TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Council Chambers, 1175 East Main Street

Minutes

Attendees: Tom Burnham, Eric Heesacker (Chair), Steve Ryan, Brent Thompson,

                    David Young

Absent:     Julia Sommer, Colin Swales, Matt Warshawsky, Corinne Viéville

Ex Officio Members:  Steve MacLennan

Staff Present:  Mike Faught, Nancy Slocum

I.                CALL TO ORDER: 6:40 PM by Chair Eric Heesacker.

II.              PUBLIC FORUM: No one spoke.

III.            ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA:

Young asked that Heesacker’s email dated November 12, 2010, regarding the Commission being “out of balance,” be placed on the agenda if time permitted. Chair Heesacker agreed.

IV.            ACTION ITEMS:

1. Discuss and Schedule February Study Session

Faught explained the rational for staff requesting a study session. He suggested the agenda include a discussion of public works planning and budgeting requirements, a review of year one of the Commission’s two year goals, and the impacts of staff’s workload on Commission’s operations.

Heesacker moved to schedule a study session for Thursday, February 17, 2011. The study session would be held before the regular meeting from 5:30 pm to 6: 30 pm. Heesacker also moved to reschedule the regular meeting time from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm until 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Ryan seconded the motions and they passed unanimously.

B.  Heesacker Email of November 12, 2010

Heesacker explained that the Mayor emailed all Commission Chairs asking for their comments on the various applicants for vacant positions. When he replied, he mistakenly replied to “all” instead of just the Mayor. He said that although Viéville was very well qualified, he thought the commission as a whole was somewhat unbalanced from an autocentric standpoint. He noted ex-commissioner John Gaffey and the Exit 14 discussions as an example of the need for someone who stood up for cars.

Young took issue with the comments within the email. He thought that Commissioners could advocate strongly for multimodal transportation and still be “balanced” and open-minded in their approach.

The Commissioners agreed to close the matter.

VII.     COMMISSIONER COMMENTS 

Ryan had heard that Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad (CORPS) had altered some rails thus making some rail cars immovable in an effort to dissuade pedestrians from crossing the tracks. Faught said that CORPS decoupled, bent and bolted several rails to isolate some railroad cars. Thompson asked who governed CORPS / citizen conflicts. Faught did not know, but would take photos and include them in the meeting packet for February. Faught noted that the goal of the City, TRADCO and congressional representatives was to get the line open.

VIII.       ADJOURN:  7:00 PM

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Slocum, Accounting Clerk I