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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993-04-20 Council minutes "'11"::"~ ~""" ...-'-- - .. ...-----,.~- ....~ ~ - - .. --, ,. .. .--.- :", ",t1t<< "::,,.., "~''';';:,,,:: :<'f.l-"" " '",~'>":'.:, ~":"'t'ff ../.;., " '". "r, ",', "~,, ,:' :, .~~.!.,_\" '~;'~1 ":. ',l,~'., '. ',:JlWl" 'l:'>~': ~. ',' .T:- ""/~' 'J, '~ ,,;' ',;. :/' ~ COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF COUNCIL ACTIVITIES APRIL 20, 1993 Iowa City City Council, special mtg., 4:45 p,m. In the Council Chambers. Councllmembers present: Ambrtsco, Courtney, Horowitz, Kubby, McDonald, Novick. Absent: none. Slaffmembers present: Atkins, Helling, Gentry, Karr. Council minutes tape recorded on Tape 93.38, Side 2, l- End. Moved by Ambrlsco, seconded by Horowitz, to direct the City Clerk to publish noUce of a Council District C vacancy (due to the Immediate resignation of Randy Larson) and of Council's Intent to fill that vacancy by appointment at their regular Council meeting of May 11. Council directed the Clerk to take applications, In the form of letters of Interest, until 5:00 p.m. on May 5. Aller discussion of the process, the Mayor declared the motion carried unanimously, 6/0, all Councllmembers present. Moved by Horowitz, seconded by McDonald. to adjourn to Council work session, 5:15 p,m. The Mayor declared the motion carried unanimously, 6/0, all Councllmembers present. '-"'\ 'v' 7ltO";AA<) I( -/!aM) Ma'tian K. Karr, City Clerk \ clerk\4.20ccc,mln ~....,.... "........... - "...'----- -~'..-........~ '~.,.."'t.~";'I",. -',;,.,..,', ''''tJ''':J, "'Si'-,, " ", >::',,::::, '",', ~~, " \' .~"~' I ...' I , \ ',' .' . .' ~ l " ", , I" +.1, ~.' ,".' " . ," ,", l , \ l '. ", ',~ ~,:',..)::,~,: ';" ~, . ,." ,....... \' '",'" .'. '". ',' ~ '. ' Rm'sJ S/c13 MINUTES OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND THE lOW A CITY COUNCIL: APRIL 19, 1993 Vice. Chairperson Lacina called the meeting to order at 4:06 p.m. Board of Supervisors members present were: Stephen Lacina, Charles Duffy, Betty Ockenfels and Joseph Bolkcom. Absent was Patricia Meade. Iowa City Council members present were: Darrel Courtney, Naomi Novick, William Ambrisco, Susan Horowitz, and Karen Kubby. Absent was John McDonald. Also present were Administrative Assistant Carol Peters, City Clerk Marian Karr, City Attorney Linda Gentry, County Attorney Pat White, Assistant County Attorney John Bulkley, City Manager Steve Atkins, and JCCOG Transportation Planner Jeff Davidsen, Lacina welcomed Mayor Courtney and the City Council to the joint meeting. He said historically~e purpose of the meeting has been for Iowa City and Johnson County to have a meeting of goodwill and a chance to visit about issues that will later be followed up with research and investigation. J I i FRINGE AREA AGREEMENT Bolkcom explained the Fringe Area Agreement is in the process of being revised and updated; city and county staff have been meeting over the last few months to generate proposed amendments to the current agreement. I . Kubby asked the extent of public participation in the meetings to date; Bolkcom replied 2 to 3 people have attended each meeting. He noted the meetings have been publicized but have not attracted much public attendance. He said both the City and County will hold public hearings on the final proposals once the recommendations are made. Kubby asked the major areas of revision being discussed; Lacina said the staffs have worked together very well and have found no major areas of disagreement. Duffy said one controversial issue is the current automatic extension of the two mile fringe area upon annexations by the City, In response to a question from Ambrisco, Bolkcom said there is an interest by the City to grow to the east and south and by the county to develop the areas to the north . of Iowa City; the Fringe Area Study Committee is discussing how to accommodate both the county's and city's needs. Bolkcom said he feels with the growing interest in the county about how development occurs, the public hearings will probably be fairly spirited opportunities for residents to voice their opinions and the proposed amendments, :C -I:). I ...., >.t~l' ",\~"" "" ",'~-; ,', 'ffl' ',,: ' ',"" ': " .><,' ,; "';' . . ~ I. \',. \ " " ". . ",,' , I~,',. ", ""I " ,,'" ,',"" "" .,',,_.~:.,,\..\~.~ ..,---...)......\" ", ",",," '~""\;'-'\".'" Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 2 SENIOR CENTER CONTRACT FOR CONGREGATE MEALS Bolkcom said the county has concerns about the contract as it relates to snow days and the closing of the Senior Center when the Iowa City Community School District declares a snow day. He said the county would prefer that the Senior Center continue to be open, even on snow days, and the contract may need to be revised to ensure that. Ockenfels said the Senior Center Commission and staff are currently considering the idea of closing the kitchen at the Senior Center on snow days; Congregate Meals is very opposed to the idea because they feel the Congregate Meals program may provide the only good meal for some elderly persons for the entire day, especially for the homebound. Novick asked about the ability of persons to get to the Senior Center in bad weather; Ockenfels said many persons come most days regardless of the weather. Horowitz asked the rationale of promoting persons coming to the Senior Center in inclement weather when the trip may be dangerous; it may promote civil suits. Duffy said snow days are infrequent, but Congregate Meals and the Nutrition Committee would like input on the decision to close. Kubby asked if this issue would be negotiated between the Senior Center Commission and Congregate Meals when they renew their contract; Ockenfels said it presently being discussed by staff and the Senior Center Commission, but will eventually come before the City Council and the Board of Supervisors. Horowitz suggested considering the issue as a joint board in an effort to keep politics from getting involved io the decision. Ockenfels said the funding for the program comes directly to the county from the federal government; Lacina said the county needs to ensure their funding source is not jeopardized by closings that arc not allowed, He also suggested investigating the frequency of school closings in the past. Kubby said another big issue is who would be responsible for snow removal if the Senior Center was closed but the Congregate Meals kitchen remained open. SEATS CONTRACT L1cina said there are problem areas in the contract between the county and Iowa City for SEATS service; for example, the county currently receives only $1.50 reimbursement from the Iowa City Community School District for the transportation of handicapped children, with the City paying the remainder of the per ride charge. He said both the city and county are subsidizing the school district for this service. Lacina said the county will be looking for ways to make the SEATS program more efficient; the City's implementation of buses equipped to haul wheelchairs will take some of the pressure off the contract. He said the county does not currently include all .T-I'J,. '~~1.- -". T..... - - '.-r- - - ,.~ ... ~..... :: :t'~l: ::, "}~I :,', 'tti:'::..,' "-l""c' ...,. ,'.::' ,,'j,s.~.:, ::'> ""~' '.,> :' >' :::"I"~, ,:;,~' ':'1 \::. J \' ,";.' '.,' I, '-, ' ("', ':, ':,' j' ", \ ~,\,.;,,;,,! ." ,," ...", ' ,~,1.. "I \' ,,' " _' . ,.~~~,.. ,..' "', ' I ",. " _.' Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 3 of the costs of the SEATS program when determining the cost per ride to charge the municipalities; for example, office space is provided at no expense to the SEATS budget. He said some of these types of costs will be added into the SEATS budget to provide an accurate accounting of the SEATS service, JCCOG Transportation Director Jeff Davidsen said the immediate issue is the funding for SEATS for the remainder of the current fiscal year; by using the charge back arrangement currently agreed to, Coralville and Iowa City will either have to suspend SEATS service or amend the current contracts before the end of the year. He said the cities have requested the Board of Supervisors suspend the per-trip charge back for the remainder of the current fiscal year but the Supervisors have not yet agreed to that request. Davidsen said JCCOG will be undertaking research into possible reorganization of the administration of the service next fiscal year. In response to a question from Horowitz, Davidsen said amounts based on the anticipated number of trips in the next fiscal year are budgeted by SEATS Director Larry Olson and adopted by the county for each entity that participates in SEATS, He said Iowa City and Coralville, at the request of Iowa City in the past, pay for services on a per-trip basis; on that basis, because the ridership from Iowa City and Coralville has been more than anticipated, the two municipalities have used up their funds in the SEATS budget. Davidsen noted the current SEATS budget for FY '93 is adequate to operate the service for the remainder of the year if the per-trip charge back is suspended. I Lacina said it is not the intent of the county to profit from the City on the contract but legitimately, there are certain costs outside the SEATS budget that the county has not accounted for. He said some of those items will be built into next year's budget; while the county can cashllow the existing year, the county is subsidizing the SEATS service in other non-related areas. Kubby asked if the SEATS cost per ride would increase to include the expenses not currently included in the SEATS budget; Lacina replied affirmatively, Kubby asked if the arrangement with the school district was a verbal agreement or a contract. Davidsen said it is throngh an informal agreement; otherwise the municipalities would be responsible for those costs, In response to a question from Horowitz, Davidsen said he believes the Iowa City Community School District is the only school district involved in this program. Courtney asked if this was for service primarily to and from school, or transportation during the school day; Davidsen said it is a program during the school day. Kubby asked if it would be possible for the school district to have a separate agreement with Johnson County for SEATS service; Davidsen said the School Board chooses to identify this service as a responsibility of the municipality. Lacina said the county originally started the SEATS service as transpor~1tion for the elderly in n1ral areas; it's mission has been broadened to include the disabled, which now represents the predominant user of the service. Ockenfels said service for the :1.:' I J.. " ~'v.~...."....... V-'-- .. ......... --"".....-rJ- ..- r .,...,.---- "'-""r -...... ,- .. ~-...,...----...................- , :-:':, .!..,t~t,': ',; >w~,~' ,ti> ....,;s. ,,:'",,' ',. ,,' :,:'::;',,:',', ," 'Ii f d~\" E] 'I' .' ",' " '" ," " .1: .::.....;.":,.:'l.~;l:,::-,,..,.'..,_':l . ;',"',::_':":.;', "1:> -;'...,':':O:...~., Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 4 disabled represents over 50 percent of the total ridership, Lacina said the funding stream has certain conditions. Ockenfels said the suggested contribution is $1.50 but rides can not be disallowed if a person cannot pay that amount. Lacina said the cost of the ride cannot be posted in the vans. In response to a question from Ambrisco, Lacina said the federal mandate to provide para-transit service is tied to the cities' funding on their transit authority. He said in order for the cities to receive transit funds, they must provide ridership for the disabled; part of the extension of that contract is to ensure that SEATS service is available during the city's regular bus hours, He explained the cities have chosen to fulfill that requirement by contracting with the county to provide the service, Ambrisco said the City's only transit funding in recent years has been for the purchase of equipment; the subsidy for the transit system ended 8 years ago, He said the City is subsidizing their local Iowa City Transit at $1.4 million, but the City is still under a federal mandate to provide free ridership, He cited a private transportation service in a town in Michigan that charges $6.00 per ride; Novick cited a similar service in a rural area near Sioux City n1n by a government entity that charges $5.00 per ride. Ambrisco said he views the City's requirement to provide rides as comparable to these examples except that the City cannot charge for the rides, I Davidsen said Iowa City and Coralville are permitted to charge a fare for SEATS service; it can be' up to twice the fixed route fare of $.50, He said the federal government disallows posting a suggested donation above that amount. Davidsen said, according to the contract between Johnson County and the municipalities, the Board of Supervisors make all the decisions regarding the suggested donation or fare; the Board has not been willing to allow charging a fare for SEATS rides. Kubby asked if the actual cost of the rides can be posted in the vans; Davidsen said it is not allowed because it is considered an attempt to coerce people into paying that amount. Novick noted the service does not have to be provided when city buses are not n1nning; Saturday night and Sunday SEATS service could be eliminated. Lacina said the City will also be establishing a certification process to determine eligible ridership under the ADA; through the guidelines used to determine eligibility, use of SEATS services for non.essential uses could be eliminated, Kubby noted the group of elderly and persons with disabilities overlaps quite a bit, which can misrepresent the statistics, Courtney asked if the county has contracts for SEATS service with municipalities other than Iowa City and Coralville; Lacina said other sources of contributions and funding include Solon and Lone Tree, but there are no technical contracts with those cities, Courtney said he is not sure those municipalities are contributing proportionately to Iowa City and Coralville, Novick said part of the funding for SEATS is from the county's General Fund and a portion is from Iowa City taxes; since a portion of the General Fund is paid by Iowa I~!d. - ""r' v...... --yr...... ".-. ~--- - .. ..---~. -...- .... - , -....,,. ... r--.--r--_..".... -. ..,... c "'tH' ':""'~I'" ~'; ,,:~ ,',' , ",,' ,', '), ):<'j ~ .'~~.:I..: ':'~,'. < ,<'. '(',"'!'.: :", ,',::;\::.,~:,"..:' I. ,I ii" ' . " J, . '," " _,,' t,: .......: ~. t ,~~<'- .' l,~,... ~;.1'" \,;'( ,l. \ :- ::; " '.' ,', ':',~.: Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 5 City residents, in effect, the Iowa City residents are subsidizing the service from two sources. Duffy quoted figures on ridership for the first three quarters of FY '93: Iowa City - 37,308; Coralville - 7,077; Systems Unlimited - 16,328; University Heights - 785; Goodwill - 4,197; Chatham Oaks - 7,500; rural area and small towns - 6,557. In response to a question from Kubby, Duffy said a trip is considered one way. Lacina noted Chatham Oaks is within the city limits and the county has been absorbing the cost of those rides. Courtney asked if the county has a contract with University Heights; Davidsen replied affirmatively, noting the contract is on the same basis as Iowa City's and Coralville's. Courtney said he feels the school issue should be addressed before July I; the school district has their own buses equipped to handle the rides. Kubby said the two issues that should be pursued is the school issue and a response from the county regarding the assertion that Iowa City residents are being double taxed for SEATS service. Courtney said he feels it is important to control expenses; the City's transporlJltion budget has grown disproportionately in relation to the other services that the City must provide. Bolkcom said he feels the county runs a fairly efficient service; the ridership has doubled in the last few years and the cost is related to that increase in demand for the service. He encouraged the county and City to work together to find ways to save money and provide service, AffiPORT I Courtney said it is important for the Board to understand the relationship of the Airport Commission to the City Council; the Airport Commission is a totally autonomous body. He said the City Council has no control until the Airport Commission asks for funding; any disagreements or arguments the county has regarding the airport ought to be aimed primarily at the Airport Commission at this point. Courtney said the Council's two controls over the Airport Commission are funding and the appointment of Commissioners, Kubby said once the Airport Commission makes a recommendation, the City Council will hold a public hearing; the Council, through their control of funding, will control the issue of whether the airport is relocated or expanded. Ockenfels said people have expressed opposition to the relocation of the airport to the Supervisors; she feels it is important for the Supervisors, as elected representatives of county residents, to echo those concerns to the Council. Lacina said the Board is not anti.airport; they are concerned about relocation. Courtney said the Chamber of Commerce has put together a task force to evaluate the economic worth and need of an airport; a report from that study will be presented J:- I,) .....' v....... "...~ .",----------.----..~-.-~- r-r 1 -y - - '--, _.,.~ .. ........ - .",-. .....,.......... - <",.",7.,: ,'i'~1':..::,;7/'" ':,':..., "...':" ""."'":,, ", :" ,,',.,', ~:",ff" ":I~', /' '''''If'l ",.,,' ",,,' '" ~,,'... .!I, ~~,...... ,(<,~~(, ."<'~\',: '.':"~~:," ",,' :'.':.' ,.~'\,:;:... ';':, Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 6 to the Commission in the future, He said the Chamber's Board of Directors have passed a resolution stating the City has a need for an airport, but will wait for the , results of the study before taking a further stance. Duffy said he also has concerns about expanding the airport; he is strongly opposed to annexation or condemnation of the County Fairgrounds. He said it is one of the best fairgrounds in the state and provides wonderful opportunities for all the residents of the county, particularly the young people through 4.H and FFA activities. Novick said the City would be required to relocate the fairgrounds if they decide to expand the airport onto that land. Courtney said some people are in favor of that proposal because they feel the fairgrounds are currently too small. Duffy strongly disagreed. LANDFILL: ANNEXA nON OF THE LANDFILL SITE City Manager Steve Atkins said the landfill is currently outside the corporateJimits. He presented four reasons for annexation of the landfill: I) the City believes major public facilities that are the City's responsibility should be within the corporate limits; 2) in case of an accident, the public safety response should be provided by the City's personnel; 3) the City would have greater control over alternate uses of the site, which most likely will be recreational; and 4) the City could apply their own zoning code to the area. I Atkins said he is not'sure future expansion is pertinent unless the DNR incorporates some dramatic changes in their regulation of the landfill, In response to a question from Lacina, Atkins said it would be simpler for the City to expand the current landfill site than to find a new site. He said if the City continues to manage the current sit as they have been, it should be 20 to 25 years before the City experiences signiticant pressure to look for a new site. Lacina asked if the City can annex without the county's assistance. He said the county has an easement on the road over property which is owned by the adjoining landowners; if those landowners oppose the voluntary annexation, he assumes the City cannot jump over their properties. Atkins said that would be a policy question for the City Council to determine whether to exercise involuntary annexation, Duffy asked if the landfill is going to be a regional landfill; Atkins said it is regional now but is operated solely by the City. Maynard Hebl asked who would be responsible for paving the road and installing sewer if the landfill is annexed; he asked if the adjoining property owners would be assessed for those costs. Atkins said the road would become the responsibility of the City. Hebl said when the landfill was placed in its current location, there was a verbal agreement that the City would install a cyclone fence around the perimeters of the .:r~ I J. ',',: ';':'f11' : ~.''"tl':' ~:-::,'.\ ',~ ,:"" :'..~' ",,',',' ':" ',',:""" " _.' 'I " " 'I~' -r' ," ,I, ' ",' '", .~' ;"_":"J4,;,..,,.;L,\~f~_ ...~,~'~..:.," I '~~'. ~ ",:' ," ."..~:' ",".' ': ,':: ::' Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 7 landfill; to this date, the City has only installed a barbwire fence and the property owners adjoining the landfill are still responsible for maintenance of their own fences. Atkins said he was unaware of any such agreement and the whole issue of fencing has changed dramatically with the DNR's regulations on blowing paper, Lacina said the county does not have a procedure for assessing an adjoining landowner for the improvement of a road; if the City annexes the landfill, they will technically own the road to the landfill, but cannot assess an adjoining landowner in the county. Mary Hebl asked why it is so important for the City to own the road to the landfill, Lacina said the City cannot annex an island of land in the county; the road would be needed so that the land being annexed is contiguous to the City. The resident noted according to the current contract, the landfill site can only be used for recreational purposes after closure. In response to a comment by Ambrisco, Atkins said the landfill currently provides regional service but not regional governance; he said there is a distinct difference. Kubby said at one time a group of students from the University of Iowa had explored the possibility of specialty landfills; she said there are different ways to think about the word regional. Atkins said the City could operate a specialty iandfill now through agreements; the problem is the DNR, through their exercise of regulatory power, must accept the proposal. He said the City basically acts as an agent of the DNR in running the landfill because they set the n11es. I County Attorney Pat White said annexation would not change the nature of the road ownership; if it is currently right.of.way over underlying fee, that would not change with annexation. Bolkcom asked if the maintenance costs for the road would be included in the tipping fee charged by the landfill; Atkins said that is unlikely, He said any time the City assumes a road, they simply incorporate the maintenance costs into their road budget. LANDFILL: TIPPING FEES Atkins said it is difficult to consider tipping fees, state financial assurance requiring the City to set aside funds for closure, capital costs, and operating costs independently. He said the City's policy position to date has been that the City would assume liability for the landfill forever; to protect the City's interest, they have an obligation to set aside monies required by the state for closure and postclosure, and also the obligations on the next generation. Atkins said the City has adopted a pay.as.you-go policy; the City cannot borrow funds for capitol projects because they cannot guarantee users or volume. He said because of that, there is no market for an institution to loan the City money unless the City pledges their own full faith and credit; in his opinion, that is unfair to the Iowa City taxpayers. He said the state has a number of regulations the City must fulfill for closure; the City needs to set aside approximately $7 million over . ."1_"__._ ~ ~~lft\tw._ "'~.1_ 11ll..lII_ ..h-MlHMfJr......~,...,JJ1,fUI,(...1ftIJ!IllII'M!t I-I;)" .' I ",;",: ":t'~l'''':''';!!'l'''' '::-;-,:','," ""Z(::, ,'" ".:' .. ':' ',', " '.', "'''',~ ',) . ,::,'"~~~:,.'-"I~..:;,l.I'.':' ::'~~> '\,::\:~- ....',:.::':. "'"" ,." ".."" '< ',. '" JG, ,'" "",':' ", "'.~~l (. t~.;. " ',"\' , I "\', ".,' ." .:, Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19. 1993! page 8 the next 15 years to close the landfilL He said that means cash as well as pledging the City's debt and their tax rates into the future; the result of alllhose things is ao increase io the tipping fees. Ockenfels said county residents are paying a higher tipping fee; many county residents feel this is an inequity. Atkins said if something goes wrong with the landfill io the future, the county and other cities using the landfill will not be liable. He said if the City is willing to assume that liability, they need to protect their interests through charging a premium to other users. Ockenfels said the City is asking the county to pick up the extra cost for SEATS service; it appears there is a double standard. Atkins said SEATS is a current expense while the landfill is a long-term expense. Courtney said Ockenfels was jumping to a conclusions; the City Council has not discussed the SEATS issue and the City has always paid in more funds for SEATS at the end of the year. Lacina said, according to JCCOG, the county cannot escape the liability of the landfill. Atkins said that is not his understanding; a contractual agreement could be written with a hold harmless provision for the county, Lacina said it is his understanding that it is not possible to subjugate liability through a contract. Atkins said under the law, the City must pledge their debt margin; the higher tipping fee is to protect future generations. Kubby said one of the short-term benefits is that as soon as a cell is closed, the City begins to monitor it so any problems are found before rural water supplies are contaminated, Atkins agreed the City is far more sophisticated in their management of the landfill than they were in the past; he noted regulations are much stricter now. Bolkcom said he feels the City has made a strong case for putting aside funds now for eventual closure and post-closure costs, but he does not feel they have made a solid case for charging a premium to county residents forever, He said the City ought to look at the differential cost based on who contributes the most waste to the landfill; the small towns and small haulers contribute very little of the total waste to the landfilL Atkins said he does not refute that but the Iowa City residents' tax base will protect the City's interest in the 10ng-n1n. Lacina said the county may not be legally liable but ethically they are responsible, Atkins said the easy way to resolve the issue is to establish a system of regional governance that spreads the tax liability to the tax base, Kubby noted the power of how to run the landfill would also be spread out. Atkins said regional governance would allow everyone within the boundaries of that region to enjoy the benefits but also share in the liability, Novick said the Council had discussed a fee per resident but many people were opposed to that idea and preferred the cost be charged through the tipping fees. Kubby .:r~/J- - ""'!'.' "........."......... y-"-- .. .. -.----..-~- .....". .,....... - - Y-r- __ .,_ .. ~ -y-__r--- ____ __ . \ :'.' ,:,'t71;" :\~',' ,)~j.'",:,~,': ;,' ',';': ',,:' ',,:: ":..>;::,' ,.. '. '.,: '. ..,I.',j. .."t., .~., " _ ',. ., ",,1' ", "r" .....~ , ~.' '.~I. ,1 " I I, ,< '- '.' Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 9 said the differential fee may be extended to include not only the volume, but also the quality of waste because those are the items that will require the most effort in terms of monitoring and cleanup later. She said she hopes the differential fee will not be directed at just county versus non.county. LANDFILL: HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE MATERIAL COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL Atkins said the City is developing a program that will be presented to the City Council very soon. Bolkcom said he is encouraged to see that the City is establishing a dedicated fund to develop a toxic cleanup day program; he sees this as prevention by keeping toxins out of the landfill, He said he is concerned the $1.25 per ton being charged through the tipping fee for this program is not adequate to meet the growing need; he believes the state and federal governments will continue to look at local governments as the body to solve this problem, Bolkcom said he would like a higher fee charged to allow for at least an annual event. Kubby said money is needed not only for the collection and disposal but also for an educational campaign to decrease what people generate, She said it also matters if Cedar Rapids gets a permanent site, in terms of transportation costs. Novick noted one of the biggest cosls of the last cleanup day was transportation because the waste had to be sent out of state. Bolkcom said he would like to see the charge increased to $3 to $4 per ton; it cost $73,000 for disposal in 1989. Kubby said if it costs a lot to get rid of the toxins, it may encourage people to use substitute products. DISCUSSION OF SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING DATES I Kubby said because there are so many issues the Council and Board need to discuss, she feels that at least two meetings a year are warranted. She said an annual schedule would make it easier to set a date. Courtney suggested meeting in January and July; Kubby suggested meeting in April and September. Both bodies agreed to attempt to meet bi-annually. REPRESENTATION BY CITY OFFICIALS AT COUNTY MEETINGS- NOTICE REQUIREMENT Courtney said this issue stems from a county meeting regarding Iowa City's search for water in rural Johnson County; there was a representation by the county that City officials would attend a meeting. He said it was with very short notice and the City did not have the personnel to attend and were crucified in the press for not attending, He requested the county give the City more notice, Lacina agreed the county would try to be more sensitive when scheduling meetings. COURT STREET EXTENSION TO SERVE THE ANNEXA TlON OF WINDSOR RIDGE -'- - /J- - ..,:" ~ .. .. - ----,........... y-' -.....-- .. r ..-....-~.~- ........ .,...,~~-----r--""'" ::"";',,rl,',:'"~>'.,: ,:;,' . ,i,it,' :' ':,' ,'. :,' '",', r~,: ["f,:', .,', ' I~, " J~8 ,""', ,,: '. ',",':" ': ;,::' "-: ',\~Lt, :m" ,'I',r, i;.., ',; ',', , v, ','- ,t,: , .' ,'t, , ,\ ' ," . '.\ Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 10 Lacina said his concern was that Court Street be extended to provide a collector street to accommodate county emergency vehicles. Davidsen distributed a map showing a preliminary identification of an alignment of the Court Street extension to Taft A venue. TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR THE INTERSECTION OF MORMON TREK AND HIGHWAY 1 Courtney said there is a high incidence of accidents at the intersection of Mormon Trek and Highway I; the City has had requests from both inside and outside the City to signalize that intersection. He said the intersection is in the county; the City is requesting help in funding the project. Ockenfels said the county would allow the City to annex it; Courtney said the City is not interested in annexing it. Kubby said because the City has a traffic engineering department, it make sense for the City to do the physical maintenance, Ockenfels said she sees this as selling a precedence that could be costly to the county in the future if it triggers requests to signalize other intersections, Kubby suggested establishing a formula for shared funding; the City could provide input on if there are any other county intersections that affect City residents to determine the potential for additional requests in the next 5 years. I Lacina said the county's jurisdiction allows them to place stop signs; the county does not own the adjoining property. He said the county also has concerns about many sites within other cities who may also request the county to fund the costs of a traffic signal. Davidsen said the Iowa Department of Transportation is also interested in having the Mormon Trek and Highway I intersection signalized, He said installation of a traffic signal would cost approximately $50,000; the state would pay 55 to 80 percent of that cost. Lacina said he would ask for a recommendation from the County Engineer. WETLANDS- SEW AGE PLANT ORDINANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY Atkins said the City has an conditional zoning agreement with the county concerning the location of the south treatment plant; there is a real potential that the wetlands could be utilized for some type of treatment of wastewater. He said apparently, the wastewater treatment is of advantage to the wetland area, Novick said it means the land would have to be restored to a real marsh and planted with marsh plants; as it currently stands, it does not work. Atkins said this issue was placed on the X-I'J- --~, v...... -y~~ .".-.------.-.----......-- --.- . " t~ ~ ;', ~;,:.I ~;~.;, ~'~/~ ".". ;~~:! '" ,,"l"'~ ',' " ,.;, ",'. >, ',' : L)., 'I~' ,,,I ,., "'. ',. "", ~'," ',: t:.J\ :,; ::!~'<" ",' ,~I" ~: \. ,:,i~~_ I"': ~ , :': ' .',' I' ' ':', Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page II agenda so the City could provide information; jf the City chooses to expand the wetlands, it may require changes to the conditional zoning agreement. Atkins said the current agreement also contains a "quiet use" clause;, the City is interested in potentially using that ground for recreational purposes. He said it will need to be determined whether that use would be a contradiction to the that clause. WELL HEAD PROTECTION. AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS Atkins said he sent the county a packet of information about the City's proposal for well head protection programs, particularly how to protect groundwater supplies. He said he has received no response from the county but still feels it is a good idea. Bolkcom asked if the well head protection program was related to the City's future finding of water and protection of their wells. Atkins said there is a very real potential for that ifthe City chooses to find a well system outside the corporate limits, REGIONAL HOUSING ISSUES Horowitz said ECICOG has been working with Oxford and Tiffin to establish an affordable housing program in an effort to decrease the demands on Iowa City. She said if the county was interested in establishing affordable housing, ECICOG could administer a program in the unincorporated parts of the county. DISCUSSION FROM THE PUBLIC I Mathew Eckermann said ridership for SEATS has decreased by 37 percent in the last year because people are unable to get rides. He also complained the Free Medical Clinic is not accessible to disabled persons. Kubby said there has been serious discussion about installing an elevator in the Wesley House, which would allow the entire building to be accessible. Adjourned at 5:38 p.m. Stephen L1cina, Vice.Chair, Board of Supervisors Tom Slockett, Auditor By: On the _ day of , 1993 By Nancy Schreiber, Deputy Auditor J::- I J.. I -',:' r, 'f~" ',;;:.....:'. ,:. ~~'" ::" "tj<i,'" :, " ...:' ':' '" ,',:,~, ,.'r'. \',.' ~ I' .' " , . "',''.{, ,,"', " .' , " ~ ,', ",.,. I . , I , ~ , : ',' , ',_ . \ " . ,', ,.;, ""_:,', :')~" ,," ""', ,J ',': " ': ':: ' ',,' ",: '. , -' MINUTES OF THE JOINT MEETING OF THE JOHNSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND TIlE lOW A CITY COUNCIL: APRIL 19, 1993 Viee-Chairperson Lacina called the meeting to order at 4:06 p.m. Board of Supervisors members present were: Stephen Lacina, Charles Duffy, Betty Ockenfels and Joseph Balkcom. Absent was Patricia Meade. Iowa City Council members present were: Darrel Courtney, Na9mi Novick, William Ambrisco, Susan H6rowitz, and Karen Kubby. Absent was John '~cDona1d. / Also present were Administrative 'ASSistant Carol Peters, City Cle{Marian Karr, City Attorney Linda Gentry, County Attorney Pat White, Assis~{ County Attorney John Bulkley, City Manager Steve Auohs, and JCCOG Transportation Planner Jeff Davidsen. \ I . Lacina welcomed Mayor Courtney and \e City CO'!J1cilto the joint meeting. He said historically the purpose of the meeting h~ been fqr'Iowa City and Johnson County to have a meeting of goodwill and a chanc'e to vjs(t about issues that will later be followed up with research and investigation. , \;/ FRINGE AREA/~GL Bolkcom explained the Fringe Area A'greement is in the process of being revised and updated: city and county staff hav~ been ~eeting over the last few months to , \ generate proposed amendments to ~,eicurrent agree\ent. Kubby asked the extent of public participation l\Ithe meetings to date; Bolkcom replied 2 to 3 people have attended each meeting. He noted the meetings have been publicized bUl have not allraC,ted much public attend ceo He said both the City and County will hold public hearings on the final proposals once the recommendations are made. Kubby asked the major areas of revision being discu sed; Lacina said the staffs have worked togethervery well and have found no major ar of disagreement. Duffy said one controversial issue is the current automatic exlensi n of the two mile fringe area upon annexations by the City. In response to a question from Ambrisco, Balkcom said the is an interest by the City to grow to the east and south and by the county to develop he areas to the north of Iowa City; the Fringe Area Study Committee is discussing how to accommodate both the county's and city's needs. Bolkcom said he feels with the growing interest in the county about how development occurs, the public hearings will probably be fairly spirited opportunities for residents to voice their opinions and the proposed amendments. T-I:J . --...,:" V..... r ..... .".-'--- .. r ..---...~-.....r .,..... - ......,,--........,.~ _ ~....-...... - ... - ":":" ~'<:\"~.~~I, '~7,". ': -:,,-,~ '<"..,/',' > :: ,:', ',.,,',:, _." ,t "" I~ ' J,,,., .1 " , ", '" :"", ' " " .i.' :\,\(f~,:~.<:_,'~~~l,': '\~jl'<:":""';:"~'I;"''''.'''\ .':.....,:'.";>.:.,-' ",:.' " Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 2 SENIOR CENTER CONTRACT FOR CONGREGATE MEALS Bolkcom said the county has concerns about the contract as it relates to snow days and the closing of the Senior Center when the Iowa City Community School District declares a snow day. He said the county would prefer that the Senior Center continue to be open, even on snow days, and the contract may need to be revised to ensure that. Ockenfels said the Senior Center Commissi(: staff are currently co~sidering the idea of closing the kitchen at the Senior Cent~r on snow days; Congrega(e Meals is very opposed to the idea because they feel the Congregate Meals programl may provide the only good meal for some elderly persons for the entire day, t;S~cially for the homebound. / Novick asked about the ability of persons to get to the' Senior Center in bad weather; Ockenfels said many persons come most days regardless of the weather. Horowitz asked the rationale of promoting persops cOlJlmg to the Senior Center in inclement weather when the trip may be dangerous;':it may promote civil suits. \ , , " Duffy said snow days are infrequent, but 9o'rgregate Meals and the Nutrition Committee would like input on the decision to close. Kubby asked if this issue would be negotiated between the Senior Center Commissio~ and Congregate Meals when they renew their contract; Ockenfels said it presently bein& discussed by staff and the Senior Center Commission, but will eventua11y coine before the City Council and the Board of Supervisors. Horowitz suggested considering the issu1e as a joint board in an effort to keep politics from getting involved ~~, the decision. \ Ockenfels said the funding fol the program comes ~irectly to the county from the federal government; Lacina said/the county needs to enSure their funding source is not jeopardized by closings that ,are not allowed. He a1~0 suggested investigating the , , frequency of school closings;in the past. Kubby said another big issue is who would be responsible for snow removill if the Senior Center was clo~ but the Congregate Meals kitchen remained open. // , / SEATS CONTRACT , I Lacina said the~e are problem areas in the contract betw n the county and Iowa City for SEATS ;Service; for example, the county curren receives only $1.50 reimbursement frpm the Iowa City Community School District r the transportation of handicapped children, with the City paying the remainder of th per ride charge, He said both the citr and county are subsidizing the school district for \is service. Lacina said the county will be looking for ways to make the SEATS program more efQcient; the City's implementation of buses equipped to haul wheelchairs will take some of the pressure off the contract. He said the county does not currently include all I-IJ. -..-;.. v.... "........ ..,--- -. ... -.rr--'-~~."'-r , . ..., ',~ ',', \i.,;;;.I(' ::.,>~- "':':'61' ':'. " ',' . "..: ,~,', ~,' '."'1 " , tIt :.;,;;J' I" "I . " , ," " \" ;;,'\",~)J;,;:~:',':;t;.;r',<,,\"':, ',',:' ',,:,' ,'., ,':,:,.> ,': ,':/ Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 3 of the costs of tlJe SEATS program when determining the cost per ride to charge the municipalities; for example, office space is provided at no expense to the SEATS budget. He said some of these types of costs will be added into the SEATS budget to provide an accurate accounting of the SEATS service. I JCCOG Transportation Director Jeff Davidsen said the immediate issue is the funding for SEATS for the remainder of the current fiscal year; by using the charge back arrangement eurrently agreed to, Coralville and Iowa City will either have to suspend SEATS service or amend the current contracts before the end of the year. He said the cities have requested the Board of SUIXiMsors suspend the per-trip charge back for the remainder of the current fiscal year but the Supervisors have not yet agreed to that request. 1/ , , Davidsen said JJCOG will be undertakin~ research into possible reorg'anization of the administration of the serviee next fiSClll year. In response to i question from Horowitz, Davidsen said amounts based on lhe anticipated number.cif trips in the next I , fiscal year are budgeted by SEATS Director I;mY Olson and adopted by the county for each entity that participates in SEATS. ~e said Iowa City' and Coralville, at the request of Iowa City in the past, pay for services on a per-trip basis; on that basis, because the ridership from Iowa City and Co~ville has been more than anticipated, the two municipalities have used up their funds ~ the SEATS budget. Davidsen noted the current SEATS budget for FY '93 is adequate to operate the serviee for the remainder of the year if the per-trip charge back is SUSpe~ded. Lacina said it is not the intent of the coun~ to profit from the City on the contract but legitimately, there are certain costs outsid 'the SEATS budget that the county has not accounted for. He said some of those ite will be built into next year's budget; while the county can cashflow the existing y the county is subsidizing the SEATS service in other non-related areas. , Kubby asked if the SEATS cost per ride woul increase to include the expenses not currently ineluded in the, SEATS budget; Lacina r ~ied affirmatively. Kubby asked if. the arrangement with the school district was a verbal agreement or a contract. Davidsen said it is through an informal agreement; therwise the municipalities would be responsible for those costs. In response to a ques n from Horowitz, Davidsen said he believes the Iowa City Community School Dis 'ct is the only school district involved in this program. Courtney asked if this was ~ service primarily to and from school, or transportation during the school day; Davids n said it is a program during the school day. Kubby asked if it would be possible fo the school district to have a separate agreement with Johnson County for SEATS servi ; Davidsen said the School Board chooses tp identify this serviee as a responsibility of \muniCiPality. Lacina said the county originally started the SEATS service l\S transportation for the elderly in n1ra1 areas; it's mission has been broadened to include the disabled, which now represents the predominant user of the service. Ockenfels said service for the r-I~ ".... -- -- ~'------.. -............--... ~', ',,,'~~~',i"'fl, ":::~'7,',., 'I'~"'. :'. ',:' '. :,;'",:':",,', ~...l.: I~' ."J.....,,' .', -' .,-~ ..~.~~ f~:.,: .'~.\\,:,t~..~ ~~~l~ '.~' ":~.'.: Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 4 . disabled represents over 50 percent of the total ridership.' Lacina said the funding stream has certain conditions. Ockenfels said the suggested contribution is $1.50 but rides can not be disallowed if a person cannot pay that amount. Lacina said the cost of the ride cannot be posted in the vans. In response to a question from Ambrisco, Lacina said the federal mandate to provide para-transit serviee is tied to the cities' funding on their transit authority. He said in order for the cities to receive transit funds, they must provide ridership for the disabled; part of the extension of that contract is to ensure that SEATS service is available during the city's regular bus hours. He ~ained the cities have chosen to fulfill that requirement by contracting with the county to provide the service. , , , Ambrisco said the City's only transit funding! in recent years has bp.!n for the purchase of equipment; the subsidy for the transit system ended 8 years y.lo~" He said the City is subsidizing their loca1Iowa City Transit at $1.4 million, b~the City is still under a federal mandate to provide free ridershi~'. He cited a p*ate transportation service in a town in Michigan that charges $6.00 per ride; Novick cited a similar serviee in a rural area near Sioux City run by a ~overnment entity that charges $5.00 per ride. Ambrisco said he views the City's require9int to provide rides as comparable to these examples except that the City cannjllarge for the rides. Davidsen said Iowa City and Coralville are ~tted to charge a fare for SEATS service; it can be up to twiee the fixed route tare of $,50. He said the federal government disallows posting a suggested donatio above that amount. Davidsen said, according to the contract between Johnson cytinly and the municipalities, the Board of Supervisors make all the decisions regarding the s ggested donation or fare; the Board has not been willing to allow charging a f6e for S TS rides. / I / Kubby asked if the actual cost of,the rides can b posted in the vans; Davidsen said it is not allowed because it is considered an allemp to coerce people into paying that , amount. Novick noted the service does not have t be provided when city buses are ~ot running; Saturday night and Sunday SEATS se iee could be eliminated. Lacina said the City will also be ,establishing a certificati n process to determine eligible ridership under the ADA;,Ulrough the guidelines us to detennine eligibility, use of SEATS services for nonieSsential uses could be elimina ed. ; , I Kubby noted the/group of elderly and persons with isabilities overlaps quite a bit, which can misrepr,esent the statistics. Courtney asked i the county has contracts for SEATS service ':Vith municipalities other than Iowa Ci \ and Coralville; Lacina said other sources of contributions and funding include Solon :lI\d Lone Tree, but there are no technical jtontracts with those cities. Courtney said he is not sure those municipalitieS are contributing proportionately to Iowa City and Coralville. Novick ~d part of the funding for SEATS is from the county's General Fund and a portion is from Iowa City taxes; since a portion of the General Fund is paid by Iowa I 1:- /:J. >l.,"'".~,:",~:", ;1":-'". '10)' ,",,.'" ,. .".:~:,." " ""at', "~, ,', '" ' ", " ..' '" . , .'", , ... . I ,.'" "1 I" , .. . ", t,L:;\Q,;,; ,>NfI", Ji ' '. ':, ...: .'" ,", :." ,\.~~,,{,". l~,'.':" '~'" 't . c' .',' " " . "I.;,.,' Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 5 City residents, in effect, the Iowa City residents are subsidizing the service from two sources. Duffy quoted figures on ridership for the first three quarters of FY '93: Iowa City - 37,308; Coralville - 7,077; Systems Unlimited - 16,328; University Heights. 785; Goodwill. 4,197; Chatham Oaks . 7,500; rural area and small towns . 6,557. In response to a question from Kubby, Duffy said a trip is considered one way. Lacina noted Chatham Oaks is within the city limits and the county has been absorbing the cost of those rides. Courtney asked if the county has a contract with University Heights; Davidsen replied affirmatively, noting the CO[ct is on the same basis as Iowa City's and Coralville's. Courtney said he feels the 3chool issue should be addressed before July I; the school district has their own buses equipped )to handle the rides. KUb6y said the two issues that should be pursued is the school issue and a respon~l from the county regarding the assertion that Iowa City residents are being doubfe taxed for SEATS . l / service. / Courtney said he feels it is important to ntrol expenses; the City's transportation budget has grown disproportionately in relati I to the other serviCes that the City must provide. Balkcom said he feels the county ru s a fairly efficient serviee; the ridership has doubled in the last few years and the cost is rehited to that increase in demand for the serviee. He encouraged the county and Ci to work together to find ways to save money and provide service. AIRPOR I Courtney said it is important for the Boar to understand the relationship of the Airport Commission to the City Council; Airport Commission is a totally autonomous body. He said the City Counc has no control until the Airport Commission asks for funding; any disagreem nts or arguments the county has regarding the airport ought to be aimed primaril at the Airport Commission at this point. Courtney said the Council's two control over the Airport Commission are funding and the appointment of Commissioner Kubby said once the Airport Commission makes a recommendation, the City Co ncil will hold a public hearing; the Council, through their control of funding, will con 01 the issue of whether the airport is relocated or expanded. Ockenfels said people have expressed opposition t the relocation of the airport to the Supervisors; she feels it is important for the Supe . sors, as elected representatives of county residenlS, to echo those concerns to the Counc \LaCina said the Board is not anti-airport; they' are coneerned about relocation. Courtney Jd the Chamber of Commerce has put together a task force to evaluate the economic worth and need of an airport; a report from that study will be presented .c-I~ , . "",' ,:,;tll;" ': ' ',:Zr'. :::~.. ,:'\ ::~.,'l' ," :':>.' : '''',,,:,.',;:' :1.:', " :'.\',1 ,':,' ~~.li""-'" :.,:'~:: '. ',.' ^, '. _ ,. .._~ : ,J, "',:; .~.". .;, , ..i l)I.-,.:r." . "',...::. 'I"'~"'~' ",.' ,.':.. J, 'I) . " h , ' ;, ,." ~, " '. I . '. \' . \ , ' 1':, Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 6 to the Commission in the future. He said the Chamber's Board of Directors have passed a resolution stating the City has a need for an airport, but will wait for the results of the study before taking a further stance. Duffy said he also has concerns about expanding the airport; he is strongly opposed to annexation or condemnation of the County Fairgrounds. He said it is one of the best fairgrounds in the stale and provides wonderful opportunities for all the residents of the county, particularly the young people through 4-H and FFA activities. Novick said the City would be required to relcx\ated the fairgrounds if they decide to expand the airport onto that land. Courtney sai~ some people are i Ifavor of that proposal because they feel the fairgrounds are cUlently too small. Duffy strongly disagreed. LANDFILL: ANNEXATION OF I LAND SITE City Manager Sieve Atkins said the landfill is cUITfntl}j utside the corporate limits. He presented four reasons for annexation of the lanllfJ.l: I) the City believes major public facilities that are the City's responsibility shou d be within the corporate limits; 2) in case of an accident, the public safety respon hould be provided by the City's most likely will be recreational; and 4) the City, coul apply their own zoning code to the area. Atkins said he is not sure future expan;ion is perti ent unless the DNR incorporates some dramatic changes in their regulation of the Ian fill. In response to a question from Lacina, Atkins said it would be ~~Pler for the CIty to expand the current landfill site than to find a new sile. He said if the City conti lues to manage the current sit as they have been, it should be 70 6 25 years before he City experiences significant pressure to look for a new sile. ' Lacina asked if the City;can annex without the co nty's assistance. He said the county has an easement OIylhe road over property wh ch is owned by the adjoining landowners; if those landowners oppose the voluntary an exation, he assumes the City cannot jump over their p,loperties. Atkins said that woul be a policy question for the City Council to determ\Iie whether to exercise involuntary nexation. I / Duffy asked if the landfill is going to be a region regional now but iSbperated solely by the City. I Maynard H~~ asked who would be responsible for pavi g the road and installing sewer if the landfill is annexed; he asked if the adjoining property owners would be assessed for ~ose costs. Atkins said the road would become the responsibility of the City. Hebl said when the landfill was placed in its current location, there was a verbal agreement that the City would install a cyclone fenee around the perimeters of the r-I~ ':" ':: 0~' , ,,',:-': :', ,:,"'.... "" ',,".', :;~I '.. :',: ',,', " :, h,,:: ': " " :'.' ~.. ',:,::" . ", t "'ll:iI,? ",(3," ;-" 'It~' , " ' ,,/, "" ",' ~I;' -~/-,r .~.: :~-~l~r~ :"~)~: ">'f~~';"'~'..'.,:,)''''' " :~" ',', >~,,~'~':,.i':, Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 7 landfill; to this date, the City has only installed a barbwire fence and the property , owners adjoining the landfill are still responsible for maintenanee of their own fences. Atkins said he was unaware of any such agreement and the whole issue of fencing has changed dramatically with the DNR's regulations on blowing paper. Lacina said the county does not have a procedure for assessing an adjoining landowner for the improvement of a road; if the City annexes the landfill, they will technically own the road to the landfill, but cannot assess an adjoining landowner in the county. ---- Mary Hebl asked why it is so important for the Ct6 to own the road to the landfill. Lacina said the City cannot annex an island of land m the county; the roadl would be needed so that the land being annexed is contiguous! to the City. The r}l(ident noted according to the current contract, the landfill site can only be UZed or recreational purposes after closure. \ ' In response to a comment by Ambrisco, Atkins said the landjil currently provides regional service but not regional governanee; he sai~ there jS a distinct difference. Kubby said at one time a group of students from the un~'ve Ity of Iowa had explored the possibility of specialty landfills; she said there are 'if~ ent ways to think about the word regional. Atkins said the City could operate a ialty landfill now through agreements; the problem is the DNR, through their ex cise of regulatory power, must accept the proposal. He said the City basically acts agent of the ONR in n1nning the landfill because they set the rules. I County Attorney Pal White said annexatiOlywould no change the nature of the road ownership; if it is currently right-of-way oyer underlying fee, that would not change with annexation. Balkcom asked if the/maintenance Costs for the road would be included in the tipping fee charged by the1andfill; Atkins 'd that is unlikely. He said any time the City assumes a road, the! simply incorporat the maintenance costs into their road budget. , I LANDfuLL: TIPPING FEES / Atkins said it is difficult to tonsider tipping fees, state fi ancial assurance requiring the City to set aside funds for,fclosure, capital costs, and ope ting costs independently. He said the City's policy pq;ition to date has been that the C ty would assume liability for the landfill forever; tQ/protect the City's interest, they ave an obligation to set aside monies required bYl.fue state for closure and postclosure, and also the obligations on the next generation./Atkins said the City has adopted a p -as-you-go policy; the City cannot borrow fupds for capitol projects because they not guarantee users or volume. He said beca~se of that, there is no market for an ins tution to loan the City money unless the Ci~ pledges their own full faith and credit; In his opinion, that is unfair to the Iowa qity taxpayers. He said the state has a number of regulations the City must fulfill for closure; the City needs to set aside approximalely $7 million over I-Id. -~.. v,... ---r........ "y-"---- - .. ~"'-~----""'-r.- "-'-:.....,,@~-S.~....: ",,';;' - ',' .,""""', "", , :::, ,,' 'ff' ....~I~fiI~' ,",,-, ''''''-'''-'-' ". .',' . 'I""'" ," , ',:" , " ' , . " , I' J ~ . ) , " . '.' _ '. I., l""__~:' "':,;;',i,~,;l:,'..\~" 'W.:-. ",,:'1'" 't' ._:"1.11:.~"~'> Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 8 the next 15 years to close the landfill. He said that means cash as well as pledging the City's debt and their tax rates into the future; the result of all those things is an increase in the tipping fees. I Ockenfels said county residents are paying a higher tipping fee; many county residents feel this is an inequity. Atkins said if something goes wrong with the landfill in the future, the county and other cities using the landfill will not be liable. He said if the City is willing to assume that liability, they need?rolect their interests through charging a premium to other users. ( . . ' Ockenfels said the City is asking the county t? pick up the extra cost rIr SEATS service; it appears there is a double standard. Atkins said SEATS is a curlent expense while the landfill is a long-term expense. Courtnby said Ockenfels w jumping to a conclusions; the City Council has not discussed Ithe SEATS issue d the City has always paid in more funds for SEATS at the end o~ the year. Lacina said, acrording to JJCOG, the coun~ cannot es' the liability of the landfill. Atkins said that is not his understandingL a contrag aI agreement could be written with a whole harmless provision for the coun ( Lacina said it is his understanding that it is not possible to subjugate liabIlity ough a contract. Atkins said under the law, the City must pld their debt margin; the higher tipping fee is to protect future generations. Kubby . d one of the short.term benefits is that as soon as a cell is closed, the City beginlt monitor it so any problems are found before rural water supplies are contaminaied. tkins agreed the City is far more sophisticated in their management of the lanifil1 than they were in the past; he noted regulations are much stricter now. Balkcom said he feels the City has male a strong e for putting aside funds now for eventual closure and post-closure cos~, but he does ot feel they have made a solid case for charging a premium to county'residents foreve. He said the City ought to look at the differential cost based on who contributes the ost waste to the landfill; the I small towns and small haulers conliibute very little of e total waste to the landfill. Atkins said he does not refute that ,but the Iowa City resid ts' tax base will protect the I City's interest in the long-run. /oLaeina said the county m y not be legally liable but ethically they are responsible. , / Atkins said the easy way'to resolve the issue is to esta ish a system of regional governanee that spreads the tax liability to the tax base. K bby noted the power of how to run the landfill would also be spread out. Atkins 'd regional governance would allow everyone within the boundaries of that region to en'oy the benefits but also share in the liability. / Novick said the cio~ncil had discussed a fee per resident b~t many people were opposed to that idea and preferred the cost be charged through the tipping fees. Kubby T -I,;), I , ; \ i , i i , :. ~ '~":"'\''''' ,"-"''':~ " "'"',:,'.'"",,',,,~',\, ,..",.., .. ;:-:;:1, " "~I , , " ' " , "::,:' ',,' t :,,:' i~ ,: ,,-:l8;>""'1' """" '<:",',' :":,,:<,,,:': . -':~~~">"\~:':';:\~~""';~\'~l .',': .,....J. ,.,.,,'." Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19 , 1993! page 9 said the differential fee may be extended to include not only the volume, but also the quality of waste because those are the items that will require the most effort in terms of monitoring and cleanup later. She said she hopes the differential fee will not be directed at just county versus non-county. LANDFILL: HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE MATERIAL COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL Atkins said the City is developing a program that will be presented to the City Council very soon. Balkcom said he is encouraged to see \I1at the City is establishing a dedicated fund to develop a toxic cleanup day program; ;he sees this as prevention by keeping toxins out of the landfill. He said he is con~rned the $1.25;per ton being charged through the tipping fee for this program is not adequate to meet the growing need; he believes the state and federal governments will contin7ue (0 look at local governments as the body to solve this problem. , Balkcom said he would like a higher fee charg to a1low)or at least an annual event. Kubby said money is needed not only for the ollection,and disposal but also for an education~ campaign to decrease what people ge erate. ~he said it also matters if Cedar Rapids gets a permanent site, in terms of tran rtaqan costs. Novick noted one of the biggest costs of the last cleanup day was trans ~t1on because the waste had to be sent out of state. Balkcom said he would like to y:e charge increased to $3 to $4 per ton; it cost $73,000 for disposal in 1989. Kubby.said if it costs a lot to get rid of the toxins, it may encourage people to use substitute oducts. I / DISCUSSION OF SEMI-iL ETING DATES Kubby said because there are so many issljes the Co cil and Board need to discuss, she feels that at least two meetings a year are warran She said an annual schedule would make it easier to set a date. Cou~ey suggested meeting in January and July; Kubby suggested meeting in April and September. Ba bodies agreed 10 attempt to meet bi-annually. / I 1 REPRESENTATION BY CITY OfFICIALS AT CO TY MEETINGS- NOTICE ,JillQUlREMENT . Courtney said this issue steI1ls from a county meeting r garding Iowa City's search for water in n1ra1 Johnson Copntyj there was a representa on by the county that City oificials would attend a meeting. He said it was with very s ort notice and the City did not have the personnel to at~nd and were crucified in the p ess for not attending. He requested the county give tli City more notice. Lacina agr the county would try to be more sensitive when scheduling meetings. COURT S1REET EXTENSION TO SERVE THE ANNEX TION OF WINDSOR RIDGE I'-/;}. ~r ., ~ .. ".. -- --V-. <,:' ,:'t:~'''. "~:..,,, ,'';'' , ....., '".'.. ":, ,', '.': ".' ' ,', , , " ,:,;;;1", ''', ,I ,,' , "'" " i/',i ,"" I~,' ,M-/: ""'~ .,,' .,' . . ','" ' :.j.,','<',.'....l' .~ :,~:' ,^ ~.~, ",\ ,"~\:\>~"i' ~,' ':: .;. - ',,' I";' ," ',,". : ': '. J " Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 10 Ulcina said his concern was that Court Street be extended to provide a collector street to accommodate county emergency vehicles. Davidsen distributed a map showing a preliminary identification of an alignment of the Court Street extension to Taft Avenue. TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR THE INTERSECTION OF MORMON TREK AND mGHWAY1 I Courtney said there is a high incidenee of acciden[~t the intersection of Mormon Trek and Highway I; the City has had requests from ~oth inside and outside the CitY to signalize that intersection. He said the intersectio[ is in the county; the Q(ty is requesting help in funding the project. I Ockenfels said the county would allow the City tOI.annex it; Courtney,/said the City is not interested in annexing it. Kubby said because lfe City has a l19.ffic engineering department, it make sense for the CitY to do the physi maintenan~e. Ockenfels said she sees this as setting a precedenee that could be costl to the courtty in the future if it triggers requests to signalize other intersections. II , Kubby suggested establishing a formula for shared nd~g; the City could provide I input on if there are any other county intersections, that affect City residents to determine the potential for additional requests in the nyxt ~ years, Ulcina said tlle county's jurisdiction allows ,ie'~ to \Plaee stop signs; the county does not own the adjoining property. He said !he county so has concerns about many sites within other cities who may also request the county 0 fund the costs of a traffic signal. / ' / Davidsen said the Iowa Departme~{of Transportation s also inlerested in having the Mormon Trek and Highway I intersection signalized. He said installation of a traffic signal would cost approximately $50,000; the state uld pay 55 to 80 percent of that cost. Ulcina said he ;would ask for a recomme dation from the County Engineer. . WETLANDS- SEW AGE PLANT ORDINANCE AGRE . COUNTY T WITH THE Atkins said the ,City has an conditional zoning agreement with the county coneerning the loca~on of tlle south treatment plant; there is a real potential that the wetlands could by' utilized for some type of treatment of wastewater. He said apparently, the wastewater treatment is of advantage to the wetland area. Novick said , it means the land would have to be reslored to a real marsh and planted with marsh plants; as it cUr[ently stands, it does not work. Atkins said this issue was placed on the .I-I~ .. I ~"",,~., 'i;l""' : :th/';";"'" tB ' : ',' ,,",,:, ,,':',,"', '.. 't ' : o' ,'~: ': ,''''''; i ",.', :':.' ,'::; :.:-',,: ,"" " I' "I ", " , ' :. I) ,',' .~,,<:~;~:~..',.:' "'~;: >..-J I~' " ......" .\ " ,f'; ,.. ':' ~ .' ':::' Joint Meeting Minutes: April 19, 1993! page 11 agenda so the City could provide information; if the City chooses to expand the wetlands, it may require changes to the conditional zoning agreement. ' Atkins said the current agreement also contains a "quiet use" clause; the City is interested in potentially using that ground for recreational purposes. He said it will need to be determined whether that use would be a contradiction to the that clause. WELL HEAD PROTECTION - AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS / Atkins said he sent the county a packet of information about the City's p~posal for well head protection programs, particularly hOWf:to protect groundwater sypplies. He said he has reeeived no response from the co nty but still feels it i~/a good idea. Bolkcom asked if the well head protection pro ram was related to ,toe City's future finding of water and protection of their wells. Aikins said there is a'~ery real potential for that if the City chooses to find a well system ~utside the corryn\te limits. REGIONAL HOUS~G ISSUES;'/ ,/ / Horowitz ECICOG has been working with Oxfo~d and Tiffin to establish an affordable housing program in an effort to decrease ~e demands on Iowa City. She said if the county was interested in establishind affordable housing, ECICOG could administer a program in the unincorporated parts bfthe county. DISCUSSION FR~~'F PUBLIC Mathew Eckermann said ridership for/SEA]S has decreased by 37 percent in the last year because people are unable to g~( rides. He also complained the Free Medical Clinie is not accessible to disabled ,persons. Kubby said .there has been serious discussion about installing an elevat6r in the ley House, which would allow the entire building to be accessible. / i Adjourned at 5:38 p.m. Stephen Lacina, Vice-Chrr, Board of Supervisors ,- I , \. Attest: Tom Slockett,/ Auditor By: l On the _ day of By Nancy Schreiber, Deputy Auditor ,1993 I-I;}.