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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-11-15 Info Packet I = ! !~~~'t ~~"IIII'm__ ........ .. ~ CITY OF IOWA CITY www.icgov.org CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION PACKET November 15, 2007 MISCELLANEOUS IP1 Tentative Council Meetings and Work Session Agenda IP2 Memorandum from Mayor Wilburn: Proposed Metropolitan Coalition IP3 Memorandum from the Personnel Administrator: City Manager Recruitment Profile IP4 Memorandum from the City Clerk: Holiday Packet IPS Memorandum from the City Clerk: Meeting Schedule for January and February IP6 National League of Cities Federal Relations Update - Period ending November 9, 2007 [submitted by Council member Vanderhoef] IP7 Agenda Packet: Economic Development Committee: November 13, 2007 IP8 Approved Minutes: Economic Development: October 9, 2007 IP9 Approved Minutes: Economic Development: October 25, 2007 DRAFT MINUTES IP10 Planning and Zoning Commission: October 18, 2007 IP11 Parks and Recreation Commission: October 10, 2007 IP12 Parks and Recreation Commission: November 7,2007 IP13 Senior Center Commission: October 16, 2007 I;: I t~~~*t ~--~"IIII'--~ ................. CiTY OF IOWA CiTY City Council Meeting Schedule and Work Session Agendas I 'IP1' I November 15, 2007 www.icgov.org . THURSDAY,NOVEMBER15 5:30p Special Council Work Session . Update on Wetherby House Emma J. Harvat Hall TENTATIVE FUTURE MEETINGS AND AGENDAS . THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22 Thanksgiving Day - Offices closed I . FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23 Thanksgiving Day Holiday - Offices closed . MONDAY, NOVEMBER 26 5:30p Legislative Meeting 6:30p Special Council Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27 7:00p Special Formal Council Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall . MONDAY, DECEMBER 10 6:30p Special Council Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11 7:00p Special Formal Council Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall . WEDNESDAY,DECEMBER19 4:30p Joint Meeting Coralville . MONDAY, DECEMBER 24 Christmas Holiday - Offices closed . TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25 Christmas Day- Offices closed . TUESDAY, JANUARY 1 New Year's Day - Offices closed . WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2 12:00p City Council Organization Meeting Emma J. Harvat Hall . MONDAY, JANUARY 7 6:30p Special Budget Work Session (Overview) Emma J. Harvat Hall . TUESDAY, JANUARY 8 6:30p Special Budget Work Session Emma J. Harvat Hall I ~ 1 --== -u:, ~~W!:'t ~::r"'IIII'~ ....,. ... CITY OF IOWA CITY~ MEMORANDUM Date: November 13, 2007 To: City Council Re: Mayor Ross Wilburn Proposed Metropolitan Coalition From: In late September I was invited, along with the Interim City Manager, to attend a meeting initiated by the mayors and city managers of several of the larger cities in Iowa. We met in Dubuque on September 27 with most of the larger cities being represented due to the presence of city officials in Dubuque for the Iowa League of Cities annual conference. The topic for discussion at the meeting was the possible formation of a non-partisan coalition of the most populated cities in Iowa for the purpose of enhancing communications and jointly advocating on behalf of our common interests. It was clearly and emphatically stated and agreed that the coalition would not represent a substitute or alternative to membership in the Iowa League of Cities and, further, that it was imperative that a close working relationship with the League be maintained. I indicated interest on the part of Iowa City, as did representatives from the other communities in attendance. It was decided that a small committee would then begin drafting documents regarding the purpose, structure, and membership of the coalition. This is currently in progress and I anticipate having more detailed information in the next week or so that I will share with Counc' hope we will be able to discuss this proposal at our work session on November 26. ilJ~ mgrl rnJ HUMAN RESOURCES/PERSONNEL MEMO DATE: November 14, 2007 TO: City Council FROM: Sylvia A. Mejia, Personnel Administrator RE: City Manager Recruitment Profile Enclosed is the recruitment profile language that Mr. Beezat revised in response to your comments on Monday morning. This language will now be arranged in booklet form incorporating pictures and the organizational chart. As soon as I have copies of the final brochure I will provide one to each of you. The professional announcement language on the last page (p.8) is the ad that Mr. Beezat will place in professional publications. In addition, I will place ads in the Iowa City Press Citizen and the Des Moines Register consistent with our advertising practice regarding City positions. Please contact me at 356-5026 with any questions. CMRecruitmentProfi leCover .doc 1 RECRUITMENT PROFILE CITY MANAGER CITY OF IOWA CITY, IOWA This Recruitment Profile provides background information on the Community and the City government of Iowa City, Iowa. It outlines factors of qualifications and experience identified as desirable traits and attributes for Candidates for the City Manager position to possess. This Profile was prepared following interviews with the Mayor and City Council Members, City Department Heads and a broad range of community members involving small, focus group sessions, open public forums, and through the internet. Importantly, this Profile will be used as a guide in the recruitment process, providing specific criteria by which applications will be screened and individuals selected for final interview and appointment consideration. This recruitment is being conducted on an open, impartial, local, regional, and nationwide basis, encouraging applications from all persons wishing to compete for the position. All inquiries relating to the recruitment and selection process for the City Manager position are to be directed to the attention of the consultant working with the City of Iowa City: Robert Beezat The PAR Group, LLC 100 North Waukegan Road, Suite 211 Lake Bluff, IL 60044 TEL: 847/234-0005 FAX: 847/234-8309 www.pargroupltd.com Submit resumes by mail or by email to: resume(ii)pargroupl td. com COMMUNITY BACKGROUND Iowa City: In the top five of the "Best in National Rankings" for: Public Schools. ..Metro Area for Livability. .. Small Metro Area.. .Metro Area for Expanding a Business Offering big-city amenities along with small-town hospitality, Iowa City is recognized by many national surveys and publications as one of the best places to live, work, and raise a family. Iowa City is known to its residents as a community with "extraordinary opportunities in an unexpected place." Nestled in the heart of the Midwest, Iowa City has long served as a locus for culture, education, variety and fun. It was literally carved out of native prairie in 1839. It was organized by Fiat of the Iowa Territorial Legislature and U.S. Congress and was intended to be the first permanent location of Iowa's early seat of government. When statehood was achieved in 1846, Iowa City was the first state Capitol. The Capitol was moved to Des Moines in 1857. "Old Capitol" is now a national, historic landmark. The Iowa City area has been home to many diverse groups of Native Americans beginning roughly 13,000 years ago and continuing into the initial settlement period. Historian Benjamin F. Shambaugh of the University ofIowa and State Historical Society noted that the new town plat".. .was a wilderness, in which the Indian camp- fires had scarcely gone out." Indian cultures included hunter-gatherers from the Paleo-Indian and Archaic Periods, Woodland and Late Prehistoric agriculturalist mound builders, and Meskwaki villages from the historic period. The first immigrants from Europe came from Germany, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and Great Britain. With the draw of the University ofIowa, Iowa City has seen temporary and permanent immigration from all over the world. 2 Iowa City is a diverse community from all perspectives: social, economic, business, educational, housing, etc. One of the major contributing factors to the diversity of the community is the University ofIowa. The University of Iowa was founded on February 25, 1847,59 days after Iowa became a state. The first faculty offered instruction at the University in March 1855. In September 1855, the student body numbered 124, of which 41 were women. The 1856-57 catalogue listed nine departments offering Ancient Language, Modem Language, Intellectual Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, History, Natural History, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, and Chemistry. The original campus was composed of Old Capitol and the 10 acres ofland on which it stood. Today's University ofIowa is recognized as one of the nation's top public universities, offering more than 100 areas of study for its 29,000 students. Since 1936 Iowa has been the home of the renowned Iowa Writers' Workshop having fostered the creative talents of Ray Bradbury, Flannery O'Connor, and Kurt Vonnegut. The University also includes one of the largest university-owned teaching hospitals in the nation. Providing patient care within 16 medical specialties, the UI Hospitals and Clinics has been named one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & W orId Report magazine. The University ofIowa has a long and distinguished list of 'firsts': It was the first public university in the U.S. to admit women and men on an equal basis, the first to admit students regardless of race, and the first to confer the Master of Fine Arts degree. It has been a pioneer in such diverse fields as speech pathology, space exploration, and educational development. Iowa City is also served by the Kirkwood Community College campus which has an enrollment of approximately 3,239 students and offers a full Arts and Sciences curriculum. It offers distance learning for those who can't make it to campus, continuing education classes for those who wish to take classes in their area of interest without obtaining course credit, plus customized training programs for area businesses. The National Alliance of Business named Kirkwood its Community College of the Year in 2000 for Kirkwood's partnerships in developing training programs with the area business community. In addition to the University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College, the Iowa City area provides a variety of excellent K-12 educational opportunities. The Iowa City Community School District has an enrollment of about 10,600 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The district includes the nearby communities of Coralville, Hills, and North Liberty. In all, the district has 17 elementary schools, two junior high schools, two senior high schools, one alternative school for seventh through twelfth graders, as well as daycare and pre-school facilities. Iowa City is also home to: Regina High School, a private Catholic institution; Willowwind School, an independent school with K-8 and Montessori pre-school; and Preucil School of Music, specializing in the Suzuki method of instruction. Iowa City's economy is as diverse as it is prosperous. The economy is based upon a thriving commerce, a major university, and a number of national and international businesses, including Fortune 500 companies. Iowa City is home to facilities of General Mills, Moore North America, NCS-Pearson, Lear, Oral B Laboratories, Procter & Gamble, the corporate headquarters for ACT, and scores of smaller industries and businesses. The University ofIowa is the city's largest employer, with 23,608 employees. The academic and research mission of the University, along with the health care services provided at its hospitals and clinics, have a tremendous economic impact on the area. The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Technology Corridor, located at the crossroads ofInterstates 80 and 380 in the center of the United States, is a model of regional development. The area, encompassing 12 communities plus Johnson and Linn Counties, represents a strong partnership between Priority One and the Iowa City Area Development Group, The University of Iowa, Kirkwood Community College, Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy and the Cedar Rapids Area and Iowa City Area Chambers of Commerce. From music and art festivals to Broadway performances, Iowa City has an event to suit anyone's taste. During the summer months, live music becomes a part of the downtown's irresistible ambiance. Each July, the city is host to a jazz festival that attracts music enthusiasts from both near and far. The annual Iowa Arts Festival features the state's best visual art, music, and food. Iowa City is also home to several community theaters, including Riverside Theatre's Shakespearean stage. Located in City Park, this open-air theater presents shows under the stars. Iowa City is home to the recently restored historic Englert Theatre downtown and also has a vibrant Iowa City Community Theatre. The University of Iowa's Hancher Auditorium showcases the best in entertainment. Over the years, 3 Hancher has been host to productions such as Rent, Cats, Les Miserables, and Stomp. The Hancher stage has also seen the likes of Yo Yo Ma, Jerry Seinfeld, and Wynton Marsalis. Iowa City is a place of rolling hills, lush and scattered woodlands, and tall grasses. In the Iowa City area alone, there are 41 public parks, several of which overlook the scenic Iowa River. Many of these parks are equipped with networks of walking and biking trails as well as quaint picnic sites and prairie reserves. Coralville Lake, located to the north ofIowa City, offers a multitude of recreational activities. In addition to 5,000 acres of water for pleasure boating, fishing, swimming, and water-skiing, the area is laced with attractive trails used for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. A glimpse of the state's geologic past can be found at a nearby Devonian fossil gorge. Unearthed during the flood of 1993, the gorge contains a variety of fossils. Iowa City is full of unique shops - from the Old Capitol Town Center, Pepperwood Plaza, and the Sycamore Mall to family-operated businesses; the area provides a variety of merchandise. The downtown is unequalled when it comes to offering specialty goods; it's there you'll find clothing and jewelry, gifts and toys, books and espresso. The Coral Ridge Mall, located in the nearby city of Coralville, is a regional shopping mall. CITY GOVERNMENT BACKGROUND The legislative and policy arm of the City government is the City Council which consists of seven Council Members elected to four year, overlapping terms. All Council Members are elected at large in the general election; three of the seven are nominated by district and any primary is held only in the district. One of the Council Members is selected as Mayor by the majority vote of the Council and serves a two year term in that capacity. The Mayor is a voting member of the City Council and has no veto power. The Mayor is the official representative of the City, presiding officer of the Council, and its policy spokesperson. The Council appoints a City Manager, City Attorney, and City Clerk. The Council also approves the City Manager's appointments of the Police Chief and the Fire Chief. All other decisions concerning hiring, firing, discipline, and supervision of employees are made by the City Manager or those employees to whom the Manager delegates responsibility, subject to Iowa law, including Chapter 400 of the Iowa code regarding civil service employees. The Mayor and City Council also make appointments to the Library Board of Trustees and the Airport Commission. The Library Board appoints a Library Director and the Airport Commission appoints an Airport Manager. The Mayor and City Council appoint a wide variety of Boards and Commissions to assist them in making legislative and policy decisions for the City. The City Manager is the Chief Administrative Officer of the City. All City employees, except the City Clerk and City Attorney and their staffs, answer to the City Manager, who in turn answers to the City Council. It is the duty of the City Manager to ensure that City's Ordinances are enforced and the policies of the City Council are implemented. The City Manager appoints and directly supervises the directors of the City's operating departments, supervises the administration of the City's personnel system, and further supervises the official conduct of City employees including their employment, training, compensation, reclassification, discipline and discharge. The City Manager also oversees administration of City contracts, execution of public improvements, as well as construction, improvement, and maintenance of all City facilities. The City Manager prepares a proposed annual budget and submits it to the City Council for consideration and final approval consistent with State law, along with presenting recommendations and programs to the City Council. Iowa City is a full-service, municipal government providing a wide array of city services as shown in the accompanying organization chart. The City has 615 full-time-equivalent employees with 551 being full-time employees. The City's fiscal year runs from July 1 through June 30. The City has a total expenditure budget of $125 million with the major components of the budget being the General Fund ($51 million), Business Type/Proprietary Funds ($46 million), Capital Projects ($14 million), and Debt Service Fund ($12 million). The City has earned and enjoys a triple A bond rating. More information regarding the City Government of the City of Iowa City and the community can be found at the City's website and related links at: www.icgov.org 4 CITY ISSUES, CHALLENGES, AND OPPORTUNITIES The City of Iowa City expects to address a number of important issues and challenges in the next several years. Some issues relate to broad policy matters. Some are more specific to particular internal operational, organizational and management matters. The Mayor and City Council are seeking an experienced, professional public administrator to assist them in analyzing and evaluating these and other issues, and implementing programs which will maintain and improve the quality of life for its residents and businesses. The following issues and challenges are not listed in order of priority or importance but are set forth to give candidates a sense of the type and scope of issues which the City will be addressing. The list is not to be considered as exhaustive, nor should the statements be interpreted as endorsing any particular course of action. The list is divided into some general categories, but there is obviously overlap of issues into more than one category. Finances/Revenue . Grow the City's tax base within a state municipal tax structure which limits revenue sources and options. . Increase acquisition of grants from state and federal government regarding a wide range of programs including transportation, roads, housing, homeland security, etc. . Develop revenue producing/sharing partnerships with private and public organizations. . Re-examine the local option sales tax issue in terms of focused spending (i.e., road improvements) for particular projects which benefit all of the taxpayers who pay the tax and which is "sunsetted" when the projects are completed. Customer Service . Improve customer service/welcoming orientation to business development and expansion. . Review and evaluate City Hall staffing and assignments to expand hour of operation and availability to the community. . Exemplify and implement an organizational culture which balances regulatory roles of government with the role of enabler/proactive communicators to assist residents and businesses in achieving their community or business goals. Economic Development . Take a more proactive policy and programmatic stance toward commercial and industrial growth and development within the City limits. . Review the City's zoning and building codes to facilitate development while still maintaining quality and safety standards. . Evaluate potential property acquisition opportunities for redevelopment purposes. . Continue the City's active involvement with downtown as it changes from a retail center to a community/student activity and entertainment center. . Implement road improvements which will assist in moving business related traffic within and around the City. . Implement road improvements which will improve traffic flows in the Kirkwood College area of the City. . Make the airport and surrounding area more attractive as a business development opportunity. . Develop a light rail system along the Technology Corridor linking workers and jobs. . Investigate ways to increase east-west train traffic from both a freight and passenger standpoint. . Investigate and evaluate the utility and value of a community-wide wi-fi system. . Consider public ownership of public utilities such as gas, electric, and cable/internet systems. . Cultivate the idea ofIowa City as a retirement community to attract and retain residents with regular income, who participate and support many cultural activities and programs, and who do not utilize some services such as elementary and high schools. 5 Workforce/Affordable Housing . Develop concrete goals for affordable housing utilizing mixed use developments and inclusionary zoning policies: "untangle the knot" of the many causes and impacts of workforce/affordable housing. . Review public transit services and routes as part of the goal of achieving affordable housing within the community. . Look at new and creative approaches which other communities are taking to encourage a broader range of housing options for working families which are also profitable for developers and builders. Personnel/Staffing . With projected retirements of City Department Heads and other City Staff over the next 3 to 10 years, take a fresh look at the City's organizational structure, programs, and staffing levels. . Also, with projected retirements, develop comprehensive succession planning policies and programs to ensure the continued high level of professionalism and skills within the organization. . Find a way to finance the construction and staffing of Fire Station #4 in the short term and Fire Station #5 in the longer term. . Evaluate police staffing levels which some consider to be relatively low based on per capita staffing standards. . Regularize the performance evaluation process for department heads with a system which rewards performance and encourages excellence and risk-taking. . Improve clarity and completeness of internal communication from the top down, through department heads, and to the rank and file. Marketing/Image/Public Relations . Improve marketing the City; hire a professional public relations person for the City. . Translate residents' love of Iowa City into a positive image for both retaining and attracting future entrepreneurs and retiring "Boomers" and competing for business growth and grant acquisition. . Find more ways to welcome and integrate new members of the community. Strategic/Long Term Planning . Consider development of an overall strategic plan for the City which sets achievable priorities and goals. . Have a five and ten year vision and plan for the community to help navigate through the sometimes conflicting program requests which come before the Mayor and Council. . Value the voices of those not typically heard regarding a wide range of issues and plans. University and Student Relationships . Continue to expand partnerships and programs with the University ofIowa and to engage the highly talented faculty, staff, and students in addressing City issues and challenges. . Get students to care about and be involved in the City government; bridge the gap between students and the rest of the community. . Build partnerships between the police, University, social service agencies, and students in regards to alcoholism, binge drinking, and sexual assaults issues. . Recognize that students who are often members of the community for 4 plus years have some ofthe same needs and concerns of longer term residents. . Create regularized (quarterly or semi-annual) meetings between the University, the City, and students to discuss and address common issues and problems. 6 Regionalization and Partnerships . Continue the implementation of the joint communications center and take a leadership role in seeking other joint service agreements with other governmental bodies in the region regarding police, fire, public transit and vehicular traffic issues. . Continue to support the regional approach to economic development through the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Technology Corridor. Miscellaneous . Evaluate and find ways to fund the maintenance and replacement of aging infrastructure. . Upgrade and expand recreational facilities to keep pace with other cities in the region. . Improve and upgrade the City's information technology: i.e., catch up on GIS system; improve and integrate the City's financial and HR software programs to provide up to date information to City staff; expand the opportunities for e-business with residents and businesses. . Simplify/digest the many dense and lengthy documents on the City's website to be more readily understandable to residents and businesses. . Provide more explicit leadership and education to the community regarding energy efficiency and conservation and other "green" initiatives. . Institute an annual "trash forgiveness" day. CITY MANAGER QUALIFICATION CRITERIA The current and predictable issues, needs, and challenges confronting the City of Iowa City call for particular experience, skills, and professional commitment on the part of Candidates for the position of City Manager. The following factors of education, experience, management style, and personal traits have been identified as ideal attributes for the City Manager to possess in order to function effectively in the position. It is anticipated that the salary for the position will be $160,000 +/- negotiable, depending upon experience and qualifications. Residency in the City is required within a reasonable amount of time following appointment as determined by the Mayor and City Council. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is required; a graduate degree in public administration or related field is preferred. Have proven executive-level management experience with at least seven years of progressively responsible experience; experience in a full service municipality of similar size and complexity preferred. Experience in a university community is strongly preferred but not required. Possess strong financial management abilities involving budget development and controls, financial forecasting, proven and sustainable revenue generation, and capital 1 improvement programming; have excellent analytical skills. Experience working with elected officials, other City department heads and staff, and an actively involved public in a positive, cooperative, and team-oriented approach to addressing issues and solving problems. Understand and practice the principles of the council-manager form of government; prepare and share information equally with all members of the Council; provide the Council with alternatives and makes a recommendation to the Council on all matters that come before it. 7 Possess knowledge of economic development tools, programs, and strategies and have a positive record in overall economic growth and development and downtown revitalization, including a positive record of interaction with business leadership. Knowledge of and experience with a wide variety of creative and innovative housing alternatives available through both private sector developers and public and not for profit programs and partnerships. Experience with and an appreciation of the contributions which educational, cultural, recreational, and historical amenities make to a community which enjoys and appreciates a high quality oflife for all of its residents. Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability and willingness to communicate openly and transparently with the Mayor, City Council, employees, and community. Experience in and knowledge of employee and labor relations and possess a reputation for dealing openly and fairly with both individual employees and employee groups. Experience developing and implementing a strategic planning process which anticipates future opportunities, issues, and concerns, and assists in development of annual and longer-range plans and priorities for the community. Experience in intergovernmental relations working with, and when appropriate, lobbying local and regional jurisdictions and state and federal agencies in a constructive and cooperative manner. Demonstrated record of applying technology systems and technology transfer to ensure effective use of computer applications and related technology by all appropriate activities of the City government; personally be computer literate. Be capable of effectively communicating the City's approved policy positions to the media and community groups and organizations. Experience and ability to recruit and retain high quality professional staff and be supportive of professional development for staff. Possess a broad base of knowledge beyond local government and be a life long learner who can appreciate an inter- disciplinary approach to problem solving. MANAGEMENT STYLE AND PERSONAL TRAITS Possess complete integrity and exemplify professional and personal characteristics of impeccable behavior which meet the highest standards. Be an excellent communicator; a good listener; be someone who honestly and openly seeks and enjoys the input of others whether they are citizens, staff, or elected officials. Be a "people person", easy to get along with, patient, and accessible. Have strong leadership skills. Be a strong administrator who is self-confident and has the courage of her or his convictions to present carefully thought-out policy-related alternatives and recommendations for Council action, while recognizing the importance of carrying out the direction of the policy decisions of the Mayor and Council. Have maturity, professional stature, and personal style which will establish early credibility with City Officials, employees, and the community at large. 8 Have a high energy level and enthusiasm for meeting the challenges and responsibilities of the City Manager's position; have a good work ethic; set a good example. Exemplify and be committed to a customer service orientation and be able to exemplify, promote and support such an orientation among staff throughout the organization. Be capable of attracting, developing, and retaining a highly qualified professional staff. Delegate broadly and provide wide latitude to professional staff, while being personally knowledgeable of the status of municipal activities and projects and holding staff accountable for results; be able to challenge staff to be creative and innovative in addressing community issues. Believe in and practice participatory team management; be a consensus builder; have faith in managers and give them opportunities to take calculated risks. Be open to and promote new ideas and initiatives. Be active in the community as a visible City Official, personally taking part in civic and community activities and events. Though thoroughly engaged with the City organization and community, be able to take vacations and "recharge their batteries." Have a sense of humor. PROFESSIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT The following, or similar, text has been released for insertion in appropriate professional publications. IOWA CITY, IA (65,000) City Manager. The City of Iowa City, progressive, stable, full-service, independent city and home to the University of Iowa seeks an experienced manager and leader who will thrive in an interactive community. Reports to and appointed by the Mayor and City Council, elected to four year overlapping terms. Mayor is selected by the City Council from among its members. Most recent City Manager retired after 21 years as City Manager. $125 million budget and 615 FTE employees. Successful and responsible executive management experience required; municipal experience preferred. Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred. Experience in a university community strongly preferred, but not required. Strong administrative leadership; open and positive communication; team management; financial and budget management; community, housing and economic development success; and labor relations experience required. Must be committed to and enjoy being part of and working with an engaged community. Starting salary range of $160,000+/- dependent upon qualifications and experience. Residency required subsequent to appointment. Additional information regarding the position can be found at the Consultant's website: www.pargroupltd.com Apply promptly with complete resume to: Robert Beezat, The PAR Group LLC, 100 N. Waukegan Road, Suite 211, Lake Bluff, Illinois 60044. TEL: 847/234-0005; FAX 847/234-8309; email: resume(mpargroupltd.com Applicants desiring confidentiality, subject to Iowa open meetings and records laws, should request the same in writing at the time of submitting their application. The City of Iowa City is an Equal Opportunity Employer. (The City's logo and Organization Chart will be incorporated in the Recruitment Profile as will a number of pictures of the community) I ~ 1 ...-~= -10 ~~W!:it ,,~~au.~ ...,.. .. CITY OF IOWA CITY~ MEMORANDUM DATE: November 15, 2007 TO: Mayor and City Council \ ~) \, t, Marian K. Karr, City Clerk \~~\ '. FROM: RE: Holiday Packet Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the November 26 and 27 agenda and information packet will be available on Wednesday, November 21, after 3PM. ,~ 1 !~~~'t ~~..aa.~ lIIIlfIll&.~ CITY OF IOWA CITY ~ MEMORANDUM DATE: November 13, 2007 TO: Mayor and City Council Marian K. Karr, City Clerk ~~~ FROM: RE: Meeting Schedule for January and February At the Council orientation held on Monday, November 12, you agreed to the attached schedule for January and February 2008. In addition, there was agreement to maintain the same formal meeting schedule established by Council resolution, the first and third Tuesday of each month. * 6:30 PM Special Work Session City Code requires meeting to be held between noon on January 2 and noon on January 6 28 8:00 AM Special BUDGET Work Session (wrap up) 29 7:00 PM Special Formal 21 HOLIDAY OFFICES CLOSED 22 30 23 7:00 PM Special BUDGET Work Session (Boards & Comm issions/Events) 31 24 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Special BUDGET Work Session (Capital Projects) 25 14 6:30 PM Work Session 15 7:00 PM Formal 7 6:30-9:00 PM Special BUDGET Work Session (Overview) 8 6:30 PM Special BUDGET Work Session 16 17 18 HOLIDAY OFFICES CLOSED 9 2 12 Noon Organizational meeting * 10 11 1 Tentative Schedule (dates/times subject to change) MONDAY TUESDAY JANUARY 2008 WEDNESDAY 3 THURSDAY 4 FRIDAY * MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY 1 4 5 6 7 8 6:30 PM 7:00 PM Formal Publish budget hearing Work Session (set public hearing*) notice* 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 TBD Special Work Session HOLIDAY 7:00 PM Formal OFFICES CLOSED (budget public hearing*) 25 26 27 28 29 Budget adoption scheduled for Tentative Schedule (dates/times subject to change) March 4 (prior to March 15 State deadline) FEBRUARY 2008 11-15-UT IP6 Marian Karr From: Dee Vanderhoef Sent: Monday, November 12, 20071 :27 PM To: marian-karr@iowa-city.org Subject: FW: Federal Relations Update - Period ending November 9, 2007 Hi Marian Please put in Council packet. Thanks Dee From: National League of Cities [mailto:nlcmail@nlc.org] Sent: Friday, November 09,20072:13 PM To: Dee Vanderhoef Subject: Federal Relations Update - Period ending November 9,2007 bM~III!! lEES Period ending November 9,2007 Spending Bills Head to the President Next week, House and Senate leaders expect to send three 2008 spending bills to the President. One bill funds the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (L-HHS); the second bill will fund the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD). The third will fund the Department of Defense and would include a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the federal government beyond Nov. 16, when a current stopgap spending law expires. The current fiscal year began on Oct. 1, but these three measures are the first 2008 spending bills that will be sent to the President. The L-HHS bill includes modest increases for No Child Left Behind, special education, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and health programs important to cities and towns. Those increases would come at the expense of adult, youth and dislocated worker programs funded through the Workforce Investment Act. If enacted, $245 million in funds for those programs would be rescinded. The President has threatened to veto the L-HHS bill because it exceeds his funding request by $9.8 billion. The THUD bill includes $40.2 billion for highway programs, $3.8 billion for CDBG, and $120 million for HOPE VI projects. The President also has threatened to veto this bill because it exceeds his funding request by $5.3 billion. The President is expected to sign the Defense bill. (Neil Bomberg,bomberg@nlc.Qrg, 202.626.3042) Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Bills on Fast Track On Nov. 6, the House Financial Services Committee approved bipartisan mortgage reform and anti-predatory lending legislation by a vote of 45-19. H.R. 3915, the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act, will create a licensing system for residential mortgage loan originators, establish a minimum standard requiring that borrowers have a reasonable ability to repay a loan, and will attach limited liability to secondary market securitizers. The legislation also would expand and enhance consumer protections for those taking out certain high-cost loans, include protections for renters of foreclosed homes, and establish an Office of Housing Counseling through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. NLC, an early endorser of the legislation, is working closely with the bill's sponsor, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank 11/13/2007 Page2of3 (D-MA), to generate support for the bill's passage in the House. In addition, H.R. 3837, the same House Committee approved the Escrow, Appraisal, and Mortgage Servicing Improvements Act, which could be amended into H.R. 3915 on the House Floor. This bill, introduced by Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), will require certain borrowers to have escrow accounts to protect against unpaid taxes and insurance premiums. The bill also would create federal appraisal standards and will prohibit appraisers from having a direct or indirect interest in the property or transaction involving the appraisal. (Michael Wallace, W<:lllace@nlc.Qrg, 202.626.3025) Congress Votes to Override President's Veto of Water Bill Earlier this week, the House and Senate voted to override the President's veto of the Water Resources Development Act (HR. 1495). This bill authorizes approximately $23.2 billion for Army Corps of Engineers water projects, including over 900 projects for navigation, environmental restoration, and hurricane, flood or storm damage reduction in 23 states. The bill also calls for an increase in oversight of the Army Corps of Engineers for projects costing more than $45 million or that are deemed controversial. (Carolyn Berndt, blli"ndt@nlc;,Q[Q, 202.626.3101 ) Bridge Repair Bill Approved by House Transportation Committee On Oct. 31, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the National Highway Bridge Reconstruction and Inspection Act of 2007, H.R. 3999, to authorize $2 billion in general funds over two years to create a new program to repair thousands of structurally deficient bridges in the National Highway System (NHS) across the country. In addition to authorizing funds, the bill addresses qualifications and training for bridge inspectors and increases the frequency of bridge inspections. Additionally, the bill would require that each deficient bridge be evaluated and prioritized by risk and that this list be submitted to the National Academy of Sciences for an independent review. No date has been scheduled for full House consideration of the bill. (Carolyn Berndt, bi3mgt@nlc;,org, 202.626.3101 ) Efforts to Pass Veto-Proof SCHIP Bill Fail After failing to muster the votes to override the President's veto of H.R. 976, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) reauthorization bill, the House and Senate approved a revised version of the bill designed to attract more Republican support. While the Senate passed the revised version with a veto-proof majority, the House continued to be 13 votes short of the number of votes needed to override a second threatened veto. House and Senate Democrats and Republicans continue negotiations in search of an acceptable compromise. Without an agreement, it is unlikely that SCHIP will be reauthorized this Session, but the program could continue with current program requirements so long as funding is included in the continuing resolution. (Neil Bomberg, pQrDperg@nlc,Qrg, 202.626.3042) Temporary Internet Tax Moratorium Extension Becomes Law Last week, the President signed into law legislation that extends the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITF A) for another seven years. The Act bans state and local governments from taxing internet access. The National League of Cities, along with its national state and local partners, supported the temporary extension as an alternative to proposed legislation that would have made the ban permanent. Besides extending the ban, the bill clarifies the definition of Internet access and maintains the grandfather provisions that protect state and local taxes imposed on Internet access prior to 1998. The bill also excludes from state and local taxes for seven years any e-mails, instant messaging, and electronic storage capacity sent over the Internet even if the service is not provided by an Internet access provider. (Christina Fletcher Loftus, IQfilg;@I]Ic;.qrg, 202.626.3173) AGENCY FCC Adopts Second Video Franchising Order Last week, over the objections ofNLC and its national government partners, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in a second Order, decided to extend some of the findings from its original Video Franchising Order (first Order) to incumbent cable providers. (The first Order applied to new service providers.) In last week's 3-2 vote, among other things, 11/13/2007 Page 3 of3 the FCC concluded that the "shot clock" and build out provisions in the first Order do not apply to incumbents, but that the cap on franchise fees and many of its rulings on public, educational and governmental channels (PEG) do apply to incumbents. Importantly, the second Order rulings do not apply automatically to existing franchises; instead, an incumbent will have the burden to prove, under the facts and circumstances of each situation, that the new rules apply to its franchise agreement. Last week's FCC decision is not yet in effect. The written Order was released on November 6th and will go in effect 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register, which could be as early as next week. (To view the Order, click here.) NLC and its national partners are currently reviewing this order and evaluating options for challenging parts of it with which we disagree. Earlier this year, NLC and its partners filed a lawsuit challenging the FCC's decision in the first Order; that suit is pending at the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. A decision by the court is anticipated by summer 2008. (Christina Fletcher Loftus,IQftus@nlc.Qrg, 202.626.3173) Un~_LJP~~J:i b~ 11/13/2007 11-15-07 IP7 AGENDA City of Iowa City City Council Economic Development Committee Tuesday, November 13, 2007 1:30 p.m. Lobby Conference Room Iowa City City Hall 1. Call to Order 2. Consider approval of October 9 and October 25,2007 Economic Development Committee meeting minutes 3. Downtown Market Niche Analysis Draft Report (Marketek via conference call)~ 4. Staff time 5. Committee time 6. Adjournment )/( A draft of the document can be found as part of the Economic Development Committee agenda packet of November 13, 20070n the city website: http://www . iowa-city. org/web link! docview ..aspx ?id= 148699 A final document will be distributed to the City Council in the November 21, 2007 Infonnation packet. MINUTES CITY COUNCIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OCTOBER 9, 2007 CITY HALL, LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM PRELIMINARY Members Present: Regenia Bailey, Bob Elliott Members Absent: Connie Champion Staff Present: Wendy Ford, Jeff Davidson, Dale Helling Others Present: Joe Raso, Mark Nolte, Craig Gustaveson CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chairperson Regenia Bailey called the meeting to order at 8:30 AM. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 13. 2007 Elliot moved, Bailey seconded that the minutes of the Sept. 13, 2007 Economic Development Committee be approved. Motion carried. ANNUAL REPORT FROM IOWA CITY AREA DEVELOPMENT GROUP Joe Raso distributed several pieces of information including the ICAD Group Annual and Multi-Year Reports entitled Measure of Progress - Strategic Investment for Strategic Results; a Progress Report prepared by the Economic Strategy Center which provides broad based metrics on number of jobs, earnings, deposits, investments and projects as it relates to the work ICAD has done; and a report on services provided to the city according to the Memorandum of Understanding between ICAD Group and the City of Iowa City. The annual report highlights some FY 2007 results, such as creating 1,067 new jobs with an annual payroll of $36 million. During the year, they recruited four new companies including KemPharm, Cole's Quality Foods, Acciona and Prep Sports Online. They also assisted five existing businesses to expand including Alpla, Whirlpool, P & G/Duke, Plastic Products and LMS America. The multi-year report for 2002-2006, is the first of its kind for ICAD and is important because it shows how the recently completed investment campaign is performing for its investors. Notable highlights in the report include that ICAD Group is responsible for creating 5,015 new jobs with an annual payroll of $150 million and for helping to retain 831 jobs for the period between 2002 and 2006. Mark Nolte talked about the highlights of another document (provided in the packet) called the Business Climate Report by Blane/Canada. This report provides standardized reporting of economic development information for communities of similar size and thus, a set of metrics which we can use to compare with comparable communities. Local information in the Business Climate Report was gleaned from data gathered from 25 Synchronist Business Information System Interviews conducted in 2007. The report includes information on business growth and expansion, community weakness, workforce needs, community strengths, and an assessment of value, growth risk and satisfaction of Iowa City companies. An example of information from the business growth section include that 67% of the companies interviewed have increasing employment needs, as compared to 44% of similar communities in the national data set. From the community weakness section there were negative comments about transportation, including two specifically related to the price and the number of flights from the Eastern Iowa Airport. Of particular note in the workforce section of the report was the extremely high quality workforce we have. Iowa City scored 5.9 out of 7, while national data scores 4.7. Finally, Raso distributed a report of Entrepreneurial Companies Assisted by ICAD Group in FY2007, which included (among others) Bochner. Chocolates, Yeager Enterprises, Bagolitas, Ecolotree and Asoyia. STAFF TIME. No report. COMMITTEE TIME. No report. Economic Development Committee October 1, 2007 Page 2 ADJOURNMENT. Motion and second by Elliott and Bailey to adjourn. Motion carried. Committee Economic Development October 1, 2007 Page 3 Council Economic Development Committee Attendance Record 2007 Name Term 1/23 2/09 2/20 2/27 3/06 3/12 4/06 4/12 5/29 5/31 6/21 7/10 7/24 9/13 10/1 Expires Regenia 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Bailey Bob Elliott 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Connie 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X X Champion Key: X = Present o = Absent OlE = Absent/Excused Absent/Excused MINUTES CITY COUNCIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OCTOBER 25, 2007 CITY HALL, LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM Preliminary Members Present: Regenia Bailey, Connie Champion, Bob Elliott Members Absent: None Staff Present: Jeff Davidson, Tracy Hightshoe Others Present: Kelly Durian, Karen Kubby, Nancy Quelhorst, Irvin Pfab, Gregg Hennigan, GiGi Wood RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL Elliott moved to support the application for Tax Increment Financing from Iowa City Ambulatory Surgical Center. Champion seconded. Motion failed, 1-2 (Champion and Bailey opposed). CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chairperson Regenia Bailey called the meeting to order at 9:30 AM. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 1, 2007 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Davidson pointed out one correction which was needed; the word "may" changed to "many". With this revision, it was moved by Champion and seconded by Elliott to approve. The motion carried unanimously. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON IOWA CITY AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTER TAX INCREMENT FINANCING REQUEST Durian stated that the charity care issue is something they might be able to work with. Durian asked if the Economic Development Committee wished to state specifically what would be required, and he could take that back to his board. Bailey asked for further explanation of the MidAmerican Energy standards in lieu of LEED certification. Durian responded that a baseline energy level was calculated and then strategies were determined for achieving a 5% savings. Champion stated that she had not changed her mind and that she did not think the medical care provided by the proposed ambulatory surgical center would be superior to medical care provided by Mercy Hospital. Champion stated she was concerned about the profit motivation and the impact on medical care due to investor expectations. In response to a question, Durian stated that Mercy Hospital's percentage of ownership could eventually be as low as 51 %. Champion noted that other medical facilities have not asked for TIF funding. Elliott asked for further explanation of how energy savings calculations were made. Durian stated that an engineering firm would develop a baseline energy usage estimate, and then develop strategies for achieving a 5% or 10% energy savings and the associated expense. Bailey stated it would require a high level of charitable care to be provided for her to change her vote. Bailey stated the MidAmerican Energy standards were important, but they did not appear to be as high of a standard as LEED certification. Bailey asked if there were any public comments. Nancy Quelhorst asked if there were standards for when TIF funding is acceptable to request. Bailey stated it was a discretionary process. Champion stated there are standards which are used but they are not set in policy. Champion stated this TIF request would impact the City's ability to fund Fire Station 4, which was a priority for her. Bailey noted that Fire Station 4 would benefit the proposed ambulatory surgery center. Karen Kubby stated the proposed ambulatory surgical center would be successful with or without TIF funding. Kubby noted that ACT had gone on record as supporting the construction of Fire Station 4. Kubby stated there would be lost opportunities from using TIF funding for the Iowa City Ambulatory Economic Development Committee October 25, 2007 Page 2 Surgical Center. Kubby stated it was the responsibility of the Economic Development Committee to convince the remainder of the City Council that this was not the appropriate use of TIF funds. Davidson explained that the applicant would still be able to request that the City Council address the TIF request again, regardless of the Economic Development Committee's recommendation. Elliott stated he disagreed with Champion. Elliott stated he would not typically favor a project for TIF funding that was going to be constructed anyway. Elliott stated he favors this project by a slight margin, but he would prefer $200,000-$300,000 instead of the requested TIF amount. Elliott stated he likes the idea of encouraging not-for-profit entities to become property-tax-paying entities. Bailey stated she supported the project and hoped it succeeded without public funding. It was moved by Elliott and seconded by Champion to approve the application for Tax Increment Financing from Iowa City Ambulatory Surgical Center. The motion failed, 1-2 with Champion and Bailey voting no. Elliott stated he liked the project and hoped it would succeed. Bailey concurred. STAFF TIME Hightshoe stated that underwriting guidelines for CDBG funds would be coming to the Economic Development Committee for their consideration. Hightshoe noted that other places have standards for when TIF funds may be used, but the use of such standards is a discretionary matter. COMMITTEE TIME Champion stated she did not want standards governing when TIF funds can be used; she felt it was more appropriate to keep the process discretionary. Elliott stated he might favor some TIF standards. Davidson stated this matter had been discussed several times and that because requests for TIF funds are all different, the determination had been to keep the process discretionary. Champion stated that community need was important. Bailey stated that TIF should be used to make happen what otherwise would not occur. Bailey stated she felt this was the community's expectation. Kubby asked if guidelines developed earlier by the Economic Development Committee were followed. Davidson stated they were followed as part of the discretionary evaluation process. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Champion and seconded by Elliott to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously. Bailey declared the meeting adjourned at 10:00 AM. s/pcd/minutes/ecodev/10-25-07 ED .doc Committee Economic Development October 25, 2007 Page 3 Council Economic Development Committee Attendance Record 2007 Name Term 1/23 2/09 2/20 2/27 3/06 3/12 4/06 4/12 5/29 5/31 6/21 7/10 7/24 9/13 10/1 10/9 10/25 Expires Regenia 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Bailey Bob 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Elliott Connie 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X X OlE X Champion Key: X = Present o = Absent OlE = Absent/Excused Absent/Excused ~ MINUTES CITY COUNCIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OCTOBER 9, 2007 CITY HALL, LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM APPROVED Members Present: Regenia Bailey, Bob Elliott Members Absent: Connie Champion Staff Present: Wendy Ford, Jeff Davidson, Dale Helling Others Present: Joe Raso, Mark Nolte, Craig Gustaveson CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chairperson Regenia Bailey called the meeting to order at 8:30 AM. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 13. 2007 Elliot moved, Bailey seconded that the minutes of the Sept. 13, 2007 Economic Development Committee be approved. Motion carried. ANNUAL REPORT FROM IOWA CITY AREA DEVELOPMENT GROUP Joe Raso distributed several pieces of information including the ICAD Group Annual and Multi-Year Reports entitled Measure of Progress - Strategic Investment for Strategic Results; a Progress Report prepared by the Economic Strategy Center which provides broad based metrics on number of jobs, earnings, deposits, investments and projects as it relates to the work ICAD has done; and a report on services provided to the city according to the Memorandum of Understanding between ICAD Group and the City of Iowa City. The annual report highlights some FY 2007 results, such as creating 1,067 new jobs with an annual payroll of $36 million. During the year, they recruited four new companies including KemPharm, Cole's Quality Foods, Acciona and Prep Sports Online. They also assisted five existing businesses to expand including Alpla, Whirlpool, P & GIDuke, Plastic Products and LMS America. The multi-year report for 2002-2006, is the first of its kind for ICAD and is important because it shows how the recently completed investment campaign is performing for its investors. Notable highlights in the report include that ICAD Group is responsible for creating 5,015 new jobs with an annual payroll of $150 million and for helping to retain 831 jobs for the period between 2002 and 2006. Mark Nolte talked about the highlights of another document (provided in the packet) called the Business Climate Report by Blane/Canada. This report provides standardized reporting of economic development information for communities of similar size and thus, a set of metrics which we can use to compare with comparable communities. Local information in the Business Climate Report was gleaned from data gathered from 25 Synchronist Business Information System Interviews conducted in 2007. The report includes information on business growth and expansion, community weakness, workforce needs, community strengths, and an assessment of value, growth risk and satisfaction of Iowa City companies. An example of information from the business growth section include that 67% of the companies interviewed have increasing employment needs, as compared to 44% of similar communities in the national data set. From the community weakness section there were negative comments about transportation, including two specifically related to the price and the number of flights from the Eastern Iowa Airport. Of particular note in the workforce section of the report was the extremely high quality workforce we have. Iowa City scored 5.9 out of 7, while national data scores 4.7. Finally, Raso distributed a report of Entrepreneurial Companies Assisted by ICAD Group in FY2007, which included (among others) Bochner Chocolates, Yeager Enterprises, Bagolitas, Ecolotree and Asoyia. STAFF TIME. No report. COMMITTEE TIME. No report. Economic Development Committee October 1, 2007 Page 2 ADJOURNMENT. Motion and second by Elliott and Bailey to adjourn. Motion carried. Economic Development Committee October 1, 2007 Page 3 Council Economic Development Committee Attendance Record 2007 Name Term 1/23 2/09 2/20 2/27 3/06 3/12 4/06 4/12 5/29 5/31 6/21 7/10 7/24 9/13 10/1 Expires Regenia 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Bailev Bob Elliott 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Connie 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X X Champion Key X = Present o = Absent OlE = AbsenUExcused AbsenUExcused rn:J MINUTES CITY COUNCIL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE OCTOBER 25, 2007 CITY HALL, LOBBY CONFERENCE ROOM APPROVED Members Present: Regenia Bailey, Connie Champion, Bob Elliott Members Absent: None Staff Present: Jeff Davidson, Tracy Hightshoe Others Present: Kelly Durian, Karen Kubby, Nancy Quelhorst, Irvin Pfab, Gregg Hennigan, GiGi Wood RECOMMENDATIONS TO CITY COUNCIL Elliott moved to support the application for Tax Increment Financing from Iowa City Ambulatory Surgical Center. Champion seconded. Motion failed, 1-2 (Champion and Bailey opposed). CALL MEETING TO ORDER Chairperson Regenia Bailey called the meeting to order at 9:30 AM. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 1. 2007 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES Davidson pointed out one correction which was needed; the word "may" changed to "many". With this revision, it was moved by Champion and seconded by Elliott to approve. The motion carried unanimously. DISCUSSION/ACTION ON IOWA CITY AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTER TAX INCREMENT FINANCING REQUEST Durian stated that the charity care issue is something they might be able to work with. Durian asked if the Economic Development Committee wished to state specifically what would be required, and he could take that back to his board. Bailey asked for further explanation of the MidAmerican Energy standards in lieu of LEED certification. Durian responded that a baseline energy level was calculated and then strategies were determined for achieving a 5% savings. Champion stated that she had not changed her mind and that she did not think the medical care provided by the proposed ambulatory surgical center would be superior to medical care provided by Mercy Hospital. Champion stated she was concerned about the profit motivation and the impact on medical care due to investor expectations. In response to a question, Durian stated that Mercy Hospital's percentage of ownership could eventually be as low as 51 %. Champion noted that other medical facilities have not asked for TIF funding. Elliott asked for further explanation of how energy savings calculations were made. Durian stated that an engineering firm would develop a baseline energy usage estimate, and then develop strategies for achieving a 5% or 10% energy savings and the associated expense. Bailey stated it would require a high level of charitable care to be provided for her to change her vote. Bailey stated the MidAmerican Energy standards were important, but they did not appear to be as high of a standard as LEED certification. Bailey asked if there were any public comments. Nancy Quelhorst asked if there were standards for when TIF funding is acceptable to request. Bailey stated it was a discretionary process. Champion stated there are standards which are used but they are not set in policy. Champion stated this TIF request would impact the City's ability to fund Fire Station 4, which was a priority for her. Bailey noted that Fire Station 4 would benefit the proposed ambulatory surgery center. Karen Kubby stated the proposed ambulatory surgical center would be successful with or without TIF funding. Kubby noted that ACT had gone on record as supporting the construction of Fire Station 4. Kubby stated there would be lost opportunities from using TIF funding for the Iowa City Ambulatory Economic Development Committee October 25, 2007 Page 2 Surgical Center. Kubby stated it was the responsibility of the Economic Development Committee to convince the remainder of the City Council that this was not the appropriate use of TIF funds. Davidson explained that the applicant would still be able to request that the City Council address the TIF request again, regardless of the Economic Development Committee's recommendation. Elliott stated he disagreed with Champion. Elliott stated he would not typically favor a project for TIF funding that was going to be constructed anyway. Elliott stated he favors this project by a slight margin, but he would prefer $200,000-$300,000 instead of the requested TIF amount. Elliott stated he likes the idea of encouraging not-for-profit entities to become property-tax-paying entities. Bailey stated she supported the project and hoped it succeeded without public funding. It was moved by Elliott and seconded by Champion to approve the application for Tax Increment Financing from Iowa City Ambulatory Surgical Center. The motion failed, 1-2 with Champion and Bailey voting no. Elliott stated he liked the project and hoped it would succeed. Bailey concurred. STAFF TIME Hightshoe stated that underwriting guidelines for CDBG funds would be coming to the Economic Development Committee for their consideration. Hightshoe noted that other places have standards for when TIF funds may be used, but the use of such standards is a discretionary matter. COMMITTEE TIME Champion stated she did not want standards governing when TIF funds can be used; she felt it was more appropriate to keep the process discretionary. Elliott stated he might favor some TIF standards. Davidson stated this matter had been discussed several times and that because requests for TIF funds are all different, the determination had been to keep the process discretionary. Champion stated that community need was important. Bailey stated that TIF should be used to make happen what otherwise would not occur. Bailey stated she felt this was the community's expectation. Kubby asked if guidelines developed earlier by the Economic Development Committee were followed. Davidson stated they were followed as part of the discretionary evaluation process. ADJOURNMENT It was moved by Champion and seconded by Elliott to adjourn. The motion carried unanimously. Bailey declared the meeting adjourned at 10:00 AM. s/pcd/minutes/ecodev/10-25-07 ED.doc Committee Economic Development October 25, 2007 Page 3 Council Economic Development Committee Attendance Record 2007 Name Term 1/23 2/09 2/20 2/27 3/06 3/12 4/06 4/12 5/29 5/31 6/21 7/10 7/24 9/13 10/1 10/9 1 0/25 Expires Regenia 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Bailev Bob 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Elliott Connie 01/02/08 X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X X OlE X Champion Key: X = Present o = Absent OlE = Absent/Excused AbsenUExcused D;J Preliminary MINUTES PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION OCTOBER 18, 2007 - 7:30 PM EMMA J. HARVAT HALL - CITY HALL MEMBERS PRESENT: Wally Plahutnik, Terry Smith, Beth Koppes, Ann Freerks, Charlie Eastham, Bob Brooks, Dean Shannon STAFF PRESENT: Bob Miklo, Karen, Howard, Sunil Terdalkar, Sarah Holecek, Jeff Davidson OTHERS PRESENT: Kevin Hochstetler, Duane Musser, Mike Pugh, Jay LeaVesseur, Charlotte Bailey, Nancy LeaVesseur, Tom Gelmen, Randy Bruce, Karl Madsen, David Dowell, Charlotte Walker RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL: Recommended approval, by a vote of 7-0, of SUB07-00009 an application from The Crossing Development for a final plat of Cardinal Pointe South Part One and Part Two, a 39-lot, 45.04 acre residential subdivision located east of Camp Cardinal Boulevard, south of Kennedy Parkway. Recommended approval, by a vote of 6-1 (Eastham voting no), of REl07-00015/SUB07-00007/SUB07- 00008 an application from Dav-Ed Limited & Prime Ventures for a rezoning to amend a Sensitive Areas Development Plan and a preliminary and final plat of Galway Hills Part 4, a 26-lot, 10.41-acre residential subdivision located west of Donegal Place on Galway Drive. Recommended denial, by a vote of 4-3 (Eastham, Shannon and Smith voting no), of REl07-00014 an application submitted by Big Ten Rentals for a rezoning from Central Business Support (CB-5) zone to Central Business (CB-10) zone for approximately .48-acres of property located at the northwest corner of Linn Street and Court Street Call to Order: Freerks called the meeting to order at 7:34 pm. Public Discussion of Anv Item Not on the Aqenda Jeff Davidson introduced himself to the commission and stated that he had recently taken over the duties of Director of Planning and Community Development. He stated that he looked forward to working with the Commission and expressed admiration of the work done by the Commission. He expressed his confidence in the Planning staff and noted that if the Commission would like to have work performed by the department, he is open to scheduling those tasks. Development Item SUB07-00009: Discussion of an application from The Crossing Development for a final plat of Cardinal Pointe South Part One and Part Two, a 39-lot, 45.04 acre residential subdivision located east of Camp Cardinal Boulevard, south of Kennedy Parkway. Miklo stated that staff recommends approval subject to staff approval of legal papers and construction drawings prior to City Council consideration. Miklo said that there are no deficiencies in the plat at this time. He pointed out that a minor lot line adjustment had been made to allow a three attached units on lots 22, 23 and 24. The previous plan had shown two attached units and on detached unit on these three lots. Staff felt that he proposed change to attach the third unit was not a significant change from the preliminary plan. Motion: Plahutnik made a motion to recommend approval of item SUB07-00009. Smith seconded. The motion to approve passed on a vote of 7-0. Planning and Zoning Commission October 18, 2007 Page 2 REZ07-00015/SUB07-00007/~UB07-00008: Discussion of an application from Dav-Ed Limited & Prime Ventures for a rezoning to amend a Sensitive Areas Development Plan and a preliminary and final plat of Galway Hills Part 4, a 26-lot, 10.41-acre residential subdivision located west of Donegal Place on Galway Drive. (45-day limitation period 10/29/07) Terdalkar stated that approval should be based on compliance with the six items in the staff report to ensure stabilization of soils on sloping sites and improvements to woodland areas. He also noted that the applicant submitted information on neighborhood meetings that were held. Terdalkar confirmed that there have been no changes to the application since Oct 4. A question came up regarding the pink areas on the map that was submitted by the applicant. Terdalkar verified that yellow is for changes being sought, red is for the new construction limit line, and pink is where soil has been pulled back. Public discussion was opened. Kevin Hochstedler, of Prime Ventures construction, emphasized that he is with Prime Ventures, not the previous developer Dav-Ed. He stated that neighbors have been confused by this. Hochstedler showed photos of a berm and landscape screening that had recently been constructed on lot 8. Hochstedler said that Prime Ventures will implement four construction practices to mitigate for the increase in the construction area limits including installation of a construction limit fence and signage, meeting with subcontractors to ensure limits are not exceeded, and planting native vegetation. As an example of what they have done so far to improve the site, he showed a picture of a berm, swale, and trees that had been planted on lots 8 and 9. He stated that these were mature trees that had been planted. They are roughly 20 to 25 feet tall and have made neighbors happy. He said that grasses have also been planted and that the trees were planted in a double row with one row of deciduous trees and one with fir trees that will provide a good screen from Highway 218. Hochstedler stated that there has been confusion on the part of neighbors as to the purpose of this application. Some neighbors thought that this application was to rezone to allow multifamily dwellings, but he said that this is not the case. He stated that Prime Ventures has experience building close to wooded areas in the past, and cited examples of this including The Stables Subdivision. He also said that Prime Ventures provides interesting architecture, citing the Arlington Heights Subdivision as an example. Hochstedler provided specific numbers regarding how the changes will affect the area's sensitive areas. He said that disturbance to critical slopes, steep slopes and woodland disturbance would increase by between 1 %, 4% and 4% each. Hochstedler stated that Prime Ventures wants to build quality homes. Duane Musser, of MMS ConsliJltants, stated that lot 20 had been left unchanged. The line in this area had just been straightened out. He emphasized that no trees have been removed. Eastham asked about the si~e of the proposed homes. He said that the information in the Oct 4 meeting packet stated that plans called for homes of 2600 to 3600 square feet and that Prime Ventures is now showing a lower figure. Musser said that the discrepancy was due to some figures using a building footprint while others used total dwelling square footage. He said the reason for moving the line was to accommodate the size of the homes and more specifically, the decks that are to be at the rear of the homes. A question was asked about whether foundations that are currently in place can be built on the lots without having to move the line on those lots. The applicant responded that it is possible. Mike Puqh, counsel for Prime Ventures, stated that he wanted to clarify an item regarding the landscape buffer. He said the landscape buff~r is from the original plat and was a requirement made by the City. This amendment is to change the ~nal plat. The sensitive areas development plan is a Level II review that requires a rezoning because the origlinal applicant asked for a modification to allow for a longer cul-de-sac than otherwise allowed. He said Sensitive areas on outlots A and B were being protected. Pugh said that the Planning and Zoning Commission October 18,2007 Page 3 reason for this application is because the original Sensitive Areas Development Plan was approved through a Level II Review, which requires a rezoning. So even though the changes being requested with the current application are fairly minor, this also requires a Level II Review. He stated that sensitive areas approval guidelines number 1,4,7,8, and 9 are the only ones applicable in this case. He stated that City staff has indicated that this application meets these standards. Pugh indicated that the construction area limit line will be moved approximately 20 to 25 feet further back on lots 21 and 22. Jav LeaVesseur, 742 Tipperary Rd, said that lots 21 and 22 used to have vegetation in the past, but that Dav- Ed had bulldozed it. He said that as a result, the neighbors are worried about more vegetation being taken away. He asked that the developers respect the neighbors and that violations have already occurred. LeaVesseur stated that the homeowners association is active and desires good communication. He said that Prime Ventures has made a good faith effort recently to meet or discuss with neighbors. He stated that there is an orange snow fence in the area of lot 17 near the Iowa City sign, and that vegetation in that area appears to be thinner now than in the past. Charlotte Bailev, 6 Kearney Ct, said she wanted to discuss changes that have happened since the last meeting. She stated that input from the neighbors had been solicited, but a meeting never occurred. She said that a decision had already been made regarding the amount of the allowed disturbance of the sensitive areas on this property years ago. She said that the lots are buildable with the construction area limit lines that were set originally, or else the plan would not have been approved. She stated that a change of construction limit line placement will result in a change in impact. She said the lots look okay to build on as previously approved. She asked that an assumption not be made that one necessary fix to move the line to address work that was already done on tow of the lots does not require the movement of the construction limit line on several lots. She said that the existing lines are where they are for a reason and that not all changes may be necessary. Hochstedler stated that Prime Ventures has tried to set up a meeting but due to various circumstances, things have not worked out. He stated that they are willing to meet with neighbors. Nancv LeaVesseur, 742 Tipperary Rd, stated that she is requested that there continue to be a good relationship between Prime Ventures and the homeowners association. Public discussion was closed. Smith made a motion to approve item REZ07-00015/SUB07-00007/SUB07-00008. Plahutnik seconded. Eastham expressed concern that the changes are not necessary because there already appears to be enough space on the lot to build good sized houses. Smith expressed a similar concern but felt that the revised plan met the requirements of the code. Smith asked about the violation on lots 19 and 20 where the construction limit line had already been crossed. Terdalkar said that the applicant is working on this and has corrected the violations. They had removed the stocked piled soil and added erosion control measures as directed by the inspection department. Plahutnik stated that violations were not a P&Z issue as the Commission is not an enforcement entity. He said that with the improvements the woodlands and the planting of native vegetation as recommended by the Soil Conservation Service the concerns about soil erosion would be addressed. Bob Brooks stated that this is a case in point where if the developer would follow the "good neighbor policy" early on in the process there would not be confusion and misunderstandings and it would save time during the approval process. Freerks also agreed that it is important to have open communication with existing neighbors and hoped the progress that had been made on this front would continue. Freerks asked if the orange construction fence is temporary. Terdalkar responded that it is temporary and will remain in place through construction. The motion to approve the item passed on a 6-1 vote (Eastham). Planning and Zoning Commission October 18, 2007 Page 4 Rezoninq Item REZ07-00014: Discussion of an application submitted by Big Ten Rentals for a rezoning from Central Business Support (CB-5) zonle to Central Business (CB-10) zone for approximately A8-acres of property located at the northwest corner of Linn Street and Court Street. (45-day limitation period: 10/29/2007) Howard stated that project would include a 12-story building with one floor of commercial and eleven floors of residential. It would have 82 parking spaces and would pay parking impact fees to cover the rest. The applicant has revised the mix of apartments since the last meeting. They are now proposing 36 studio, 24 two-bedroom, 24 three-bedroom, and 64 four-bedroom apartments totaling 148 apartments with 412 bedrooms. 88 of the 148 total apartments now contain 3 bedrooms or more which is 60% of the total. Howard compared the bedrooms per acre for this application to that of existing local projects. The Big Ten Rentals project would have 858 bedrooms per acre which is nearly 2.5 times the number of residents per acre than for the densest project built in the CB-5 and CB-10 to date. City staff remains concerned about the proposed density and apartment mix and find that the proposed density is achieved by concentrating floor space in bedrooms, while minimizing living, dining, and shared common areas within the building. Staff believes that the dorm-like living environment proposed for this project will appeal only to short-term residents. Since there is already a concentration of this type of residential living in the downtown area, and one of the reasons that the Near Southside Plan was amended to allow for the possibility of CB-10 Zone was to provide opportunities for apartments and condominiums designed for and including amenities suited to residents other than just short term renters and that a better mix of residential opportunities in the downtown area would help to support a healthy variety of commercial development and retail in the downtown core that was envisioned by the Comprehensive Plan. Since the proposed development does not appear to meet these goals there does not appear to be a compelling reason to rezone this property to CB-1 O. Howard said that the application falls short of the goals for CB-10 zoning. She said the plans concentrate too much space in bedrooms, which results in over 800 residents per acre. Staff is concerned that the density of residents on the site will be very difficult to manage and may cause problems for residents of the building and for neighboring properties. Howard stated that staff recommends REZ07-00014 be denied. Smith asked if the Comp Plan, district plan, or zoning code say anything about maximum residential density in the CB-10 Zone. Howard stated that the residential density is only limited by the height and FAR limits for buildings in the CB-10 Zone. Eastham inquired about CB-5 versus CB-10 zoning. Howard said that the site development standards are the same for both with regClrd to the commercial storefront design, articulation and fenestration of the building, etc., but that parking standards differ between the two zones. She said that with this request for a rezoning, the City can place additional reasonable conditions on the development beyond the zoning requirements. The developers currently have the right to build apartments in the CB-5 Zone and can achieve considerable density with that zoning. Miklo stated that in the CB-5 zone, bonus points are often sought to achieve a higher FAR, which then leads to greater scrutiny of the design; Howard discussed the definition of FAR. Eastham asked if other CB-5-zoned properties have been through design review. Miklo stated that they have been. Miklo mentioned that the public works department had noted that sewer capacity in the area should be checked to see if this density of development could be accommodated with existing facilities. Howard said that staff had asked the dev$loper for estimates of water usage at other similar projects that they built in Madison, Wisconsin, but thatthe planning department has not received these estimates yet. Public discussion was opened. Tom Gelman, attorney for the developer, stated that two events led to this application. First was the destruction of St. Patrick's Church in the tornado. Second was a modification of the Near Southside Plan to allow for CB-10 zoning in the area between Burlington and Court Streets. Planning and Zoning Commission October 18, 2007 Page 5 Gelman discussed the amendment to the Comp Plan. He said the CB-10 zone was equally appropriate as a CB-5 zone and that two criteria should be used to determine this: 1) Is it an appropriate extension of the downtown area? 2) Are the services adequate for the density? He questioned why the focus was on the residential density and whether that was appropriate in this case. He.questioned why staff was insisting that there be a diversity of residents within each building rather than focusing on a diversity of residents in the whole of downtown. Gelman talked about two services that seem relevant to the case, parking and sewer capacity. He stated that the strategy for parking was to use public parking facilities to supplement the on-site parking. He noted that the developer had agreed to pay a substantial parking impact fee even though the CB-10 zone does nor require parking. He stated that the Hieronymus Square project has set a good standard in terms of adhering to the CB-5 parking standards even thought it is zoned CB-10. He also mentioned that the area's plan showed a potential parking ramp across the street from this property. He stated that the issue of sewer capacity did not seem to be a problem - the engineers just wanted to confirm that the lines in the area had sufficient capacity. He stated that about 24,000 University of Iowa students live off-campus. This has resulted in horizontal sprawl of students into existing single-family neighborhoods. He said that this project would be less dense than what is allowed and that the developers had removed all five-bedroom units from the plans. He discussed that vertical density is different than horizontal density. He said that a taller building would obviously have greater density. He said the last five horizontal projects in Iowa City have had a density average of 3.8 bedrooms per unit while this plan has 2.78 bedrooms per unit. Gelman stated that diverse options should include student housing and that this project will add to the downtown housing mix. He stated it might also benefit affordable housing in Iowa City. He cited a story he heard about Washington County. He heard that this County had determined that widows' homes were where the affordable housing could be found. In this case, when widows' homes became vacant, families were able to move in. He said the affordable housing in Iowa City could be found in the existing housing stock. This would be more realistic than building it new. He stated that concentrating student housing in a vertical project in the CB-10 zone may free up some of the existing housing stock in older neighborhoods surrounding downtown. This existing older housing stock would then provide for affordable housing opportunities and could transition back to family housing. He stated that a CB-5 zoned project would have less of an affect on housing in the older neighborhoods. Gelman said that on site amenities in a building near downtown don't need to be as great as those farther away, because there are so many amenities within the downtown area. He cited the availability of the planned University recreation center and downtown restaurants, etc. He said the location of this property ~ the amenity in this case. He <also noted that this project will be student housing whether it is zoned CB-10 or CB-5. Randy Bruce, architect for the developer, said that planning staff had praised the exterior design of the proposed building. He said the density allowed under the CB-1 0 zoning allowed more money to be spent on the exterior design and materials for the building. He said that there are now less bedrooms in this plan than in a similar building in Madison, Wisconsin. With CB-10 zoning, it becomes financially feasible to use concrete and steel constructiQn rather than wood construction. Concrete construction would allow a CB-10 project to be reconfigurable b~cause the walls would not be load-bearing. So in the future the building could be converted to apartments with fewer bedrooms if that is what the market supported. He said that a large project would bring students closer in to the downtown. Bruce said that in Madison, a similar building resulted in students moving closer in, leaving older homes available, and that some homes have been converted back into single-family homes. Bruce stated that high qualilty construction, convertibility, and economic development in downtown are positives. He said that a CB-1 0 project allows them to spend more on materials and the structure. Planning and Zoning Commission October 18, 2007 Page 6 With regard to the conditions mentioned by staff in their report, Bruce said that they are agreeable to most conditions with the exception being the prohibition of balconies on interior courtyard. He stated that balconies are an amenity for tt!le residents and requested that this condition be eliminated. Karl Madsen, of the development team, asked questions: What are the reasonable conditions? What is an appropriate standard if this is only a density issue? What constitutes diversity of housing? Is diversity in each building or diversity spread out over downtown preferred? He said that the proposed project was a good density for a downtown location and would support retail uses on the ground floor of the building. He said that it would be adding to the diversity of housing and that the high end condos that the community desired where already being provided in Plaza Towers and Hieronymus Square. He noted that those projects received tax breaks which all<t>wed those developers to meet the conditions that the City imposed and that his team was not seeking tax li>reaks so the same conditions where not appropriate. Eastham inquired about the use of CB-1 0 for a variety of people. He asked if it is possible for students and non-students to be together. Madsen stated that anyone could rent in this building but that non-students tend to not want to live near students. David Dowell, 320 S. Dubuque St, stated that he lives in the Capitol House Apartments which is next to this property. He asked if more student housing is needed in the downtown area. He said that affordable student housing may be needed, but doubted whether this would be affordable. Dowell said that people in the neighborhood are concerlhed. He believes that this project will not lead to more affordable housing in neighborhoods. Dowell said that the applicants bought the property knowing what the existing zoning was and should not have had the expectation that it would be automatically rezoned to CB-10. He stated that if scattered housing is not used in the case of student housing, but is for other reasons, that this does not make sense. Charlotte Walker, 320 S. Dubuque St, stated that the developer had not spoken to residents of the Capitol House Apartments or other n~ighbors. She said that some elderly residents can't make it to the meeting to express their concerns. Walker was concerned that the plan calls for a loading area in the alley that is near the first floor windows of the Capitol House where some of the most disabled and elderly residents live. She also expressed concern that in this meeting, the developer had not once mentioned the neighbors surrounding the property. Howard clarified that staff wells not insisting that there needed to be a diversity of residents within each building, but rather that the ~ear Southside Plan was amended to allow opportunities for a wider variety of residents to live downtown, net just students. Staff was concerned that there was already a concentration of student apartments in this area and did not feel that an upzoning to support an even higher density of student apartments met the ihtent of the recent amendment to the Near Southside Plan. For example, a condition of approval for the Hieronymus Square project was that there could be no apartments with more than 3 bedrooms and that not more than 30 percent of the apartments could be 3-bedroom apartments. The proposed project does not meet the bar that was set by Hieronymus Square. She also noted that the intent of the Central Business Zone (OB-10) is to support a healthy commercial core, that the zone is not primarily a residential zone. In addition, there is much more to the Near Southside Plan than just the recent two- sentence amendment and that the entirety of the comprehensive plan for the area needs to be taken into account with this rezoning request. Public discussion was closed., Motion: Plahutnik made a mli)tion to deny REZ07-00014. Koppes seconded. Brooks stated that parking is a key issue for him and that he felt that more needs to be done to address the parking for an apartment building with this number of residents. He said he did like the idea that allowing high rise residential might help historic residential areas and also felt that the building was designed to accommodate commercial development on the first floor. He said, however, there is a need for a diversity of housing types, and a broader mix of people in downtown would be good. Planning and Zoning Commission October 18,2007 Page 7 Smith stated that this project :is a logical extension of the downtown, that the project does meet the cities parking requirements in the Near Southside. Similar parking concessions were made for Hieronymus Square. He said is was conflllsed about the density issue and whether it was appropriate to consider this a problem with this project. Eastham stated that it is his ~elief that additional parking will be needed. He said a mix of housing within each building in this area is not necessary. Eastham said that providing student housing near downtown may actually increase safety pue to a shorter walking distance. He said Nlat it is his observation that the quality of CB-1 0 projects has tpeen better than that of CB-5 projects. Plahutnik stated that this proj~ct would lead to too many people in one area and feels that this project is not a logical extension of downtown,. It is such a leap in residential density from anything else in the downtown that he doesn't feel that this is a I~gical extension of Iowa City's downtown and is concerned about the impacts that this will have on the down~own and surrounding properties. Shannon stated that Iowa City: has changed a lot over the years. Reno and Slater residence halls were huge projects but are well manage~. He doesn't have a good answer for the density question, but feels that the applicant should take the application to City Council for them to make a final decision. Koppes said that this project does not follow the precedent that was set with the previous CB-10 rezonings in the Near Southside area and does not feel that it meets the intent of the amendments that were recently made to the comprehensive plan. Freerks said she agrees that ,this is not a logical extension of downtown and that a broader mix of people would be good to support a ~ealthy downtown commercial core. She also stated that it is appropriate to discuss the residential density and mix of the proposed project because the CB-10 zone is a commercial zone. Density is a fundament~1 issue when considering rezoning requests. The motion to deny the reZioning request was approved 4-3 (Smith, Eastham, Shannon voted in the negative). Consideration of Meetinq Min~tes Motion: Smith made a moti~n to approve the October 4, 2007 meeting minutes as typed and corrected. Brooks seconded the motion. The motion was approved on a vote of 7-0. Other Item None Adiournment Motion: Smith make a motion to adjourn the meeting 10:29 pm. Brooks seconded. The motion was approved on a vote of 7-0. Minutes submitted by Adam ~alston s/pcd/mins/p&z12007/1 0-18-07. doc Iowa City Planning & Zoning Commission Attendance Record 2007 FORMAL MEETING Term Name Expires 1/18 2/01 2/15 3/01 3/15 4/05 4/19 5/03 5/17 6/07 6/21 7/12 7/19 8/2 8/16 9/20 1 0/04 10/18 B.Brooks 05/10 X X X X X OlE X X X X OlE OlE X X X X X X C. Eastham 05/11 X X X X X X X X X X X X X OlE X X X X ~Ef"eerks_ -05108.___ .._A_ uX __2C_ I-.x.__ _1 _n X_ u2C __ ___X _._2L_ _K OlE X X X X X X X E.Koppes 05/12 X X OlE X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X W. Plahutnik 05/10 X X OlE X X X X X X OlE X OlE OlE X X X X X D.Shannon 05/08 X X 0 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X T. Smith 05/11 X X X X OlE X X X X X OlE X X X OlE X X X Term Name Expires 1/29 2/26 4/16 4/30 6/18 7/9 7/16 7/31 10/01 B. Brooks 05/10 X X X X X X X X X C. Eastham 05/11 X X OlE X X X X X X A. Freerks 05/08 X X X X OlE X X X X E.Koppes 05/12 X OlE X X X OlE X X OlE W Plahutnik 05/10 X X X X X OlE OlE OlE OlE D.Shannon 05/08 OlE X X X X X OlE X X T. Smith 05/11 X X X X X OlE X OlE X NFORMAL MEETING Key: X = Present o = Absent OlE = Absent/Excused 11-1 :>-U ( IP11 MINUTES PARKS AND RECREATI<DN COMMISSION October 10, 2007 DRAFT MEMBERS PRESENT: David Bourgeois, Craig Gustaveson, Ryan O'Leary, Matt Pacha, Phil Rfeisetter, John Watson, John Westefeld MEMBERS ABSENT: Ntargie Loomer, Jerry Raaz STAFF PRESENT: N1ike Moran, Terry Robinson, Terry Trueblood GUESTS PRESENT: Henrietta Miller; Del Holland; Diana Harris; Jean Walker RECOMMENDATIONS ~O COUNCIL: i I OTHER FORMAL ACTlON TAKEN rove the Se ternber 12 2007 rneetin PUBLIC DISCUSSION: No public discussion. PROPROSAL TO NAM' PARK "MILLER SQUARE" Trueblood referred Comrrtission to the letters enclosed in their packet regarding this item. In summary, the Miller's hate donated approximately 1 Y2 acres of land that will make up about 50% of the proposed new park on Lower West Branch Road (Lindeman Hills Neighborhood development plan). The other 50% of the land comes from the developer as required through the Neighborhood Open Spaoe Ordinance. The Millers' first request was to name the new park Frauenholtz-Miller Park in honor of their family. Trueblood noted that this was discussed at the Joint Staff meeting on A/lgust 28. It is the recommendation of this group to name the park "Miller Square," with the I thought that simpler might be better and that the park does meet the definition of a "square." Ms. Miller responded with a letter representing her family's agreement to the name "Miller Square," while stating that it is not their first choice but it does allow them to accomplish their goal of using the family name for the park. Henrietta Miller was present at the meeting to further discuss: After discussion, it was determined that while Miller is in agreement Parks and Recreation CommiSsion October 10, 2007 Page 2 of 5 with the "Miller Square'!' name, she would rather it be named her family's original recommendation of "Frauerfuoltz- Miller Park." PROPOSAL TO NAME I SMALL DOG AREA AT THE DOG PARK "LINDER TIRE SERVICE SMALL DOG IY ARD." The small dog section is t(he only section of the dog park that remains unnamed. DogP AC is recommending the name "ILinder Tire Service Small Dog Yard" at the request of John Linder who is willing to donate $110,000 to the dog park for naming rights to this section. This is the same amount previously dqnated for naming rights to Emma's Run and Lucky Pawz Playground. Diana Harris, President of [DogP AC, expressed Mr. Linder's pleasure in making this donation in support of the dog park. DISCUSSION OF DqGPAC'S PREFERENCES FOR SMALLER DOG PARK LOCATIONS: Diana Harris and Jean ]Walker from DogPAC were present at this meeting to ask the Commission to consider s~veral areas for smaller dog parks. The locations are as follows: Willow Creek Park, Sturg.s Ferry Park, Hunters Run Park, Pheasant Hill Park, Court Hill Park, Sand Lake Recreation Ar~a, Scott Park and Wetherby Park. Pros and cons of each area were discussed. Some of the folJowing comments were made. Sturgis Ferry: May be a good location as it is an entry-way to the city; however, this may be a con as well. Hunters Run: As this pari was designed by the neighborhood, it is felt that they may not be in agreement. i Pheasant Hill: May not b~ large enough and as it is surrounded by mostly back yards; neighbors may not approve. Court Hill: Presents a simtlar situation as Pheasant Hill with many back yards bordering the park. On the other hand, it does provide more space and therefore, could provide a section for a dog park while still leaving sp~ce for regular park use. Parks and Recreation Commission October 10, 2007 Page 3 of 5 Scott Park: This park would provide a good location for a small dog park as it would accommodate the eastern portion of the City. This park would offer enough land for a small dog park and still provide a large area for regular park use. Wetherby Park: This park! also provides enough land to accommodate a small dog park while still having enough land fot regular park use, however, parking may be an issue. Walker noted that a num~er of these parks may present parking issues, however, she also mentioned that the idea is to provide small "neighborhood" dog parks. Another location that was mentioned was the area near the animal shelter. Walker noted that this area really needs to be left p.s is, for shelter use only. Del Holland, who was pre$ent from the public, noted that there is certainly a need for a dog park located near downtown, especially as more condominiums etc. are being built. Trueblood noted that such an area would need to provide at last three acres of land for a dog park. Therefore, it will bel necessary to choose a large enough area that can accommodate this space while still leaving allarge area of trees, grounds, etc. for park use. Gustaveson noted his concern of changing the !use of a park to accommodate something else, such as would be necessary at Scott Park. Westefeld asked Trueblood if the Commission was being asked to consider multiple locatior)s or just one at this time. Trueblood stated just one at this time. Gustaveson felt that since! there has already been a donation and request for Willow Creek that the Commission should lqok at and discuss this location first. Pacha stated that for the sake of process, he would like st~ff to narrow down the list and return with their proposal at a later meeting. Commission wasl in agreement and will defer this item for now. MASTER PLAN UPDA~ Trueblood announced tha~ the consultants were in town during September meeting with the focus groups and conduqting a pubic forum. There were seven focus groups consisting of approximately 15 particip~nts each. Of all the people invited to participate, there was only one no-show, other than the i youth group, which was not well attended. Although Trueblood indicated his disappointmbnt with the youth group attendance, the consultants indicated this is not unusual. The consulta$ts reported very good input from these groups. At the end of the week GreenPlay. held a public f~rum attended by 20 people. O'Leary stated that while this was helpful it seemed that most of tHe people attending the forum, while passionate about one particular issue, were not so much qoncerned about parks, recreation and trails as a whole. Pacha felt that there was very good rep*sentation at the focus groups and that the comments were all very positive regarding current!programs offered etc. Pacha also stated that he feels a large portion of this process will be based on the survey outcome. The draft survey was sent to Trueblood and other staff for their review. Trueblood will forward to the Commission for their comments as well. Trueblood went over the next steps in the process. The surveys will be gathered and GreenPlay and Leisure Vision will compile the information from both the focus groups and the surveys and report back to staff. Parks and Recreation Commission October 10, 2007 Page 4 of 5 COMMISSION TIME Westefeld thanked staff for the park tour in September, stating that he looks forward to these each year as each tour pres~nts new information. CHAIR'S REPORT None DIRECTOR'S REPORT Napoleon Park concession/restroom building is under construction. Mercer Park Field #3 reno.Jation is under construction. Court Hill Trail is getting $ar the bidding process. Trueblood noted that he ~nd Raaz are scheduled to meet with the Elks Club regarding the proposed trail. ADJOURNMENT Moved bv Gustaveson, ~econded bv Westefeld, to adiourn the meetine: at 5:55 p.m. Unanimous. Parks and Recreation CommiSsion October 10, 2007 Page 5 of 5 P AJU<S AND RECREATION COMMISSION ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2007 TERM NAME EXPIRES 1/10 2/7 3/14 4/10 5/9 6/13 7/11 8/8 9/12 10/10 11/14 12/12 David Boureeois 1/1/11 X DIE OlE X X DIE X DIE X X Craig iO/E Gustaveson 1/1/11 X DIE OlE X X X X X X Margaret Loomer 1/1/08 X X DIE DIE X X X X X DIE Ryan O'Leary 1/1/10 X X X X X X X X X X Matt Pacha 1/1/09 X X X X X X X X X X Jerry Raaz 1/1/08 X X X X DIE X X X X DIE Phil Reisetter 1/ 1/09 OlE X X X X X X DIE DIE X John Watson 1/1/11 X DIE OlE X X DIE X X X X John Westefeld 1/1/10 X i X X OlE X X X X X X KEY: X= 0= DIE = NM= LQ= Pres~nt Abs~nt Abs~nt/Excused No ~eeting No ~eeting due to lack of quorum Not ~ Member c;tJ MINUTES PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING November 7, 2007 DRAFT MEMBERS PRESENT: IPavid Bourgeois, Craig Gustaveson, Margie Loomer, Ryan O'Leary, Matt Pacha, Phil Reisetter, John Watson, John Westefeld MEMBERS ABSENT: Jerry Raaz I STAFF PRESENT: Mike Moran, Terry Robinson, Terry Trueblood GUESTS PRESENT: Mary Bennett, Helen Burford, Carl Klaus, Shaner Magalhaes, Ken Slonneger, Marybeth Slonneger, Christopher Voci, Sarah Walz DISCUSSION OF PRO~OSAL TO RELOCATE THE ISAAC WETHERBY HOUSE TO A MUNICIPAL PARK:! This special meeting was palled to order to discuss the possibility of moving the Isaac Wetherby I House, located at 935 Matket Street, to a municipal park. The house is slated for demolition by its current owner. The following information was reported: A special meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission I took place on Thursday November 1, 2007 where Friends of Historic Preservation, local histor*ns and community members met to determine what options might be available for preserving tljlis house. At this meeting, Mike McLaughlin, owner of the Wetherby House, said that he is willing to donate the house to Friends of Historic Preservation if they can have it moved within 15 days, therefore delaying demolition to Thursday, November 15, 2007. He also stated that given evidence of progress on relocating the house and with a definite timetable given, he does Have some flexibility beyond the above date. Pacha expressed his appr~ciation to everyone present for attending on such short notice. Pacha asked for a member of the audience to address the Commission with an overview of the project and their desired plans fo~ the Wetherby House. I , Marybeth Slonneger, on pehalf of the Committee to Save the Wetherby Cottage, addressed the Commission. Based on lemails, letters, and her presentation, information is as follows. She thanked the Commissionl for arranging time for this special session. She explained that she is very interested in the We~herby House because of research she has done resulting in a book she wrote called "Wetherby'$ Gallery." This has lead to her desire to preserve the house. She has been working in close association with Mary Bennett with the State Historical Society and together they have for~ed the Committee to Save the Wetherby Cottage. The owner has indicated a willingness t~ donate the house to the Friends of Historic Preservation. She went on to explain that Friends o~ Historic Preservation have done extensive research into the integrity of the house and have compiled a budget report. I M. Slonneger explained that two possible sites being considered at this time are Reno Street Park and Hickory Hill Park. She presented to the Commission, distributed earlier in writing, cost Parks and Recreation Commission September 12, 2007 Page 2 of 6 estimates for moving the h~use to both sites. She mentioned several options to moving the house, which has three separate p~eces so cannot be moved as a single unit. Cost estimates for the either location are within a few tIiousand dollars of each other. The project will be dividedl into two parts taking up to 24 months for completion. The first step is the move itself and setti~g the building on a firm foundation. The second part includes restoration of the cottage u~der the direction of Friends of Historic Preservation, who would like to do a series of educatio~al preservation workshops that would be open to the public. A third stage of the project inclu~es long term care and maintenance plans. The group is exploring several options for maintenance including the possibility of a caretaker that would live on site. , M. Slonneger explained th*t a fund-raising campaign will begin soon and will be headed by Jean Lloyd-Jones and Mike \\1right. There will be newspaper coverage via a letter that will be published in the Friday, November 9, 2007 edition of the Iowa City Press Citizen in hopes of gaining more financial support. Further articles are planned for upcoming editions of Press Citizen. She also mentionefd that there would be a photo op with the Press Citizen on Thursday, November 8 at 12:30 and ~hat all are invited to attend. It is their desire to involve the Gazette as well. She noted there has \been $7000 in donations collected previous to this Parks & Recreation Commission meeting. Ot~er donations have included $5000 from the Scanlon Foundation as well as the State Historical Society's HDRP grant that could match funds up to a maximum of $15,000. The Committee ~s in the process of creating a relationship with the Johnson County Historical Society who Would oversee the house in the future. The plan is to create an endowment for future expfnses. M. Slonneger again reiterated her wish to save this house and spoke of its unique ornam~ntal value to the City of Iowa City. She then asked the rest of the Committee to introduce thdmselves to the Commission. Carl Klaus introduced hi~self to the Commission. He talked of his great admiration for the passion that has gone into ~his effort to save this house. He feels the house is of great symbolic and historical value to the <pity ofIowa City and it a great gift to the City. I Sarah Walz was present i$ her capacity as a member of the board of Friends of Hickory Hill Park. She noted that the board supports saving this house, but also notes that the question is whether it belongs on pubHc land. She emphasized that they are not necessarily supporting the Hickory Hill location for the house; they realize this is a decision that rests with the Parks & Recreation Commission an~ the City Council. However, since she and her fellow board members were aware of the reques~ to possibly locate the house in Hickory Hill Park, they felt it was appropriate for there board to provide input. They presented a list of conditions which, if met, would make the Hickory Hill location acceptable to them, again indicating they realize this is not their decision. These conditions are as follows: 1. House to be placeQ along Cedar Street at the western edge of the park where there are already houses abutting the park with the cemetery just to the rear (northwest) of the property. In this location it would be less susceptible to vandalism since it would be surrounded by residential properties and would not seem to intrude upon the park. Parks and Recreation Commission September 12, 2007 Page 3 of 6 5. Abutting property qwners must not object to the placement of the house in this location. The exterior of the ~ouse must be restored within 18-24 months. Friends of Hickor~ Hill Park will bear no financial or other responsibility for the restoration or long..term maintenance of the house. A plan must be spelled out for who will be responsible for maintenance. Historic landscapiQg of the house (namely, apple trees) will be confined to the immediate yard of the house apd will not extend into the park. The house must s~rve a public educational function and should be made available to Friends of Hickort Hill Park and/or the Parks and Recreation Department for public education and mee~ing purposes. 2. 3. 4. 6. Klaus again spoke to the <!:ommission expressing his desire to relocate the house to Reno Street Park as an alternative to Hickory Hill Park. In particular, he would like to see the house located in the area on the south! side of the park that was added at a later time from its original coronation. He also wouldllike the house to be renovated as quickly as possible and for its use to be for educational purpos~s and likes the idea of a person being present on the property. He also mentioned his desire to se~ the house set back from the street so that it does not block access into the park. Westefeld asked for confIirmation from Walz that Friends of Hickory Hill Park do support the placement of this house i~ the park as long as the six criteria mentioned are met. Walz answered that if the Parks and RecrFation Commission decides it is feasible and appropriate to place this house in Hickory Hill Par~, and if the six criteria are met, that the Friends of Hickory Hill Park Board would be supportivt this decision. Pacha asked if the importance of this house was realized at the time that McLaughlin purchased the property. Bennett st~ted that the City was aware of its historic value. M. Slonneger mentioned that she had approached the previous owner with her desire to purchase the property but at that time there was ~nterest from another developer to purchase the property. Ken Slonneger stated that lit would be a shame to lose this important part of Iowa City History. Shaner Maghailas, Execu~ive Director of the Johnson County Historical Society, stated that they have been tracking this d~velopment since they first became aware of this situation. He stated that the JCHS is tentativel~ agreeable to having a long term commitment to the care of the house. He mentioned other prop~rties that the Historical Society maintains now such as the old school house in Coralville, Pluml Grove and the poor farm. He made clear that while they do not have the financial wherewithallto take care of the restoration, they would be working to find grants to do so. He feels it is a verx worthwhile effort and is excited about the opportunity. At this point Pacha asked that, with the exception of questions to the Committee, discussion be limited to the Commission. Parks and Recreation Commi~sion September 12, 2007 Page 4 of 6 Reisetter asked if the hou$e is structurally sound enough to withstand moving. M. Slonneger stated that it has been insp~cted by the mover and is deemed structurally sound. Reisetter further asked if there is a definit~ commitment from someone to maintain care of the property. M. Slonneger again mentioned the creation of an endowment fund for this purpose. Gustaveson asked staff if this is the first time we had addressed this type of request. Trueblood stated that the Commissio~ was approached a number of years ago regarding the possibility of moving the Bluffwood Ho~se, which was slated for demolition, into Hickory Hill Park. Pacha noted it was at that time ~hat the Hickory Hill Park Guidelines (1994) were adopted by the Commission, and that just! prior to this time the Commission was considering a request for the historic Chimney Swift Toiver to be located in the park. Trueblood discussed the h~story behind these two requests. The request for placement of the Chimney Swift Tower w~s supported by the Commission with the thought that this type of structure would fit well wi~hin this natural park. A short time later the request came to place the Bluffwood House in this p~lfk as well. Upon hearing this, the Chimney Swift proponents came back to the Commission clnd withdrew their request. It became a concern of this group that putting the Chimney Swift Tower in the park would open the "proverbial can of worms" for more structures to be place~ in the park, and they didn't want to see this happen. O'Leary asked if there are! other sites being considered besides those previous mentioned, such as vacant lots etc. M. Slotmeger said that there is one lot available on North Prairie Du Chien however it would be tucke~ in with ranch style homes and this group feels the house would not be appropriate for this arFa. She also stated that they have been in touch with real estate companies and the City's I Planning Department, particularly Bob Miklo, and they have been unable to locate any possibilities on privately owned land. In answer to questions po~ed by Commissioners, Trueblood stated that staff s main concern is the long term care and ma,ntenance of the house and the surrounding property. The department does not want the respon$ibility or expense of maintaining or renovating this building. He indicated that he is not cert~in this house would comply with the Commission adopted guidelines for Hickory Hill Park. He I also expressed concern with Reno Street Park, indicating it is a very small park and the addition( to the park that Mr. Klaus had previously mentioned had included an old house that was demoli~hed in order to add green space to the park. He is concerned that the neighborhood might not like the idea of having torn down one old house to replace it with another. Trueblood indicated his understanding for the desire to save the Wetherby House, and also understands the desire!to place it on public property. He also mentioned that Wetherby Park might be the most appropriate location for the house since it bears the name ofIsaac Wetherby. The downside, however, is the fact that it would be a long move, being on other side of town, and the park incurs a higher degree of vandalism than most parks. Pacha stated that while he ~espects and understands the groups efforts, when considering Hickory Hill Park, he feels it is necessary to look at the guidelines that were put in place which specifically states, "The decision to install any permanent structures in Hickory Hill Park should Parks and Recreation Commission September 12, 2007 Page 5 of 6 be considered judiciously.I" He reminded the Commission that members who were present in 1994 expressed the hope tThat future Commissions would keep these guidelines in place. Reisetter asked if there h~s been any discussion of a temporary setting for the house, allowing more time for discussion and a final decision, as he feels there is insufficient time to deliberate sufficiently. Bennett respqnded that there is no temporary location available. Gustaveson stated that as ~tewards of Iowa City Parks, he has a concern that while there has been much suggestion that the ~roperty will be maintained by outside sources long term, this may not be the case in reality. Loomer stated that while ~he likes the idea of saving this historical building, she does not feel that a park is the right loca~ion for such a structure. Bourgeois stated that he is struggling with this request. He does not like the idea of losing what he feels is a very important historical piece of property for Iowa City and would like the Commission to make an exception. He would favor Reno Street Park as the location. Magalhaes addressed the ~oncerns of the Commission regarding continued maintenance for the property. He stated that t~e Johnson County Historical Society has a very good record of getting grants etc. to help finance these types of projects and assured the Commission that they would do the same for this project. . After discussion it was co*firmed that the consensus of the Commission is that Reno Street Park would be the better locatiop than Hickory Hill Park. Westefeld also expressed I concern regarding the time compression and the difficulty that this presents when making suc~ an important decision. Reisetter stated that while ~he group present has introduced many positive aspects to this project, he would like to hear from! the opposition ifthere is any. Bennett again mentioned !that the owner has expressed his willingness to be flexible in the demolition date, but only ip the case of tangible progress. It is his desire to build a duplex in the place of this house. Gustaeveson stated that helwants to hear input from the neighborhood before making a decision. The Commission expressed their desire to invite residents from the Reno Street Park neighborhood to the next [parks & Recreation Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 14, 2007. More discussion ensued about what mechanism to use to get the word out. Parks and Recreation Commilssion September 12,2007 Page 6 of 6 Bennett said she would w~rk with Marcia Klingaman, Neighborhood Services Coordinator, to draft a letter to the residen~s. The group will work at mailing out letters as well distributing door to door. . ADJOURNMENT Meeting adjourned at 6: 10 p.m. P AIRKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION : ATTENDANCE RECORD YEAR 2007 , NAME TERM 0 r-- "'" 0 r-- "'" 0 ~ l"') - ~ l'l - S2 - l'l EXPIRES - M - - - - - <:; -- - ;::; , ;<:j -- lI'l ~ i::: QC) -- - - M "'" a-- - - - - David OlE Bourgeois 1/1/11 X OlE X X OlE X OlE X X X Craig i Gustaveson 1/1/11 X OlE b/E OlE X X X X X X X Margaret b/E Loomer 1/1/08 X X OlE X X X X X OlE X Ryan , O'Leary 1/1/10 X X 'X X X X X X X X X Matt Pacha 1 II 109 X X ,X X X X X X X X X Jerry Ix Raaz 1 II 108 X X X OlE X X X X OlE OlE Phil Reisetter 1 II 109 OlE X Ix X X X X OlE OlE X X John Watson , 1/1/11 X OlE b/E X X OlE X X X X X John Westefeld 111110 X X X OlE X X X X X X X KEY: x= 0= OlE = NM= LQ= Pres,nt Abse~t Abse~t/Excused No n1eeting No meeting due to lack of quorum Not a Member 1 st Draft October 2007 {][ MINUTES SENIOR CENTER COl\(1MISSION OCTOBER 16,2007 ASSEMBLY ROOM Members Absent: Staff Present: Others Present: rv1eeting called to order at 3:30 PM RPbert Engel, Chuck Felling, David Gould, Jay Honohan, Betty Kelly, S~rah Maiers and Nancy Wombacher None ! i\.fichelle Buhman, Linda Kopping L~nn Campbell Call to Order: Members Present: RECOMMENDA nONS fro COUNCIL None. APPROV AL OF MINUT~S-Honohan Motion: To accept the ",in utes as distributed. Motion carried on a vote of 6-0. Kelly/Engel. PUBLIC DISCUSSION-tHonohan Campbell reported that p~ople who attended the Membership Appreciation Dinner enjoyed the event and music. ' I COMMISSION ASSIGNMENTS-Honohan Maiers volunteered to write the web article summarizing this meeting and Kelly volunteered to report on this meeting to IPoth the City Council and Board of Supervisors. Felling volunteered to write the web article for the November meeting. EXTENDED HOURS O~ OPERA nON COMMITTEE REPORT -Kopping Kopping reported that thd FY08 Operational budget is 26% spent in the areas of work study and part-time temporary wag~s. Unless the number of work hours allocated in one or both of these areas is lowered to reduc~ current expenditures, funding is not available for additional evening and weekend staff in the ~urrent FY08 budget. The estimated cost of a part-time temporary employee to cover evening and weekend hours is $8,000. Liability issues for peoplte using the building nights and weekends are a primary concern. Honohan suggested that staff investigate the possibility of starting a volunteer program to staff the building evenings and weekends. Commissioners agreed that unless written job descriptions were provided for clarity, it would be hard to evaluate the probability of success for a volunteer program. The idea of using student volunteers to staff the building was proposed. Gould discussed a partnership with the Interdepartmental Studies students; however, it was noted that these students would need supervision. Motion: To withdraw the motion from September meeting. "To adopt the following recommendations in order to provide staff coverage during extended hours of operation: 151 Draft October 2007 1. Eliminate all member access to the computer lab, exercise room and pool room on weekdays between 5 '-7 PM and on Sundays between 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM 2. Identify volunteers t~ staff the fitness room, computer lab and pool room on Saturdays between 10:30 a.m. and 1 :30 p.m. If possible, this could be extended to include Sundays as well. . 3. Post sign age in the fitness rooms to indicate that the person is using the equipment at ones own risk and ask all users to sign a release of liability. 4. Identify one person (~nstructor or participant) in each group that meets during extended hours who will assume responsibility for turning off lights, closing the room and responding to emergencies. The person will receive a brief orientation to familiarize him or htjr with safe areas of the building, fire exits and the location of first aid kits and emerge..cy phones. This would apply to all after hour classes and programs as well as rentals. 5. Staff members will continue to attend the first session of each new evening and weekend Center sponsored and organized class to orient participants. 6. Special event progra~ming (e.g. Gallery Walks, Skin Cancer Screening) will continue to be covered by staff. 7. The Maintenance Wbrker I (MWI) will do a minimum of one building walk-through each weekday betwe~n 8:30 and 9 PM. Because only one person fills this position, this would not be done w~en the MWI is sick or on vacation. 8. Continue to docume~t after hour programming and building use and submit this information along with the new staff request for FY09." Maiers/Engel" Motion carried on a vote of 7-0. Maiers/Engel. Motion: To have Kopping draft a preliminary job description for volunteers who would provide staff coverage d~ring extended hours of operation for review at the next meeting. MaiersIWombacher Motion carried on a vote of 7-0. FY09 OPERATIONAL BUDGET REQUESTS-KOPPING Kopping reported that theiFY09 proposed budgets have been submitted. Capital improvement requests were kept at a minimum. They included replacement entrance and exit doors on Linn Street, redesign ofthe LiI1!l1 Street building sign, and a designated computer for the HV AC and door program software. Kopping requested two part-time temporary staff, each working 9 hours a week, to cover the exte~ded hours of operation. OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW- Kopping , The project for the ground floor rest room rebuild, ground floor shower installation and ADA upgrades to all public restrooms was approved by Council. Work started on Monday and was quickly stopped after discovering some issues that needed to be addressed prior to moving forward. Kumi Morris, City Archit~ct, will be meeting with staff, participants and in-house agencies to discuss the project and let' people know what to expect during construction. Kopping prepared and su~mitted a grant to the Community Foundation requesting funding to start a new volunteer program ilt the Center. This program has been successful in attracting younger, highly skilled volunteers in other parts of the country. 151 Draft October 2007 Kopping reported that the cameras currently being used in Senior Center Television have been malfunctioning. Specifically, the sound input crackles when external microphones are connected to the cameras creating poor sound quality on SCTV productions. Motion: For the Commission to request $10,000 from Senior Center Fund Inc. to purchase two additional cameras. Motion carried on a vote of 7-0. GouldlWombacher Motion: To accept the leher from Ms. Reese. Kelly/Gould Motion carried 7-0. (attached) COMMISSION DISCUS$ION-Honohan Motion: To adjourn. Motion carried on a vote of 7-0. Wombacher/Engel 1 sl Draft October 2007 Senior Center Commission Attendance Record Year 2007 Name Term 1/16 2/20 3/19 4/17 6/19 7/17 8/21 9/21 10/16 Expires Bob Engel 12/31/08 X X OlE X X X X X X David Gould 12/31108 X X X OlE OlE X X OlE X Chuck Felling 12/3 1109 N/A N/A X X X X X OlE X Jay Honohan 12/31107 X X X X OlE X X X X Betty Kelly 12/31107 X X X X X X X X X Sarah Maier 12/3 1109 X X X X X X X X X Nancy Wombacher 12/3 1109 OlE OlE OlE X X X X X X Key: X= 0= O/E= NM =i Present Absent AbsentlExcused No meeting Not a member