The city of Eugene and Lane County have launched a committee dedicated to talking about supporting small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A separate oversight committee will be tasked with ensuring it fulfills its duties. That committee will then report back to a committee on follow through, which will be supervised jointly by the city manager and county administrator.
Beyond that, county and city bylaws aren’t clear as to where the buck stops.
The discussion-based “Heart-to-Heart Task Force” will lament COVID’s devastation of local businesses and brainstorm ways that the community could lend hopes and prayers.
The task force will consist of all Eugene city councilors and Lane County commissioners, with an agreement to devote the final minutes (minimum three, maximum five) of one of their meetings each month to the project.
Foam food container ban under consideration in Lane County
The Lane Board of County Commissioners are discussing the possibility of pursuing a countywide ban on polystyrene food containers, otherwise known as Styrofoam.
Posted: Mar 4, 2021 1:38 PM
Updated: Mar 24, 2021 11:47 AM
Posted By: Chris Lueneburg
LANE COUNTY, Ore. The Lane Board of County Commissioners discussed the possibility of pursuing a countywide ban on polystyrene food containers, commonly known as styrofoam, on Tuesday.
The use of the plastic, which is often used as single-use takeout containers at restaurants, has been criticized as a common source of litter that is long-lasting and difficult to recycle. Cities like Eugene, Florence and Portland have already banned food providers from using foam.
Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich is blaming University of Oregon-related coronavirus cases for preventing the county from moving down a risk level.
Advocates push city for climate-friendly deal with Northwest Natural
EUGENE, Ore. – The Eugene City Council heard more than an hour of testimony Monday night from people who want the city to take a firm stance as it negotiates a new deal with gas-supplier Northwest Natural.
Posted: Jan 26, 2021 11:32 AM
Updated: Jan 26, 2021 12:09 PM
Posted By: Jacob Roberts
EUGENE, Ore. – The Eugene City Council heard more than an hour of testimony Monday night from people who want the city to take a firm stance as it negotiates a new deal with gas-supplier Northwest Natural.
Since 2019, Eugene has been working to negotiate a new franchise agreement with the energy company. The last agreement was made in 1999 and was set to expire on Nov. 11, 2019.
A grainy photo shows now retired Lane County Commissioner Pete Sorenson riding on a horse, dressed as the “Lone Liberal” in the Eugene Celebration parade in the early 2000s. Just as the Lone Ranger traveled through the American West fighting bad guys, Sorenson spent much of his time on the board of county government debating conservatives.
He decided not to seek re-election in 2020, and on Jan. 4, Sorenson’s 24 years as a county commissioner came to an end when Laurie Trieger was sworn in to succeed him. He endorsed Trieger, a fellow progressive who he says was one of the most prepared candidates for the elected office. But if politics are to attract other qualified candidates, it needs to offer a reasonable wage, he says.