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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2002-08-01 Transcription#2d Page 1 ITEM 2d. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS Consider an ordinance changing the zoning designation from Medium Density Single-Family, RS-8 and Low Density Multi- Family, RM-12 to Planned Development Overlay, OPDH-20 to allow 43 elder congregate housing units on 2.12 acres of property located north of Benton Street and east of George Street (REZ02- 00009) (Second Consideration). Lehman: Item D is the resolution that deals with Oaknoll of which I am a member of their Board of Directors. I have a conflict and Ms. Vanderhoef will handle that item. Vanderhoefi (Reads item). Champion: Move second consideration. O'Dormell: Second. Vanderhoefi Moved by Kanner...or Champion, seconded by... O'Donnell: O'Donnell. Vanderhoefi O'Donnell. Thank you. Discussion? Karmer: Since it's been acknowledged that this property if it ever went out of business will go to another non-profit I'll be voting for it. There was some concern that with this higher density it would allow for-profit apartments with perhaps not as much concern as Oaknoll does for the neighborhood to move in. So it looks like it's going to be a good win- win situation for the area. Vanderhoefi Other discussion? Roll call. Motion carries 5-1 and one absentention. Holecek: One absent. Vanderhoef: Absent. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #3 Page 2 ITEM 3. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 12, CHAPTER 5, ARTICLE A, BUILDING CODE, BY ADOPTING THE INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE, 2000 EDITION, AND THE INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CODE, INCLUDING APPENDIX F RADON CONTROL METHODS, CONFERENCE OF BUILDING OFFICIALS, BUILDING OFFICIALS AND CODE ADMINISTRATORS INTERNATIONAL, INC., AND THE SOUTHERN BUILDING CODE CONGRESS INTERNATIONAL, INC., AND PROVIDING FOR CERTAIN AMENDMENTS THEREOF; TO PROVIDE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE HEALTH, WELFARE, AND SAFETY OF THE CITIZENS OF IOWA CITY, 1OWA. (SECOND CONSIDERATION). Lehman: (Reads item). Wilbum: Move second consideration. Champion: Second. Lehman: Moved by Wilburn, seconded by Champion. Discussion? Kanner: On any of these issues Marian or any of the rest of the Staff did we hear from anyone either orally or in written correspondence? Karr: No. If we would have heard from anyone we would have had it before you today. Kanner: Nothing orally that anyone called in that you know of?. Kart: We... I do not know of anyone orally who called in, but we also do not take messages to Council over the telephone. We ask them to do e- mail, fax or written correspondence. Kanner: Okay. Thank you. Lehman: Roll call. Motion carries. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #4 Page3 ITEM 4. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 7, CHAPTER 1, FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION, ADOPTING THE 2000 EDITION OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE, REGULATING AND GOVERNING THE SAFEGUARDING OF LIFE AND PROPERTY FROM FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS ARISING FROM THE STORAGE, HANDLING AND USE OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES, MATERIALS AND DEVICES, AND FROM CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS TO LIFE OR PROPERTY IN THE OCCUPANCY OF BUILDING AND PREMISES IN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY; AND PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS FOR HAZARDOUS USES OR OPERATIONS. (SECOND CONSIDERATION). Lehman: (Reads item). Vanderhoef: Move second consideration. Wilbum: Second. Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Wilbum. Discussion? Pfab: I believe this still has the little outdoor portable fireplaces - chimneys or whatever they're called? Lehman: It does not prohibit them. O'Donnell: It does not have them. Pfab: So they're not allowed? Holecek: It does not have a prohibition on them. Lehman: Right. Holecek: So it will still allow them, yes. Pfab: I'm going to vote against it because of that. Lehman: Other discussion? Roll call. I'm sorry. Karmer: Irvin, I believe the Fire Department said they're going to bring this up to us again. Didn't they? Or maybe this was another issue. Pfab: This was the one that they had the biggest problem with because of the fact what happens is what can be burned in those little fireplaces and they're very tempting by the owner, apparently, to use them for things This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #4 Page 4 other than what they were designed for and it looks to me like it's something that that Fire Department may end up being a Policeman regarding what you're burning in it and that just doesn't make any sense to me. Kanner: I think I understand or hear your reluctance and...but I would say that them is enough in here to pass it and maybe we can bring this up at a later time. Pfab: Well, we're on the second consideration and if that's changed then I'll vote for it. Kanner: Well, as a separate issue I'm saying. Champion: If we made laws to protect everybody from everything we would not ever be able to get out of here for 24 hours at a time. Lehman: Well, I think though what Steven is saying - and Steven is right - this is a lot more than just the... O'Donnell: What are you saying? Lehman: What ever those chimney things are you can burn on your... O'Donnell: Chiminea. Lehman: There's a lot of other things that are very important in this ordinance and if we choose to deal with those things at a later date we can, but this is a rather comprehensive sort of amendment and it does not include a prohibition on those fire places, but it does have a lot of other things that I think are very important for the fire code. Kanner: Would Council majority be agreeable to putting on a work session a few months down the road? Lehman: I'd be agreeable to asking a couple months down the road if we interested in putting on a work session. At this point I'm not. Pfab: I believe it's a good ordinance, but this is the problem the Fire Department came in on several occasions and pleaded with us not to allow this. They know there's a lot of good stuff in here. Why...what is the problem with removing that and adopting it other than that. O'Donnell: Because Irvin if we did that I think we'd be heading down the road of regulating barbeque pits, barbeque grills, tiki torches and I just believe that it's over-regulation. And it's okay to disagree on this, but there are many of these in use now and it's I just think it's really wrong to tell people now that they can't use something they bought a year ago. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #4 Page 5 Pfab: But, the Fire Department is telling you they have been out on a number of occasions to decide no you're not burning trash in your neighbor's... Lehman: I never heard him say that. Pfab: That was the understanding I got. Lehman: That was their concern, but this is an absolute enforcement nightmare if we prohibit those things. Pfab: It an absolute enforcement nightmare if we don't prohibit. Lehman: It hasn't been so far. Any other discussion? Kanner: Well, Mike I heard we might want (can't hear) on Ernie's barbequing. I heard about some of his hamburgers. O'Donnell: No, I would second that. Lehman: I use the electric one, so you can't get me on that. Champion: I think we (can't hear) from pouring pancakes. Lehman: Alright we're going to do that too, but we're going to vote on this first. Roll call. Motion carries, 6-1. Pfab voting in the negative. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 6 ITEM 9. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING FUNDING FOR THE ENGLERT CIVIC THEATRE, INC. FROM IOWA CITY'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. Wilbum: Emie, the next item I will be abstaining due to a conflict of interest. I am employed by an agency which receives (can't hear) block grant funds and this involves (can't hear) these are those funds. Lehman: Thank you. (Reads item). Champion: Move the resolution. Lehman: Moved by Champion. Vanderhoef: Second. Lehman: Seconded by Vanderhoef. Just to bring Council up to speed on this one because this was something that frankly was unanticipated; the Englert Theatre project has been set up as three separate phases. The first phase of that project was the acquisition of the building and we're all familiar with that. The City participated to the extent of $200,000 for the purchase of the building and in addition also made some consideration for an interest free loan. So the City was a major, major player in phase I of that project. The Englert folks have phased that project and applied to Vision Iowa for funding for phase II. And I believe that request is for 1.6 million dollars. Vision Iowa has a regulation which I think is probably a good regulation that requires in order to be considered for Vision Iowa funding any project must have the support of the city in which it is located and the county in which it is located as well as the support of the private sector of they will not participate with State funding. Because this is...because the application is for phase II funding the City in spite of what I consider to be a very generous contribution up front, that contribution is not considered as part of phase II. So in order for them to consider this project they will require some level of ftmding from the City as well as from the County. Now they are meeting on the 14th of August and their Board meets in a negotiating session with the Englert folks, the City of Iowa City and I think perhaps the County folks. That meeting will not take place unless there is some sort of commitment from the City of Iowa City and also from the County which brings us to the meeting today because we do not have a regularly scheduled Council meeting prior to the 14th. If we do not participate and the County does This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 7 not participate the project is basically dead. Now, my feeling - and I've been to two Vision Iowa meetings one in Dubuque and on in Des Moines and then two of their Board members were here for a site visit - is that them is a high level of interest on the part of Vision Iowa folks perhaps not for $1,600,000 in funding which is the application amount, but certainly, I think, a very significant amount. The economic development committee met at one o'clock today. We have recommended - Ms. Vanderhoef and myself- that there be some level of funding from the City of Iowa City contingent on the Englert folks receiving a grant from Vision Iowa. We did not determine the amount of...or recommendation for an amount. The requested amount was $75,000. The motion on the floor before Council right now is also for $75,000 and does include the contingency that if Vision Iowa does not fund the project that the funding from the CDBG funds will also not apply. So with that said, discussion? Vanderhoef: Well, I guess that I'll go ahead and start then if no one else is. In our discussions at the ED meeting we talked about how this fit into our CITY STEPS and how it fit into our downtown strategy. We talked about how it meets all of CDBG guidelines. It's apparent that it fits in all of those areas. We certainly are looking for downtown destinations in Iowa City and that is part of the downtown strategy. Creating new jobs is another piece of our CITY STEPS program and these jobs must be for low- and moderate-income folks which is also a guideline from CDBG. The suggested wages for the five jobs that the Englert is committed to for receipt of these dollars - all of these jobs are well above minimum wage and they also will average out someplace in the neighborhood of $10 an hour - between $9 and $10 an hour. So this also fits our own Iowa City guidelines for the use of our dollars in that we were looking toward creating jobs that were in the living wage area. Personally, I'm real excited about this particular project. I think it is good for job creation. I think it's good for the community and I would look at someplace in the neighborhood of $50,000 to $60,000 grant out of the CDBG money. Why I'm not considering the higher dollar amount was the fact that we have spent down a bit of our ED money this year so we have someplace in the neighborhood of $140,000 remaining in this. $75,000 would take over halfofit. We would like to have dollars again for immediate action if a program comes in. I did ask our Economic Development Director to remind me again on what we gave to the Uptown Bill's project that has seems to be a success in use of CDBG money and that was $106,750 for that project. Kanner: Uptown Bill's wasn't $120,000. Lehman: I think it started that way, but it ended up at $106,000. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 8 Kanner: Oh, I thought you said $160,000. Nasby: No I believe they asked for $120,000 in the neighborhood and we gave... Lehman: Right. Kanner: No, that's right I heard $160,000. Vanderhoefi I'll try to enunciate better. So anyway I guess I am not looking toward going totally with the $75,000 and I would welcome discussion from others. Champion: I'm willing to support the $75,000 because I think the return on the investment is going to be vast. I do think that this is one of the better things this Council has supported in the downtown area. Pfab: I will...I guess I want to say it this way I think the Englert Theatre project is one of the best projects that I've seen in Iowa City in a number of years and I have absolutely the greatest support for that. My difficulty is that the money that should be going, I believe, more directly towards immediate needs for low-income people and I can just refer directly to the Broadway area and other items like that - there's several other areas in the City that are starving for funds. The problem...but that is not a question here because this money has already been taken from them when it was moved to the Iowa City Economic Development Committee. And I can't undo that and it troubles me a great deal. I think it's one of the...while it may be legal I think morally moving that money to that committee for economic development is not morally justified. But, I'm not here and I'm not the judge. Because of the fact that the money is already there and it does not have a way to go back to low-income projects I will support this with the $75,000 because it does have a few jobs involved. Lehman: Other discussion? Kanner: I don't think it's a great project. I think it's a good project like a lot of other projects in the City. And my understanding is that one of the top priorities for economic development with STEPS is micro-enterprises and this is not applying under a micro-enterprise although technically it might qualify for that in some ways. But, I think it's in a different realm. And I really believe that the best use of our economic development money from CDBG will go to micro-enterprises. I think worldwide organizations are finding that small loans and grants on a very micro level in other places really does a lot more for the local economy. And I think a loan that we make with CDBG funds to a place like Ruby's Pearl, women's health and body literature This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 9 organization across the street here, is the way to go and I think that it was obvious that there were low-income people there and there was a loan that was made instead of a grant. And that is something that I would feel more comfortable if this were made with a loan and at a lower amount I would feel more comfortable doing that. I think that it was obvious that there were people with real needs that got the grant money for Uptown Bill's. Where it went to the for-profit such as the Tourists organization I believe that it was a grant that was given. I think that there are other pools of money that we could be using - Other economic development money that we should use. I think that we need to use that money for Englert project instead of economic development money from community development block grants. I had a few questions for Steve Nasby if you wouldn't mind coming up... Nasby: Sure. Kanner: ...to the podium. Now do you have a copy of the Vision Iowa requests and timeline that we could have to study? I've never seen a request for August 14th deadline. I think it would be helpful for me to study this. People should know that this Council members at least myself were notified, I believe, Tuesday. Marian, that is when you called me was Tuesday saying she was trying to set up a meeting in regards to this issue. That's the main reason we're having this meeting is my understanding is because of this. And I worked and urging Staff to get out some press notices. My understanding is there was nothing in the Gazette on Wednesday, nothing in the Press Citizen on Wednesday that I saw. There might be something in the Press Citizen today. I didn't see anything in the Gazette. What? On where? What? Today the Press Citizen? Right I didn't see that. So my point is that the public - the general public is not aware of what is going on for this immediate request. So I think this does a disservice even though again we meet the letter of the law with 24 hours notice I think it does a disservice. So in that regard I'd like to see a copy of the Vision Iowa request and timeline for one thing. Also I'd like to see a copy -you said you did a rating of 66 out of 100 HCDC when they made recommendations initially they did a rating. And so I'm assuming that you're doing a similar thing with this rating and you gave it a 66 which in my mind is a failing grade actually. But, I'd like to see a copy of that of your rating. I didn't see that included with our information. Do you have copies of that available too? Nasby: The HCDC one they evaluated the project for the Englert this last fall and spring. They were evaluating it as public facilities project for accessibility, not for job creation and not for economic development. So that is a different system. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 10 Kanner: No, I said HCDC in regards to an example of how they rate things in general saying that you... Nasby: They have a rating... Kanner: You're rating things in their place. Nasby: I didn't rate it... Kanner: It's no longer there as a recommending body. Nasby: I didn't rate it in their place. What I did was I looked at the City of Iowa City financial assistance guidelines that this Council or at least the Economic Development committee had passed and was in place when I started this job. And these are guidelines and it has several categories with points. And so in looking at it from a Staff point of view when I got the application on Tuesday I went to this already adopted list of guidelines and went through them and looked to see if the Englert Theatre matched up to what the guidelines the Council has determined. And so I went through them and just kind of looked at it and said, all right first one does it leverage other financial assistance? Yes, it does leverage other financial assistance. So, I just kind of went through it and kind of gave it my own opinion of what I thought it should look like. And that's what...a piece of what I was basing my recommendation on. Kanner: And that's what we pay you to do and I appreciate you doing that. My point is we can get your oral presentation here which you're starting to do. But for me it's easier and I think it's easier for the public to have your report to see that to see why some things were lower, why some things were higher and had that kind of public input. With two days notice with basically one day notice for the public, there's no chance for us to really get that input in any larger sense and I'd like to have a copy of yours so that we can take a look at it and hopefully put this off a few days and discuss it and let the public comment on it. So I can circulate this among people and we can have some discussion because I think there's some merits to what's being presented here. There a question about where it's coming from and I'd like to hear from more people besides the Englert people. I've made a few phone calls, gotten some responses. The people, of course I have a certain perspective, I call certain people and they've tended to not like what's going on. I want to hear from more people. And I need that information to help me make my decision. I don't have that information. And the other question I have for you... Karin Franklin: Excuse me. If we have a direction from the majority of the Council we will do what you wish us to do. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 11 Kanner: Okay. I'm asking for information. That's fine if people don't want to give that information. I thought you might have that handy that you can give me a copy of that. Usually we do get reports if we requested it's not a problem. Things that are rated out. Am I mistaken is it usually a problem? Franklin: We do not usually do a rating under the financial assistance guidelines. There's discussion of the guidelines by the Council. We have not used the point system since the guidelines came into being. Kanner: So this is a new thing. Franklin: In terms of the points. It is something that Steve just used in coming to a conclusion for a recommendation. Kanner: And it's a very important part of the recommendation I would think. Franklin: So we typically do not do a report to using a point system and the guidelines. Kanner: My sense is that this is since we no longer have HCDC reviewing this first this is in sense a replacement of that and I think it's important to get something like that. Now my other question is for Steve is that looking at - we got from Tracey and talking to you and some other members in your department - the definitions from HUD about what is required criteria for creation of jobs for low- and moderate-income people. Nasby: Correct. Kanner: In talking to you and reading this it appears that you don't have to offer this to low- or moderate-income people, but you have to make it available to low- or moderate-income and in our discussion that we had I said well this could...the President of the United States is available to anyone, but the reality is it available to anyone. You said that jobs have to be made available for anyone that doesn't have specialized training. Nasby: And that's defined in the HUD regulations 24 code of federal regulations 570.208. Kanner: Correct. Nasby: I've got it right here. Kanner: So, something like General Manager I think that there are people that are capable from HACAP or the welfare to work programs that can do this with the right training, but I don't think they're going to be able to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 12 walk offthe street and have a good shot at this job. So I have some concern that the General Manager job and some of the other jobs are not going to available for non-specialized training low- to moderate- income people. And so perhaps again it might meet the letter of the law, but I don't know if it meets the spirit of the law. Nasby: I have had discussions with Justine about the application and about these jobs in particular so this may be a question that she can answer as well that special skills will not necessarily be needed for the jobs that they are creating. We did have that discussion n that they would fall within the guidelines that HUD has set out. So if you have specific questions about what skills they are going to be looking for Justine will probably be able to answer those, Steve. Kanner: Well, one of the things that I also did was call the Stage Hand union folks to talk about specialized skills what are needed perhaps. They might have a perspective and I'm waiting on a return call. And that's another reason I think we would want to delay this a few days to get more input on what it means to be specialized. And I think actually it would be good if we looked to the low-income community for this job and offered training. That might be a good use of some of the money to do that. Move some people. We've got a lot of skilled people in certain ways and maybe just need certain training. But to just go out and give them a blank check basically and say on loose terms they're going to make it available I have some problems with this. Lehman: Let me just say before going further that I don't think anyone on the Council is particularly excited about doing something as quickly as we had to do this. We looked at the calendar of the availability of Council folks and when we could meet between now and 14th which is the date by which we have to have this action taken. This happened to be about the only time we could have a meeting. If we had the time certainly we would have spent more time. I do think, however, that we got a pretty good report from you Steve as to how this application meets the requirements that we have. ! think that's addressed fairly well. We all did get that. But, I apologize for the timeframe, but it...we didn't have a whole lot of choice when it comes to the time. Irvin? Pfab: A question. There's several things that are while I oppose the use of CDBG money period to the way...the route it took to get here and I don't know how high the priorities are, but there are several things that are fairly interesting. I spoke to the applicant today and they said part of that they would agree to use...to train people for those. They'd be willing to write that in if we could come up with the words. Not only will they offer these jobs, but they'll offer training for people to get these jobs to move them from.., so starting with somebody who is This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 13 coming off of welfare or HACAP as you said or something like that. The other part unrelated to this which I failed to mention earlier was I am...I believe this project has the ability - I'm not sure how much the emphasis is on - and I would like to see that possibly put in the application to us and maybe to the State also that that third floor is a great place for a micro business incubator. And I think that's one of the things they're working at here. So, you know, where you talk about many micro loans and how...now that's a great situation up there if they could do it. And that's one of the intentions I understand is what they're planning to do. Champion: I also think that I don't think - you're right Steve - I don't think the General Manager is going to become available to someone who doesn't have an education in that field. But the other jobs certainly there are lots of people who could qualify to do those with a certain amount of training. I think anytime you have those jobs available you going to have to train someone to do them. You're not going to get people offthe street ready to do them. So I just think that you're over- reacting a little bit to that. I think that a lot of those jobs will go to lower income people and people who don't have college degrees. And I think that it definitely meets the economic benefits of that. Because they're not going to be paying minimum wage for one thing. O'Donnell: Connie, I agree with you. I came here today with a $50,000 - $75,000 figure in mind. I'm involved with saving an old building out in Morse - it's St. Bridget's church. It was destined to be tom down and we raised enough money to buy it and I'm aware of the time commitment, the emotion and the money required to do that. This is an opportunity for potentially 1.6 million, $1,500,000 so if this City is committed to doing this. And you know commitment of the community is also very, very important to me and there are thousands of people involved in this. Ernie, I think I heard four people say they'd support this, so. Lehman: Well, are we ready? Are we willing to act on this today? Champion: Let's vote. Kanner: Well, before we do that usually the custom is to allow people to speak and at the very least... Lehman: We've been doing that for the last 15 minutes. Go ahead. Kanner: No - to allow someone to speak. Lehman: Oh, from the public? Is there someone from the public who wishes to address the Council on this issue? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 14 Shelley Sheehy: Hi. This is my first Iowa City Council meeting. My name is Shelly Sheehy. Lehman: Welcome. Sheehy: I've lived in Iowa City for about a year. I'm a development consultant and while I definitely support the Englert Theatre project and I do have some questions about the process. And my initial question about the process is the fund from which the money comes from. And I can put all these questions that I have from you in written form and they can be answered at a later date, but it's my understanding that the money came from a percentage of the combined Home funds and CDBG funds - that it was 9% of the combination of both of those numbers and that 9% then came off the CDBG allocation. And I have some questions about whether that is appropriate use for determining the use for the economic development including the Home money which is strictly housing money. So I'm not sure if you're really following that. But it's a procedural question that kind of goes to some other...so the allocated amount to that fund is it really...is it really a correct amount and way it figured correctly? That a question that I have that I can call HUD about too. But as to the appropriate use of CDBG money what I find unfortunate about this - I got a call Tuesday morning - I'm a housing and community development activist and I have worked all over the State. I've worked for the Iowa Department of Economic Development and two different occasions as a consultant for their state-wide continuum of care applications. And I've worked with the City of Iowa City on their continuum of care and I just find it appalling that you're pitting the needs of extremely low-income people you don't seem to find money to help homeless people in this community to the extent of actually housing them decently in a decent shelter, but at a last minute, you know, forced issue you're willing to give $75,000 out with, you know, very little public input and public discussion. And I had a chance to briefly look at the application that was submitted to the City and I noticed the budget line items and the income side and I don't see anything - there's a series of four question marks where the County and I was wondering if you had any indication from the County if they were going to put any money into this project because it's my understanding from everything I've read in the press and talked with Vision Iowa board members that unless the County actually makes a solid commitment of money that it will be mute what the City of Iowa City puts in. Lehman: That's correct. Sheehy: Instead of rushing this forward is a concern. And so I guess I would ask that question and I have some other questions just about the actual consistency with CITY STEPS, but I wanted to have the opportunity to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 15 express my concern. I usually follow these things pretty closely and finding out Tuesday afternoon about a meeting on Thursday - I'm a consultant I work at home so I could come. Yes sir? Pfab: I have a question. You brought up a point and it's kind of bothering me right now in the back of my mind. You're saying that because this money came from Home funds and the other - what was the other? Sheehy: What my understanding is that all the money is CDBG money and this economic development fund, but the formula that was used to identify the 9% was a combination of Home and CDBG. Lehman: Steve can answer that for you. Pfab: Okay. Nasby: Since 1996 HUD has required us to have a consolidated plan and for Iowa City the formula grants that we get from HUD are block grant dollars and home investment partnership dollars. So in that consolidated plan they asked us the plan for community activities jointly - not housing on this side and economic development or other facilities on the other side - we do it jointly. So what we do it when we had budgeted those monies or made our five-year projections we looked at the total pot of monies that we would be getting and then as the activities are funded we put them in the appropriate funding source. CDBG is for economic development. Lehman: But, I think her question was that the 9% is of the total. Nasby: The 9% is of the total allocation. Sheehy: I guess I'm suggesting that the 9% be the total of CDBG that's eligible for economic development activity and not including the Home money which makes more money available for the housing projects that get aced out. That's all I'm saying. I just want to share people with the Englert - I do support the Englert Theatre and I support what you've done. I see on your budget you've gotten several - you've got an EDI, you got special appropriations which are really hard to get. But I just have some concern that there were problems and people that were denied access - the poorest of the poor residents of I0wa City were denied access to CDBG funds for their needs and at the last minute it just seems that the priorities change quickly. Pfab: Okay. The other question is... Sheehy: I don't mean to... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 16 Pfab: No, no, no. I have a question you might have the information here. The fact that the money that was transferred to the Iowa City Economic Development committee was whole funds. Sheehy: Well, they're saying it's not. The percentage of CDBG funds that were taken off the top were considered as part of a whole - as part of all the Home money and all the CDBG money. Pfab: So, part of it was... Sheehy: So, that 9% of your HUD allocation - 9% of all that money was what was taken out of CDBG. I'm just questioning whether or not it should adjust (can't hear) CDBG money, but I can write to HUD and ask them that. Pfab: But, I understand isn't it if HUD...if Home money is put in another project, the rest of the funds take on the characteristics of Home money. Is that correct? Sheehy: But I don't think that's the case with these dollars. These are CDBG straight up dollars. Nasby: These are block grant dollars and HUD has approved our consolidated plan that showed how we were going to use the dollars and budget for them. Kanner: There's no Federal...is there a Federal mandate on a cap on how much of the CDBG funds you can use for economic development? Nasby: No. Kanner: Right, that's right. So it's within the law we could do up to 100% of CDBG. So it's 9% of the total amount that it might be, but we're doing 15% of CDBG funding. Nasby: In this case it was .... Sheehy: (Can't hear). Nasby: Which it is. Kanner: It is. You can argue whether this is the right political move, but it is consistent with the plan and it's a decision of the Council to put it there. Lehman: Thank you Steve. Any other discussion? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 17 John Hudson: I'm John Hudson. I've lived in Iowa City 41/2 years and I'd like to put this in a broader context. 1 have a prepared statement. (Reads statement). (End of Tape #02-63, Beginning of Tape #02-64) Hudson: Thank you. Lehman: Thank you, John. Hudson: I have a copy for the Council. Vanderhoefi Move to accept correspondence. Champion: Second. Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Champion to accept correspondence. All in favor? Motion carries. Justine Zimmer: Hi. Lehman: Hi Justine. Zimmer: I just wanted to let you know something about the County. Lehman: You'll tell us what your name is first. Zimmer: My name is Justine Zimmer. I'm the Executive Director at the Englert Theatre. We met with the County this morning at an informal meeting and we will be on their formal agenda at the amount of $20,000 over five years. Lehman: Okay. Zimmer: And we're grateful for their coming forward with that. And thank you for your consideration today. Lehman: Thank you. Any other discussion? Roll call. I'm sorry. Kanner: I'd like to move for tabling the motion. Lehman: Is there a second to table the motion? We have a motion. Pfab: I'll second. Lehman: And a second to table. Discussion? Kanner: Yeah, Ernie. I think there's a number of pieces of information that would be good for the whole Council to have. Some of the Council This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002. #9 Page 18 might have certainly been more involved in this such as yourself. But I think it behooves us to as a Council to all get the information to be able to peruse it, circulate it among the community for a few days and get input in that fashion. So I would ask that we table it and still meet before the August 14th deadline to explore other options and possibly putting in writing some of the things that Irvin was saying about your suggestion. I think we need to put those kind of things in writing, Irvin. I think we can reach an agreement with the Englert folks in exchange for this kind of money. Lehman: Other discussion? All in favor of the motion to table signify by raising their right hand. All opposed same sign. The motion is defeated, 3- 2...I'm sorry 4-2, Kanner and Pfab voting in the affirmative. Kanner: I'd like to make an amendment to match the County's payment that would be, what is it, $20,000 a year over four or five years? Lehman: $20,000 over five years which is $4,000 a year. Is that that amendment? Kanner: That is what it was it was $4,000 a year to match their amount. Lehman: Is there a second to that amendment? Amendment dies for lack ora second. The motion is for $75,000. The stipulation in this is that there will be...that will be applied only if the Englert is successful in securing Vision Iowa funds. Ready to vote? Roll call. Motion carries, 5-1, Kanner voting the negative. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of August 1, 2002.