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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-09-19 Transcription #2 ITEM 2 Wilburn: Karr: Wilson: Wilburn: Page 1 PROCLAMATIONS. a) Constitution Week: September 18-24, 2006 (reads proclamation) Here to accept the proclamation is Chapter Regent DAR Rep, Shalla Wilson. (applause) Thank you, Mayor Wilburn. Today, members of Pilgrim Chapter of the Daughters ofthe American Revolution are very appreciative of the proclamation of September 18th through the 23rd as Constitution Week. We thank Mayor Wilburn and the Members of the City Council. On September 17'h, 1787, in Philadelphia, the U.S. Constitution was signed, fulfilling the promise that the Declaration of Independence had made 11 years prior. In 1955, the President General of the DAR, Gertrude Carraway, adopted a project to promote the observance ofthe U.S. Constitution with a memorial week, beginning on the anniversary of the signing of the document - September 17m. Chapters were encouraged to help schools and communities study and understand the Constitution. Constitution Week was officially declared by President Eisenhower on August 2, 1956. This was the culmination of a proposal the DAR sent through Senator William Nolan of California. The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 by four women - two Southern and two Northern. When the Sons of the American Revolution rejected their application for membership, their goal was to heal the terrible wounds still bleeding from the Civil War. The founders believed that a call to the common bond, the ancestor, who fought together in the Revolutionary War to liberate us and found our country, would be a unifying and healing process. The objectives of the DAR are historic preservation, the promotion of education, and an understanding and upholding of patriotism. Pilgrim Chapter was chartered in 1898 in Iowa City and has celebrated over 100 years of service to the community. Membership is open to interested individual who want to trace their lineage to a revolutionary ancestor. For more information, please contact our Chapter Regent, Shalla Wilson. Thank you. Thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #3 Page 2 ITEM 3 CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED OR AMENDED. Wilburn: The amendment includes the transfer of Class C Liquor License for Sam's Pizza. Bailey: Move adoption. Champion: Move adoption. Wilburn: Moved by Bailey; seconded by Champion. Discussion? Atkins: Have one item, uh, Amy last evening raised the issue on the City Streets and Parking report, about the General Fund. Kevin's in the audience, so. . . the bottom line is, this is an accounting process that satisfies the State's accounting procedures. Their commentary on General Fund is not the General Fund as you and I know it to be. It's a transfer of debt proceeds from bond issues. So, we do not use the General Fund to subsidize. Okay? That do it? O'Malley: That's correct, Steve. Any other questions about the report? Correia: The... the financial report indicates an ending balance? O'Malley: That financial report has three columns, and the first column is the Road Use Tax Fund column and that you have to be very careful; that has to match with the State gave us and what we do with the money. The second column is all other funds that were used for street purposes, except debt, and the third column where that misnomer was, is our Debt column, and what that is, is transfers of 05 GO debt, but they don't have a name for that so they call it Transfers From General Fund. That's just their pick-list. They haven't given us (laughter and talking). Correia: So the ending balance though, are there requirements for.. . for carry-over balances? O'Malley: Yes, correct. Correia: That we maintain... O'Malley: Yes, that's.. . further on in tonight's agenda is all of our carry-over amendments, including the Road Use Tax fund. So, that $2 million is not unencumbered. There's some reserves for CIP projects. Correia (unable to hear) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #3 Page 3 Wilburn: Thank you, Kevin. And for the benefit of the viewing public, the Consent Calendar includes a motion setting a Public Hearing for October 3'd on agreement for private redevelopment by and between the City of Iowa City and Hieronymus Associates, Inc. That's October 3'd, and also on October 3'd, a resolution setting a Public Hearing on plans, specifications, form of contract and estimate of cost for the construction of a traffic signal interconnect project, directing the Clerk to publish the notice. This involves placement of fiber optic interconnected traffic signals at different locations in Iowa City. Roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #4 ITEM 4 Wilburn: Wright: Page 4 COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA). This is reserved, a time for the public to address the Council on items that do not appear on tonight's agenda. Please state your name and limit your comment to five minutes or less. Good evening. I'm Michael Wright, 225 N. Lucas Street in Iowa City. I'm going to aim for the less than five minutes. I'm here tonight as a Representative of the Iowa City Neighborhood Council, and just to give the City Council an update of what the Neighborhood Council has been discussing and working on over the past few months. We have, among other things, talked about whether or not the Neighborhood Council should be a formalized unit or the rather loose association that we've been for some time, and the compromise was to stay a loose association, but to give quarterly reports to the City Council on Neighborhood Council activities. This gives us a little more flexibility and gives the neighborhoods a pretty even voice, we think, in the decision-making. One of the things that we've been working on for quite some time now, and as some of you are aware through conversations or through a memo that was distributed, I think, this evening, many university towns across the country have some kind of a community council between the universities, neighborhoods, police representatives, various representatives across the city. We've been working in Iowa City to try and begin to put something like that together. We've had discussions with folks from the University, with Steve Atkins. The purpose of this would be to give a forum to keep everybody updated as to what is going on at the University, city neighborhoods - share concerns, share positive information, foster communication, share perspectives, and I think an awful lot of the credit for this goes to Jean back here who has worked very tirelessly putting this together, and we're pleased with the progress on that so far. In recent months, we also, as you are aware, did our annual PIN Grant program with funds provided by Council. PIN Grants are probably one of the most fun things that we get to do as the Neighborhood Council. It shows the creativity of the neighborhoods. It also always takes a fair amount of time to sift through these, to make suggestions, and to kind of nurture these grants along. Over the summer, the Neighborhood Council gave feedback to Chief, Police ChiefHargadine, on the Crime Stoppers program. He came to a Neighborhood Council meeting, discussed the program, and some Q&A with folks who were present. In the future, one of the things we're hoping to look at is to begin to study traffic and pedestrian issues in the neighborhoods in Iowa City. This is always a hot topic. Trying to figure out what we can do to make it a safer place to be a pedestrian, as well as a safer place to be a driver. We've spoken with Anisha Williams; we had an initial meeting with her last week, and hope this is the beginning of some dialogue that we can have on that particular issue. Also, toward the future, the neighborhoods are very interested in the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #4 Page 5 process of developing a Central District Plan. Neighborhoods want to be sure that they are part of that process and active participants. The relevant neighborhoods really do have quite a bit at stake in terms ofthat piece of the Comprehensive Plan. Finally, we just are sending a letter to the Iowa City Community School District as the Neighborhood Council, encouraging the Iowa City Community Schools to find a way to fund playgrounds. As some of you may be aware, the School District does not, as a matter of policy, allow funds for playgrounds. Those have to be raised privately. In the past oh.. . five, six years, PIN Grants have been a popular source of funding for the School District playgrounds, and to date, about $37,000 in PIN Grant money has gone to funding playgrounds for the Iowa City Community School District. This diverts money away from the neighborhoods and probably, partially defeats the purpose of the PIN program, which is the Program for Improving Neighborhoods. Urn, that is my update. Are there any questions? Wilburn: Thank you. Wright: Great! Thank you. Vanderhoef: Been busy! Clayton: Good evening, Jim Clayton, 119 E. College Street. I'm sure by now most of you are aware that the football team won on Saturday, and if you're a real Hawk fan, maybe you looked at the box score. I'd like to call your attention to another box score. Part of it was in the newspapers and the other parts on the Iowa City Police Department's web site. This past weekend, the Iowa City PD acted on 687 calls for service between 8:00 P.M. Friday and 8:00 A.M. Sunday, the weekend part of it. On Saturday alone, there were over 121 arrests made; 110 of them were alcohol related and 96 happened downtown. Some ofthe police blotter details on those arrests: I :31 fight, 100 College block; I :58 fight, 121 Iowa; 3 :06 fight, 119 College - throwing beer bottles; 5 :00 fight, 100 College; 6:43 assault, Washington Street. My family owns a 25-year-old business in the 100 block of College Street and these fights didn't take place at I :31 and 1:58 and 3 :06 in the morning. They took place at that time in the afternoon! They were less than 50 yards from the playground and the Library. Many of us have grandchildren and I wonder if you'd want yours downtown during that period oftime with that kind of activity. Would you want them playing in the fountain or by the Library with beer bottles flying through the air? I think not! My customers and their children need to feel safe for us to do business downtown. We performed a new function on Saturday - we were a safe place refuge for people looking to escape the turmoil on the Pedestrian Mall outside. Some ofthese folks tried to come in with open containers. You know it must really be bad when the people drinking out in public want to find a place to get away from it. They This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #4 Page 6 thought it was okay. We said, 'You can't bring alcohol in here! We're not a licensed premise. You didn't buy it here. You have to leave it outside!' 'Oh, this is Iowa City. We can do that!' The safe option, the safe-place option, shouldn't be part of my business plan, but it should be part of yours! Our Police Department and the City workers who clean up the mess left behind did a commendable job, considering the pressure of 687 calls for service, and more than 175 arrests over the weekend. They took care ofthe piles of trash left behind, but all, you of all people know that the Police Department doesn't have an assignment to make arrests. They have an assignment to maintain order and control, and that's what they do. The arrest rates and the calls for service are just the tip of the iceberg. They can't possibly respond or handle everything that's going on down there. Now on September 30th the football team is back home to play Ohio State. They're liable to be number one - Ohio State is at that time. Just imagine! The game is at 7:00 P.M. They'll start drinking at 6:00 in the morning and go right through to the end of the game and beyond. 70,000 people in the stadium and countless thousands wondering downtown and the neighborhood. It will be ugly! I hope you have a plan for September 30th. I hope it includes things like terminating alcohol service by the licensed premises, if that's what it takes to preserve order. I hope it includes providing our Police with all the resources they need to respond to the situation. I hope it includes occupancy load enforcement in the bars. I hope it includes also the start of actions on your part to develop policies that will address this problem. University Security has a pair of "beer goggles" they call them. You put them on and it gives you the impression of what it would be like if you had x-amount of alcohol- how your vision and response is impaired. The Iowa City Council has been wearing "bar goggles" for far too long. It's time for you to take them off and see what's really going on in our community. I know you'll have a hard time doing this because behind every single alcohol arrest, every single alcohol call for service, there's a bar or a packaged store or a distributor that's making a profit. The Iowa City Council has bent over backwards, sideways, every direction possible to coddle and cooperate with alcohol vendors. It's time for you to develop sound policies that will ensure that all of us doing business in the downtown will be able to operate for the safe enjoyment of all our customers. Thank you. Wilburn: Thank you. Horan: I'm Howard Horan, and I'm here representing the Airport Commission tonight, and I wanted you to understand that we feel as a Commission there is no rush to rezone the north commercial area. The property may be a little more valuable the way it's been rezoned for the failed Wal-Mart project. If in fact we get another officer for any other use, we will happily go ahead with the rezoning, or return to the original plan. We've been This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #4 Wilburn: Sanders: Page 7 grading for the extension of our runway, 7-25. I think that's obvious. Do you folks have any questions? Thank you very much. Thank you. Good evening, my name is Garry Sanders. It's nice to see you all in a little different context. (laughter) Including you, Bob, especially! 1...I too want to add something to the discussion of what is happening here. I don't know how many of you were downtown or anywhere around on Saturday, around the game, and you know, I am a big football fan. I was at the football banquet last December, you know. But what is happening here is starting to approach madness, and I mean that. I mean, I don't know how much more dramatic I can be. I have an old friend from Oskaloosa who's been coming to games for 40 years and believe me, this guy was pretty wild in his day, and he still drinks before and after the games when he's tailgating, but he said, 'It is out of control!' He said it's never been like this.. . ever! He said the drinking, the fighting is just unbelievable. And, I'm just wondering, you know, where this is going to go! I worked at the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning. We had the worst Saturday morning ofthe entire season! People did not want to come down here, and the people that I talked to said, and this was in the morning, that they had been subjected just in heading downtown to the rudest, crudest behavior imaginable from these young people, and I'm sorry, that's who it is, you know? And it's.. .it just has got to stop. You people want new businesses to come here? Do you want to show CEO's of prospective companies around town on football game days, before or afterwards? They would never want to come here. I mean, it's madness! And, you know, we are having more violence. It's not just the PAULA's and the Public Intox and all that, you know. I mean, listen, I drank a lot when I was a kid and I did it under age and all my friends did, but we did not consider it our right to do it publicly. Carousing around downtown, or wherever we were living, you know, fighting, throwing things. Forget about even the swearing, you know, and I'm just wondering how many assaults are acceptable? You know, we had three young women assaulted in the evening on south Van Buren and south Johnson. We had a young woman a couple weeks ago assaulted on east College, and the person who called the police and brought them over, the police told them, 'Well, that's just normal for Friday or Saturday nights!' Is that normal? Is that what you guys.. .that's okay? That's normal? It's not normal for me! It's not what I consider normal. Is this the kind of normal you want to have in Iowa City? And I'm sorry to be a, you know, broken record on this 2 1- law, but it's gotta start there. Availability of alcohol, and I just want to know how many bar owners do you think would go out of business if we enacted a 21-law, as opposed to how many assaults we're having? How many assaults are acceptable, compared to how many bars are going out of business? That's how I see it - it's a simple equation. And by your This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #4 Page 8 inaction on this, you are saying that a handful of bar owners who might go. out of business are more important than young people being assaulted, and that's shameful. I really mean that! And I invite all of you to come downtown on the 30'\ come see me at the Farmer's Market where I'm working, talk to people so you just don't think I'm, you know, blowing smoke as usual. Talk to just average people down there at the Market. Find out what they think about this, and then we'll walk downtown together. We'll just walk around downtown with what's going on, and you tell me if you're proud to live in this city and you're proud to represent this city. I invite you to come down on the 30th and we'll have this discussion again. Because it is wrong and shameful what is going on, and it's going to be on your shoulders for the future - action or inaction to do something about this. Thank you. Wilburn: Thank you. Anyone else care to address the Council on an item that's not on tonight's agenda? Thompson: I'm George E. Thompson, III. I live at 243 Hutchinson, and I want to make a stand against you people with the TIF stuff. How many millions of dollars do you dole out in a year's time? Five year's time? How many millions of homes have been built in this city in the last five years? And yet my property taxes have gone up $1 ,OOO? And I'm going on 80 years of age. I lost my wife a few years ago, and it's a little disgusting to know a house next door to me has sold and immediately my taxes go up $452? That's what they are this year. They've gone up every year. They add an adjustment deal where they had an assessor come around and check everything back in 2000 or 2001. So the following year, they jump my property.. .my land value from $60,000 to $96,000, and couldn't do anything with my house. I let the guy in to see. It's a two-bedroom home on Hutchinson. So now the property is, the land value is $96,000 and the building is $144,000, from $60,000 and $95,000 five years ago. And it's because of you people giving away all of these tax increments. You're going to give Hieronymus $16 million? That's what it amounts to! So instead of her paying $40 million for a building, she only has to pay $26,000 or $24,000? And you make the difference? And you've been doing this for years now. If someone wants to build something, let them build it, with their own money or go out and find financing. A city should not be involved in donating money to all these developers. I've said my peace. Wilburn: Thanks for your comments. Would anyone else care to address the Council on items not on tonight's agenda? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #13 ITEM 13 Correia: Bailey: Wilburn: Bailey: Wilburn: Atkins: Wilburn: Page 9 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE TERMS ON WHICH THE CITY WILL PURCHASE A 160-ACRE PARCEL OF LAND LOCATED AT 4213 S.E. SAND ROAD, AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST DOCUMENTATION OF THE SAME. Move the resolution. Move the resolution. Moved by Correia; seconded by Bailey. Discussion? This is going to be a really nice addition to our park system! For the public, this involves the purchase ofland designated as Sand, what are we calling it? Sand Lake, I guess, on South Gilbert-Sand Road. It's an opportunity to purchase... we were on (unable to understand). I beg your pardon? ...an area larger than City Park for future generations of Iowa City. One of those generational decision putting the City in a position to reclaim what was a gravel operations.. . okay, gravel pit. (several talking) Gravel pit, to make an amenity for future generations. So very glad to do so. Roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #16 Page 10 ITEM 16 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION. Wilburn: Bob? Elliott: How 'bout that? Couple things. This afternoon I was talking with the City Clerk. We last night came up with some recommendations of some things we'd like to see incorporated in our taxi cab service -lights and things, and we thought it might be helpful for Marian if a couple of Council persons would sit in with her in her discussions with the taxicab owners and operators. If the Mayor would like to name a couple people, I would volunteer, although I have nothing invested if someone else would rather do it, but I think it might be helpful if a couple Council persons would sit with and have Marian take the lead, we would be there to discuss. Wilburn: I don't have a problem if a couple of you would like to go. I don't know.. . maybe it might provide opportunity for some dialog. Already there's been some misinformation out there. At our discussion last night, we discussed this and specifically mentioned that there's no... we're getting rid of, if this proceeds, we're getting rid of anything related to color, and I was interviewed by someone from the media today that said that some cab company owner said they were going to lose thousands of dollars because we're going to require them all to have the same color scheme and there were a couple members, owners or cabbies here last night. So, I'll just put it.. . are there two, one or two who'd like to.. . Elliott: I'll volunteer, but if someone else would rather. Urn, I've got nothing terribly invested. Wilburn: You're welcome to go then, Bob, and I would just encourage you to just try and meet Marian's schedule so that this can get done, sooner rather than later, and just a reminder for the public and anyone present, too, that if this proceeds to being put on an agenda, it is an ordinance amendment and it would require three pass, three affirmative passing at Council meetings, so... Bailey: And it involves a public hearing, as well. O'Donnell: Bob, remind me and I'll go with you. Elliott: Okay, okay. One other...two quick things. Was at the dog swim at City Park and that's a wonderfully, enjoyable situation. All sizes, shapes, colors of dogs and their owners and the people, and my daughter and her partner, Dan, took their 95-pound lovable lap dog and he had a great time. It's just a fun time, so encourage you to go! Lastly, I enjoyed the Iowa, Iowa State game on T.v. For me, this is the first season I have not worked This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #16 Page II all home football and basketball games, so I stayed home and watched it, and I just hope if they pick up an ESPN feed, they find somebody other than the color commentator that they had, who talked so slowly, he could hardly get comments in between plays. He sounded like Forrest Gump, for crying out loud! So, that's all I had to say. (laughter) Drove me crazy! Wilburn: Regenia? Bailey: Urn, as you know, I'm the representative to the Convention and Visitors Bureau from this Council, and I would like all of you to save the date November 8th for our luncheon and annual meeting. It will be at the Marriott this year and that's generally an opportunity for the Convention and Visitors Bureau to talk about its year of successes and what is coming up in the upcoming year, and Mr. Mayor, I wish you a Happy Birthday! Wilburn: Thank you! Bailey: We agreed not to sing! Wilburn: All right! Vanderhoef: Okay. I have several things. Next week, starting on Wednesday and running through noon on Friday will be the annual Iowa League of Cities Convention in Coralville at the new Marriott Hotel, and we will be the first convention for that establishment, and we're looking forward to a great meeting and I hope all the Councilors will have an opportunity to at least come for part of it, ifthey can't come for all of it. It looks like a really good agenda this year and something for everyone. Second, I had the opportunity today to go out for lunch at the Elks Club where a group of realtors were collaborating on building a neighborhood in the whole area. They all have some properties out there. They're all selling lots and building houses, adjacent to the City project ofthe Peninsula project. City staff was there to tell everyone about all the infrastrncture that we have put into the area in the form of City amenities out there, which include the dog park, all the trails, and soon to open, the new disc golf course, which I had a chance to see on the Park's tour this past week. There's a group of 20 to 30 people who have put in over 400 hours of volunteer time, clearing and getting ready for this disc golf course. The City will be, is a collaborator on it and that they are buying the poles and the baskets and the equipment for the golf course. The pads are laid. With their best hopes they said the end of October, early November. So it's been almost a full year project. They certainly can still use more volunteer help. If anyone is interested, they can give me a call and I'll direct them in the right direction. And, lastly, I had an opportunity last Friday, I was invited by Senator Jack Hatch to come to a meeting in Marshalltown. It was an all-day seminar, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #16 Wilburn: O'Donnell: Bailey: O'Donnell: Helling: O'Donnell: Wilburn: Correia: Page 12 small towns and big-city neighborhoods, and it was on community and economic development, and talking about what is happening across the State, and where we're using both the Historic Preservation, the Vision Iowa, CAT Grants. Also, some other smaller grant processes. They really took a bit of time on Main Street Iowa projects, but what was most important about the whole meeting was there were a group of senators there, Senator Hatch and the Mayor had put the meeting together, but they were asking cities and city staff what do you need from us in this next legislature. So, they were recognizing the importance of cities and how we need to collaborate more with our State Legislature. So, the senators there were very open to new ideas and certainly gave them our information on imminent domain as something that, and TIF's, were the two big things that we made the request for. There was some interest also in new possibilities for revenues for cities and they were really looking at our neighborhood open-space plan and how to develop parks and trails and amenities for their cities, because they're all recognizing that Iowa City (TAPE ENDS) now throughout the State as the place to come, because of these amenities and that's why we're getting everyone from young people to seniors wanting to come and live in Iowa City. So, it was a positive conference. We'll get a report back soon and I'll be happy to share it with anyone who would like to see it. That's it. Mike? Just a couple quick things. We're planning to have a couple Councilors to negotiate the Mid American franchise, look at it. Is that progressing along? Have we done anything on that? There's a meeting set. Have we had any meetings? No, the first meeting will be 16th, it is, around mid-October, I think it's the 16t\ and that's by agreement of us and picking dates that their staff and all our folks could get together. So it's going to be a little bit dicey in trying to schedule meetings with so many people involved, but I think everybody's ready to go. Okay, and the Council (unable to hear) Secondly, I've asked for a couple times for a report on the Peninsula, how that's progressing out there. Are we moving forward on that? Okay. That's all I have. Amy? Dh, I want to provide a brief update on Youth Advisory Commission. On October 4th, which is a regularly scheduled Youth Advisory Commission This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #16 Page 13 meeting, we're going to be holding a public input session. We are inviting youth in the community, 12 to 18 years old, to attend a public focus discussion on results from the Iowa Youth Survey. Two of our Youth Commission members, Audrey and Subha, received training over the summer on a focus discussion method that the Mayor also has training on. Jim Swaim actually provided that training and I know Jim and Ross both are trained in this method, and they're going to do a focus discussion on the results of the Iowa Youth Survey, which is a survey conducted in Iowa City schools and schools all across the state. We're looking at results from the Iowa City schools related to alcohol, marijuana use among young people, and want to hear what the young people think about the results and what they think about what we should do in the community regarding those findings, and additionally, at the last meeting, the Commission has been trying to decide what it wants to do out in the Community, in addition to identifying different policy areas to address. We had a presentation from Katie Roche a couple months ago on opportunities to volunteer with some of the arts and so one of the opportunities would be for the Commission to sponsor one of the booths in the Global Village during Summer of the Arts, or Iowa City Arts Festival in June. They voted at the last meeting to do that. So (unable to hear) sponsor one of the Global Village booths next summer. So they're excited about that and they're moving ahead on developing a web site that will be part ofthe Iowa City web site. Those are some of the things that we've been doing on the Youth Advisory Commission. So, anybody has any questions you can let me know about that. I, along with several other Council members and Iowa City staff, Doug Boothroy and Karin Franklin and transportation staff, attended a consortium on Successful Aging event this afternoon. I was in the Housing subgroup and the, at the end of the day, there were three areas that the whole group - there were over 100 community members that attended this - and one of the action items that was voted to address over the next six to twelve months was addressing financial (unable to understand) options. So.. . keep folks updated about that. Urn, and last night at our work session, we did address the issue related to what went on downtown on Saturday, and I, you know, I was also thinking about, especially Sunday, as I know our youth involved in athletics, clean up the stadium that, you know, our kids are watching what goes on and I...I know that Iowa City Council doesn't have 100% responsibility over what happens in our city. There are certainly lots of other sectors ofthe community that have responsibility, but it seems like there's an opportunity for us to invite the University to a meeting to talk about how we communicate our expectations for community behavior. Athletics are an important part of our community, our identity and our culture, and they create a lot of excitement, and I, you know, that's really a positive thing. I'd like to try and proactively address some of the problems that are going on and see how we can communicate to the public our expectations. So. . . what other folks think about that, but throw it out there. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006. #16 Page 14 Vanderhoef: I would like an update because I don't think our public heard probably what our report was last night and the number of man-hours that were put out in the community for this weekend, and what that cost the City in the way of just overtime, trying to keep the peace and order downtown, and I would welcome a written memo that gets published so people understand the constraints we're under and what we actually are doing at this point to address the problems. Because yes, we do have problems. Bailey: Urn, I would like to do a little bit of a reframe because I was downtown on Saturday and I agree that the litter is appalling, and certainly, it's challenging, but one would believe after listening to this discussion tonight that there were absolute riots downtown. There's certainly problems, but I felt very comfortable, very safe. We voluntarily went downtown on a Saturday, so I want to keep this all in perspective, that certainly we have some areas to address. It's not only University students, in fact, I would suggest that more of the people I saw would probably fall into my age category of irresponsible behavior, people littering, and open containers. Yes, thank you, Bob (unable to hear). So, I think it's important to keep this discussion focused, but in perspective, because I wouldn't want somebody to think it was the riot that some people have described, because I certainly saw none of that. I know that (unable to hear). Wilburn: Urn, okay, Ijust wanted to announce a couple things. Just a reminder that Thursday will be the 23rd Annual Human Rights Awards breakfast, Thursday, September 21st at 7:30 A.M. at the Iowa Memorial Union in the Wayne Ritchie Ballroom. Tickets are $15.00 each, and not sure that there may be some reduced ticket prices available still, and just contact the Human Rights Coordinator at 356-5022, 356-5022. Secondly, on Saturday, I want to say congratulations to Bicyclists of Iowa City who will be celebrating their 25th anniversary, along with their Amish Century Tour bike ride. They'll be options of, I think, 27, 55, 75, and 100 miles on Saturday. Leave from Hills and there'll be waffles for breakfast and Dogs on Skis'll be playing that evening after the bike ride. Certainly want to congratulate BIC on 25 years of both encouraging enjoyment of bicycling as recreation, but also trying to nurture and encourage people to view it as transportation alternative. Otherwise, that is all I have. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of September 19, 2006.