Improving the accountability & transparency of city government
In the October 12, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, staff write:
The group City Accountability announced it has gathered 13,000 signatures (only 8,090 were needed) to get a citizens’ initiative on the May 18 ballot to amend the Eugene Charter to establish an office of an independent, elected city auditor. The group turns in the signatures 11 am Thursday, Oct. 12, at the City Manager’s Office at the Lane County Public Service Building.
In the October 12, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, reporter Christian Hill writes:
A group seeking to establish an independently elected Eugene city auditor said Wednesday it will submit almost 13,000 signatures toward qualifying the measure for the May ballot.
Members of City Accountability said they are certain they have enough valid signatures to get the measure, an amendment to the city charter, onto the ballot. …
On October 11, 2017, City Accountability issued a press release:
Almost 13,000 Eugene residents signed the petition for an independent ELECTED City Auditor.
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In the October 5, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, staff write:
It’s time to sign! The deadline for collecting 7,000 valid signatures on a Eugene initiative petition to create an independent elected city auditor is Oct. 12. “We know auditing saves agencies money,” says Gary Blackmer, recently retired director of the Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division. “We calculated it all different ways at the Oregon Secretary of State Office, and looking at three-year averages we return about $5 for every $1 spent.” Sounds like a good deal to us. See details of the independent auditor proposal at CityAccountability.org.
In the October 2, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Finn Po writes in a letter:
After reading the recent article on the City of Eugene’s latest difficulties with City Hall, it hit home to me why it’s so important that Eugene have an elected city auditor—rather than one that’s appointed or hired, even if that one is called “independent.” We have been dealing with mistake after mistake with City Hall for almost six years, with seemingly no end in sight. Like many citizens, I feel neither the city manager nor the City Council have provided anything close to the clear, honest explanations the public deserves. …
In the September 21, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, chief petitioner and former Eugene City Councilor Bonny Bettman McCornack writes in a guest viewpoint:
“City Accountability,” our all volunteer petition committee, is working hard to acquire 10,000 signatures from Eugene voters. When those signatures are certified by local election officials, our proposed measure to amend the Eugene City Charter to establish an office of an independent elected city auditor will appear on the May 2018 ballot. …
In the September 14, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Dennis Casady writes in a letter:
As a life-long Eugene resident, I’ve watched a long parade of bad decisions made by city government, but my big disappointment is the money wasted in planning a new City Hall. …
In the September 14, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, staff write:
The Democratic Party of Lane County Central Committee Meeting will host a Eugene performance auditor info session 6:30 pm, Sept. 21, at the Eugene Garden Club, 1645 High Street. Mayor Lucy Vinis’ performance auditor workgroup and City Accountability, the group that is pushing for an independent elected city auditor, will be presenting and taking questions.
In the September 7, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, staff write:
Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis’ study group on performance auditors will hold its sixth public meeting at 5:30 pm Monday, Sept. 11, at 990 W. Seventh Avenue. Members are contacting cities and counties around the country that have performance auditors, asking a rather lengthy list of questions. Results of the queries will be presented this fall to a City Council work session. The study group’s formation has raised eyebrows since a separate initiative petition to establish an independent elected performance auditor is already collecting signatures and is likely headed for the ballot in May. Will the mayor’s study group enlighten, or will it just confuse the public when it comes time to vote? Meeting notices and rough minutes are available online at EugenePerformanceAuditor.org.
On September 1, 2017, Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis blogs:
… Also on Tuesday, the Performance Auditor Study Group met to review and expand their matrix. The matrix outlines performance auditor scope, cost and accountability for seven cities and Lane County, including the proposed initiative for Eugene. More information and cities will be added to help inform our community choice about instituting a performance auditor. These meetings are open to the public. The next meeting will happen the week of September 11th. Information is available at EugenePerformanceAuditor.org …