1750 Green Siding Road <br />Roseburg, OR 97471 <br />Date: November 2, 2023 Sent via email and U.S. Mail. <br />Eugene Planning Commission <br />c/o Elena Domingo <br />City of Eugene Planning Division <br />99 West 10`x' Avenue <br />Eugene, OR 97401 <br />Dear Ms. Domingo: <br />As a former resident of beautiful Eugene and current Oregon small business owner, I write on behalf of <br />Clemens Marina to oppose the proposed River Road — Santa Clara Neighborhood -Specific Code <br />Amendments. <br />Clemens Marina, located on 309 River Avenue in Eugene, is the largest customer of North River Boats, <br />where I serve as CEO. North River employees 150 people in Roseburg, making us one of the largest <br />private employers in Douglas County. North River is no ordinary boat manufacturer. We are an <br />employee -owned company (ESOP), which means that the employees are being given ownership of the <br />company over time at no cost to them. When my wife and I are dead and gone, the employees of North <br />River will own the entire company without ever having paid a penny to purchase shares. The largest <br />single part of the value of the shares of North River is the business we do with Clemens Marina. In many <br />cases, these shares are the single biggest retirement asset of the hardworking folks of North River. <br />The proposed code amendments for River Road and the Santa Clara neighborhood do not just pose a <br />critical threat to Clemens Marina, itself a thriving small Oregon business, they also threaten the <br />living -wage jobs of 150 people 60 miles south at North River in Roseburg. North River is a shining <br />beacon of hope in economically -challenged Douglas County. In addition to the ESOP, North River people <br />receive a benefit package that includes company -provided health insurance, vision, dental and life <br />insurance, a 401-k with a generous company match, and cost of living raises every year for the 11 years I <br />have been at the helm. All of this is threatened by the code amendments. <br />Eugene is a wonderful place, and I know you work hard to keep it that way. Crippling a small business <br />Re Clemens would be a truly terrible byproduct of the proposed code amendments. Another awful <br />consequence would be the disastrous impact it would have on the 150 hard-working employee owners of <br />North River. On behalf of the people of Clemens and North River, I ask you to not move forward with <br />these code amendments. Thank you for considering my testimony. <br />Sincerely, <br />NORTH RIVER BOATS <br />Brent H. Hutchings <br />CEO <br />30 <br />