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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-04-16 Transcription April 16,2007 City Council Work Session Page 1 April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session 5:30 PM Council: Bailey, Champion, Correia, Elliott, O'Donnell, Vanderhoef, Wilburn UISG: Baeth Staff: Atkins, Davidson, Dilkes, Helling, Jensen, Karr, Knocke, Morris, Okerlund, Rocca, Grier TAPE: 07-31, Both Wilburn: Ok. Ready. Karr: Yes. Council ADDointments Wilburn: Ok. First up is Council appointments. And it's Public Art I believe tonight, isn't it? Vanderhoef: Yes. And I would like to put forward Patrick Carney. Champion: That's good. Bailey: I'll support that. Wilburn: Two, three. O'Donnell: Four. Correia: I'll support that too. Wilburn: Four, five, six. Seven. Correia: Especially looking at gender balance. Bailey: Gender balance, yeah. Elliott: There's unanimity. Vanderhoef: Well I've known this man for about 20 years, and he is good. So I'm real pleased to put his name forth. Bailey: Good. Correia: And so the other - so we didn't have any applications for the Human Rights Commission? Bailey: No. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 Correia: Karr: Correia: Karr: Correia: Karr: Correia: Karr: Correia: Bailey: Correia: Bailey: Karr: Bailey: Karr: Bailey: Wilburn: Bailey: O'Donnell: City Council Work Session Page 2 I noticed, so how, it seems like we've not been getting a lot of applications for different openings. What is our standard? We, we do advertise in the Press Citizen. We put it out on our website. We do post hard copy notices in public buildings. Many times the staff in addition to that has newsletters, email blasts. In the Press Citizen is it like a legal notice? Yes it is. Oh. Does, does the newspaper still have kind of a, the volunteer opportunities section? Is that something? You know, how many people are looking at the legal notices when they're wanting to volunteer? They do have it. It's not run on a regular basis, and we do have to be sure that we have it in regularly. I'd have to check to see whether we could put those two together and come up with meeting the requirement. I mean, we still can do the other thing. I don't mean not to do the legal notice. In addition to it. Yeah, in addition to, not instead of, I guess. We could also post on volunteer, or CorridorVolunteers.org. CorridorV olunteers. I was also talking to a leadership class a couple weeks ago and they really encouraged us to do more recruiting, asking people directly, and I think that we probably should try to do a little bit more of that. Because an open call generally doesn't get people. I know staff does a lot of that. Good. As do members of the boards and commissions who are, who serve on boards and commissions as well. It never hurts for anybody to do personal contacts. Yeah. The only thing, just like people recruiting for boards of directors anywhere, you have to make sure that you include the caveat that it's subject to approval. Well sure. Maybe people are considering that they don't want to be tied down for the summer. Our policy right now is just to readvertise, isn't that right? This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 3 Karr: That's correct. O'Donnell: And normally we have an abundance of people apply for that? Karr: Depends on the board or commission and time of year. We've been advertising the Airport Zoning Board of Adjustment for 2 years. Champion: Years. Bailey: Since I got on Council. O'Donnell: Yeah. Vanderhoef: I would say 4 years. And they haven't had to meet. Wilburn: Ok. Agenda items. Karr: Could I - one second. Wilburn: Go. Karr: If any of you have suggestions, why don't you send them to me and I'll take a look and see what we can do to match them. Many of those places have links to our site as well, so we can certainly interact with those. Al!enda Items Wilburn: Bailey: Champion: ITEM 10. Elliott: Atkins: Elliott: Atkins: Elliott: Agenda items. Ok. I don't know why someone has an agenda item- INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE AUTHORIZATION AND ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $600,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. I have some quick ones. Ah Steve, quick question. The GO bonds for Mercer: it says Mercer baseball. I presume that means softball? Yep. Because baseball is the City High field. Yes. City High would pay for that, is that correct? This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16,2007 Atkins: Elliott: Atkins: ITEM 11. Elliott: Atkins: Dilkes: Elliott: Dilkes: Elliott: Dilkes: Elliott: Correia: Dilkes: Elliott: Correia: Atkins: City Council Work Session Page 4 City High is paying for their share of the improvements, yes. Ok. But it's for both baseball and softball. Yes. INSTITUTING PROCEEDINGS TO TAKE ADDITIONAL ACTION FOR THE AUTHORIZATION AND ISSUANCE OF NOT TO EXCEED $440,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. The next one I have is item 11. The GO bonds for the rehab of Iowa City Housing Fellowship. I've had a number of people contact me asking about that and its relationship to the bonds that, something like $320,000.00 in bonds we approved last November. If somebody could just explain that a bit. Oh, we gotta really dig deep. Go ahead. The Council passed a resolution on November 14th of 2006 committing to a loan of $320,000.00 to the Housing Fellowship to be funded by bonds. There were no bonds issued. And subject to subsequent approval by City Council of a loan agreement with the Housing Fellowship. So the Council approved the concept. It approved the concept, but that's subject to all the formalities of issuance of bonds. And that took place over the ensuing months, and now we're ready to sell the bonds, some $440,000.00? And there'll also have to be a loan agreement that the Council approves for that money. And since that goes to the Housing Fellowship and apparently there is a for-profit partnership there, how, what's the relationship there? Is this unusual at all? Can I, this, this was, can I just say? I don't know that I can address whether it's unusual. Because the materials that I read in the explanation, I think it said that it was a for-profit agency. Therefore the houses, the 14 houses involved would go on the tax roll. Amy, do you know about that? Well yeah. I mean, when we approved that, it was essentially so that this application that the Housing Fellowship made to Iowa Finance Authority for tax credits, they needed to have local support. Correct. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 5 Correia: And City involvement. And so they now went on and received those tax credits, so it's about a million dollars that's going to come into Iowa City to rehab and preserve affordable housing. They're creating a limited liability corporation so that then these homes are going to go back out on the tax rolls. We're loaning them this money. Atkins: Yes. Correia: This is a - they'll pay it back, but we're able to leverage a lower rate so that the homes that are being rehabbed can remain affordable. And in fact, my understanding from the correspondence from? is the rents will actually even go down more because they're able to do this financing package, able to bring in tax credits, federal tax credits here that the Housing Fellowship hasn't been able to access before. Other projects have accessed tax credits here, but I mean, I think it's a really exciting and innovative partnership that is creating this limited liability corporation but it's. Elliot!: And these, there are 14 houses specifically involved. And they will go on the tax rolls. I know that at one time the City owned something like 120 houses, and now we're down to 80? Bailey: But these aren't our houses. Atkins: No, not our houses. Correia: They're in charge. Elliot!: This would be the Fellowship. Atkins: Yeah. Elliott: This is separate from what the City - ok. Atkins: Correct. Vanderhoef: But they're up for sale, not for rent. Elliot!: Mmm hrnm. Correia: Well they're not - they're not for sale. No, no, no. They're rental homes. Bailey: They're rentals. Correia: They'll still remain rental homes, but they're now going to become part of a limited liability corporation that can use these tax credits. Vanderhoef: That I understand. What I'm trying to figure out is where they go onto the tax roll ifthey are owned by The Fellowship. Bailey: They're owned by an LLC. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16,2007 City Council Work Session Page 6 Correia: They're creating an LLC - Vanderhoef: Ok, that's the piece. Correia: Which will essentially buy them but still be managed in part of an arm of the Housing Fellowship within this. Atkins: You really have to - each piece can't be considered independent. It's all the tax credit, the whole package has to be, is what we're agreeing to support. Bailey: Mmm hmm. Atkins: The 320 is a pay-back loan. Wilburn: Other agenda items? Atkins: Jeff will not be here at the regular meeting so if you have anything on the transit stuff? It's routine, applying for transit aid. Correia: I was going to point out that on this item I I the 440, 320 is for the Housing Fellowship and the remaining is for our targeted rehab program. Atkins: For our T ARP program, that's correct. Yeah. Correia: So it's not all for the one project. ITEM 17. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED POSITIONS IN THE WASTEWATER DIVISION OF THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AND THE AFSCME PAY PLAN. Elliot: Oh, the, perhaps Steve you can answer this. The revising the personnel in public works, it said there's no change in the number. Atkins: No. Elliott: Is there a change in the total payroll funding or cost? Atkins: It is as close to a wash as I can call it. Elliott: Ok. Atkins: The, there's no additional positions, pay grades are being amended. We tried to, the way we tried to show it is the average pay grade used to be ten and a half. It'll now be nine. Elliott: So there's moving around but the total amount of payroll involved will change little or nothing. Atkins: Yes. That's correct. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 7 Elliott: Ok. ITEM 15. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST A LICENSE AGREEMENT FOR TEMPORARY USE OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY, LANDOWNER MARC MOEN, AND TENANT GRAZE IOWA CITY, LLC D/B/A GRAZE, FOR A SIDEWALK CAFE. Vanderhoef: This - ah, number 15, the sidewalk cafe. Is that a new one? Champion: No. Atkins: Graze is where Venuto's used to be. Bailey: Graze is new. And it's very good, by the way. Atkins: And it's very good. Champion: The sidewalk cafe was before - Karr: It's a new, it's a new business. Correia: But it's in - Karr: It's in an existing one that was there before. Vanderhoef: Ok. That's what I was- Karr: That's why it's on. New ones are on the regular agenda, new ownership, renewals are on it. Elliott: And the renewals are on the - Karr: Consent Calendar. Elliott: Consent Calendar. Ok. Vanderhoef: What was there before? Bailey: Venuto's. Karr: Venuto's. Vanderhoef: Oh. Ok. Ijust couldn't place that when I was looking at it. ITEM 13. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 8, "POLICE REGULATIONS", CHAPTER 8, "POLICE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD", SECTION 6, ENTITLED "POLICE CHIEF'S REPORT TO THE BOARD; CITY MANAGER'S REPORT TO THE BOARD", TO CLARIFY LANGUAGE ON This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16,2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 8 GRANTING EXTENSIONS TO THE POLICE CHIEF FOR GOOD CAUSE. (FIRST CONSIDERATION) O'Donnell: #13 I need a little clarification on. It's, Police Citizens Review Board, it said that we can grant an extension for good cause. Who determines that? Vanderhoef: The Board. Bailey: The Board. O'Donnell: So the Police Citizens Review Board? Atkins: The Board has to. They make the decision, right. Vanderhoef: Mmm hmm. Elliott: By the way Mike, I did check with that and my understanding is that came from the Board, not from the Chief. Karr: So it's the Board that's recommending the change. Atkins: Yes. Bailey: Right. O'Donnell: The Board is. Ok. 5. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION CHANGING THE DEER TASK FORCE TO FIVE (5) MEMBERS AND RESCINDING RESOLUTION NO. 07-56. Correia: I had a question on the, I think it's in the Consent Calendar. The change in the Deer Task Force to 5 instead of 9? It seems a little, I mean, people- Atkins: It's a little unusual. Correia: It's a little unusual because people seemed to have resigned, maybe some a little frustrated with the process. My understanding from some of the past minutes, and I just wondered about that. Atkins: I think sort of the bottom line is they wish to continue functioning as a task force with five members. I understand from Kathy they will be making some recommendations to you shortly. Vanderhoef: Well in the minutes- Dilkes: I think they're just trying to get through their work for this year without having to address the whole task force commission, and they're having quorum problems. And so- O'Donnell: How many members do we currently have on there? This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 9 Bailey: 5. Karr: 5. Champion: 5 - no. O'Donnell: There's 5. Correia: Well there's 9 required but there's only 5. O'Donnell: They're asking for 5. How many do we currently have? Bailey: 5. Karr: 5. O'Donnell: 5. Vanderhoef: So they don't have to recruit anyone new. Champion: At this time of the year. Vanderhoef: But they also work in- Bailey: But it's a task force that's going to sunset, too, so that's why we don't want them necessarily working hard to get somebody up to speed, because they're going to bring a recommendation to us about what happens next. I mean, we talked about that a few months ago I think. Champion: Yes. O'Donnell: Good. Bailey: So this seems, allow them to muddle forwards. Correia: Does Coralville and North Liberty have deer task forces? Atkins: I don't believe so. Correia: They have deer management plans. Atkins: Yes they do. Correia: So you don't necessarily need a deer task force to have a management plan. Atkins: No. Champion: They have bows and arrows. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 10 Correia: They have what? Champion: Bows and arrows. Atkins: Bows and arrows. Correia: Oh. Wilburn: Other agenda items? Correia: I had a question about a correspondence. Champion: I do too but I'm having a need to hold that up for Council Time. Can we? Correspondence f(2)James Doroteo: Immigrant Petition for spouse Correia: It's an agenda item. Well I just wondered, #2, from James Doroteo. It seemed like maybe this was an email to us thinking we were a different body and had different, different authorities? Was there a response made back? Karr: Was there a referral? Correia: Referral. Exactly. Vanderhoef: I thought maybe it was a blanket kind ofletter out to a lot of people since the letter writer is in Forest City Iowa. Correia: Right. I didn't see any other, as I looked up at the address list. Atkins: Unless I misread it, I made the assumption that it was one of those numerous letters on a variety of, you know, all sorts of topics. That just happened to be their topic. That's the way I read it. Vanderhoef: Mmm hmm. Correia: Right. Well, I think it was a specific request to help his situation I guess. I don't know. Bailey: So he needs an immigration lawyer, not the City Council. Dilkes: Yeah. And I also couldn't see what the connection - there was no geographical connection to Iowa City. Bailey: About his wife and immigration status. I have concerns when we get letters like this and we don't respond to them, making assumptions that we're. I mean, I know we get a massive amount of correspondence, but it seems to me that with something like this we should just shoot something off to refer them to what, Omaha? This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 Correia: Helling: Atkins: Correia: Atkins: Champion: Bailey: City Council Work Session Page II Well it seems like there was another - there was an email that somebody. Previously. That was something that, and I'm blanking. And Dale you had responded to say City Council has no authority over this issue, whatever it was. And it seems that type of thing, especially to me, that are sort of an individual request, to let him know that we can't help you, you know - good luck. Now that was a piece of correspondence that was clearly addressed to you. On some of these, you know, they blanket, they send them to a lot of people. So we don't respond unless there's something specific to respond about. And with this one, it's just not real clear what they're looking for. We can handle them differently. We can just write an acknowledgement letter. That can be done. Like an email. I mean acknowledgement, return. The fact we have received them. Because most of them say thank you for your time, I hope you will consider this. And I'm assuming we don't want to get into a lengthy explanation unless we have to. A dialogue. Right. Well, and a lot ofthe students indicated that they hope to hear from us soon, so some kind of response would probably be appropriate, Emily Post level. Correspondence f(6) Josh Johnson: Geese Vanderhoef: Also in correspondence, I thought #6 on the geese down on the river was an interesting and that's on University property and it's written, I think it- Atkins: See, I read that as somebody was having a good time at our expense. O'Donnell: So did I. Vanderhoef: I don't know. Bailey: I read that as the letter of the law of the assignment. O'Donnell: These geese. Champion: Oh yes, right, right, the geese. Vanderhoef: It was funny, there's no doubt about that, but just acknowledge that those comments should go to the University. Wilburn: Other agenda items? Champion: Well, Ijust wanted to ask Steve about this water plant that seems to be falling apart all the time. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 Atkins: Champion: Atkins: Dilkes: Champion: Bailey: Champion: Bailey: Correia: Wilburn: City Council Work Session Page 12 Ok. I mean why can't we - are we gOnna have to pay for all those repairs? No. That is Council Time. Sorry, Connie. Oh, that's what I thought. Ok. I didn't mean to ask. I didn't hear you. In correspondence. Info packet. Correspondence. Any other agenda items? Correspondence f(10) Leona Muller: Railroad Crossing on 1st Avenue Vanderhoef: I would just like to comment on #10. We have an SO-year old writing us a letter that is the most beautiful handwriting for someone. It is legible, they took the lessons on how to write and they wrote it. It's gorgeous. Elliott: Cursive writing 10 1. Vanderhoef: Mmm hmm. The old Palmer method. Elliott: I couldn't do it when I was in 4th grade, and I still can't. Wilburn: Ifthere's nO other agenda items, we'll move On to Council Time. Connie, did you want to? (laughter) Elliott: Council Time Champion: Atkins: Champion: Go Connie. Well, you know it just seems to me there's been consistent problems with, is it the facing, do you call that the facing, falling down and cracking. Facing has been corrected. That contractor, at the insurance company's expense. What's cracking now? I don't- This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. "..'.._._m____..___.____~._,,_.._"'__"_"___.____.___.._~._--_.-,.------------,-,.--..----,-..-- April 16,2007 Dilkes: Atkins: Champion: O'Donnell: Atkins: O'Donnell: Dilkes: Champion: Atkins: Champion: Bailey: Atkins: Dilkes: Atkins: Wilburn: Champion: O'Donnell: Bailey: O'Donnell: Champion: Bailey: O'Donnell: City Council Work Session Page 13 The roof beams. 1 don't know how to describe it other than that which supports the roof. Wonderful. Ok. The beam. Well, they're beams. Oh, the beams are cracking. You stand on the floor and you look up. Ok. Now, Public Works took the initiative to secure it and we, as you know, authorized a consulting firm to look at it on our behalf and so is the contractor. 1 don't really know what else to report until we get that information back. Ok. Thank you. Do we - I have to. Do we seem to have a sense of why we continue to have problems with this building? Or will the consultants - will they just look at the roof beams? I mean, it seems to be- I'm sure the consultant was given a very specific charge. I can't imagine a generalized review. I'm really reluctant to say anything. Let's just see what we hear. Ok. It's in the works, so to stay. In the works. Working on it. Yeah. Have them broaden their scope. I had one thing. I don't know if everybody remembers the house on Bayard Street. Oh, right. Yes. Did you go over there? I went over there on Friday night and it's unbelievable. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16,2007 Champion: O'Donnell: Bailey: O'Donnell: Bailey: Elliott: O'Donnell: Bailey: O'Donnell: Bailey: Champion: Elliott: Correia: Champion: Atkins: Bailey: Atkins: Elliott: Champion: Elliott: City Council Work Session Page 14 I would have loved to have gone. It's a great example of what happens when a neighborhood works with a contractor and they come together with an idea like this. This house is absolutely fantastic, and it's sold already, it blends into the neighborhood so well. I was really pleased. The trees are still there, right? What's that? The trees are still there - it builds appropriately? Oh yes. Oh yeah - they saved everything they possibly could. So they have all that nice shade. And they still came up with blended into that neighborhood so well and yet it's brand new. So I was really pleased with that. I have an item, and I'm sure others have gotten calls. I think we need to talk about the taxi stand again. Oh yes. That was my next item. Oh. Taxi stand? I haven't gotten any complaints. I think- I understand that there may be someone coming tonight from the Downtown Association, so you may hear it under public comment time. Ok. And what I wonder is if we shouldn't roll some of the looking at this into some of what we're doing with the downtown consultant and seeing if this is working or what we need to do. I mean I think we tried to do a good thing, but it's not quite - we need to tweak it a little bit more. Yeah. I certainly failed to understand the human element in this, because there are people who have parked there a long time. They don't bother to read the small print on the signs. Well, because it looks like the same sign that's always there. And a lot of people - I said, you know, when we put in stop signs we often put in red flags to draw your attention. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16,2007 Correia: Wilburn: Elliott: Champion: Correia: Bailey: Elliott: Correia: Atkins: Bailey: O'Donnell: Bailey: (laughter) City Council Work Session Page 15 There were flags. I would suggest that if you wish to bring this back up for a work session that we, we do that. Since we really didn't post discussion about this tonight. I don't believe we did. Well I'd like to see if we can do something in the meantime too. They have flags. I think there's flags on the signs. There are flags now. Are there flags now? Yeah, I noticed them. There are flags now and I asked the police to explain to the complaintants that we do not intend to tow. We will ticket, because there is an enforcement issue that has to clearly occur, but over the weekend we suspended any towing. I think that, quite frankly, settled it down a great deal. So I'd like to put it on a work session item and see if the time is the issue, if the timing is the issue. That seems to be what I heard. I think it's the time and the location of them. Oh. Bailey: I don't think we're gonna have a lot of choice about location. Wilburn: Why don't we put it on a work session. The Council did, when we passed it, we did talk about the possibly being open for review and checking the schedule. Bailey: Sooner than we thought. Vanderhoef: And the time was- Wilburn: I did see, I did see some taxis waiting in those spots Friday night and Saturday night. Bailey: Good. Wilburn: But we'll put it on a work session. Elliott: Thanks for addressing it Steve. I appreciate that. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 Atkins: Wilburn: Correia: Wilburn: Correia: Champion: Correia: Bailey: Correia: Wilburn: Correia: Elliott: Champion: Elliott: Vanderhoef: Elliott: City Council Work Session Page 16 Ok. Anyone else Council Time? Fire station - I was - oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. I just, I think last year at sometime I had talked a little bit about the National League of Cities has this partnership for working toward inclusive communities. I had met with Stefanie Bowers about then, and at the time it was right close to the National League's Race and Equality Week, which is sometime in mid-September. And so it's come kind of back up on my radar screen and I'm wanting to explore the possibility of working with the Human Rights Commission and have the Council be involved this year as part of the partnership and Race and Equality Week, which again is sometime in mid-September, so there's a period of time to plan and see what role the Council wants to take with the Human Rights Commission. And I did speak with one Human Rights Commission member and I'd emailed Stephanie to see her interest in exploring it with them, and she had emailed me back that she was interested. So Ijust wanted to get a sense from the Council on interest and I can speak more with Stephanie and kind of bring back some proposed ideas for that. Good idea. That sounds great. Does that sound like? Did she feel like that would work on their work plan this year? Well she said, yeah, and she said she's interested in talking about it, you know Jjust got an email today, spoke with Sara Baird last week, so I think I would move forward in talking with the Chair as well. Looks like there's interest. Great. Thanks. Another downtown note. J have heard from a couple different people that one of the local bars is putting on fighting, fight nights. Right. And I think we need to look at that. Whether that goes on the next work session or something. What is fight night? I don't know how organized it is. Ultimate fighting, whatever, but I think it's inappropriate. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 17 Vanderhoef: It's a ring with? Atkins: It's, it's pugilism, it's boxing, it's kicking and doing whatever, and we don't regulate it. O'Donnell: Maybe we should. Champion: Can we? Bailey: Do we? Can we? Dilkes: This is the first I've heard of fight nights. I (can't hear) Atkins: No we don't. Elliott: I don't even know for sure that it's happening, but I've had two different complaints. Atkins: Oh it is. Bailey: Oh it's happening. Atkins: It's happening, yeah. . Wilburn: Are there enough Council members that want to? Champion: Can we regulate it? Vanderhoef: I think we need to - Dilkes: I mean, my gut reaction is yes, that there are safety issues, health issues, you know, local health and safety and welfare issues. Yes. Bailey: Ok. I'd be interested in talking about it. Atkins: Ok. Vanderhoef: Mmm hmmm. Wilburn: In the meantime I'll wait for that to come up iffolks can dig around and get some more information so we have that available to talk about at that work session. That would be good. Dilkes: That's assuming that the State doesn't already do that and I, I don't know that. Vanderhoef: I don't know anything about it. Correia: I have one additional thing. I happened to have a conversation with Mike Stoffregen last week and he ended up talking about the Iowa, a charitable giving fund with Iowa City and I, he had asked me, you know, where it was. And I think some of this happened before I was on the Council, and so I didn't know. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. __,____^..____~n_~.~~",._.___.___. _< __ _u_____.___.,___..._,__~___._~..___" --- ---.---..-----.-..--- April 16,2007 Atkins: Vanderhoef: Correia: Vanderhoef: Correia: Fire Station #2 Wilburn: Rocca: Morris: City Council Work Session Page 18 It's on your pending. When we talk about pending items tonight that's one of them. Get it scheduled. Yeah. I put it on again. Oh you did? Ok, good. Several weeks ago. Ok. Fire station #2. Good evening. Tonight we have opportunity to bring you an update on the fire station 2 reconstruction project. And fire station 2 is located at 301 Emerald Street. If you recall you took a tour, I believe it was last August of the outlying fire stations. And at that time what we were proposing to do was to reconstruct fire station 2 as a drive-through facility. We had a little more discussion with fire staff and architectural staff and we decided to take more advantage of the building site itself and build more fire station. And so what we hope to do is provide you an update that shows the traditional back-in type fire station with additional square footage. But as well we wanted to respond to your direction on accommodating future growth, potential expansion of the station, as well as some of the long-term energy efficiencies ofthe facility. And so with that I'll turn the podium over to Kumi, and she can step you through the update of our project. Well as Andy said, last August, the last image that you saw, what we're working towards, was a drive-through station. After many meetings with fire staff and also working with an architectural consultant, what we decided was what we'd rather have is more station than having a drive-through eliminated that purpose. And so what we're looking at now is- what we see here is a different station. That is, this is the existing station on top of the existing site - 7064 square feet. And the new station - you can see the outline of the existing building, what we're proposing for the new building, which doesn't, as you can see, does not have a drive-through but is a back-in station. But after discussing with staff dealing with the grades, what staff really would like to see is more building for their dealing, and so. This is the new plan, the proposed plan for the future station. As you can see, the station accommodates more sleeping areas for future growth, specifically, for EMS, which is something that we were asked to look at last August by Council as a possible accommodation for the future. Also within that, when you add an additional staff, such as an EMS staff, many other areas in the station also grow. For example, the fitness area has to grow to accommodate more people, as does locker rooms, rest rooms, and shower areas, as does kitchens. Because now you need more, you need more facility area to store food and materials for accommodating additional staff. With that the day room grows. And as you can see from the memo that was included, that should be included in your packet, the station grew by accommodating the future growth and extension of services, the EMS. It grew approximately, let's see, 10,000 square feet. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16,2007 City Council Work Session Page 19 We also added a basement. That was something that was also requested of us last August, to look at and future growth and other areas that the station could grow. One of the things that was requested was to look at either growing up or you know, looking at accommodating a basement. Basement spaces for the dollar, it's a better deal. Also when we looked at the National Fire Protection Agency's recommendation in terms of designing a fire station, it's highly recommended not to put sleeping spaces or that type of spaces on the second floor due to the number of injuries that occur, whereas storage space or training spaces in the lower level, in the basement level, is something that they don't see as many injuries. Whereas living areas on the second story space, you do see that. So we looked at adding a basement space and with that we were able to accommodate many of the commodities storages, like the toilet paper, that sort of thing, that they do accommodate at fire station 2 down in the lower level. Also this plan provides for some open areas, for training areas, which is something that was highly requested by staff. With this also we are able to put the ITS and other types of storage for uniforms and that type of secured storage that they need at that station presently. So what we're looking at here is the proposed east elevation, and that's the elevation that you see from Melrose. This is the north, excuse me, from Emerald Street, and then the north elevation, which is from Melrose. And as you can see the station house has a number of what we call clerestories or windows in the upper level. It lets in natural light, it's a way to, for energy savings in terms of day lighting, not having to use as much fluorescent types of lighting or any other types of systems. This is the west elevation, which is what the neighborhood will see, and also from the ground storage reservoir, that's what you would see. And also the south elevation. This is the existing site, and it's about the plan for the proposed plan on the site. You can see the accommodation for three bays. It's a much larger station. The day area or living area is tucked into the front space. Again, the clerestory windows. And this is the entryway. So these are the numbers that we were discussing a little earlier here. What we're looking at is from what you saw last fall, we had a square footage of 7064 and to accommodate it we've added a basement space of 2,290 square feet. And on the extension of services, which is EMS or additional staff in the future is about 1359 square feet. What we , we figured that's about $138.00 a square foot for ten thousand three hundred square feet. That's about a $456,000.00 add for the growth of what we would consider a fifty year station. The other up-front cost that wasn't in the additional proposal number that we looked at last fall was the other thing that we were asked to look at very strongly, which is long term energy efficiencies. Which is, what we're looking at is ground storage, ground source heat pump systems, both in the apparatus bay, which is the garage bay. Also within the living quarters. We have also looked at adding, again, the clerestory windows and a number of other systems for energy efficiencies. That has, some aspects of that have a longer term payback then others, but that's something that we're recommending in terms of sustainability. Vanderhoef: What is the payout time for the efficiency? Champion: It was in the note. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16,2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 20 Morris: Well that's - there's some things that we know certainly at this point. We're working with an organization called the White Group, which is part of MidAmerica, and Design Engineers, which is a mechanical and electrical engineer, and we're actually meeting tomorrow. MidAmerica's White Group, which is their, I guess, sub-consultant for them that deals specifically with energy, has been modeling the building for us. And we will know a little bit more tomorrow, so ['11 be able to answer that more extensively. What we do know is we'll definitely get a payback for the ground, the ground heat pump source system. Some things will be a lot, more difficult to determine, like windows, for example, because it's something that we don't have now, and so the comparative is a little bit more difficult. What we're doing is we're also looking at two other fire stations that have very similar systems in their buildings and a similar climate range, and from that we'll probably be able to model it a little bit better and get a better sense of what that number will actually be. Vanderhoef: Because that will determine the number of years also. Morris: Right. What we do know is that in terms of ground source heat pump, in a residential unit, which, some components of this, for example the living components, is very much like any residential situation. You have bedrooms, you have a kitchen, you have that sort of thing; we see a 5-year payback for that component of it. However, how that differs from a residential unit is that we have, in the bays, garage bays, which are very large, take up a lot of space. They require heat in order to keep the trucks, you know, able to go at any time during day and night in the winter months, and so that's something that's a different modeling system from something that's a residential unit. Correia: So we had talked previously about using the LEED certification as a standard. Is that, so - you've been using the other? Morris: No that, that's, yeah, that's incorporated within it as well, looking at the LEED standards for that. Correia: Ok. . Morris: And how this building can apply. There's many other elements for LEED that we're looking at: for example, how to keep the water on the site and some other things. And so in many ways we think that this building will at least be certified and to what level will depend on what components within the energy efficiencies we decide to add on. Bailey: Ok. [ seem to - ok, I could be misremembering this. [ seem to remember some drainage problems with this site. Vanderhoef: Mmm hmm. Morris: That's correct. Bailey: And so, did you have to make accommodations for that basement? I mean, how are you working that out? Because [ remembered that there were some challenges. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 Morris: Bailey: Morris: Bailey: O'Donnell: Bailey: Morris: O'Donnell: Morris: O'Donnell: Morris: O'Donnell: Morris: O'Donnell: Champion: Morris: Champion: Morris: Champion: Elliott: Kumi: City Council Work Session Page 21 Right. Well, one of the things, major things we're discussing is engineered soils on the site to raise the station. As you can see from, let me go back here. Oh, ok. You can see that what we're looking at is raising the grade of some elements of the station. The basement, we will need some kind of sump pump, because of the depth on the site and the drainage, but that's something that we're discussing. Ok. This is Emerald Street view of it? That doesn't look tall, higher, does it? That's correct. It's probably, this is Emerald Street and if you go up further here this is Melrose. Do you have a view of it from Melrose? Did we see that? I don't remember seeing that one. That should be from the north elevation. From Melrose. The bottom picture. Excuse me? The bottom picture. That's correct. Ok. Kumi, did you say the possibility EMS was ten thousand square feet? No, I'm sorry, that's for both the basement addition and EMS, excuse me. Yes no, it should be - Oh, ok. Thank you. I was thinking maybe we had better reconsider that. No. When we add EMS all other components within the station grows and we see about 1359 square feet. That's fine. I'll follow up on that. When is that expected to move into that facility? The EMS equipment and personnel? That's a question for Andy. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 22 Rocca: There have been no formal discussions or timetables set on moving EMS delivery into any fire station. It's been a concept that we've discussed for a number of years. We haven't had any formal discussions. Elliot: And where does that, from where does that operate now at the present time? Rocca: They have centrally located facilities on South Dubuque Street and they do occupy, I believe, a Coralville fire station with one of their ambulances. Elliott: And would this be, would this serve both Iowa City and Coralville, then, if it were to be placed there? Rocca: I guess that would all be up for discussion at this point, you know, in terms of- Elliott: But we're talking about maybe 3 years, maybe 10 years. Rocca: I'm not sure how to respond to a timetable when we haven't had really any formal discussion or direction to have those discussions. Champion: And did we talk about that for the possibility of a new, a northside fire station too, to have EMS in that? If we ever get that fire station. Rocca: Well yes. I think it, you know, you look at the state trend, the national trend, fire-based EMS is not an uncommon occurrence across the nation or the state, and so we think it's prudent to look to the future and design our facilities to incorporate that in. Champion: And would we lease that to them then? How would that, how would that be handled? You don't know. Rocca: It could potentially be a lease. You know, there's a variety of options I think available to us. O'Donnell: I think it's a great idea. Champion: Yeah. I think it is a good idea too. Wilburn: If we support the concept sooner rather than later, too, I'd rather, if we're going to disrupt a site with construction, I'd rather see us get it, get it built get it done rather than, you know, a year out, two years come back and - it's more disruptive, in my opinion, to continue. Vanderhoef: Trying to retrofit. Wilburn: Right. The - Vanderhoef: Are they in rental space now? Rocca: Are who? This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16,2007 City Council Work Session Page 23 Vanderhoef: EMS. Rocca: Are they in what now? Vanderhoef: On South Dubuque? Rocca: They are in that space now, that's correct. Vanderhoef: But is that a rental space? Rocca: No, no. They own that. They own that property. Vanderhoef: The County? Rocca: Yes. O'Donnell: It's right behind that convenience store down there, isn't it? Rocca: That's correct. South Dubuque and Benton. That area. Vanderhoef: Ok. Elliott: Is there, is there any possibility of then - EMS is a County operation. Rocca: Correct. Champion: Right. Elliott: Is there any possibility of the County being interested in this additional space, with additional cost? Rocca: I wish I could answer that. Elliott: Again, Andy- (laughter) Rocca: In fact, if you give me formal direction to do so, we can talk about that. Champion: Well, I wondered. Are they planning on including that in their new campus? Maybe we need to find out if they're interested at all before we approve this new concept, which is also going to increase the kitchen size, living size, bedroom quarters. And if the County is not interested at all, then maybe we need to go back to our original plan. Correia: Well, I can answer the question about ambulances not moving into the new health and human services campus. That was your question about that space, is that including that? Champion: But what about the other side of the Annory? Their gonna have all that space. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 24 Correia: That's not - I don't think there is discussions about that. Champion: I would like Andy to maybe talk to the County to see ifthere's any interest on their part at all. Bailey: I actually would like to move ahead as Ross said with the concept. Given some of the discussions we've had about joint services, I think that there's an opportunity here that we may not be able to determine in the next 6 months, but might be a possibility in 18 months or two years. Correia: Well as it, as we're talking about a 50-year station, thinking about trends in the industry, I mean it's worth talking about what could happen in the next 50 years. Wilburn: At a minimum there's enough room for the trucks in this, right? Rocca: Absolutely. Wilburn: Ok. Champion: Ok then. Bailey: And we had talked, I mean, this is very different than the drive-through, so I assume that there's appropriate room for you to back in. I'm sure you've checked into all that- it's not a problem. Rocca: Yeah. In terms of safety of personnel, safety of pedestrians, other vehicular traffic in the area, it's a fine - it's a safe operation. It is. But what it does give us is room to still house the County HAZMA T response vehicle, room for a reserve pumper as well as our frontline pumper, as well as some additional flexibility there potentially for EMS. And so we'll have a lot of room to do things that we currently do not have. Bailey: Ok. Vanderhoef: And as 1- Wilburn: I think I - I was just gonna say, can you go ahead and just get some information from the County, broach the topic so there's no? Rocca: Glad to. Wilburn: Ok. Elliott: I, my concern - Wilburn: So that we have the information to, as far as future deliberations. Rocca: I like the concept. I think the concept there. But my concern would be we're making a lot of additional moves that are costing more money on the basis of this happening. If EMS This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. "___~_,_,__,____,_u___~_____,",__,_",___,,'___~_~___'___~. . ..~---,-'-"'-' - .-------,.,-------- ---"---.-..-..-------- April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 25 doesn't do that, then, did we need to spend that money? But I do like the concept ifit's gonna happen. Rocca: I believe it will. Wilburn: Do you have a question? O'Donnell: I think it is gonna happen and I also think that it's prudent to think ahead with the number of years that this fire station is expected to last. Champion: How long did the one last that's there now? Rocca: Well, let's see. I believe it was opened in 1970 or thereabouts. You saw the condition. Champion: It's terrible. Rocca: I could remind you of its condition, but I think you well remember. Vanderhoef: Yes. Andy, if I remember it correctly, you also have HAZMAT placed out of that station. What do you foresee the additional space that they may need? I'm thinking about that space that you're adding in there. How would that look with other activities that happen in this? Rocca: With HAZMA T specifically we've tried to anticipate some of their needs, current as well as future. And the apparatus bay does have a mezzanine storage area that would be most appropriate to house a lot of the equipment associated with HAZMAT. Right now I think we have it split in different locations. And so again, we tried to take that into consideration as we looked at the design of reconstructed station 2. Champion: Ok. Vanderhoef: Go for it. Elliott: Good. Correia: I think it looks really good. Wilburn: Thank you Andy. Rocca: Thank you. Appreciate it. Hil!hwav 6 and Gilbert Wilburn: Highway 6 and Gilbert. We did, that project at least as of right now is proceeding forward. We did receive correspondence from Hills Bank. We did also receive, I don't see it in here, a letter from someone's attorney. Champion: It's here. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. ._..____~__..__~._~___"_~_."___~_. ._"._______~_.._._n_'..__....__.__ April 16,2007 Correia: Karr: Wilburn: Champion: Wilburn: O'Donnell: City Council Work Session Page 26 It's in the packet. In the info pack - IP3. I don't have my info pack with me. Ok. All right. Thank you. I asked that this be back on there. We're at a point where, and Connie had given the appeal last time for those in the majority if anyone's thinking of reconsidering. And ljust wanted to make sure if we proceed forward we proceed. If, if there's going to be - while Council can always change its mind, we're at a point where money is, significant amounts of money could start being spent and talking about property acquisition. I think we're at a point where we really need to kind of know for certain if anyone is thinking of reconsidering, I guess now would be the time to speak. So I'll just put it out there for Council again. I'll just interject one sentence. When I was down there this morning at five to 8:00, there was no traffic. And I would say it's not just about the traffic and the times. It's about safety too and there are capacity issues at both peak and non-peak times in terms of safety. I drive this area all the time. Maybe I'm a little bit more tentative about safety since I was rear-ended a couple weeks ago, but frequently when I'm trying to exit some of the spaces around here, you know, between, well between 10:00 and 3:00, those are the primary times that I'm around there, and it's not just during the lunch and business hours there. In my opinion there are some significant safety concerns. So it's not just about, it's not just about waiting I guess is what I'm saying. I believe there is a safety issue given the current capacity. But I'll put it out there for others. Well, in my mind we can address the safety issues. I think we should improve the intersection. My problem is with the median going down as far as it goes on Gilbert Street and north on Gilbert Street. Ijust think there's a better way to do this. You can put in a double turn lane and not have - how long is the median going down? Do we know- (cut off - end of tape) Davidson: Wilburn: O'Donnell: Wilburn: Elliott: If there's a desire to know about a specific dimension, there is something Sarah would be the one to answer that question. But yes, just to refresh everybody's memory, the notion of the median is predicated on a federal design standard with the dual left turn lanes, and that's why you see it in the design. Thank you. Well 1 disagree with the length of the median and 1 really don't like the idea of. Basically, we have the potential to put some very valuable community businesses out of business in that location. And Ijust don't favor that. Anyone else care to comment? I just, I also think that this is a grandiose approach to a situation that, at the present time, is not serious. And in the future it mayor may not be, but I think there is a way to compromise and not damage the businesses both north and south of that interchange. My This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16,2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 27 thinking is that people have indicated that when Mormon Trek is extended with its different name, whatever you want to call Mormon Trek, when it's extended and it hooks up with Scott Boulevard, that may increase the traffic at that intersection. It may decrease the traffic at that intersection. So I think that there are too many negatives that outweigh the positives, and I would rather have a much less grandiose approach to the intersection. Wilburn: Rather than hearing the same discussion points that we have each time we've had this item come up, I guess I was looking more towards is a majority committed or not. I'm not trying to stop anyone's conversation though. Bailey: I wanted to just emphasize. I believe that the letter from Meardon, Sueppel & Downer states the situation pretty accurately. I think the message that we're sending to the citizens, particularly the business owners, is rather unclear. I know that this Council has moved ahead on decisions with 4/3 splits, but sitting on the 4 side are 3 people who are up for re-election. That would make it unclear to me as a business owner. I wonder if we could once again design this and as redevelopment mayor may not occur, that people could be aware of what the long term plans for this intersection are that do nothing at this point. I just think that we're not sending a clear enough message and these businesses don't know what to do, and that puts them at a far greater disadvantage then even trying to accommodate changes to the intersection down the road. Because it's so unclear from this body. So is that possible? To design, and then if there is redevelopment in the area to be able to indicate what those changes would be in the long run? Vanderhoef: What redevelopment are you talking about? Bailey: Iffor example Aleda would decide to sell Pleasant Valley, then it wouldn't impact her business necessarily and she would know, or the person, the business that would buy that area would know that down the road this might, this intersection would look different. Vanderhoef: We can't predicate our building and needs for safety issues predicated on what mayor may not happen in the future by a individual business owner. I think that's not- Bailey: Well, I'm suggesting that, I am suggesting that we not do this at this time. And I am suggesting that we move ahead on design. And that's what I'm asking. Is that possible? So if there is redevelopment in the area we can give a clear message. Because I don't believe that we're speaking clearly. I'm a person who likes clear messages to the public. I like unanimous votes on projects like this and we don't have that. We're walking on a razor's edge with this project and at any time it could go away because the votes would change. So I don't feel comfortable moving ahead on it. O'Donnell: Sounds to me like we have 4 votes not to do this. Champion: No. She can only bring it forward as possible reconsideration. Wilburn: It's all, as with any project, we can always design and shelve if it's not the amount of money you want to put on it. Bailey: Yeah, how much? This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 Wilburn: Bailey: Wilburn: Bailey: Davidson: (laughter) Bailey: Davidson: Dilkes: Bailey: Davidson: Champion: Bailey: Correia: Champion: Atkins: Champion: City Council Work Session Page 28 But in terms ofthe political discussion, I mean that's, there's, given the time frame that it takes for large projects it's always going to be - it's rare, it may be rare that there is going to be a 7-0 vote on- I understand that, but I'm just saying that we aren't. I think this letter sums it up very nicely: we aren't being clear on this project. Is it moving ahead or not? It's very, like I said, balanced on a razor's edge. It's not a place where I'd want to be, and it's not a place where I'd want to be a business owner in the area. Well given that there is not majority on this item, I suspect we would have to take action to repeal - But could I get an answer to my question about cost? (can't hear) was gonna do. I know - you're standing there. It is possible to proceed with the design and shelve it. You know, when you eventually, or a subsequent council eventually decides to do it, there may be a few things you know we have to go back and redo, but basically the design would be there as something that some day the City intends to do. Now I have to say having also read the same letters that you have, I think one of the questions that was expressed in the letter is either tell us you're gonna do it now or tell us you're not gonna do it. So the property owners can proceed with their plans. I think leaving it hanging as something the City intends to do sometime, at least for certain individuals, is not what they're looking for. Although I don't think you can ever say you're not going to do a project, and I think Chuck Meardon understands that. Right. It is possible though to go ahead with the design. The other thing is McAllister - I mean, there could be a direct impact on that intersection if when, it is going to be McAllister isn't it? McCollister. McCollister. How do you say that? C. MacCollister. Ok. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription ofthe Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 29 Bailey: First settler ofIowa City. Champion: I didn't grow up here. (laughter) Champion: That could take, I think it could take a lot of traffic out of Highway 6. Because people would tend to take Mormon Trek, and when that crosses the river I would think it would take a lot of traffic off Highway 6. I'm just guessing, I don't really know. But I think it is something to consider, what's going to happen with traffic. And you know, I just, I don't know if I want to spend the money designing something that we say we might or might not do, since future councils may decide not to do it or to do it. So to spend that money seems a little foolish to me. But I do think, I'm very much against this project as all of you know, because I think we're going to destroy a lot of local businesses where the money stays here. Correia: Well one of the things that I wonder if we'd have the opportunity - one ofthe things that I got from the letter from Hills Bank was an acknowledgement that something needs to happen to improve this. You know, we'd like, we the business would like more involvement in helping to shape whatever that might look like. And I wonder if this gives us an opportunity to work more in tandem with the businesses along the corridor who may also believe that there needs to be improvements, I think, you know, I make decisions not to go to, depending on what time of day, because it's hard to get in or out of businesses along that corridor, and I'm sure I'm not the only one that does that. There just, you know, wanting to direct more involvement with the neighbors on Church, at that Church and Dubuque neighborhood on, you know, helping to have input on that design. Wilburn: I guess I would ask if you could define what more involvement is. Because this is not new. This is a, I don't know how many times this intersection has cycled around. Champion: Many times. Wilburn: And design and meetings with the neighbors. And in some situations there's gonna be, there may be a business or two or three or however many that may want to see something happen there, but because of the public nature of the business that we do hear, it may not be helpful for their business to be someone to come out in front and say such a thing. So what is more involvement? And I'm looking at Jeff because I know he's been involved in some of these discussions in the past. So if anyone can say what that is so we can send staff a clear direction as to what more involvement or what we want to see happen there. Vanderhoef: Well we certainly have notified them in plenty of time and asked for their ideas and they've had sit-down meetings with our staff to look at possibilities, so until we get this plan in there. But as I recall, we've had a 4th revote both to put it in the capital improvement plan for this year and the two succeeding years to carry out this whole thing. This is not different than what we've been doing for a number of years when opportunities come along to consolidate driveways and entrances for safety purposes. We did some of that same kind of stuff when we changed what the parking looked like in downtown. It is standard procedure, and we work real hard and truly I think we have done a remarkable job in this community of doing this and working with our folks. I This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. -,~---~~'"'-'----"--'---'-----" ----_._.~---_..__.._-----------_........_---_.".__._._-- ,--.-----...--- ".--.--...-..-----------....---" April 16,2007 Champion: Wilburn: Dilkes: Bailey: Champion: Bailey: Wilburn: Dilkes: Wilburn: Elliott: Champion: O'Donnell: City Council Work Session Page 30 agree with this letter that says tell us we're gonna do it or tell us you're not gonna do it. But if you just go forward and say well, we're gonna have a plan and maybe we'll put it on the shelf and maybe we'll go forward, there's still no answer for the business owner. If the business owner chooses to make a change, once they have the plan that's great - they can move forward at the same time as we move forward with the reconstruction. This is a safety issue. When people talk about looking at diverting traffic onto MacCollister, by the time MacCollister is completed out to Scott Boulevard, we will have had a fair amount of growth in south Iowa City. And when you say divert that traffic out there, I think that much of the traffic that's gonna come across the MacCollister Bridge is going to be heading for the University of Iowa and they are adding more and more jobs and offices downtown and those people are trying to come from the west side. They are hindered by Benton Street. That is another problem that needs to be addressed and hasn't been. Over the last 8 years I think since the last time we looked at it and no one had the fortitude to go forward and say we have to do something on Benton Street. We rushed up Mormon Trek completion into 4 lanes so we'd have a bypass situation for Benton Street. But as we grow to the west side of the City and across 218 West and they only have Melrose and Benton Street and Highway 6 to come down, this is going to become a huge problem, and the sooner we address it the better off we're gonna be. Well I don't know about that. I mean I - no, I guess I disagree, because what you consider a huge traffic problem I don't think we have any traffic problems in Iowa City, I'm sorry. The question I have right now, again, there is not a majority to do it now. Is now the appropriate time to discuss whether we carry, how far forward to carry the plans or not? A show of hands or something like that? Yeah. I think if you want to - I'm willing just - I'm just willing to say no. I, I mean, I'm tired of this and I'm willing to say no. It's just not clear enough and I'll switch my vote. You're very wise Regenia. Thank you Connie. So- I'll put a repeal of the resolution authorizing acquisition on the next agenda. Ok. All right. Good. Thank you. Thanks. Thank you. Schedule of Pendinl! Items This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16,2007 City Council Work Session Page 31 Wilburn: Schedule of pending discussion items. Atkins: I've got copies. Karr: Steve, before you start, did you want to talk about scheduling? Correia: Oh yes. Karr: That might make a difference in impacting that discussion. Correia: Oh, thank you for reminding me Marian. It's a good thing I talked to you. I have the opportunity to go to a conference in Boston. I need to leave on Tuesday morning, May 15th, so I'm wondering, we have a Council meeting scheduled Tuesday evening. I'm wondering about willingness to have the Tuesday evening meeting on Monday. Bailey: I don't like this. Vanderhoef: I don't either. Correia: Well I can miss the meeting. Bailey: I'm willing, I'm willing to move to the 22nd. I just, I don't like the boom boom, so. I mean, I'd be glad to move the 15th - then I could go to my nephew's band concert. Vanderhoef: I don't have my calendar so I can't tell you whether- Bailey: But I'd be willing to move to the 22nd if people are available the 21" and 22nd Wilburn: I left my calendar out in the car. Vanderhoef: I don't have mine - I can't say about the nnd Elliott: Are we talking about May? Correia: Yes. O'Donnell: I don't think there's any problem going from May I" to May 22nd Correia: May IS"'. Champion: May 15th. O'Donnell: But two meetings that month. We'll go from May I" and move May 15th to the 22nd. Elliott: I don't have my calendar here either, but my recollection is the end of May is pretty wide open. Champion: Maybe everyone could check their calendars. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. "._._.~----_.__..._---,.~--_.._~---~"-"'~-"""----'----------.------------- April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 32 Wilburn: I'll check mine before the formal meeting. Champion: Yeah. I don't have any problem. Vanderhoef: I'll call home and- Bailey: Ijust don't have the stamina to do four hours. Vanderhoef: Well, what happens is we don't get as much done as far as our priority list, which is something I've mentioned before, that I like to have time to do those. Correia: And I certainly could miss a meeting. Connie misses a meeting. Champion: It was painful. I thought you were all talking about me. Bailey: We were. Vanderhoef: We've all missed a meeting now and then. Wilburn: Pending discussion items. Atkins: I'm sending around the memo I put out in March. I'd like to work from that, just a number of questions so we can do scheduling of some of those items. Again, it's a memo you've seen before. Bailey: We need to do transit if we're gonna talk about any kind offestival services. Atkins: We're going to talk about that so. Bailey: So we should do that earlier rather than later. Atkins: Everyone got one? The fIrst item, recycling update - that's fInished. I'm assuming we'll call that done. Cash balance, I'd like to skip that for a moment. Moving down to transit, we're prepared at the meeting of the 30th, if that's ok with you, to begin that discussion. Champion: April 30'h? Atkins: April 30. Wilburn: April 30. Correia: Oh, because that's the work session before the main - Atkins: That's the work session for the 30th. You ok with that? Champion: Oh ok. Yes. Atkins: Ok. So we'll plan the transit discussion on the evening of the 30th at a work session. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. _.~--~_.,---_.__._._----_._------_._-----"'--'--"-----_'_-~,.- ~ April 16,2007 City Council Work Session Page 33 O'Donnell: Good. Atkins: Fire Safety Regulations, that's on for this evening. Staff overview, excuse me - staff reviews is still open. I did not have a time for Community Foundation. Bailey: Last time when we had this discussion we didn't have complete information from Mike Stoffregen regarding the state regulations and the state opportunities and so any time we do that when he's prepared to bring that full information. Atkins: Ok. Then I will talk with Mike. We'll skip over that for the time being. Downtown market study, that's underway, contract has been signed. The housing study is currently under review. We would hope to have that, maybe by your next meeting. Again, that's under review. Parks and Recreation master plan. This one is going to take a little while longer than I'd originally intended. The proposals are due in on April 30th. The Commission will interview probably during the following month. I don't expect this much before July the I" in front of you for a contract. Ok? Vanderhoef: Ok, now- Correia: Ijust have a questions back Vanderhoef: Where is the - Correia: I'm sorry, just back on the housing study. Under review - you mean under review who, because they're- Atkins: Internal. Correia: In terms of choosing consultants. Atkins: Yes. Correia: And then it'll come to us. Atkins: And then it'll come to you. Correia: Ok. Vanderhoef: With the Parks and Recreation master plan, I thought we were gonua have a presentation about those capital improvement. Remember we left a reserve into our capital improvement plan of 1.3 million to - and then we spent a bit of it and we were to look at trails in particular to see where the gaps were both on trails and on sidewalks. Atkins: Ok. Bailey: When are we doing trail gaps? This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 34 Atkins: Why don't we just, let me go back with Terry tomorrow and get that scheduled for you. There's no reason why that can't be done fairly quickly as well. Vanderhoef: Yes because - Atkins: So we have two issues. What we're saying is the master plan is one issue, trail gap is a second issue. Bailey: Mmm hmm. Vanderhoef: Well, and put it in there with sidewalk gap, because they, sidewalks become trails in certain instances for us. Atkins: Ok. We'll come back to that. Fire station 2 you- Wilburn: That's, just, that's fine to do it that way. My recollection was there was a conversation and concern about getting public input, and I remember suggesting that as part of the master planning process that could be - Atkins: Ok. Bailey: For the trails? Wilburn: Yes. That was my recollection, so I wasn't anticipating anything. We can, we can go ahead, I was just - there was a lot of concern about public input, about that, and it just seems to make sense to me that if we're going to have a master plan- Bailey: To direct them to have public input on trail gaps. Wilburn: Yeah, as part of that, because they're going to be doing it anyway. Correia: What's the timeline for the master plan? Bailey: Yeah - how long will that take? Atkins: I don't know. I'm sure each consultant has a different approach. Vanderhoef: Months. Atkins: But months, yeah, months. You probably want, again, I don't imagine you'll be deciding this much before July the I". Correia: I'mjust thinking that we have that money set aside in '08, I mean to do -I mean, we don't need to, I'm just wondering if- Atkins: Oh yeah. (can't hear) Won't cobble up your thinking. Bailey: Have you sent the RFP yet? This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. April 16, 2007 City Council Work Session Page 35 Atkins: What's that? Excuse me. Vanderhoef: But the point is- Bailey: Have they done the RFP for the? Correia: We want to be able to use that. Atkins: It's - they're out. Bailey: I'm sorry - there's too many conversations going on for the transcriptionist. Vanderhoef: Starting July I we are in '08, so we're losing construction building time after July I for the '08 projects, so I'm- Bailey: But Ross is right. We did talk about public input for those trails and I think it seems to make sense if the master plan is going on and that will have public input, is to take advantage of that process. Vanderhoef: I think there are some apparent ones that would take care of the 1.3. Atkins: So we split this issue or we're not? If we don't split it, then we're- Vanderhoef: I'd like to see it split. O'Donnell: I don't remember us speaking of splitting it either. I thought it was part of the master plan. Atkins: I remember two conversations but I wasn't exactly sure how we decided to handle it. Bailey: Well, trail gaps was on the list before Parks and Recreation master plan, and then that's how they rolled together is how I remember it now. Atkins: Why don't we hold it, come back to (can't hear) and see how he's going to knock off. Ok. Wilburn: Yeah, yes. Atkins: Ok. Fire station 2 is finished. Ok if I go ahead? Wilburn: Yep. Atkins: Larger capital projects, Gilbert and Highway 6, that'll be back on for your next meeting. Champion: We just dealt with it. Wilburn: We have to rescind the- Bailey: We have to do a repeal. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. --_.._-_.__._-~..~--"-,--_.._._._-----------~~---------,-,-----_.__...~-_.._- ,.. -~.._--_._--_..__...~-_._-~-_._--,.._-'---_..._-- April 16, 2007 Champion: Atkins: Wilburn: Atkins: Wilburn: Champion: Bailey: Elliott: Correia: Bailey: Atkins: Correia: Atkins: Correia: Champion: Atkins: Champion: Atkins: Bailey: Atkins: Bailey: City Council Work Session Page 36 Ok. Dubuque and Church, we have a neighborhood meeting tentatively scheduled for the 3", May the 3'd. Make a note of that, we'll get you the details. Lower West Branch is bid, Gilbert and Bowery is bid, and McCollister Bridge is proceeding. And Sand Lake, there was just, I had a note, just discussion - where are we, what are we gonna do? At a minimum, are we gonna, there's concrete and metal sitting around all over the place. At a minimum are we gonna get that taken care of? Cleanup was the intention. That's what I was gonna report to you. Ok. Ok. Cleanup. We were bonding for that. That's part of the item tonight, is that right? Yeah, is that what we're? Bonding for? Yeah. That's correct. Ok. Fire organizational options has been drafted. We haven't finished that work. I'm sure that'll be ready by the I" ofJuly. And we had talked about the design for the fire station. That had come up in our CIP discussion. Is that part of that? I, this was strictly, you asked for a report on some staffing ideas. Ok. Yes. I mean obviously it's gonna extend to the fourth station. Can we also put on that capital project what we're gonna do about the bus station? I have a number to add, that's one of them. Parks and Recreation, Senior, that will get back on track. Linda's back to work now and so again, I'm gonna target July the I". Will you outline what the process for that? We haven't decided that yet. Ok. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. ._~-"------~---_._-~...._-,~-_._._-_._-,..,-_._._-----_.~.,_._--_.._- April 16, 2007 Atkins: Wilburn: Atkins: Correia: Wilburn: Atkins: Correia: El1iott: Atkins: Champion: Atkins: Champion: Atkins: Champion: Atkins: Wilburn: Champion: Bailey: Champion: Atkins: City Council Work Session Page 37 She just got back. We'll have that for you. Ok. Those that we didn't, have not decided, was cash balance policies. That can pretty much ready anytime you want. Parks and Recreation master plan gaps study. We haven't decided that yet. Oh and one more- Can we get the cash balance policies before the summer? Oh yeah, sure. How about the May? Mid-May meeting, whenever that is? May would be fine. I think you're gonna find your May meeting is gonna get ful1 pretty quick. Ok. That certainly needs to precede the budget talks next fall. Let me make a note - precede budget - and I can't imagine why we can't have - I mean, we could have this one two weeks from now if you wanted to but I think you just - I think July too - It can be in July. Ok. It's usual1y, it's pretty ful1 agendas. And issues to be added. Oh, I found in my notes sales tax - you wanted to talk about that. Old bus depot. And we've added tonight taxicab parking. And fight nights. Right. So we'll have to get started on the staff work on those for you. I think the only thing we real1y don't know from tonight is Parks and Recreation master plan. Well it's the pleasure of the Council. Do you want to separate the items or do you want to consider it as part of a? I think we can ask the Parks and Rec Commission if there are some obvious trail connections that they would like done. That aren't a bridge. That aren't a bridge. Ok. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007. --~-----~._,._----------"-"-_._-------_._._.~.._"."-~._._._.__.._~--_._"------ -,-,-,---"-_.-,,~-,,,,-,------,----'--------'--"_. April 16, 2007 Champion: Atkins: O'Donnell: Atkins: O'Donnell: Atkins; O'Donnell: Wilburn: Atkins: Champion: Atkins: Wilburn: Dilkes: Atkins: Dilkes: Correia: O'Donnell: Wilburn: Atkins: Wilburn: Correia: Atkins: Wilburn: City Council Work Session Page 38 I mean, because there might be some obvious ones and we have some moneys set aside that don't have to wait for the master plan. But other then that I'd like to see them not separated. I think - Is this master plan, will that include a new trail count? Trail count Mike? What do you mean? I'd like to know how many people are using the trails. Oh. Well, we'll ask him for it. Ok. We can get a trail count basically any time, right? Yeah. Ok. I will write this up in a memo and put specific dates, so you'll have a bunch of them in the next couple of meetings and then I think in June it'll be a little slower than in July. We should be able to - but the next meeting for sure is transit. I think that's the one you wanted to know. We'll be ready to go with that. You ok with that? Thank you. I'll put it together. Ok. Is that gonna include a date for staff reviews? Because - We need to pick one, yeah. I guess we need to be there so, I'll get my calendar. So the next meeting can we schedule staff reviews? Everybody bring their calendar. Yeah. Let's do that. Ok. So at the next meeting you'll pick a date. Is that what I hear you- Yep. Yep. Ok. We've got enough. Ok. We're breaking 'til 7:00. This represents only a reasonable accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council meeting of April 16, 2007.