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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1992-08-18 Correspondence -. ~CI, ,.. .'1 , , I July 20,1992 Dear Friends, In 1990, 11.1 to 18.6 ~lIllon dogs and cats were killed In shelters across the U.S. These animals were killed because they were homeless- abandoned, cast away by their owners, or lost, Forty Thousand or these animals were killed In shelters and pounds throughout the state of Iowa, 10,000 In Des Moines alone, due to lack of homes and general community apathy. Each of these lives taken bears testament, over and over to the enormity of human Indifference and the urgent need to shed light on the oldest animal abuse we know tOdaY""dog and cat overpopulation, On Saturday, August 22,1992, Joining animal shelters and grassroots organizations around the country, animal advocates In Iowa will come together to hold candlelight vigils to remember 'Homeless Animals' Day., At these Vigils we will be remembering the 40,000 homeless dogs and cats who were destroyed this past year In our state and call for a turn In the tide of pet overpopulation, . .''' Please Join us, with Ifghted candle, for your presence and participation at these vigils Is Important. Together, as each of our candles burns silently, we wm loudly call attention to this age old crisis The attached flyer provides the location and time of the two candlelight vigils currently scheduled. Come to help us remember those animals whose lives are no more, and to demonstrate to our neighbors and lawmakers the sheer number of Iowa citizens who are committed to ending the dog and cat overpopulation crisis. ; . ~ ' The following Is a Ifst of those In greater Des Moines and Newton who share a common goal to prevent unwaltprl mters of dogs and cats and have sponsored this event. Contact the numb\.'rs below for additional Information, Thank You, Animal Llfelfne of Iowa Contact: Ava Bothe/989-3473 Stacy Butcher 255-1585 Animal Rescue League of Iowa Contact: 262-9503 Animal Protection Society of Iowa Contact: Ne Ida Knapp/266-200S Newton Animal Rescue league Contact: Judy Saller/792-S407 /7J~, " .:',__,L.'" iiI ~ ------ __4.~_.~'~~'.,~,,'__. -"'-~..- .--.--. _____ __._ ... ~_..~ "tWo '., Please join animal shelters and animal advocates across the country for Candlelight: Vigils, held coast to coast, to call attention to the millions of homeless dogs and cats-born and killed-each year in America. On "Homeless Animals' Day" Saturday, August 22, 1992 Location in Iowa City: The Pentacrest, University of Iowa, at 8:00 P.M. For more information, contact: Grace Trifaro 337.8403 or Bev Horton 356-5295 17J~ '1__- _ ~'~.,.. ....:..=...."....=...,...-.::.:...",."............,. -. ~0 ':: , , ;;J, " ;j; ~'~ " " " " f; ".' " " " '~ ;: ~: fm:\ ~ Iowa City Public Library 123 South Linn, Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Lolly Eggers, Director Information (319) 356-5200 Business (319) 356-5206 August 11, 1992 Mayor Darrel Courtney & City Council City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City, fA 52240 Dear Mayor Courtney & Members of the Council: The Library Board of Trustees would like to express our appreciation to the Council for their assistance in helping us reach a compromise for the County's share of funding of the Library FY93 budget, and in negotiating a new contract beginning FY94 with the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, In particular, we wish to give a special thanks for those Council members who gave their extra time and effort while serving on the special negotiating committee. We believe the new terms are satisfactory to both parties with an opportunity for both the City and the County to note and prepare for changing trends in the use of the library by County residents, As you know, during the negotiations, it was agreed to accept $208,625 from the County for their share of library funding for FY93 in lieu of the budget amount of $225,000. The Board of Supervisors has subsequently agreed to increase this amount to $210,000 or $15,000 short of the original FY93 budgeted figure. While it was difficult to accept this lower amount from the County, I believe all parties agreed that this compromise was necessary in order to "move on" - to not only resolve the dispute over FY93 funding, but also to reach a new agreement with the County for FY93 and beyond. The Library Board would like to formally request that the Council consider funding this $15,000 shortfall from the combined $23,871 library balance that was not used for FY92, This balance from FY92 is from library receipts (income from fines and fees was $12,769 over estimate) and library expenditures (expenditures were under budget by $11,102). This would still leave the City nearly $9,000 ahead of where it expected to be vis-a-vis the library on July 1, 1992. Thanking you in advance for your consideration. ~J~. Kent Swaim, President Library Board of Trustees If.> - N 0 ;po r..~ :'-:0 c:: 'I ~-; Gl r-:-T.' .., - (j"'< r,~ ~(j N l "W] "'r- :l" ~ \l ';'om :to i"J 0':> - ':.:;.' - ~- " ..0;:,..... -,~ y CJ1 cc: Library Board of Trustees City Manager bj\council 171./' ,.,., ".... " ",'.. '.' , .-.' .", ~, .--", , i , I i I i I I 'j \ ,I, ~ j , " i" o 'i ~ " I' :1 !J' 'J 1 , ..; , :j ;,1 ~: ~'i -. If}) ~~0 r.: q \'." n U~ t ~~, ~;) ~~.~ Judith Laudie Pfohl 2229 Aber Avenue ~2 AUG - 3 PII 2: 51 Iowa City, Iowa 5224~ 35J.l684 CITY CLER1\ \01'1/\ CITY, 10VIJ.\ July 30, 1992 Darrel Courtney Iowa City Mayor 410 E Washington Iowa City, IA 52240 Dear Mayor Courtney: The Dane land proposed for developing 23 houses is next to 10 acres of 100 year flood plain that the City should buy for a park. With a collaborative effort the addition could serve many needs for minimal cost. The building on the West side has increased the need for more green space. The addition to Willow Creek park would be able to add needed green space without major loss of tax base since the area is already farm land, is flood plain, and would be expensive to correct to build houses. Eventually an extra storm runoff pond will need to be added due to all the bUilding. This pond could be coordinated with the SongBird project and Project Green to add bushes and prairie grasses to encourage wildlife currently using the area to stay, and add more. The Mayor's Youth group that helped build the Roosevelt Ravine might be able to use some of the same style of walking/jogging information trails. Trails could be planned knowing the area floods every 3-4 years for a short time. The addition ot more entry points to Willow Creek would be useful. A wide entry from west Aber through a wide trail, across a foot bridge to the southern Willow Creek Park, would increase safety to walk to schools instead of using Mormon Trek and Benton streets. The addition of a longer walking route away from the heavy traffic areas would benefit the walkers at the retirement home. There may be room for a children's soccer field near the north end. In your consideration of approval of the planned request for 23 more homes, please consider offering to buy the extra green space. Sincerely, /M-% Judith L. Pfohl /7St> ,. ""1 I , ' .< i I I , , I I , i , . i , I I ., j I I -, L\t~> ~ f97- · . ..-J J/.t-~ ~~ ~~; yAtJIAf!7(thScJ-~J : A/'J~~P~ q,-~ 4, 6 de/kittt~ . dk i/'~1f~ tVJ1lg~, fI 1751 '~""(l - _____..__ 1MI I, I ., , i , I I I I I I : ! ! "., '. : --. ';. ' /751 0,- f " ; , -" ~~~I July 29, 1992 City Council City of Iowa City 410 East Washington Street Iowa City. Iowa 52240 Dear Council: ~'~ ~ [ rm ,." frJ ;>~ 11 !: ~ t~l ': '" ,':<' 92 JUL 31 Pil 3: 02 CITY CLERI( 10\'11\ CITY, IOWA The recently proposed revision to the city's definition of family is heartening in that its proviso acknowledges the composition of many Iowa City families not included in dIe current definition. There is however, at least one grievous omission. The new revision does not include as "family," domestic partnerships in cases where the couple is not legally married, yet maintains a household together. This oversight forgets those families who live and contribute to the Iowa City community as a family, yet, due to private circumstances or beliefs, do not have Slate marital documentation of their familial commitment. This oversight is particularly discriminatory of families headed by lesbian and gay couples, since the privilege of a state marriage certificate is denied to this segment of our community. Families headed by same-sex couples are significant in numbers and in their value to this community. Thcy contribute substantially to the economic health of our city as well as to its spiritual welfare through community service. Currently about 7,500 lesbian, gay, and bisexual people reside pennanently in Iowa City. Of these about 4,200 are domestic partners in solid, committed relationships. About half of these households include children. Many of these couples have maintained households together for many years, hold bank accounts together, jointly own property and pay taxes, along with rearing children, yet would not be considered a "family" by the city's current definition. While some may fear that the inclusion of domestic partnerships in the city's definition might be easily exploited, this has never become reality in city's where such families are specifically included. Frivolous declaration of family status in these cities has been successfully avoided with language as: "and domestic partners or couples who have documented a commitment to long-tenn household together..." ("Documentation" is usually defined as sufficient evidence of joint' financial holdings and commitments.) In any case, I have confidence in the council's ability to drnft a provision that could include domestic partners and still address any real or imagined problems this inclusion might create. The failure to include these families violates the spirit of our city ordinance which prohibits discrimination in public accommodations on the basis of sexual orienlation, if it is not in direct violation of the ordinance itself. .\ I am lesbian mother of two, a 22-year resident of Iowa City, and I have long admired our city's compassion and commitment toward all of its citizens. I would find it profoundly disappointing were the council not to take this opportunity 10 include Jl!.l families in its definition. 'ce~ly, I LdJUYLAJ ~-/..-W Mona Shaw 1958 Broadway St., Apt. A.4 Iowa City, Iowa 52240 /75;-. -. . 02\ ~ " r: q r:: n l- ~ <lA'" l,~_.. ~.,I 92 AUG"~ Atlll: 02 CITY DU:Ri\ Mayor Courtney and Iowa City Council Members IOWA CITY, IOWA From. William Ackerman 814 Newton Road Iowa City ACKERMAN'S NEWTON ROAD ANTIQUES 814 Newton Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Bill & Karen Ackerman (3191 338.8449 7.-13-92 Re. Newton Road Downzoning Approval I applaud and weloome the new zoning of our Newton Road neighborhood. This step should have been taken several years ago and we would have eliminated the crowding and congestion t that has been created on Lincoln Avenue the past two years. Recently at a council meeting there was discussion regarding the possible sale of an alleyway or portions thereof that runs parallel to Lincoln and Valley avenue, and halfway between. At that time someone had made an offer 6f $500 for a portion of said alley. Any idea of selling this alleyway (which currently is City of Iowa City property) goes completely against any future encouragement of the present downzoning statuss If this alley or any part thereof were to be sold to or otherwise conveyed to the adjacent landowners, it would be entirely possible (and probable) for a couple of local developers that own adjacent to get together and build a mega-structure of an apartment building a block long and half a block wide. This would be the last thing that our neighborhood needs. By the city keep- ing the ownership of the alley, it would permanently ensure against this type of undesirable development. More setbacks would be in place, and only smaller building could be built. We need to eliminate the possibility of any more mass con- gestion and by not selling or conveying the alley, this goal would be achieved. In addition, Valley Avenue is a heavily travelled street, and in my opinion parking should be removed fDom the east side. On many ocassions, I have experienced near hits (or near misses) from oncoming traffic, as well as many times being almost creamed from cars entering onto Valley from the alley that runs east and west. Cars park too close to thas alley for any reasonable sight clearance to be effective. Also, about a week ago, as I turned onto Valley from Newton Road, I was almost hit head on by a car coming up Valley that was not visible as a car was parked in the NO PARKING zone on the corner. Vshicles also tend to utilize the middle of Valley as to stay, clear of anyone opening a door on the cers parked on the east side. The problem is immeasuarably worse in the winter. Your response to these matters will be appreciated. It would be a much safer area to have Valley Avenue posted no parking at any time. As all of the rental units in the area have parking. Valley has become a dumping ground for non-resident cars. 7Jdt (Jefle/lIiM1V /7 53 .' -. , ~ 9J~~ I , I , , c; " DAVID L. HAMMER 720 Laurel Park Road Duh/ll[Wi, Jo~'~ 5100.1 Telephone: 319-583-3730 June 29, 1992 1.O N 0 ", :'~c; c: 'lil :t;-=i en I =" (")-< r'~""' =ic; en l ....<r.. "'0 ~ii'u . Pl 3: -;':"\1 -;:0 0__ .r:" "'..,-;Y :'.E"'''' :t;- en City Council City of Iowa City Iowa City, Iowa Attn: City Clerk Dear Clerk: I would appreciate your confirming receipt of this letter and also receipt that it has been presented to your council. I had the misfortune to be in Iowa city recently and to use one of the parking meters there. It was claimed that I had over parked and by dint of exceptional City Administrative activity, the fine was able to be increased substantially. I have paid it, under protest, but I recognize that to an avaricious government it is immaterial whether it is paid under protest so long as the money is received. And, Iowa City does have the reputation of being very avaricious, and I state that with some knowledge, having spent several years there as a law student. It is apparent that your city is an extremely successful extractor of anyone who is obliged to be there. There is little an outsider can do to stop it, but I can within increasing ease resist whatever blandishments the City of Iowa City can offer. I shall make every effort to see that the cottage industry of Iowa City, its parking meters, extract their toll from others. I would feel particularly badly about this if this was a consequence of a change in a civic approach, but your city's reputation, unfortunately, has always been the same. '. , I have little hope that this letter, or even a thousand more, would cause the municipalities' leaders to reconsider permissible mulct. I wish it would. DLH:kk Very truly yours, ~L~ (4 ~ I y!:ftl(\ VliJt1tJ>( ~ /!/t) [;(~ ' lwSf j'M to-t1/l(I L/vv/ C4 rM) ~1.{J r /75 if ._~,.".",~-c""".~",.,\,..,_ . ~_I'lIl~'" ~...,. _... ,1;,101._,,_ ---' -. . l~6J ~ Greg A. Ludvigson and Laurie E. Comstock 512 Rundell Street Iowa City, Iowa 52240 August 12, 1992 To Members of the City Council: This letter is to express our support for the proposed city ordinance regulating the application of chemical pesticides/herbicides by both commercial applicators and private citizens. The issue of inadvertent herbicide drift resulting from improper handling or application is of direct concern to us. Both of our neighbors chemically treat their lawns; one is done by a commercial contractor, and the other by the owner. While we have not noticed any damage to plants in our yard bordering the commercially-treated lawn, for several years we have had flower beds along our other fence line damaged by herbicides that ostensibly had been sprayed for spot weed control in the neighboring yard. Since we already know that acutely toxic dosages of these herbicides have drifted into our yard, we are naturally concerned about the possibility that we, our two grade school-age children, and family dog may be inadvertently absorbing some dosage when we work and play in the yard. Moreover, our vegetable garden has had to be located along this same property line in order to avoid root-borne toxins from a black walnut tree that kill many garden plants. Part of the rationale for growing a vegetable garden is to provide foods that are assuredly free of the pesticide residues that are present in much of the commercial produce sold in this country. We would very much like to see the city make at least a token effort to assure that these wishes aren't cavalierly circumvented by the careless misuse of pesticides or herbicides on neighboring properties. We are sure that you already are quite well aware of the public health issues regarding the use of pesticides/herbicides. Individuals are still free to make their own decisions about whether or not to use them, but we strenuously object to the idea that users neighbors will have to accept similar levels of exposure. We feel that it is important that regulations governing the use of pesticides and herbicides apply equally to all users. Quite frankly, we feel that if the regulations end up discouraging even a few casual users from mishandling these potentially dangerous compounds, then some good will have been done. Please pass this badly needed ordinance. lO N l'" "-- -= G1 'iju Sincerely, (,) :::::C? ::..--::j CJ"'< V) l:l~>) ....10 "'":'""1 _<1-' -0 ~ ~ ~ -m o2i I:;:> ~:~J i~t~~~' ~ t't""s.I Laurie E. Comstock /755 <<,,_."1.' --_~ , I . j "". " 'i " i I I I i , -, ",~ \A City of Iowa City MEMORANDUM Date: August 10. 1992 To: The Honorable Mayor and City Council From: James Brachtel, Traffic Engineer Re: Parking Prohibition Exception on the West Side of the 10 Block of S. Clinton St. As directed by Section 23-16 of the Municipal Code of Iowa City, this is to advise you of the fOllowing action. ACTION: Pursuant to Section 23-234 of the Municipal Code of Iowa City, the City Traffic Engineer will direct the installation of NO PARKING EXCEPT 6:00 AM - 1 :00 PM SUNDAY on the west side of the 10 block of S;' Clinton Street. This action will take place on or shortly after 25 August '1992. COMMENT: This action is being taken so as to provide additional parking on Sunday mornings for church goers in the Central Business District. At the present time, certain University parking has been lost due to the construction of the new Business Building. The parking prohibition exception noted above will permit parking in the transit staging area on the west side of Clinton Street on Sunday mornings during the construction phase of the new Business Building. The necessity for this parking will be reviewed upon the completion of the University of Iowa's Business Building and its accompanying off-street parking facility. n,\lOclinl l() N W ;-::. : c:: ,-~ >, " , , ' :~ ," _. ."",':::1 . " ',0.:-1 .. ..." :':b ~~ 0:", - ..~... .. :....~ '::J D /7510 ! "