HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-01-21 TranscriptionJanuary 21, 2002 Council Work Session Page 1
January 21,2003 Council Work Session 6:00 PM
Council: Champion, Kanner, Lehman, O'Donnell, Vanderhoef, Wilburn (6:10)
Absent: Pfab
Staff: Atkins, Franklin, Helling, Holecek, Karr, Trueblood
TAPE: 03-09, SIDE TWO
REVIEW ZONING ITEMS
Franklin/This should take three minutes.
Lehman/OK, you're on.
O'Donnell/You're on.
a. SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING ON AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE
PLANNED DEVELOPMENT HOUSING OVERLAY PLAN FOR THE
PENINSULA NEIGHBORItOOD.
Franklin/The first item is setting a public heating for February 4th on an ordinance
amending the planned development housing overlay plan for the Peninsula
neighborhood. This is to do an alteration in the regulating plan--that's not the lots-
-and then some clarification language in the Peninsula Code.
b. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE VACATING PORTIONS OF MADISON
STREET, DAVENPORT STREET, AND BLOOMINGTON STREET
RIGHTS-OF-WAY. (VAC02-00008) (FIRST CONSIDERATION)
Franklin/Item b is first consideration on the vacation of Madison, Davenport, and
Bloomington Street tights-of-way. This is for the University.
c. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE CHANGING THE ZONING DESIGNATION
FROM LOW DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL (RS-5) TO
SENSITIVE AREAS OVERLAY (RS-5/OSA) FOR 5.6 ACRES OF
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1520 N. DUBUQUE ROAD. (REZ02-00019)
(SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Franklin/Item c--second consideration on the Sensitive Areas rezoning for the 5.6 acres
on North Dubuque Road.
d. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE VACATING LAFAYETTE STREET,
LOCATED WEST OF CAPITOL STREET. (VAC02-00006) (SECOND
CONSIDERATION)
Franklin/Item d--second consideration on the ordinance vacating LaFayette Street. This
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January 21, 2002 Council Work Session Page 2
is the one that concerns City Carton.
e. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE VACATING THE EAST-TO-WEST ALLEY IN
BLOCK 27 OF THE ORIGINAL TOWN PLAT, LOCATED BETWEEN
MARKET AND BLOOMINGTON STREET WEST OF DODGE STREET.
(VAC02-00007) (SECOND CONSIDERATION)
Franklin/Item e--second consideration on the vacation o£the east-west alley in Block 27
for Mercy Hospital.
f. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 14, CHAPTER 6, ARTICLE
K, THE SENSITIVE AREAS ORDINANCE, REGARDING
REQUIREMENTS FOR SENSITIVE AREAS OVERLAY REZONINGS
AND SENSITIVE AREAS SITE PLANS. (PASS AND ADOPT)
Franklin/And Item fis pass and adopt on the Sensitive Areas Ordinance changes. OK,
one minute.
Lehman/You still have two minutes and three seconds.
Vanderhoef/That's because we didn't ask any questions.
Franklin/I know.
Lehman/You didn't give us a chance. Thank you.
(Laughter)
O'Donnell/I'll remember this the next time.
REVIEW AGENDA ITEMS
Item 4. L (2) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE WORK FOR TIlE
CAPTAIN IRISIl PARKWAY EXTENSION (PHASE II) AND THE FIRST
AVENUE EXTENSION PROJECT.
Lehman/All right, Agenda items. I have one agenda item in the Consent Calendar, and
you've got a note on this. It's number 4. f. (2). We need a motion to (can't hear)
and defer that to the first meeting of February when we do the Consent Calendar.
Champion/4. f. (2)?
Lehman/Yes.
O'Dormell/I would (can't hear) that.
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Karr/You can---
Lehman/It can't be done until we get to the regular meeting.
Kart/You can do that as part of your motion to accept the Consent Calendar, do it all at
once, if you'd like.
Lehman/Yeah.
Champion/OK.
Lehman/Other Agenda items?
Kaimer/4. f. (2)--the work for Captain Irish?
Lehman/Right.
Karmer/It's not finalized yet, all the papers?
Lehman/Contractor has not submitted the final paperwork. Just this memo we got
tonight.
Kanner/OK.
Lehman/And so it needs to be postponed until the February 4th meeting. Any other
Agenda items?
Item 4. e. (1) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION SETTING ON FEBRUARY 4 FOR A
PUBLIC HEARING ON PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, AND ESTIMATE OF
COST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SCOTT BOULEVARD
LANDSCAPE - FIRST AVENUE TO ROCHESTER AVENUE PROJECT,
DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH SAID NOTICE OF SAID
HEARING, AND DIRECTING THE CITY ENGINEER TO PLACE SAID
PLANS ON FILE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION.
Vanderhoef/Yes. First Avenue--this is setting public hearing. And item e.(1), Scott
Boulevard landscaping project. Is that part of the Rochester building plans
because i thought we had already approved that. I'm not sure where that one is
coming from.
Atkins/The landscaping component of the Scott Boulevard Project is (can't hear
turning out) to be this project. That landscapes in from Rochester up to First
Avenue.
Lehman/Right.
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Vanderhoef/But my question is did that come out of construction costs or is that a
separate?
Atkins/Oh, it's part of the project. Remember a number of years ago, we decided to split
the construction on the landscaping because we were getting better bids? That's
all we've done on this. This is all part of the regular construction costs.
Vanderhoef/So, it was approved at that point in time?
Atkins/Yeah, it was all approved. It's just that we split the contract.
Vanderhoef/OK.
Lehman/OK.
Item 7. PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND ESTIMATE
OF COST FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE IOWA RIVER DAM
RENOVATION PROJECT, ESTABLISHING AMOUNT OF BID
SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID, DIRECTING CITY CLERK
TO PUBLISH ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS, AND FIXING TIME AND
PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF BIDS.
(a) PUBLIC HEARING
(b) CONSIDERA RESOLUTION APPROVING
Vanderhoef/And then there was one other thing that I had a memo. I've got to find it. Oh,
on item 7, regular item.
Lehman/Seven.
Vanderhoef/Uh-huh, where we're talking about the breakout of the cost for this.
Atkins/Mm-hmm.
Vanderhoef/There's no mention of G.O. for the trail component of that project.
Atkins/I don't have it on my financial---
Vanderhoef/Well, we're talking about the $130,000 from the DNR and the $70,000 from
Coralville and then it says "remaining from water revenues."
Atkins/OK. Then that's got to be a mistake because the trail portion is financed by G.O.
debt.
Lehman/Right.
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Vanderhoef/Right.
Lehman/Will--Dee, you need to bring that up during the public hearing. We'll have that
tonight. This is the public hearing.
Atkins/Yep.
Vanderhoef/Mm-hmm.
Lehman/So, if you'll make that notation when we start the public hearing.
Atkins/It certainly was understood that the Recreation---
Vanderhoef/Yeah, I know it was, but---
Atkins/You're correct.
Vanderhoef/OK.
Item 4. a. APPROVAL OF OFFICIAL COUNCIL ACTIONS FOR SPECIAL
MEETING OF JANUARY 6 AND REGULAR MEETING OF JANURY 7,
AS PUBLISHED, SUBJECT TO CORRECTIONS, AS RECOMMENDED
BY THE CITY CLERK.
Kanner/I have a couple questions. This--in the minutes from January 7--in the Consent
Calendar, Council comments. Council Member said he felt the tax proposal--I
would have said "the above tax proposal" rather than saying "the comment made
by Irvin." Did you get that?above"? Amend it tomorrow or can we---
Karr/There is no tomorrow; it's tonight.
Kanner/Tonight. That's true.
(Laughter)
Vanderhoef/Don't make statements like that.
Karr/No, just for the minutes there is no tomorrow.
Kanner/1 guess I'll have to just amend that tonight, I guess.
Karr/Or else it's a nonsubstantive change. I mean, I don't know if it's substantive
amendment (can't hear)
Champion/We can change it without amendment.
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Item 4. f. (6) CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO
SIGN AND THE CITY CLERK TO ATTEST TO A SUBORDINATION
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF IOWA CITY AND IOWA
STATE BANK AND TRUST, IOWA CITY, IOWA FOR PROPERTY
LOCATED AT 817-825 PEPPERWOOD LANE, IOWA CITY, IOWA.
Kanner/OK. And then, let's see, on number 4. f(6) Subordination Agreement regarding a
property. I was just curious--there was a large figure that we had a mortgage of
$300,000. Was that on this pair or was it actually $300,000 that the mortgage we
execute--I don't recall anything like that.
Holecek/I don't have any specific kno~vledge of the particulars of this particular item, but
I don't think it's a misprint.
Lehman/Well, the property's appraised at $760,000. It sounds to me like it must be a
multi-family dwelling.
Holecek/Absolutely.
Kanner/Is that what it was?
Lehman/It'd almost have to be for that.
Atkins/It has to be.
Vanderhoef/Because that's more than what the Neighborhood Center by a whole lot.
Kanner/OK. And this---
O'Donnell/It's 817 and 825 Pepperwood. So you got two buildings.
Vanderhoef/That's two lots.
Lehman/I think it may be, could be one building.
Kanner/Was this a something with the Home funds or CDBG?
Lehman/It says CDBG.
Item 4. g. CORRESPONDENCE.
(1) VENTURA DOMINGUEZ: DEFAMATION ACTION
Kanner/Yeah. All right, so that's probably why it was so large. Probably. And then
number 4. g. (1)--are we going to get any kind of confidential reply about,
regarding this letter from Ventura Dominguez?
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Holecek/We're going to follow up. The City Attorney's office is following up and asking
him for more particulars as to the allegations he's making. This notice is
something that is done, really, format-~vise, it's the section to which he refers of
the Iowa Code has actually been found unconstitutional. What that section does is
say that you have to put a governmental entity on notice within 60 days of your
claim and otherwise you can't sue. That's been found to be unconstitutional so the
legal effect of this is really not the issue, but we are following up as to what the
details of his claim are.
O'Donnell/Thanks.
(8) JOHN GROSS: SKATEBOARDERS/BICYCLISTS
Vanderhoef/There was a letter to the Council about the use of the skateboard park---
Champion/By bicycles.
Vanderhoef/Since I see Terry in the audience, do we have any idea whether we have a
lot of bicyclers using the skate park?
Trueblood/Yes, we do have an idea, and, yes, there have been quite a few bicyclists
using the skate park. We've put up signage at the request of the police department
and they had indicated that they would patrol it as best they could, so that's where
we're at with it.
Vanderhoef/OK.
Trueblood/In the summertime, spring, summer, early fall, the warm weather when it's,
we will have our part-time park security on duty and that will be one of their
regular stops, probably more than regular stops to assist with a portion of that.
Wilburn/Is that going to be Terry Robinson down there again or---
Trueblood/Try to keep him away from that.
(Laughter)
Vanderhoef/Thank you.
Lehman/OK. Marian, if there are--there are a couple of other things that I would like to
at least bring up that are in the packet, but in the interest of time and the fact that
we have the Conference Board coming in in about 18 minutes, could some of that
be done during Council time?
Karr/Certainly.
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Lehman/All right. So I would just as soon have other Council people have things we
need to get through. We have a couple presentations, we got to get through these
appointments, and if we have other comments, let's reserve them for Council time.
Kart/OK.
APPOINTMENTS
Lehman/The next item is Boards and Commissions. Airport Commission--I don't think
we had any applications. Zoning Board of Adjustments, none; Airport Zoning
Commission, none; Board of Appeals, we had one. Stephen Buckman. Do we---
Champion/ He seemed very competent.
Vanderhoef/Mm-hmm.
Lehman/Do we have consensus on that?
Vanderhoef/That's fine.
Lehman/Historic Preservation Commission.
Champion/I thought Paul Sueppel would be a good candidate for the at-large position.
O'Donnell/I second that.
Lehman/Well, we have received--we have four vacancies--we have received three
vacancies, pardon me, three applications--one at-large, one for College Green and
one for East College Street. Are we in agreement that those are acceptable?
Champion/They are totally acceptable.
Kanner/Wait.
Lehman/Go ahead.
Kanner/But in the at-large, was that---
Lehman/We advertised for an at-large.
Kanner/We did advertise--could we talk about the request from the Historic?
Lehman/We can talk about it, but it--my perception of the letter from the Historic
Preservation Commission, they wanted the at-large representative to become a
downtown representative, which is totally different than an at-large
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representative.
Kanner/Well, they--I don't know if they wanted it permanently, but at least for this one,
for this appointment---
Lehman/It wouldn't be at-large then, would it?
Kanner/What?
Lehman/It wouldn't be at-large then, would it?
Kanner/It's giving weighted consideration to one person.
Lehman/But we advertised for an at-large.
Vanderhoef/We didn't for a downtown---
O'Donnell/We advertised for an at-large and I'm not in favor of changing the rules
halfway through the game. (Can't hear--Sueppels ) He's got, his brothers have
business interests downtown and I think he'd be an excellent choice.
Champion/He may be willing to become the downtown---
Lehman/I would not oppose a downtown representative at all. I think that they should
feel that's a necessary part of their Commission, but I think that should be an
addition, not a replacement for an at-large.
Kanner/Well, I also (can't hear) more time to try to rustle up some people. Now (can't
hear) if you folks (can't hear) I'll go with that. I'll go along with that.
Lehman/Can we go with all three of who we have?
Champion/Yes.
Vanderhoef/Yes.
Lehman/OK. Human Rights Commission, we received---
Champion/Many applications.
O'Donnell/Yes.
Vanderhoef/Many.
Lehman/I'm really pleased with the number of folks (can't hear)
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Champion/They're all good.
Vanderhoef/Mm-hmm.
Lehman/Do we have a recommendation?
Vanderhoeff I'd like to go with Gary Klein.
O'Donnell/I'd like to have him too. I second that.
Champion/I'd like having Gerken--I couldn't really, I don't know how to spell name, but
! thought she would be a good candidate and she's a female; there's lots of males
on that Commission.
Kanner/Didn't we all, wasn't Alice Mathis almost the next one that we were considering
appointing last time?
Lehman/I don't remember.
Atkins/You talked to her.
Kanner/I think she was high--we thought highly of her. There were some other folks
then, so her name's still in the hopper because it's within the time frame. I thought
she was---
Vanderhoef/And Maureen Howe is, likewise, if we're---
Lehman/ She has served before.
Vanderhoef/So, that was one of the considerations that I had looked at and thought, well,
she has served before; we should go with the new candidate.
Wilburn/l'd just as soon--I'm sorry to interrupt--I'd just as soon go with Alice Mathis.
Champion/Well, I don't have any problem with appointing her either.
Wilburn/I do remember last time we were battering back and forth about whether or not
she'd be the other one. So---
Vanderhoef/The reason I suggested Gary Klein is that he has had experience on the
Human Rights Education Team already and so has Kathryn Gerken, that you had
mentioned. And Gary has these additional skills of diversity training, leading
diversity training, and transmediator, and so forth. So, you know, I'll go either
way, but ! really like Gary and think he would be a great asset.
Wilbum/(Can't hear) again, what's your name? Connie's got a say about trying to make
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the gender balance on that Commission.
Vanderhoef/Well, that's true.
Wilburn/So, I feel that Alice---
Lehman/Let me ask: how many would support Alice Mathis? All right, Alice is going to
be the---
Champion/We always get a lot of top-quality candidates for this committee.
Lehman/I suppose that Heather earlier she was very, very much impressed with the
quality of these folks, so I think they're all good folks.
O'Donnell/Good.
Vanderhoef/Mm-hmm.
Lehman/Telecommunications Commission is the last. We have two vacancies. Again,
this is a Commission that has three males and no females.
Vanderhoef/Now, I would like to see that female on this Commission, too, so I will
suggest Kimberly Thrower.
Champion/Well, I'll second that.
Lehman/Well, let's take Kimberly first. Are there four people who would support
Kimberly? All right, Kimberly's one; how about two?
Vanderhoef/Now I'm doing all the talking but I'll put Saul's name out there. Mekies.
O'Donnell/Sounds good. I read that one. That one was a good one, too.
Lehman/Are there four who would support Saul All right, we have that done. OK. That's
done. Gosh. Presentations by ............
CONVENTION AND VISITORS' BUREAU PRESENTATION
Josh Schamberger/Thank you, Mayor, and we will be finished up by 6:29. I promise.
Lehman/(Can't hear) We don't worry about it.
Josh Schamberger/All right. Chuck wants to say a few words; Chuck Goldberg is on our
executive committee for the Board of Directors. He's also the chair of our
development committee and local, obviously, you know, chair/manager of the
Iowa City (Can't hear).
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Goldberg/Good evening. I'd like to let you know that I'm privileged to be a member of
the Convention and Visitors' Bureau Board of Directors serving with Mayor
Lehman as an executive committee member. I'm in my third year of service to the
Convention and Visitors' Bureau. I worked closely, as Josh said, with the
Advocacy Committee and the Development Committee here in town. Working
with the Sheraton Hotel puts me in a unique position with the tourism industry
and in touch with a lot of things that CVB does. We refocused our direction this
past fiscal year and in May 2001, with the addition of a great new executive
director, new board members. We brought around a new vision in taking the CVB
to the next level to where it was. The vision is outlined in a brand new fiscal year
business and marketing plan, and that was complete with ten points that we were
going to complete. Last year, just about this time Josh and his staff provided you
with a five-month progress report toward these goals, and just about a month ago,
I believe most of you joined me in their annual luncheon and report which I just
thought was an absolutely wonderful event. The board's very, very excited over
the changes that we've seen this year and the excitement throughout, not only the
rest of the board, but the membership in the communities. We feel that we really
made a lot of progress and Josh has driven that progress. I know that Mayor
Lehman would echo my comments that we're lucky to have Josh leading us the
way he is and the excitement that the board is showing. Hotel occupancy has
increased and has continued to increase every month since June of 2001, except
March of 2002 this year, which was slightly down because of the loss of the
NCAA Wrestling Tournament, which chose not to--or was not able to--come back
to town this year. There's a lot of development activity in town, as you all know
the Convention Center in lot 64 l-A, which you're all in the middle of negotiating
and working out with Mr. Moen. It's just a wonderful project for the community
and the Convention and Visitors' Bureau is excited to have the ability to sell that
facility. I'm very pleased to join Josh and the other member of his staff that are
here to provide you with a recap of this fiscal year. We hope that you are as happy
with your investment and the return that you're seeing from that investment as the
234 CVB members as well as the Board of Directors. So, at this time I'd like to
introduce Josh.
Schamberger/Thank you, Chuck.
Lehman/Thanks, Chuck.
Schamberger/Can you all see that OK because--~
Lehman/Yeah.
Schamberger/Oh, there you go. Beautiful. You were all all over it. Now I appreciate
again, you all, for the time tonight and special thanks to Steve and Lisa for getting
me all squared away here. Now this Power Point is just a quick recap of those 10
goals that Chuck pointed out, the 10 measurable goals. Goal number 1, and I'm
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going to go through these very quickly, please jump in and stop me if you need to;
otherwise, we can certainly do that at the end. No,v, goal number 1 addressed our
convention sales efforts and sports booking efforts. It was to facilitate sports
bookings that will generate a 60 percent increase over the previous year's
bookings, and that increase we hope to yield 2,800 future overnights and just over
$600,000 in local direct spending. I'm pleased to report that staff efforts yielded
30 future conferences, 3,850 overnights, and those conferences are going to be
bringing $1.3 million to Iowa City and Coralville. Shannon McQuillan is here,
who I just forgot to introduce--I know Chuck did--she's our director of conference
sales; so this is in large part because of her efforts. Some of those that are
planning to come include those listed on the screen. Some of those have actually
already come into town. Our second goal really addressed our existing
conferences, making sure we were taking care of those and servicing them so that
we have repeat business. The goal ~vas to increase the servicing of these groups
by 60 percent. We wanted to service 78 total conferences that impacted the
community with just over $540,000 in direct spending. Bureau staff ended up
servicing over 118 conferences last year through correspondence with each
meeting planner individually; we know that those delegates to those i 18
conferences spent $1.7 million while they were in town just last fiscal year. Like
our conference sales goals, goal number 3 really addressed the motor coach
bookings, and it challenged us to facilitate those bookings to generate 12 future
overnights, 315 room nights, and $52,000 in direct spending. I'm again pleased to
report that 15 future bookings will be coming to Iowa City-Coralville. They'll
bring 635 room nights and ,just over $55,000 in local direct spending. Again,
though, that's dollars that are being spent at the hotels, restaurants, and retail all
around town. Goal number 4 really looked pretty hard at evaluating our recording
mechanisms to ensure accuracy and credibility. Accomplishments of those
include the aforementioned fiscal year business and marketing plan, which details
the strategies and action steps taken to achieve these 10 goals. This business plan
was mailed to more than 80 business and community leaders for review prior to
adoption in early fall of 2001. Time and effort was also dedicated to developing
and implementing monthly staff reporting mechanisms that enable the Board and
Councils to monitor the CVB's productivity and impact on the community.
Bureau staff also created three new access databases, a leisure travel database,
membership, and visitor's guide response card database. Anyone that has
requested travel information in Iowa City-Coralville is now listed in this database,
and our visitor's guide response card database currently contains feedback from
more than 10,000 visitors. Both are available to CVB members in the community
for direct-marketing campaigns. Goal number 5 was to implement current
available technology to ensure maximum staff productivity, efficiency and
customer service. Accomplishments toward this goal include the rolling out of a
dedicated server. Bureau staff can now communicate on one network drive,
Firewall and anti-virus systems were also put into place, and the information is
now backed up nightly. An e-mail server was also designed to be accessible
through the internet so that Bureau staff can have quick access to the information
they need from outside the office. Some of you may have been in the office and
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noticed the new computer that sits at the front desk of our welcome center. That
computer provides quick and easy intemet access to visitors that require it. We
also worked in cooperation with the Coral Ridge Mall to make sure that the CVB
and our information was easily accessible at their guest welcome center. Visitors
to the mall guest welcome center can log onto the CVB website and find
information in the area on where to stay, where to eat, and really where to play.
We're excited to further develop this relationship and we have been particularly
with the City of Coralville to get all of the area attractions in front of the 10
million annual visitors and residents that walk by that guest welcome center. Our
6th goal focused on membership, increase activities to maximize retention; staff
efforts yielded a 12 percent increase in Bureau membership and some of the
contributing factors included the development of the Membership Committee to
evaluate benefits, new services, and make recommendations. This assessment
created new membership opportunities while improving existing services. We
evaluated and implemented our non-member policies and procedure~ to make
better use of the dollars invested by members and the Councils, the Cities. And
probably the most easily understood method of communication for growing
membership was that ever $1 invested by members is matched with $21.25 in
Bureau marketing funds. And just as a quick recent update, our membership
activity--as I mentioned--all the leg work was completed last fiscal year. Our
programming, community involvement, and marketing messages have not gone
unnoticed. In the past 17 months, we had increased membership by 30 percent.
Goal number 7 was to further enhance this area as a leisure travel destination. A
centerpiece of the CVB's accomplishments toward this goal this past year include
the creation of the Johnson County Culture Alliance. Currently, 54 area nonprofit
arts and culture organizations have joined the Bureau to build this alliance to
collectively market this area as one group and one organization. The Bureau spent
time and effort assisting the Englert Theater in securing an$800,000 State grant
from Vision Iowa. Bureau staff also assisted the Englert by developing their
capital campaign Power Point presentation and we do look forward to continuing
our work on this important cultural and economic development project. Bureau
staff also worked closely with Health Center U.S.A., which is a partnership of the
Chamber, the CVB, and the three hospitals to achieve common goals in marketing
and servicing the important health and medical visitor industry. Progress includes
the combination of our Visitors' Guides. Starting this year the CVB Visitor's
Guide, which is all in front of you there with Herky there on the cover, has been
expanded to a 48-page publication, which has a special 8-page special section
highlighting the patient services for our three hospitals. You'll find it's the yellow
section in the guide. Advertising really encompassed goal number 8. Targeted
staff efforts in combination with some great ad design yielded a 72 percent in ad
responses, while actual home page views topped 280,000 for this past fiscal year.
Goal number 9 was the CVB's goal to work closely with the Councils. As you
might recall, we delivered work session progress reports this past year.
Coralville's was in November, and we actually did one in Iowa City here this past
May when I came out during the work session. The CVB report and funding
presentation is also an effort to achieve this goal, and the recent annual luncheon
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was an effort to communicate the Bureau's return. We want to provide you with
an annual accountable and credible return on productivity, detail your return on
investment and grow your economic development confidence in us. Last, but
certainly not least, goal number 10 was to continue to build community support
for the Bureau by serving as an effective, credible, professional resource partner
to Bureau members, community elected officials, and other audience. I hope you,
each of you, each Bureau member and each Council here today would be tell us if
we made strides toward fulfilling this. I believe we have and so do some others.
The Advertising Federation recently recognized the Bureau in an ad that we ran
with a Citation of Excellence. We were also awarded the 2002 Bruce Riley
McDaniel Award for Bureau Innovation. Our Bureau was selected from a six-
state region with over a thousand bureaus as having the most innovative idea of
the year. And that idea was the development of the Johnson County Cultural
Alliance. I am pleased--in my last minute I'm falling here---
(Laughter)
Vanderhoef/You're doing great.
Schamberger/I'm pleased to announce the return on investment the CVB has provided
you and our community this past year. For every $1 the CVB spent this past year,
staff efforts brought a return of $6.63 back to Iowa City-Coralville. For every $1
of hotel-motel tax the CVB spent this past year, we brought a return of $6.96 back
to Iowa City-Coralville. I also want to make you aware of some recent news
provided by the Iowa Department of Economic Development at their 2002 Iowa
Tourism Conference. Each year at that conference a report titled "The Economic
Impact of Travel on Iowa Counties" is disbursed. Johnson County was the only
county of the top five counties to have an increase in every category over the
previous year. As you can see, tourism is definitely big business in Johnson
County, and we're proud to serve as your destination marketing organization. Our
funding request for 2003--I'11 go through this even faster so you can just get it in
your head and go OK--the slide above, the City of Iowa City, as you can tell, will
invest into the CVB this year roughly about $141,000, which translates to exactly
25 percent of the hotel-motel tax collections. Our request for fiscal year '03 is to
receive 28 percent of the hotel-motel tax receipts, which would be an increase of
our budget in roughly about $17,000. Now, it's obviously important to make you
aware of just what we plan to do with the additional $17,000, and I've kind of
broken it down for you here: $10,000 of that we want to invest into a research and
development plan to investigate the sports marketing market of the CVB world.
There's a lot of communities and cities around the state and region that have
developed separate sports commissions and have developed sports marketing
departments of the Bureau. We currently don't have that here in Iowa City-
CoraIville, and that's something we definitely want to investigate. These are the
girls 14 and under AAU Softball tournaments and boys 12 and under soccer
tournaments that attract a greater party size; the party size is just over 3 with these
particular groups as opposed to conferences, and they affect a greater supply of
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City Council Meeting of January 21,
2003.
January 21, 2002 Council Work Session Page 16
the area hotels because these families don't need a headquarter hotel; they need a
headquarter field or a stadium or a soccer field or ball field. So they tend to stay in
what we have in this community, which is a good supply of the limited service
facilities. We're hoping to get an additional $5,000 to do a pretty aggressive sales
ad campaign which we would partner with the City of Coralville on with the
expansion of their Coralville Marriott, which definitely affects Iowa City and
Iowa City properties. Evidence to that can be seen of the--we've, the CVB has
been successful in booking four large pieces of business for that particular hotel
already because of the 30,000 exhibition space. A few of those hotels are going to
affect Chuck--he's got room blocks on a few of those pieces of business. One of
them is the Iowa League of Cities. Chuck and the Highlander and the Country Inn
and IMU are all going to receive rooms as a result of us going after and winning
that conference. And then there's a COLA--a cost of living adjustment--it's
important that we reward our staff for their efforts and without cutting current
programming expenses. We also need to adjust annually for insurance and
operational expenses that we do not want to take out of current programming.
Early this month we requested similar funding, or I'm sorry, last month we
requested similar funding from the City of Coralville, and I received word early
this morning that we will in fact receive a funding increase for these specific
initiatives. Our hope is that from this report by providing you with this annual
accountable and credible report on our productivity, that we have detailed your
confidence in us. And in closing I just want to thank you for your continued
support of the tourism industry, which is Johnson County's third largest employer.
And that's it.
Lehman/Josh, what was the increase from Coralville?
Schamberger/Two minutes later. What's that?
Lehman/What sort of increase in Coralville?
Schamberger/We asked for $48,000, an increase which is a 26 percent increase in their
contribution, and I received word--I'm very optimistic--without the final vote--
that we're going to get 100 percent of that.
Lehman/OK. Good show.
O'Donnell/Josh, what was the figure for every dollar invested--is that---
Schamberger/$6.96. For every dollar hotel-motel tax you give us, last year we brought
$6.96 back to this community.
O'Donnell/OK.
Kanner/And that's direct spending?
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City Council Meeting of January 21,
2003.
January 21, 2002 Council Work Session Page 17
Schamberger/That's direct spending. Those are dollars from conferences, from sporting
events, from motor coaches.
Lehman/That's pretty exciting, but I'm prejudiced.
Schamberger/Well, you're president of the board this year.
(Laughter)
Lehman/OK.
Schamberger/Thank you.
Lehman/Thank you, Josh.
Champion/Thanks, Josh.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City Council Meeting of January 21,
2003.