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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-01-12 TranscriptionPage 1 ITEM 2. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION APPROVING FUNDING FOR ATLAS HOME SERVICE LLC, FROM IOWA CITY'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) -ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACT AS CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AND SUBMIT ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION TO THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. Wright: Move the resolution. O'Donnell: Second. Bailey: Moved by Wright, seconded by O'Donnell. We have Tracy here, um, do you want to make a few comments since you're here or...you're going to have to use the microphone. Any microphone is...that's free. Hightshoe: We've received...can you hear me? Bailey: There we can. Hightshoe: Okay. We've received an app...application from Leah and John Lee. They're owners of the Atlas Home Service. They're our first home-based business that will assist with CDBG Economic Development funds. Um, they started this business back in 2006 as a part-time activity for John. By 2007, they made it his full-time employment. Um, they're once again trying to...they're going to expand. They'll hire a person in January to take on some of their recently acquired snow contracts; to improve the business, to grow their customer base, to provide estimates at the site. Um, they have a web site, um, the owners request $35,000 for working capital, for equipment, uniforms, salary expense, and related items. Um, depending on cash flow they hope to expand to a commercial space in Highland Court area in Apri12009, and upon the sufficient cash flow, Leah hopes to make...she works outside the business now, and hopefully this business will be her full-time occupation as well. Bailey: Any questions for Tracy and the applicants are also here. Wright: Sounds like a very promising business. Bailey: The Economic Development Committee felt (several talking) Hayek: ...particularly impressed with application (mumbled) think we felt more comfortable with a lot of the (mumbled) Bailey: And we wanted to get this taken care of because of the business of snow removal, so we put it on the special formal. Okay. No further discussion? Roll call please. Okay, item carries 6-0; Wilburn absent. Thank you. Page 2 ITEM NO. 3 CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS a. East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) Bailey: Um, ECICOG, um, let's start with that, and John? I thought I saw you here... Yapp: Good evening. Uh, this appointment is an appointment to the ECICOG Board of Directors. This appointment is actually made by the JCCOG Board, but traditionally this, uh, seat has been held by an Iowa City City Councilor, uh, nominated by, uh, the City Council. It is not required that it be an Iowa City City Councilor, but that's always the preference, uh, for this seat, if any of you are interested. There are eight to ten meetings per year. Uh, the meetings are in the daytime, uh, typically, which maybe an issue for, uh, many of you. Uh, one thing I have asked Doug Elliott, the Director of ECICOG, which may or may not make a difference for you is that staff may serve as an alternate, uh, to you for most meetings; however, when they are making funding, uh, decisions, they do prefer that the actual elected official, uh, be there at the ECICOG Board meetings. Bailey: And I've been staffing, or I've been covering this and I think given my schedule this semester, it's going to be difficult for me to make their regularly scheduled meetings. So, if there's somebody else interested, that would be great. I know that.. . Yapp: This would be a completion of, uh, of a term that will end at the end of 2009. So, essentially, aone-year term. Wright: I simply can't make daytime meetings like that work. Bailey: Yeah, I know it's a challenge for this Council, given everybody else's schedule. So... Champion: Well, I can usually get away (mumbled). I suppose I could do it, if I don't have to go to every meeting. And they're in Cedar Rapids? Yapp: They are in Cedar Rapids. Champion: I don't know how to get there! Bailey: I've got the Map Quest (laughter) directions. Wright: If only there was a train! (laughter and several talking) Bailey: Do you want to do it, or should we seek, um, another appointment? That's the question. It's typically been from the Council. Page 3 Champion: Well, I think the Council should, I mean, I don't mind doing it...how many meetings? Yapp: Uh, eight to ten per year. Champion: Okay. I'll do it. Bailey: Thank you, Connie! Yapp: Okay, thank you, Connie! Champion: You're welcome. I guess let me know when the meetings are. Page 4 ITEM NO.6 CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND THE IOWA CITY ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS, LOCAL #610, FOR AN FY'10 COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. Wilburn: Move adoption of the resolution. O'Donnell: Second. Bailey: Moved by Wilburn, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Uh... Champion: I'm not going to support this agreement. It's not against the firefighters. I love the firefighters. We really need them. It's just that when you have this kind of agreement it adds other...other expenses. It isn't just 3.05, and I just think at this time when we look at our current budget, and try to find a way to, uh, staff another fire station and look at the decreased interest, um, coming in, uh, we have a budget going up and money going down, and I just can't support this...this agreement. Bailey: Dale, for the benefit of the public, would you summarize this tentative agreement? Helling: I'm sorry? Bailey: For the benefit of the public, would you summarize this tentative agreement briefly? Helling: Sure. It's an agreement for aone-year contract, uh, the...across the board wage increase is 3.05%, uh, it adds $5.00 additional that each employee who has family health coverage will pay toward their share of the premium, and that brings that to a total of $60 a month, which is about 5% of the total premium. It adds, uh, $40 annually to be paid to each bargaining unit employee for holiday pay, and this unit, they opt to take a flat amount across the board for holiday pay, rather than to be paid individually overtime when they work on a holiday. Uh, so everybody...it evens out across the board and everybody gets the same amount. And then, uh, on the steps and their longevity scale, it adds $40 a year to each step in that longevity scale. Bailey: Okay. Helling: And that's all. Bailey: Thank you. Further discussion? Page 5 Correia: Well, I'm going to support the tentative agreement. I mean, I think what I like is that it's aone-year agreement. I think it puts us in line for...for all of our bargaining unit agreements to be renewed then all at the same time (mumbled) have the largest union getting this...around the same amount, um, in their current agreement, um, of a pay raise that it...there's a fairness issue in my mind that the 388 AFSCME employees are going to be getting this, um, I don't see how I could single out our firefighters to not get that, um, when there are significantly less employees there, um, I mean, I do think that we need to be looking at employee compensation, and I think that something that we could do in this...in this budget that we're going to be considering is look at, um, freezing pay for the non- bargaining employees if we're going to start...if we need to make the case as we go into the next round of union negotiations, that we don't have the ability for these increases and I think that's something that we do have the ability to do then in fiscal year 10 (several talking) Champion: ...mind giving them a pay raise. I mean, it's not that I'm not willing to give them a pay raise. I'd just like to see it a little bit less, even 1 1/2% less, just for the general public. Wright: As Amy pointed out, we do have the benefit of this being aone-year contract, um, another little bit of a sweetener is that next year when it does come through negotiation time, we'll be talking with all three unions and we'll be able to base our decisions on actual data, rather than on what we're kind of projecting out at this point. Hayek: I am, I'm going to side with Connie on this, uh, and reluctantly, vote against this. I...I value the work of the firefighters as much as anyone does here, and it's not about them. The fact is, their particular contract is coming up right now, and the various contracts we have come up at different points in time, and right now we're looking at the worst budget outlook in decades, uh, the revenue forecasts are dismal. And, we've discussed in recent days, uh, needing to make cuts to City services, and...and uh, we cannot afford, in my opinion, uh, this much of an increase in cost, and I...it's not something that can be sustained. Um, I suspect I'll be in the minority on this, and...and we'll be looking at this next year, but uh, I don't think in good conscience I can...I can support this at this time, knowing what I know about what's in store for our budget and... and the decisions that we have to make about necessary City services. Bailey: Further discussion? Roll call. Dilkes: It's a motion. Bailey: Oh, motion...um, all those in favor say aye. Those opposed same sign. Okay, motion carries 5 to 2; Hayek and Champion voting in the negative. Um, I would consider a motion to adjourn the special meeting. Page 6 Correia: So moved. Hayek: Second. Bailey: Moved by Correia, seconded by Hayek. All those in favor say aye. Okay, we are adjourned, and on to our work session.