Author: Brenda Wills

1) Regular Community meetings will now be held on the FIRST MONDAY of the month.
2) Board Election for the four expiring positions will be held in the April 1st meeting rather than the March meeting. This will be an in-person meeting only (hybrid logistics for voting are too complicated).
We will begin the April meeting by calling for any additional nominations of active neighbors (anyone who has attended a meeting since last March and signed in either on paper or via zoom). This is your chance to throw your hat in the ring! Then we will provide time for all candidates to present a 3 minute statement about their candidacy after which all active neighbors will vote by paper ballot. 

Once those ballots are collected we will move on to hear from the candidates for City Council Ward 7 and receive information on the measures on the May Primary Ballot (4_J Eugene School District Local Option Levy Renewal, Star Voting & at this time a bond for a Multiuse Stadium at Lane County Events Center.

And finally, we will hear the results of RRCO’s board election.
So if you’re thinking about joining the RRCO Board, here are two ways to get more information:

• Check out this Job description for RRCO Executive Board members
• Send an email to cochair@riverroadco.org with your questions or to share your interest.

3) E-Newsletters will come to you around the 18th of the month instead of in the beginning of the month. Please submit e-news items to board@riverroadco.org by the 14th.
4) Keep an eye on your snail-mailbox on March 18th for a postcard announcing the elections.
5) Board meetings will be on the 3rd Monday of the month.
6) Starting in May we will be switching from Zoom to Google meets.

It is time for some new faces on the RRCO Board.

Do you want to increase the quality of life in the neighborhood we call home? River Road Community Organization (from RRCO web page purpose https://riverroadco.org) seeks to:

•  Facilitate civic empowerment in decisions affection our neighborhood, especially Eugene and Lane County agencies.
• Foster networks and relationships among neighbors.
•  Encourage a resilient neighborhood protecting the Greenway producing food, energy and water locally.
• Ensure all our neighbors feel safe and are welcome in our River Road Neighborhood.

We often see wild geese flying above our neighborhood, inviting us to notice the way they help one another, encourage and rotate leadership. As some of us “lead” geese rotate back into the membership of RRCO, perhaps, it is your time to lead.

IS IT TIME FOR YOU to step up for one of the four available RRCO Board positions?

Here is a link to a updated list of Board Member Job Description

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HobvchMxw5IE1yBrUN3PS7yLRCgfj-cogqHed2QUgVI/edit?usp=sharing

Board members must live or work or own property or a business in the River Road Area.
Elections are on Monday, April 1 so please send a short paragraph about yourself and interest to board@riverroadco.org for inclusion in the March 14 RRCO E-News.

This report of our work last year may inspire you. riverroadco.org/2023-in-review. 

Monday March 11, 7 pm

Hybrid meeting at 1055 River Road and online at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86399080539?pwd=vS4CXVFXdipYHaWL1m336MrGh7wXqe.1 It’s Spring and we are starting to unfurl from hibernation. This month we will celebrate the ways that we connect through neighboring activities. Renee Duncan, the new superintendent of the River Road Parks and Recreation District will join our conversation about how community activities enhance community and personal health.  Other neighbors will also share their experiences of neighboring and community building. We will also hear an update on Howard Avenue Safe Routes to School Project by Catherine Rohan from Eugene Transportation Planning and an update on the Neighborhood Plan process going to City Council & Planning Commission Hearing on March 12.

Come to the March meeting and be sure to sign in to be eligible to vote in April!

Look at this 3 minute movie of all the fun from River Celebration 2023 on Saturday September 23. See if you can see yourself!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ol2elctAlw

(new post every day till it starts!)

Play Beanbag toss win real prizes from Locally Owned Businesses – Lonches to Go, Lube It USA, River Road 2nd Hand, Paramont Sewing & Vac, Panaderia Y Peposteria Bendicion, and more. Also prizes for kids!

Spoken Words from authors and readers with a shady place to listen near the Grove (Hazelnut Grove area). Here is the schedule:

	SPOKEN WORD area (in THE GROVE)
12:20	Gabriel Gallon “Through Dalton’s Eyes” a Story of Science
12:40	AUTHORS Sandi Goldie & Jim Bronson “Gray Love”
1:00	AUTHOR Margo Solod “Washed Up in the Waves” Chidren’s rhyming children’s book
1:30	Ravi Logan: Discussion circle – Transition to a new Era: humanity at a cross road
2:15	Drasmin – poetry
2:30	Jan Spencer: Discussion circle – Permaculture
3:00	What do the Kalapuya people have to teach US about FLOURISHING into the 21st century ?
3:30	Brenda Wills reading several children’s picture books
3:50	Culminating circle with Drums from Merry Lane

Here is the Big Picture

There was discussion at the last RRCO General Meeting about the proposed new stadium for the EMS. As a newcomer to the City of Eugene (less than 5 years) I was curious and asked a friend who sent me the link below and some highlights that I found helpful. Perhaps others will as well. —— Brenda Wills, RRCO Board Member

saveourems.com

Here are main points:

Why can’t you just keep using PK Park at the UO?

There are both scheduling and facilities issues that make sharing PK Park no longer possible. The new full-season schedule format means that both teams need the stadium at the same time. The Ducks use the PK locker room and facilities until they finish their season, which results in the Emeralds without access to the home facilities until well into their season. 

Even more importantly, PK Park does not provide a visiting locker room, or other facilities to meet the MLB minimum requirements for High A Teams. Currently the Ems rent construction trailers to house players, trainers, coaches and female staff. The Ems did approach the UO about expansion potential, but without an additional practice field and facilities, it’s not possible to share PK Park.

Why don’t the Giants/Major League Baseball pay for the stadium?

The relationship between Major League Baseball and a team’s community is a partnership. The league pays for the talent on the field, signing the players, paying their salary and health insurance, housing, meals, and associated costs. The community is responsible for providing a suitable place for them to play. 

The proposal for a new stadium in Eugene is a collaborative effort between the team and the community. The Ems will be sharing financially in the cost of construction and operation of the new multi-use stadium with the community (see below). The new building will be available year around for much more than baseball. In addition to the support of youth sporting and many charitable events, the new facility will be available as an arts and concert venue, as well as an emergency response site for disasters such as wildfires and other events requiring evacuation and temporary service delivery. The Ems have agreed to be the operator of the new stadium, which contributes significantly to pay ongoing costs.

How will the cost of the new stadium be funded? Will this increase my property taxes?

The plan for financing the new stadium does NOT include any increase in local property taxes. 

We have been working with Lane County for about two years to develop a funding plan and have made all of our information public in meetings with the Lane County Commissioners. The original cost was much lower but over the time of planning for the new stadium construction costs have increased significantly.

The current estimate is about $90M to build the new stadium/multi-use facility, and about $10M to replace the existing livestock barn which will be displaced with a new stadium.

To date, the confirmed funding plan totals $57.5M including:

• $35M in tourism taxes
• $13.5M direct payment from the Ems
• $7.5M allocation from the State of Oregon
• $1.5M allocation from the Federal government

We are working hard to secure a contribution from the City of Eugene, which will help close this gap. Additionally, the funding plan includes a request to the State or Oregon for an additional contribution, and a large private sponsorship as part of naming the stadium. Together, these contributions will close the gap.

Here is a PDF of the information that was brought to our General Meeting by Sonya Carlson, EWEB Board President, Wards 6&7 and Frank Lawson, EWEB CEO and General Manager.

At noon on Tuesday, Aug 15, classes in the pool were cancelled re smoke. Please give a call to the rec center to confirm your class is happening during these extreme smoke conditions. Phone: (541) 461-7777. Website https://www.rrpark.org/ today at 1:40 said:

8/15

Due to the poor air quality, the Park District is taking the following measures.

• The Aquatics facility is closed.
• Community Center and Annex Adult Recreation classes after 12 PM are cancelled.
• Community Center Summer Camps will close @ 4 PM.
• Gymnastics NW is operating as usual.

8/16

• Community Center and Annex Adult Recreation classes are cancelled.
• Gymnastics NW will re-evaluate and notify participants.

8/17

• Live Music Concert cancelled. 

Please check our website or call us for updates and questions. Be safe!!

Sign up for SPOKEN WORD – read your own words, tell a favorite story, read a favorite book aloud. https://forms.gle/DzbubX4aXt5eLk4b9