The 5-2 vote follows about three hours of public testimony

Following the longest debate on a civic issue this year, the Corvallis City Council has become the first city in Oregon to endorse the Earth Charter.

Officials listened to hours of testimony from nearly 30 people until 11 p.m. Monday before adopting a resolution that endorses the Earth Charter by a vote of 5-2.

Proponents of the charter had asked the city to consider supporting the global movement promoting principles and values aimed at securing a sustainable future.

Opponents, including a representative of the campaign “Operation Green Out” called the initiative a “blank check” that could undermine the local economy and even nullify the U.S. Constitution. Some people even went as far as to try to link the Earth Charter to Communism.

After the vote, Mayor Helen Berg summed it up this way: “For those of you who are concerned about this Earth Charter, it commits us to be as good as we can be to each other.”

According to City Manager Jon Nelson, there is no financial or policy impact to the city.

“Some of the pieces are similar to what we have for our 2020 Vision statement and council policy on sustainability,” Nelson said earlier on Monday.

Councilor Trish Daniels, speaking on behalf of the majority, said that the charter was “aspirational.”

Adopting it required no further action of the council.

“I feel comfortable that we’re not getting the city into hot water,” Daniels said.

But opponents, led by Holly Swanson, a representative of a movement called “Operation Green Out” that she helped to start by publishing her book “Set Up and Sold Out” called the Earth Charter a partisan document.

“There is no question. I have spent the last 15 years studying this,” Swanson, a resident of White City in Southern Oregon testified.

Swanson said supporting documents of the charter “mirrored Communism” and had been adopted by the Green Party.

“This is not a fluff document,” Swanson said.

Former City Councilor Tina Empol responded to Swanson’s accusations of partisanship.

She said the only party that has taken a formal position on the Earth Charter is the Benton County Republican Central Committee, which voted to oppose it.

“Greens may be a lot of things, but they are not Communists,” Empol said. “If it (the Earth Charter) is partisan, it’s a Republican Party thing.”

Councilors Daniels, George Grosch, Betty Griffiths, Jerry Davis and Emily Hagen voted to endorse; councilors Charlie Tomlinson and Scott Zimbrick voted “no;” councilors Rob Gandara and Hal Brauner were absent.