Dear CHOICES Subscribers, Happy new year! Following is a special two-week edition of "Health Options Digest." Looking back, there was plenty of hospital-related news in 2003. In January, McKenzie-Willamette Hospital announced a partnership with Texas-based Triad Hospitals, Inc. In March, Springfield approved plan amendments for PeaceHealth to build a $400-million hospital in the Gateway area. Several individuals and organizations -- including CHOICES -- appealed these plan amendments to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). In April, Sony Disc Manufacturing shut down its factory in the Gateway area. In September, PeaceHealth began excavation work on its Gateway site. The Jaqua family and CHOICES challenged the excavation with LUBA and the Lane County Circuit Court, respectively. Also in September, Eugene took steps to welcome a new hospital. In October, a federal jury sided with McKenzie-Willamette Hospital, finding that PeaceHealth tried to monopolize the local market for hospital services, engaged in price discrimination and unlawfully interfered in McKenzie-Willamette's business relationships. In November, Springfield began reviewing PeaceHealth's master plan for a new hospital. Looking forward, PeaceHealth and Springfield are pushing plans for the new hospital. On Monday, the Springfield City Council will begin reviewing PeaceHealth's master plan. They are expected to decide on the master plan in February. On Tuesday, the Springfield Planning Commission may finish up its review of the master plan. Meanwhile, McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is anxious to find a site for its new hospital. But the news we didn't hear in 2003 may be the most important news of all. LUBA hasn't yet ruled on the appeals of the PeaceHealth plan amendments. It is expected to do so any day now. If LUBA remands or reverses the prior plan amendments, all bets may be off and much of the work over the past year or two may need to be redone. Local elected leaders will be looking back and forward. On Monday, Springfield Mayor Sid Leiken will give his annual State of the City address. On Wednesday, Lane County Board of Commissioners Chair Peter Sorenson and Eugene Mayor Jim Torrey will do likewise. On Thursday, the Metropolitan Policy Committee will meet. The mission of MPC is "to promote problem-solving and to resolve intergovernmental disagreements." MPC also plays a key role in transportation planning and funding. This year, look for MPC to play a critical role in resolving local disputes ranging from road maintenance funding to perhaps even which hospital goes where. Also on Thursday, ODOT is offering its monthly tour of the replacement I-5 bridges over the Willamette and McKenzie Rivers. A letter to The Register-Guard titled "Miracles happen at PeaceHealth" and signed by 72 PeaceHealth physicians has generated a couple strong responses. Yes, the doctors, nurses and other health care professionals at PeaceHealth perform miracles and are an asset to the community. But that fact doesn't place them above the law or other community interests. Indeed, PeaceHealth physicians should be leading the call that PeaceHealth's management abide by land use planning laws and abstain from anti-competitive behavior. The Register-Guard ran an extensive series on campaign financing in Lane County. Links to all stories in the series are available below. Look for local races to be almost as hot as the presidential election. Many potential candidates are waiting to see whether Eugene Mayor Torrey will run for a third term. His decision will likely cause several political dominoes to fall, as hopefuls decide which elected office, if any, to run for. If you are looking for a new year's resolution, consider volunteering for any of many citizens boards, commissions and committees. Lane County is seeking eight people who will use the services of its system of community health centers to fill out a new 15-person Community Health Center Advisory Council. The five-member Economic Development Standing Committee, which advises the Lane County commissioners on economic development policies and activities, has a vacancy for a lay member. Springfield has openings for all five positions on the Building Board of Appeals. If you don't want to commit that much time, you can still make a difference. Write a letter to the editor of any of our local papers. Contact information is available on our web links page: http://www.efn.org/~choices/links.shtml Rob Zako, Editor 343-5201 rzako@efn.org ================================================================================ Health Options Digest January 4, 2004 Coalition for Health Options In Central Eugene-Springfield (CHOICES) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CALENDAR Monday, January 5 -- Springfield City Council Springfield City Hall, 225 Fifth St., Springfield, 726-3700 11:00 a.m., Mayor's State of the City Address, Council Meeting Room * Mayor Leiken's State of the City Address -- Framing the Future. Immediately following, Reception, City Hall Lobby * Refreshments served. Agenda: http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/CMO/2004Council/010504%20Combined%20Agenda.pdf See also below: "Council, County get back to work" and "Springfield mayor to give annual address Monday" Monday, January 5 -- Springfield City Council Springfield City Hall, 225 Fifth St., Springfield, 726-3700 5:30 p.m., Special Work Session, Jesse Maine Room 1. Review Proposed Riverbend Master Plan and Zone Change Applications (PeaceHealth). (120 min.) 2. Library District Formation. (20 min.) 3. Airport Special District Formation. (10 min.) Agenda: http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/CMO/2004Council/010504%20Combined%20Agenda.pdf Tuesday, January 6 -- Springfield Planning Commission Springfield City Hall, 225 Fifth St., Springfield, 726-3753 5:30 p.m., Work Session, Jesse Maine Room 1. Discretionary Use/Site Plan Review -- Thurston Community Baptist Church. (15 min.) 2. PeaceHealth Master Plan and Zone Change Deliberation. (45 min.) Agenda: http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/dsd/Planning/PC%20Agenda%20&%20Minutes/2004/Work%20Agenda/January%206,%202004.pdf 7:00 p.m., Regular Session, Council Meeting Room * Discretionary Use/Site Plan Review -- Thurston Community Baptist Church. (20 min.) * Continuation from 12/16/2003: PeaceHealth Master Plan and Zone Change Deliberation. (30 min.) Agenda: http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/dsd/Planning/PC%20Agenda%20&%20Minutes/2004/Regular%20Agenda/January%206%202004.pdf Wednesday, January 7 -- Lane County Board of Commissioners Public Service Bldg., 125 East 8th Ave., Eugene, 682-4203 9:00 a.m., State of the County Address, Harris Hall * Call To Order (Commissioner Sorenson). * Introductions (Commissioner Sorenson). * State of the County Address (Commissioner Sorenson). * Recognition By Chair (Commissioner Sorenson) * Reception following, with music by South Eugene High School Jazz Band. Agenda: http://www.co.lane.or.us/bcc_info/Meeting_Info/2004/Agenda04-1-7.htm See also below: "Council, County get back to work" and "Sorenson to report on year before handing over baton" Wednesday, January 7 -- Eugene City Council 11:30 a.m., State of the City Address, O'Neill/Williams Room, Eugene Hilton and Conference Center * State of the City Address. See also below: "Mayor Torrey schedules State of the City address" Thursday, January 8 -- Tours of Replacement I-5 Bridges Over Willamette and McKenzie Rivers 9:00 a.m., Tour of Willamette Bridge 11:00 a.m., Tour of McKenzie Bridge Public tours are conducted on the first Thursday of each month. The next tour will be Jan. 8, due to the New Year's Day holiday. Tours leave from East Alton Baker Park/Eastgate Woodlands, at the corner of Poltava and Walnut streets in Springfield, at 9 a.m. The McKenzie tour meets at Armitage Park at 11 a.m. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/28/c2.cr.bridgeupdate.1228.html Thursday, January 8 -- Metropolitan Policy Committee (MPC) 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Springfield Library Meeting Room, 225 Fifth St., Springfield, Byron Vanderpool, 682-7407 1. Call To Order/Approve Minutes. 2. Welcome & Introductions. 3. Comments from the Audience. 4. Metropolitan Issues: a. Region 2050 Status Report. b. Metro Plan Periodic review Status Report. 5. MPO Issues: a. Presentation on the OTIA Statewide Bridge Program. b. Presentation on the OTIA Local Bridge Program. c. MPO Public Involvement. d. Resolution 2004-01: Adopting Amendments to the FY04 UPWP. e. Overview of the Process for Setting the MPO's FY06-09 STIP Priorities. f. MPO Calendar & Information Items: 1) Follow-up: (a) Requirements for an Integrated Land Use and Transportation Plan. (b) Administrative Amendment to the MTIP. 2) Upcoming MPO-related Activities: (a) MPO Calendar. 6. Status Reports. Agenda and materials: http://www.lcog.org/meetings/mpc.html January 23-24 -- Eugene civic center public design charrette Coming up in late January is a big event with long-term implications for Eugene. The city is planning a public design charrette, an "exploration of ideas for a civic center encompassing a new City Hall, police services building and other local government facilities." Dates are Friday afternoon and evening, Jan. 23 at the Public Library and all day Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Atrium Building. Architects, planning commissioners, Downtown Neighbors and others will be expounding lofty ideas. We're likely to see some inspired and visionary thinking at the charrette, but we also need to watch out for hidden agendas. Voters sent a strong message to the city in recent years by trouncing ballot measures to build an excessive and elaborate police headquarters. Will the new police digs be inspired by the new Ducks locker rooms at Autzen? We should also question whether we really need a new City Hall and police station. Would downtown revitalization be better served by spending half those urban renewal millions on something people would flock to and actually use, such as a big indoor community swimming pool? (end) http://www.eugeneweekly.com/archive/12_24_03/news.html#slant January 28 -- Ideas sought on parks and recreation plan 4:00-7:00 p.m., Memorial Building Community Center, 765 A St., Springfield On the parks side of the Willamalane Park & Recreation District, planners are looking for opinions on a draft document intended to help identify future needs for parks, open space, recreation facilities and related services in Springfield. Draft copies of the district's Park and Recreation Comprehensive Plan -- in the works since January 2002 -- are available for review at the Willamalane Administration Center and the Springfield Library. Copies can be purchased for $15.82 apiece at Willamalane, or may be downloaded from the district's Web page at www.willamalane.org. An open house for discussion and explanation of the plan will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Memorial Building Community Center, 765 A St. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/20/b2.cr.spfldcitybeat.1220.html January 29 -- A new view on toxic chemicals: how they impact our health 6:00-8:00 p.m., Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette St., Eugene It has been a long-held truth that the "dose makes the poison" when it comes to toxic chemicals and their impact on our health. However, recent science indicates that even low-level exposure, particularly at the wrong time in the development of a fetus or small child, can cause subtle yet serious health impacts. John Peterson Myers, Ph.D., will highlight cutting-edge science, the conceptual shifts that are occurring as a result, implications for clinical practice and opportunities for health professionals to advance public understanding of the emerging evidence. Dr. Myers is co-author of Our Stolen Future, CEO of Environmental Health Sciences, which publishes , a daily collection of links to press articles on environmental health, and Senior Advisor to the United Nations Foundation and Commonwealth. The Healthy Environment Forum series is intended to bring health professionals, environmentalists and engaged community members together to learn about emerging issues and being to forge consensus about linkages between some of Oregon's most difficult environmental and health challenges. The series is designed for physicians and other health care providers, especially those in Family Medicine and Pediatrics, and for interested citizens. *** CME, CNE and Naturopathic credits are available. To register online, visit . Tickets are $25 ($20 for OEC members and employees of nonprofit or governmental agencies) or $75 for the series. Heavy hors d'oeurves will be provided. To register by mail, please send checks to Oregon Environmental Council, 520 SW Sixth Ave., Suite 940, Portland, OR 97204-1535. Register by phone with Visa or MasterCard by contacting Cheryl Bristah at (503) 222-1963 x100 or cheryl@orcouncil.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OPPORTUNITIES Health advisory council seeks eight members The county is seeking eight people who will use the services of its system of community health centers to fill out a new 15-person Community Health Center Advisory Council. Lane County expects the network to be in operation no later than April, providing medical services on a sliding scale according to income. Most patients will be expected to pay a minimum fee, but no one will be denied services because they can not pay for them. The community health clinics will be funded by a grant from the federal Bureau of Primary Health Care. Facilities will include a family practice clinic to be located in Springfield; a Safe & Sound Homeless Youth Clinic at Looking Glass Youth & Family Service's New Roads Day Access Center; and a health center for students and their families at Springfield High School. The new committee members will advise the county commissioners and the county's Human Services Commission regarding the development and operation of programs to serve the health-care needs of the county's low-income citizens. Members will serve three-year terms; the council will meet monthly. Applications for the volunteer positions may be obtained at the Board of Commissioners' office in the Public Service Building at 125 E. Eighth Ave. in downtown Eugene or on the Internet at . They must be completed and returned to the commissioners' office by 5 p.m. Friday. For more information, call 682-4203. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/04/c2.cr.rg.briefs.0104.html Economic development committee has opening The five-member Economic Development Standing Committee, which advises the Lane County commissioners on economic development policies and activities, has a vacancy for a lay member. The other members of the committee include two of the commissioners and two county department heads. Applicants should have a clear knowledge of economic development practices, knowledge of governmental procedures, public information experience, skills in public/private partnership development or other knowledge that would be valuable to the committee. However, no one affiliated with organizations that compete for contracts with the county may apply. The committee meets once or twice a month, and members serve two-year terms. Applications may be obtained from the Board of Commissioners' office in the Public Service Building at 125 E. Eighth Ave. in Eugene. They must be returned to the commissioners' office no later than 5 p.m. on Jan. 7. For more information, call 682-4203. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/10/d2.cr.rg.briefs.1210.html Building appeals panel seeks five volunteers SPRINGFIELD -- The city has openings for all five positions on the Building Board of Appeals. The board determines suitability of alternate materials and methods of construction, gives reasonable interpretations of building safety codes, and hears various building and sign code appeals. The positions will expire at the end of 2004 and 2006. You must have training or expertise in building design or construction, or be a property owner in the city. Applications are available at City Hall, 225 Fifth St., and the deadline to apply is Jan. 23. For more information, call Lisa Hopper at 726-3753. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/04/c2.cr.rg.briefs.0104.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PEACEHEALTH Hospital heads-up The final lap of the PeaceHealth project begins next week. The City Council on Monday could discuss plans for the $400 million project in the Gateway area. The council has already said the project can go there, but now it must say whether the development plan is OK, a decision they will make in February. On Tuesday, the planning commission will weigh in on the development plan, with a recommendation to the council. That meeting starts at 6 p.m. in the Jesse Maine Room at City Hall, 225 Fifth St. In essence, everything boils down to three questions: First, will opponents' appeals of the project be successful? The state Land Use Board of Appeals should say in January. Second, will the City Council sign off on the project in February or make massive changes? And third, will that decision be appealed? For more information, call 726-3753. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/03/b1.cr.spcitybeat.0103.html Miracles happen at PeaceHealth Letter by Pilar A. Bradshaw, M.D., Tom Ewing, M.D., and 70 co-signing physicians, PeaceHealth Medical Group, Eugene The recent deluge of bad press for PeaceHealth is demoralizing for those of us who work at PeaceHealth every day. While the media paint a black and white image, the true pictures of who we are and what we do in our offices and at the hospital are very different. We are a compassionate and dedicated group of people committed to the community's health care. We are the doctors who held you as you wept for your dying mother, who saved your newborn baby from the tight umbilical cord around her neck, and who expertly diagnosed and treated the blood clot that threatened your life. We are the nurses who tenderly touched you when you hurt, who quickly gave you the medicine you needed, and who recognized your child's illness over the phone at Ask-A-Nurse and got him the medical help he needed. We are the staff members who pushed your wheelchair to your car, who gave you breathing treatments when your chest was tight, and who made your medical appointment run smoothly. We run one of the only HIV clinics in town, reach out to our Latino community, offer a prenatal clinic to low-income families, and provide a tremendous amount of medical care to the uninsured, thanks to the mission of PeaceHealth and the support our employer provides for our efforts. Our pharmacy stays open when others close, and our pediatricians work nights and weekends and holidays to provide your children top-notch care 365 days a year. Every day at our work, there are countless of examples of the miracles that happen at PeaceHealth -- but they do not make the front page news. Instead, they are enjoyed by the thousands of people and families who come to us for care. We are good people working together to take care of you. Please remember that the next time you pick up the paper. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/24/ed.letters.1224.html Deeds don't excuse misconduct Letter by Carl Falsgraf, Eugene The good doctors from PeaceHealth offer an interesting argument in their Dec. 24 letter: We are nice people who do our jobs well, so give our owners a free pass on corporate behavior. Hiding behind "the staff member who pushes your wheelchair," these well-paid doctors implore the media to cease their "demoralizing" stories of PeaceHealth management's lack of corporate citizenship so as not to jeopardize the "miracles" that occur at PeaceHealth. If the good deeds of the employees entitle management to favorable public-policy decisions, then presumably the doctors would not mind if Springfield revoked PeaceHealth's building permits on the basis of botched surgeries or pushy nurses. Where have we heard this ridiculous argument before? The troops in Iraq are risking their lives. Don't demoralize them by criticizing the politicians who sent them there. Justice Department prosecutors are putting terrorists behind bars. Don't demoralize them by criticizing the suspension of your civil rights. Doctors are paid good money to heal people. The fact that they do their jobs does not give their corporate masters license to have their way with this community. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/29/ed.letters.1229.html Elites control Eugene's affairs Letter by John Fluent, Eugene Recently, 73 physicians, presumably employed by PeaceHealth, indicated their concern over the "bad press" PeaceHealth has recently received. The "miracles" they cite are true, because for many years Sacred Heart's doctors and nurses have served the Eugene-Springfield community with excellent health care, much like their Springfield medical counterpart, McKenzie-Willamette Hospital. But for the sake of Sacred Heart's business reputation, it's too bad those 73 responsible medical doctors didn't have the opportunity to advise PeaceHealth CEO Alan Yordy that he was entering a public relations snake pit when he chose to join with land trader John Musumeci and his Gang of Nine public relations campaign in their so-called "nonconspiracy" to move Eugene's major hospital to the flood plains of Springfield. But even before Musumeci came to Eugene, a very small percentage of our elite citizenry has dominated the city of Eugene's government. As a consequence of their leadership, activities of the Eugene Fire Department are now under question, conduct of the Eugene Police Department has been a puzzlement for a number of years, Eugene's land use planning is in disarray, a private law firm controls all Eugene's legal decisions, and our city councilors have no access to an independent auditor whenever something appears to be amiss in city government! Perhaps it's time for a change toward deeper thought among the voting people of our society? (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/30/ed.letters.1230.html Hospital shows compassion Letter by Linda Keyser, Eugene I'm writing in regard to "Miracles happen at PeaceHealth" (letters, Dec. 24). I think we should be very grateful to have a wonderful hospital like Sacred Heart in our community. The day before Easter, I was not feeling well, and my daughter took me to the emergency room. By 5:30 p.m., I was in emergency surgery. I spent five days in the hospital, and everyone from the surgeon to the nurses were kind and attentive. In June I had a second surgery -- and encountered the same wonderful people, dedicating their lives to serving others. I'm grateful to be here celebrating this Christmas season. A big round of applause to Sacred Heart. God bless them all. I know the same compassionate caring will continue in 2004. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/03/ed.lettersop.0103.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COST OF HEALTH CARE Cities eye districts to free up tax money Call it "district-ization." It's an imaginary word with real implications: higher taxes. It involves cities shifting services such as fire protection into taxing districts so the cities can tax more for other services. Springfield just voted to turn its fire department over to a district, and Eugene is thinking about it, too. Both are looking at an airport district, and Springfield is mulling a library district. They're not alone. More Oregon cities, squeezed by voter-approved measures that limit property tax collections, likely will be creating special districts, according to the League of Oregon Cities. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/22/b1.cr.districtization.1222.html County may face more cuts in budget Continuing increases in the cost of health care and retirement payments for employees and retirees mean Lane County may have to cut an additional $4 million from a budget already down $20 million for the fiscal year that began in July. In addition, if statewide Measure 30 passes in February, overturning $800 million in new taxes voted in by the state Legislature earlier this year, the county may face even steeper budget reductions in the 2004-05 fiscal year. To begin preparing for those possibilities, each of the county commissioners recently went through a long list of services financed through the county's general fund, indicating their ideas about where further budget reductions might take place to reduce county expenditures by $4 million during the next six months. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/27/b1.cr.countybudget.1227.html Medicare revision for drugs creates new tax shelter The provision, included to satisfy conservatives, benefits mainly the young and the wealthy The new Medicare law not only provides prescription drug coverage for the nation's seniors, it also creates a new tax shelter that could help many younger Americans pay some of their health care costs. In January, millions of people younger than 65 become eligible to set aside some pre-tax income in new Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, then use those funds for health expenses either in the short term or in years to come. The program is expected to cost the federal treasury about $6.4 billion over 10 years and to offer the greatest tax benefits to the most affluent Americans. (more...) http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/107252993311211.xml States worry about drug benefit WASHINGTON -- State officials say the new Medicare drug benefit provides less help to low-income elderly people than some state pharmaceutical assistance programs, and they are searching for ways to make sure state residents are not worse off as a result of the federal law. More than 1.5 million people now receive help with drug costs through local programs in 30 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The federal law has created great uncertainty in most of those states, posing a challenge for legislators who will soon convene in state capitals. Four states, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Illinois, account for more than half the enrollment in state pharmaceutical assistance programs. State officials face several questions: Should they keep their programs intact, eliminate them or revise them to cover gaps in the Medicare drug benefit? And what are the costs of the different approaches? (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/04/e15.nat.medicare.0104.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEARBY DEVELOPMENTS Reusable big boxes Portland's limited space for large retail stores leads to chains recyling empty buildings CLACKAMAS -- In the back of Oregon's newest and largest Home Depot store, empty boxes sit inside a large machine that will crush the cardboard into 500-pound bales ready for recycling. But this nationwide home improvement giant recycles more than cardboard boxes. By moving a few blocks to its new location along Southeast 82nd Avenue, Home Depot has recycled the biggest box of all -- a 158,000- square-foot former HomeBase store. Within a three-mile strip near the Clackamas Town Center, more big-box sites are being recycled. Wal-Mart is eyeing the old Home Depot site. Home Depot's staunch competitor, Lowe's, plans to build a new store at a site to be vacated by Levitz Furniture Co. Levitz already has moved its showroom to a building once occupied by Home Life Furniture. (more...) http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/10719253368450.xml Enforce existing land use rules Letter by Fred Felter, Eugene Those who don't believe in a tight urban growth boundary should read a Dec. 21 Oregonian article titled "Reusable Big Boxes" by Emily Tsao. In it is a description of the "musical chairs" the big retailers are playing in Portland due to "tight land use restrictions and the scarcity of buildable land." Examples: Home Depot going to a former Home Base store, Wal-Mart eying an old Home Depot, Lowes planning to build at an old Levitz store and Levitz moving to a former Home Life building, and three previous Montgomery Ward stores becoming two Targets and a Meier & Frank. The article mentions the relative lack of empty "tombs" (empty retail buildings), in contrast to many other regions (ours?). This is the cost of being able to serve Portland's customers. I see all this "government meddling" as a very positive benefit to the community, although we know the owners of those stores do everything they can to avoid this extra effort and cost. The Eugene-Springfield area pays lip service to urban planning but since, in fact, it does little to enforce the existing rules and plans, we have a decaying central city with few viable jobs in the retail sector and a mushrooming outside ring of traffic-intensive ugly mega-stores built on virgin land. Is this progress, and is it what we really want? (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/31/ed.letters.1231.html County's largest subdivision on drawing board SPRINGFIELD -- After more than a decade of delays, construction of homes for the MountainGate development -- the largest single residential subdivision ever proposed in Lane County -- is scheduled to begin late next summer. Located on Thurston's Potato Hill, the 330-acre MountainGate eventually would hold about 450 single-family homes and up to 300 apartment or condominium units. Preliminary grading work on the project's first two phases, totaling 71 lots, has been completed, and water and sewer line installation is to begin in June, said Mike Evans, the project's land use manager. He expects home construction to begin in the late summer. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/30/b1.bz.develop.1230.html Olive Street condominium project closes deal High-end, owner-occupied condominiums apparently are on their way to downtown Eugene. The city closed a $350,000 deal late last month for the sale of a parking lot on Olive Street, just south of 13th Avenue, with a group that has proposed a 40-unit, seven-story condo development at the site. The City Council earlier this fall voted to accommodate the project by extending the city's zone for property tax exemptions on downtown apartment and condominium developments. The 10-year exemption on the value of improvements to the site was seen as a critical element in the development group's financial plan for the project. The Olive Street project calls for about 40 luxury condominiums, priced from $195,000 to $395,000, in a building that will feature commercial space on its ground floor. The project has been spearheaded by retired real estate broker Jean Tate -- who hopes to live in the building -- along with partners Jennings Development, Bergsund DeLaney Architecture and Planning and John Hyland Construction. Marketing and sales of the condo units is expected to begin early next year, with construction expected by the summer of 2004. The city reserves the right to repurchase the property if construction hasn't begun by November. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/28/c1.cr.citybeat.1228.html Shopping center update moves closer to goal The planned renovation of south Eugene's largest shopping center, near 29th Avenue and Willamette Street, appears close to clearing a key hurdle. The owner of Willamette Plaza and anchor tenant Rite Aid Corp. hope to finish negotiations for a new store lease in the next few weeks. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/01/b1.bz.retailnote.0101.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TRANSPORTATION Springfield Main Street dangerous to pedestrians A new law requiring drivers to give walkers a wider berth has exposed a dangerous pedestrian no-man's land in east Springfield. The six-mile stretch of Main Street east of downtown is a wide-open, five-lane road. Traffic generally zips along 8 mph over the speed limit in the 40 or 45 mph speed zones. More than 25,000 cars per day in some stretches of the seven-mile street ferry drivers on Main Street between Franklin Boulevard and the McKenzie Highway. And if any driver were to obey the law and actually stop for a pedestrian attempting to cross at an unmarked intersection, the result would be disastrous, Springfield police officer Brian Gay said. "You're going to have a diesel truck coming right up your rear end," he said. "I've got a quandary about that." (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/27/1a.cr.safercrossings.1227.html City ponders street directions, garage A new Central Area Transportation Study (CATS) for downtown Eugene proposes making Willamette and five other street segments two-way and building a parking garage costing up to $16 million. Eugene made many of its streets one way a half century ago in an effort to make traffic flow more efficiently. But now city planners have found that one-way streets may force people to drive farther, increase congestion in some areas and make it hard to gain access to downtown businesses. To address the problem, the city has proposed re-opening six street segments downtown to two-way traffic. (more...) http://www.eugeneweekly.com/archive/12_24_03/news.html#2 Bridge construction update Work resumes Monday on building replacement bridges to carry Interstate 5 over the McKenzie and Willamette rivers. All state highway construction projects closed down Wednesday because of the holidays, with contractors getting a green light to return to the job at 6 a.m. Monday. Drilling will continue on the footings for the detour bridge over the Willamette from the work bridge, which was completed earlier this month. The contractor will resume drilling bridge footings on the north bank of the McKenzie River for that span. Motorists should be aware of heavy construction vehicle traffic in two areas: on North Walnut Road in Alton Baker Park, off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near Autzen Stadium, and on McKenzie View Drive near Coburg Road. Cyclists and pedestrians using trails in Alton Baker Park should watch for trucks and other construction equipment near Franklin Boulevard and the railroad tracks. The Canoe Canal Trail remains open while the Riverfront Bike Trail, on the north bank of the Willamette River under the I-5 bridge, is closed. Detour signs are in place. Public tours are conducted on the first Thursday of each month. The next tour will be Jan. 8, due to the New Year's Day holiday. Tours leave from East Alton Baker Park/Eastgate Woodlands, at the corner of Poltava and Walnut streets in Springfield, at 9 a.m. The McKenzie tour meets at Armitage Park at 11 a.m. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/28/c2.cr.bridgeupdate.1228.html Road fund squabble heats up: Windfall increases tension between county and cities Westfir -- population 297 -- has $600,000 in the bank to fix roads, but can't spend the money. Here's the rub: The rules say Lane County Road Fund dollars can go only to repair streets -- and the tiny mountain community doesn't have any bona fide streets. Instead, its thoroughfares are owned and maintained by the county. So Westfir's kitty grows with each new year's distribution of road money from the Legislature and county commissioners. The sum draws interest from the bank and considerable revenue envy from the town's next-door neighbors. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/04/a1.roadtrippin.0104.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STATES OF THE CITIES, COUNTY; LOOKING BACK AND FORWARD Springfield mayor to give annual address Monday You're cordially invited to Mayor Sid Leiken's 2004 State of the City address, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. Monday in the City Council Meeting Room, 225 Fifth St. What kind of a year was 2003? In January, the city said goodbye to its longtime independent community hospital when McKenzie-Willamette announced a partnership with Texas-based giant, Triad. In March, the city added a three cents per gallon tax on gasoline, and gave a green light to PeaceHealth to build a $400 million project in the Gateway area. In April the city welcomed skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, who wowed crowds with a demonstration at Willamalane Park's new skate park. That was also the month that Sony Disc Manufacturing closed its doors. May saw the fifth anniversary of the shootings at Thurston High School, and a touching ceremony dedicating a memorial there. July brought a ground-breaking for a bus station downtown, and the naming of the extension of Pioneer Parkway for Martin Luther King Jr. In December, the city approved shifting the fire department over to a special taxing district, although that issue is yet to be decided. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/03/b1.cr.spcitybeat.0103.html Council, County get back to work The holidays are over, and it's back to work for city leaders. City councilors have a full agenda Monday with Mayor Sid Leiken delivering his annual State of the City address at 11 a.m. at City Hall and a two-hour work session on PeaceHealth's master development plan at 5:30 p.m. County commissioners will return to work on Wednesday with the State of the County address, delivered by Chair Peter Sorenson, at 9 a.m. and a regular meeting at 2 p.m. Springfield School Board will reconvene on Jan. 12. Leiken -- who has battled a nasty cold since Thanksgiving and recently fractured a rib from coughing -- said he will be lucky to make it to the podium for his "Framing the Future" speech, which develops on last year's theme of laying the foundation for positive change within the city. He will address four points -- partnerships, economic development, quality of life and the continuing struggle to fund road maintenance. (more...) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2004/01/02/local/news03.txt Sorenson to report on year before handing over baton Curious about what the future might hold for Lane County in the new year? If you show up bright and early on Wednesday, you can hear what Lane County Commissioner Peter Sorenson, this year's board chairman, thinks will happen. Sorenson will deliver the State of the County Address at 9 a.m. in Harris Hall at 125 E. Eighth Ave. in downtown Eugene. He'll also bestow community awards on people who have made extraordinary contributions to the workings of county government during the past year. It will be just about his last action as head commissioner, though. At 2 p.m. the same day, the board will hold its first regular session of 2004, and the first item on the agenda is electing a new chairman and vice chairman. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/02/c1.cr.countybeat.0102.html Mayor Torrey schedules State of the City address It's that time of the year again. State of the Union, State of the State, State of the County and State of the Various Cities. Eugene, for one. Mayor Jim Torrey will deliver his annual State of the City address at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the O'Neil-Williams Rooms of the Eugene Hilton Conference Center. The mayor typically uses the occasion to highlight the highs and lows of the past year, to recognize those who have made noteworthy contributions to city operations and to set public goals for the coming year. And maybe in this election year, some hint about whether he'll be running for re-election? (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/04/c1.cr.citybeat.0104.html Looking back at 2003 A time it was -- Of war, blight, fire ... and honor: Springfield suffered much under the ax of state budget woes, school budget shortfalls, hospital turf battles, forest fires, crippling layoffs, diseased filbert orchards, yet through it all found the time to do the right thing and honor the slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. -- attesting to the community's inner strength and resolve. To that end, we offer our Top 10 stories of 2003. 1. Military Deployment: In the largest deployment since World War II, Oregon's National Guard sends 2,056 citizen soldiers to prepare for the fray in Iraq. Of those, 524 were from Lane County, including 28 from Springfield, Jasper, Lowell, Pleasant Hill and Walterville, serving as part of the 2nd Battalion of the 162nd Infantry based in Cottage Grove. 2. Hospital Wars: Springfield's McKenzie-Willamette Hospital partners with Triad and will build a new hospital in Eugene. Eugene's PeaceHealth lobbies to build a new medical complex in Springfield. Meanwhile, in October, McKenzie-Willamette prevails over PeaceHealth in a bitter anti-trust fight in federal court. 3. Sony Shuts Down: In a shocking move in April, Sony Disc Manufacturing shutters, sending 277 local workers into the jobless ranks. The company, which held sway in Springfield for eight years, and the city continue to search for someone to buy the plant. At the time, Sony was the city's fourth largest employer. (more...) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2003/12/31/local/news01.txt Santa's list revealed secret document shows who's been naughty, nice You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I'm telling you why, Eugene Weekly has obtained what appears to be a copy of Santa's list of who's been naughty and nice. The List was provided to this newspaper by Daniel Elfsberg, a disenchanted elf and anarchist activist for better working conditions at the North Pole. "It's cold up there, but we still sweat in those workshops," said Elfsberg, founder of the Elf Liberation Front. A source close to Santa was shown The List and appeared to confirm the authenticity of the document late on Christmas Eve. "Goodness sake!" he said before his nose glowed red and he flew away. The List appears to be only a part of Santa's comprehensive, worldwide edition. It includes mostly locals, is torn in places and many names appear left off. Here, in a major exclusive, is what The List reveals about who got gifts or lumps of coal in their stockings, and why we think that happened. Naughty Alan Yordy -- PeaceHealth monopolist CEO who is moving Sacred Heart to a sprawl site on the edge of Springfield at a cost of millions of dollars in higher local health care bills, higher taxes for new roads, traffic jams and spoiled McKenzie riverfront. John Musumeci -- Gang of Nine founder and major funder who made millions off the PeaceHealth land deal, and who was major backer of the West Eugene Parkway where he hopes to cash in on land speculation again. (more...) http://www.eugeneweekly.com/archive/12_31_03/coverstory.html Civic leaders look ahead to 2004 -- with resolutions Mayor Sid Leiken resolves: "As businesses or citizens continue to look to either expand their businesses or move into this community, what's important is we be responsive in a positive manner, responsive in all aspects, answering whether this is a safe place to live, about the schools and parks." Fire Chief Dennis Murphy resolves: "My resolution is to achieve an unprecedented level of fire rescue and emergency medical services for Springfield and surrounding areas. Our fifth fire engine will make that possible." City Manager Mike Kelly resolves: (after lengthy consideration) "My resolution is to talk less and listen more." Council President Tammy Fitch resolves: "There's two goals. One to really continue to nurture our partnerships with different public entities, and second to keep looking for ways of creating financial stability as a city." County Commissioner Bill Dwyer resolves: "I resolve to be more considerate and only speak if it improves the silence." Also -- "I resolve to look at things a little more from the other guy's perspective. You have to continue to remind yourself. You can't get arrogant in this job." (end) http://www.springfieldnews.com/articles/2003/12/31/local/news05.txt Peace, economic stability on commissioners' wish list With just a week left before ringing in the new year, the Lane County commissioners have given some thought to their hopes and goals for 2004. Here's what they have to say: (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/26/d1.cr.countybeat.1226.html Forecaster sees woman as Eugene mayor in '04 A new hospital. A large chunk of federal money. And a new mayor. And she, yes she, will be only the second woman to ever hold the top office in Eugene history. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/01/a1.predictside.0104.html Gifts to Eugene: Residents tell what they would most like to give the city this holiday season Editor's note: On Dec. 19, the City Club of Eugene invited an eclectic selection of residents to describe the holiday gifts they would give to the city and people of Eugene. Here are 10 of the presentations, edited by program committee member Steve Smith and The Register-Guard: (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/28/b1.ed.col.giftstoEugene.1228.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CAMPAIGN FINANCING Panel to examine campaign finance SALEM -- A new panel charged with reviewing Oregon's campaign finance laws will be headed by four former secretaries of state, including two Democrats and two Republicans. The appointments were announced Friday by Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, who said last month that he would convene a board to look at laws dating back 30 or more years. "To protect the public's trust in the election system, we have to make it easy to follow the money,'' Bradbury said. Panel member Mark Hatfield, a Republican, was secretary of state in 1957 and 1958, before he was elected to two terms as governor and five terms as a U.S. senator. Republican Norma Paulus was secretary of state from 1977 to 1985, and later was state superintendent of public instruction. Democrat Barbara Roberts was secretary of state from 1985 until she was elected governor in 1990. She appointed Phil Keisling, who won two terms of his own and resigned in November 1999. Bradbury succeeded Keisling. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2004/01/04/c2.cr.finance.0104.html [Ed. Note: Following are all the stories in The Register-Guard's three-day series on campaign financing in Lane County.] Old growth money: Timber families are county's largest political donors Timber families apply the biggest muscle to politics within the borders of Lane County, toppling every other interest group. They've financed recent record-breaking campaigns to keep pro-business Lane County commissioners in office and capture a conservative majority on the Eugene City Council, an analysis of campaign contributions shows. In another notable victory, they outspent environmentalists and other land use planning advocates two years ago to win approval of the West Eugene Parkway. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/21/a1.donor1.1221.html Money Facts: Who gives it, who gets it, and who's on the public payroll Top 20 Lane County political donors based on five years of campaign finance records: (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/21/a1.donorfacts.1221.html How we reported the series The Register-Guard obtained figures for these stories from city and county campaign finance records, which state law requires all candidates for public office to file. The forms covered elections from 1998 to 2003. The reports are available to anyone who wants to review and/or copy them. Newspaper staff typed records for 4,800 political donations into spreadsheets. That allowed a breakdown of donations by several categories, including by donor, by donor group, by sector and by candidate. The results formed the basis for the stories. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/21/a1.donorhow.1221.html Cost, complexity of campaigns grow The $500,000 pumped into local campaigns by the top 20 donors over the last five years is financing an ever-more sophisticated brand of politicking in Lane County. Deep-pocket campaigns hire professional managers and buy skilled political help from local research and public relations firms such as Lindholm Research, Cawood Communications and The Ulum Group. This past fall -- months ahead of the the May primary -- political operatives commissioned polls -- often at $10,000 a pop -- to test the relative strengths and weaknesses of potential candidates, said Eugene advertising agency co-owner David Funk. The polls measure name recognition, candidate association with issues, hot button topics and overall electability. Local campaigns are also hiring polling firms to hone the messages they'll use in the elections, testing combinations of words to figure out one or two that most resonate with specific ward or district voters. Attention to message is critical, said Michael Schwartz, a furniture-store owner and sometime campaign manager who most recently ran George Poling's successful race for the Eugene City Council. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/21/a1.donorpolling.1221.html Campaign Financing: Spyglass Neighborhood keeps an eye on politics When Jack Ward opened his newspaper one day and discovered that his neighbor was behind the mysterious Gang of 9 that had skewered liberal politicians in a series of political advertisements, he said he wasn't a bit surprised. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/22/a1.donor2.1222.html Lumber company owner also an environmentalist Deborah Noble is like other big-time political donors here: She makes a living out of the woods, cashing in on the sale of Alaska yellow cedar, Douglas fir and larch. Like many of the big donors, Noble and her husband are heirs to a nearly half-century-old family business, Noble Lumber, a name as familiar as December drizzle to Eugene's old-timers. But when it comes to politics, the similarity ends abruptly. Noble's causes are the mirror opposite of all the other timber families who dominate political financing in Lane County even though she's a top donor -- third on the list, just behind timber men Aaron Jones and L.L. "Stub" Stewart. When timber interests are writing checks to support pro-business candidate Bobby Green, Noble is giving money to social activist Kitty Piercy. When the others are spending hard on the controversial West Eugene Parkway, she's the major financier of the opposition. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/22/a1.donornoble.1222.html Top 10 local political action committees The political action committees are ranked by what they collected during the past five years. Figures encompass all contributions on campaign finance reports, covering gifts, loans and in-kind work. Donation totals consist of the amount given by family members, businesses and business partners. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/22/a1.donorpac.1222.html Campaign Financing: Reform efforts face an uncertain future From Pennsylvania Avenue to Pearl Street, big-bucks campaigns are gaining the attention of reform-minded voters and maverick lawmakers who are appalled by the ever-escalating amounts of money that candidates spend to get elected. In Congress, a bipartisan tag team won passage of the McCain-Feingold bill to stanch political spending after watching the Bush-Gore presidential race top a record-breaking $306 million. The Supreme Court upheld the law's major provisions earlier this month. In Oregon, activists won a hearing on a spending limits proposal last March, but the Legislature failed to act. Spending in state races, meanwhile, is climbing: Local legislative candidates Pat Farr and Araminta Hawkins, for example, spent nearly $500,000 in their 2002 contest. In Eugene, the City Council looked at the dollars stacking up in local campaigns -- with some races soaring to $20,000 or more in recent years -- and adopted a program of voluntary contribution limits. The reform will get its first full workout in 2004. Those who support putting the brakes on spending say money skews the political process, squeezing out the consideration of all but the wealthiest people and threatening democracy itself. Many big donors say they give with no strings attached and they're simply exercising their duty as leaders in the community. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/23/a1.donor3.1223.html Big money has had little effect on some measures Big campaign donors are least successful when it comes to public safety ballot measures. Voters said no 10 times in the past five years to measures that would have put more officers on the streets, built a new Eugene police headquarters and expanded the Lane County Jail. Supporters spent more than $300,000 to persuade people to pass the measures -- a third of that money from the 20 largest political donors in Lane County. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/23/a6.donorlaw.1223.html Election may inspire big spending Today's backroom political jockeying is expected to burst into the open in January when Eugene Mayor Jim Torrey finally says whether he'll seek a third term. His word will launch a political season that's bound to be noisy and expensive as interest groups try to claim pivotal seats on the Eugene City Council and Lane County Board of Commissioners. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/23/a7.donornext.1223.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER NEWS Candidates jockey for run at mayor's seat It's official: There will be a contested race for the position of Eugene mayor in 2004. The question is, which political heavy-hitters will emerge to fill out a ballot that so far features a pair of lesser-known candidates? (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/2003/12/23/d2.cr.mayor.1223.html Slant Former County Commission candidate Bill Fleenor of western Lane County has put together a web page that documents the voting record of Commissioner Anna Morrison. Check out http://www.williamfleenor.com/ANNAWATCH.htm and find out what Anna's been up to in recent years. (end) http://www.eugeneweekly.com/archive/12_24_03/news.html#slant Slant The Register-Guard some time ago pledged to do more investigative reporting but we haven't seen much worth noting since the R-G's big blow-out story on developer John Musumeci that unfortunately ran the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 when nearly all of us were super-glued to our TV screens. The latest series by Diane Dietz on the money behind local and regional politics is worth reading. The series documents in detail what EW has been writing about for many years -- the political clout of old timber and real estate money in Eugene, and how that money is used strategically to promote unfettered growth and sprawl. Only a few parts of the series raised our eyebrows. Labeling some local elected officials "pro-business" implies that other officials are "anti-business," and that's deceptive. Everyone we know on the City Council and County Commission supports healthy, sustainable business, but they don't all support irresponsible development and secret deals that raise taxes and drain downtowns. (more...) http://www.eugeneweekly.com/archive/12_31_03/news.html#slant -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CREDITS "Health Options Digest" is published once every week or so by the Coalition for Health Options In Central Eugene-Springfield (CHOICES) as a service to the community. It is intended as an unbiased digest of news and opinion related to proposed changes in health care options for the community. The purpose of "Health Options Digest" is to inform, not editorialize. Please forward your copy of "Health Options Digest" to a friend. If you know of someone who should be on the CHOICES email list, or for questions about your subscription, send email to: rzako@efn.org Please visit our web site for info about how you can contact us, the local papers, elected officials, PeaceHealth and McKenzie-Willamette: http://www.efn.org/~choices