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sharing over somewhere.

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» All right. Well, welcome everybody to
the uh

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» tonight's town hall. This is of course
two. Everyone in the correct room?

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No one's looking for some sort of
extension class or

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» All right, we're in the right spot. Uh,
this is Oper. I'm here Michael Zerinski.

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It's good to see you guys all here and
thanks for coming out.

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» A little bit about how this program is
going to work. We're going to do a brief

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introduction. Going to get an
opportunity to talk about things that

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are near their heart. Uh, we'll do a
little bit of a kickoff

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by some of our

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schedule.

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» Yes, we'll have a slight presentation of
our panelists here and then we're going

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to open it up.
What what does make this work appreciate

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everyone who has a question out here.
Uh however, we don't get to everybody.

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We will be sticking around.

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We are going to try to go as order with
the questions that we have. Often times

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that'll maybe get you thinking about
something. Maybe you're going to hear

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something you don't like as answered and
you're going to feel kind of the need to

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explain that back to us immediately.

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Hold that thumb. Uh we can catch it
afterwards. What we want to be able to

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do is have everybody get an opportunity
their questions.

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Again, it may spur some thought to mind,
but at the end of the day, we

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I'm just looking out at this fruit.

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Give yourselves a round.

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All right. So, let's go down the line
here and everyone can introduce

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themselves and why they're up here on

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good evening. My name is Eric Thompson
and I'm your bar chief. U I've uh it's a

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pleasure to be here tonight to share
kind of what the fire department has. Uh

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I've been in the service for 31 years.
I've been your chief for six and a half.

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U really happy to say that the fire
department is fully staffed going into

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fire season. As you know that we started
fire season 11 week

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to go working with our neighbors in
collaboration. So we're all on the same

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page. Very important.
Also, you'll notice fire station 15

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that's on Robert Road. That project is
well underway and we're ahead of

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schedule and the budget actually on that
project. So, that's another clapping

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for us
and also we're fully staffed in our EMS

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squad EMS squads. We had three EMS
squads and that's been one of the

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highlights of what we've done over the
past years innovative solution to our

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EMS. So, it's a pleasure uh to be here
tonight uh to answer any questions and

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community and I just want to say thank
you very much uh for being here shows

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that you really truly care.
Thank you.

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» Evening everybody. I'm Rich Rosenthal.
I'm your parks and recreation director.

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I'm in my 19th year with the city and uh
uh Monday you have information about

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some parts in the uh brochure here. I
just want to invite you all on Memorial

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Day on this coming Monday at 1:30 is the
grand opening of the Vietnam Veterans

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Memorial Wall at Howard Sports Park.
That is a project that has been 12 to 15

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years.
That's a notable event. Also, if you

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play pickle ball,
>> you're know anyone who plays pickle

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ball?
>> Right. There are 19 football courts

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opening on June 5th on Friday, June 5th
at Howard Memorial Park as well and sand

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volleyball courts sometime in June.
That's what's going on in our world this

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month. Dan Worth every

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uh I'm Dan Worth, public works director.
I handle uh streets, uh sewers, uh water

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treatment, and storm drains. Uh and just
a brief couple of words about uh streets

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because that's what you see all the time
and are most familiar with, I'm sure. Uh

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and uh the fire chief talked about being
fully staffed going into the fire

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season. We're fully staffed going into
street maintenance, repair, and

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barricade season. So, a couple of things
that we're doing. Uh finishing up a big

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project, Foothill. Uh it's been under
construction for two years. We're going

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to call it a a day uh sometime in the
middle of the summer. Actually going to

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have a a ribbon cutting ceremony to
celebrate. But that's been a great

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project. Uh and I'm I'm glad that I hear
But but good things from the community

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about it. It's a great asset for us. Uh
we're also doing some uh surface street

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repair and maintenance kind of work. We
do slurry seals which is a thin layer of

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asphalt. Uh we actually started doing
that in the in the southern part of the

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city. I just drove down Hamilton Street.
Uh just put the asphalt down on that,

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the slurry down on that this week. Um,
you can tell which streets are on this

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year's plan. Uh, if if it's black from
side to side, we've already done it.

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That's Hamilton. Uh, that's Cay Vista.
Uh, if uh it looks like it normally

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does, but all the arrows are missing and
all the bike markings are missing, that

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means we're going to do it. Uh, that's a
lot of uh Jackson and Hillrest and a

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couple of others. Uh and if it just
looks like normal, then we're going to

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get to it in the next couple of years.
But but we're doing a lot of that. Uh

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and we're doing one project that's going
to be uh a little bit more um intrusive,

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removing some asphalt, rebuilding it.
That's going to be mostly on

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McAnnandrews and Hillrest or Mandrews
crosses foothills up the hill. Uh that's

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going to be a little bit later in
summer, July time. So, uh any questions?

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I'll be here. Uh love to talk about any
of that. to talk about waste water,

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believe it or not. But uh thank you very
much.

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» No, actually

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wait. Sorry, I cut off the applause.
Please stand.

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» Hi, good evening everybody. My name is
John Vile. I am serving as the interim

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city manager for the city at this time.
I worked for the city about five years.

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I worked as the public works director
previously. I retired and then I was

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asked to come back and serve as an inter
role for city manager while we're

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recruiting for the new. So I'm grateful
for the opportunity to serve you and to

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serve the city in that capacity. I want
to just touch on one thing real quick.

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Um
we're going to hear from the city

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councilors in a second. Um and right now
staff's introducing themselves. What is

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the difference in the role between staff
directors that are here and the city

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counselors that you're going to hear
from in a minute? What's the difference

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and what do we do differently than each
other?

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This is the part where you can talk
back.

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» That's what they said last time, too.
Yeah. That we get paid and they don't.

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That's a good clarification. Anything
else?

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» Do the work. Do the work. So, they work
hard though. Believe me, they have a lot

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of meetings. They are very involved in
the work and they do the work. But the

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bottom line is council sets policy. They
establish council goals. They approve

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our work plans. They approve the budget.
Council sets the policy and then staff

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implements the policy. So the work that
we're doing and the work that I'm

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responsible for is to make sure that
we're doing what council asks us to do

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and we're delivering the roles the
results that they want us to do. So

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that's our big focus is carrying out the
mission of the city as established by

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the policy makers um from that's on the
city council. And so it's a fun role

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that we play and we're grateful for the
leadership that we have in our mayor and

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our council. With that, I'm gonna hand
it to Eric Mitten, our city attorney.

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Hey
>> everybody. Um I'm Eric Mitten. I'm the

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city attorney. What that means is I'm
general counsel for the city. I do legal

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work for the city. everything from land
use to representing the city in

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litigation, giving advice to our elected
officials and staff. And our office also

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uh prosecutes criminal cases in
municipal shoplifts, um livability

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crimes in our city parks, those sorts of
things. Um and that's I've been with

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city for about 10 years now and it's
been a great organization to be part of.

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» Justin, I like I think of your interim
police chief because I did retire in

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January and contracted back for six
months. Our new chief has been selected.

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That's deputy chief Trevor Arnold who
will be taking over on June 3rd. Um but

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with that said, I have worked for the
city of Meford for past 31 years. So

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I've been here a minute. In fact, this
when I first started used to be a

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parking lot that used to be a parking
lot with our gas pumps that used to be a

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post office. So a lot of changes as you
can imagine.

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What I just want to touch on uh just
real quick is I get the privilege of uh

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leading 180 plus employees that do
amazing work day in and day out. It is

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an extremely tough job. As you can
imagine, we deal with a we'll say

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challenging population and um our men
and women do the best. Um, I've had the

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opportunity to go throughout the state
of Oregon, all over the West Coast, and

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visit other police departments, and I
will honestly say we are the best

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trained, have some of the most
professional people in our organization.

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Um, when we first started these town
halls, I've been part of every single

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one of them. Um, homelessness was the
number one issue. And in 2023,

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we had um some problems with
homelessness. Uh we had over 100 plus

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identified camps, encampments inside the
city limits. I can tell you that number

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as of this March was 13. We continue to
teach her in Oakuckland.

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» Thank you. It's not me. It's the It's
the men and women out there doing it. Um

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and we're lucky enough we have our
outreach coordinator Vicky Armstrong in

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the back. She probably has one of the
most difficult jobs at the police

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department. But what Vicki does every
day is she goes over to the jail, makes

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contact with these individuals both
there and here and provides outreach

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options and tries to get these folks in
a better position than they currently

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are. And she does an amazing job. And so
I don't not just hook and book and and

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and lock them up. We honestly try as a
department to better these people's

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situation because the less we deal with
them, more efficient we are, more money

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ahead. But I just want to say thank you.
The public support that I have seen from

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this city for the past 31 years has just
been absolutely amazing and it's been a

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privilege to be your chief

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introduce themselves, maybe give a
little idea why they ran, what the

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priorities are,
kind of give you a little insight.

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with John Quinn.
I'm John [clears throat] Quinn. W two,

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which is west of the freeway, south of
Maine, and downtown south of four. Um,

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I've been living in for 25 years, been a
attorney for 33. The last 25 I've been

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as a district attorney, now the
assistant district attorney for

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the

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So, Uh before this I was on the planning
commission so I got to learn land use in

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addition to criminal public safety
also the president of the ro valley

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council director vice chair of valley
service

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and I've been doing this 24 and it's my
honor to be here with all of you and

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thought that I'll leave you with
the enemy of freedom is

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We're two with John Quinn. Like you
said, southwest corner of Medford. Uh

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this is my fourth year on the city
council. uh raising three children here

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and uh just wanted to leave Medford in a
better place than I found it. Uh I felt

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like this organization was a powerhouse
and even now everybody that's on it I'm

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going to leave it even better than I
found it. So uh my main focus along with

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the rest of these guys has been downtown
just making it better

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downtown revitalization.

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Hi everyone. Uh my name is Nick Card. I
am Ward Four. That is southeast Medford.

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I am I've been on city council going on
three and a half years now. I am a fifth

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generation Oregonian. Was born and
raised in this area. My family has deep

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ties to Edford, southern Oregon. And one
of the things that really drove me to

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to run for city council that drives the
service that I do here is that we are

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not building a future for ourselves.
We're not building a future for

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tomorrow. We're building a future for
the next generation. We're building a

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future for our grandchildren. And it is
so easy to get caught up in the daytoday

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particular issues that we have. We also
have to think long term. How do we think

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bigger and what comes next? Some of the
things that like I've been really proud

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of the work that we've done with the
chief on homelessness and that has been

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an important issue for us. But when we
talk about things like Foothill Road,

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this is a piece of infrastructure that's
going to last well past my lifetime. And

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when you think about what it takes to
make a successful community, how do we

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have the tools in place to support
housing for our children for the next

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generation to be able to live and raise
their parents? How do we make sure that

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they have parks and amenities that they
need in order to take their kids outside

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and spread a blanket and have dinner
under the stars? Like these are the

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things that define a growing city. You
talk to people who live in communities

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that they're very proud of. It's not the
There's not like one secret sauce. It's

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all of these things coming together that
make for a great. So, I'm always on the

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hunt for what's that next thing? How do
we make sure we take that and take it

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far into the future so our community is
strong stronger as we keep going? As

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Zach said, how do we leave it better
than we found? And so hopefully uh

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that's what I have proven that I can do
on council. Hopefully that's something

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that continue to do. I thank staff for
actually doing the work and making us

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look good on council. So, thanks John.
Um, but it's a pleasure to be your city

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councelor. Thank you so much for coming
out to chat with us.

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» Everybody, I'm Kevin King. I'm W four as
well. I am kind of the freshman class

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elected two years ago. Uh, I'm a local
teacher. I teach civics, history,

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business at St.
Um, one of the four kids here, been here

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about 25 years as well as John. Never a
good thing to speak after.

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I'll do my best. Um, I I guess I was
really interested in I mean, I've been

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on a lot of missions already. I was on
RBT. I'm currently also at the library

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board. Um, I've been a parks and things.
I've been involved in city business all

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on a volunteer basis of course. And what
was interesting important to me is

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making sure that we uh maintain fiscal
responsibility. We're doing a great job

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in there. Uh keep safety as high as a
priority as we can and police chief

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mentioned they're doing a great job.
Then uh lastly, you know, beautify,

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bring people downtown, but also bring
people to Medford, businesses Medford,

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make it so our kids come back and live
here housing prices as low as we can. uh

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to the extent that we can do anything
about that. Um but yeah, really looking

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forward to having you guys ask some
questions and I applaud you all for

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taking time out down here for your

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start
going through the file here and

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we have a program. We have a program.
You guys all talk about what you want to

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talk about, didn't you? Okay. Introduce
yourself. I did. I'm the mayor.

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» Hey, I'll tell you guys a quick story.
I've been going downtown with trying to

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engage with local businesses down there.
What has turned into so they want to do

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like social media. I'll be honest,
if the internet was relying upon me

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content the social media industry would
so I do not do but whatever I'll kick in

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I'll go
to do the little video and I man on the

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street I'm not talking and this is what
this has turned into now is some sort of

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bizarre
uh where's where we just ask at the end

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do you know who the mayor is because
that's what I asked them and nobody has

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just show hands Anybody know I was the
mayor prior to?

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» So at any rate, it's uh yeah, I I don't
not really a giant personal not big

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honest you just met these four
counselors who met this. This is a

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talented group of people. My job is
all the same.

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Okay, that being said, grab questions
best we can.

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We want council to engage with you.
However, it comes down to something

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specific as we talked about operations
versus state policy. We have our phone.

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They'll come. Got KJ there. If you got
if you got a question that haven't

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picked up, just raise your hand.
Okay. What will you do about wild

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You know what? Let's feed them.
>> Yeah, let's feed them. This has been

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around for a while, by the way. I was
taking calls. I I will give you a little

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brief history. I was on council
first, the 2014 elections, the 2015.

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Uh, this has been around a while. I
personally have talked to about this and

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I don't think we went
Now they're still around. I will tell

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you this, it's not just east.
However, anybody here talk

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you know anything about turkey
everywhere.

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Now here's what we're going to do on
this one. Very unsatisfying answer. It's

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been a problem for a while. We've done
nothing about it. And uh

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here's the deal. No, we have I know that
we have been in touch with fish and

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wildlife. However, it is starting to get
more prevalent.

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It's probably about time.

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» Let's see.
>> The city just spent money on updating.

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Does the city have the interest and
resources in speed?

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There's and there's also a little bit
more information kind of their reasons

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00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:10,320
for supporting
speed humps anyone

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00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:14,960
I'll tell you this right now speed humps
have a couple of problems but yes do

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they slow down traffic they do
apparently there are some public works

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00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:19,720
issues

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00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:31,360
I'm not sure and there's a guy
There's a guy sitting to the right here

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may know more about this than than I do,
but I do not believe we have any speed

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humps on city public streets in the city
of Medford. And I think that was a

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conscious policy decision several years
ago uh to to not use what we call

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vertical

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traffic. There are other things that we
can do physically to try to slow traffic

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down. And we've got a process that we go
through and and our friends in the

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00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:06,559
police department help with.
We've got a process that we go through.

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00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:11,440
Feel there's excessive speeding on a
particular street. We'll look at it.

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00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:16,960
We'll gather data. We'll do some speed
enforcement, some focused speed

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00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:23,919
enforcement part, and we'll take a look
at options. But speed humps for number

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00:22:20,159 --> 00:22:31,120
reasons. I'll give you one.
Got a bunch of new snow blows and if it

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00:22:27,039 --> 00:22:35,120
ever snows they hit the street
those they tear them up and it also

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makes it difficult to do the repaving
that I started talking about a little

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bit earlier. So for for several reasons
we try to shy away from that but we will

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study the situation on particular
streets and there are some other things

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00:22:45,919 --> 00:22:49,400
that we can do.

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So going forward Dan is the point person
on this but just a little bit of

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history. Our city has a long-term policy
of not doing ste speed bumps. And

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there's two primary reasons for it.
Actually, there's multiple reasons for

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it, but one of the biggest ones is these
cities that put them in, put them in,

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and they almost immediately take them
out. And the reason why, if you're a

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neighbor who lives next to a speed bump,
you are going to hate it because what

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happens is it slows traffic down. Every
car that goes over it, you hear a clunk

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00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:30,400
clunk and they're very, very loud and
the neighbors hate them. And it's a

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really common thing people put them in
and then they immediately take them back

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out because the neighborhood and the
people that live right next to them hate

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them. They say, "Yeah, we like them, but
put it in front of their house and not

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in front of my house." And so we've had
a long-term policy of not doing

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» oftentimes there is a public uh safety
response issue.

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» Well, as you can imagine, speed's
probably the number one complaint in the

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00:23:52,880 --> 00:24:00,080
city of Medford. And so, as uh was
touched on by Mr. worth. We'll come out,

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00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:04,480
we'll do a speed study. And as you guys
know, everyone's favorite of those 187

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00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:09,120
employees, I get the photo enforcement
officers as well. Everybody loves those

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00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:15,120
that group. But what we'll end up doing
is if the if we have a numerous

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00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:20,000
violations in a specific area, um if we
can put the van out there, uh we will.

283
00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:24,159
Um there's certain criteria though for
the van to be able to be placed in

284
00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:27,840
certain locations and if not, we'll send
the motors up there. What we typically

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00:24:26,480 --> 00:24:31,200
see is that the folks that are
complaining about the speeding vehicles,

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00:24:29,679 --> 00:24:35,840
they then turn around and complain about
getting the ticket. So, um it's kind of

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00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:38,880
one of those no-win situations, but
that's typically what happens is the

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00:24:37,679 --> 00:24:44,279
people that complain are usually the
ones that end up getting the photo

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00:24:39,919 --> 00:24:44,279
enforcement ticket. So,

290
00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:51,559
all right. And it over you.

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00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,320
um

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00:24:55,440 --> 00:25:02,679
feels rather specific
at the Habitat for Humanity store.

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00:25:03,679 --> 00:25:11,640
Somebody took away entrance and exit.
Now there is only one

294
00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:17,240
cars are lined up waiting to turn in the
parking lot.

295
00:25:19,039 --> 00:25:23,880
I want to say that this isn't fac

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00:25:31,279 --> 00:25:39,600
jurisdiction. Um, ODOT's an interesting
agency. They um

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00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:44,480
the fewer people they can allow to enter
to get onto the road, the better. I

298
00:25:41,919 --> 00:25:50,159
think is what they
call that access. Um but at any rate

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00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:58,000
that that that particular part would be
ODOT would be associated somehow with

300
00:25:52,960 --> 00:26:01,720
the 99 highway plan and so it's not
impossible but

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00:26:02,799 --> 00:26:08,799
follow okay
you put in a we got a lot of good

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00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:14,000
transportation
ADA

303
00:26:11,679 --> 00:26:20,080
um
okay there's an ADA crosswalk at

304
00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:23,080
what type of
traffic.

305
00:26:29,360 --> 00:26:34,520
I know where that's at, but I'm not
familiar with

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00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:49,679
at that particular location that is on
our list for an overlay of this summer

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00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:55,679
sometime July or August going to be
milling out the top layer of asphalt

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00:26:52,720 --> 00:27:02,240
caving 2 inch layer brand new asphalt
you're going to have basically a brand

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00:26:57,600 --> 00:27:09,039
new street fresher Brookdale portions of
the area uh and prior to doing that by

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00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:16,159
law comply with the Americans with
Disability Act we have to upgrade any

311
00:27:12,559 --> 00:27:20,240
crossings that uh don't meet EPA
standards. And that's what's going on

312
00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:24,880
out there now. Got a contract that's
going out and when some of those streets

313
00:27:23,279 --> 00:27:31,520
were originally built, they were built
with ramps. Uh if there's a ramp that's

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00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:36,000
a crossing, and if the ramp doesn't meet
the very precise standards, it has to do

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00:27:33,919 --> 00:27:41,360
with slopes. It has to do with flat
areas for uh somebody that's in a

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00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:45,760
wheelchair to be able to come to a stop.
uh if it doesn't meet those very strict

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00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:50,720
technical specifications, we have to
rebuild it. So, what's going on up there

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00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:54,799
is not any we're not going to be putting
in any stabilized crossings or anything.

319
00:27:53,039 --> 00:28:01,159
Just
upgrading the existing ramps

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00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:01,159
with the standard.

321
00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:08,200
So also on that there

322
00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:19,240
point it's interesting you want to
qualify for certain federal funds.

323
00:28:24,559 --> 00:28:32,640
Uh couple of fireworks questions here.
I manage a mobile home park along the

324
00:28:30,399 --> 00:28:38,880
greenway and people shoot off huge
illegal fireworks.

325
00:28:34,880 --> 00:28:46,880
What we done? That it right there.
That's a pretty good visual aid. Well,

326
00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:51,679
» um that's what our Fourth of July.
>> Um a couple thoughts. I will tell you

327
00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:57,520
this is I cannot if I actually sat down
and thought about how many times we have

328
00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:59,840
the rules
almost

329
00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:09,399
And I want to say that we're going to
get back to

330
00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:09,399
one point in time. We actually

331
00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:15,880
does anyone else recall that
specifically

332
00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:26,520
what's clearly there's a lot of response
that happens from the fire department

333
00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,520
in

334
00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:34,480
actually uh it's a very busy night for
both fire and police and EMS. It's just

335
00:29:31,919 --> 00:29:40,159
a busy night like many things going on
that night. Um I know that there is a

336
00:29:37,039 --> 00:29:46,080
lot of concern frustrations about the
fireworks. Um I will tell you this that

337
00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:51,279
just globally what happens on the 4th of
July is we staff up a lot and we almost

338
00:29:49,679 --> 00:29:56,720
I wouldn't say we have double the
resources but every unit that we have in

339
00:29:54,399 --> 00:30:02,960
the organization is fully staffed. are
fully staffed. So, we're very confident

340
00:29:59,760 --> 00:30:11,600
uh in our ability to respond to fires.
Um July is typically it's a six day

341
00:30:07,039 --> 00:30:18,159
state law. Fireworks can
be displayed for six days

342
00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:24,960
and that's before the fourth and after
the six days throughout the year.

343
00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:30,240
We have regulations in our community
that that

344
00:30:27,279 --> 00:30:35,600
the aerial borders. We do have all
everything is on everything is on the

345
00:30:32,399 --> 00:30:42,080
website as far as what's legal and what
is not legal. Uh it's challenging

346
00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:46,320
enforcement piece is challenging
everywhere you look the sky as your

347
00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:53,039
picture
illustrates. It's very hard to enforce.

348
00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:58,640
We've considered bans
multiple times but the The challenge

349
00:30:55,919 --> 00:31:05,279
with the band is that there's going to
be a lot of disappointment, frustrations

350
00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:11,919
also because of of our ability to
enforce. So what we tried to do is

351
00:31:09,279 --> 00:31:16,960
educate folks on how to be safe, educate
folks what is legal versus

352
00:31:14,720 --> 00:31:24,399
eastern foothills or in the foothills
there is 100% the signs up

353
00:31:21,679 --> 00:31:26,720
and every year you'll have the reader
board.

354
00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:38,679
on Hillrest or on Foothill not supposed
to be any kind of fireworks that highard

355
00:31:34,799 --> 00:31:38,679
wildfire area

356
00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:47,320
as far as the ground level and the
valley floor they can do some of those

357
00:31:44,320 --> 00:31:47,320
type.

358
00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:54,480
So I don't know Chief I if you have
anything

359
00:31:52,159 --> 00:32:01,120
and the other thing is the There is
fines. So, it's $2,500 for the fine. Uh,

360
00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:04,559
often times what happens, our friends in
blue,

361
00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:08,480
police department, they're the ones that
actually

362
00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:13,840
go to respond with the enforcement of
it. And what happens when they pull up

363
00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:19,360
in the culdeac? Everybody scatters.
Everybody runs. Nobody really wants to

364
00:32:16,399 --> 00:32:24,880
say, "Okay, I did it."
So, it's really hard to identify who

365
00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:29,679
actually shot the firework. And if you
don't physically see them do it, it's

366
00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:33,200
hard to have
it's hard to have the ticket really hold

367
00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:39,360
up in court.
So,

368
00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:45,440
it's we understand the frustration,
but in this particular situation, there

369
00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:52,559
are 174 homes there.
Would it be possible to put a fire

370
00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:56,880
department car, police department car in
that culde-sac,

371
00:32:54,320 --> 00:33:02,080
just sit there. Doesn't even have to be
anybody in it because people last year

372
00:32:59,919 --> 00:33:05,679
the fire department drove by, saw them,
said they couldn't do anything because

373
00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:11,279
they didn't see them shooting off and
when they left back up in the air.

374
00:33:09,519 --> 00:33:16,960
It's hard just to leave a resource there
because we actually had our resources to

375
00:33:13,519 --> 00:33:22,480
respond and that's what's happening on
the fourth and the day

376
00:33:19,279 --> 00:33:25,960
two and the day after is
the sun go

377
00:33:26,399 --> 00:33:36,760
to call to call sometimes prioritize
those calls. Our goal is to keep the

378
00:33:31,279 --> 00:33:36,760
fire small so it doesn't spread.

379
00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:45,360
Yeah, I mean I think that's an
interesting idea and clearly dummy cars

380
00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:50,640
have been around
that one of the one of the things that I

381
00:33:48,559 --> 00:33:55,279
was involved
we were doing

382
00:33:53,440 --> 00:34:01,279
kind of
the simplest way to say it is

383
00:33:58,399 --> 00:34:05,159
regardless
going down 137

384
00:34:05,679 --> 00:34:09,679
homelessness still r very very

385
00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:17,800
We spent some time looking at these
really

386
00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:25,440
one of the part of that part of that
process we sort of found there's you

387
00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:31,760
know sort of look at some practices that
whether it be dummy vehicles one what

388
00:34:28,720 --> 00:34:40,800
one place did took an out of service
vehicle out of service cruiser uh but

389
00:34:35,679 --> 00:34:45,520
actually mounted U cameras on that.
Now there's going to be some people who

390
00:34:43,040 --> 00:34:52,520
are going to tell us, hey, do not we
don't want cameras, right? There's just

391
00:34:48,240 --> 00:34:52,520
different ideas that maybe

392
00:34:53,119 --> 00:34:56,760
I think we as a

393
00:34:58,320 --> 00:35:01,320
so

394
00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:06,400
one of the things that I've looked at
this because this is something that I've

395
00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:11,520
heard from a lot of people about a lot
of concern about fire and I really

396
00:35:08,320 --> 00:35:16,960
understand that I I enjoyed as a kid
playing with fireworks but there is you

397
00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:22,240
know a lot drier it's a lot hotter
especially years like this year

398
00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:26,160
and so but as mayor said we looked at we
banned these before and it works this

399
00:35:24,480 --> 00:35:29,440
isn't like calls for service in the
sense of people paddling this was calls

400
00:35:27,599 --> 00:35:35,040
for services us having to respond to
spot fires and actual problems more

401
00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:38,480
fireworks being used more recklessly
even though we them not. And

402
00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:43,440
unfortunately, this is something other
communities have seen as they've done

403
00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:47,839
it. And so, one of the things that I
would love for us to figure out how to

404
00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:53,520
do as a community, as a as a culture for
our community, let's make New Year's our

405
00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:57,040
fireworks season because it's a lot
safer for us. And it's New Year's and

406
00:35:55,359 --> 00:36:01,200
other people do this, other other
communities that have extreme fire risk,

407
00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:05,599
you know, and that's a change for us.
But, but, you know, if everybody in here

408
00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:08,640
makes a commitment that Hey, we're going
to do fireworks on New Year's and not

409
00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:12,000
Fourth of July. And I know that's sad to
not have it around Fourth of July. The

410
00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:16,000
county has caught their own fairgrounds
on fire. These are the professionals

411
00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:19,920
doing this. This is a dangerous thing.
And so if if we do this, if we commit to

412
00:36:18,720 --> 00:36:23,599
this, if we can get our friends this,
maybe there is a possibility that we can

413
00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:27,599
change this. So it's not about Medford
saying no fireworks. It's about Medford

414
00:36:25,359 --> 00:36:31,440
saying, "Let's do it when it's safer,
when it's right, and celebrate in a

415
00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:34,880
different way." These are just thoughts.
I don't know how to force anybody to do

416
00:36:33,040 --> 00:36:39,680
anything I want because like I said, We
tried that. It backfired spectacularly.

417
00:36:37,359 --> 00:36:43,520
So, uh, you know, what whatever that
might look like, but I just think we've

418
00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:48,480
gota, this isn't something that the city
of Medford fix as a government. This is

419
00:36:46,240 --> 00:36:56,599
something that we as people have to try
to come up with solutions.

420
00:36:52,079 --> 00:36:56,599
City just isn't the right.

421
00:36:59,920 --> 00:37:06,960
Maybe we can't. There's one thing we can
explore.

422
00:37:05,119 --> 00:37:13,599
cost money
less money.

423
00:37:09,839 --> 00:37:18,160
One thing we could consider
having a city

424
00:37:16,079 --> 00:37:22,680
have everybody would be rolling up the
streets

425
00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:22,680
watch

426
00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:35,520
himself watching

427
00:37:37,839 --> 00:37:44,880
Well, I guess the question is we want to
spend city money if it works.

428
00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:47,880
» We'll take it out of the we pay the
mayor

429
00:37:48,000 --> 00:37:55,240
or we keep it
people who are in St. George.

430
00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:13,236
Are there more danger?
>> At my house,

431
00:38:09,440 --> 00:38:13,236
» St. George pretty much [laughter]

432
00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:21,599
» I'm gonna bring up where they were
shooting them off and it was actually a

433
00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:28,079
gentleman from the fire department that
was at the park. They were so huge. He

434
00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:33,760
came over to see what was going on. He
came into the and I started to talk to

435
00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:38,320
him. All of a sudden, somebody this huge
one. They were as big as at the park and

436
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:43,760
he just went flying out there to try to
stop them. At the end of the night, all

437
00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:48,640
that burning debris is all they leave it
all sitting there. I was out till 11:30.

438
00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:52,960
If the wind came up, and we know there's
a lot of wind. This is the dead area

439
00:38:51,359 --> 00:38:58,000
right where they were where they were
setting them off. If the wind came up,

440
00:38:55,920 --> 00:39:03,200
that would have been the green all the
way down.

441
00:38:59,760 --> 00:39:03,200
Well, that's our frustration.

442
00:39:03,599 --> 00:39:09,720
I'm not going to make excuses.
I've given you an idea

443
00:39:10,320 --> 00:39:13,640
» county expedition

444
00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:26,560
worth looking at.
>> No, all I'm just saying is, you know,

445
00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:31,359
they do it at the expo, but I read a few
months ago

446
00:39:28,720 --> 00:39:39,720
last year because
They've just re-examined it to so I mean

447
00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:39,720
we have had that at the fairgrounds

448
00:39:43,599 --> 00:39:47,000
like it might

449
00:39:50,560 --> 00:39:53,560
enforcement

450
00:39:55,280 --> 00:39:58,280
level

451
00:39:59,599 --> 00:40:05,599
I would like One more
>> here. Here's what I'm gonna throw out.

452
00:40:02,720 --> 00:40:09,119
What we are doing,
number one, we have an important issue

453
00:40:07,359 --> 00:40:13,720
down there,
but I really want you to

454
00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:22,839
make sure that what we've got going on
there, what you're bringing up highly

455
00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:22,839
specific sounds. Make sure

456
00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:29,240
far as the

457
00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:41,400
Thank you. Um, we are now kicking around
the idea. So, what Medford is going?

458
00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:41,400
What is Medford gonna do this?

459
00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:50,160
» Hello everyone. So, uh, the city is out
of the fireworks,

460
00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:54,560
but what we will be getting into
starting in 2027,

461
00:40:52,400 --> 00:41:00,760
either downtown or at the sport park is
a drone show July 4th. So,

462
00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:08,800
modern fireworks. It's safer and
hopefully they don't collide, crash, and

463
00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:12,160
then start a grass fire.
>> How about this year?

464
00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:17,040
» This year, um because drone shows are
expensive and there are only so many

465
00:41:14,480 --> 00:41:21,280
companies in the country that do them.
Uh and they were all booked up for this

466
00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:27,040
and plus the countyy's doing its thing
for the last time as mentioned. So, we

467
00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:34,480
have uh we have a contract for 2027 for
this July 4th. We have house

468
00:41:30,400 --> 00:41:40,880
from 1 to 3 at the Rogue X
we'll have a barbecue free hot dogs

469
00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:47,359
will be open activities in the event
center and we'll have a band and we will

470
00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:52,760
have a good time 1 to 3 on July 4th and
July 4th 2027 drone show

471
00:41:55,280 --> 00:42:05,400
» and then actually speaking of this
There was one counselor very adamant

472
00:42:01,359 --> 00:42:05,400
that show up

473
00:42:05,599 --> 00:42:13,760
» for this year.
>> Uh yeah. So this is the 250th

474
00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:19,280
anniversary of the uh the same
>> July 4th, 1776.

475
00:42:15,839 --> 00:42:24,000
» Uh it used to be the vice. Um, so we
Kevin Stein actually and I were very

476
00:42:21,760 --> 00:42:28,720
interested in this and it's
disappointing that there really hasn't

477
00:42:25,440 --> 00:42:34,880
been as much publicity as I remember
for the bsentennial 50 years ago. Um,

478
00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:39,760
but uh so yeah, we proposed doing that
and uh the council was very responsive

479
00:42:37,599 --> 00:42:43,760
and I'm really glad they did. So we're
going to have a big party down and you

480
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:47,359
said the pool will be free. It's going
to be a good time and we will have done

481
00:42:45,760 --> 00:42:50,400
our
red, white, and blue bunting that kind

482
00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:53,359
of
>> bunting.

483
00:42:51,119 --> 00:43:00,129
» Bunting. It's like we're not doing
bunting, but we have some cool premiums.

484
00:42:56,160 --> 00:43:00,129
We'll talk later. [laughter]

485
00:43:00,160 --> 00:43:07,599
» All right. Excellent. So, one kind of a
little bit more philosophical question

486
00:43:04,720 --> 00:43:13,280
that came in. This will be interesting.
How can we change the Medford city

487
00:43:09,200 --> 00:43:17,920
charter to most fiscal responsibility
expenditures?

488
00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:20,920
But changing the city charter very
straightforward.

489
00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:30,240
So changing the city charter um the city
charter is like the constitution of the

490
00:43:27,760 --> 00:43:35,920
United States. It's a founding document.
It can only be changed through a vote of

491
00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:43,440
the populace. Um and it's something that
is not done frequently because it is an

492
00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:47,359
under underlying founding dogma. Um
just to address the issue about

493
00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:51,599
individual expenditures, if the charter
were to be changed so that individual

494
00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:55,839
expenditures go out to the populace,
what that would mean is that individual

495
00:43:53,119 --> 00:43:59,920
expenditures at most could be decided
once or twice a year, which

496
00:43:57,839 --> 00:44:03,760
operationally for the city is a very
challenging thing. That's one of the

497
00:44:01,359 --> 00:44:10,800
ideas behind representative government
is these counselors meet um two to four

498
00:44:08,240 --> 00:44:16,960
times per month to be able to make
decisions um representing the views of

499
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:21,599
their constituents. If we try to make
all sorts of decisions, fire department

500
00:44:18,960 --> 00:44:25,680
needs a new fire apparat. If we need to
wait um six months making those

501
00:44:24,160 --> 00:44:31,359
decisions, it makes it hard to run a
city of 95,000 people. But if there is a

502
00:44:28,480 --> 00:44:35,040
change to the charter, it has to be that
change is on the ballot. Whether it's a

503
00:44:33,040 --> 00:44:39,920
small change to the charter like
changing the rate transient lodging tax

504
00:44:37,359 --> 00:44:46,895
or a fundamental change to the charter,
all of that is an electoral process.

505
00:44:44,875 --> 00:44:46,895
[clears throat]

506
00:44:46,960 --> 00:44:55,960
» I think a little bit more specific is
any you can do is you can go out

507
00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:55,960
with

508
00:44:56,480 --> 00:44:58,960
number

509
00:45:03,280 --> 00:45:06,280
that

510
00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:14,520
I think the bigger question is what kind
of thought process goes on

511
00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:24,800
and and again not I don't really know
that anyone here is actually that

512
00:45:22,079 --> 00:45:30,599
concern whether or not
our replacement

513
00:45:27,359 --> 00:45:30,599
by the way.

514
00:45:33,280 --> 00:45:43,359
Those are big ticket items. However,
those just have a standard.

515
00:45:40,319 --> 00:45:48,400
But if you're counselor thinking about
an idea that feels more discretionary,

516
00:45:45,599 --> 00:45:51,640
maybe that's
how that

517
00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,440
you prepared

518
00:45:57,920 --> 00:46:03,359
Um
so someone will come up with an idea

519
00:46:01,200 --> 00:46:08,640
about money situation. We would refer
that probably to uh finance department

520
00:46:05,920 --> 00:46:13,440
get the numbers right. Um bouncing
around of course in study session

521
00:46:10,240 --> 00:46:20,040
usually or
oneon one with counselors

522
00:46:15,839 --> 00:46:20,040
would make sense something

523
00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:23,880
in

524
00:46:23,920 --> 00:46:30,599
that vote.
John's group

525
00:46:34,319 --> 00:46:44,319
the way
about it a lot. You uh you get opposing

526
00:46:41,680 --> 00:46:48,560
you talk to constituents of course and
try to figure out if it's the right

527
00:46:45,520 --> 00:46:52,040
thing for the city. We are in doing that
two or three different

528
00:46:52,079 --> 00:46:56,480
we get from people in the city better.

529
00:46:59,839 --> 00:47:06,319
One of the things too about spending
money is we go through a really rigorous

530
00:47:03,599 --> 00:47:10,640
budget process as the city. So we have a
separate budgeting committee that meets.

531
00:47:08,160 --> 00:47:15,280
We go through separate budget committee
meetings that are open to public that we

532
00:47:13,359 --> 00:47:18,240
encourage public comment. In fact, I'm
just trying to think I don't know since

533
00:47:16,800 --> 00:47:24,319
I've been on council I've received a
single public comment about the budget

534
00:47:20,880 --> 00:47:29,119
process. Uh and so but so we go through
this entire budgeting process and then

535
00:47:26,240 --> 00:47:33,119
that budget sets most of those
expenditures as the mayor said, you

536
00:47:31,280 --> 00:47:37,599
know, we buy a new fire truck. That's an
expensive item. We're working on a $300

537
00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:42,160
million wastewater treatment. There's a
lot of expensive items that go into

538
00:47:39,680 --> 00:47:48,079
those things, but those are all part of
the budgeted items for those pieces of

539
00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:54,319
when you actually look at like what in
or like what funds council actually can

540
00:47:50,720 --> 00:48:00,640
spend in a discretionary way. That's not
a lot of money. Uh we spend uh maybe I

541
00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:06,800
don't know a couple million dollars
total in all of our grant programs. We

542
00:48:03,520 --> 00:48:12,079
have funds that are able to use wearing
our different hat as part of the Medford

543
00:48:08,720 --> 00:48:16,880
urban school board. Uh and so ultimately
the the big action that we do as council

544
00:48:14,560 --> 00:48:23,440
is less about fiscal policy and more
about setting the forward-looking policy

545
00:48:20,560 --> 00:48:27,040
through our strategic plans and then as
those plans sort of come through

546
00:48:24,960 --> 00:48:31,760
ensuring that we are meeting a balanced
budget to achieve the goals of those

547
00:48:29,680 --> 00:48:34,800
plans. Of course it's easy to dream
really big and put a lot of stuff in our

548
00:48:33,520 --> 00:48:39,200
strategic plans and we just don't have
the money to do it. We are stat

549
00:48:36,960 --> 00:48:45,680
statutoily required to have a balanced
budget. We cannot uh you know cannot

550
00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:51,839
just spend more than we get. That's not
allowed. So uh so when you really look

551
00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:54,720
at sort of that process, I'll tell you
as a counselor, one of the things that

552
00:48:53,200 --> 00:48:59,760
frustrated me when I first sort of came
to council is government is slow. It's

553
00:48:57,440 --> 00:49:03,760
not like I get I got to come in here and
fix all these things that were wrong

554
00:49:01,760 --> 00:49:07,280
because it really wasn't like all these
things were wrong. It's that I have

555
00:49:05,359 --> 00:49:11,440
disagreements sometimes substantively,
but these are with strategic policy

556
00:49:09,200 --> 00:49:16,960
documents that are being enacted over
decades, not a bunch of new things that

557
00:49:14,240 --> 00:49:21,760
happen every day. I think about uh work
that I do in business and it's like I

558
00:49:19,440 --> 00:49:26,000
can change my mind really quickly. in
government we can't. Sometimes that's

559
00:49:23,680 --> 00:49:30,480
actually a strength because when you
look at the messy responsibility of

560
00:49:28,240 --> 00:49:34,160
government, I look around this room and
I've had conversations with a lot of you

561
00:49:32,240 --> 00:49:39,440
and I know there are a lot of different
opinions uh represented here in the

562
00:49:36,960 --> 00:49:43,200
audience. And so we've got to have a
process that allows everybody to come to

563
00:49:41,040 --> 00:49:47,599
the table that allows as Kevin said
different ideas to be brought forward.

564
00:49:45,200 --> 00:49:52,880
We can stress test that. That is a slow
methodical process. Uh and so when you

565
00:49:50,240 --> 00:49:57,440
talk about responsibility that is to say
fiscal responsibility is unimportant but

566
00:49:54,880 --> 00:50:01,880
it's also nested within a bunch of other
guard rails that are part of

567
00:50:04,160 --> 00:50:10,160
uh I really don't have much to add to uh
what Nick just said I'd fall in line

568
00:50:07,680 --> 00:50:15,520
with all that but right now the uh city
council initiative uh funds are open

569
00:50:13,040 --> 00:50:21,040
applications so um typically we give
away money for scholarships for kids for

570
00:50:17,760 --> 00:50:28,280
swim lessons or for kids unlimited
memorial memorials around town

571
00:50:24,800 --> 00:50:28,280
right now that

572
00:50:29,599 --> 00:50:32,760
have ideas.

573
00:50:34,800 --> 00:50:43,440
A lot of it comes down to keeping
informed and trust. That's a big

574
00:50:39,839 --> 00:50:46,720
question. Some people are
I can give you some examples. It's very

575
00:50:45,119 --> 00:50:51,680
easy to look at agenda and see a big
number and go

576
00:50:49,119 --> 00:50:57,920
but we've a lot of things to save a lot
of money over time. Fire department has

577
00:50:53,920 --> 00:51:05,960
their squads now, which is a $60,000
truck equip instead of a million dollar

578
00:51:01,280 --> 00:51:05,960
fire engine that goes out reser

579
00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:09,000
gas.

580
00:51:09,119 --> 00:51:16,640
They last a while. They're easy to fix.
That's an example.

581
00:51:14,800 --> 00:51:25,440
Oh no.
$500,000 to redo the sewers.

582
00:51:20,720 --> 00:51:33,440
redoing it with place you can get
fraction what it would cost them

583
00:51:29,040 --> 00:51:39,920
after don't
it's two three $400

584
00:51:35,839 --> 00:51:47,040
dug it up million we do quite a lot of
things a lot of money once you

585
00:51:42,720 --> 00:51:50,400
communicate with us watch us
do it not

586
00:51:54,640 --> 00:52:02,440
All right. So, got a pile here. Who's
interested in Hawthorne baseball?

587
00:52:05,200 --> 00:52:12,720
So, well, thank you all who had your
hand up for putting in a question. you

588
00:52:09,440 --> 00:52:19,880
must know. Uh let's kick it off with
whole concept of downtown revitalization

589
00:52:16,880 --> 00:52:19,880
tourism

590
00:52:19,920 --> 00:52:25,760
seems wrong.
Has the council considered

591
00:52:23,359 --> 00:52:29,160
revitalization
local res

592
00:52:37,520 --> 00:52:43,440
to me? I think it's a it's not an either
or thing. And uh and when you talk about

593
00:52:41,839 --> 00:52:47,280
local residents, one of the things that
I know I've heard a lot from people is

594
00:52:45,760 --> 00:52:52,319
when they don't want to come downtown
because they're concerned about homeless

595
00:52:49,520 --> 00:52:57,200
issues. There's a lack of parking or
available parking for them downtown. Uh

596
00:52:54,720 --> 00:53:00,880
and so what Main Street, I heard a lot
of things about Main Street. Uh and so,

597
00:52:59,359 --> 00:53:05,839
you know, there are definitely things
that as a council we can do from a local

598
00:53:04,000 --> 00:53:09,839
community perspective to try to address
some of those. The new configuration

599
00:53:07,599 --> 00:53:14,960
Main Street that we adopted adds about
40% parking on Main Street itself. So,

600
00:53:13,680 --> 00:53:19,200
that's something to try to create more
convenient parking.

601
00:53:17,200 --> 00:53:24,800
We've done a lot of work with uh over
the last two three years with having

602
00:53:21,760 --> 00:53:28,160
downtown officers to try to make uh the
space in downtown more friendly. We work

603
00:53:26,720 --> 00:53:31,160
very close with the downtown Bedford
citizens

604
00:53:40,800 --> 00:53:47,119
downtown or help those who are already
downtown to expand. Um, I wish there was

605
00:53:45,599 --> 00:53:50,960
a magic wand that we could wave that
would just say, "Everybody go downtown."

606
00:53:49,599 --> 00:53:55,520
And I think one of the things that's
really unfortunate for us is that

607
00:53:53,440 --> 00:53:59,119
downtown Medford, especially during the
height of the pandemic, was really an

608
00:53:57,280 --> 00:54:03,920
uncomfortable place to be. And there's a
lot of people who had an experience

609
00:54:01,040 --> 00:54:08,559
going downtown that time that has now
shaped their perspective

610
00:54:06,079 --> 00:54:12,640
of what it means to be in downtown. But
the downtown Medford we have today is

611
00:54:10,480 --> 00:54:16,720
not the same as the downtown Medford two
or three years ago. It is much nicer.

612
00:54:15,040 --> 00:54:21,680
It's much cleaner. Talked to a lot of
business owners that have space down

613
00:54:18,319 --> 00:54:25,200
there and they are very excited about
transformations that are coming. They're

614
00:54:23,280 --> 00:54:29,680
seeing more customers. But I also think
it is a misconception to say that we're

615
00:54:27,520 --> 00:54:35,200
not actively growing because according
to a lot of the people I've talked to,

616
00:54:31,359 --> 00:54:42,240
they are sick. Uh and so as we talk
about how do we help local communities,

617
00:54:39,040 --> 00:54:45,680
we cannot like when you say Medford,
what are we going to do with downtown?

618
00:54:43,280 --> 00:54:50,240
We're going to have all these tourism.
Tourism is a great thing for our

619
00:54:47,920 --> 00:54:55,920
community, but it is not we're not
beach. we're not like, you know, Los

620
00:54:53,280 --> 00:54:57,920
Angeles or and I'm glad we're not
because I don't want to live in Los

621
00:54:56,960 --> 00:55:04,160
Angeles. I don't want to live in
Florida. And so I uh and so if we're

622
00:55:01,920 --> 00:55:09,280
trying to imagine a world in which all
of these tourists come to Medford and

623
00:55:07,359 --> 00:55:14,559
the tourists single-handedly support our
entire economy, that is not a realistic

624
00:55:11,760 --> 00:55:18,480
vision for the future. Medford is going
to drive.

625
00:55:16,559 --> 00:55:23,920
People who live here, people who live in
our surrounding communities are going to

626
00:55:21,520 --> 00:55:30,240
And so it is very important that is
going to be the the primary driver for

627
00:55:27,119 --> 00:55:34,319
the economic revitalization.
And so engaging with those who are

628
00:55:32,880 --> 00:55:38,640
downtown that are trying that are
working hard. That is an important part.

629
00:55:36,400 --> 00:55:43,119
And as council, we've spent a lot of
time having those conversations, hearing

630
00:55:40,800 --> 00:55:48,000
from people, and trying to come up with
ways. We've just put together a downtown

631
00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:53,280
master plan, which is looking at ways to
try to create uh for activation of

632
00:55:51,280 --> 00:55:58,640
underutilized spaces downtown to create
some more interesting things that uh and

633
00:55:56,640 --> 00:56:01,760
as part of the new transportation system
plan that we're going to be working on

634
00:56:00,559 --> 00:56:08,079
some of the things that we've been
talking about as council is how to do

635
00:56:04,240 --> 00:56:12,880
more uh like infrastructure in downtown
in a way that doesn't uh just take away

636
00:56:10,640 --> 00:56:18,240
from the roads but again takes advantage
of some of these underutilized spaces.

637
00:56:15,119 --> 00:56:21,440
So I think there's a lot that is has
happened over the last few years and

638
00:56:19,680 --> 00:56:26,599
will be happening over the next few
years to do that kind of local

639
00:56:23,599 --> 00:56:26,599
revitalization.

640
00:56:28,559 --> 00:56:37,480
One comment I guess I would just
it's an point about all these facilities

641
00:56:37,920 --> 00:56:47,040
let's be honest a conference center
which been

642
00:56:42,799 --> 00:56:51,680
my goal local business community
when I say long time I would say

643
00:56:48,640 --> 00:56:58,160
predates me
well 15 years and one of their highest

644
00:56:54,720 --> 00:57:04,640
priorities is to be able to bring
other people from other communities to

645
00:57:00,400 --> 00:57:10,160
see what's here. They see it as a giant
that is clearly 100% intentional. How do

646
00:57:07,440 --> 00:57:16,839
we get people
we've invested a lot

647
00:57:13,839 --> 00:57:16,839
rec

648
00:57:24,640 --> 00:57:28,720
those were always always always

649
00:57:29,040 --> 00:57:38,960
ever they have extra benefit of the
ability now.

650
00:57:37,119 --> 00:57:42,440
So what we what we're able to do is
leverage that

651
00:57:43,440 --> 00:57:52,480
probably otherwise would not be and
that's always been underlying

652
00:57:50,720 --> 00:57:58,640
how do we do this? How do we serve the
community but at the same time

653
00:57:55,839 --> 00:58:01,799
you reach a little bit higher? I don't
know Rich.

654
00:58:08,880 --> 00:58:16,480
» Thank you, Mayor. This sports park with
the driveway fields used to be called US

655
00:58:13,920 --> 00:58:24,000
Cellular Community Park. Opened in May
of 2008. It was a $32 million buildout,

656
00:58:21,520 --> 00:58:29,119
15 fields. There was plenty of
opposition.

657
00:58:25,680 --> 00:58:34,240
That's a huge number for 2006. Some of
you may remember the conversation, but

658
00:58:31,760 --> 00:58:41,440
since uh the council approved the
funding facility was built that the

659
00:58:37,599 --> 00:58:49,440
economic stimulus those 15 fields have
provided Medford is over $170 million.

660
00:58:46,319 --> 00:58:54,079
Now, that's not revenue for profit to
the city of Medford. The operating

661
00:58:51,680 --> 00:59:00,240
costs, it's still subsidized
because we have to be, but we're serving

662
00:58:58,000 --> 00:59:04,960
local needs. There are a lot of teams
and a lot of people who are sleeping in

663
00:59:02,240 --> 00:59:09,680
their own beds, not driving anywhere to
get the best possible competition and

664
00:59:07,440 --> 00:59:13,839
athletic experience. They don't have to
drive to Reno. They don't have to drive

665
00:59:11,680 --> 00:59:18,960
to Euchi. They don't have to drive to
Portland. But teams from those cities

666
00:59:17,040 --> 00:59:23,119
and all around the Northwest are coming
to Medford for a weekend. They're eating

667
00:59:21,200 --> 00:59:28,160
in the restaurants. They're staying in
the hotels. They're buying things in.

668
00:59:26,160 --> 00:59:33,440
That's that's what I'm talking about.
That's the return on investment.

669
00:59:31,359 --> 00:59:36,440
And the same with the ros and we
measure.

670
00:59:41,440 --> 00:59:48,079
I just wanted to say something about
this. Um,

671
00:59:46,000 --> 00:59:52,240
is a great place to live. We are the
center of it all. Um, I tell people all

672
00:59:50,720 --> 00:59:56,400
the time, when was the last time you
lived in a town where you could be at

673
00:59:53,200 --> 00:59:59,520
the airport in 10 minutes. Um, but on
top of that, we've got culture here.

674
00:59:58,319 --> 01:00:04,000
We've got a history center. We've got
the Holly Theater. Got acts coming in

675
01:00:01,839 --> 01:00:07,920
all the time. We've got restaurants
downtown.

676
01:00:05,920 --> 01:00:12,799
We got really good parks, bus system,
library. We've got a ton of things to do

677
01:00:10,319 --> 01:00:16,559
down there. What I'm finding is that a
lot of people

678
01:00:13,920 --> 01:00:19,920
do it. And I think it's important you
guys are here that you're you're really

679
01:00:18,400 --> 01:00:24,400
investing in your community your own
time. Go down and you know we used the

680
01:00:22,240 --> 01:00:27,839
cobbler shop down there. We went to
dinner the other night there. Went to

681
01:00:25,920 --> 01:00:32,720
Arl Bloom.
It depends on the people who live in the

682
01:00:29,839 --> 01:00:37,440
city to get out there and support the
businesses that are in the city. So, you

683
01:00:35,520 --> 01:00:44,319
know, part of it's on us and I hope you
I to encourage all you guys to actually

684
01:00:39,200 --> 01:00:44,319
go ahead and shop for more often.

685
01:00:45,280 --> 01:00:53,319
Okay.
Which specific urban renewal project

686
01:01:01,359 --> 01:01:04,359
government

687
01:01:05,440 --> 01:01:08,440
and

688
01:01:10,240 --> 01:01:18,319
we have had we're kind of at the end of
life of what we're calling

689
01:01:16,240 --> 01:01:25,040
original
urban renewal projects kind of heat up

690
01:01:23,040 --> 01:01:27,839
red
cars

691
01:01:31,119 --> 01:01:41,680
again. I think I I think I me was on
council took a few years off back

692
01:01:37,760 --> 01:01:45,160
my last couple years on council. Um the
council also

693
01:01:46,559 --> 01:01:53,280
we were talking about project we had it
all figured out all the money in 1.0

694
01:01:53,920 --> 01:01:58,359
And I come back three years later

695
01:01:58,400 --> 01:02:04,440
and we're still talking about how we're
going to spend that last little

696
01:02:05,839 --> 01:02:13,280
does what we did.
We helped with the not a lot. That was

697
01:02:10,880 --> 01:02:21,400
actually
help with the lot. We did a ton of

698
01:02:18,079 --> 01:02:21,400
parking lots,

699
01:02:22,559 --> 01:02:30,200
a lot of things like civil urban
architecture improvements

700
01:02:30,319 --> 01:02:38,000
and then towards the end of that we're
saying no now we want to try and get

701
01:02:33,599 --> 01:02:47,040
people down here. We want to get this
and finding projects to do that.

702
01:02:42,319 --> 01:02:47,040
So now the question being you take

703
01:02:48,079 --> 01:02:55,359
the question I I would answer it saying
we could spend that on

704
01:02:53,680 --> 01:03:02,000
I'm just telling you we're trying to be
effective and strategic we have not

705
01:02:57,920 --> 01:03:08,040
really found where
just it's just interesting that three

706
01:03:03,839 --> 01:03:08,040
years later we're still talking about

707
01:03:08,480 --> 01:03:11,720
I don't know

708
01:03:14,640 --> 01:03:23,000
As I said in one of our meetings, we
have

709
01:03:18,160 --> 01:03:23,000
so we have to decide whe

710
01:03:45,039 --> 01:03:51,559
Hard to say what's
the money.

711
01:04:00,240 --> 01:04:08,799
All right. What public outreach was
conducted

712
01:04:06,160 --> 01:04:13,160
on
besides posting the city council.

713
01:04:25,520 --> 01:04:32,559
This has been something that I know that
I've carried into into rooms to discuss.

714
01:04:33,440 --> 01:04:40,920
When I say rooms, the manor
they usually reach out and say

715
01:04:43,280 --> 01:04:50,039
this has been
most public service.

716
01:04:50,880 --> 01:04:59,000
It's like a service group. Thank you.
Your rotaries

717
01:04:55,599 --> 01:04:59,000
well maybe

718
01:04:59,039 --> 01:05:07,440
one of the things that There was a
previous question about that's kind of

719
01:05:03,359 --> 01:05:11,440
where this does fall.
Number one,

720
01:05:09,359 --> 01:05:16,839
go back to where they
always

721
01:05:13,839 --> 01:05:16,839
relatively

722
01:05:18,480 --> 01:05:23,640
baseball stadium sort of kind of crept
into that.

723
01:05:25,520 --> 01:05:34,440
We see the concept. How is that
one of the

724
01:05:30,480 --> 01:05:34,440
going through a mirror process

725
01:05:37,520 --> 01:05:41,319
everyone can come out

726
01:05:41,680 --> 01:05:51,920
with what we'll do with mirror multiple
of so I'll give you an example

727
01:05:48,319 --> 01:05:58,000
for mirror 1.0 focus real heavy on
essentially street

728
01:05:55,760 --> 01:06:03,039
um
there's an entire

729
01:06:00,319 --> 01:06:07,680
That's what will happen.
So, it makes really good sense to try to

730
01:06:05,920 --> 01:06:13,760
put all these different options. That's
where you start to talk about what could

731
01:06:09,119 --> 01:06:20,079
trade off a Riverside streetscape or new
parking garage

732
01:06:16,480 --> 01:06:27,039
location X or is it supporting more
vertical housing in say the north end?

733
01:06:24,240 --> 01:06:30,200
All these things kind of come up. That's
a priority.

734
01:06:32,079 --> 01:06:40,839
that is 100%
I guess the question would be is it

735
01:06:41,520 --> 01:06:49,359
we put mailers in the bills well
nowadays we're emailing everything so we

736
01:06:46,400 --> 01:06:51,599
do our outreach has become a lot more
challeng

737
01:06:52,079 --> 01:07:00,160
do not have
you don't have

738
01:06:57,280 --> 01:07:04,559
everything's email I just read on social
media

739
01:07:01,920 --> 01:07:09,920
true or false or whatever I mean it's
just challenging however we all found

740
01:07:07,440 --> 01:07:15,920
our way into this room we have 10
different comments on this particular

741
01:07:12,319 --> 01:07:22,680
issue so I guess what I would suggest is
the process is

742
01:07:18,799 --> 01:07:22,680
Let's continue.

743
01:07:28,601 --> 01:07:30,621
[clears throat]

744
01:07:36,240 --> 01:07:40,880
» Oh,
you're called out by name.

745
01:07:39,200 --> 01:07:47,200
» Okay.
Nick Card at the Oh, by date as well.

746
01:07:44,640 --> 01:07:54,480
April 16th council meeting, you stated
that we not pay more than the emeralds

747
01:07:50,160 --> 01:07:59,079
for this project. Why has the council
maybe said agreed to pay two times

748
01:07:59,440 --> 01:08:09,680
in financing? very
so um what I said was that city is not

749
01:08:07,920 --> 01:08:16,239
going to contribute any more than the
emeralds do to the feasibility and I

750
01:08:12,960 --> 01:08:21,199
believe this very firm that if we don't
have a partner in the team that's trying

751
01:08:18,799 --> 01:08:24,400
to come here with the easy money they're
not putting the easy money in they're

752
01:08:22,719 --> 01:08:27,600
not going to put hard money in then this
is going to be something that's going to

753
01:08:25,520 --> 01:08:30,560
be if we move forward it'll be all on
the city it's not going to be something

754
01:08:28,880 --> 01:08:35,600
we can afford to
problem for us and it's going to kill

755
01:08:32,560 --> 01:08:38,799
the project and so in my view I want to
know if our partner is going to be

756
01:08:37,040 --> 01:08:43,359
committed in the beginning because I
don't want to find out at the 11,000 the

757
01:08:41,120 --> 01:08:47,120
good news is is my understanding is that
we are sitting in a situation where

758
01:08:44,719 --> 01:08:52,239
indeed the emeralds are paying okay if
not the emeralds are indeed paying half

759
01:08:50,080 --> 01:08:57,600
of the feasibility study so that means
that for this feasibility study we have

760
01:08:54,799 --> 01:09:02,640
the emeralds proposing to pay for half
of that cost penny for penny

761
01:09:00,080 --> 01:09:06,400
as I had requested. If it was a penny
more, I would have been a no vote or I

762
01:09:05,199 --> 01:09:10,960
will, you know, I guess we'll get the
final numbers, John, coming up here.

763
01:09:08,239 --> 01:09:14,719
But, uh, we haven't actually voted to
spend the money yet. But that was what I

764
01:09:12,960 --> 01:09:18,799
was saying. And I and I do believe this.
Now, when you look at the way that minor

765
01:09:16,960 --> 01:09:22,880
league stadiums or sports stadiums in
general get built and funded, there's a

766
01:09:21,359 --> 01:09:27,279
million different ways that those
funding schemes work. There's a million

767
01:09:24,960 --> 01:09:31,440
different tools and mechanisms by which
you can come up with financing and debt

768
01:09:29,279 --> 01:09:37,520
and it's it's really complicated and
esoteric. But one of the things that is

769
01:09:35,120 --> 01:09:42,480
really important to me is that the city
cannot be put in a position where we

770
01:09:40,239 --> 01:09:46,880
build a stadium and then we hope and
pray that somebody is going to come and

771
01:09:44,960 --> 01:09:52,000
play in our stadium.
have to be involved in a process by

772
01:09:49,040 --> 01:09:55,199
which whatever team is playing, whatever
league is playing, this is true as we

773
01:09:53,839 --> 01:10:00,159
talked about a baseball stadium. We've
also had soccer, minor league soccer has

774
01:09:57,199 --> 01:10:04,640
come to us to discuss options to put in
a minor league soccer stadium in

775
01:10:02,000 --> 01:10:10,960
Medford. If we don't have a league and
team that are committed process to

776
01:10:07,520 --> 01:10:14,640
construction to the community, then if
it's easy for them to come in, it's

777
01:10:12,800 --> 01:10:19,199
going to be easy for them to go out and
then the citizens of Medford are going

778
01:10:16,239 --> 01:10:24,239
to be left holding back. And so we have
to make sure that we have the right

779
01:10:20,880 --> 01:10:28,800
contracts, agreements, process in place
to protect city and whatever this looks

780
01:10:26,800 --> 01:10:33,199
like. So when we talk about this minor
league baseball thing, this isn't like

781
01:10:30,480 --> 01:10:37,440
the city's doing Emerald, we have
regular communication with Major League

782
01:10:35,440 --> 01:10:42,239
Baseball, MLB. They are a partner. We
will have an agreement with Major League

783
01:10:38,960 --> 01:10:48,080
Baseball separate from whatever team is
here because that's all part of this

784
01:10:45,120 --> 01:10:50,800
process to make sure that this stadium
is going to meet those requirements.

785
01:10:49,679 --> 01:10:53,440
That's why the Emeralds are looking for
a new home right now. Their current

786
01:10:52,080 --> 01:10:58,880
stadium they share with the University
of Oregon does not meet Major League

787
01:10:55,679 --> 01:11:02,000
Baseball's requirement. And so, you
know, we can't build a stadium and then

788
01:11:00,880 --> 01:11:06,640
next year it doesn't meet the
requirements anymore. That's so sad.

789
01:11:03,840 --> 01:11:11,760
That's not acceptable. Um, and I don't
think it's acceptable to anybody who's

790
01:11:08,400 --> 01:11:16,800
on council. And so that process in terms
of how do we uh make sure that we

791
01:11:14,640 --> 01:11:23,360
protect the city. We have partners that
are through. That's what I was speaking

792
01:11:18,400 --> 01:11:28,400
to because we had uh you know, it is
possible that we might not have had a

793
01:11:26,400 --> 01:11:32,560
good on the other end of the table. You
know, there are good teams and there are

794
01:11:30,080 --> 01:11:37,679
bad teams. And this is true across all
sports. And so what I'm pleased with is

795
01:11:34,960 --> 01:11:41,199
the Emerald are to me proving that their
partnership extends in these early

796
01:11:39,679 --> 01:11:45,120
phases. They're willing to put money
into this process that may go away.

797
01:11:43,520 --> 01:11:49,520
Hypothetically speaking, this
feasibility study may show a stadium

798
01:11:47,520 --> 01:11:54,080
that doesn't work for Medford. either
it's too expensive or there are issues

799
01:11:51,920 --> 01:11:57,760
with the different sites or you know
there's a bunch of reasons why we have

800
01:11:55,760 --> 01:12:03,120
to go through this study and look at
these deep questions about actual design

801
01:12:00,560 --> 01:12:07,679
and things or we can say yes let's move
forward with building whatever we got to

802
01:12:04,640 --> 01:12:11,920
build and so for me to see the emeralds
willing to put in money these guys are

803
01:12:09,600 --> 01:12:16,880
are a business and they're putting money
into this uh that could go away uh it

804
01:12:15,440 --> 01:12:21,360
could go away because we find something
in the feasibility study we don't like

805
01:12:18,880 --> 01:12:24,159
peaceful or it could go away because uh
at the end of the day when we look at

806
01:12:22,640 --> 01:12:28,560
all the costs and the benefit the city
council says you know what this isn't in

807
01:12:25,520 --> 01:12:32,320
the best interest of Medford and uh
sorry we're not going to do it and so

808
01:12:30,880 --> 01:12:34,480
» can I ask you a question?
>> Well I I will give you that courtesy

809
01:12:34,000 --> 01:12:38,080
bill.
>> Thank you.

810
01:12:35,360 --> 01:12:42,400
» What makes you think that if it doesn't
work in Eugene that it's going to work

811
01:12:40,400 --> 01:12:46,640
in Medford?
So the reason why I think it if it's not

812
01:12:45,120 --> 01:12:52,480
going to work in Eugene, it might work
in Medford is there's two reasons. One

813
01:12:49,199 --> 01:12:58,560
is it's not that the Emeralds as a
program failed in Eugene and they're

814
01:12:55,920 --> 01:13:03,520
looking to come to Medford as a smaller
market do something they didn't do.

815
01:13:00,400 --> 01:13:08,960
Medford is about median size for a minor
league baseball city. So we're not that

816
01:13:06,480 --> 01:13:14,000
far out of the out of the norm. Uh what
failed for them in Eugene was the idea

817
01:13:11,360 --> 01:13:18,800
that the way that the community was
going to pay for this was out of their

818
01:13:16,080 --> 01:13:23,840
own personal property taxes. And that
was the only thing that

819
01:13:21,760 --> 01:13:28,880
and the team put together. They put a
property tax levy on the ballot. And if

820
01:13:27,280 --> 01:13:32,000
I had been a Eugene voter, I'd have
voted no on the same thing, too. And

821
01:13:30,640 --> 01:13:38,159
that's why it failed because I think
it's it's it's wrong to ask the people

822
01:13:35,360 --> 01:13:43,199
of Medford to pay out of their own
property taxes to build something like a

823
01:13:40,880 --> 01:13:47,920
stadium. It was it was $20 billion that
they were asked to put this up. So, part

824
01:13:45,760 --> 01:13:53,360
of what we've been looking at as council
is how do we fund this in ways that

825
01:13:50,800 --> 01:13:57,520
leverage mechanisms that don't go
against the voters, that aren't fees on

826
01:13:55,440 --> 01:14:01,520
your utility bill, that aren't property
tax increases, but instead are

827
01:13:59,920 --> 01:14:05,199
leveraging the kind of development that
we're trying to spur with the sort of

828
01:14:02,719 --> 01:14:09,600
Creekide Quarter thing. How do we create
a taxing district that we the new

829
01:14:08,000 --> 01:14:13,360
development that's coming in around the
stadium and use that to help pay for the

830
01:14:11,840 --> 01:14:19,760
stadium and the parking and the stuff
that goes into those tools exist for us

831
01:14:17,120 --> 01:14:25,920
and those are tools that the Lane County
and the city of Eugene did not use to

832
01:14:23,520 --> 01:14:30,400
try to build the stadium. That's why it
failed and the fact that it failed meant

833
01:14:28,640 --> 01:14:34,320
that the community said they threw their
hands up and said we don't we don't know

834
01:14:32,000 --> 01:14:38,159
whatever you got to figure it out. And
so they went out and they went to try to

835
01:14:36,880 --> 01:14:42,239
find somebody who was willing to be a
partner with them and try to come across

836
01:14:40,880 --> 01:14:47,040
try to get this across the finish line
and do it in a way that uh in my opinion

837
01:14:45,120 --> 01:14:50,640
is a little smarter than what Wayne
County tried to do by asking their

838
01:14:48,719 --> 01:14:56,400
voters to raise their property tax
directly pay for stadium and that like I

839
01:14:53,760 --> 01:15:00,199
said I think that's wrong
we're trying to do it different

840
01:15:01,280 --> 01:15:09,960
but different different does not mean
for conclusion and there's another

841
01:15:06,000 --> 01:15:09,960
question here about virus.

842
01:15:11,600 --> 01:15:21,320
What was done originally? What was done
originally was pretty quick I don't know

843
01:15:16,960 --> 01:15:21,320
it was an economic analysis

844
01:15:21,679 --> 01:15:28,320
in
what we found is probably here's what

845
01:15:25,760 --> 01:15:36,679
I'll tell you
if everything goes plan

846
01:15:31,920 --> 01:15:36,679
yourself out I think the quote from

847
01:15:37,679 --> 01:15:45,880
I want to say it was you're crazy
I mean it was something

848
01:15:42,880 --> 01:15:45,880
that

849
01:15:46,560 --> 01:15:51,080
I don't think it counts as

850
01:15:51,280 --> 01:16:00,840
we interested in the idea that currently
right now are 120

851
01:16:08,400 --> 01:16:12,560
in an area growth occurs.

852
01:16:13,920 --> 01:16:21,920
strategy,
not at any cost.

853
01:16:19,360 --> 01:16:26,080
It has to make sense.
That's the whole for every single person

854
01:16:24,719 --> 01:16:30,960
that says, "Hey, I think this is too
expensive." You're absolutely right.

855
01:16:28,000 --> 01:16:35,120
There is a number.
I I have you know where that's at. Well,

856
01:16:33,920 --> 01:16:39,360
if they walked in tomorrow, I'll give
you an example. There's no way you're

857
01:16:37,199 --> 01:16:42,840
doing this for less than
I can tell you right.

858
01:16:44,080 --> 01:16:53,440
But there is an over under where
that's what we're trying to also have to

859
01:16:50,400 --> 01:17:01,760
think about this back to the concept of
the rog and your driver. Is this an

860
01:16:58,159 --> 01:17:07,600
asset that will be used properly by
single purpose baseball is more

861
01:17:03,679 --> 01:17:07,600
challenging in my opinion? I

862
01:17:08,400 --> 01:17:14,239
Every single study I say said they'll
talk about you're going to get 200

863
01:17:11,199 --> 01:17:19,440
events a year. 200 that's a lot because
we're talking about basically 66 home

864
01:17:16,480 --> 01:17:23,520
games for baseball team for a baseball
team. How are you going to get 200? And

865
01:17:21,440 --> 01:17:28,400
they they kind of list them out. The
question is

866
01:17:25,440 --> 01:17:34,760
we really look at that look at really
look at

867
01:17:30,480 --> 01:17:34,760
number one bringing

868
01:17:36,000 --> 01:17:39,400
kind of family.

869
01:17:40,719 --> 01:17:49,679
However, 66 games a year for $130
million. No way.

870
01:17:46,159 --> 01:17:56,120
We just use number
or another question becomes, is this

871
01:17:52,320 --> 01:17:56,120
really a community asset?

872
01:17:56,800 --> 01:18:04,239
Other ones I've heard I heard a lot of
talk about

873
01:18:00,640 --> 01:18:08,679
farmers market and I pictures of other
stadiums that's exactly where

874
01:18:08,880 --> 01:18:15,400
there is repurposing. It's not
the doors

875
01:18:15,440 --> 01:18:23,960
3659
days a year.

876
01:18:20,080 --> 01:18:23,960
It's got to be a little bit

877
01:18:24,960 --> 01:18:30,840
numbers behind the dollar sign. I don't
know if

878
01:18:30,960 --> 01:18:39,080
there's skepticism.
There's skep There's optimism. There's

879
01:18:35,840 --> 01:18:39,080
plenty of

880
01:18:48,239 --> 01:18:57,280
um ball fields. What about parking?
That's a good question. So,

881
01:18:55,520 --> 01:19:02,120
I saw an interesting thing, by the way.
Okay, I'm going to talk I'm gonna talk

882
01:18:58,560 --> 01:19:02,120
more about these.

883
01:19:02,159 --> 01:19:10,560
I'm gonna
kind of a mayor education group with

884
01:19:07,920 --> 01:19:15,760
bunch of people well not a bunch people
from uh it's kind of split evenly

885
01:19:12,960 --> 01:19:20,159
between the United States and
but two of them that are in my group are

886
01:19:17,600 --> 01:19:26,560
building number one there's one that
their community is building baseball

887
01:19:22,239 --> 01:19:34,320
right now and another one that is
kind of in the mix with Portland and

888
01:19:29,120 --> 01:19:37,440
Salt Lake City so go for an expansion
we get is talking about that. So the

889
01:19:36,159 --> 01:19:43,360
numbers that I just threw out to you
like that $130 million just doesn't

890
01:19:41,600 --> 01:19:47,440
those guys are talking in the$1.3
billion.

891
01:19:45,440 --> 01:19:54,000
But it's interesting because stadium
brands kind of is the same regardless of

892
01:19:50,159 --> 01:20:00,880
size. It's just it's all scale and and
when I talk and I listen to them

893
01:19:57,679 --> 01:20:05,280
what they're trying to accomplish
there's people in their communities same

894
01:20:03,280 --> 01:20:09,040
exact
how you make that. However, I got a

895
01:20:07,840 --> 01:20:14,800
little sidetracked from the idea of
this. If you look at Dodger Stadium

896
01:20:12,080 --> 01:20:22,239
today, you see a stadium and a sea of
basketball as if you go to

897
01:20:18,560 --> 01:20:33,000
Washington DC's national you don't see
that parking is not a single giant

898
01:20:28,960 --> 01:20:33,000
kind of model.

899
01:20:33,440 --> 01:20:41,600
Will there be some parking? Yes. Will
there probably be in conjunction if this

900
01:20:38,239 --> 01:20:45,679
went perfect injunction with the common?
Yes. Could that also be used for

901
01:20:43,040 --> 01:20:50,320
additional downtown? Yes, there will be
some there. But in general, parking gets

902
01:20:48,560 --> 01:20:56,560
dispersed.
Now, I'm sure if you live on Jese right

903
01:20:52,880 --> 01:21:00,960
now, that whole concept
day, if you're parked on the street,

904
01:20:57,840 --> 01:21:09,640
they can't park. You're going to be
um that is kind of how model is now we

905
01:21:04,239 --> 01:21:09,640
will of course look at traffic

906
01:21:09,760 --> 01:21:18,280
will look at
it's just parking has somewhat

907
01:21:15,280 --> 01:21:18,280
diminished

908
01:21:24,159 --> 01:21:32,640
now I'm using again big giant
major league baseball as examples that's

909
01:21:30,719 --> 01:21:37,520
kind of helpful
We'll figure out more

910
01:21:35,120 --> 01:21:45,800
assuming it is an option. I should
mention that we are also looking at an

911
01:21:40,000 --> 01:21:45,800
option that would convert for upgrade.

912
01:21:47,280 --> 01:21:53,480
I could get in here. I could talk to you
guys for another 20 minutes about plus

913
01:21:50,239 --> 01:21:53,480
and minus.

914
01:21:53,600 --> 01:22:02,520
We'll move on.
I have absolutely monopolized Z. Do you

915
01:21:58,719 --> 01:22:02,520
have anything to share on this?

916
01:22:02,639 --> 01:22:13,199
learn a lot. Okay, let's let's find
You know what?

917
01:22:10,320 --> 01:22:16,199
We got kudos. I'm gonna share the Rogue
X.

918
01:22:25,306 --> 01:22:31,840
[laughter]
>> Although that is suspiciously like your

919
01:22:35,040 --> 01:22:42,639
Um kind of a general question. What is
your process for auditing all city

920
01:22:40,159 --> 01:22:48,520
department so that as counselor you know
that each department is doing not just

921
01:22:44,800 --> 01:22:48,520
what they're supposed to

922
01:22:51,920 --> 01:22:57,920
do you want to be on the spot first or
>> All right.

923
01:22:56,000 --> 01:23:03,360
So that's a really good question. Uh I
mean there's there is a

924
01:22:59,920 --> 01:23:07,520
Uh there is a limit to how much time I
can personally dedicate to standing over

925
01:23:05,600 --> 01:23:11,600
John's shoulder and there's definitely a
limit to how much time John wants me

926
01:23:09,040 --> 01:23:16,400
standing his shoulder but um you know we
are volunteers uh we are not paid this

927
01:23:14,320 --> 01:23:20,880
is something that we do in the evenings
in our free time we have day jobs so

928
01:23:18,480 --> 01:23:25,520
that does limit some of the specifics so
part of how we know what's going on is

929
01:23:24,239 --> 01:23:28,719
you know I think this is something that
we've done a really good job of as

930
01:23:26,800 --> 01:23:33,840
council building a culture of trust and
openness with our uh city manager and

931
01:23:31,840 --> 01:23:39,120
our department heads. There is not a
single department head in the city that

932
01:23:36,400 --> 01:23:42,800
uh would know see me and run the other
way. They may jokingly do that, but I

933
01:23:41,120 --> 01:23:47,600
don't think honestly they're they're all
ready to have a tough, you know, tough

934
01:23:44,800 --> 01:23:52,080
conversation with me. And uh they are
doing a great job at running their

935
01:23:49,280 --> 01:23:56,639
departments. We get updates every month
from department heads so we can see

936
01:23:54,400 --> 01:24:01,440
exactly what's going on, what they're
working on. Uh what their issues are,

937
01:23:59,360 --> 01:24:06,400
what their challenges are. These updates
are pretty open. They're not just check,

938
01:24:03,920 --> 01:24:11,520
check, double thumbs up, all good. It's
strengths, weaknesses, problems. Uh I I

939
01:24:10,080 --> 01:24:15,840
think we've done a really good job, too,
of of talking about and framing our

940
01:24:13,840 --> 01:24:19,440
challenges in the city in terms of what
are the barriers that council can help

941
01:24:17,360 --> 01:24:23,360
address. Sometimes these are policy
issues that come to us from the state.

942
01:24:21,360 --> 01:24:28,880
Sometimes these are policy issues of our
own making. Sometimes these are

943
01:24:25,600 --> 01:24:32,880
financial or budgetary and so how do we
make sure that uh you know all of those

944
01:24:30,960 --> 01:24:37,440
piece together. Another thing that's
really important is the dollars. Uh we

945
01:24:35,440 --> 01:24:41,840
have a fantastic CFO. It's too bad that
Ryan can join us tonight, but Ryan

946
01:24:39,520 --> 01:24:45,840
Martin who is the CFO of the city. He
has an audit team and an accounting team

947
01:24:43,760 --> 01:24:52,080
and at the end of the day business you
want to know what's happening all the

948
01:24:47,360 --> 01:24:58,719
money. And so the it is complex public
uh government accounting is complex.

949
01:24:55,440 --> 01:25:03,760
Even if you know uh you know GAP and
traditional private accounting, what you

950
01:25:00,719 --> 01:25:07,679
see in government is uh but we have a
really good team who is constantly

951
01:25:05,920 --> 01:25:12,239
checking because and this is the other
piece of it. It's not just like it's his

952
01:25:09,760 --> 01:25:16,880
job to check. It's part of his fiduciary
responsibility city to check and know

953
01:25:15,199 --> 01:25:23,840
what's going on. He has to produce
reports and audits personally signs off

954
01:25:20,159 --> 01:25:27,520
on about what is going on city. So when
you start to piece all of these these

955
01:25:25,360 --> 01:25:31,920
things together and you think about,
hey, what if somebody out there really

956
01:25:29,360 --> 01:25:36,880
wanted to try to pull a fast one on
counsel, we have a great team, not just

957
01:25:34,639 --> 01:25:40,880
as counselors that we individually are
engaged with different issues, but also

958
01:25:38,719 --> 01:25:45,760
our staff at a high level as well as the
financial and legal assistance that put

959
01:25:43,440 --> 01:25:50,560
that all together. And what you end up
with is a city that is basically doing

960
01:25:48,639 --> 01:25:53,520
what it says it's doing. Does that mean
it's always doing what I want it to be

961
01:25:51,840 --> 01:25:56,800
doing? No, unfortunately. But I'm only
one of eight counselors, so I don't

962
01:25:54,719 --> 01:26:00,239
always get uh the world I want to live.
But anyway, here you go.

963
01:25:58,960 --> 01:26:06,159
» I'll just say something real quick on
this. Uh we have it's really important

964
01:26:02,719 --> 01:26:10,880
that we have a strong CEO and
person city manager. We certainly have

965
01:26:08,400 --> 01:26:15,840
one now. Uh we've had one in the past.
So, it's we're in the process right now

966
01:26:13,120 --> 01:26:19,520
of picking a new one. And
we're all going to be looking very very

967
01:26:17,360 --> 01:26:23,360
carefully at that. As far as uh we get
updated quite a bit, lots of public

968
01:26:21,600 --> 01:26:28,320
input. Whenever you send an email to
council, all eight counselors get there

969
01:26:26,480 --> 01:26:31,840
and then we will ask follow-up questions
with staff. Staff answers those

970
01:26:30,080 --> 01:26:38,000
questions very quickly and very
extensively. Um and you know, we're

971
01:26:35,280 --> 01:26:44,800
going through a I think it was,00 pages
was the um agenda packet for a couple

972
01:26:42,480 --> 01:26:48,719
weeks back and there was something in
there about AEDs. I think they're the

973
01:26:46,639 --> 01:26:53,840
defibrillators. And I was like, who did
the math on it? It's like if 500 bucks a

974
01:26:52,400 --> 01:26:59,520
defibrillator. I was like, that can't be
right. So asked the chief and the chief

975
01:26:55,840 --> 01:27:04,560
got back to me within day and had a very
reasonable answer. So just we try to

976
01:27:02,639 --> 01:27:09,440
stay on top of stuff. We have a
excellent staff. You have an excellent

977
01:27:06,400 --> 01:27:15,800
staff and I don't see that as being a
problem. We have an auditor and I think

978
01:27:12,000 --> 01:27:15,800
we do a good job of it.

979
01:27:20,480 --> 01:27:25,960
One of the things I do in Syscue County
is I'm the public

980
01:27:26,000 --> 01:27:30,600
people who steal money from government
agencies.

981
01:27:32,719 --> 01:27:39,199
Um,
usually the problem is that there's a

982
01:27:36,880 --> 01:27:44,480
failure of checks and balances
procedures.

983
01:27:40,719 --> 01:27:50,239
Uh, I never cease to be amazed by what
what isn't checked and what isn't

984
01:27:46,400 --> 01:27:55,280
watched, how long things got away with.
This is not that. We have excellent

985
01:27:52,800 --> 01:27:58,960
checks and balances.
I I wouldn't

986
01:27:57,600 --> 01:28:03,239
because I don't think anybody would get
away with it. very well.

987
01:28:04,400 --> 01:28:08,120
You're doing a good job.

988
01:28:11,679 --> 01:28:16,440
You should be you should be willing to
trust them.

989
01:28:19,600 --> 01:28:31,080
When I was uh there's been a lot of
things in the emergency,

990
01:28:27,600 --> 01:28:31,080
Medicare fraud

991
01:28:32,880 --> 01:28:41,719
How is that even possible? we get I
think the threshold is pretty low but

992
01:28:37,920 --> 01:28:41,719
any money that we get

993
01:28:41,760 --> 01:28:54,080
on that verify that the money's been
I mean back to your point with I mean I

994
01:28:50,239 --> 01:28:58,199
don't know how they get away with it but
that also makes me a little skeptical

995
01:28:59,520 --> 01:29:05,679
I'm not an elected official but I'll
just add on to their answers real quick

996
01:29:03,199 --> 01:29:09,040
Um, I've been around a long time. I've
worked with lots of boards and

997
01:29:06,800 --> 01:29:14,239
commissions. This is a group of men and
women that does not rubber stamp. They

998
01:29:11,520 --> 01:29:18,000
ask us questions. I don't run from Nick,
but I when I see Nick coming, I know I'm

999
01:29:16,159 --> 01:29:20,880
going to get questions. This is not a
group. This is not a council that rubber

1000
01:29:19,520 --> 01:29:26,360
stamps. This is the council that asks
hard questions. They challenge staff and

1001
01:29:22,880 --> 01:29:26,360
they hold us accountable.

1002
01:29:26,880 --> 01:29:32,719
» Okay. So, I mean, everyone here's got
their own schedule. I'm not going to

1003
01:29:31,440 --> 01:29:37,440
hold you to it.
more questions that we're going to get

1004
01:29:34,000 --> 01:29:44,080
to in the time. So, people didn't get
your answer. Stick around and

1005
01:29:41,280 --> 01:29:49,199
answer questions. Um, we'll kick one
more off. It's kind of on this whole

1006
01:29:45,600 --> 01:29:55,120
concept of how how are we doing? Uh,
transparency is a couple things.

1007
01:29:52,480 --> 01:30:01,120
So, this was a question that a few of
you have. How can we trust the council

1008
01:29:58,080 --> 01:30:05,920
will be objective site quarter when two
council members?

1009
01:30:04,400 --> 01:30:12,000
That's a that's a that's an interesting
question about

1010
01:30:08,719 --> 01:30:16,760
what if I believe in a budget
as an elected official that mean

1011
01:30:17,760 --> 01:30:27,120
that's a tricky one is
no don't advocate

1012
01:30:23,600 --> 01:30:35,360
this is representative government
um people all have opinion they have uh

1013
01:30:34,080 --> 01:30:43,040
maybe things that they're passionate
about. Now, if we all just say say no,

1014
01:30:39,040 --> 01:30:49,040
we just that's that's a good point.
This has to make sense,

1015
01:30:45,679 --> 01:30:54,080
whatever it is. And one person can love
it. And by the way, here's what I have

1016
01:30:51,679 --> 01:31:00,560
found. One person loves something,
there's somebody else on the council.

1017
01:30:58,239 --> 01:31:06,600
I don't see it.
That's just my However, um

1018
01:31:07,600 --> 01:31:15,719
as one of the counselors who formed a
pack, Kevin is the other one.

1019
01:31:12,000 --> 01:31:15,719
» Uh that Kevin

1020
01:31:16,880 --> 01:31:25,199
um and to the mayor's point, I mean, the
reason why I participated in the pack, I

1021
01:31:22,880 --> 01:31:30,800
didn't receive any money to be in the
pack. There was no benefit for me to

1022
01:31:28,639 --> 01:31:36,800
being part of the pack other than a
personal conviction that this is a thing

1023
01:31:33,840 --> 01:31:43,360
that is important future
and uh I don't always agree with

1024
01:31:41,120 --> 01:31:49,679
everybody as as Mike talked about I
don't always agree with all of council

1025
01:31:45,600 --> 01:31:57,199
but I I do believe that when we are
victim of good things we do have a duty

1026
01:31:53,600 --> 01:32:02,639
to try make that
uh the campaign that the pack was uh was

1027
01:32:00,400 --> 01:32:07,520
about was specifically related to the
charter amendment to the city charter to

1028
01:32:05,120 --> 01:32:11,679
raise the transient lodging. This
campaign was specifically that transient

1029
01:32:09,440 --> 01:32:16,639
lodging tax based on what council had
voted on. The intention for that

1030
01:32:14,719 --> 01:32:24,320
increase in transient lodging tax is to
be used for the conference center. And

1031
01:32:20,960 --> 01:32:28,320
so even if all of this stuff with
baseball goes away. If we get to a

1032
01:32:26,480 --> 01:32:32,159
number that isn't palatable, if we can't
get the right kind of protections and

1033
01:32:30,239 --> 01:32:35,920
contracts for the city, I will be
saddened because I think I'm not a huge

1034
01:32:34,159 --> 01:32:40,000
baseball fan, but I think bringing
things like minor league sports to a

1035
01:32:37,600 --> 01:32:44,239
community that has made a name for
itself in our sports platforms, in our

1036
01:32:42,560 --> 01:32:48,719
youth sports, in the sports activities
that we've done, I think that's a good

1037
01:32:46,080 --> 01:32:52,719
thing. Um, but even if that all goes
away, what we did with the transit

1038
01:32:50,960 --> 01:32:56,480
lodging tax increase, I think is still
really important because it speaks to

1039
01:32:54,400 --> 01:33:02,400
some of those other pieces like the
conference center that that money by

1040
01:32:58,400 --> 01:33:09,040
council's vote is committed to uh use
for the conference center to get that

1041
01:33:06,239 --> 01:33:14,320
stadium goes away that's still there and
I hope that that conference center is

1042
01:33:11,040 --> 01:33:19,600
going to uh as part of what that means
to you know do a pack I'm going to go to

1043
01:33:17,600 --> 01:33:23,360
Salem and I'm going to go ask and talk
to our state representatives and I'm

1044
01:33:21,040 --> 01:33:26,960
going to seek money from the state to
help make some of these things happen

1045
01:33:25,520 --> 01:33:31,199
for me because I believe these are
really important. And I've done that.

1046
01:33:29,199 --> 01:33:36,400
I've done that on issues related to
transportation. We were just in DC and I

1047
01:33:34,000 --> 01:33:41,840
was there talking to Congressman Vince
to get money for our community to be

1048
01:33:38,800 --> 01:33:46,239
able to build South Stage Road uh to
build an interchange that's critical for

1049
01:33:44,080 --> 01:33:52,080
the future development of South
Uh we have a huge gap between uh exit 27

1050
01:33:49,679 --> 01:33:55,440
and exit 24 in Phoenix. Building an
overcrossing and an interchange. We

1051
01:33:54,080 --> 01:33:59,920
talked about what Medford's going to
need as Centennial builds out as the

1052
01:33:58,400 --> 01:34:02,560
employment campus just south of that
builds out. This is the kind of

1053
01:34:01,440 --> 01:34:07,600
infrastructure that we're going to have
to do. And I know people who live in

1054
01:34:05,360 --> 01:34:14,320
that area who say, "Hey, Nick, I don't
want that because I like Medford being a

1055
01:34:11,199 --> 01:34:19,280
farming community. I think that uh you
know, I want to keep small and that's

1056
01:34:16,719 --> 01:34:23,120
what Medford means to me. And I'm sorry,
but I'm going to disagree with that

1057
01:34:20,639 --> 01:34:27,920
position. I I think there are ways that
we can erase the past, but I also think

1058
01:34:26,000 --> 01:34:32,639
that we have to be looking forward to
the future. Times change, things change.

1059
01:34:30,800 --> 01:34:37,920
That doesn't mean that we rush into it.
We don't do it blind, but we do have to

1060
01:34:35,520 --> 01:34:43,040
continue to move forward. And so, if you
disagree with me about that, I respect

1061
01:34:39,920 --> 01:34:48,560
that that position. And and I I don't
want to speak for you, Kevin, but Um,

1062
01:34:46,880 --> 01:34:52,320
I'm going to continue to advocate for
things that I think are important for

1063
01:34:50,000 --> 01:34:56,800
our community. Uh, and I think that's an
important job of whether I am a city

1064
01:34:55,120 --> 01:35:01,040
council or not. I think that's an
important job of me.

1065
01:34:59,280 --> 01:35:06,560
Uh, and so I want to hear your opinions.
I want to hear your thoughts. As a city

1066
01:35:03,040 --> 01:35:12,000
councelor, I am uh I represent
represent the the residents of W 4. And

1067
01:35:10,239 --> 01:35:17,760
if you guys don't think I'm doing a good
job of representing your beliefs and

1068
01:35:14,080 --> 01:35:21,600
opinions, it's probably not because I've
I'm only here to scheme for my own

1069
01:35:19,840 --> 01:35:24,800
benefit. It's because I probably haven't
heard your opinions. I haven't heard the

1070
01:35:23,120 --> 01:35:29,760
facts that, you know, I haven't heard
that perspective and I want to on board

1071
01:35:27,120 --> 01:35:34,239
that and I want to uh incorporate that
into what we do. There's so much

1072
01:35:31,840 --> 01:35:38,560
opportunity for Medford. There's so much
opportunity for our community. There's

1073
01:35:35,840 --> 01:35:42,960
not one vision that is going to be the
perfect

1074
01:35:40,080 --> 01:35:47,600
uh it is all of us moving together or
moving forward together. And so uh

1075
01:35:45,840 --> 01:35:55,440
anyway, those are my thoughts on that
and uh I I hope that isn't super anyway

1076
01:35:52,880 --> 01:35:59,880
like there you go. Yeah,
>> I guess one thing that

1077
01:36:00,000 --> 01:36:08,000
we are kicking off
here are 2.0 ideas. We go back in time

1078
01:36:06,000 --> 01:36:14,560
to when I left council, we were talking
about I come back on still talking. So

1079
01:36:10,800 --> 01:36:17,960
this predates anything that starts
Yeah. starts.

1080
01:36:18,080 --> 01:36:24,120
Um there will still be a commitment to
downtown as Zach said

1081
01:36:24,159 --> 01:36:32,400
there that is not going away. That is
what

1082
01:36:28,560 --> 01:36:36,639
even if the ideas are being objected.
I will tell you that

1083
01:36:34,800 --> 01:36:40,280
individual counselors may have stronger
opinions prognosted

1084
01:37:01,440 --> 01:37:08,560
by the tax
but I should note because we have not

1085
01:37:06,719 --> 01:37:11,560
established where to put the conference
center

1086
01:37:12,159 --> 01:37:22,440
even though the tax
is not

1087
01:37:19,199 --> 01:37:22,440
doing that

1088
01:37:22,560 --> 01:37:29,600
with that said I'll tell you what I'll
come see you afterwards but it ran a

1089
01:37:26,560 --> 01:37:32,719
little long stick around thank you so
much for coming and

1090
01:37:42,960 --> 01:37:48,920
Thank you.
Take one day off.

1091
01:37:59,280 --> 01:38:02,679
could sing it.

1092
01:38:08,880 --> 01:38:12,199
» It's an option.

1093
01:38:18,400 --> 01:38:24,520
» So, it's um just
15

1094
01:38:25,040 --> 01:38:27,840
stadium would be

1095
01:38:36,239 --> 01:38:43,639
It's not going to be longer. It's not
going to be a baseball.

1096
01:38:40,080 --> 01:38:43,639
It'll be a baseball

1097
01:38:47,920 --> 01:38:58,520
still dislike it or hate it.
>> You say, "Hey, don't like it." That's

1098
01:38:53,440 --> 01:38:58,520
fine. I just don't want to give

1099
01:39:07,760 --> 01:39:10,760
» like

1100
01:39:15,199 --> 01:39:18,520
you down for

1101
01:39:18,880 --> 01:39:21,760
» you like Harry David

1102
01:39:26,639 --> 01:39:29,639
fix

1103
01:39:32,400 --> 01:39:36,760
there's rules with the cross