Road, just east of 31st Street, which is owned by the Pierce Family Trust. That amendment will include that the county provide $1.3 million -- already reserved for this purpose -- to purchase the property and pave the way for the new armory. The OMD and county have a longtime partnership dating back to 1994, according to David Suchart, Lane County's director of facilities planning. (more...) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2003/07/02/local/news2.txt County vote ends battle over armory It looks like a 10-year battle has ended over building a new National Guard Armory just west of Interstate 5 across 30th Avenue from the Lane Community College campus. A vote this week by Lane County commissioners hands a David-and-Goliath victory to a tenacious neighborhood group that opposed the project. Dan Stotter, attorney for the Russel Creek Neighbors Association, characterized the unanimous vote as a "big win for the citizens of Eugene and for the Russel Creek neighbors." (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/04/d1.cr.armory.0704.html The right 'somewhere': Armory appears headed for Springfield site A Register-Guard Editorial Many baby boomers remember the character Maynard G. Krebbs on the old sit-com "Dobie Gillis." Whenever the peripatetic beatnik was asked, "What are you doing here?" his invariable reply was: "Everybody's got to be somewhere, man." So it is with vital public facilities -- from prisons to landfills to grade schools to courthouses to homeless shelters. They all have to be somewhere. Despite their very unbeatnik-like image, so do National Guard armories. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/05/ed.edit.armory.phn.0705.html 'Rivers to Ridges' identifies potential new park sites Imagine heading into the Coburg hills to hike public trails and soak up sweeping views of rivers, farmlands and cities. Or taking an afternoon jaunt through the Thurston hills on the east end of Springfield, lounging along the Coast Fork of the Willamette River near Short Mountain, or bicycling into the wine country along Spencer Creek south of Eugene. Those and dozens of other opportunities for recreation, protection of wildlife habitat and creation of natural buffers between developed areas make up a new conceptual framework for the next generation of large parks and open space reserves in the Eugene-Springfield area. Developed during the past 18 months, the "Rivers to Ridges" vision is the first coordinated effort by local planners to map out potential new parks, trail systems and habitat restoration projects in and around the metro area. Those who helped craft the document stress that it's not a plan, but an integrated collection of ideas to help local planners balance growth and development with the growing demand for recreation and scenic areas and the benefits of protecting natural areas. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/06/30/b1.cr.regionalparks.0630.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANSPORTATION Springfield will honor King SPRINGFIELD -- With virtually none of the turmoil that hounded Eugene, Springfield named a street Monday for Martin Luther King Jr., choosing the yet-to-be-built Pioneer Parkway extension in the city's northwest corner. The City Council voted 4-1 to name the roadway "Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway" when built in 2005, joining Eugene and Portland in recognition of the slain civil rights leader. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/08/d1.cr.springmlk.0708.html BRT buses selected; construction nears Last July, Lane Transit District leaders thought -- wishfully, as it turned out -- that they'd break ground in a few months on their state-of-the-art bus rapid transit system. It's now a year later -- and this time, they really mean it. LTD has begun negotiating with New Flyer of America to buy five "Invero" transit buses for the first phase of the system. The buses -- at $966,000 each -- will run between the downtown Eugene bus station and a new station in downtown Springfield. New Flyer says it can deliver them by summer 2006. "Invero" buses will whoosh riders between stations. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/02/a1.brtbuses.0702.html Invero invasion: Speedy buses in Springfield's future Springfield residents will soon have a speedy new way to travel -- some might call it futuristic. The Invero is coming to town, and riding the bus will never be the same again. Lane Transit District recently signed a deal with New Flyer of America, Inc., to produce five 60-foot Invero rapid transit buses for the district's new Bus Rapid Transit system. LTD hopes to have the system up and running by the summer of 2006. Plans for a rapid transit system in the Springfield-Eugene area have been in the works since 1995. Funding for phase one of the project comes from the federal TEA 21, or Transportation Equity Act. Planners were able to obtain 8.8 of the approximately $16 million costs from the federal government. (more...) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2003/07/07/local/news3.txt Springfield council kills road fees SPRINGFIELD -- The City Council bet big Monday on the Lane County commissioners, unanimously repealing unpopular new road fees in hopes that the county will follow through with more money later. Early signs suggest, in fact, that the councilors played their cards wisely: Three of the five commissioners said Monday that they'll consider passing along a new pot of money from a pending House bill to help fill the $6 million pothole in Springfield's road budget, as well as those in other cities' road budgets. Because of Commissioner Bill Dwyer's petition, Springfield faced a Wednesday deadline to repeal the transportation maintenance fees -- residents and businesses would have paid them monthly starting late this year -- or put them up to a Sept. 16 vote. With Springfield's repeal, Dwyer said he was inclined to consider voting to distribute, among the local cities, the additional $1 million-plus annually that would otherwise go to the county under House Bill 2041, a transportation bill that has passed the House and is currently in the Senate. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/01/b1.cr.roadfees.0701.html Monthly fee for roads scuttled by City Council Springfield residents and business owners are off the hook. They won't be asked to pay a monthly fee to help maintain the city's streets. The City Council voted unanimously Monday to repeal the transportation system maintenance fee, which they approved in December to raise $1 million annually for the city's depleted street fund. (more...) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2003/07/02/local/news4.txt Bridge plan hits snag in Senate SALEM -- A plan to repair Oregon's aging bridges and roads and create nearly 5,000 construction jobs stalled Monday when the Oregon Senate voted to ship it back to committee for possible revisions. The plan, which represents the largest public works project Oregon has seen in decades, sailed through the House and was expected to win approval Monday in the Senate. Instead, the Senate decided the package needs more work, including the possible deletion of a provision giving truckers $3 million a year in tax credits for buying cleaner engines. Despite the setback, Gov. Ted Kulongoski and other boosters said they were optimistic that the transportation measure would be back before the Senate soon. Backers of House Bill 2041 said it is needed to pay for bridge repairs on critical routes -- 487 state-owned bridges have cracks or other serious flaws -- and that it will create thousands of jobs in the process. The measure would boost vehicle registration fees from $30 to $54, and vehicle title fees from $30 to $55. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/08/a7.or.transplan.0708.html Web site contains information on bridges SPRINGFIELD -- There's a new Web site with information about the Oregon Department of Transportation project to replace cracked freeway bridges over the McKenzie and Willamette rivers on Interstate 5 in the Eugene-Springfield area. Go to http://www.odot.state.or.us/region2public and click on the I-5 Willamette River and McKenzie River bridges link. ODOT bridge engineers earlier this year found growing cracks in the reinforced concrete beams that support the bridge decks. This forced ODOT to limit the weight of trucks crossing the bridges. If you have any questions about this project, call 744-8080. http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/03/d2.cr.brief.0703.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER NEWS Lininger will be a loss, but UO's gain By Peter Sorenson, Lane County Commissioner Letter to the Springfield News, 7/5/03 Let me join those who are congratulating Tom Lininger for his work on the Lane County Board of Commissioners. Tom's record of achievements as a county commissioner is very impressive. Tom has been a strong advocate of clean water, clean air and sustainability. He's led the fight to block the construction of a new power plant on Fall Creek. He's helped to reduce the county's reliance on pesticides. He worked with fellow commissioners to pass a resolution in support of acquiring open space at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers. Tom has insisted that the county provide adequate services for rural residents. Thanks in large part to his leadership, the board added four new sheriff's deputies in rural Lane County. Tom also helped to prevent the closure of Lane County's rural health clinics. He's secured money for road projects that preserve the safety of our rural roads. In addition, Tom has worked hard to preserve justice courts in rural Lane County. I have great respect for his values, advocacy skills and work ethic. We'll all miss Tom when he steps down from the board of commissioners on Aug. 15. He will continue his public service as a University of Oregon law professor. Our loss is their gain. (end) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2003/07/07/opinion/news2.txt Senator rules out bid for Lane board vacancy Ending weeks of speculation among county government watchers, state Sen. Tony Corcoran says he won't be a candidate to succeed Commissioner Tom Lininger, who will leave the board in mid-August. The Cottage Grove Democrat said his "heart is in Salem," where he heads the Senate's Revenue and General Government committees. "We have a budget crisis facing our state's schools, public safety and human services, and I've been there these past five sessions trying to make a positive difference for my constituents," Corcoran said. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/07/01/b2.cr.corcoran.0701.html