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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-01-14 Council minutes ." - . .. " 1 I , COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF COUNCIL AC1'IVIT/ES January 14, 1993 Iowa City City Council. special meeting, at 5:30 p.m. in the Civic Center, Mayor Courtney p residing. Councilmembers present: Ambrlsco, Courtney, Horowitz, Kubby, Larson, McDonald, Novick. Absent: None. Slaffmembers present: Atkins, Helling, Gentry, Karr. Council minutes tape recorded on Tape 93-7, Side 1. Moved by Kubby, seconded by Novick, to consider an ordinance amending Chapter 34, by adding a new Article IV, Division I entitled "Commercial Pesticide Application," which shall provide for regulating commercial application of pesticides and the enforcement thereof, be given second vote for consideration. Individual Councilmembers expressed their views. The Mayor declared the motion defeated, 3/4, with the following division of roll call vote: Ayes: Kubby. Larson, Novick, Nays: Horowitz, McDonald, Ambrlsco, Courtney. Moved by Ambrlseo, seconded by Larson, to adjourn 5:45 p.m. The Mayor declared the motion carried unanimously, 7/0, all Councilmembers present 4!~t (t ~h~~ ,j/ ~A) Marian K. Karr, City Clerk !-!4,min City of Iowa City MEMORANDUM Date: January 26, 1993 To: Mayor and City Council From: City Clerk Re: Council Work Session, Budget, January 14, 1993 - 5:45 p.m. In t1',€ C:il.lOcll Chambers, Mayor Courtney presiding, Councllmembers: Courtney, McDonald, A!;lbrlsco, Horowitz, Novick, Larson, Kubby. Staff present: Atkins, Helling, Yuculs, Kllr(, Schmadeke (6:00 p,m,), Franklin (7:10 p.m.), Tape recorded on Tape 93-9, Sides 1 and 2, 93-8, Sides 1 and 2, 93-10, Side 1. LANDFILL City Manager Atkins presented operating budget Information, Atkins stated there are a substantial number of policy Issues relating to the landfill. Atkins stated the closure and post-closure Is the single most dramatic Influencing factor on the expenses at the landfill. Atkins stated he Is assuming that the City will maintain and assume the liability for the landfill In the future, and that the City of Iowa City will continue to operate the landfill, Atkins stated the City will need to require the users of the landfill to provide the City with some sort of financial protection such as cash to provide for the closure and post-closure costs, Atkins explained the City currently has about one. hundred acres of landfill and It Is estimated In tOday's dollars to close the landfill It will cost $70,000 per acre, totalling $7 million, He stated the $7 million will need to be set aside and cannot be used as operational, Atkins stated that to raise $7 over fifteen years Is $460,000 a year'that must be generated In cash, utilizing 70,000 tons (or an annual measurement). Two- thirds of that tonnage comes from Iowa City and the remaining third comes from Johnson County and other communities, Of the two-thirds of that tonnage that comes from Iowa City, about 15% Is from residential pickups. The remaining tonnage Is from businesses and Industries within the corporate limits of the city. Atkins proposed that the City would charge Iowa City businesses and citizens a $5 surcharge on top of the tonnage fee which would generate $230,000 a year. All others would be charged a $10 per ton surcharge to generate an additional $230,000. Total monies raised from the surcharges would equal $460,000, In addition, Atkins proposed a $1.25 per ton charge which would generate $B7,500 per year for toxic cleanup day. Atkins stated that the plan would provide that communities would be billed for the cost of landfill services. The City of Iowa City would deal with polltiCllI Jurlsdlctlons where they must regulate the pickup of waste. Atkins stated that Council needs to decide if there Is merit to establishing some sort of authorlty to run the landfill, Public Works Director Schmadeke provided Information about the current landfill. Schmadeke explained i 0-12 cells In the landfill are old cells and there Is one new cell. Schmadeke stated there Is potential for six more new cells due to new regulations. Atkins stated that for the purposes of balancing the budget, the proposed landllll fee Increases are In the budget. Atkins stated Council needs to set policy as to whether they want to continue to run the landfill and develop these systems, or establish an authority. Atkins stated that once decisions are made on how to run the landfill, then he would proceed with establishing financial tools that would address fees to be charged for operating the landfill, Atkins stated that other communities would need to be notified that the City Intends to bill them for usage of the Iowa City land'III, In response to Kubby, Atkins staled 70,000 tons would generate sufllclent Income to be able to have post-closure, but operational decisions along the way could change those figures. J:~ 3 , . 1 . "--, 2 Atkins explained that a trust would be set up to handle the closure and post-closure funds. Kubby also proposed Increasing the $1.25 per ton fee for toxIc clean-up to $1.50. Atkins stated Council needs to decide (1) Do you want to run the landfill, (2) Should there be premium charges by Jurisdiction, (3) Should the City pass along to the political Jurisdictions the . responsibility to control and manage the garbage within their corporate limits. Atkins stated he will prepare a summary memo that Identifies the various Issues and policy positions for Council to approve. Atkins stated that other landfill Issues include land use planning and annexation. TRANSIT Atkins presented Information about the Transit Department budget. ,Atkins stated that In FY84 Transit utilized 6.1% of the Property Tax revenues and In FY94, 13.5%. Atkins stated the City's share of the SEATS budget In FY87 was $92.000 and In FY94 $290,000. Atkins stated a policy position adopted a number of years ago was that the Transit farebox revenue would be 40% of their budget, and currently It Is In the high 20's%. Atkins emphasized the cost per trip continues to rise, Atkins reported that In FY82 the farebox revenue was $687,000 and the farebox revenue Is almost the same this year. Atkins reported that City staff Is convinced that ridership would decrease If the farebox was Increased to 60 cents. Atkins stated transit ridership currently Is not growing and their only real means to reduce the tax participation Is reduction of service. City Manager and Council discussed Increasing the price of the farebox and the cost of parking. Ambrlsco noted that In addition to the tax subsidy, the Transit Department owes the Parking Department $400,000 plus 7% Interest for each year of the loan. CIP City Manager and Council reviewed specifics from the Capital Improvement Project Plans, Horowitz Inquired about an area-wide stormwater detention scheme and noted her frustrations with developments where there are less than two acres, and dovelopers can do stormwater detention without anI' connection to the next parcel of land, Horowitz Inquired about the storm sewer Inventory (p. 34B of the capital budget). Atkins explained stormwater management process Is a new federal regulation and the City will have to go through a stormwater permitting process. Atkins stated that the City needs to do an Inventory of storm sewers. He also stated that staff needs to develop some Ideas on stormwater management to bring to Council, Horowitz referred to the budget request (p, 132 of the budget document) for a traffic engineer, and , discussed the need for an additional traffic engineer. Atkins stated that traffic engineer Is financed strictly with road use monies and Isa non-property tax Item now, Council agreed the traffic engineering bUdget request should be added to a list for further consideration. Larson asked Council to consider funding an additional staff person for the Senior Center, Kubby Inquired about funding for land acquisition for community development. Atkins stated that the City would use existing reserve on demand -. buy the property, hold It, get the house moved on It, sell It back, and not tie up a General Fund appropriation, Atkins suggested using It through a reserve position as opposed to appropriating money. Kubby Inquired about funding an additional housing Inspector, Atkins explained he would like to prepare a proposal that would Increase the housing Inspection fees and demonstrate the ability to hire another Inspector, Larson noted that as a community, Iowa City has endorsed the polley .:T-3 .11" ~ 3 that we are going to enforce our housing code vigorously. Courtney stated the housing Inspector should be added to the list far further consideration. Courtney suggested that Council consider funding an additional forestry position, Council requested information regarding the forestry position from the Parks and Recreation Department Director. Courtney Inquired about the weather sirens funding. Finance Department Director Don Yuculs stated there was carryover of the funding of weather sirens of last fiscal year to this fiscal year, so there Is funding for two weather sirens for this year. Ambrisco Inquired about the West Side trunk sewer as It relates to the Eicher addition and proposed new school, Public Works Director Schriladeke stated the new pipe will accommodate the Hlllgenberg/Kennedy Subdivision. Ambrisco asked If the new pipe had to go In because of the proposed school. Schmadeke stated no. Atklns presented information about the proposed funding for City Council computers, Atklns stated It will cost an estimated $2,000 to provide each Councllmember with a laptop computer, printer and software. Councllmembers discussed utilization of laptop computers, Atkins summarized that staff would prepare a policy relating to providing Councllmembers with laptop computers that Includes a policy position on depreciation. KUbby Inquired about training. Atkins stated that Councllmembers will be provided with training programs. Atklns distributed three handouts: City of Iowa City Strategic Planning _ January 14th, 1992; Capital Budget Project Review Criteria; and Woolf Avenue and Woolf Avenue Bridge. City Manager Atkins presented Capital Project Review Criteria. Atkins explained that he would like to prepare a rough outline the capital resources that will be available In the next ten years. Atklns stated that staff could prepare far more detailed and precise numbers with respect to finances regarding how much money will be available by the year 2000 maklng the assumption that the City's general policy is that the City Is going to try to keep the debt service at a certain levy, approximately $2 million a Yflar. Atklns stated that each Capital Improvement Project could be evaluated by staff and a summary presented to Councllmembers, Atkins stated that each project could be evaluated, using the criteria listed In the handout, "Capital Budget Project Review Criteria," Councllmembers and staff discussed specific Capital Improvement Projects, InclUding the new fire station, master plan for the airport, pedestrian bridge, Rohret Road, northeast corridor, art center, solid waste transfer station, public works office and operation building, and asphalt resurfacing. Atklns summarized that the northeast corridor, Rohret Road, and pedestrian overpass should be put on the high priority list. Atklns stated that a review of the sewer system and sewer projects Is needed. Kubby Inquired about cable casting of informal meetings, Atklns reminded Council that there Is a fixed amount of tax revenue and that the budget Is balanced this year. Atkins stated that if Council wants to add anything that would cause an expense against the tax revenue, all things being equal, Council would have to trade something for It. Council decided to reschedule Monday's work session and meet Tuesday at 6:30 P.M. prior to their formal work session, Meeting adjourned at 9:20 P,M, <I"k\,.H~,mln :1-3 "_"H'_N~~_"" ._ ~,.__~.....~ . . ..0.. .' ....,...-.- .......'....~. ..~-- ....._" -- -..c__i__"" ....-..-...