[NLC] September Committee Reports

[Heidi Beierle]

SEPTEMER NLC COMMITTEE REPORTS

OPPORTUNITY SITING
EUGENE COMPREHENSIVE LANDS ASSESSMENT
NLC COMMITTEE ON SUSTAINABILITY
NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE COMMUNICATIONS
       (attachment at end of reports)
CLIMATE & ENERGY ACTION PLAN

OPPORTUNITY SITING
Opportunity Siting (OS) is entering the Pilot Project Phase.  In June, the
OS Task Team recommended to the Planning Commission an OS Process and
Toolkit that includes collaboration among neighborhoods, developers,
designers and property owners.  The recommendation and proposed next steps
received Planning Commission support and work is now moving toward
identifying one or two sites for pilot projects.  A group of neighborhoods,
property owners, and developers who have indicated interest in the program
or who have potential sites, will be contacted in the search for suitable
pilot sites. Given the extreme difficulty of financing development projects
in the current economy (except close to the University of Oregon), pilot
sites and projects with the greatest potential for successful development of
high density residential housing are needed.

As part of the “next steps” work, a Super Focus Group of neighborhood
leaders, developers and designers was held on July 30th to work on some of
the sticking points in the OS process. The pilot phase will be used to test
the proposed process on real sites and to refine the toolkit for future
adoption of the necessary tools. City legal staff will be analyzing the
process, devised by the task team along with input from the community, and
will be providing direction on how it can be implemented through pilot and
future projects.

The official work of the task team ended in July; however, several members
of the team remain available to meet on an ad hoc basis to advise on the
particulars of the program as it moves into the implementation phase.  You
can find the OS website at:  http://www.eugene-or.gov/oppsiting.  Please
contact Patricia Thomas at patricia.thomas at ci.eugene.or.us for more
information or to express your neighborhood’s interest in participating.

EUGENE COMPREHENSIVE LANDS ASSESSMENT
ECLA had it's last meeting in August.  There's nothing left for me to
report!
-Carolyn Jacobs

NLC COMMITTEE ON SUSTAINABILITY
We don't meet until Monday night, so I will have to give my report in
person. All I can say now is that we have had several bike tours since last
meeting and we tabled at the Eugene Celebration.
Kathy Saranpa

NEI COMMUNICATIONS
This month's NEIC news comes in two parts:  1) status report from the
Neighborhood Communications subcommittee,  2) report from Mike Kinnison re
NEIC efforts to redefine its mission [in lieu of sunsetting] now that the
Council NEI Goal is in limbo.

Neighborhood Communications
This group has nearly completed one of its work items:  review the
permissible uses neighborhood newsletter funds.  The attached document
reflects the recommendations that will be forwarded to the NEIC, NLC and
Neighborhood Services.  The only as yet unresolved item is whether using
City funds for a neighborhood web site would require Neighborhood Services
oversight of web site content.  The City attorney has yet to weigh in.

The subcommittee is now reviewing the content oversight rules for
newsletters, and reports that progress toward consensus is very slow and
difficult.  Stay tuned.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The news from the Climate and Energy Plan Advisory Team is all about the
upcoming public kickoff event and the subsequent topical workshops.  See
schedule below and MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

September 26, 2009
Public Kickoff : One day - Two events!
Location: North Eugene High School – 200 Silver Lane, Eugene

9:00  AM to 1:00 PM – Morning Event – World Café discussion
Small Group Discussions: Climate Challenges & Opportunities
Activity:   Generating ideas for action

2:00 PM to 5:30 PM – Afternoon Event – Self-directed discussion groups
Connect with others who are engaged in solving climate and energy
challenges.
------------------------------------------------------

All Topic Workshop will be held in the EWEB community room – 500 E. 4th
Ave. from 6 PM to 9 PM on the following dates:

October 6, 2009 - Buildings and Energy

November 5, 2009 - Food and Agriculture

December 1, 2009 - Land use and Transportation

January 6, 2010 - Consumption and Waste

February 4, 2010 - Health and Social Services

March 4, 2010 - Natural Resources

>From more information go to http://sustaineugene.com/eugeneclimate

•    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Proposed Guidelines for Use of Neighborhood

Association Newsletter Funds
Background and Use of Funds


      Neighborhood Organization Recognition Policy (NORP), 1976, Section 4.
Neighborhood Newsletters. (a) The city shall finance the printing and
mailing of neighborhood newsletters and communication, within budgetary
allowances set by the city.  Neighborhood organizations may raise funds to
finance their own publications.

Since 1976, the Eugene City Budget has contained a line item specifically
for the printing and mailing of neighborhood newsletters as specified in the
NORP.

For the first 25 years or so, that budget line item was used strictly for
printing and mailing expenses.  Neighborhood Services printed and mailed
neighborhood newsletter on request until the budget authority was
exhausted.  As more neighborhoods started producing newsletters, each
neighborhood was told how much of the allocation they could expect to use,
based on the experience of the previous year.  Money not used by a
neighborhood that became dormant during the year was transferred by
Neighborhood Services to neighborhoods that ran out before the fiscal year
ended.  Unused funds were returned to the General Fund.

As part of a review of the neighborhood program in 1999, a committee of city
staff and neighborhood leaders recommended that the City increase the
printing and mailing budget so that each neighborhood could produce four
newsletters per year.  At its May 12, 1999 work session, the City Council
adopted the goal for output for each neighborhood as four public information
items per year (newsletter, postcard, flyer, ad in the paper or other type
of hard-copy publication), two of which must be mailed to every address.  In
the next budget cycle the neighborhood newsletter printing and mailing line
item was increased so that neighborhoods could achieve the Council goal.  An
allocation formula based on postal addresses per neighborhood was
instituted.  Neighborhood Services was instructed to use the allocation of
dormant neighborhoods on efforts to reactivate those neighborhoods.

As a result of the budget increase and the stricter allocation formula,
quite a few neighborhoods had some money left over at the end of the fiscal
year and the practice of using the left-over funds for one-time expenses not
related to printing and mailing was started.  These expenditures were
authorized on a case by case basis and approved if they helped with outreach
and promotion of neighborhoods.  Examples of allowed expenses included
signage for neighborhood meetings, neighborhood banners, and publication
software.  While some flexibility in the use of these funds has been
provided, no clear guidelines for their use beyond printing and mailing have
been developed to guide neighborhoods or City staff.

The next extension came in 2003 when due to a conflict about who should pay
for event insurance, neighborhoods were allowed to use up to $200 of their
newsletter budget for this purpose.  The following year that was expanded to
allow the $200 to be used for any expense related to a neighborhood event.



Avenues of communication have changed significantly since the establishment
of these funds.  The use of electronic communication has grown as an
important organizing and information sharing tool.  In addition, while paper
mailings are an important component of neighborhood communication, reliance
on paper copies is expensive, resource intensive, and inconsistent with the
City’s goals for sustainability.  Many people now utilize the Web or other
electronic media as their primary source of communication and information.
While all neighborhoods met their output goals for mailed publications in
fiscal year 2009, less than half currently have their own web page.
Additional resources would help neighborhoods take better advantage of
current communication technology.

Meeting attendance is becoming a less effective gauge of neighborhood
association involvement.  Events (picnics, neighborhood and park cleanups,
social and educational events, etc.) draw hundreds of participants and
provide opportunities to build neighborhood cohesion and identity, educate
neighbors and make connections between neighborhood associations and their
community in an inviting and less formal way.  They are effective means of
reaching neighbors that might never come to a meeting.  While neighborhoods
do hold many successful events, costs associated with them can far exceed
the current budget allowance for a neighborhood.  For example, rental of a
port-a-potty or purchase of insurance for a block party can easily exceed
the current $200 allocation.

The following proposal is designed to provide policy clarification, promote
use of the funds consistent with previously adopted goals for output, yet
provide resources to expand public outreach and involvement methods by
neighborhood associations.  In developing this proposal the following
principles have guided the choices.

   1. Neighborhood events should be primarily financed and supported by
neighborhood funds, in-kind contributions and neighborhood volunteer hours.
The City financial contribution is intended to offset expenses that result
from City regulations, such as required insurance or restroom facilities.
As inflation increases these costs, the allowed event expense amount should
increase accordingly.



   2. Neighborhood communication and outreach, regardless of the media used,
should be the result of neighborhood efforts.  Where possible, neighborhood
volunteers should provide the work.  Where possible, professional services
should be solicited by neighborhoods as in-kind contributions.  In those
instances, where volunteer labor and/or in-kind contributions of
professional services are not sufficient or available, neighborhoods should
be allowed to use their newsletter budget for other reasonable communication
and outreach expenses.



   3. To address the challenges of communicating with diverse, large
populations in an environment of evolving communication media, neighborhoods
should have the flexibility to use the most effective methods to achieve
consistent and broad communication with their neighbors



   4. Since no amount of rules can cover every situation, Neighborhood
Services will make the final determination if a communication and outreach
expense is reasonable.



Current Proposal

Events – This portion of neighborhood budgets will increase from $200 per
neighborhood to $400 or 3% of a neighborhood’s allocation, whichever is
greater.  This provides a significant increase for all neighborhoods and
will help meet the challenges of event hosting for those with the largest
populations (Cal Young and ABC with nearly 12,000 addresses each). Covered
expenses may include, but not be limited to:

    * Material and supply costs (e.g. food, and beverages--excluding
alcohol)
    * Additional outreach or promotion (posters, flyers, advertising,
banners, etc., incl. photocopying)
    * Rental fees
    * Disposal fees for cleanups
    * Entertainment
    * Permit and insurance fees



Other event-related expenses not identified above will be considered on a
case-by-case basis.

Public Information and Outreach - Neighborhood Associations will be expected
to adhere to previously adopted goals for output (four public information
items, two mailed to every address).  This will ensure a consistent,
reliable and broad-based method of communication from neighborhood
associations to their neighbors.  Once the minimum criteria are met, or are
projected to be met, based on board-approved plans for the remainder of the
fiscal year, neighborhood associations may use their budgets for other means
of public information and outreach.  Public information and outreach
includes those activities that generate awareness of or promote interest and
participation in neighborhood associations and their activities.  Covered
expenses may include, but not be limited to:

    * Banners, signs, logos, maps and other means of identifying a
neighborhood association.
    * Design and layout of newsletters, postcards, flyers, posters or ads.
    * Photocopying
    * Design, development and maintenance of websites, including domain name
registration, web-hosting, or professional services of a
webmaster/developer.
    * Software purchases for use by neighborhood associations for public
information and outreach.
    * Translation services of public information items or at meetings.
    * Childcare services at a meeting or event provided by a licensed
professional.



Other public information and outreach expenses not identified above will be
considered on a case-by-case basis

The following costs are not supported with the use of these funds:

    * Payment of services rendered by individuals that cannot document
professional qualifications for their area of expertise.
    * Payment of services rendered by those serving on neighborhood
association boards (or their immediate family).
    * Equipment purchases, such as computers, photocopy machines, cameras,
etc.



If, in the previous fiscal year, a neighborhood association did not meet the
output goals but used these funds for other costs it will not be authorized
to use funds for other public information and outreach purposes in the
current fiscal year until they have met the output criteria.

Prior authorization from Neighborhood Services is required to guarantee
coverage of expenses other than for the purpose of meeting required output
goals (printing and mailing of newsletters, postcards, etc.).

In addition, use of funds for public information and outreach must be
incurred consistent with a neighborhood association’s process for
authorizing use of funds as identified in their charter document and any
other relevant written and adopted policy of the neighborhood association.
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