Improving the accountability & transparency of city government
In the November 22, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, reporter Max Thornberry writes:
The Eugene City Council delayed on a motion to create an appointed independent office of the city auditor after a Monday, Nov. 20, work session that also included a presentation by the mayor’s performance auditor study group. …
In the November 22, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, the editorial board writes:
It’s hard to find anyone who is overtly hostile to the idea of an independent auditor for the city of Eugene. Plenty of people, however, have questions about details of an initiative measure that would create an elected auditor on steroids. The measure has qualified for the May 2018 ballot, and the Eugene City Council is debating how to respond. Its best course is to do nothing: Let the voters decide the fate of the initiative, and consider the next steps based on the result. of elected city auditor. But it’s too late for her to obtain answers that might result in improvements to the proposal. The plan already is well-formed, and will soon enter the signature-gathering phase of the process that could lead to a public vote next year. …
In the November 21, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, reporter Christian Hill writes:
Eugene city councilors had their first public discussion as a group Monday about a measure on the May ballot that would create an independent, elected city auditor’s office. …
In the November 19, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, reporter Christian Hill writes:
Eugene city councilors on Monday night will discuss their response to a measure creating the office of an elected independent city auditor that voters will decide on in May. …
In the November 18, 2017, issue of the Register-Guard, Eugene resident Robin Bloomgarden writes in a letter:
CityAccountability.org gathered 5,000 extra signatures, within the 100 days allowed, to put an elected independent auditor measure on Eugene’s May 2018 ballot. Obviously, people from all sides think this is a good idea whose time has come. There were numerous city rules and codes to meet in getting it done. City accountability met the challenge, but the city itself did not. …
In the November 16, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, Portland resident Joe Daunt writes in a letter:
While I now live in Portland, I formerly lived in Eugene, and still follow events there. Kudos to those who gathered 13,000 petition signatures to establish an independent elected city auditor for Eugene.. …
In the November 16, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, Eugene resident David Funk writes in a letter:
Having run a statewide initiative campaign I can attest to the fact that the petitioners who organized the campaign to gather signatures for an elected city auditor worked hard and deserve praise for their efforts. …
In the October 19, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, staff write:
It looks like creating an elected, independent city auditor will be on the spring ballot in Eugene, thanks to volunteers who last week submitted nearly 13,000 signatures — far more than the required 8,090. Also last week, the mayor’s Auditor Study Group wrapped up its research into other cities and counties that have performance auditors. The group compared how a dozen governments hire, fire, supervise and fund auditors, how audit topics are chosen, etc. The group will report to the Eugene City Council in mid-November, without recommendations.
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 12, 2017, Brian Bull of KLCC reported:
A group pushing for an independent, elected city auditor for the City of Eugene say they’ve enough signatures to put it up to voters next year. …