HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-01-09 Transcription
#2
ITEM 2
Karr:
Wilburn:
O'Malley:
Wilburn:
O'Malley:
Elliott:
Page 1
SPECIAL PRESENTATION.
a) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting
for 2005
Here to make the presentation is Kevin O'Malley, City Finance Director.
Once again, Iowa City is the recipient of the Certificate of Achievement
for Excellence in Financial Reporting. This is presented to the City of
Iowa City for its comprehensive annual financial report for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 2005. Kevin, please come forward. (applause)
Honorable Mayor, esteemed Council, I have a few comments. First, I'm
very happy and pleased and honored to receive this award on behalf of the
City ofIowa City for excellence in financial reporting from the
Government Finance Offices Association. This marks our 2151
consecutive award. Each year it's a little different, sometimes a little bit
more difficult. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board issues
pronouncements every couple years and we have to try to meet those. The
work on this one was especially difficult. We had a couple long-term
employees leave us. First retirement. . . I want to say thanks to Pam
Thodos. She worked for the City for over 30 years. Last couple of years
as our Payroll Accountant. The other thanks is a little more sadness. We
had a, an employee for 19 years, Ann Maurer. She fought cancer very
bravely, but she had to retire and passed away a couple months after this.
The other staff members got together and put a lot of effort into it. We did
have one break her ankle and so I give a special thanks to Sara Sproule,
our Assistant City Controller, and to Chris Hurlbert, our Payroll
Accountant; to Joan Cramer, our Senior Accounts Payable Clerk. To
Michelle Cook, our Accounts Payable Clerk; and to our County Intern,
Marta Laskowska; and to our Auditors, Heyd-Bailey. I also want to
express my gratitude to my colleagues and department directors and their
staff for their compliance and adherence to the internal control policies.
Their compliance marked another year of getting a qualified or clean
opinion from our auditors, and I especially want to thank you for taking
the time tonight to recognize the...the efforts of the City Finance
Department. Thank you.
Thank you, and tell everyone I appreciate you and your efforts. I know
you've thanked everyone in your department, and we all agree with that,
but we specifically want to say a thanks to you for keeping it moving,
keeping the records clean, and well done!
Thank you very much.
A broken ankle in the line of duty as an accountant?
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Council meeting of January 9, 2007.
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O'Malley:
Well, she was taking her dog out and slipped on some icy steps, and she
hobbled around for about three months and we called her peg leg. She's a
good sport! Thank you.
Wilburn:
Thank you.
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Council meeting of January 9, 2007.
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ITEM 3
Wilburn:
Moen:
Kim:
Wilburn:
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OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARDS - HORACE
MANN ELEMENTARY
We have students from Horace Mann Elementary; if you could please
come forward and meet me up here. Well, good evening to all three of
you. This is a very special time for us here at the City Council Chambers.
Your parents and your teachers and all your grandparents and relatives,
they all know what you've been up to, but this is a chance for us and the
public to hear what you've been up to, showing leadership in your
community, at your school or neighborhood, and we really just look
forward to hearing what you have to say. I'm going to hand the
microphone to you, Alex.
Hi, I'm Alex Moen. I would like to thank my class and the Iowa City City
Council for giving me the Good Citizenship Award. I was born and raised
in Iowa City and have attended Horace Mann School since pre-school.
I'm involved in a lot of clubs - chess and checker club, media helpers,
safety patrol, and (can't hear) wrestling club. In school, (can't hear) all
homework assignments and projects on time and try to help others when
needed. Once again, thank you for this award. (applause)
Hello, my name is Ha- Young Kim. I am from South Korea. I am happy
and proud that my class chose me. I like to play flute and read books. I
really like P.E., Math, and (can't hear) where I practice English. I like to
help new students in the (can't hear) program. I do extra work at home
and show my friends so they can learn new things. The first day at Horace
Mann it was very strange, but my class teacher and class friend to help
that day. They told me it's time for P.E. Now I can help other people too.
I am so happy to be here in Iowa City and to meet my classmates, as well.
Thank you (speaking Korean). (applause)
Did you bring your flute down with you? Your teacher said you're
supposed to and I'm supposed to playa duet with you, but maybe next
time!
Powell-Littler: Hello, my narne is Molly Powell-Littler and I'm a sixth grader in Ms.
Taylor's class at Horace Mann. I really like reading. My favorite author
is Christopher Paloney, who wrote (can't hear). I especially like these
books because they are fantasy, and that is my favorite type of book.
Science is also an area I'm interested in. I like experimenting. My
favorite unit in science is the mysterious powders. I'm also very
interested in animals and am planning on becoming a veterinarian some
day. I'm in band and play the trumpet. I am also in orchestra and play the
violin. I like listening to the different kinds of music we get to play. I
play in soccer on the Alliance Soccer Club. Our team name is "Spirit." I
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Wilburn:
Moen:
Wilburn:
Moen:
Wilburn:
Moen:
Wilburn:
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would like to thank my classmates for voting me for the Outstanding
Student Citizen. Thank you. (applause)
Well done. Like I said, we're all, we're really excited to hear, and you set
a nice example for not only your peers and your classmates, but I think for
the rest of the community about how we should contribute to our
community, and maybe I'll bring my clarinet over and we can get a flute,
clarinet, and violin thingy going, and you're Alex? Do you know a guy
named Steve Moen?
Yep.
Who is he?
He's my dad.
He's your dad? Okay. Your dad taught me everything I know about
softball. You might have to ask him about that some time, okay?
He told me about that.
Okay, all right...good! I'm going to read (Iaughter)...okay. You're each
going to get an award and I will read one of them, but each will have your
own name on it. They all say the same thing. For his outstanding
qualities of leadership within Horace Mann Elementary, as well as the
community, and for his sense of responsibility and helpfulness to others,
we recognize Alex Moen as an Outstanding Student Citizen. Your
community is proud of you. Presented by the Iowa City City Council.
Congratulations! (applause) Congratulations! (applause) Well done,
good job. I should also mention, before the Horace Mann students leave,
that one of their teachers, Stacy Met, her son, Gabriel Met from West High
School, the last couple years has reported that he has placed fourth and
third in National Trumpet competition. Ijust found out that he just
auditioned and was accepted into the Inaugural National Jazz Band for
high school students, so congratulations to Gabe on that. Well done!
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Council meeting of January 9, 2007.
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ITEM 5
Wilburn:
Engel:
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COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA).
This is for items that do not appear on tonight's agenda. If you'd like to
address the Council, please step forward, state your name for the record,
and limit your comments to five minutes or less.
I'm Bob Engel. I'm here representing the Senior Center Commission. It's
my turn to do that. I was here about six months ago, and I have just a few
items that I'd like to call to your attention. I know you've all received the
Annual Report so I'm not going to draw anything particularly from that.
When I was here six months ago, I reported to you that the Commission
has organized itself into working committees to be more effective and
efficient in what we do, and I want to point out just two or three things
that the some ofthose committees are doing right now. Our Promotions
Committee is working on a project called the "Legacy Project." Now, I'm
not on that committee and I can't tell you a lot about it, but I can tell you
that the purpose is to recruit seniors who are living in Iowa City who are
retired, for the most part, who would be willing to write letters or
statements about what they leamed through their life experience,
particularly as professionals, but not only in their work but also in their
life work, and to share those with younger people in the community. The
people that are working on that project have contacted the Press-Citizen
and our local newspaper - one of our local newspapers, the Press-Citizen
has agreed to participate in that project and will be helping to promote and
to make those letters available to the public. You'll be hearing more about
that as the details are worked out, but I think it's an interesting kind of
thing to try and we'll see what comes of it. The Outreach Committee,
which is working, has developed a speaker's bureau, or is in the process of
developing a speaker's bureau, and we hope that we'll be able to extend
the interest and knowledge about the Senior Center in the community in
new ways, by sending out some people to speak who have volunteered to
do that. We, in fact, are not assuming that they will know what to say or
how to say it, so we even are setting up a training session. We have some
volunteers already that have allowed themselves to be guinea pigs and
they're going to be getting ready to do that. We hope that we can send
people out to speak at service clubs, church groups, other kinds of
organizations who might be looking for a short, succinct, and interesting
program. So, if any of you, or anyone watching this Council meeting and
hearing me right now know of that, they can get in touch with the Senior
Center and we'll see if we can accommodate them. It'll be good for the
Center and good for them, we hope. Now, as we look at our programs for
January, I always like to remind anyone that I can that we have more
programs over at the Senior Center than almost any of us, including those
of us who go there regularly, know about. We have 35 courses, programs,
and activities, ranging from single sessions to multiple sessions during the
month of January. Examples are "Hidden Fees of Banks and Credit
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Cards," a one-session program; photography exhibit goes on for several
weeks; we have 12 fitness classes; 4 multi-session literature and language
classes; 2 philosophy and religion classes; and other classes of variety.
Now, there are a couple of things before I conclude, but I would like to
particularly call to your attention. You know when we represent a
particular organization in town, whether it be Senior Center or one of the
other important organizations, we focus on that organization and
sometimes with blinders on, but forgetting that we are part of a larger
community network, so there's a rather symbiotic relationship that exists
between these organizations, and I wanted to point out that we have, as an
example ofthat, we have partnered now with the University ofIowa
School of Social Work, which received a grant to fund a practicum
experience for Master of Social Work students, and the goal of the
program is to introduce students to the comprehensive range of services
available to people 50 years of age and older, as well as the capabilities
and needs of participants in those services. Now, the Senior Center will
be one of the three organizations in town that will receive the services of
one of the practicum students and we are pleased to do that. We will be
able to provide that student with the experience and that student will also
provide us with some service. Each student will work a 30-hour week for
10 weeks and then is replaced by another student, and this is going to
continue over a three-year period. One other event that's coming up that
will hopefully extend over a longer period oftime is a memory training
program, and I mention this not only because we know that there's a
stereotype that as you get older and older and older, memory slips, but that
in fact, all of us probably have times when we forget things that we ought
to remember. This memory training program, which is starting up, was
developed by Dr. Gary Small of the UCLA Center on Aging. As a part of
this program, a trainer will come to Iowa City and train up to 20 volunteer
teachers. Actually, I think we have recruited 15, but we had about 40, I
think, who volunteered to teach this course and 15 have been selected,
who can then offer this class in a variety oflocations. Now, I want to
insert here that this course will be open to all adults, all healthy adults in
Iowa City. Again, part of our service to the city, not just to those who are
considered senior citizens. This volunteer training will start fairly soon
now and the first classes will be offered during April and May. We have
partnered with Dr. Kevin Duff at the University of Iowa to evaluate the
effectiveness of the memory training program, and I will also add that we
have received a $3,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Johnson
County to help assist in the basic costs of this program, but I'm excited
about it. It's going to be kind of fun to see what happens and how people
respond, and if they remember to come (laughter). I just might close by
saying regarding the symbiotic relationship of community organizations,
you know, we... we find that at the Senior Center, there are a number of
people who come, not only to have their own needs met there as members
of the Senior Center or as drop-ins, but who become volunteers at the
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Page 7
same time from the Center, going out into the community, and so the time
and effort and money that the community puts into the Center and
individuals put into the Center, extends itself beyond that building over
there that we call the Senior Center. We have music groups and other
groups that go out to nursing homes, care centers, service clubs, churches,
again, and also in the county at large, not just in Iowa City, and so we are
a part of something bigger. Yesterday, no...Sunday it was...the, some of
the music groups from the Senior Center volunteered their work to work
with the Crisis Center in Iowa City to put on a benefit program for the
Crisis Center, and that probably would not have been done, certainly,
without the Senior Center and its volunteers and not been done without
some individual initiative, but I really feel that it's important and exciting
that we remember that we're part of something larger. That's the end of
my report.
Wilburn:
I just wanted to point out that Bob is one whale of a brass player and I'm
lucky I didn't pull a muscle sitting in on a course of "All of Me" and "Bye
Bye Bones."
Engel:
It was fun, and as people were leaving, we had a full crowd at the Trinity
Episcopal Church, which volunteered their space for us. I think there were
more than 120 people there and we raised more than $2,000 for the Crisis
Center, but several people mentioned as they were leaving, "How many
cities in the United States have a Mayor that play Mozart on the clarinet
and do it as well as Mayor Wilburn," so.. . anyway, thank you so much.
Wilburn:
Thank you. Does anyone else care to address the Council on an item that
does not appear on tonight's agenda?
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Council meeting of January 9, 2007.
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ITEM 7
Wilburn:
Rettig:
Page 8
APPROVING A PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
CITY OF IOWA CITY AND FALEY PROPERTIES, L.L.C., FOR
LOT 5 OF NORTH AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT SUBDIVISION;
a) PUBLIC HEARING
This is a public hearing. (pounds gavel) Public hearing is open.
My name is Janelle Rettig and I'm on the Airport Commission, and I come
both as an Airport Commissioner and as a private citizen. First of all, the
Airport Commission has an agreement to recommend to the City Council
to sell this lot; however, we'd like to bring to your attention that on...in
the North Aviation Commerce Park, of the 1 I lots there, this is the only lot
that creates income for the Airport. We receive a little over $5,600 in
income with two leases on the property - one to the landfill for the
Furniture Project, although I think that's moved, and then one with the
School District. Selling of this lot would result in both of those sources of
revenue for the Airport being gone. However, the income from the sale of
the lot will go to help retire the debt on the North Aviation Commerce
Park improvements. That debt at the end of this fiscal year will stand at
$2.2 million was spent with interest by the end of this fiscal year on the
improvements to that property. So, we will have $5,600 less in income,
but we will have no way to make that up until at least half of the property
on the northside has sold, and on a. . . the Airport Commission recommends
we sell the property, but keeping in mind that we're budgeted out in
process right now about 18 months, and so we will be short on our
income, as a result of this sale ofthis property. As a private citizen, I'd
just like to comment that I noticed in the Capital Improvement budget
coming up that there is $750,000 appropriated, or expected to be
appropriated, in the next fiscal year for the South Aviation Commerce
Park, taking in light of the fact that this is the first purchase agreement on
the property that seems to look like it might go through. I'd just be
hesitant to spend that kind of money in the next coming fiscal year, and
then further, I note that when we improved this land on the North Aviation
Commerce Park, the road is nice but there are no sidewalks or wide
sidewalks in the area, and I further note that that entire area, the sidewalk
and trail has been put on the Capital Improvements Program unfunded
projects, and so I have a concern as a private citizen of continuing to
develop commercial properties in that area with no consideration to
pedestrian traffic, and I just took a drive down there just to make sure my
memory was correct, but there's absolutely no sidewalks in that whole
area, sidewalks, trails, widen anything, and as someone who uses both
sidewalks biking and walking, I would regularly want to bike to the
Airport Commission meeting if it was safe to do so. So, I would just urge
you as you begin to sell property and we look at commercial development
that relies on automobile traffic, that we pay special consideration to
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moving up the sidewalk projects and trail projects in those areas. It's just
not safe for pedestrians to shop in the area. So, thank you very much.
Wilburn: Thank you.
Elliott: Oh, Janelle? Is Faley Property, is that the parent company ofIWI Motor
Parts?
Rettig: Yes, I'm told that's correct.
Elliott: And that's automotive parts?
Rettig: Automotive parts, but wholesaler.
Elliott: Wholesale...okay.
Rettig: And they're currently located in Coralville and this would be a relocation.
I'm getting nodded approval.
Elliott: Thanks.
Vanderhoef: Tell me, I'm just thinking about the School District, isn't most of that
property being used to store buses?
Rettig: No, no. They, no they have, it's kind oflike a glorified lean-to. They
have a food, their food processing building's there and the property is
behind that. I think they store some equipment there, but there aren't
buses there that I'm aware of.
Vanderhoef: Okay. I figured there was some equipment out there and Ijust wondered
ifthere was another unsold lot that could be used.
Rettig: It's my understanding that the company interested in purchasing this lot
would hope to seek to continue those two leases, one with the School
District, one with the landfill. It would just not be us involved in the lease.
So, I don't think the School District currently is in, would.. .their lease
would be nullified. I think that perhaps they would be able to get an
extension on that.
Vanderhoef: Okay. Just looking for revenue for you!
Rettig: Thank you.
Wilburn: Would anyone else care to speak to the public hearing? (pounds gavel)
Public hearing is closed.
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b) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
Bailey: Move the resolution.
O'Donnell: Second.
Wilburn: Moved by Bailey, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Roll call. Item
carries 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City
Council meeting of January 9, 2007.
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ITEM 8
APPROVING PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF
CONTRACT, ESTIMATE OF COST FOR THE RIVERSIDE
FESTIVAL STAGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT,
ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY TO
ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO
PUBLISH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS, AND FIXING TIME
AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS.
a) PUBLIC HEARING
Wilburn:
This is a public hearing. This will result in the construction of new
restrooms with an open-air park shelter located near the Riverside Festival
stage in City Park, excluding an accessible walkway from the main
parking lot. Public hearing (pounds gavel) is open. (pounds gavel)
Public hearing is closed.
b) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION
O'Donnell: Move the resolution.
Bailey: Second.
Wilburn: Moved by O'Donnell, seconded by Bailey. Discussion?
Bailey: I'm assuming that this is a timeline that will be completed by the
Shakespeare Festival?
Atkins: I can't promise you that. It was intended to be under construction in the
spring time, so I. . .
Bailey: Great.
Atkins: Weather permitting.
Bailey: Right.
Elliott: My question is I understand the need for restrooms, and in fact, lighted
walkway. Why the shelter? There's shelters like a half a block away.
Atkins: It's a very popular area. I mean, folks just felt it would be a nice feature.
Elliott: But the shelters are already there, like a half a block away.
Bailey: Typically before the performances, there's a green space performance, and
the stage, they serve, they serve food and people bring picnics to the event.
So, I'm anticipating the shelter would be used by those people who use
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Wilburn:
Elliott:
Bailey:
Elliott:
Correia:
Bailey:
Wilburn:
Page 12
Festival Stage, not only for the Shakespeare Festival, but for other events
in the area.
A lot of people end up renting large tents to put down over there. Yeah,
yeah.
I guess, we're going to start looking very seriously at our budget, and
whether or not to raise taxes. I think we have to start looking at things as
the basis of whether they're needed or wanted, and I think this is
something that would be nice. We've got to start looking at things on a
cost-effective basis.
We talked about this last year in our pet projects and all agreed, and you
were there.
And now, the budget's a little different. I think we've got to take another
look at things like this.
And it's something, this also creates a destination for Iowa City and
having the Shakespeare Festival stage and I mean, I think that creates
activity, cultural activity, economic activity, tourism to our community,
that has increased value, as well.
I think that's one of the most parks in our community, and it's also a park
that's, or that stage, (unable to hear) cultural district. So I think this is a
nice addition. A needed addition.
Any other discussion? Roll call. Item carries 7-0.
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#9 Page 13
ITEM 9 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 4, ENTITLED,
"ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES," CHAPTER 5, ENTITLED,
"PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS," SECTION 4,
ENTITLED, "REGULATION OF PERSONS UNDER LEGAL AGE"
TO PROVIDE THAT SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE
VIOLATIONS MAY BE BASED ON A PRIOR CONVICTION
UNDER AN ORDINANCE FROM ANOTHER CITY OR COUNTY
IN IOWA. (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Vanderhoef: Move first consideration.
Wilburn: Moved by Vanderhoef.
Champion: Second.
Wilburn: Seconded by Champion. Discussion?
Bailey: I'm looking forward to the discussion that we talked about last night,
about ways that we can look at some treatment or other programs for a
second offense, because I think Austin brought up something very
significant about when we're seeing second offenses, there could be some
concern about some deeper problem.
Wilburn: Roll call. Item carries 7-0.
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Council meeting of January 9, 2007.
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ITEM 11 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A
CHAPTER 28E AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA
CITY AND THE IOWA CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT
INVOLVING THE GRANT WOOD SCHOOL GYMNASIUM.
Bailey: Move the resolution.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Wilburn: Moved by Bailey, seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Vanderhoef: This is just another one of those community projects that has win-win
situation for schools, for adult recreation, and young people recreation.
I'm so pleased we did this. We pulled money together, put together rather
quickly, it wasn't on our horizon, but it still was the right thing to do.
Wilburn: Roll call. Item carries 7-0.
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Council meeting of January 9, 2007.
#12 Page IS
ITEM 12 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK
TO ATTEST A CONTRACT WITH REGAL CONSTRUCTION
SERVICES, INC. FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO DUPLEX
HOMES UNDER THE AFFORDABLE DREAM HOME
OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM.
Correia: Move the resolution.
Wilburn: Staff recommends awarding the bid to Regal Construction; contract
includes base bid and attic storage; total contract is $457,625.22. Moved
by Correia, seconded by Champion. Oh, okay. Okay, discussion?
Elliott: I just point out, this fooled me because it says here two duplex homes. It's
two duplexes, four homes.
Vanderhoef: So the cost per home is showing up at $133,000 and we were told last
night that these projects came in at $86 and some cents per square foot,
which is pretty amazing in today's market.
Wilburn: Roll call. Item carries 7-0.
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ITEM 13 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED
POSITIONS IN THE TRANSIT DIVISION OF THE PARKING
AND TRANSIT DEPARTMENT BY INCREASING ONE MASS
TRANSIT OPERATOR POSITION FROM .75 TO 1.0 FULL TIME
EQUIVALENTS (FTE).
Vanderhoef: Move the resolution.
O'Donnell: Second.
Wilburn: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Vanderhoef: This quarter time equivalent is being paid out of the Transit Fund, not out
of our General Fund, so as long as it pays for itself, I think this is a good
addition.
Bailey: Well, and I like that we're being responsive to the changes that we made
and we're not waiting a full year, but as citizens use the services and we
need to make adjustments that we're making, and then I think that that's
good because this will enable us to change some routes.
Wilburn: Roll call. Item carries 7-0. Items 14, 15, and 16 I will have a conflict of
interest with all three of these. I work for an organization that receives
Community Development Block Grant and/or Horne Funds, and all three
of these involve that, so I cannot discuss and/or vote.
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ITEM 17 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE
ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY INTERESTS NECESSARY FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF THE U.S. HIGHWAY 6 & GILBERT
STREET INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
O'Donnell: Are we going to defer this to 1/23? I make that motion.
Champion: Second.
Wilburn: Moved by O'Donnell, seconded by Champion to defer.
Correia: Can I set the question.. .oh.. . for discussion.
Wilburn: Discussion?
Correia: Sorry.
Elliott: At the meeting at which this is deferred, I hope that the City will send
letters to all property owners that would be impacted by this, to inform
them when they would have an opportunity to address the Council.
Correia: Okay, this is my question. So, we wouldn't start to acquire property until
after we have a plan in place, when Sara - was it Sara who gave us the
presentation, and she went through the timeline yesterday? We do the site
plan and then we start acquiring the property. Okay. Is that correct?
Atkins: It's platting of the land.
Dilkes: We have to have final plats, final acquisition plats, that show, that depict
the property to be acquired.
Correia: Right, you wouldn't just start acquiring property, if we have all of that. ..
Dilkes: We have to have that. Now, at what point that falls, that can vary. It
would not happen until at least preliminary design was complete.
Correia: Okay.
Dilkes: And it'd be typically somewhere in the final design phase.
Correia: Okay, okay, so this is, this is on the agenda now, but it really is
ahead... we don't have final plats, design plats now.
O'Donnell: This is just approving....
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Correia:
Atkins:
Wilburn:
Dilkes:
Correia:
Wilburn:
Bailey:
Dilkes:
Bailey:
Dilkes:
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Yeah, I know..J know, so I'mjust...okay. So we have this project on our
Capital Improvement Plan for this, 08, so at any time when we're
discussing at public hearings, owners, anybody has the opportunity to
address that project then?
On the 16th when we do our CIP, you'll have further chance to talk about
this. We now have some written correspondence indicating, from Hills
Bank in particular, what they find acceptable and what they do not. We
need to go back as a staff and review all of these things for you, because
there are other players in the game, obviously. Our professional engineers
need to make recommendations, do some ofthe things that folks are
asking for, to reach a point where the State Department of Transportation
won't accept it. So there's a lot of dynamics (unable to hear). I think the
intent when we were proposing putting this acquisition was, quite frankly,
ministerial-- authorize us to do it and we'll exercise it when the time
comes.
There's a lot to happen between now. . . go ahead, Eleanor.
There's been a couple, we've been talking about two different things.
We've been talking about Council talking about it and we're talking about
the public talking about it so we shouldn't have any confusion that the 16th
is the time for the public to talk about it because it's not. That's a time
when you-all will talk about it.
What I'm saying is when we have public hearing on our budget, that
would be a time for the public to address us on that item. Right.
One of several, future...
It's my understanding, Sarah did present that there have been some
meetings that consultants worked with, so some of the property owners in
the area have already attended meetings, and certainly, it's very apparent
that many of the affected property owners are aware of this, because we
have correspondence, and we had attendance at last night's meeting.
Yeah, I don't think there's any doubt that the property owners are aware of
it. I think what the Council needs to have a good sense of is what the
impacts are and what you're going to be looking at in terms of property
acquisition, because it's significant.
Well, we saw the dollar amount last night and that was...
Well, that's an estimated dollar amount.
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#17 Page 19
Bailey: Yeah, and I thought that was quite significant and, urn, but we've been
talking about this project for a long time, even before I got into Council
and so I'm hoping that we won't defer this.. .I'm hoping that we're going
to make some kind of decision about this, rather than deferring it and
deferring it, and leaving property owners to wonder, well, will this come
up again in a couple years.. . clear indications...I think we're here to make
decisions, and I think that's one ofthe things the citizens need from us is
some clarification about timeline and if this will move forward or not.
Champion: I've never voted for it. I probably won't vote for it this time either.
Wilburn: Well, before I call the vote on whether or not we're going to defer, I'll go
ahead and allow a couple public comments.
Reilly: Thank you, Mayor. My name is Roger Reilly. I live at 146 Green
Mountain Drive here in Iowa City. I represent Hills Bank and am a Senior
Vice President there. I've been with the bank 23 years, and of those 23
years, I've worked at South Gilbert Street for 19 years. So, I'm familiar
with the traffic flow. Tonight I'd like to talk about more the preliminary
plan and the property acquisition, but in particular, we sent three concerns
to Sarah Okerlund and also sent a copy to Marian Karr today, and I don't
know if you have a copy of that or not, but I'll just briefly, if! could, go
over those three concerns that we have. In the preliminary plan, it shows
that our entrance, our only entrance, would be closed and moved down
farther south. The bank was designed so that people entering that entrance
would either turn right to the driveup, or turn left to the parking lot. By
putting the traffic farther south, it would put it down where the customers
leave the bank and cause additional problems there, because also in the
plan, at the 5019 S. Gilbert, that property would lose their parking and
access, and they would have to come in at our egress, along with
customers, as it's proposed in the plan. So it doesn't really, to me, make
sense that you would close that entrance. It's worked for us for this many
years and as far as we know, no accidents have occurred there. There
have been accidents down at the egress when people try to get out, either
northbound... probably northbound more so than southbound. A median is
put in, proposed, that would actually not allow people to enter from the
south at the current entrance. I think that, we think that the median is a
little bit too long. If it's shortened up and allowed people to enter at the
current entrance, it would prevent some problems at the current egress,
and also, with the frontage road design across the way with Los Portales,
Carlos O'Kelley's, and Aldi's, with customers coming out there, it's going
to cause a problem, we think, at that what I call an intersection now, and
with the traffic there, we feel that a signal is warranted. Don't know what
the definition of warranted means with traffic, but we do feel that traffic
will be increased substantially, to the point where a signal would certainly
bring safety to the intersection. Weare concerned too that by closing that
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#17
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entrance and putting the entrance down farther, it might cause some
devaluation of the property too. (TAPE ENDS) .. . has increased over that
time, but it's important that we keep that ingress open, especially with the
increased traffic coming now at the egress. So, those are my comments.
Be happy to come back on the 23 rd. I know there are other land owners
that would like to share their ideas too, and if you have any questions for
me, I'd be happy to answer them. Thank you.
Wilburn: Thank you, Roger. And in alL.. whoever did that, please don't do that
again (loud noise on mic). Would anyone else care to... 00, we are.. .it's
been moved and seconded to defer this. I'm sorry, did you give that date?
23rd? All those in favor say aye. Opposed same sign. Carries 7-0.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
O'Donnell: So moved.
Bailey: So moved.
Wilburn: Moved by O'Donnell, seconded by Bailey to accept correspondence. All
those in favor say aye. Opposed same sign. Carries 7-0.
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ITEM 18 CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE A TENTATIVE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN AFSCME LOCAL 183 AND THE CITY
OF IOWA CITY.
Champion: Move to approve.
Wilburn: Moved by Champion.
O'Donnell: Second.
Wilburn: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? This includes across the board
wage increases 00.25,3.3, and 3.1 % for each of the three respective
years. I'm sorry, was this a motion? All those in favor say aye. Opposed
same sign. Carries 7-0.
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#22 Page 22
ITEM 22 CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Wilburn: Bob?
Elliott: The local paper carried a large guest opinion by our bicycle riding friend
Donald Baxter who is kind of empathizing and complaining that
automobile, motor vehicle drivers, need to be more cautious about bicycle
riders, and he was absolutely right, except he was only a third right. I
would urge bicycle riders and motor vehicle drivers and pedestrians to all
start being more careful than we have been. I don't know how many times
I've seen pedestrians jay-walking, sometimes strolling across the street,
daring you to hit 'em! I've seen bicycle riders make very stupid turns, and
I've seen automobile drivers do things that are really dangerous to both
pedestrians and bicycle riders. So, I'm glad there is material like that. We
need to be more careful as our city grows and we have more motor
vehicles, more bicycles, and more pedestrians.
Wilburn: Anything else? Regenia?
Bailey: I just wanted to congratulate Grounds for Dessert. They had a really nice
profile in the Corridor Business Journal. For those of you who don't know
Grounds for Dessert is a coffee shop that's in the Court Street
Transportation Center and for those of you who haven't visited it, it's
pretty fantastic. Their desserts are incredible and it's really friendly
atmosphere, and Christine will know your name after you've been there
once or twice, so it was a nice profile and it's a nice new business in our
property, so it's great to see that!
Vanderhoef: Nothing this evening.
Wilburn: Mike?
O'Donnell: Nothing this evening.
Wilburn: Connie?
Champion: I wouIdjust like to comment on Elliott's comment, because last night I left
the work session. I'm very aware oftwo-wheeled vehicles because my
family drives motorcycles and bicycles, so I consider myself constantly
looking out for them, and there was a bicyclist coming up, whatever the
street is here - Washington, and it was dark and they had dark clothes on
and no light on his bike, and Ijust barely caught him out of the corner of
my eye, and I almost stopped at Dodge Street to ask him ifhehas a light
on the front of his bike. On the back of his bike he had great reflectors
that were flashing, and so if I was behind him I'd have no trouble seeing
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#22
Wilburn:
Elliott:
Wilburn:
Page 23
him. But I do wish bicyclists would, please, either wear light clothing or
put some kind oflight on the front of your bike!
Urn, first I'd like to just thank the University of Iowa and different
community groups again for sponsoring and supporting Martin Luther
King Jr. week activities. Please see the web page, or a newspaper, for
when~ and what particular activities will be going on. I also would like to
call attention to the fact that Thursday, this Thursday evening, there will
be an inaugural express train coming to town and I believe between 4:00
and 5:00 P.M. and 10:00 and 11:00 P.M. traffic will be blocked by that
train on Dubuque and, 1'm sorry. . . Dubuque and Clinton Street, and then
they'll move the train off to a different staging area.
Is this like the Coors Express we've been seeing on TV? (laughter)
I don't know ifthat's the impact that they want to have. But, I certainly
want to thank Governor-Elect Culver and his planning team for holding
inaugural activities here, Thursday before he and Lieutenant Governor
Judge are sworn in on Friday in Des Moines, and I want to thank them for
bringing the excitement and energy, and people, to town. Also want to
congratulate and thank Governor Vilsack and Lieutenant Governor
Peterson for their service to the State of Iowa.
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Council meeting of January 9, 2007.
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