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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-04 TranscriptionFebruary 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 1 February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session 7:00 P.M. Council Present: Bailey, Champion, Correia, Hayek, O'Donnell, Wilburn, Wright Staff: Karr, Helling, Dilkes, Hargadine, Fowler, Yapp, Severson, Jensen, Cate, Grier, Boothroy, O'Brien Other: Volland, UISG Council Appointments: Bailey/ We are, um, we need to appoint members to the Joint Emergency Communication Center Policy Board, as well as the User Advisory Board. There is...an email in the packet regarding this. And I would be interested in continuing to work on this project, um, and will need another person who can be from this body, or an executive level employee, that could be a department head or um, city manager person. So... Champion/ Well, is the Police Chief automatically on that? Bailey/ Um, that would be the User Advisory Board, um, representative from the Police Department. Wright/ I'd be interested in... Dilkes/ Well, I think a representative of the Police Department, is on the User Advisory Board. Bailey/ Right. Well, I suppose on the Policy Board we could have the Police Chief as an executive level appointment. Dilkes/ As long as he was not the person on the User Advisory. Bailey/ Right, right. But, Mike, you said you would be interested in serving? Wright/ Yeah. Bailey Okay. Champion/ And it'll be somebody, um, before I approve Mike, although I think you'd be good at it, I want to make sure that we have Police and Fire representation on one of those boards. Okay. Bailey/ We discussed this a little bit when we discussed the composition of this, and I think it would be great to have the Police Chief, um, or his designee, and the Fire Chief, or his designee, on the User Advisory, uh, Committee. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 2 Champion/ Okay. Wright/ I hope those two groups would be communicating pretty carefully. Bailey/ Right. And the Policy Board will be communicating with them. So, so is that the consensus, um, Mike? I would be glad to continue to serve, if that's okay, and then the... Hayek/ I'm fine with that as well. I just want to make sure it's not, um, that having two Members of Council as opposed to one Member of Council, and an executive level employee isn't the way to go, and I have no idea which one is preferable, but I just want to make sure we talk about that before we move forward. I'd be happy to have the two of you do this, from my perspective. Bailey/ It's an option, um, and I think it was put forth as an option, just so we had choices. I don't think it, I mean, I don't know that it makes... Champion/ And how long is this appointment? Bailey/ That's a good...question. I don't see a term. Wright/ It actually doesn't say. Bailey/ Doesn't say. Champion/ `Cause my concern would be too that you both, uh, aren't you both on the same election years? Correia/ Are they staggering the first terms for the (several talking) Bailey/ It would be a good point of discussion, actually. This is brand new, so I'm not sure we've talked about that. So, do we know what the term is, Eleanor? Dilkes/ I'd have to go get my, I don't have my 28E with me, which is what...but I have it on my desk. I can go get it if you want to go on to something else. Bailey/ Um, does that make a difference, to know the terms? Yeah. Okay. Champion/ I'm not fighting either one of you. I just want to make sure, I mean, I think we need to have consecutive...(several talking)...yeah, continuity. And... Hayek/ Dale, can you think of a reason not to...not to have two Council Members on this Policy Board? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 3 Helling/ My recollection is it's kind of an either or, the way it's stated, but I think you need to check the...the 28E to make sure. Bailey/ Okay, let's move on to the next agenda item, the Fire Department fees, which is agenda Item...8. ITEM 7 CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 7, .ENTITLED "FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION," CHAPTER 3, ENTITLED "FALSE FIRE ALARMS," TO PROVIDE THAT FEES FOR FALSE ALARMS BE SET BY RESOLUTION, TO CLARIFY WHEN A FALSE ALARM FEE IS ASSESSED, TO ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENTS TO SUBMIT CERTAIN INFORMATION, AND TO AMEND DEFINITIONS. ITEM 8 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING FALSE ALARM AND OTHER FIRE DEPARTMENT FEES. Grier/ Hi, my first official appearance. Champion/ You should be really nervous! (laughter and several talking) Grier/ I am! I'm glad there's no camera right now. This is the dry run area. Uh, tomorrow evening, you'll be giving third consideration to the false alarm ordinance, and piggyback to that, you, we provided a resolution or offering a resolution, for Fire Department fees. Uh, establishing fees for cost recovery, and this would be actual cost recovery. The current system that we had was not tied to actual cost, so in the memo that I sent you and the fee schedule that outlines, uh, certain responses that we're able to recover costs for, hazardous material incidents, transportation spill incidents, false alarms, uh, if you approve the ordinance tomorrow, and uh, specialty or confined space rescue that are not covered by a contractual agreement. So...uh, the idea is as in the past that we would provide response to false alarms two times in a year. We've tied it to the fiscal year because in the department we're kind of putting everything on the fiscal year rotation. We'd give you two free false alarm responses, and then we would establish the, uh, billing process. Champion/ I think that's very generous. Two alarms, that's a lot! (several talking) Bailey/ Questions? Hayek/ Seems like a fair approach. (several responding) Grier/ Thanks! Champion/ You're welcome! Bailey/ Um, Eleanor, should we move on to housing fees or... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 4 Dilkes/ No, we can do this. Bailey/ Okay, great. We're going to go back to this appointment. ITEM 14 COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. Dilkes/ Okay. Each director shall serve atwo-year term with one director from Iowa City, one director from Johnson County, and the director from North Liberty, initially serving only aone-year term. Bailey/ Okay. Dilkes/ And...each director shall be either an elected official or an executive level employee, and shall not be a member of the User Advisory Committee. You want to know who's on the User Advisory Committee? (several responding) That shall consist of one representative from each of the following: the Sheriff's office, the Police Department, the Iowa City Police Department, the Coralville Police Department, the North Liberty Police Department, the University Heights' Police Department, the Iowa City Fire Department, the Coralville Fire Department, Johnson County Ambulance Service, and the Johnson County Fire Department Mutual Aid Association. And upon approval by the Policy Board, the User Advisory Committee maybe increased to include non-voting members. Bailey/ Any other questions from the 28E agreement? Okay, so, you good with that? Okay. Karr/ Excuse me. So who'll be the two-year and who'll be the one-year? Bailey/ I'll take the one-year. Since I've been working on this for...years, two years already, so, does that sound fair, Mike? Wright/ Yeah. Bailey/ Okay, and then User Advisory Committee, are we okay with the Police Chief, or his designee, and the Fire Chief, or his designee? Champion/ Perfect. Bailey/ Okay. All right. We will vote on those tomorrow. Housing Fees• ITEM 9 CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING FEES FOR INSPECTION SERVICES AND A SCHEDULE FOR MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS FOR THE IOWA CITY This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 5 HOUSING AND INSPECTION SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND RESCINDING RESOLUTION NUMBERS 95-360 AND OS-280. Cate/ Hello. Bailey/ Good evening. Cate/Before you, uh, you have a resolution to increase the rental permit fees, uh, for Housing Inspection. And, uh, appears that to meet our expenditures for FY09, it'll be at least necessary, approximately $50,000 in fees in order for revenues to cover our expenditures. Um, what we have suggested is to add, well, currently it's $120 for a structure and $16 for a unit, and also $6 for a bedroom. That is.. . Champion/ I'm sorry, $6 for what? Cate/ A bedroom. Champion/ Oh! Cate/ And that is charged on a two-year basis for multi-family structure, and on a three- yearbasis for asingle-family and a duplex structure. What we are proposing is to charge $130 for that structure, and $17 for each unit, and $7 for each bedroom. That will raise an additional, uh, approximately $35,000 a year in revenue. That doesn't get us to our number of, well, I think it was 55,000, um, so what we also recommend, we are proposing to move the single-family and duplex structures onto atwo-year cycle, rather than athree-year cycle. Uh, that will increase revenues by approximately, uh, well, it would get us over our, uh, expenditure, um, number, and this moving of the single-family and duplex structures to a two- year cycle is something that the, uh, Neighborhood/Housing Task Force in 2002 proposed as one of their recommendations, uh, given to City Council at that time. Um, we feel that it is something that is important for the community, that we be at these single-family and duplex structures every two years. Uh, we think that there is too much time. Three years is a long time to be out, or away, from asingle- family or duplex structure in a neighborhood setting, um, we have found, um, a number of violations that exist in these types of structures...left over athree-year period. Um, we just feel that our presence on a two-year cycle in neighborhoods would, um, I think would help the neighborhood, uh, quality of life issue. We'd be more able to respond, uh, to nuisance and trash complaints, um... Champion/ Well, I think it's a good idea to move them to two year inspections (several responding) but my question is, uh, because you're moving to a two-year instead of a three-year cycle, now are you going to be coming back and saying you need another inspector? Is that going to increase the budget? Cate/ Uh, no, it won't. We are not going to be coming back and asking for another inspector, because in the last year and a half, we have invested in, uh, technology This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 6 that is, uh, really helping our productivity. We are now almost wireless in the field. Um, and paperless also. Um, this is helped us to be, along with the, uh, changes that we implemented in 2005, policy changes that we implemented in 2005, regarding owner-occupied units in a big multi-family building. Um, we find ourselves being a lot more efficient with our inspection process, and I don't see moving the single-family and duplex from the three-year to a two-year cycle as, uh, as overworking us. I think we have the staff to cover that for a time into the future. Champion/ So you'd be increasing your workload by, for single-family, by a third. Cate/ By a third, correct. And there are approximately, uh, 2,000 single-family and duplex structures that are currently rental. Boothroy/ When this recommendation came, uh, to the Council in 2000, we weren't really in a position to say it wouldn't increase our workload, and so there was that concern about additional staffing, but, uh, the idea is, and it's working out particularly with the Building Inspectors, is that, uh, if we can get more technology involved, we spend less time in the office doing paperwork, and more time in the field, and that's where we're trying to gain our productivity. Champion/ Well, I know the landlords won't like it, but I think that's a really good idea to put those structure on two-year inspections. Bailey/ Amy? Correia! The two year, I support the two-year inspections. I have, uh, some concerns about doing this at this time. Uh, one of my questions is, um, I'm wondering about the timing of bringing this before us now, when we've just finished doing our budget for 2009, and so I'm wondering why, if this was going to be proposed, it wasn't considered as part of our budget discussion, um, through the last month, or even that it was included as part of that, um, and then my other...my other concern is doing this now, we just received our affordable housing market analysis, um, I was in communication with one of our largest non-profit housing developers, and they can't, it's going to increase their current annual costs by $2,000, which might not sound like a lot, but, um, you know, that operation is constrained. They can't raise their rents, because of the federal money that's there. It has to...it's capped at what the fair market rent is, and so I think that puts a strain on providing that provider of affordable housing, um, at a time when we just received a document, um, about that. I mean, this impact will be increasing, it will increase rents, um, across the board, and we already have the documentation that our student market raises the rental market price, um, for non- student households, um, so those are the concerns that I have at this time. I absolutely support the every two-year. I think that we should be doing that. Um, I'm not sure if it's the right time, um, you know, we've just passed a...are considering a budget with this amount in it, um, from the General Levy for this This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 7 year, so I don't know if we're going to be reviewing our budget and monitoring it much more closely this year, um, and maybe this needs to be considered at a later time for planning, and I actually have that $70,000 from the General Levy is going to this department, um, not 54, so I'm not sure... Boothroy/ It was our understanding that this was part of the budget package. In other words, in talking to Kevin O'Malley, uh, in our process is that it was always intended that these fees would be increased to rep...to reflect what's in the budget. It was never, uh, considered to be coming out of the General Fund. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, Dale, but I think that, that was my understanding. Otherwise we wouldn't be standing here, uh, at this particular time. Correia/ Well, okay, I mean I guess i£ ..if new income is part of what we've been discussing in our budget, I would have liked to know that we were expecting to change our policies to generate that income through the last, through our last month of budget discussions. Bailey/ So you're saying that the, the budget that we have shows increased fees? Boothroy/ Correct. Bailey/ Shows these proposed...is that accurate? Helling/ I'll need to confirm that. I'll need to confirm that. Boothroy/ We talked about it, and that was our understanding, is that the increased fees. Otherwise, we wouldn't balance. Never was under the impression it was anything else but that. (several talking) I understand that, but we did talk about it, but...but this is something that has been a recurring policy on the part of the Council to increase the (unable to hear) O'Donnell/ I guess I'm not, I'm not sure why the change...how long have we done it for two years? Boothroy/ It's in the memo. Cate/ Yeah, I think it was 2002 we had a 45% increase. In 2003, we had a 45% increase. And then 2006, we had a 10% increase. So what we're asking for now, for FY09, is approximately about a 9% increase. And I see that something, that this is something that is going to go into the future. Every two to three years, uh, as we continue to grow our base with rental units, probably that percentage will come down, but uh, in order for us to be balanced, uh, I would expect that would be the, the annual increased costs. Hayek/ You said 9%, but is it 9 or is a 4.5 increase? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 8 Cate/ It's 9% over atwo-year period. Hayek/ Oh, okay. It's not a 4.5 over atwo-year.. . Boothroy/ We bill once every two years, so it's a 9%. The, uh, the cost is primarily driven by salaries, as you can imagine, so that, you know, you can figure if your contracts are going up, union contracts going up, 3.2 or 3.4% a year, every two to three years you're going to have to catch up, and that's what we do. Instead of building it in every year, we've gone through the process of doing it...the earlier amounts that you're talking about that were higher reflect the fact that we hadn't increased fees for decade in one case. It was over ten years, and so there was a significant jump, uh, over that period of time, in order to...to catch up with what hadn't been done for quite some time. The fees were very low at that time. O'Donnell/ I don't think they're low now, and...and... Boothroy/ No, no, I was talking about back... O'Donnell/ I know, but I'm...I'm just curious, you know, we're going to go from two, from three years to two years, and we in a sense pass on this as an expense to the property owner, who passes it on to the tenant, and we're all looking at affordable housing, or affordable... Boothroy/ Well, you look at those fees by dividing them in two, by two, because it's not, it's not, uh, that's paid every two years, instead of every year, so, uh, just keep that in mind as you look at those. Champion/ Well, I also think that this is a, um, like the water plant and the landfill, somebody help me out here. I mean it is kind of an enterprise fund and I don't think we should be subsidizing landlords or rental owners, and that's basically what you're doing if you're asking...you're already using money from the General Fund to support these housing inspections. It's not paying for itself right now. So, it still won't be paying for itself, even with these increases. So we are subsidizing rental units. Correia/ Well, what my question for this whole department, and I apologize people don't have...everybody might not have their budget, but we break down the department into three separate areas, but it's one department. If we put each sub-department together, um, it would bring down the total General Levy amount that would need to go into this whole department by...why couldn't you do that? Dilkes/ Suspect they're broken down that way, I mean, I'm not that familiar with it, but because the fees of each division...well, first of all, the third one is...is the Housing Authority, is that right? (several talking) Correia/ I'm only looking at department... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 9 Boothroy/ It'd be administration, housing inspection, and building. Correia/ ...department administration, building inspection, housing inspection. Boothroy/ Right. Correia/ And, frankly, when you look at building inspection, you have more receipts than you have expenditures, and... should we be charging more of our, or charging...more of our administrative costs to that, because there's administration that needs to happen, be happening, for our building inspection and our housing inspection to be alive, um, the housing is, yeah, it's not in there. It's just administration, HIS administration, building inspection, housing inspection. Um... Dilkes/ I think what I was going to say though is still partly applicable, and that is the fees for each of those rental and building inspection divisions have to be reasonably related to the costs of those services. Boothroy/ Now, administration is picked up, uh, primarily by Building Inspection, because Housing Inspection doesn't bring in enough revenue, uh, to cover administration. Correial Well, I mean, really, but the General Levy picks up the lion's share of the administration, because only, out of the.. . Boothroy/ Well, I think that's the way it's shown there, but what I'm trying to say is if they, if the building inspection division brings in $1.1 million, uh, it all goes back into the General Fund, so I'm not quite sure how it's depicted there. All I'm saying is, it maps out. Correia/ I guess what I'm saying is, why should it be going back into the General Fund? Why shouldn't it just stay, all in this department administration budget and then that would free up General Levy dollars, as...instead, that would be freed up in the General Fund. Boothroy/ I'm not paid to do the books. Correia/ I know, but I mean... Boothroy/ It's not my question, so, that's the way it's been done for... Correia/ I guess that's my question, because... Boothroy/ All I can say is that we bring in, uh, revenue through Building Inspection that does...does cover the cost of general administration. We do not bring in... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 10 Correia/ But it's not shown here. Boothroy/ No, I understand that, but as a practical matter, it is. Correia/ Well... Helling/ Maybe...maybe I...I can clarify, and I'll confirm this. It was my understanding that this was proposed in the original proposal from Housing Inspection Services, based on a decision several years ago that we should bring the Housing Inspection fees up to cover the costs, and so that's...that's the way it was presented, um, if we don't...if we don't do this, it's paid out of the General Fund. It doesn't, you know, it doesn't affect our General Fund Levy at 8/10 because that's at the max anyway. Um, I will confirm that for you, however, but I think that's how...yeah. Wilburn/ That was my recollection. I think that's what (unable to hear) Correia/ Well, I mean, if we...I have information and I can share this with everybody, uh, from the Housing Fellowship, whom we have, anon-profit housing developer that provides a critical service to our community, they cannot raise their rent to cover the cost. They're looking at an increase of 63%, um, change in the amount that they're paying for single-family two-bedroom. Increase of 70% for what they're paying for their duplex three-bedroom. Um, and so what might sound like a small cost in the scheme of things of additional $2,000 a year, they can't make up that cost in rents or any other type of, that's their income-producing, and they're constrained, and so... Boothroy/ That's across their projects though. That's not just for one unit. Is that $2,000 . per unit or... Correia/ That's across everything. Boothroy/ It's more than one house. Correia/ So that's the total increase per year, with the proposed increases. Cate/ That's with the single-family, duplex going from athree-year to a two-year. Correia/ That's with everything. Hayek/ And I appreciate that impact, but I think to put it into perspective, the assisted housing is maybe 5% of overall housing, and so the impact to the other 95 is not subject to that concern, but I think the thing that kind of interests me is what, Mike, I think you were getting at this. Not only is it an increase, but it's an increase in frequency, so if you're paying, you know, $5 in inspection every three This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 11 years, and the proposal is to go to $7 every two years, there's a pretty big impact over the span of six years, let's say, um... Boothroy/ I understand the concern about going from three to two, but one of the things that we have looked at in the past is when we had that neighborhood task force, uh, this very concern about the...many single-family and duplex structures, particularly on the north side, uh, were problematic properties, and that group was made up of apartment owners, uh, officers from the apartment owners' association, as well as neighborhood representatives, and they...they unanimously recommend a three to a two. We think that that's a good idea. Our experience says that those properties need better supervision in terms of inspection. Uh, and you know, we're suggest...we're saying not only does it improve our, uh, properties in the neighborhood, but we also get the added benefit of additional revenue. Hayek/ No, I won't disagree with you on the...on the wisdom of going to a two-year cycle on that kind of housing. Boothroy/ Right. Hayek/ I agree with you. O'Donnell/ Well, but the point is, is when we do something like this, we paint with a broad brush, you know, not only are you going to cover problem areas, you're going to encompass the whole city and you also bring in the, um, the property owners, the landlords, whatever who diligently take care of their property, and there are many of those. So, I don't know if you can...if you can target this to...to the problematic homes, or the rentals. Boothroy/ Property turns over, and what we've found that...is that atwo-year cycle with regards to some of these issues, uh, is a better cycle in terms of dealing with, not only nuisance issues, which may not be there all the time depending on ownership, but it also...we're doing fire and safety inspections, and...and we know from experience, uh, they...you do need to do those on a more regular basis, uh, because people don't necessarily take care of the systems like they should, even the better property managers might have problems from time to time. O'DonnelU Right, and I think we can target those people. Boothroy/ Well... Cate/ I think what Doug was alluding to was that even some of the well-kept single- family and duplex homes, we'll go in and the smoke alarms are down. The fire extinguisher's discharged. Those are issues regardless of what, you know, where we are in the city. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 12 O'DonnelU With you...with you inspecting a smoke alarm, you can do that and one half hour later it can be in my radio. You know, so that's...I don't buy that. Boothroy/ Well, it's as good as you can get, because anytime....there's always a moment in time, I don't care how dutiful you are with regard to being an owner or an inspector, it's always a moment in time. It's the best we've got, unless you sprinklered every building (unable to hear) Wright/ Yeah, I think trying to move to, uh, some kind of a program where we're targeting the problem properties would be a really difficult moving target to try and capture, because it changes one year from the next. Property changes hands, um, think that'd be a really tough, very tough thing to try and track down. O'DonnelU You can do it through citations. I...I just think this is hardly subsidizing... when we require the inspection, and we charge you for it and we're not charging you enough, so we increase it. I mean, it's hardly subsidizing Housing Inspection, when it's something we require. Champion/ You still have General Fund money going in there, so... Correia/ Well, I think what you're saying, what I think you're saying is that this is a service to the tenant that's public safety service. Boothroy/ And for the neighborhood, and for the property owner. Correia/ Right, right. O'Donnell/ And the bottom line, the one who's going to bear the brunt of most of this is...is the tenant. Yeah. (unable to hear person in audience) So... Wright/ Amy, did the Housing Fellowship indicate how they might cope with.. . Correia/ No, I just...I didn't speak with Maryann. She just handed...she just shared this with me and I haven't (unable to hear) I imagine they may, they may attend the meeting tomorrow, um, to share that. I think what it does is it puts them in a precarious situation, which is not good for... Wright/ I would suspect a couple thousand dollars is pretty serious change for them. Correia/ And...and the other piece is...is that, I mean, it will increase the cost, and there are landlords that are, you know, for profit, not non-profit, who keep their rents down, um, and they will more than likely, increase them to make up the cost increase. Champion/ There are landlords who keep their rent down? This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 13 Correial I know landlords who don't charge as much as the market would...would...I do! (several talking) O'DonnelU I don't think all landlords are evil. I really don't. Bailey/ Are there any other questions for staff? I mean, I'm sure we'll have a rich and full discussion tomorrow night when this comes up on the agenda. Correia/ I guess just in terms of process, um, if this was, I mean, if this is in here, um, I would have liked to have been discussing this longer than I get a memo on Thursday and it's up for a vote on Tuesday. Wright/ I agree. The turnaround time is awfully short for something of this magnitude. Bailey/ Well, if there's additional information that you need and would prefer to defer, I mean, let's decide what that additional information would be, and get that form staff or from other people, if that's something you want to do. I mean, that's certainly always an option. Correia/ I mean, I would like to know, Dale, if this increase that we see in the construction...permit and inspection fee is based on this proposal, or if it was based on new units being added in our market. Helling/ For the construction? Correia/ I don't know, that's just the line. On page 53 in our budget, the line that says "construction permit and inspection fee" under Housing Inspections -that's the line I'm assuming is where our rental permit fees are. Boothroy/ Not under construction permits. Helling/ I think I know what you...what you're... Correia/ Which line is it then, because there's, that's the only one that has significant dollars in it. The miscellaneous permits and license if 480, printed materials is 129. The only other.. . Boothroy/ Are you in Building, by any chance? Correia/ Housing Inspections. Boothroy/ Housing Inspection, the whole department? Bailey/ We can get that information... Helling/ I think I understand what the question is, yeah, we'll get that. Um... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 14 Correia/ Okay, but that's essentially the line though. Bailey/ So anything else? Any other additional information people need for tomorrow night? Hayek/ Um, is it a safe assumption to make that, uh, improvements in technology in the field alone, absent additional funding, would be insufficient to allow you to do a two-year cycle on these...on these structures? Boothroy/ Say that again. Hayek/ I kind of gave you a garbled question. Could you do these homes on a two-year cycle, the duplex and single-family, just based on the productivity gains of your technology? Cate/ Yes, that's right. (several talking) Hayek/ All right, so no part of the fee increase would be used to expand hours or do anything like that. (several talking) Okay. Boothroy/ ...cover existing staff, at the same service level that we currently have. Hayek/ Okay, okay. So the fee is really for ever-increasing costs of doing business. Boothroy/ Gas has gone up significantly (unable to hear) Hayek/ Okay. Champion/ Have we ever thought of a rewarding system, like if you don't have any demerits, or whatever you want to call them? Cate/ Well, there is a reward in the changes that we proposed, well, that we're acting on now, that we came up with in 2005, if, uh, if, uh, if owners show that they have a, uh, a good record, and they can fill out aself-certification form, uh, we don't have to go in to all the units in the building. Actually, we only go into half, if we feel as if they're maintaining it, but the thing is, the fees are still there. The cost is still there. Bailey/ So if I do self-certification, I still pay the same fee as if you inspected twelve. Cate/ Correct, that's right. That's right. Boothroy/ (unable to hear) Bailey/ Saves time, but it doesn't save the fee. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 15 Cate/ Does not save... Boothroy/ Well, we...there are certain built-in costs (unable to hear) Cate/ The way that it saves costs is that it allows us to do single-family and duplex on a two-year cycle. Bailey/ It saves time on your end, as well as the owner's end. Cate/ And we can take on more rental units, without hiring new staff. Bailey/ Other questions? O'Donnell/ It just seems awfully easy, that whenever you have a shortfall that you can increase costs, but somebody somewhere is paying for that. Bailey/ Well, and apparently the City Council, I mean, this is a, I wasn't around in 2000, was around but not here, um, in 2002 that they were directed to fund their budget through rental permit fees. So this is a direction that they've received from Council...in the past. Cate/ All the way since....2001, yeah. Bailey/ Okay. So that's maybe another point of discussion. Wilburn/ I may be wrong, I may....Dale might remember, but part of the impetus was to continue to reduce the impact on the General Fund. Bailey/ Right. Wilburn/ ....budget cuts that we had, so it was, it wasn't just because (unable to understand), it's because, uh, because of the increased pressure, and that was part of managing our way through the State budget cut. Bailey/ Which makes a lot of... Champion/ And if we don't approve these increases, and I don't know if we will or not, because the money will have to come out of the General Fund, and so that's almost a fireman. Helling/ Well, assuming it's in there to start with, and... Champion/ ...fire person, I mean (several talking) Hayek/ The cost eventually bump up against the policy. (several talking) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 16 Bailey/ Once again. Hayek/ It's as simple as that. Bailey/ Okay. All right. Thanks, I'm assuming you'll be there tomorrow night? (several talking) Okay. Commercial vehicle congestion. Correia/ Is that...are we doing any other agenda items, `cause that was under... Bailey/ Yeah, we can do (several talking) let's do that. Correia/ I had a question about, um, in the, um, telecommunications' minutes, there is some, or...there was some discussion about the Big Ten Channel, um, and... O'DonnelU Big Ten Network. Correia/ Sorry, the Big Ten Network, whatever it's called (several talking) Well, and that was the question, and so I was confused by the...so it's 4.b.2. Bailey/ Under Big Ten Network? Correia/ It says, the Big Ten Network will not participate, it says the City administration does not wish the program to be on the City Channel, and so what was, what is... Helling/ That's...the, if you'll recall, we did something with, when the issue last year with Sinclair, and Channel 2, um, and we got both Sinclair and Channel 2 representatives to do that. It was a very neutral forum, uh, we were trying to do the same thing here. That's what Drew and his staff were trying to do, but Big Ten Network folks refused to participate, or declined to participate, um, however, apparently somebody from the University, on behalf of the University's position, was interested in doing that, um, and so the question was should we go ahead with it, even though Big Ten Network wasn't represented, per se, and my feeling was because we have to be very careful about the balance on the government channel, that if they wanted to do this, this is fine, but it should be done over the public access channel, which has more free reign to do whatever they want, and so that's the way it wound up being done there, or it will be done there. I'm not sure it's been taped yet or recorded, uh, but it's just in the interest of keeping a very good balance on the government channels so that we're not viewed as being partial towards Big Ten Network, or towards Mediacom. Bailey/ Other agenda items? Commercial Vehicle Congestion Downtown: This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 17 Bailey/ Okay, it's a short agenda. All right, next item on our work session agenda is commercial vehicle congestion downtown, which Connie introduced to us last...(unable to hear) Helling/ We do have staff here, uh, on behalf of Parking and also Transportation Planning and Sam's here, as well, in terms of enforcement. Uh, the enforcement you know that component happens by two different agencies -Parking mostly during the day, and then the Police in the evenings. Champion/ Again, um, Dubuque, the middle of Dubuque Street is used for lots of deliveries, uh, UPS, um, beer trucks, food trucks. My whole point is, we have not been able to control that as long as I've been on the Council. They're there for hours. Um, they have lunch, and that's nice they're having lunch downtown, but you know, it's...they leave the trucks running, it's very noisy, um, but I've given up on that. Okay? We...in the 10 years, 12 years, however long I've been on the City Council, we haven't gotten anywhere with that. I thought we had a group that was going to study it, but they never got back to us. So, it never really happened. So my whole point is, that it's the only loading zones in the downtown area that say commercial use only, 20-minute limit or whatever. There is never a commercial vehicle in that, well, once in a while. There was one there the other day, so I take that back. There actually was a delivery truck in the loading zone the other day. That's probably....I can tell you that I see one maybe...every four or five weeks. O'Donnell/ Which loading zone? Champion/ The ones on Iowa Avenue, there's two of `em -Iowa and Dubuque. Um, so my, what my whole point is, is that all the other loading zones don't say commercial loading zones. They say loading zones, 20-minute limit, so therefore, in front of other businesses, um, customers can park for 20 minutes, run in and get their thing and leave. And, um, businesses on Dubuque Street, that's not possible. Um, because you'll get a ticket. Bailey/ If you're in a commercial loading zone. Champion/ Yeah, and those are the only two commercial zones. So my whole point is, let's make it a loading zone, 20-minute limit, `cause we're never going to get the beer trucks off of Dubuque Street, and I've given up on that. Hayek/ You say throw in the towel on the commercial loading zone? Champion/ Yes! Throw in the towel, because it's never going to change! Hayek/ I'll pick up the mantel where you're leaving off (laughter) and as another downtown business person, I...I'd like to jumpstart this analysis somehow. I...I look at Washington Street where my business is as a place that once upon a time This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 18 had four lanes of traffic, and parking, and we've whittled that down to two lanes of traffic with parking, um, but because of, uh, commercial vehicles, um, spending a lot of the day in one of the lanes, we're effectively one lane of traffic, and if you're backing out of these angled spots, you...you may get zero lanes, and it has an impact, um, at least if for no other reason on the perception of... of congestion downtown, which...and I think perception drives, uh, people's shopping, uh, decisions and they are less likely, especially from, if they're from outlying areas or from rural areas, and they think Iowa City is a congested place, and of course, in relative terms we are not. But.. . Champion/ Oh, they think we're much worse than that! Hayek/ No, I know, but I mean, it's...it is a matter of perception, and...and I think it does impact the downtown, so it's something I've cared about for a while, and um, you know, want me to pick up the mantel, I'd like to do that, but I don't know what the proper process is, I mean, I'd need to talk to the...to the City Manager about looking at this in a more detailed fashion, um, I don't know what the answers are. Bailey/ What would you like to look at? I mean, what...what... Hayek/ Well, I think I'd like us to look at options like, uh, dedicated delivery times during the day or better enforcement, stronger enforcement of those vehicles parking, uh, on the street. Um, you know, maybe dedicating some of the, uh, non- commercial loading zones, uh, like in front of Panchero's and Ginsberg's for example on Washington Street. Maybe make those commercial loading zones during certain times of the day, and you know, after a certain hour reverting back to the status quo. I mean, I think there are a number of ways of doing this, um, but I think downtown has a congestion problem, if for no other reason because people perceive it to be that. Champion/ Well... Hayek/ But...we've got a great expert here who can talk about that. Champion/ We've let them get by with it for so long. Hayek/ You put this on the agenda, but I'm glad it is. Champion/ It's impossible to change, impossible, and I've gone out there, I mean, I think they actually...there was actually a bullet hole in my window once, and I really think it was after we (unable to hear, laughter and several talking) Fowler/ I do still have the response to your letter about congestion from downtown from years ago. Hayek/ Yeah, I wrote a letter like five years ago. It's been bugging me for.. . This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 19 Fowler/ I just wanted to give you a brief history of how we got to where we are, with the situation. Um, in the 70's, the City had, they allowed everybody with a tax stamp to buy two stickers for $2 a piece, which allowed them to park in commercial vehicle loading zones. And we ended up with over 2,000 stickers out in 20-some spaces, so and we realized at that point we had a problem. So, we then enacted an ordinance that everybody had to have a sign on their vehicle to use a commercial vehicle loading zone, and that...downplayed itself to the point that anybody that wrote on a piece of paper and laid it on their dash, it became a sign and people got to use the commercial vehicle loading zones. So, then we went out and we passed an ordinance that said every vehicle had to have a sign on each side of the vehicle, and if it was within 150 feet of a loading zone, it had to use the loading zone, and we measured from the front of the Jefferson Hotel back to the loading zone at, uh, in front of Hands Jewelry, and that's how we came up with 150 feet. Well, then, um, that didn't make it because people didn't want to make people paint their cars up and put signs on the outside of their car, so then it went down to, you could put a sign on a piece of paper and stick it in your window and then that was equal to being a commercial vehicle. And, uh, then we couldn't enforce the 150 feet because unless you actually saw the person park their vehicle and get out, um, the argument was, well, the loading zone was full when I came so you can't give me a ticket, even though there's a space there now. I can't move my truck back there. I started unloading. Um, and then we evolved to, well, if you can park in the middle of Dubuque Street, and cross the center line and leave ten feet on each side of your vehicle, then, uh, then you are within Code. So, we've had this problem since the 70's. We continue to try and address it, and every time we pass a...a strict rule, then we don't want to make anybody not be able to park, so we start backing off of it. We also let the Downtown Association go through, we had a lot more commercial vehicle loading zones and the Downtown Association went through and identified what commercial vehicle loading zones they wanted converted to regular loading zones, because they didn't feel they need that many commercial vehicle loading zones downtown. So, that's how we decreased the number of commercial vehicle loading zones to where now they're just a few appointments on Iowa Avenue. So, we've attempted to address this since the 1970's and um, we haven't made any progress. Champion/ No. Wilburn/ Memories like the corner of my mind. (several laughing and talking) Champion/ I mean, I know it's an impossible situation to deal with, but I don't see why we have two loading zones for commercial vehicles, only that aren't being used at all. Fowler/ Those loading zones were put in because the businesses on Dubuque Street requested loading zones, uh, the decision was made at that point that they didn't want to take any parking off of Dubuque Street, and those were within 150 feet, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 20 which is what the ordinance said, so they took the parking off Iowa Avenue where there was a surplus at that time, because we had parking down the middle of the street. Champion/ So then my suggestion would be that you use the loading zones on Iowa Avenue and you don't park in the middle of Dubuque Street. Because they're not using them now. And there's two big loading zones, and there's usually only two trucks parked in the middle of Dubuque. And there's also you can park for 15 or 20 minutes in the alley. So... Correia/ The only thing, Connie, and I'm just going to say this. The one big loading zone, is in the nice weather, right in front of Atlas sidewalk cafe, and so you don't necessarily want a big truck with engine running while people.. . Champion/ Oh, but it's okay if it's in front of my store running? Correia/ (unable to hear, laughter and several talking) Champion/ Know what I'm saying...I don't have the answer. I just know, it's probably impossible, but it's, but if you...if you made those loading zones that weren't commercial vehicles then you wouldn't have that problem because the commercial vehicles don't use `em anyway. Fowler/ No, and if you establish the loading hours, and say everybody has to unload by 11:00 and then everything's strictly enforced. Bailey/ Have we tried that? Fowler/ No. We, uh... Correia/ ...10:00? Champion/ That'd probably be too early. Fowler/ We have discussed it, and um, I guess the people that had the most votes were saying, oh, you can't make those beer trucks come before... Champion/ Oh, right, can't make the owners go the bars before noon, or 2:00. O'DonnelU Joe, what if we would go down on Dubuque Street between Iowa Avenue and Washington, and make a, the whole east side of the street a loading zone. (several talking) I'm talking about across the street from your store, that whole side. The cars that we move would probably be business owners, wouldn't they? Champion/ Exactly, `cause they're the ones feeding the meters all day long, or people that work there. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 21 O'DonnelU So we would move them into the ramp, and we would have that whole east side as a designated loading zone, and you'd get people out of the middle of the street. I think that looks just horrible. Fowler/ I agree with you, and...uh, part of the problem is, there's only a few hours that they need to load and unload, and so if we took that east side of the street and said, you know, until 10:00 or 11:00 you use that as a loading zone and you can't park in the middle of the Dubuque Street afterwards, I think they would deliver during the allotted time. And then turn it back to, but then turn it back over. O'Donnell/ (unable to understand, both talking) Fowler/ He needs to answer that question, because I don't...I'm not downtown when they run out of product at night. Champion/ I don't think they ever run out. O'DonnelU I've seen trucks down there at night, uh, I'm sure they're not just (several talking) Champion/ We need to raise the prices. Hayek/ Let's hear from the Chief. Hargadine/ I don't think they've ever gone long, um, have run out of alcohol down there. They don't run out of alcohol very often down there. (several talking) Bailey/ They do redeliver at night though, right, I mean... Fowler/ I think they are, but most of them are, they occur earlier. Bailey/ So what are we doing about enforcement? I mean, what are we enforcing downtown right now, insofar as parking in the middle, and...and what are we enforcing at night, because there's still people parking in the middle of the street at night. Correia/ At this point, it's legal to park in the middle and do deliveries. We don't have, we said it meets Code, there's ten feet on either side, so we're really not telling people they have to move, because there... O'Brien/ Correct, I believe it was, excuse me (clearing throat) last year, probably around this time, uh, we had this, it was a similar discussion I believe, um, and at that time it started out, strict enforcement, nobody's allowed there, and then it turned into a discussion of, well, how about if they're just delivering. Fifteen minutes, and then it was, well, since they're actively loading, allow those people that are This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 22 actively loading to stay a little longer if they're active, but you can't just let somebody leave their vehicle out there the whole time. So, it went from strict enforcement to 15 minutes to 30 to an hour, depends on...on what the vehicle was and what they were doing. So, um, we proceeded from there, cleaned it pretty much completely out, except for the delivery vehicles, um, which we have still given because of the, and to answer the question on the loading zone, uh, the one in front of the Atlas, the one in front of Dolcenea, it only takes one vehicle, whether it's a car, whether it's a, um, a hybrid, whatever, to park in there and a 40-foot beer truck cannot get in there. So, they'll park on the lane on Iowa Avenue, which j ams up Iowa Avenue, which your trying to get people both directions. So... Champion/ Maybe they have to use smaller trucks. That's not uncommon in cities. O'Brien/ Correct, and then it'd be multiple trucks is what we would run into in...in the downtown then, um, just because of the proximity of the, um, the people that are buying from them. Champion/ Can I just say one more thing? I'm tired of the downtown being run by beer trucks. I really am. Wilburn/ I would recommend if you're wanting to... Hayek/ Yeah, I'll...yeah... Wilburn/ ...talk with the Chamber of Commerce, and the Downtown Association, see if you can get them, uh, once again, to come together and talk. Champion/ Because I tell you, UPS and the Post Office runs...they're not there for more than five minutes (several talking) Hayek/ I know that beer trucks are not parking on Michigan Avenue at high noon. They, the S.W.A.T. team would descend upon them and...and that's part of it. I think part of it is, you know, where they double park. You know, I see them on Washington Street, blocking in cars in the non-commercial loading zone, so now you've gone into, uh, Hands Jewelers to buy something and you can't actually exit because your car's being blocked. I know it comes up every year, read about for years in the paper, uh, but hope springs eternal, and you know, maybe I'll talk to you guys and go talk to the Chamber and see what happens. Wilburn/ I believe there was a request to the Chamber and the Downtown Association to make a recommendation. Bailey/ That was the group that Connie referred to, that... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 23 Champion/ And I didn't put myself on it, because I think I'm pretty strong about it, but Elliott was on it, and I can't remember who else was...somebody from the Chamber, but they never, I don't think they ever met. Bailey/ Well, so, our objective here, once again, this spring...hope springs eternal spring, um, is to reduce congestion and get some free-flow traffic downtown. Is that...is that what we're going for here? Is that what we're going to try? Champion/ If you can call it that nice... Bailey/ I think we're more the problem than the beer trucks when it comes down to it, but um, because we change our minds as we get, um, solutions, but...so... Champion/ You know, a couple years ago, they did enforce that time limit, and that did make a huge difference. But... Bailey/ That's what Chris was talking about, enforcing the time limit. Champion/ I mean, that ended. That went on for about two months, and it really did make a huge difference, um, but that doesn't really... Bailey/ So you're no longer enforcing the time limit, is that accurate or... O'Brien/ No, we actually are, but once again, if...if they're actively, and that was the term that was used, actively loading or unloading, to allow them to finish what they're doing, rather than...I'm sorry (unable to hear person talking). Correct. Um, which is in the Code as well, is actively loading. Bailey/ Right. O'Brien/ So, instead of having a beer truck, and I'm going to use that as an example because that's one that keeps coming up, unload to the Sports Column, and then pull around the block to Washington and unload for Bo James, and then pull forward, you know, they're in one, they're going back and forth, um, Dubuque Street is the center of activity for their deliveries, um, are there times we miss them? Yes, there are, I'll be honest with you, um, but everyone else, minus the delivery trucks, we've been very diligent still of making sure they're not in that...that center lane. Champion/ I know you're very diligent about it, because I got a ticket as I was loading, recycling because I only had a paper sign. O'Donnell/ You know, if nobody's using the loading zones on Clinton, or on Iowa Avenue, why don't we move one to Dubuque Street? That's, we just heard that's the hub of activity. We can move the parking from Dubuque to Iowa Avenue, and have, you know, I've been downtown and I've watched the people come out This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 24 of the business and keep feeding that meter over and over and over, you know, maybe it'll make them go to the parking ramp, where they probably should be, and we've got a parking spot on Dubuque Street. Hayek/ (several talking) I think talking about specific... Bailey/ Right, I think we need to get some advice from our experts, and talk to the Chamber (both talking) and... Hayek/ ...sit down and you can pull out your yellow notes from, you know, ten times ago when this started, um, and we'll just see what happens and I'11...I'll commence talking to the Chamber and the other folks. This'll be my cause celeb. Bailey/ Can we commit to a timeline? Um, when you're going to bring this back. Hayek/ Three days. Bailey/ Really? Hayek/ No, I, uh.. . Bailey/ Can we talk about this in March? Hayek/ I think that's fair. Bailey/ And then, I think what we need are some recommendations from you regarding... O'Brien/ I was going to ask, do you want a prop...like, do you want us to put something together, and then meet with you, or do you want to give us direction and then we'll... Bailey/ If our objective is to reduce congestion, I'm sure you guys have ideas about how that could be accomplished. One of the things that you said we've never tried was dedicated delivery times. That could be an option, but once again.. . Correia/ And are people delivering all day long? (several talking) Bailey/ Right, I mean, once again... O'Brien/ I'd say the bulk is early on. You know, you get to your 11:00 and...the type of parkers you have changes quite a bit in the downtown, um, there are deliveries that take place, but that's because we allow it, um, you know, the alleys, and you know, that's the other concern, you know, I know the Fire Department's raised a concern with alleys being blocked, uh, for emergency access, so I mean, there's a lot of other issues hanging out there other than just the 10 block of South Dubuque Street too, so...um... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 25 Champion/ That is a problem. Bailey/ Yeah. Helling/ What we need to do as a staff is take a look at this and look at options. Now one alternative is to invite representatives from downtown to participate in that, um, the other one is to let them respond. Typically just to ask them to come up with recommendations of their own is...they need a target to shoot at. They need something to look at, and to respond to. I mean, typically that's...that's the way we've been most effective. Um, so, I think...let us get together and talk about it. Matt, if you're going to talk to some folks, if they'd like to be involved, then that's fine. Uh, we'll bring it up at the next Downtown, uh, Association's meeting, as well. Hayek/ Yeah, uh, let me talk to you guys first before I do anything. I don't want to over step boundaries, and I don't want to do anything that doesn't make sense. It's just something I'd like to continue, uh, addressing. Bailey/ And let's give them a target before a Council meeting where we're voting on something. Let's, you know, float some ideas and get a discussion, but seriously, if our objective is to reduce congestion, letting them know that we're probably going to have to do something would also be a good thing too. That things will probably have to change. Okay? Hayek/ Thanks, guys. Bailey/ Thank you. Any other comments? Champion/ I only have two years left. Wilburn/ I recall another issue downtown that came up from one sector, and...one of the organizations was okay with it, and then when it was put, just...it met your requirement being brought to them before brought to us. It was brought before us, and then all heck broke loose. So... O'Donnell/ And this is where we left this discussion for the last four years. Bailey/ Well, we're going to hear back from Matt in March of this year. Champion/ Well, I appreciate the... Aid to Agencies: Bailey/ Aid to Agencies...(several talking)...schedulebecnmes (several talking)... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 26 Wilburn/ Think I'll join Transportation after, uh, I'm done on Council. (several talking) Bailey/ All right. Champion/ Well, a couple things we did, um, we tried to give, well, most people some increases. Also wanted some continuancy, but we also took away some increases `cause we were very interested in funding the Housing Trust Fund. And, um, so that explains some of it. Mayor's Youth Employment, we cut back because the part that we decided we wanted to support was, um, their efforts with teenage employment, and the rest of it, the rest of the things they do we thought was duplication, which has been a problem for years, that we've decreased their input gradually over the years, and they're also part of the, um, the Consortium for Youth Employment, so that's the part that we wanted to fund. And so that explains their...their drop. Um, Shelter House, uh, did not get as big of a increase as in the past. We felt like we've given them several hefty increases, although we did increase them, and um, to keep their, to keep the STAR program intact, uh, I really hadn't seen this plan last thing, until you did, because we had a couple errors. So, look through it, and Mike...and um, Abbie, offer whatever advice you have. We did want some continuancy, but because it's been several years where we're really used that continuancy. We did want to leave some. O'Donnell/ I think it all looks good. Bailey/ Comments? Linda, did you have any comments? Okay. Any questions for the group that made these recommendations? I was hoping that we might fund the Housing Trust Fund in a more robust level. Champion/ We thought that was pretty robust for the first time. Bailey/ Because I know that they came in with that request last year too, and we sort of waited `till the cycle, I know it was late last year, but...so... Champion/ It came after the funding. Bailey/ Right. It was late last year, but I mean, I know that other entities are... Champion/ ...maybe if somebody sees something that we could all agree on, if you wanted to give them more money. Correia/ I was...I mean, I've been wondering if there are ways to fund the Housing Trust Fund that outside of, not... as part of Aid to Agencies. I guess when I think of Aid to Agencies, I think of agencies that are, um, providing services directly to people. (several responding) Housing Trust Fund is a totally different animal. I mean, it's similar I would say in operation in the community as ICAD is. I mean, ICAD is to economic development what Housing Trust Fund to affordable housing, um, and I didn't know if there was any, I know we have affordable This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 27 housing reserves and Housing Authority that recycle dollars, um, and if there's even a way to earmark a percentage of interest that we receive from that $4 million, that could fund the Housing Trust Fund. Hayek/ How is Housing Trust Fund different from some of these other entities on the list that also engage in affordable housing as part of their services? Correia/ Because... Hayek/ Is it because it only goes to their service...programming? Correia/ ...services to people, they're a funder, they're a technical, you know, they're working to create the infrastructure, similar to ICAD, isn't...doesn't, um, I mean, ICAD works to improve the infrastructure so that economic development in the sector that they work in happens in Johnson County, similarly Housing Trust Fund is set up, um, to bring in additional revenue, to...to strengthen the infrastructure for affordable housing in Johnson County. So I guess that's how I see it, it's different from the other, I think, the Aid to Agencies, um, historically, you know, all of the agencies here, besides, um, Housing Trust Fund, all served individual people that are in need, based on their mission. Where the Housing Trust Fund is a funder, provides money, brings in money, um, funds projects that serve people, but...but they don't... Hayek/ I mean, I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, but it seems to me that other services, uh, ACAP, MECCA, arguably Shelter House, although I wouldn't put that on the list, at least those first three, are also providing, I mean, they're providing assisted housing is part of their mission. Correia/ Elder Services? Hayek/ They're, well, it's a housing assistance, sure. Part of what they do (several talking) They don't have that anymore? We'll take that off (several talking) Correia/ But those services are connected with individuals, um, Shelter House works with an individual and provides them housing. (several talking) Bailey/ Ross? Wilburn/ I...I was going to try and look at your analogy for ICAD a little different. ICAD has a number of, uh, members that provides funding to ICAD for ICAD to undertake a series of activities that bring business to the community, or they do lobbying activities, to benefit the member agencies economically, in terms of, uh, new jobs to the area, business expansion. The Housing Trust Fund, if it recruits members, City of Iowa City, other entities, then it would partake a set of activities that would benefit the area of housing that would indirectly benefit some of the service providers that are on here, lobbying, um, tax credit, pursuing tax credit, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 28 those type of things, for the City. That might involve just helping to reduce the burden related to affordable housing study, so it's a...I hadn't thought of it that way, but that's...that's (several talking) Correia/ And the Housing Trust Fund is, um, I guess as an organization, doesn't refer to its partners as "members" like ICAD, but is going out and receiving, you know, getting financial contributions from financial institutions, developers, um... Bailey/ So how does this amount compare to the, to what the other entities, the other municipalities are contributing to...(several talking) Correia/ Coralville's 15 (unable to hear) the County's 24. I mean, I think the other entities.. . Wilburn/ 15,000 or 24,000? Correia/ Yeah, and North Liberty gave whatever the request was, if it was...the request went out based on population. Bailey/ Sure, and that's what I figured why they came in with such odd dollar amounts. I figured it was population based. Interesting. Okay. Wright/ ...we had so much more in requests than we could have possibly (several talking) Champion/ The other thing is, I...I think it'd be nice to fund the Housing Trust Fund some other way, Amy, but I don't think we're going to be able to do that in the next six months even, given that discussion. Correia/ Yeah, well, and I'll talk with Steve Rackis and Doug Boothroy, because we do have the affordable housing dollars in the (unable to hear) Housing Authority, you know, those are dollars that have been recycled back in. I think that there could be a way of, just looking at, okay, what interest do we earn, what percentage might that, you know, so it's not necessarily taking off from our (several talking) There might be some innovative way to do that, that's not taking it away from agencies (unable to hear) are... Hayek/ I don't know what the feasibility of this would be, but the City has approximately 90 or 95 units of publicly owned (several talking) Is it less? Eighty something, but I don't know, and I don't know how, uh, what the progress is on selling those structures, but if that is an ongoing, uh, process, I...it'd be interesting for me to know where those dollars that we recoup go to, and whether that could be part of... Correia/ Well, and that's what I'm talking about. I mean, those dollars...I mean, I think, and if you know, Dale, I think in our, in sort of the balance in our housing budget This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 29 is money that has come from what was sold. That's required, was required at that first round after the money was sold, to go back in to produce more housing, what we used to fund the affordable housing, whatever, dream home program, but we sell those homes, the money comes back and then it's really sort of "no strings" at that point once it's clean. Hayek/ So do you have to go through two cycles, essentially? Correia/ I think one, but we...we continue to use it for affordable housing, which I think is good, I mean, that's...that seems incredibly appropriate. Um, I just think we might have some room there, potentially, to be able to fund something like this, that you know the other communities are funding and to get us into our, you know, our regional housing policy. Wright/ It's an interesting idea. (several responding) Bailey/ So, any other comments or questions or suggestions for changes with this? Thank you, for (several talking) Wright/ ...this is actually a lot of fun to go through. Bailey/ Lot of work. Champion/ ...I just have one other question, just because I don't want to get us in trouble if somebody, but, the Consortium for Youth Employment, I just wonder, Amy, if you have a conflict of interest. Correia/ I was wondering...none of that...I, um, have been administering the consortium, but no money goes to Johnson County at all. Champion/ Okay. I mean, I love the program, and I thought (several talking) Correia/ I can talk to Eleanor about it. Champion/ ...wondering why you didn't ask for more money, but maybe that's all you can handle with what you're doing now. Maybe you can check on that (several talking) Bailey/ And then we can, because we have this, we can vote on this at the same time we vote on the budget, um, in March. Because we have these details. I think these agencies would like to know as soon as possible what kind, level of funding to expect, especially with all the talk about a recession in our economy. I feel panic out there a little bit from our non-profits. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 30 Helling/ I think that's right. Typically in the past for a number of years we haven't made these decisions until after the budget's been (several talking) We can incorporate this into the... Bailey/ We usually...we have done it as separate, because there have been conflict of interest issues, or concerns, but I think we can, however we can put that on would be good, and we don't (unable to hear) Wilburn/ The earlier you can know what you're dealing with...budget wise he better. Bailey/ Yes. (several talking) Yeah, thanks for doing that. (several talking) Okay, I'll take that, that's good. Um, does anybody need a break? Otherwise I'm going to continue on. Okay. Council Technology Plan: Karr/ This is just a short update, responding to, uh, the request Matt had, uh, a couple weeks ago, and a little history on the program and, um, some food for thought to come back to you later, if you agree. First, um, when we started in the mid-90's with the laptops for Council, it was used as a method to distribute information, but also save money. The primary reason we did it was at the time there was cost cuts, and we cut back our publishing, our printing, our outside printing budget considerably by taking those packets that you get weekly and um, putting them to electronic data. At the time we started, we did CD's to Council and it was not at all on the internet. It was very preliminary. Over the years, we also then encouraged the use of the laptops by saying it was a choice of Council utilizing the hard copy packet, or the electronic, and if you used the electronic, we provided a laptop. If you continued with the hard copy packet, we did not provide a laptop. Over the years, and we also expanded it to encourage use by, uh, adding a stipend. We also service the equipment and we passed along the equipment as it was a turnover in a Council Member, the equipment came back, and we passed along the equipment to the new Council Member. What we see more and more now is technology coming to the forefront. There's more out there to assist you in doing that, and there's also more ways you can access much of the same data. And as Matt brought up a couple of weeks ago, there are several...what we started with was an answering machine and now that's totally obsolete. Um, we started with, and we still do file cabinets and things of that nature. What I'd like to suggest is that we take a broader look at it, and maybe take a look at individual requests, rather than a blanket request for standard Council operating technology equipment. I think everybody brings to Council different technology needs, different expertise, and I think it's probably really shortsighted on the part of...of staff to say, to seven different people at any point in time, you can either have it this way or this way, because the important thing is you're comfortable accessing the information, the best way, responding to your constituents and coming prepared to meetings. Given that, I'd like to suggest that we come back to you, take a look at possibly setting aside some money, uh, and taking a look, um, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 31 perhaps this is the wrong term, but it's something I can relate to, is a cafeteria approach to Council Members -what each individual Council Member may need to do their job maybe very different than their counterpart, so we would take a look at that. We also then would also take a look at then possibly, um, you would buy from the stipend or the set-aside for your individual needs. We would reimburse you, but the City would no longer then service the equipment. Um, so that as you individually, you know, there are some legal issues we do need to take a look at, um, but I, again, I wanted to come back before the staff did any more work on that, and just plant that seed, see if there was interest to do that. We then would be also getting out of the business of not only servicing it, but we would also be getting out of the business of getting it back every four years and trying to move around file cabinets or readjust laptops or, there are some great stories that I'll make into movies some day, about equipment coming back through a cycle, so I think there's a lot of advantages if Council is open to take a look at that, rather than a carte Blanc technology policy across the board. (several talking) And we'll come back with some specific...and Eleanor and I chatted, Dale and I have chatted, and there are some other issues we will have to address, but I think it's certainly worth looking at a little bit broader than what we've done in the past. And we'll come back to you on that. Bailey/ Okay. Thanks. Lobbying/Le~islative Update: Bailey/ I've asked Ross to give an update on the Metro Coalition. He's chairing that group, and it's been moving forward. Wilburn/ It has. We...let me get my notes together. The Coalition did finalize and uh, hire, retain the services of Anderson Legislative Consulting, Erika Anderson and Threase Harms are...are working as a team to advocate on the Coalition's agenda. Um, it's still early in the session where there's lots of information and lots of, uh, heresay and rumors going on, uh, so to lock down on any one, uh, specific piece of legislation that's going to be the same from last week to what it is, was, you know, a few hours ago, uh, would be difficult, but uh, they have been very active, uh, the lobbyists on our behalf, um, I just got off the phone, uh, earlier tonight with, uh, one of the Des Moines' representatives, and uh, who does spend quite a bit of time on the Hill, uh, and I had to go to Des Moines for a couple times, and um, spoke to the Senate local government committee, just to let them know about the Coalition and our legislative priorities, which are, uh, our local priorities here are reflected within, uh, the overall goals of the Coalition. Um, there've been some real tangible, like I said, they've been very active, uh, just the one of the days that I was up there, um, there were several issues related to, uh, alternative, uh, revenue sources that, uh, within the two hours I was there, got three different briefings from our...our lobbyists there, uh, so they really are staying connected, and they're being contacted directly by different, uh, legislators, uh, asking for, uh, not only the view of the Coalition, but the view of the, um, League of Cities, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 32 as well, and um, asking for very specific input on some of the ideas that the legislators are having related to their particular area, whether it's been smoking or again, with the alternative revenue sources. Um, a real tangible thing that's been a difference from a couple of the folks that I know that do some lobbying there, on behalf of some other cities, uh, said that there's just some things that have been more formalized since the Coalition came into existence. They're having, uh, regular weekly meetings, all of the, uh, lobbyists that are lobbying on cities, as well as the League, seems to be occurring, uh, on a more regular basis so far. Uh, a lot of meeting strategizing, sharing of information and resources, so they're...they're up there working on our behalf. Um, and, uh, specifically, um, our folks have had several conversations, and given direct feedback to the legislators related to, uh, some specific alternative revenue sources that are being considered for cities, uh, smoking legislation both local and statewide ban, uh, property tax reform, and prevailing wage, uh, in fact, after, uh, after I was up there, um, the introduction to the local, the Senate local government group, one of the senators there later on, uh, in the day after I left, had, uh, who had introduced some property tax reform legislation about ten years ago, um, decided to dig that out again (mumbled) conversations with, uh, with our lobbyists. So, it's um, we are having another meeting Friday, we're going to get an update, so I'll actually have better information this coming Friday, but uh, I think kind of the consensus feeling is so far that we're getting our money's worth out of them, uh, as a Coalition, um, and just look forward to see what kind of impact we can have. But, lots of activity, lots of conversations, lots of, um, one-to-one conversations with our legislators, making their presence known on behalf of the Coalition. Bailey/ Has there been pretty good response on the part of our legislative delegation to the concept of the Coalition? Wilburn/ I got an email, you know, one of the, couple things that went on, uh, just in terms of making them aware. We did send a letter out, uh, your name is on it, Mayor, from, uh, all the Mayors, and myself as the Chair, just letting, an email went out to, uh, you know, all the...all the legislators, uh, announcing the goal and uh, again, in smaller, uh, committee meetings been updating them on our priorities, uh, some specific to specific legislation, um, I did send a copy, forward a copy, of all these releases, uh, and priorities to our local delegation, uh, I did get a response back from Senator Bolkum, who said it was, uh, he was glad to see that Iowa City's participating in the Coalition, and uh, he hopes that we can work together on, said he hopes that we can make some progress on...on several of the issues that we brought up. So, at least that's one example. I, um, I had heard through our lobbyists that, uh, Senator Dvorsky um, there were some particular issues he was wanting to be proactive to ask, oh, we need to get an opinion from the Coalition on this particular issue, so there's...there was a lot of initial what is this type buzz, and it seems to be honing itself down to, uh, not only the issues we raised, but the different legislators from different parts of the State coming to our lobbyists, asking for information for how they believe the Coalition would respond. So I think part of this meeting Friday will be hearing some of that This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 33 feedback from the legislator...that they've experienced from the legislators, the type of conversations they've had, and uh, you know, here's what's being proposed, or here's what we were asked what the Coalition would, uh, consider, so it's so far so good. Bailey/ Okay. Wilburn/ But again, you know, it's early in the session. I believe they're trying to make it, it's going to be a short session, so..:it'll be real, targeted real focused. Bailey/ Right, and they've been pretty clear about no comprehensive property tax reform this year, and I think that they're still saying that. Champion/ Well, I appreciate you doing that. I don't know if we'll see results from this this year, but we will see results, I'm sure, either this year or in the future. It's really a... Wilburn/ Well, and I think too, especially in terms of the more frequent strategizing between some of the lobbyists that are doing, you know, there are a few of the cities that have, they're both doing the League and the Coalition, and still retain their own lobbyist, and then there's some of the, uh, smaller and medium sized cities that have retained lobbyists, and they're meeting and strategizing, so I think, um, with our narrow focus on issues as opposed to the broader focus the League is having, uh, there is at least quicker response to some proposals that are out there that maybe of a negative, so part of it, and that's part of the initial conversation where to be proactive, where to be defensive and trying to hold the line. I think probably this first year, they'll be a lot of efforts to be, um, to respond where there's going to be a negative, a huge negative impact to cities on...larger cities on specific issues. See where it goes! Hayek/ I think there's probably some benefit, just in terms of simulation and coming together as larger cities and realizing that we have shared interests and getting used to operating and acting together on the Hill. Wilburn/ I think as Connie said, it'll get, it'll improve as...as uh, we learn how to, um, be a Coalition. Bailey/ The discussion have been really interesting about priorities, because there were a couple priorities from, for example, border cities that we don't necessarily have a perspective on, or wouldn't have thought of, or I mean, you can see why they would, but they're like, why would you, you know, they strike you as a surprise, but and so it's really interesting because it's...it is, even large cities, it's still (mumbled) perspective. Wilburn/ Right, and also, I mean, that's a great example too, Regenia, that, um, within the bounds of the Coalition, a couple cities, well, as long as there's, um, local This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 34 control, local decision related to this, we'd be supportive, we would likely not agree or not implement it locally here, but we wouldn't get in the way of legislation giving you the right to make those choices. Bailey/ And that's definitely part of the process of that Coalition building, is figuring out how to...how to manage that and walk those lines. Additionally, Ross and I will be going out to D.C. next week. We're taking our priorities of the First Avenue overpass, um, the Dodge Street and the Dubuque Street pedestrian bridges over I- 80. That's also an opportunity on that level, the Dodge and Dubuque Street overpass, um, pedestrian access is also, could be an issue on the state level because we have talked to DOT and they suggested to us that we should find the funding for those pedestrian overpasses in other ways, and that's why we're taking this on the federal issues' trip; however, when, uh, 235 reconstruction was done, um, DOT did support those pedestrian overpasses, so I think that we have, but I think that that's an important talking point, and if you have connections with, um, anybody on the IDOT commission, or um, our legislators, I think we should be talking to them about that. I certainly have been, and then we'll also be making some...having some appointments with staffers who focus on Homeland Security for the Joint Emergency Communication Center, trying to find additional funding for the initial capital investment of that project to perhaps reduce the, um, the Emergency Management Levy burden. So those are our focal points next week. It's a quick in and out, um, but if you have any questions or want those, want to see those materials, I can certainly forward those to you. And then, the Chamber has... Champion/ (mumbled) Bailey/ Yeah. Suitcase full of money, right? Um, obviously our priority's the First Avenue overpass obviously, and I mean, we've talked with people about that and they understand the importance of the project, but um, designated funding is always, I mean, it's a shrinking pot of money. So... Wilburn/ I'm hopeful at least this time there will be some constituent letters, emails, correspondence going out, as we get out there, and afterwards. So... Bailey/ And that will be another sort of lobbying effort, that we will have this to encourage constituents and our staff members from public safety to send emails in support of those projects and the concerns for those projects. Ross is talking to the schools, so...(several talking) We had these connections before; it's just stronger now. Um, additionally, the Chambers' day in Des Moines is February 20`". I won't be able to attend, but if others are interested in attending I would encourage you to do so. Of course, we'll want to take our legislative priorities, um, to Des Moines. I've heard that it's a really great day, so it's a great opportunity to go to Des Moines, um, meet with our legislators, and...and um, talk to them about our priorities. It's always good for them to see us. And then, the last Saturday of each month, during the legislative session, the League of This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 35 Women Voters sponsors a forum, but the Chamber also typically has a legislative breakfast. Once again, it's another nice opportunity to get, to be in front of our delegation and talk about our priorities. So, um, you know, we talked about this when we talked about the Metro Coalition, that our lobbying and legislative initiatives don't stop. I mean, it's all of us talking to our delegation, and I think that that's an approach we'll want to take moving forward, as funding and other issues, um, it becomes more important to bring down alternative revenues, or to get funding for our projects. So, any other lobbying, legislative questions? Okay, thanks Ross for doing that. Council Time: Bailey/ Anybody want Council time? I probably should have asked this during the agenda items, but would anybody like to help recognize the Hoover (coughing, unable to hear) tomorrow nights? (unable to hear person answering) Okay, that's great. Any other Council time? Schedule of Pending Discussion Items: Bailey/ Okay. So, what would we like to add to our pending list? We've moved our discussion of downtown commercial congestion to March. We're going to have.. . Hayek/ I'm starting to panic, as March approaches. (laughter and several talking) Bailey/ Well, see what you can do and let us know. It's a moving target. Hayek/ So sue me! Bailey/ Okay, so other pending discussion items? Correia/ Well, I was wondering if we could, as a Council, have on a work session the housing market analysis. I think at JCCOG there's a conversation, you know, we're supposed to be bringing back our intentions as a Council to JCCOG at our next, the next JCCOG meeting. Bailey/ When is that next meeting? Correia/ March 23rd. (several talking) ...in terms of participating and some type of regional policy group, um, but there...or there's other items, uh, that are in the housing market analysis that I was wanting to discuss, um, and I think are a little outside the regional focus, um, one is the issue about, um, because I was wanting to get a sense of the Council, an issue about the expiring Section 8 contracts. I think we should talk about that, um, there's one that's just two years out, um, so in terms of getting a sense of the Council, how to direct staff on finding out what's going on with those, um, one was the, um, recommendation around the This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 36 multi-family zones, um, and I'm interested in, you know, if it's fine with all of you, I could go to Jeff and ask for an analysis of where are the multi-family zones, but I think I'd like to get a sense of the Council, so I'd like to discuss that recommendation, and then the others, there's some mention, um, in the market analysis of...of homes that don't have adequate plumbing, and I guess I wanted to... Champion/ Well, I think we need to go over that whole report. Bailey/ Well, and my question is, when we talked to staff about that, they wanted to do some work with some other community groups, and so are you suggesting that we ask them when they're ready to do that, hopefully before the JCCOG meeting? I mean... Correia/ I mean, I think we need to have a conversation before JCCOG certainly. I mean, I think we will be receiving some, um, a report from that (coughing, unable to hear) and they didn't have a formal report at the Housing Summit, but they're planning to put one out, but I mean, I think that there's work for the Council to do. Bailey/ Right, but when we heard from our staff, Steve was very clear that he would be bringing back some items for specific discussions, so are we suggesting that this is all part of that bigger...I guess what I'm saying is should we check with staff to see if they will be prepared to bring information back before that JCCOG meeting, or did you want to separate these items out, and what would others like to do regarding this? Because I didn't hear the discussion at the JCCOG meeting. Wilburn/ My recollection, and the question I asked basically was, are the other communities interested or not, since we put the study out there, so I...I was presuming that since we commissioned the study for the broader area, that we would be in basically to inform us where to go from here, um, and, uh, no one, no other entities felt prepared to say yes they were interested in doing something, or no, uh, North Liberty and the County said that they would be certainly discussing it with members that were present there, said they were interested, but they needed to talk to their bodies. Champion/ So basically we're, we don't have to report to JCCOG, `cause it was our representative's idea to JCCOG that we do something as a regional group. So, I don't.. . Correia/ I think in terms of who's going to be involved, I mean, I think that one of the things that we'd like to go back to JCCOG and say, yes, we have folks that want to be involved in the regional housing policy group or whatever. I mean, that's just one piece of it, but... This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 37 Champion/ But I think we did ask staff to go over that study and bring us some ideas, and so I think we should wait `till we hear from them before we delve into that report. I totally agree with you that we need to delve into this report and look at it. Correia/ But I also think that we, I mean, as the Council, we can decide that there are issues that we think are important, and not have it simply, have it be more of a dialogue with staff. There might be some things that staff might be coming to us and saying maybe there's some things we've thought about, there can be us as the policymakers saying these are some things we'd like to get more information about -multi-family zones - we want to get.. . Bailey/ Are we interested in getting more information about multi-family zones, and give staff aheads-up about preparing some kind of report on that? Champion/ Well, yeah, I'm all for... Bailey/ Or do we want to have a discussion to see if (several talking) Champion/ I think it needs to be a bigger picture than just picking out one item. Bailey/ Okay. Helling/ Would it help if we get you a timeline, just from staff, just so you'll have some idea o£ . . Bailey/ Yeah. Helling/ ...plan is, and how... Bailey/ How quickly Steve intended to come back to us with that, and um, and then talking about some of these items, um.. . Wilburn/ But otherwise, I mean, I don't know that, uh, beyond, yes we've got this couple here, Council Members, whatever, willing to meet with a group out of JCCOG, I...beyond a specific number or who those individuals might be, I don't know what, if anything more, um, would need, or could even happen, before JCCOG, um... O'Donnell/ Until we hear from the... Wilburn/ Yeah, I mean, we can plan or think beyond us all we want, if we come to there and no one else is interested or only one. I think beyond that, once we know who, then you know, we can pick up on that... Bailey/ Well, and we've known that, you know, that we're going to talk comprehensively about this. It's probably going to be more than one work session, so I mean, some This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 38 of these things, getting a sense of where Steve is, coming back to us, and...and making sure that we're not (mumbled) on the information he wants to provide, because it seems like he had sort of a vision of what he wanted to provide for us for discussion, and I think that makes sense. Um, so, but what I heard was, you know, the issue of the zoning and then, um, and the...and that came out of the study, as well as the Section 8 rolling off. Okay. Hayek/ So, is staff working on something to bring to us? (several responding) I'm seeing nods and shakes. (several talking) Okay, why don't we just have staff add to whatever they're doing, those two items. Bailey/ Right, well, I mean they come directly from the study. (several talking) Hayek/ Well, that'd be fine too but if...if we know we're going to want to hear from them on those two items, I don't know why we wouldn't just add that to...(several talking) Champion/ ...inclusionary housing. We had a big point on that at one time. Bailey/ Well, and the whole concept ofmulti-family zoning by right, rather than developers asking for that. I think getting a sense of what our inventory is, literally, I think would be very helpful in any kind of discussion (mumbled) I think that's easily enough done. Wright/ ...recommendations that this Council is probably going to be very interested in. Bailey/ Right, and I would anticipate, um, when I talked with Steve, I think that was the shape and the frame of his discussion, would be going through those recommendations and seeing is there additional direction? What direction do we want to move? Do we need additional information, so we can say yes with some of these we already know we want additional information. Wright/ Related to that, that why I like Amy's suggestion about having some time to go through that, and just get our reactions to some of those recommendations. So... Champion/ I don't think there's any doubt we're going to need that. Bailey/ Right, but I think that it would be better to do that with some staff information, facilitation there, because I know Steve was talking to this informal group, and if we want additional information, for them to come in and do a presentation, then we can arrange that as well. Okay, other pending discussion items? Okay. Community Events: Bailey/ Just come upcoming community events or Council invitations. As you know, there's an Iowa National, the soldiers of the Medical Battalion are deploying to This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 39 the Sinai Peninsula, and they're, they have asend-off ceremony this Wednesday. I'm committed, I have a previous commitment to the Library to help with their Spelling Bee, and um, really try to honor my previous commitment, so I was wondering who could be there, on behalf of the Council, at 7:30 at Regina High School? If anybody could be there this Wednesday night? Hayek/ Was that Wednesday night? (several talking) I think it's important that we staff this. Bailey/ I do too, yeah, if there's nobody else, I'll try to make other arrangements. If somebody would like to do the Spelling Bee. O'DonnelU It's 7:00 Wednesday? Bailey/ 7:30. (several talking) Correia/ I can be there. Bailey/ Amy, okay. All right. (several talking) Um, then the Old Capitol Sertoma Club is doing a luncheon, an essay luncheon, and it's on, uh, Thursday, February 14th, I mean, there is the possibility I can be there, but I wondered if anybody else wanted to, um, participate in this. I would like to extend that opportunity. (several talking) It is at...Athletic Club, in the Iowa Room. So if somebody else would like to do this, that would be fine. Otherwise, I'll try and make sure I can do it. Okay. Wright/ If you have a conflict I probably could. Bailey/ Only if our flight is delayed. If the plane goes down, you're up. Wright/ I'll keep that in mind. Bailey/ Yes. (several talking) The essay this year is "should Iowa retain the caucus system," so (several talking) okay, any other Council invitations or events, community events, where people feel like we should have a Council presence? Um, we cannot discuss the meeting schedule, because one of our members does not have his calendar, and I think that we should, and I read in the minutes that we weren't going to discuss this until March anyway, so if we could put this to the next work session, I think that would be good. Hayek/ We can discuss this, as long as I have a very mild veto. Bailey/ I'd rather set them, okay, and remind people to bring their calendars to every meeting. Hayek/ Yeah, no, I printed it. That's half the battle. I just didn't bring it. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008. February 4, 2008 City Council Work Session Page 40 Correia/ So can I just put a bug in your ear? Could we just have the one meeting in August on the 26`h potentially? Bailey/Let's not discuss it at all, because there are some, I have lots of scheduling problems with that proposed calendar so...(several talking)...let's all have our calendars when we discuss. Karr/ And in the meantime, since we're not going to discuss it, if any of you have vacation days or some commitments, call me and we'll take a look at it again, before we discuss it more. Bailey/ Okay. I'll see you all tomorrow night. Thank you very much. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council work session meeting of February 4, 2008.