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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-01-06 Transcription#2 Page 1 ITEM 2. OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARDS -Horace Mann Elementary Bailey: Would the...will the students from Horace Mann Elementary please join me up here. We got snowed out last time, so I'm glad to see you. I'm glad the weather cooperated. Um, excited to have you here. You're my neighborhood...you go to my neighborhood school, and you go to Council Member Hayek's neighborhood school, and Council Member Wright's, so we're very enthusiastic about Horace Mann students, and our Student Liaison, Tyler, is also here to help, uh, welcome you and, um, say a few words. Gunn: Thanks, Madame Mayor. Again, my name is Tyler Gunn, and uh, just like you, I too am a student at the University, and so my extracurricular activities are Student Government and City Council, and uh, from what I hear, and it's pretty hard to balance your grades and do all these different extracurricular activities. From what I hear, you guys do a very good job. So, we're all excited to hear what you've been up to at school, so if you'd please enlighten us, that'd be great. Bhattacharya: Hello, my name is Lydia Bhattacharya, and I'm a 6th grader in Mr. Kemp's class at Horace Mann. My favorite subjects in school are math, art and P.E. I'm a big sport's fan, and my two favorite sports are volleyball and soccer. I'm a member of the Little Hawk Volleyball Club and Kickers soccer league. One of my favorite pastimes is dancing and listening to 80's music. Our family trips to Cape Cod have given me a strong interest in marine biology and science. Members of my family are my mom, Susanna; my dad, Dibosheshes; and my younger brother, Alex. And the recent adventure was introducing a new family member, Indie, our Corgi puppy. I'd like to thank Mr. Kemp's class for allowing me to have this opportunity. (applause) Bergman-Corbet: Hello, my name is Maya Bergman-Corbet. I am a 6th grader in Miss Taylor's class. I enjoy reading and riding my bike. I am a member of the Iowa City's Girl Choir and also take piano lessons at Schroeder School of Music. I attend after-school art class where I'm currently working on a clay piece. I also take gymnastics lessons at the Iowa City Gymnast. I'm in the extended learning program at Horace Mann where I'm building a greenhouse in Lego (mumbled), a computer program which uses Legos. I live with my mom, Christian, and my brother, Emmy. I am grateful to my classmates for nominating me for this honor. (applause) Jackson: Hello, I'm Nathan Jackson. I am a 5th grader at, uh (laughter) I'm a 5th grader in Miss Mullen's class at Horace Mann. (mumbled) Good Citizenship Award. Thank you for that. I have two sisters and one brother. My brother's name is Nicholas. He's 23. My sisters' names are This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #2 Page 2 Devon, she's 21; and Justine, she's 15. In my free time I like to play football, skateboard, play basketball, and play baseball. In baseball, this summer as you know was a shortened season because of the flood. I made it to the Iowa City All-Star team after the flood and the tournament for State title. After one of the baseball games, I got Most Valuable Player award. I was pretty happy. We beat all the teams and represented Iowa in the regional tournament. My team then went to Colorado. My team got knocked out in the third game of the regional tournament. Also, I play the trumpet and it's lots of fun. Thank you again for giving me the Good Citizenship Award. (applause) Bailey: Okay, these are your awards, and I'm going to read them. They all have your own name on them. Citizenship Award -for your outstanding qualities of leadership within Horace Mann Elementary, as well as the community, and for your sense of responsibility and helpfulness to others, we recognize you as an Outstanding Student Citizen. Your community is proud of you. This is presented by the Iowa City City Council. (applause) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #3 Page 3 ITEM 3. RICHARD W. "DICK" LEE AWARD. Bailey: The next item on our agenda is the Richard Lee Award. Karr: Here for the presentation is Police Chief Sam Hargadine, members of the Dick Lee family, Terry Parker, Rick Lee and Kelly Lee, and the recipient of this year's award, Officer Jeremy Bossard. Bailey: I just want to acquaint you a little bit with this award. (reads statement) (applause) Hargadine: Jeremy, congratulations on a great year, and especially by being recognized by your fellow officers. This is a bar to be placed on your uniform and it signifies the award that you're receiving today, and it's in honor of the Captain Lee. Congratulations! (applause) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #4 Page 4 ITEM 4. MAYOR'S PROCLAMATIONS. b) Celebration of Roe v. Wade Week: January 19-25, 2009 Bailey: (reads proclamation) Karr: Here to accept the proclamation is Jessica Hook, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Emma Goldman Clinic. (applause) Hook: Mayor Bailey and Members of the City Council, thank you. It is truly our pleasure to accept this proclamation. Um, my name is Jessica Hook, this is Raquel Baker, and we both serve on the Board of Directors at the Emma Goldman Clinic. As you know, the Emma Goldman Clinic is a local independent non-profit healthcare provider. It has been a part of our community for over 35 years. And, we're here to invite all of you to join us as we celebrate the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on Saturday, um, January 17th at 6:00 P.M. at the IMU. Our featured speaker is Jael Silliman, um, someone who I'm sure is familiar to many of you. She is currently serving as the Program Officer for Women's Rights and Gender Equity in the Human Rights Unit, Peace and Social Justice Program of the Ford Foundation. So we hope that all of you can join us, uh, if you'd like more information or, um, to R.S.V.P., please visit www.emmagoldman.com or ca11 337-21 1 1 and if you R.S.V.P. by Monday, January 12, you'll receive a discount. So, thank you very much. Bailey: Thanks, Jessica. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #5 Page 5 ITEM 5. CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS PRESENTED OR AMENDED. Correia: Move adoption. Hayek: Second. Bailey: Moved by Correia, seconded by Hayek. Discussion? I did want to note that there was an item added last night, and many of you may have not had a chance to look at it -Item S.e., and um, Michael, if you had any comments about this, I...maybe overview that for us. Lombardo: Um, there's a long history of...of this loan and repayment with the United Action for Youth, um, the...the repayment terms expired and we made a request that they seek more long-term funding for, uh, the loan so that they could pay it back and we can apply the funds appropriately. They've agreed to do that. They've secured the funding, and we just need to do the proper conveyances and subordinate our...our lien. Bailey: Okay. Thanks. Any further discussion? Okay. Roll call. Item passes 7- 0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #6 Page 6 ITEM 6. COMMUNITY COMMENT (ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA). Bailey: This is a time for members of the public to comment on items that are not on tonight's agenda. If you would like to make a comment to Council, please approach the podium, state your name for the record, and limit your comments to five minutes or less. Fidelis: My name is Libris Fidelis. I live downtown Iowa City, in fact a block from where I am presenting this. Uh, I'm making a presentation to the City Council about clearance curbing at intersections, specifically at the intersection southeast corner of west Court Street and south Clinton Street, um, where large interstate passenger buses of Burlington Trailways and Greyhound Lines must make a very tight right turn when going from westbound to northbound, around the intersection, after they depart the bus terminal on Court Street. The intersection has been narrowed to provide for reduced traffic flow, in the strategy of slowing vehicle speeds and of discouraging unnecessary traffic, which normally would be a very wise strategy. However, the presence of large interstate passenger buses turning at such a narrow corner presents a traffic conflict problem. When a large bus makes a turn, it must wait for the all southbound traffic on Clinton Street to clear the intersection, as the bus must make a turn across the center dividing line of Clinton Street to negotiate the turn from Court Street. During high traffic flow hours, um, high traffic flow hours, uh, this presents a significant traffic backup and delay of traffic flow. It is also a very tight turn for the buses presenting a potential collision factor for impatient motorists, who sometimes in the past have tried to slip around the front of a turning bus, causing a further traffic jam and requiring cars to back up to clear the bus. Reducing the radius of the corner curb and insetting the curb to allow for large buses to make an unimpeded turn is almost a mandatory consideration, and I recommend that the southeast corner of Clinton and Court Streets be adjusted. I am sure that Burlington Trailways and Greyhound Lines can recommend the proper radius for the curb, so that their buses do not need to cross the center line of Clinton Street. And I'll make a copy of this to the...our Clerk. Karr: Motion to accept correspondence. Wilburn: Move to accept correspondence. Bailey: Moved by Wilburn. Wright: Second. Bailey: Seconded by Wright. All those in favor say aye. Okay. Thank you. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #6 Page 7 Rocklin: Mayor Bailey and Members of the City Council, I appreciate the opportunity to speak briefly with you this evening. I'm Tom Rocklin, a 22-year resident of Iowa City, and I currently serve as Vice President for Student Services and Dean of Students at the University of Iowa. The health and safety effects of high-risk drinking among our students continue to concern us at the University. By some measures about two- thirds of our students engage in high-risk drinking at least, uh, from time to time. Uh, so for us the problem is substantial. Uh, I do want to point out at the same time that while it's a substantial problem for us, we make up a minority of the problem for the city. Only about 30% of people who are booked for public intoxication are in fact U of I students. What this means is that all of us in this community have work to do to protect the health and the safety and the quality of life of Iowa City residents. At the University, we've taken some common sense measures to try to help protect our students. I'd like to mention just a couple of those. Uh, first of all, alcohol is not permitted in our residence halls, in our sororities, or in any of the public areas of our fraternities. Alcohol use in the residence halls is punished by, uh, progressive fines and potentially eviction and suspension from the University. Secondly, we know that our students and other young people, uh, in Iowa City comment frequently that there's nothing to do downtown, except drink. Um, starting in the spring semester, we have made $50,000 available to student groups to put on programs between the hours of 10 at night, 2 in the morning, Thursday, Friday or Saturday, uh, with the proviso that these be alcohol-free events. Uh, as part of this program, popular movies will be shown at the IMU every Friday and Saturday at midnight throughout the spring semester. Now these are just two examples of the ways that we've tried to decrease access to alcohol, in the first instance, and to diversify entertainment options in the second instance. I was very impressed as I listened to the Council's thoughtful discussion of options that the City can pursue, uh, in your, uh, work session yesterday evening. Like us, you've identified potential approaches to reducing access, and over the long-term to diversifying entertainment options downtown. Working together we have the opportunity to make a difference in Iowa City residents' lives. Now none of the steps that the University is contemplating or any of the steps that the City contemplated will solve this problem. There are no silver bullets for a problem of this complexity and solving the problem is an unreasonable standard against which to evaluate proposals. Each of us and others working together, rather than looking for silver bullets, will have to keep looking for silver bb's, and each of these bb's, one at a time, will reduce the effect of high-risk drinking, uh, on our community, and we just have to keep at it. We at the University of Iowa look forward to continuing to work with you on this critical problem. Bailey: Thanks, Tom, and we appreciate you being there last night. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #6 Page 8 Beardsley: Good evening, City Council, my name's Doug Beardsley. I'm the, uh, Director of Johnson County Public Health Department, but I'm also a resident here in Iowa City. Um, and I came here tonight to applaud the City Council for its efforts. Attended your work session last night, and I was very, uh, encouraged for the steps that you're taking. Um, it's...it's not headline news that, uh, alcohol use is a problem in this community. ~I, when I was researching whether or not I wanted to come here I found that out, and I thought, well, there's a good problem to, uh, to dive into and...and try to help with. Um, the 2005 Community Health Needs Assessment listed underage drinking as one of the top five health concerns to be addressed, and a plan was, uh, formulated and there's groups working on that. But, uh, just as Mr. Rocklin stated, uh, making a change is not going to be an easy or a quick, um, event, and there is no one-single action that can be done to...to reduce the risk with, uh, high-risk, uh, drinking. Uh, it's going to take a concerted effort over long period of time. Uh, the City...every, each of us has a role in that, and the City Council, uh, part of your role is setting standards for the community, and I think the work that you started last night in...in looking at the standards, the regulations and tightening those up is...that is your role -setting those standards. But we shouldn't lose sight of the responsibility that each of us has as individuals, or in groups where we belong to. University is taking steps, and we're going to be working together with them, but I...each of us as individuals needs to assess what is our role in there, what is behavior that we model. When I started looking at some of the statistics and...and, uh, of alcohol use, and it's interesting that it's not just a student problem, but uh, you see a lot of high-risk drinking or a lot of heavy drinking, in the age groups 30 and above. So, each of us has to assess what kind of...of, what kind of culture are we helping to create here. Last night I heard the term, you know, we have a culture of drinking here. Uh, and um, certainly that could be true. Changing a culture is a hard thing to do. It takes a long time to establish a culture. Takes a long time to change a culture, but again, my point in coming here tonight was just to applaud you for the...for the steps that you've taken, to encourage you; to offer whatever services I can to help you along this road; and uh, I look forward to working with you, and others, uh, as we address this issue. Thank you. Bailey: Thank you, Doug. Others wishing to comment? Okay. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #9 Page 9 ITEM 9. AUTHORIZING AND APPROVING THE DISPOSITION OF THE PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 504 S. CAPITOL STREET, 7 E. HARRISON STREET AND 510 S. CAPITOL STREET PURSUANT TO A PURCHASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND JOHNSON COUNTY. a) PUBLIC HEARING Bailey: This is a public hearing. (bangs gavel) Public hearing is open. Public hearing is closed. (bangs gavel) b) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION Wilburn: Move adoption of the resolution. O'Donnell: Move the resolution. Bailey: Moved by Wilburn, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? I do have just one question about the content that we talked...we talked a little bit about this previously. Um, regarding this good faith effort to ensure the design of any new building. How will we...how will we, what's the mechanism for that? Michael, um, is there some kind of staff review that we're going to participate in, or will you see plans and specifications, or...I see Andy.. . Lombardo: I guess we haven't discussed through the protocol for dealing with that. Typically it would come through, uh, but as this is...through staff review, but as this is another government entity, I'm not sure that that would be the typical route. Um, so I guess that's something to explore, uh, in terms of... Dilkes: I think what the provision in the Purchase Agreement does is it obligates each party to, um, to act in good faith with respect to the design of the building and the other designs...designs of other places, um, within that...that southside. Um, it was not acceptable to the County, and...and Andy can speak on this more, if you'd like to, um, to tie their hands to any particular design, because obviously that's a cost, um, consideration that they need to be free to make. So...but, how this will actually play out and what the mechanism is for...for sharing those, um, plans, etc., um, that can be worked out in any number of ways. Bailey: But we don't have a sense of, that it will. There's just a good faith intent to do so. Dilkes: I would say that that would be part of the good faith intent, would be to share those plans. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #9 Bailey Dilkes: Okay, and... Page 10 But we are far from the design of the jail at this point, and there's ample time to consider how that mechanism might play out. Bailey: Right. Because there has been some concern about the impact of...a traditional jail structure on the southside, and potentially when we talk about our southside design plan, um, how that fits and so.. . Dilkes: That's right, and that's the purpose of the provision and the Purchase Agreement is for the parties to acknowledge that. Bailey: Okay. And so they... Dilkes: That's about as much as you can do in this document. Bailey: Okay. Dilkes: Beyond tying the hands of the actors, which was not acceptable. Bailey: Acceptable...on somebody's terms. Maybe not ours, okay. Any further discussion? Hayek: Well, L ..I, um, I think that, uh, it's important for the City, you know, be assisting the County as it develops its plans, which do include a jail, but include much more than that - a Justice Center that I think serves, uh, the interests of both the County and the City, uh, and are really critical, in my opinion, to the development of that area of town, and I have faith in...in the County's commitment to make a good faith effort under this contract. I'm very comfortable with this. (several talking) Champion: I am too. Wright: ...addition of the Administration Building (mumbled) Bailey: I...you know, I have...I have optimism. It's just that it becomes challenging as we all know. We've worked on joint projects before, and it becomes...it becomes challenging, but I think that we need to be committed to the, um, to this area because it is becoming part of our downtown, and so I think that, I hope the County is aware of that, and we can proceed in a...in a cooperative manner on this project. Champion: Well, I can also (mumbled) Facilities Committee. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #9 Page 11 Bailey: Oh, that would be great! Yeah, I...I remembered you're involved. That's terrific. Okay. Any other discussion? Okay, roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #11 Page 12 ITEM 11. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE USE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) FUNDS FOR THE LOCAL MATCH TO THE HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT (HMGP) PROPERTY ACQUISITION PROJECT. Correia: Move the resolution. Wright: Second. Bailey: Moved by Correia, seconded by Wright. Discussion? Correia: I just want to make, um, a point that these are, um, supplemental Community Development Block Grant funds that are coming to us through the State, for this purpose - to match the State for the local match requirement for the Hazard Mitigation grant buyout program, and not our usual, regular CDBG entitlement Block Grant. Bailey: Right, and they couldn't be used for any other purpose, as far as...so, yes, that's good to clarify. Any other discussion? Okay. Roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #12 Page 13 ITEM 12. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BUDGETED POSITIONS IN THE HOUSING AND INSPECTION SERVICES DEPARTMENT BY DELETING ONE HALF-TIME HOUSING INSPECTOR POSITION, DELETING ONE HALF-TIME DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS SPECIALIST POSITION AND ADDING ONE FULL-TIME HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATION INSPECTOR POSITION, AND AMENDING THE AFSCME PAY PLAN BY ADDING THE POSITION OF HOUSING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATION INSPECTOR, GRADE 12. O'Donnell: Move the resolution. Bailey: Moved by O'Donnell. Hayek: Second. Bailey: Seconded by Hayek. Discussion? Doug, did you have any comments? Wright: I do have one question. It's, uh, we're changing pay grades here from, uh, we're deleting a 10, deleting a 13, and what, going up to, uh, 12, but that would work out to no net increase in salary out... going out. Boothroy: Right. That's correct. Wright: Okay. Boothroy: That it? Correia: So that includes the...the salary and benefits? So in terms of the total cost of the position? Boothroy: (several talking) personnel, it's my understanding it'll be, there will be no significant change. So it should be no net increase. Correia: Okay, but I mean.. . Lombardo: The positions even as part time are...are, um, able to access benefits at a pro-rated amount, and so combining it is not going to...to result in increased costs in benefits. Because you had two half-time positions, getting half-time benefits. Combining them creates... Boothroy: And these are both, uh, fee-based positions. So we...we charge fees to support these positions. Bailey: Further discussion? Okay. Roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #13 Page 14 ITEM 13. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND STANLEY CONSULTANTS, INC., TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING CONSULTANT SERVICES EXTENDING AN ORIGINAL CONTRACT TO PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING TEMPORARY FLOOD CONTROL METHODS AND TO ASSIST CITY STAFF AT TWO PUBLIC NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS. Wright: Move the resolution. Bailey: Moved by Wright. Hayek: Second. Bailey: Seconded by Hayek. Discussion? Correia: Could we get a memo in the packet this week that would outline when these meetings, different meetings, will be occurring, because I've heard there's a meeting scheduled this weekend with the Army Corps of Engineers. So if you could just... Lombardo: I...I've indicated, I intend to post those dates to you in a memo with the venues and times for them, uh, the dates are...are selected. I don't know if you've had any additional, um, resolution, but...but there was some conflict or question of conflict on...on one of the dates. I want to make sure that we gave you good dates, and made sure that the venues were secured so that the meeting didn't have a chance of moving around before I reported that. Hayek: Hey, Rick, before you step down. It might help the public to understand very briefly what we for the first contract and what we're going to get for the second contract. Fosse: Oh, sure! For the first contract, uh, what they did is they examined a number of different protection options for the Parkview Terrace neighborhood, as well as the Idyllwild neighborhood on the other side of the river, and...and they looked at a full spectrum, from virtually do nothing to flood walls and levees, and that sort of thing, and what the second contract does is...is looks at a means of...of temporary protection, using hescoe barriers, for instance, or...or, uh, levee machine, that sort of thing. Something that would be put up and taken down, uh, rather than a permanent structure, and then also it will help us with the neighborhood meetings, and it...whether that ends up being one meeting with each neighborhood or a couple, we don't know yet, but this is a...a, um, it's not a lump sum contract. It's allowed to exceed, so we pay as we go and pay for what we need. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #13 Page 15 Hayek: And the neighborhood meetings are intended to roll out some concepts and solicit feedback from the neighborhoods? Fosse: Right. Like any...any public project that we contemplate, we need to get input from the neighborhood, and that's particularly important in this one, to find out what their desires are. Hayek: Thank you. Fosse: Uh-huh. Bailey: Thanks, Rick. Any other questions for Rick? Okay. Roll call. Item carries 7-0. This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. # 17 Page 16 ITEM 17. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION. Bailey: Um, Amy? Correia: Yes. Um, as you know, I've been attending the Johnson County Long- Term Recovery Committee meetings, and I wanted to let you all know that, um, beginning this weekend, um, trained, uh, and supervised volunteer teams from the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee Disaster Response Services will be in Johnson County, um, they're colloquially called the Green Shirts, um, and they will be meeting with, um, property owners and others who sustained damage during the flood to, um, compile an assessment of unmet needs, um, and so they will be available next Monday, the 12th, through Saturday the 17th, at City Hall in the Lobby Conference Room and St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Um, they are, um, wanting to have folks call ahead and make an appointment, but certainly people can stop in as well, and those appointments are being taken at the United Way office, 338-7823, um, a press release will be coming out about that, um, today, I believe. Came out earlier today, so please be looking for that. Um, and the, um, Habitat for Humanity, um, refunds to the Community Foundation are making, uh, gift certificates available, as an incentive to the first 200 people who come to meet with the, uh, volunteers, and it's going to be a way for the Long- Term Recovery Committee to prioritize what the unmet needs are and do any additional fundraising and um, targeting resources, both volunteer, um, and um, financial resources. So...I encourage folks to participate in...with the Green Shirt process. Um, and then I also wanted to let you all know that free tax help through the IRS program is gearing up to begin on February 1st and so I have, um, flyers for you all, um, to review. So that will begin, um, there will be locations in, oh, sorry...in, uh, Iowa City at the Iowa City Public Library, Lucas Elementary, Northwest Junior High in Coralville, Penn Elementary in North Liberty, um, as well as Grant Wood Elementary, um, this information will be avail...is available on the Johnson County web site, and can call United Way - 211 -for more information and there'll be posters and flyers distributed throughout the community, beginning, um, this week. So...for households earning $42,000 and below, are eligible to receive help filing taxes. They do electronic filing, um, where you can get your refund back, um, to your bank account or through the mail, as well. So, encourage people to use that service. Bailey: Thanks, Amy. Matt? Hayek: Uh, interesting article in this week's Corridor Business Journal, um, summarizing a report we got last month from staff on...on our TIF districts and the property values within those districts, and shows some very significant increases in the property values within those districts, uh, This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #17 Page 17 which is welcome news as we go into our budget session. Uh, won't help us immediately, but as these properties come off their TIF agreements, we should expect a very significant increase in taxes, uh, as a result of these districts, and I...I think that's, uh, a nice thing to look forward to, as we proceed with our budget. Bailey: Thank you. Ross? Wilburn: I want to say congratulations to Iowa City Masonic Lodge #4, and Mr. Kevin Sanders. They're having their annual installation of officers ceremony this Saturday at the Lodge. The Iowa City Lodge #4 has a long- standing tie in our community, and an impressive history. It's one of the oldest remaining Lodges in the state. It was established, uh, before even Iowa was recognized as a State officially. Um, Mr.... let me see...um, the installation ceremony on Saturday will leave yet another, uh, great landmark, including, um, memberships that have included four past Iowa governors, uh, people like Chauncey Swan and Samuel Kirkwood, but um, another historic moment will be that the Grand Master of the State will install Mr. Sanders as the first African American Master of Iowa City Lodge #4, and um, congratulations to them. Their recognition of, uh, and celebration of the importance of diversity, uh, one day recognition of firsts will all have been accomplished, in terms of diverse representation and opportunity, but until that day, let's uh, embrace and celebrate our on- goingjourney toward inclusiveness. Bailey: Thank you. O'Donnell: Just congratulations to the Hawks for a great bowl victory, um, it was a great time to watch. (mumbled) Champion: I don't have anything. Bailey: Mike? Wright: Uh, yeah, one thing I want to be sure and point out on, uh, what Monday, January 19 at 6:30 is the, uh, the kick-off event, if you will, for the University of Iowa, Iowa City's Martin Luther King week celebration. Uh, that'll be at 6:30 P.M. at the second-floor ballroom in the IMU. Uh, there'll be some remarks by Sally Mason, uh, Marion Coleman, uh, wonderful performance from Voices of the Soul, uh, and quite a bit more, and these are typically very good events and I encourage folks to set some time aside to honor the memory of Dr. King and uh, actually enjoy kind of a pleasant evening. Bailey: Thanks, Mike. Um, I just wanted to say last night we talked about plastic bags and I just wanted to point out that, um, the City of Iowa City is...is This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #17 Page 18 selling grocery totes, um, in our cashier's area, and these are nice and big and so we are on an education campaign, I think, and so reusable bags (several talking) they're a great size, and they also have, um, insulated bags, which I think is very, um, is a very good idea. And, so, these are available as well as water bottles in, uh, in the cashier's area at the City Hall. So, I encourage people...there are lots of options available, but this is a nice one that says "Keeping Iowa City Green." So, it's a little bit of a way of showing Iowa City pride, I guess. (several talking) It's $3.00. It's a bargain! I think that's a pretty good bargain, and it holds a lot of groceries! This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009. #18 Page 19 ITEM 18. REPORT ON ITEMS FROM CITY STAFF. Bailey: Okay, City Manager? Lombardo: I...it occurred to me after last night's discussion, uh, about some of the flood related activities that when...when there is a heightened activity, we were meeting more regularly and reporting out...um, I'm going to ask staff weekly to, um, provide a bulleted information on some of the activity that's going on in the various departments. It's...there's a, I wouldn't say a bevy of new activity, but there's a lot of on-going maintenance and a lot of things going on. So I think that'd be a good way to keep you updated, and uh, we'll start doing that in the Thursday packets. Bailey: That's great, because we continue to get questions from residents, and also um, our elected officials about that. Assistant City Manager? Helling: Nothing. Bailey: City Attorney? City Clerk? Karr: Just a reminder to the public that you have scheduled a special formal meeting on the 12th, a brief one prior to your work session at 6:30. Bailey: Okay. Anything else? I would entertain a motion to adjourn. Hayek: (mumbled) O'Donnell: (mumbled) Bailey: Moved by Hayek, seconded by....0'Donnell. All those in favor. We are adjourned. Thank you. (bangs gavel) This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council Regular Formal meeting of January 6, 2009.