Willamalane Park and Recreation District is asking voters to consider a five-year local option levy on the May 19, 2026, ballot. If passed, the proposed levy would help bridge funding gaps to preserve park safety, maintenance, recreation programs, and wildfire prevention.

Michael Wargo, Willamalane Executive Director, will share an informational overview of the district’s financial outlook, the proposed levy, which, if approved, would cost the median Springfield property owner about $49.20 per year, and potential outcomes.

About the Levy:

The proposed rate is $0.25 per $1,000 of assessed property value for five years, beginning in 2026.

If the levy is passed, the median Springfield property owner is estimated to pay about $4.10 per month, or $49.20 annually.  The appointed budget committee would review how levy funds are implemented, providing citizen oversight and transparency into the process. Levy expenditures would also be reviewed by the elected board, along with public disclosure of all levy spending, an independent audit, and monthly financial reporting.

If the levy is not passed, the district would reduce its budget by approximately 10%, resulting in decreased maintenance, fewer programs and services, and reduced facility hours and staffing. In addition, the proposed temporary property tax increase would not occur.

For more information, visit willamalane.org/levy

fraud, assists doctors, generates images and essays, and increasingly shapes decisions that affect our communities and daily lives. Yet despite its profound impact, important questions remain: What exactly is AI? How does it work? What is it genuinely good at—and where does it fall short?

This non-technical talk explains AI in accessible terms for a general audience, clarifying how AI systems learn from data and why recent developments, such as generative AI, have progressed so quickly in both capability and public visibility. It explores how AI is being used across business, healthcare, education, media, and government—and why these systems are both powerful tools and imperfect instruments.

Alongside the benefits—greater efficiency, scientific progress, expanded access to information, and new forms of innovation—the presentation addresses pressing civic concerns, including misinformation and deepfakes, bias in automated decisions, privacy and surveillance, workforce disruption, and the growing concentration of technological power. The talk offers a balanced perspective grounded in technical understanding and democratic responsibility.

As AI becomes embedded in public and private life, informed and engaged citizens matter more than ever. Attendees will gain practical insight into what to watch for, what questions to ask of institutions and technology providers, and how human judgment, public policy, and shared values will shape the future of intelligent machines.

Reza Rejaie is a Professor and Head of the Computer Science Department at the University of Oregon and a founding Associate Director of the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCoE). With over three decades of experience in networking and cybersecurity, Professor Rejaie has contributed to both academic research and real-world practice and has worked closely with public and private partners. He led the creation and implementation of a vision to turn the University of Oregon into a regional hub for cybersecurity research and education.

In his current roles, he leads statewide initiatives focused on strengthening cybersecurity education, workforce development, and awareness, including programs for high school teachers and students across Oregon. Professor Rejaie is a Fellow of the IEEE and a Distinguished Member of the ACM, honors recognizing sustained and significant contributions to computing research.

Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical topic—it affects how we bank, communicate, work, and access essential services. From smartphones and social media to healthcare systems and public infrastructure, our daily lives are deeply connected to cyberspace.

This talk provides an accessible, non-technical introduction to cybersecurity for a general audience.

It explains what cyberspace is, why cybersecurity matters to individuals and communities, and how common cyber attacks—such as phishing, data breaches, and online scams—actually occur. The presentation also highlights practical steps individuals can take to better protect their digital lives and reduce risk.

The talk concludes with an overview of ongoing efforts and programs in our state aimed at strengthening cybersecurity education, workforce development, and awareness.

Reza Rejaie is a Professor and Head of the Computer Science Department at the University of Oregon and a founding Associate Director of the Oregon Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (OCCoE). With over three decades of experience in networking and cybersecurity, Professor Rejaie has contributed to both academic research and real-world practice and has worked closely with public and private partners. He led the creation and implementation of a vision to turn the University of Oregon into a regional hub for cybersecurity research and education.

In his current roles, he leads statewide initiatives focused on strengthening cybersecurity education, workforce development, and awareness, including programs for high school teachers and students across Oregon. Professor Rejaie is a Fellow of the IEEE and a Distinguished Member of the ACM, honors recognizing sustained and significant contributions to computing research.

The next session of the Oregon Legislative Assembly opens on February 2. It promises to be a busy and challenging session with the Governor seeking to repeal the transportation measures she proposed in the last special session because of voter pushback and the challenges of dealing with multiple federal funding cuts.

Two legislators representing Springfield: Senator Floyd Prozanski and Representative John Lively, will discuss the upcoming session and provide their insights on what might happen.

Senator Prozanski currently serves on six committees: as chair of the Senate Judiciary and Conduct committees, and as a member of the Joint Committee on Addiction & Community Safety Response, the Senate Natural Resources Committee, the Human Resources Committee, the Joint Conduct Committee, and the Legislative Counsel Committee. In addition, I co-chair both the Task Force on Public Safety and the Justice Reinvestment Grant Review Committee. Finally, I continue to serve on the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission (CJC),​ the Oregon Law Commission, the Asset Forfeiture Oversight Advisory Committee, the Task Force on Legal Representation in Childhood Dependency, and the Oregon State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision.​

Representative Lively currently is Chair of the House Climate, Energy and Environment Committee, a member of the Joint Ways and Means Natural Resources Sub Committee and a member of the House Economic Development, Small Business and Trade Committee.​

Samara Phelps is the President and CEO of Travel Lane County, bringing over 15 years of leadership in destination marketing and tourism development. A Eugene native, Samara began her career in visitor services with Travel Lane County and most recently served as Executive Director of Clackamas County Tourism, where she championed regional efforts for Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge. She holds a BA in General Science and a minor in Business Administration from the University of Oregon and is a graduate of the Oregon Tourism Leadership Academy and the Chinook Institute for Civic Leadership. Samara is deeply committed to sustainability, inclusion, and community impact – she holds a VisitAble Disability Inclusion Certificate, serves as President of Nearby Nature, and currently chairs the Oregon Destination Association. She is passionate about the power of place and leads with a strong belief in tourism and Travel Lane County’s role in building vibrant, resilient communities.

Since adding drinking water to its utility services back in the 1960s, Springfield Utility Board has provided a reliable, high-quality water supply to serve Springfield’s daily needs, while positioning the utility so it can successfully meet future demand. A major milestone in furthering that long-term vision is the McKenzie River Water Supply Project. This infrastructure project, which has been underway for decades, will provide Springfield with an additional, independent source of drinking water from the McKenzie River, helping secure our community’s water future for generations to come.

Greg Miller, SUB’s Director of Water Engineering and Operations, will share more about the project, including its history, the significance it holds for Springfield, and the current status of SUB in the planning and construction process, as well as provide important updates on recent progress.

Greg has been with SUB for more than 34 years, beginning his long career at the utility, working in SUB’s water construction department. Later, he expanded his knowledge of SUB’s water system when he moved into new roles supporting the water production department before becoming director.

His wide variety of experience at the utility has given him a deep understanding of SUB’s water system and the needs of our customers. Greg has coordinated numerous technical studies, developed long-range operational plans, and helped lead efforts that have significantly enhanced SUB’s ability to provide safe and reliable water to our customers.

An outdoor enthusiast, Greg has lived in Oregon most of his life and loves everything the area has to offer, from hunting and fishing to hiking and camping. Ask Greg what he loves most about working at SUB, and he invariably shines a light on the water service team and the pride they take in coming to work on behalf of Springfield every day.

New technology which permits unattended cameras to capture images of license plates and vehicles traveling on the streets has been deployed in both Eugene and Springfield. The technology is controversial because some residents are concerned about invasion of privacy, particularly if the output from the cameras is available to others, including law enforcement beyond the local jurisdiction. While the cameras have been deployed in both cities, implementation has been deferred pending further review by the elected officials in each city. Springfield police Chief Jami Resch will visit with City Club to discuss the technology, its deployment and how use of any results will be regulated.

This October, Springfield and Eugene City Clubs are teaming up to present a two-part program series exploring the future of riverfront development in our region. The first program of the series was held on October 2. The second program in this series will be hosted by City Club of Eugene on October 17 at Noon at the WoW Hall (291 W 8th Ave, Eugene). That program will feature Will Dowdy, Community Development Director for the City of Eugene, who will discuss the past, present, and future of the project providing additional insights into ongoing riverfront development efforts on the west side of I-5

Will Dowdy is the Community Development Director for the City of Eugene.  He started working for the City in 2014 and his work includes supporting the City’s efforts in economic development, Affordable Housing, downtown placemaking, the Downtown Riverfront redevelopment, and the City’s Mapping Value project.  Will received Master of Architecture and Master of Architectural Design & Urbanism degrees at the University of Notre Dame.  Prior to his time at the City, he worked in the private sector, consulting on projects in urban design and development around the country.

Mr. Dowdy will be joined by James L. Atkins, who will focus his remarks on the development of residential real estate along the waterfront, including some of the significant challenges that have emerged amidst the extraordinary opportunity of building a new neighborhood. Mr. Atkins is a real-estate development executive whose 30+ year career has been focused on neighborhood scale mixed-use redevelopment projects, many of which have involved remediation of brownfield environmental issues. His leadership and technical expertise have helped create over 10,000 new housing units of all types in markets from Downtown Los Angeles to South Waterfront Portland to Seattle’s new waterfront to now Eugene’s River District.

Both programs are open to the public. The October 17 program will be live streamed on the City Club of Eugene You Tube site (October 17 program).

The featured speaker on the 2^nd was Allie Camp, who leads the City of Springfield’s Economic Development team with more than a decade of public and private sector experience across land use, planning, transit, construction, and new development. In this program, Allie walked us through the many puzzle pieces that make up Glenwood’s future — from infrastructure and redevelopment opportunities to partnerships and

community engagement with a deep dive into the Glenwood Master Plan Area — one of Springfield’s highest priority economic development projects — and shared how this area’s transformation could reshape Springfield’s riverfront. That program may be viewed on the City Club of Eugene YouTube site. (October 2 program).

This October, Springfield and Eugene City Clubs are teaming up to present a two-part program series exploring the future of riverfront development in our region. Both programs are open to the public. Springfield City Club will kick off the series on October 2 at Roaring Rapids Pizza, (4006 Franklin Boulevard in Glenwood), with a deep dive into the Glenwood Master Plan Area — one of Springfield’s highest priority economic development projects.

The featured speaker on the 2nd, Allie Camp, leads the City of Springfield’s Economic Development team with more than a decade of public and private sector experience across land use, planning, transit, construction, and new development. Prior to joining Springfield, Allie worked in economic development for the City of Eugene and in marketing and facilities management at Lane Transit District. She is passionate about the challenge of land development and bringing complex projects to life.

In this program, Allie will walk us through the many puzzle pieces that make up Glenwood’s future — from infrastructure and redevelopment opportunities to partnerships and community engagement — and share how this area’s transformation could reshape Springfield’s riverfront.

The community will also be invited to the second program in this series, hosted by City Club of Eugene on October 17 at Noon at the WoW Hall (291 W 8th Ave, Eugene), which will provide additional insights into riverfront development efforts on the other side of I-5. That program will feature Will Dowdy, Community Development Director for the City of Eugene, who will discuss the past, present, and future of the project.

Will Dowdy is the Community Development Director for the City of Eugene.  He started working for the City in 2014 and his work includes supporting the City’s efforts in economic development, Affordable Housing, downtown placemaking, the Downtown Riverfront redevelopment, and the City’s Mapping Value project.  Will received Master of Architecture and Master of Architectural Design & Urbanism degrees at the University of Notre Dame.  Prior to his time at the City, he worked in the private sector, consulting on projects in urban design and development around the country. 

October 9, 2025 — Noon to 1:00 p.m. (doors open at 11:30).

Roaring Rapids Pizza, 4006 Franklin Boulevard in Glenwood

This specially scheduled program is being held outside our typical meeting dates

The Fire Service Levy imposed by the City of Springfield is up for renewal and will be voted on at the November 4 election. Eugene Springfield Fire Chief Mike Caven will review the history of the Eugene Springfield Fire Department, including its origin, and discuss considerations for the future governance of the organization. He will cover the suite of services provided by the department, as well as the challenges that exist due to service demand, emerging threats from wildfires, and public funding. Additionally, discuss the upcoming levy renewal on the November 4^th election ballot to fund the 5^th fire company in Springfield.

Chief Caven has led Eugene Springfield Fire since 2022 and has been a member of the department since 2007. With 23 years of experience in the fire service, Chief Caven has advanced through the ranks, starting his career with the City of Cottage Grove in 2002. The Chief spent two terms on the board of directors at South Lane County Fire & Rescue and nearly a decade leading the Lane Professional Firefighters Association. Chief Caven was born in Eugene and grew up in Central Oregon, so outdoor activities are what make him smile the most, just ahead of a good firehouse prank. Fun fact: Before moving to Eugene after accepting his current role, Chief Caven owned and operated a craft chocolate factory, where he crafted chocolate using beans from all over the world.