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1. Call to Order
Teague: All right, well welcome everyone, very excited that ... to be here with you tonight. I did want to
just talk about our ...the mask order, um, that ended today. I know that many of us have been
concerned about what's been happening, uh, throughout our community since last Thursday,
when the CDC came forth and ended the, um, made some recommendations and gave some
guidance, and so I just wanted to speak to our community for a little bit, uh, just to let you know
that certainly coronavirus is still alive and well. Um, and we want to make sure that people are
very cognizant of their activities to ensure that they're keeping other people safe, as well as
themselves and their families safe. The CDC did come out with information stating that
individuals that are vaccinated do not have to wear a mask inside or outside. This is very
exciting news that I think we should celebrate because we've been waiting for such a time as
this. I also want to emphasize the importance of people continuing to wear their masks,
especially if you are around school -aged children. There was a, um, CDC gave guidance on
that, as well as anyone that we know have, um, concerns for them ... for themselves personally.
So I ask that people continue to, you know, do what they can to ensure that we all remain safe,
and we have on our item as number three a special presentation from our Johnson County
Public Health, Sam Jarvis, and I'm going to move into that. So welcome, Sam.
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3. Special Presentations
3.a. COVID Update — Johnson County Public Health
Jarvis: Hey, good afternoon, uh, to everyone on the Council, and again as always, I appreciate you
providing the time and space for us to provide updates. And it is very exciting news, um, the
CDC announced last week. We know that they announced, uh, and made this decision based off
of what they're seeing with vaccine safety and efficacy, and so, um, this is good news for
everyone that vaccines are headed in a way in which we hoped, which is providing protection
to ... to those who are choosing to get vaccinated, which we hope everyone does who's eligible,
and now it is every person and that we've got at least one vaccine, who is ... that is, um,
authorized for those who are 12 and older now, which is wonderful news. To give an update on
the disease side of things, in terms of COVID, we are finally within roughly less than 10 cases a
day. You know, a day that we thought would not come soon enough. Um, certainly we've seen
our share of triple -digit days in our community. So this is wonderful news to see this case wise
trending downward. Um, we are seeing that average age profile continue to move down or to
a ... to a younger age, which makes sense. Again I think we've noted, as of last time we provided
updates, we know that the phased approach, uh, older adults were eligible first and had ... had the
most time to be offered vaccination, and so, uh, we know that that will likely continue to be the
trend. In terms of vaccination, looking at the numbers today, over 2,600,000 provided the State,
um, which is wonderful news. Uh, countywide about 156,000; um, in terms of series
completed, roughly 75,000. So we're well on our way as a community. We are the most
vaccinated county in the state, which is very, uh, a great thing to be proud of. We're excited
that our community continues to choose to get vaccinated and continues to make progress on
that front. We are roughly about 49.5% total population vaccinated, and so that's all persons,
you know, varying ages from our youngest to oldest, roughly about those who are eligible now.
We are still hovering around 60 -some percent. That obviously (mumbled) changed when those
who are 12 to 15 opened up for eligibility. So that, you know, again that number will fluctuate
as our community changes, uh, that denominator changes but, um, we were very happy to see
and hear that after Pfizer had announced and the FDA and (mumbled) approved those who are
12 and older to be vaccinated, we saw a bump in vaccinations administered in our county. So
that's wonderful to hear. We knew that a lot of parents were wondering when that would
happen. We knew that our providers had mentioned that they were getting questions from
parents, uh, other pediatrician's offices and things like that, so again, uh, we're seeing a good
demand in our community. Roughly other than before, uh, before the change with Pfizer, we
were averaging about 150 new vaccinations a day, so a pretty good rate. We hope that it stays
that way. We wish it were a little bit higher, but we know that across the board that
communities are seeing a lower uptick in vaccination and, uh, we still got a lot of work to do to
promote vaccines and then provide answers and questions to those who have those still. So
other than that happy to take any questions.
Teague: For the school -aged children, how accessible is the vaccine for them?
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Jarvis: That's a great question. So, uh, you know, for the most part, at this point, a lot of our provider's
offices have chosen to provide at least one location for their health system. A lot of pharmacies
are choosing to provide those as walk-ins now, so that's wonderful to hear and they ...some of
those, uh, have elected to have extended hours, uh, something that we're keeping a pulse on. So
in terms of access, we think fairly good at this moment. We know that there was, um, interest in
doing 16 and older before Pfizer had changed, so we, along with other community partners, our
hospital partners, and pharmacy partners were able to provide on-site vaccination clinics. We
inquired again when... when 12 and 15 were eligible and because of the ... the cutoff that we
would not be able to finish the series within the school year, uh, we ... there was less interest.
But we know that throughout the summer, we'll continue to message that and hope that folks be
able to get vaccinated before the school year starts again, so...
Teague: Great. Thank you so much, and I know messaging will be key... at ensuring everybody is
aware of their option now to be vaccinated, so thank you so much.
Jarvis: Thank you for having us.
Teague: Great.
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9. Community Comment (items not on the agenda) [UNTIL 7 PMl
Teague: And this is an opportunity for anyone that want to address a topic that is not on the agenda. If
you'd like to do that, please raise your hand and I'll call upon you. And I'm allowing people the
time to raise their hand, so thank you so much. All right, I see 10 people ... 12. Anyone else
want to speak during this time? All right, well I think we will allow people, um, to speak. We
ask that you keep your comments three to five minutes, and I may have to adjust the time,
depending on how ...if there is more hands that come up, but we will have a ... a end at 7:00 PM,
during public comments. And I'm going to call Kenn, followed by Martha. Welcome.
Bowen: Hi, my name is Kenn Bowen. I live in Iowa City on the east side, and um, in commentary, I
believe it is unjust, immoral, and just plain bad economics to leave workers behind in the
recovery. Excluded workers deserve equality, fairness, and the same support the rest of the
country received. Funding excluding workers is not only the right thing to do, it makes good
economic sense. More money in the back pockets of the poorest workers means more money
spent locally and circulating locally. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome, Martha, followed by Sara.
Norbeck: Hi, Council, can you hear me?
Teague: Yes, we can.
Norbeck: Great, thanks. Um, so I wanted to talk to you about single family zoning. Um, in the consent
agenda this evening there was another large, elite single-family home development that will be
on the agenda on I believe either June 1 st or June 8th. I'm actually not intending to speak about
that. I want to speak about single family zoning in general. Um, I brought this up repeatedly I
think for three years, and I keep checking the agenda for action, and I keep not seeing action,
and I'm having trouble understanding why. So we know there's an affordable housing crisis.
We see that in the news constantly. You guys talk about affordable housing all the time, and I
look at these neighborhoods going up where people are going to be building 3,000 -square foot
homes. That's $400,000 easy. And that's not affordable housing. I honestly don't know who
can afford that housing, but if you were (mumbled) to allow duplexes by right within those
neighborhoods, in any location in said neighborhood, um, you can apply some design principles
that make it look attractive. You can apply some parking principles, but you allow the duplexes
and that brings down your costs. It probably won't cut it in half, but maybe you're buying a
two-family home for ...a two-bedroom home for 225 and you have to negotiate with the person
who shares your lot. Well I'd be willing to take that discount and negotiate with somebody who
shares that lot. And when you don't allow that, you have multiple consequences. So you have
the affordability challenge, and there's 40 -plus single-family lots in this proposed development
by Hickory Hill, and so you lose the affordability component. And then this particular location
is really close to commerce and so if you get more people living there, they can actually walk to
meet their basic services. It's an awesome location. And you're depriving people of that, and
study after study has shown that when you increase density, your energy use per square foot
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generally goes down, and you're using less materials and less heat and less electricity to serve
more people. It makes affordability sense, it makes climate sense, and when I look at what the
Council's doing on climate, I applaud! I'm happy and proud of the things you're doing. That's
great. I'm patting you on the back for that. But you are walking slowly in the direction of
climate action, and I'm looking at this tsunami that is coming towards us, and I don't think
walking is going to get us out of this. We have to speed up, and so when I see these single-
family developments coming through without any change in the zoning, I'm like, `What is
going onT This is a no-brainer! Other communities have done this. This should be something
Iowa City should be taking a leadership role on, and it baffles me that it hasn't happened yet. I
need you to run! We all need to run for climate action, and we've seen the consequences of
being slow in creating change. We need to be faster! We need to be more aggressive! We need
to take more risks. Because if we don't, the consequences are going to be really painfully
uncomfortable. So I urge you to keep these upcoming developments in mind, to aggressively
ask questions about how we can change that zoning to allow duplexes, possibly even triplexes,
by right, in every residential zone, and I think you'd be taking a big step forward, especially
when you're building developments that are going to be there for I00 -plus years. You are
locking in that development! This is your chance! Seize it while you can. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you, and I am going to ask that everybody keep their comments to three minutes. We
still have 12 people with their hands raised, and we will end at 7:00 PM, so we want to hear
from everyone. Welcome, Sara, followed by Nick Lin ... Lindsley.
Barron: Hi, Mayor and Council. This is Sara Barron. I'm the Director of the Affordable Housing
Coalition. I wanted to give everyone in the community an update about the Iowa Rent and
Utility Assistance Program and the Iowa Foreclosure Prevention Programs. Right now, uh,
Johnson County residents have submitted about 2,000 applications for rent and/or utility
assistance, which is fantastic. As you know, the Coalition, along with our partners at Johnson
County Social Services and the Coralville and North Liberty Public Libraries, as well as several
area nonprofits, have been working with households to complete these applications. Although
the programs have been open for over a month now, there has been a lot of frustration, because
the ... the payments have not been processed yet, but I'm really glad to report that over this past
week or so, um, local organizations have begun to process those applications, and we're looking
forward to seeing those payments go out very soon now. We are really excited about the
possibility here, and we're also very cautious because we know that people are still struggling to
pay their basic housing costs, that both tenants and landlords have been frustrated with the
process and the delays that have happened, and so we're really encouraging everyone to
continue to reach out for assistance in completing the application. We're encouraging landlords
to practice just a little more patience while we wait for the payments to come through, and to
please communicate with us and to continue to communicate also with the State about how this
assistance is needed and the impact that it's going to have on our community. If we all stay the
course and stick together, we'll be able to make a big difference for renters and also property
owners in the area. We're working really hard to make that happen and with everyone's support,
we will see it through. Thanks very much!
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Teague: Thank you. Welcome, Nick, followed by Ann.
Lindsley: Thank you. Uh, this is Nick Lindsley. Um, I'm coming as President of the Iowa City
Downtown District. Just wanted to make an announcement that our annual meeting is planned
for June 10`h. It'll be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. We're still working on location. Um, a few of the
things that we'll be addressing will be the... basically an annual report that ... that reflects back on
the ... on the past year and then also talk about what we're doing to look forward in the coming
year, um, and what we learned through the past year as well. We have new visitor data, um, of
where people are coming from, uh, to Iowa City, um, how that will shape our future marketing
campaigns, and then we'd also like to give an update on retail recruitment progress. We'll also
be highlighting survey results on ... on different advocacy items that the District's been looking at
and... as well as highlight things that the community can look for, uh, coming from the
Downtown District in the coming year. I just want to say this is a great opportunity for Council
Members to get... get... um, get to know what's going on in the minds of those stakeholders
working downtown on a daily basis, and it is open to the public. Again, we'll have more details
coming out, but if you have any questions that ... that you'd like us to bring up to the business
and cultural community, just let us know and we'll work that into the agenda, so thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome, Ann, followed by Nicholas. Ann, you're on mute.
Houlahan: Sorry, my name is Ann Houlahan. I'm a retired nurse from University of Iowa Hospitals and
Clinics. I live in Coralville, but I volunteer at the Catholic Worker House in Iowa City, and I'm
a dues -paying member of Iowa CCI. As a volunteer at the Catholic Worker House, I have
worked with refugees who've lost their jobs during the pandemic or had their hours reduced.
They were not eligible for any of the stimulus payments, which enabled other workers to keep
their rents and utilities paid. They pay taxes and should be able to receive some compensation
for being essential workers. I support using funds received by the American Rescue Plan to pay
for an Excluded Workers Fund. This money would go to persons excluded from other
payments, including essential workers and ex -felons who are all trying to get a new start. It is
not only good business, it's the right thing to do. We live in a heavily Democratic county and
want to launch this initiative, where we have the reputation of being for the downtrodden. What
better way to demonstrate our beliefs. Thanks for your time.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome, Nicholas, followed by Kathy Lee -Son.
Theisen: Good evening, Council. Um, first of all I would like to second the (mumbled) I would also
like to speak in support of the Excluded Workers Fund. There's really only one thing that you
should be doing with the American Rescue Plan Funds, and that is it, because ... they have no
access to any other source of relief and it is the only right and moral thing to do. In addition to
that, I'd like to comment on a few things from your work session last week in which you once
again tried to shove through City Manager Fruin's ICPD reform recommendations .... where ... at
a point where, you know, public reaction would once again be minimized. You know, you did it
in a work session that did not have a formal meeting following it so no one really got a chance
to comment on it. And it's funny, because if you look at recommendation number 35, it actually
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says explicitly that ICPD should be holding "listening posts," and on several occasions you
yourselves have actually noted the need for public feedback before, and I emphasize this, before
implementing these reforms. In fact you've been saying that you need public feedback for
nearly six months now, well I guess it's more like five, sorry, number was wrong, and yet no
such listening posts, no public venues for response to these recommendations have even been
planned, much less implemented. Meanwhile, several of the recommendations have either
already been implemented or will be shortly, which of course makes sense, the
recommendations themselves already ignore the public feedback you all received in the fall.
So, why would you even bother getting more feedback now? It's just full steam ahead, I guess.
However, at the People's Truth and Reckoning Commission meeting last Thursday, we actually
provided the public the opportunity to respond, that you were denying them. And it was clear
there, given your penchant to forge ahead, why you wouldn't want that feedback. People were
extremely upset with how the Fruin plan is trying to massively expand policing in the City, by
embedding police officers in each of the social service nonprofits that are supposed to function
as alternatives to policing, not extensions of it. So why are you so scared of what the public
want? So scared in fact that your City Manager last week decided to sick ICPD goons on a man
holding a sign outside his window, because he was making Geoffrey nervous. Are you with that
fragile that you can't tolerate even the slightest push back? Of course, you and I know the
answer to that question. I'm actually just here to make sure other people know as well, and
before I, you know, get off, I want to note one more thing from today's work session. Um,
Councilor Mims said something about, you know, in ... in the past, we did, etc, etc, etc, with
regard to public comment. She's in fact actually incorrect. When Mayor Throgmorton was in
charge, he regularly gave people five minutes, all the time, and in fact in those contexts, if there
were still people left over at then 8:00, there is a ... there is actually even a moment in your
agenda, it's listed right now to this day, when public comment could be resumed. That was
actually typical in the past. So it's kind of frightening to me that you're making up new rules
based upon things that you only half remember. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you, Nicholas. Welcome, Kathy, followed by Annie.
Lee -Son: Good evening, Mayor and Councilors. My name is Kathy Lee -Son, and I am a pediatrician
here in town, and I stand by the Excluded Workers Fund. I stand by it because I know the
impact of childhood poverty. I see it every day. I see the impact it has on the parents who
struggle to put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads, and work, while also trying to
bring their kids to healthcare appointments. When kids are impacted with poverty, life spirals
downhill. Throughout this whole pandemic, I can see that stimulus checks have lifted
childhood poverty from many of our American citizens and residents. Why not that of migrant
workers? They work hard to supply all the essential stuff that our City needed, our county
needed, the supply chain, right? They kept everything clean, they kept it functional for all those
who are privileged to stay at home and work from home. It's our tum to pay back and support
them and, as a City Council, I urge you to support children and parents who were once
excluded. Thank you for your time.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome, Annie, followed by Patricia.
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Gudenkauf: Hi, my name is Annie. I live in Iowa City. First I'd like to say that City Council needs to
better address their public comment system. To cut off public comment at 7:00 is confusing
because you as Councilors can easily allow as much time as you want for other agenda items
and proclamations before that, further cutting down the amount of speakers or amount of time
they're able to speak. Not everyone is able to come now that you moved this meeting an hour
earlier and don't all have ... have all evening to wait until the end of it ... all other agenda items to
say their piece. It's unprofessional and clearly a way to dissuade constituents critical of your
work. Please allow a uniform set time for all constituents to speak for at least three minutes
during Council meetings. Next I want to express my descent for the City Manager office's plan
to restructure the Iowa City Police Department. Knowing that Council has already considered
this plan and has implemented several pieces of it without public input or consent is very
concerning and not conducive to a democratic community. I was especially horrified by last
week's Council working session in which City Manager Geoff Fruin ordered the police on a
peaceful protester against this plan. The Iowa City Council is a sham of a representative
government that would rather further Council Member's own consolidation of power among the
wealthy land owning, business owning elite, that materially support and transform the lives of
those most at risk of institutional harm in our community. Please reject all tenants of the
preliminary plan to restructure ICPD and accept nothing less than defunding and abolition.
Also to Mr. Fruin, please resign immediately. Your blatant disrespect for constituents is
horrifying and not becoming of someone that is supposed to help our town. Nobody wants you
here. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you, Annie. Welcome, Patricia, followed by Dan.
Patricia Bowen: Good evening, Council and Mayor. My name is Patricia Bowen and I'm a retiree and I
live in Iowa City, and I am calling, uh, or yes, speaking tonight too... and I agree with the
previous speakers (clears throat) on the Excluded Workers Fund. I just won't even reiterate
what other people have said, because what they have said has been exactly what words I would
say, but I also want to say that a lot of people out here understand what... about the guidance,
and it's absolutely clear that the American Rescue Plan money can and should be used to
provide direct cash payments to these excluded workers and hazard pay for low-wage essential
workers. We asked them to do so much for us in the beginning of this pandemic and they don't
have any other way to sustain themselves, and it's like someone else said, it's a moral thing that
we need to pay attention to ... if we are really going to call ourselves a community. It's just the
right thing to do, and it will also make good economic sense. They will spend that money in
this community. We don't need more homeless people, um, getting pushed out of their homes if
they are like four months behind on their rent. The other thing is is I am concerned about what
a couple other people have said earlier about listening posts and asking the City to talk about,
um, just different issues. If you aren't having listening posts for them, and I know you've been
asked for listening posts, town halls, or some way to communicate with the public about this
ARP money, I'm concerned it's not going to happen, but we will be staying on top of this, and
you will be hearing from a group of people every Council meeting until you get those public
meetings out there, um, because we're asking for them and you represent us, and this is what
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we're here for is to have you represent us and listen to us and give us that ability to speak in
whatever way, shape, or form that might be. I was on the listening, uh, the work session today
too, and I know you talked about a listening post and speak -outs or a portal. Um, not
everybody that needs this Excluded Worker Fund will have a computer to be able to do this, so
keep ... bear that in mind too. But anyway, other states have done this. California, Colorado,
New York, and New Jersey, so please contact those states for how they've done it, and if it
needs to be done through nonprofit organizations or churches, so be it. Let those people, let
those organizations that are ... that are qualified and know how to do this work get that money in
the hands of people that need it. Thank you for your time.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome, Dan, followed by Taylor.
Kauble: Hi, can you hear me?
Teague: Yes, we can.
Kauble: All right, um, a good evening to everyone, except you City Manager Geoffrey Fruin. Um, I'd
like to begin by expressing my support for the creation of an Excluded Workers Fund. It's
concerning that Council is looking to utilize funds from the ARP in ways that will be less
productive for the community than they would be under this proposal. Um, about this time last
week, I was rotting in a dirty jail cell because Geoffrey Fruin is a fascist snowflake who sets
armed police officers on friendly demonstrators. At the Council work session last week, I
peacefully and politely demonstrated outside of the windows of City Manager Geoffrey Fruin's
office. When the City employee asked me to move to the sidewalk, I went without question. I
wasn't even holding up a sign when I was later approached by three ICPD officers who said that
they had been sent, not because I was breaking the law, but because my presence made
Geoffrey "nervous." That was really surprising since Geoffrey hadn't even turned to look at me
while I was by his office. If he had, I would have just smiled and waved. This was a clear
reaction on the part of Geoffrey and the ICPD, and there was no reason for police intervention
at all. After making sure I wasn't going to do any further demonstrating that day, the cop said I
was free to go. One, however, had been giving me a stink eye throughout the entire interaction
and he went back to his squad car to run my name and license plates. Um, what came up was a
warrant that he arrested me for, stemming from a protest at the end of last summer when I got
swarmed by ICPD officers as I was headed back home. Most of them jumped out of an
unmarked white van and none of them were wearing a mask, which keep in mind you, this was
August 31 st, days before Iowa City was on the front ti ... on the front page of the New York Times
as a global COVID hot spot. Gross! They forced me to give my name and said that there
would probably be a warrant out for my arrest. Um, they accused me of damaging an Iowa
State patrol car, which was untrue since no damage was done to cars that night. They released
me from being detained with a sergeant saying he'd give me a call when a warrant was issued.
No call ever came and I thought they'd just been trying to intimidate me since they did that to
other protesters this summer. This belief was strengthened when I got into a traffic accident last
month in Coralville and the responding officer ran my information without mentioning a
warrant. Anyways, flash forward to my arrest last Tuesday. The State Patrol are bad actors, for
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reasons that I could elaborate on for hours, but the ICPD should have no relations with thein at
all. As I was being arrested last Tuesday, I saw City Manager Geoffrey Frain give the officers a
thumbs up before re -rejoining your work session. The circumstances around my warrant,
detention, and arrest last Tuesday are sketchy as hell, but that just took the cake. Geoffrey,
you've talked about how your plan is to restructure the department into more of a community
policing model. The fact that you set armed officers upon a peaceful demonstrator who wasn't
even demonstrating at that time just, uh, shows how awful your personal beliefs about policing
are. Furthermore, I think that disqualifies you from having any kind of meaningful opinion
about how to preview... improve these issues professionally. Someone who treats the police
department like his own personal Gestapo cannot be trusted with meaningful change (both
talking)
Teague: Thank you, Dan. Welcome, Taylor, followed by Bailey.
Kohn: Hi, can you hear me?
Teague: Yes we can.
Kohn: Hi, first of all the City needs to prioritize our neighbors who have been left behind. You've
clearly seen the public support for the Excluded Workers Fund. I wholeheartedly stand with the
many people who've spoken about this, the money should go to them. I wanted to address the
Frain plan and your discussion of abolition last week. Some of you made this point and you're
right, you can't say that abolition is just reduction, but reduction is also not what Frain's plan is
by the way. Fruin's plan expands the police and makes sure the community will encounter the
police more and more organizations within the community. It means there are fewer resources
available to people where they can get help without interacting with a cop. And Councilors
Taylor, Mims, and Mayor Teague, your continued insistence that we need police is frankly
ignorant. I sympathize that the police are all you've known and it scares you to imagine them
gone, but at this point there's been plenty of time for you all to do the reading, beyond the
dictionary definition of abolition, about what could fill the void of police because people,
especially black women, have been doing this work for decades and luckily we don't have to
start from scratch when we're imagining how to build systems that actually protect us. There's
nothing to lose because right now, however it may feel to you, we are unprotected. ICPD do
not protect us. ICPD arrest us on contrived charges to punish us for using our first amendment
rights. Dan Kauble is only the most recent example that I know of. ICPD surveil and target us.
ICPD harass our homeless neighbors. ICPD wrongfully arrested Chris Kelly, who lost eight
months of his life to their racist power trip. None of these things are anomalies, this is what
police set out to do. We do not need them. I've lived here and worked in the community for
four years, and I have never seen or heard of an encounter with the police where they helped
anyone in the communi ... community, much less experienced one with myself, but have seen and
heard of plenty of instances when they have created an unsafe situation or made an unsafe
situation worse. The support they are supposed to provide should be provided by people who
are not police and not associated or partnered with police also. The human cost of what little
work you seem to think ICPD is doing effectively in this community, which they're not, is
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needless, and it's shameful that we accept it. I also have heard a great deal of this narrative
about Iowa City being better than other places, a lot of back patting about how much better our
cops here than other places in the U.S. And that absolutely isn't the case. Iowa City is only
better aesthetically. ICPD is not better than other police departments just because its cruelty
and injustice is less high profile. I am especially disgusted with City Manager Fruin who no
one in the City voted for, but who gets to feed the City a plan to hand the police more power, at
the same time he sets them loose on members of the public from his office chair. Fruin's
"restructuring" plan is unacceptable. Defund the police. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you, Taylor. Welcome, Bailey, followed by David, and I also want to make mention that
if you've already spoke during this time to, um, lower your hand, I just want to remind people.
So if you've already spoken, please lower your hand. Welcome, Bailey.
Baker: Hi, can you hear me?
Teague: Yes.
Baker: My name is Bailey, my pronouns are she/her and, um, I would like to reiterate a lot of things
that have already been said tonight. Um, first and foremost, cutting the speaking time down.
Um, I've been going to City Council meetings for, um, I don't know how long, but this is just a
conversation that it's trying to be passed off as like something that is common sense, but it has
been, um, it's recent, um, as far as I know of. It seems as the more people are disagreeing, the
more people that are showing up and using their voices, which is what these—what City Council
meetings are for. We have been met with threats that we will get less time to speak, um, and
yeah, I just, uh, it's not surprising, and I would just like to say it's very clear what is happening
here. Um, I would also like to speak in support of the Excluded Workers Fund. As our federal,
state, and local governments are moving past COVID, lifting mask mandates, etc, we cannot
leave people behind. And this needs to be said again and again. Um, as someone said earlier,
the housing prices in Iowa City are shooting upwards. And this seems like the least we can do
is to actually give this money to people that need it and use it and will, um, keep like... spend
money in our community and keep them and their family safe and healthy. Um, I would also
like to speak about Fruin's plan to restructure the police, aka expand the police. I've said this
before and many have said it, but linking the police with local nonprofits is something that I
have not heard much support of at all. Um, as Taylor said, Fruin was not elected by the City
and I just can't see, um, how if you guys are doing the work and doing research and actually
trying to inform yourselves on the things that are coming up over and over again, um, in these
meetings that, um, this is not the answer and will not keep our community safer, and it is not
wanted, and the last thing I would like to say is it was made abundantly clear, um, in the last
week how, um, the Council does not understand the ideas of abolition. As Taylor said, these
ideas are not new. There's plenty of work out there and it just seems that instead of actually
informing yourself and trying to do what is best for your community, trying to include
everyone's voices and trying to understand, um, a ... an idea that is being pushed by many people
right now that, um, you clearly have not done the work, besides googling some basic definitions
and, um, yeah, it's ... it's very clear. Thank you.
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Teague: Thank you. Welcome, David, followed by Char.
Hempel: Thank you, Mayor Teague, uh, and Council. The United States, India, and Israel are most
definitely the most deeply racist countries on earth. But the U.S. stands out particularly, in my
humble opinion, because we're the richest by far. We could take care of the poorest and
needies... neediest folks among us, but we don't. So I'm fully agreeable with what past speakers
have said about regarding the ARP money. It does need to be targeted to the most
disadvantaged in our community, the people who need it the most. They should be the top
priority. I also want to speak to ... the policing and Mr. Fruin in particular. I'm an old codger. I
went to school here at the University of Iowa from 1966 to 70, uh, during the American war in
Vietnam. And there was plenty of crazy police work in those days. They were clubbing
people ... with batons, mace, all kinds of things, with the sa... the same thing goes on, you know,
it hasn't changed much in 50 years. But it's got to stop. This ... this town should be a lot more
progressive... with its leaders, and Mr. Fruin just... just... he just doesn't ... he just doesn't match up
to what we're... what we should have in this town. So I'm fully in favor of, uh, getting rid of
him, if possible. The sooner the better. I think we have to have a lot more conversations about
what goes on in ... in policing in this town, because I don't think it's changed a lot since since the
60s when I was here first. I spent most of my life in Iowa City, and there have been some good
times and ... and, uh, enough bad ones to make me feel like we got to keep pushing. So I
appreciate what Annie said and ... and Dan's story and people who've spoken before. I add my
displeasure with Mr. Fruin. I think it's our top priority, but in terms of the funds, it needs to go
to the neediest people for sure. Thanks for listening.
Teague: Thank you, David. Welcome, Char. And you're on mute.
Lange: Thank you. Iowa City needs to fund excluded workers. Excluded workers have lost wages, uh,
problems with how to handle children at home without the internet. They have increased
problems with transportation, with buses being shut down earlier. Excluded workers need
access to COVID relief. They have the same problems as the rest of us. We are in ... we are all
in this together. They need our help. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome, Tom.
Tom and Cook: This is Joan. Thank you.
Teague: Oh, sorry about that.
Tom and Cook: That's all right, it's both of us. (laughs) Thank you for your time. I agree with the
people who are supporting the Excluded Worker Fund through the ARP money. Uh, that ... that
money was sent through the federal government to come down to our communities to help the
neediest people, so I also would recommend that we follow whatever systems that successful
states have been finding in a way that that can be in the pockets of people that really need it.
The people that are, urn... and I'm a supporter of Catholic Worker House and a member of CCI.
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Last night we heard of a few people that were representing thousands of left behind workers.
They are... they're four months behind on rent and each time ... each month that they're behind,
they also add another hundred dollar fee. So that's, uh, incredible. Even if they start working
now, they won't be able to get enough money to pay their back bills, and that was what
President Biden was targeting to do, so please focus on the excluded workers, and thank you
very much for listening.
Teague: Thank you. Welcome, Dulce.
Escorcia: Hi, my name Dulce. I use they/them/their pronouns. I've grown up in Iowa City and I
continue to live here, um, while being a student at the University of Iowa. A lot of the people
that I care about, um, who I call my family live here as well, and we're the people that have
kept Iowa City going for the past year and a half. Uh, a lot of my family works in restaurants,
just around food, around a lot of people. Recently, most of my family had COVID and that was
really stressful for everyone involved. Um, so I wanted to share a little bit of that and say, uh,
to Please support this Excluded Workers Fund, as many of the folks of the public are speaking
out in support of tonight, um, and we spoke out in support of it last week too. And I also
wanted to just quickly say that I'm really disappointed in this proposal for policing. It's exactly
the opposite of what we've been demanding for the past year. We want less police in Iowa City
because they are not keeping us safe. We don't want them to just be interwoven into nonprofits
that are already existing. So, yes, uh, thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Would anyone else like to address, um, this ... this time, address Council at this
time? If you're on the phone press *9. Welcome, Alena.
Green: Hi, thank you. I want to say my support for the Excluded Workers Fund, um, definitely for
removing Geoff Fruin. I do not like the way that he's behaving (laughs) in regard to his c ... to
the people in Iowa City, and I just want to say that I'm kind of fed up with the way that people
of color are treated in their interactions with the police here, and it's time to put the safety of
BIPOC people in Iowa City on a pedestal. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Would anyone else like to address .... us at this time ... say anything publicly?
Seeing no one, we're going to move on to Item number 10.
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10. Planning and Zoning Matters
10.a. Zoning code amendment related to single-family site development standards —
Ordinance amending Title 14, Zoning of the Iowa City code related to single-family site
development standards. (REZ21-0003)
1. Public Hearing
Teague: I'm going to open the public hearing. Staff presentation please.
Sitzman: Good evening, Mayor and Council. This is Danielle Sitzman, Neighborhood and
Development Services. (mumbled) walk you through this request, um, with a little bit of
background. In 2019 the City adopted the code that's the subject of this agenda item tonight,
um, that restricts paving the front set -back area for single-family homes. It was the last of
several code changes that were enacted, as you can see on this slide here, highlighted in yellow.
Over the course of several months and in response to the State's, uh (mumbled) of some
previous zoning tools that the City had used, including the definition of family and as that
relates to the occupancy of structures, and also a rental, um, rental permit cap system that the
City had adopted. So this is the last of, as I said, several efforts the City undertook to find new
tools to continue to protect, um, neighborhoods and to, um, make investments in neighborhood
stabilization. The purpose of the amendment was to help with (mumbled) stabilization, but as
staff has learned a couple of things since the adoption, um, it has generated this request that's
before you tonight. First the amendments in 2018, which are at the top of the slide, were fairly
comprehensive and really did help to address concerns related to neighborhood stabilization.
Second, what we've learned is that since the adoption of this specific amendment, we've
determined that it's really not functioning effectively for us in the way that we had initially
intended, and it's had some unnecessary (mumbled) other parts of the city. So therefore staff is
requesting the proposed change tonight. Just to walk you through a little bit of what the
amendment is, this slide shows what the code was on the left-hand side prior to 2019, and then
on the right-hand side what in 2019 has changed. Essentially what we're requesting is to roll
back some of the additional stipulations that were placed on the front yard paving. The next
couple slides are more of a visual representation of the impact that this has had and how this
code plays out on the ground. Um, these slides show a typical single-family home (mumbled)
down at from above. The house is outlined in green. The driveway would be the area in green
labeled with numbers. The front setback is a regulation that zoning applies where nothing is
usually allowed in a front yard, so front setback is typically a front yard. (mumbled) blue box,
um, shown there, and the dark black line would be where the house is in relationship to that,
um, setback area. So this shows what the conditions were before the code was adopted in 2019.
Um, formerly the code have allowed parking ... the front setback area (mumbled) with certain
restrictions. However, it also allowed paving in the front yard for other things like patios and
seating areas, um, basketball courts (garbled) areas and other things. Um, the problem was
though that ... that sometimes parking wasn't allowed also in those areas, but because it looked
like parking, people tended to park on it illegally. So we were struggling with an enforcement
issue where we really didn't want bad behavior occurring, uh, and we're trying to address the
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design to kind of forego that occurring. So the code that was amended in 2019 said, `Okay,
those front paving areas would still be allowed, but they had to be separated from where a car
would typically be, so that it wouldn't be enticing to park on.' What we've learned though is
that while that might have been the intent, it actually blocked other types of parking that were
perfectly fine from being designed. So in the case of this slide, um, parking along the side of
the house would be okay, and there would be a way to get to it that you could drive across. So
what we're really asking for is to address this condition, which would be perfectly fine, but the
ordinance that we adopted was blocking it from occurring. So our analysis has been that really
in the one and a half years since we adopted this code change, it really hasn't worked out the
way we intended. Staff has received multiple reasonable requests from homeowners who do
have the room to pave to perfectly acceptable areas to park who live outside the core of the
community. We estimate there's at least 10 or 15 requests every year that have come in for
reasonable requests that we haven't been able to allow. At this point we've determined that
there's been unintended effects of promoting, uh, what we thought was a reasonable thing, and
we're requesting that we walk back from this particular amendment that was done in 2019. I'm
happy to answer questions. I will ... I'm sorry, I will say that this is coming to you with a
recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Commission of a 7-0 vote at their May 6`h
meeting.
Teague: All right, hearing no questions. Would anyone from the public like to address this topic? If so,
please raise your hand and I'll call upon you. Seeing no one, I want to ask Council if they're
inclined to support the P&Z, urn ... okay, all right, great. I'm going to close the public hearing.
Could I get a motion to give first consideration?
2. Consider an Ordinance (First Consideration)
Thomas: So moved, Thomas.
Bergus: Second, Bergus.
Teague: Moved by Thomas, seconded by Bergus. Council discussion? I do think it's reasonable. It
seems like something that we ... we thought we kind of...uh, helped preserve some of our ...some
of the parking that was probably not appropriate from... from a lot of vantage points, except I
will say that even moving back to this code, there is still some code that you ha ... your builder
has to be so far away, and there has to be green space, so we are still not getting from some of
the codes. Um, so that ... I'm comfortable supporting this tonight.
Thomas: Yeah, I would just add that, you know, this was well-intentioned. Um, at the same time what
my..my observation is is oftentimes conditions... in Iowa City, you know, when you try to apply
a one- size -fits -all remedy, it can be problematic and, um, you know, different parts of Iowa
City, the lot sizes are different, lot ... lots of factors come into play as to why this might have
been, you know, arguably is a concern, in certain neighborhoods is not a concern in others. So,
you know, um, kind of looking at things at a more detailed level, if it's possible for us to
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develop code in ordinances which have a more perhaps limited application, you know, that may
be something to consider in the future.
Teague: Hearing no more comments, roll call please. Motion passes 7-0.
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11. FY2021 Budget Amendment Public Hearing — Resolution amending the current budget
for the fiscal year ending June 2021.
1. Public Hearing
Teague: I'm going to open the public hearing, and I'm going to welcome staff?
Fleagle: Hi, I'm Jacklyn Fleagle, Budget and Compliance Officer. (mumbled) This is the third budget
amendment of fiscal year 2021. Just a quick overview first of the budget process. The original
budget for fiscal year 2021 was approved in March of 2020. It runs through... from July 1 st of
2022 to July 30th of 2021. There were previous amendments done in September of 2020, and
then this past March with the last budget. City policy allows for amendments in the following
situations: emergent situations, transfer of contingencies, expenditures with offsetting revenue
or fund balance, and carry- over of prior year budget authority. On average we do about three
budget amendments each fiscal year, typically in the fall, the spring, and then early summer.
We can amend any time, other than the last 30 days of the fiscal year and given that this is the
third and final amendment for fiscal year 2021. This budget amendment includes (clears throat)
amendments related to FEMA and other federal grants for COVID-19 (mumbled) expenditures,
revenues, and the derecho storm, as well; fire station land purchases; police policy software;
and then a few other small amendment items that are included in the line item detail attached to
the agenda item. Looking at the State (mumbled) the different areas, intergovernmental
revenues was the largest increase on the revenue side for just over $1.3 million which would
include FEMA derecho grants and then COVID-19 grants. And then also transfers in for
425,000, which includes funds for a fire station land purchase. On the expenditure side, the
largest increase for the amendment is in capital projects for the 993,000. This is for the two fire
station land purchases. The next largest being transfers out, which is just the other side of the
transfer in we saw earlier for one of those fire station land purchases, and then the third largest
increase in program areas is Public Works, which includes storm expenditures and COVID
grant expenditures. In conclusion, this is the third and final budget amendment for fiscal year
2021. The overall impact to fund balance was a decrease of $104,904, and it's covered through
excess fund balances and bonds, and will not affect property tax levies. Um, take any
questions.
Teague: All right, hearing no questions. Would anyone from the public like to address this topic? If so,
please raise your hand. If you're on the phone, press *9 please. Seeing no one, I'm going to
close the public hearing. Could I get a motion to approve please?
2. Consider a Resolution
Salih: Move.
Weiner: So moved.
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Teague: Moved by Salih, seconded by Weiner. Council discussion? Roll call please. Motion passes 7-
0.
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12. 2021 Water Pavement Patching — Resolution approving project manual and estimate of
cost for the construction of the 2021 Water Pavement Patching Project, establishing
amount of bid security to accompany each bid, directing City Clerk to post notice to
bidders, and fixing time and place for receipt of bids.
Public Hearing
Teague: I'm going to open the public hearing, and staff presentation. Welcome!
Havel: Good evening, Mayor and Council. I don't have a presentation, but just wanted to give you a
brief overview of the project. As many of you are aware, this is an annual project we do to
make repairs at water main break sites, um, to repair pavements, that be a street paving,
sidewalk, that kind of stuff. Typically when we have a water main break, Water staff will go out
there. They'll dig down to the main, make the repair. A lot of times when they do that they'll
have to remove some street pavement or sidewalk or driveways, anything along those lines, and
then once they're done with the repair, they'll backfill that and get it to, uh, basically a minimum
level of repair, so that's usable. A lot of times you'll see street patches that are rock or that kind
of thing that, um, were meant for the permanent repairs to happen at a later date. So we have
this project. It's an attempt to get kind of an economy of scale to make those repairs to a
number of sites for main breaks that have happened throughout the year. This project will
include sites where we've had main breaks basically from last winter through the spring, and
then we also recognize that we will have main breaks that will likely occur later this year, both
the summer and the fall, and so what we typically will do is add those sites by change -order to
take ... or to make those repairs, uh, yet this year. So, again, kind of an annual project to make
those repairs, but, uh, more than happy to open it up for questions.
Teague: No questions, thank you.
Havel: All right, thank you.
Teague: Yes! Would anyone from the public like to address this topic? If so, please raise your hand. If
you're on the phone, press *9. Seeing no one, I'm going to close the public hearing. Could I get
a motion to approve please?
2. Consider a Resolution
Thomas: So moved, Thomas.
Mims: Second, Mims.
Teague: All right, Council discussion? Roll call please. (garbled) passes 7-0.
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14. Park Hours — Ordinance amending Title 10, entitled "Public Ways and Property,"
Chapter 9, entitled "Parks and Recreation Regulations," to make park closure hours
uniform (First Consideration)
Teague: Could I get a motion please?
Salih: Move, Salih.
Bergus: Second, Bergus.
Teague: All right, and presentation by our Juli Seydell Johnson.
Seydell Johnson: Good evening, Mayor and Council. Juli Seydell Johnson, Director of Parks and
Recreation. This item is essentially a cleanup of the ordinance. We had staff go out through our
parks and realized that we have numerous (garbled) different signs all saying different things
about when parks open and close. So this item was taken to the Parks and Rec Commission,
asking them to give us a more uniform opening (garbled) and closing, which would be dawn to
dusk, um, except for the three parks nearest downtown, which remain open all night, um, and
this'll just make signage and enforcement easier and more consistent throughout the system.
It's really a cleanup of the ordinance.
Teague: All right, any questions for Juli?
Thomas: I ... I just wanted to ask Juli, uh, on College Green, which is kind of, uh, unlike I would say
Black Hawk Mini Park and Chauncey Swan Park, uh, more in some respects a neighborhood
park. It's near the downtown, but it's surrounded by residential. Will this have, uh, have you
bad any... any issues with, um, use of the park? I understand it's ... it will receive pedestrian
traffic just because of the way it's ... it's, uh, you know, the pathways relate to the sidewalks, but,
um, what ... what's happening there in terms of actual activity, is there any issues with that?
Seydell Johnson: Um, there have not been. That's a good question, but it is a primary transportation
route for a lot of students that walk back and forth. Um, it's been something that we've often
been asked to leave the lights on for safety reasons, and I would say for the last two or three
years, the lights have been on through the night, um, and I'm not aware of any issues that that's
caused.
Thomas: Thanks. We have the same thing, by the way, in North Market Square. People, because of the
way the walks are laid out with the streets, there are people walking through that park all the
time, but I'm not aware of any issues with the actual activities that might take place after hours.
Teague: Okay. Anyone from the public like to address this topic? If so, please raise your hand. On the
phone press *9. Seeing no one, Council discussion? Roll call please. Motion passes 7-0.
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15. South District Program - Purchase of 8 Duplexes — Resolution approving a purchase
agreement for 8 duplex properties for the South District Home Investment Partnership
Program.
Teague: Motion, uh... could I get a motion to approve please?
Mims: So moved, Mims.
Salih: Second, Salih.
Teague: All right, and welcome Tracy!
Hightshoe: Hello, I'm Tracy Hightshoe with Neighborhood and Development Services. Um, many of
you are familiar with the South District program. We have the opportunity to buy eight
additional duplexes. For those not familiar with the program, this is where we have targeted the
Taylor and Davis Street neighborhoods. We buy a duplex, we renovate it, we then make it into
a condominium, and we sell it to an area resident as affordable home ownership. Typically the
amount that we can sell it at is far below. So far the fair market rents or the existing rents in the
neighborhood. I'm going to share my screen to ... to ... begin the PowerPoint. And if you can see
it just nod your head (laughs) Okay. Okay. It's going to start off with the map of the area. As
you're familiar, this is an area that has a high concentration of rental units,. You can see the
rental units are in yellow, the owner occupied is in gray. This map was done about two years
ago. Um, you might have some slight tweaks in it now, but it should probably be about the
same. The three duplexes that you see in blue, those are acquired. Out of those six units,
there's three duplexes. We've renovated, um, we renovated and sold three duplexes. We have
one available for sale now, and the last one that we have, it's being renovated now. The
proposed acquisition are the ... the eight duplexes that you see in that, um, the (mumbled) I'm
going to call it peach color. So those are the eight properties that we would propose to ... to
acquire for the program. Um, I have the addresses listed right here. We signed a purchase
agreement with the owner. It's at 1.52 million. This is about 95,000 per home. This is
more ... it's more expensive than the ... the previous two duplexes we purchased, cause one was
purchased in foreclosure and the other ...each side of the unit had fire damage. So we expected
that we would have to pay more to get additional properties. The process for this is (mumbled)
Um, it might take a while, it might take several years to implement. We'll continue to rent to
the existing tenants. Fifteen of the 16 homes are occupied. We will honor the leases with
existing tenants, no one will be forced to leave. City staff and an outside maintenance company
will manage the units. As tenants voluntarily vacate the units, we'll move to rehabilitate the
units. And then once renovated, we'll be ... it'll be sold to income -eligible home buyers, and our
preference is always those currently living in the neighborhood, um, would have the first chance
to purchase. The eight duplexes here are the first four, um, just for view. These are all, as you
see, on Taylor or Davis Streets. That is a second set of duplexes. Just an example of what we
do, this is the first duplex that we did on Sandusky. So we have a couple pictures of the before,
the exterior and the interior, and then after what that program looked like. And the two buyers
for this one had lived on Taylor for I think a combined total of 21 years before they bought their
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first home. So that was a great project. Um, those two home buyers are in the units right now,
and just an example of how the financing works for the people that are interested in buying the
homes in the South District. So we had, like I said, we paid a little bit more for these just
because they weren't in foreclosure, they were not fire damaged, so we paid 95,000. We will
invest approximately 35,000 into the property. Typically we've always... you have carrying
costs. So from the time we start renovation, we're paying property taxes, insurance. We're
maintaining the property, yard maintenance. So we have all those things, and sometimes like
(mumbled) in the last units we ... we converted a two-bedroom to a three- bedroom, so
sometimes we have more than 35,000. So I'm just going to estimate that we put 10,000. So the
total sales price would be about 140,000 to the buyer. So that translates to homeowner costs.
So you add the closing costs. Then that 35,000 we invested, that's a forgivable loan. So it's not
part of the financing that need ... that they need. And that's forgiven over 10 years. So each year
that they stay in that property, more money comes out, it reduces that lien. We provide up to
25,000 in home down payment assistance (mumbled) money that we get through the Federal
Housing and Urban Development Department. So the homeowner would need to finance
83,000 to acquire one of these units. (mumbled) you know, you're looking at various financing,
but basically on a 30 -year fixed loan, you ... that that homeowner's paying about 600 bucks per
month for mortgage, insurance, and taxes, which is probably less than what they rent these for
now. To purchase, to come up with a 1.52 million initial acquisition cost, we're proposing to
take that from the Tailwinds. As you know, it was a tax increment financing project. The
residential development chose to pay a fee in lieu of. It was approximately 1.8 million, so we
propose to use those funds to acquire these properties. As we sell these properties, we get that
money coming back. So those funds, as we sell them, just the acquisition costs come back, and
we ... we replenish the affordable housing fund to create other affordable housing opportunities.
The rehab, which is about 30 to 35,000 per home, that we have to fund each year. Um, that is a
forgivable lien to the homeowner. So we can finance it through our CDBG and HOME funds,
our general fund allocation, or the affordable housing fund. And like I said, that down payment
assistance comes from our HOME funds. So this year we're having mid -year funding
allocation, probably in August, September. So we'll be coming back to you for an application
for 100,000. That'll be up to four homes. We have to stagger those cause HOME does
have ... you have to sell ... you have to spend that money in a certain time frame. So we'll keep
coming back, year after year, if we need more additional funds for the down payment assistance
for these 16 units. The partner... we've grown in partnerships. As this program has evolved, this
most recent one that's under a renovation now, we are partnering with the Homebuilder's
Vocational Training Council, Kirkwood, and the School District. Students are working
(garbled) basically a student -built house. They're building the sheds and they're assisting with
the remodel. We're also partnering with our climate action staff to incorporate sustainable
measures and to make sure that it's a lower utility costs for owners. For this home, we
partnered with Backyard Abundance to do a landscaping plan, to utilize shade, and a rain
garden, and then we're using our Green Iowa AmeriCorps to do the installation. We will also
continue to partner with Horizons to do the financial home buyer counseling. This is a
requirement of the HOME program. It's also a requirement of the HOME program that for the
down payment assistance, the buyer has to be below 80% of median income. So all 16 of these
homes will be for low to moderate- income persons. We mailed a letter... when we had a signed
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purchase agreement that's subject to Council approval. We mailed the letter to the 15 tenants
that might be impacted. We explain that tonight we're having the meeting. If approved, the
purchase would be honored (mumbled) July 30th. That will continue to honor their lease. We
inform them what they need to do if they're interested in home ownership, who to contact at the
City to discuss, and just a general contact information and then if you guys decide to proceed,
we'll send them another letter that gives them the follow up regarding leasing concerns, who to
make rent payments to, and maintenance requests, once ... once we purchase the property. Upon
completing the 16 homes, we'll make an investment of over 770,000 in rehabilitation and
550,000 and down payment assistance. When we started this program, there's about 11 % of the
units that were owner -occupied. Upon completion of this project, that brings it up to 22%. In
our original equity analysis, we limited the rental conversions to no more than 35% of the total
homes, because we wanted to make sure they're still affordable rental opportunities. So once
this project is complete, and it'll take multiple years to complete (mumbled) determine if we
(mumbled) if we decide to continue the program, if we do ... if we purchase additional homes in
this neighborhood or expand it to other neighborhoods. So I'm ready to take ... if you have any
questions, I can take those right now. And I'll stop the slideshow.
Taylor: (both talking) Oh, go ahead.
Thomas: Sorry? (garbled)
Taylor: Go ahead John?
Thomas: Okay! Urn... were... were these homes, these duplexes, always primarily rental?
Hightshoe: I believe so. Um, there was one ... their tax (mumbled) duplex property, so I don't believe
they're ever made into condominiums and sold individually, so they're most likely been rental.
Taylor: Oh, okay! Hey, Tracy, thank you for that presentation.. As you... as you know, I've always
(mumbled) my support for this program, I think it's ... it's a wonderful program (garbled) for that
South District, and if it can expand throughout the city, that'd be great too. I ... I continue to wish
it success, and you mentioned the word condominium just ... just now, and I just had a quick
question about that. The resolution doesn't say that word, but in the executive summary it does
say, uh, convert them to two -unit condominiums, and I know that's not your intent. Is ... was
that ... I'm not a real estate, uh (laughs) I'm not knowledgeable about those kinds of terms, but it
doesn't have a different meaning than duplex? Was that just a ... a ... is that meant to say
con... condominium?
Dulek: Maybe I'll weigh in here. The only way to sell one of the units is to make them into a condo.
So that's why you have to condominiumize them in order to sell them separately. Otherwise
you're selling the duplex. You have to sell both units.
Taylor: Thank you, Sue.
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Dulek: Yeah. And ... I just want to make one other comment. Tracy talked about the approximate
monthly payment with taxes, insurance, and a mortgage. I've got a copy of all the leases and
the lowest lease is 650. That's just one unit. Then the next cheapest one is 750. So you can
see... and it ranges all the way up to over $1,000. So at $600, it's ... it's certainly cheaper than
any ..any of the folks are paying for rent right now.
Salih: I just, uh, to what the, you know, Pauline said about condominium, uh, what that's supposed to
mean? Uh, you know, if there is ... because I hear all the time about something called condo fee
or something like that. Is that means there is some... some kind of fee associated with this, uh,
for the homeowner to pay or just (mumbled)?
Dulek: Sure, and in many condominiums there might be 15 units as part of the condominium, and they
all get together and pay to remove the snow or to keep up the landscaping. Here it's just a two -
unit condo, and so ... the reality is they're probably not going to get together and assess
themselves to ... to ... to take care of the yard work or the snow removal, you know. One person
will take care of one side and one person will take care of the other.
Salih: Okay, just like a regular duplex, everybody clean their snow and do their (mumbled) yeah.
Dulek: That's... that's how it will play out, yes, and practically, yes.
Hightshoe: That ... that's a consideration, just how we ... how the condo's configured. Um, we try to
incorporate any sus... all the sustaina ... sustainability measures as we can. When we have that
ranch layout where it's half and half, it's easier for us to put like solar panels on the roof, but
when you have the condos that are up -down, stacked, and you don't ... that's harder for us to do
solar panels, because that ownership of the roof. So, um, so you'll see what sustainability
measures that we do. (mumbled) it's based on the configuration of the ... the duplex.
Mims: Tracy, if we ... have ... as you said, I think 15 of the 16 are now occupied. If we have individuals
who want to purchase, have we started giving any thought to how we could work with them,
um, in terms of temporary housing, so we could get them out, so we could renovate their unit,
and then if they wanted to buy that unit and would we give them first choice on that unit? How
are we looking at that?
Hightshoe: We would work with them, if they want to purchase their own unit or they want to purchase
a unit in the program, yes we work with them, and that we hope that when we're renovating
their unit... hopefully we have another opening so we can, you know, we can pay for the
relocation costs to ... to go in that other open unit while we're working on their unit. So we'll try
to work with the homeowner as best we can. So..we might not have the funds, so we might
have four vacant units and we might only have the funds that year to do two. So then we'd have
two that we could work with and move people around. So we ... our plans are once it's vacated,
we're not going to release it, but if we had to use that unit to ... to work with somebody to rehab
their unit that we would.
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Mims: Okay, thank you.
Salih: You said how many vacant?
Hightshoe: Just one right now. So (both talking) 15 of the 16 are occupied. We did meet with the
South District (mumbled) the Neighborhood Association, the management team. Oh, Geoff,
what day was that, Thursday? So we talked ... three of the management team came and we
talked about the program. We didn't hear any concerns. We did hear that they'd help us maybe
market the program ... so that area residents, and that ... that map that I showed you, we consider
that the area, the neighborhood residents that would be eligible, and we give first preference to
buying the properties. We don't list these on (mumbled) the MLS. We are work with just trying
to get residents in that area to apply, and when they apply, they go through the home buyer, all
the applicants. So let's say there's some credit issues or any other issues that bar them from
getting a loan. Hopefully they're working on that, so we have 16 homes coming, so if they use
one or two years to work on credit repair or whatever might be a problem, hopefully by the time
this program ends, a home becomes available and they're able to finance and move into that
home. And we do pay for that, so there's initial charge and we reimburse them, um, through a
different pot of money through the Housing Authority, um, because everybody has to be below
80% of median income, so when they apply we're ... we're having them go through the Horizons
for that fi... that home buyer counseling.
Teague: Hearing no more questions, all right, thank you! Would anyone from the public like to address
this topic? If so, please raise your hand. If you're on the phone, press *9 and I'll call upon you.
Welcome, Megan.
Alter: Sorry, took me a moment Can you hear me?
Teague: Yes.
Alter: Excellent! Hi, so my name is Megan Alter and I am a South District resident, uh, one of the
people who is part of the meeting that Tracy just alluded to on Thursday. So I am a member of
the South District Neighborhood Association and I'm also a member of the Housing and
Community Development Commission. And I just wanted to put in my support for this
program. The leaps and bounds in the expansion of what the City... understands its role can be
and should be, um, in this program has grown enormously since I've been actually on the
HCDC, uh, when this was first a pilot program, and so I ... I do commend the City for this,
because it's getting at some real root causes, um, of a lot of, uh, additional considerations to put
it euphemistically. So ... basically it's exciting to see that there are opportunities for residents to
become homeowners in this area. I live around the comer. And this is huge! It's a real
opportunity, and I really encourage the City to see this as a ... obviously we ... we have to see this
through, but it is potentially a real success story, because it's really addressing how do we help
some root causes, how do we help people turn their ...homes into equity and thus help their...
themselves, their kids, um, and really have that much more of a stake in the neighborhood in
ways that rentership doesn't allow. I say that with some caution, because on Taylor and
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Sandusky and Davis there are long-term renters, and this is their home, this is our
neighborhood. Um (bird noises) sorry, I have a bird on my shoulder (laughs) Um, she agrees,
um, but the bottom line is that this is a another way for people to have a further investment, and
in ... in economic terms, but also in terms of investment, about how to build up our
neighborhoods, and so I just want to end by saying this is a really good program. It has grown
in terms of its vision and its comfort with Iowa City City being, um, landlords in perpetuity.
(bird noises) I think it's really incredibly important that all tenants understand that they're not
going to be moved out. Um, and so I just encourage you all to keep that in ... in place and then
build this up, and there are many other places in Iowa City that could really benefit from this
type of project, and I'm just glad to see it happen, because this is ... rather than a band aid, I really
see this as starting to address some root causes about how to help with equity and prosperity
among the entire city. Thank you.
Teague: Thank you. Anyone else like to address this topic? If so, please raise your hand and I'll call
upon you; *9 on the phone. Seeing no one, Council discussion?
Salih: I just ... I really like this programs, and thank you for the staff, uh, Tracy and your team. Uh, they
really did great job on doing like continue the program, even though we started by only one and
wasn't even sure that if there's something going to go forward, but I really like the way that you
guys continue doing this, and I would like to see this more in different areas of the city, so we
can help people, you know, just on their house even and be an affordable. I guess $600, that's
amazing, uh, for somebody to live in their own house and just pay $600. Uh, grant programs,
good work and ... but this is not enough! I'm gonna say it again and again! We need to think
about big pictures. We need to have like more affordable housing, you know, and just continue
with the plan, but still moving forward. Great job, thank you.
Thomas: Yeah, I too think of this as a really excellent program, uh, in addition to what's been said. I
think, you know, the partnerships that Tracy described in her presentation are an important piece
of this. Another piece that I looked at today was the ... the assessed values of these ... these
duplexes. I was kind of interested to see how they, you know, what they ...what they assessed at
on a per acre basis, and I looked at, urn, 1232-34 Sandusky. That's one of the units that's been
improved, and I found it very interesting. These are pretty potent properties in terms of their
property value or assessed value per acre. Uh, it's oftentimes, you know, you ... we look at these
properties like this and think, you know, they can't be generating much ... much in taxes, but in
fact on a per acre basis they're really quite potent. I ... I tried applying ... I didn't know what
to ... but on that 1232-34 property what the values were for each unit, what I saw on the
Assessor's website was the value of one, and I assume the other was of equal value, but in ... in
using that ... making that assumption, what I learned was the value per acre of that particular
duplex is around $1.69 million per acre. It's just a very efficient land use, very small lots for
two units, and I encourage all the Council to compare the value of their property to this one and
see how it compares.
Mims: Well I'm really excited to see this and ... and to think that where we started, uh, quite a number of
years ago, was with the UniverCity program, which we were looking to try and renovate some
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older homes near downtown to make them affordable and get those into ownership hands and
out of rental, to now having expanded this to, you know, a totally different part of the city where
we can really help balance some of the rental, ownership issues, and give people who would
otherwise would probably never have an ownership opportunity, to give them that opportunity
and at an incredibly affordable rate. So I'm just really excited. I know when staff first brought
this to us, you know, concerned about the number of units, and I'm really glad that Council
decided we were willing to take that risk with 16 units and be able to help people in this area. I
mean, I think we've just done it right. We're not going to move anybody out, um, have the
opportunity hopefully to do some renovation for people by temporarily moving them out, if
they ..if they ..if that's what they want, and so look forward to seeing these renovations and sales
over the next few years. It's a great... great opportunity.
Bergus: I agree with everything my colleagues have said. I'm just super excited to see this program
expanding. I remember watching the Council meetings, um, before I got to be here and ... and
seeing this program get started, and how exciting it is for that neighborhood. So incredibly
grateful that we've stuck with it and had this opportunity to expand the program so significantly,
um, all at once. It's great.
Weiner: Ditto (laughs)
Teague: Ditto as well, and I know that this will create some generational wealth for some of these
individuals, and so this is great. All right, are we ready to vote on this? I think we are. Roll
call please. Motion passes 7-0.
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16. Council Appointments
16.a. Airport Commission
Teague: Um, I think how ... how we might do this is Ion going to kind of list all the appointments first
and then, um, although there are a lot of appointments (laughs) Should we just go through each
one separately? There are a lot of appointments. Yeah, so I'm going to go with 16.a., Airport
Commission. Um, Airport (garbled)mission, there's one vacancy to fill a four-year term, July
1st through 2021; July I", 2021 through June 30a', 2025. And there is one vacancy here and
there is no gender balance.
Mims: I would support Chris Lawrence. He's in his first term. We often reappoint. We do not have to
reappoint, that's up to us. But he certainly had a letter of recommendation from, I believe it's
the current Chair of the Board, um, strongly encouraging us to recommend, uh, to reappoint him
and the skill sets he brings, so I would go along with that.
Taylor: I agree with Councilor Mims. Both candidates certainly had, um, great qualifications to be on
the Commission, but Mr. Lawrence, as she'd said, is finishing his first term and comes
with ... highly recommended from other members of the Commission, so I would agree with that,
Chris Lawrence.
Thomas: I would agree.
Teague: Okay. I'm seeing a majority is shaking their head yes. Uh, typically we, you know, try to give
other people opportunities that haven't served. I think in this situation, for me, I will support
Christopher Lawrence. So we saw a majority for Christopher Lawrence. Can ... for Christopher
Lawr... Lawrence. Um, could I get a motion to appoint please?
Mims: So moved, Mims.
Taylor: Second, Taylor.
Teague: All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0. Could I get a motion to accept
correspondence?
Salih: Move.
Mims: Second, Mims.
Teague: Moved by Salih, seconded by Mims. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0.
16.b. Community Police Review Board
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Teague: Community Police Review Board has two vacancies, one at -large and one current or former
peace officer to fill a four-year term, July 1", 2021 through June 30°i, 2025. And this one, we
have two vacancies, one at -large and then one current, former peace officer, and we do have one
male requirement and one non.
Mims: I just have a question, this might be for Sue. In discussing this with some other Councilors,
have we actually had a peace officer on there, or have we ... is it ... we've ... I believe we've had an
attorney. Is that a legitimate ... I guess person to fill that role? I did not see anybody on here that
specifically indicated previous law enforcement, so I guess... yeah, can you help us with that,
Sue where...
Dulek: I don't know. Kellie, do you know? You ... you staffed it recently too, um...
Fruehling: There isn't currently. Um, in the past there ... there was, um, but I think in the ... I don't know
if it's... imagine it's the code, that there's an option to ... to waive that requirement... of the ... of the
peace officer.
Mims: Right, thank you. I mean for me, I guess, maybe the closest that came to that, and I would ... one
that I would support would be Teresa Seeberger. She's got experience, both as a prosecutor, a
public defender, magistrate, so she certainly has that familiarity with the criminal justice
system. Not necessarily actually as a law enforcement officer, but I would support her. And I
guess my second one, if nobody else is jumping in, I guess would be Brycen Myers, um, Shelter
House worker, um, again somebody who's very much engaged with population who might have
interaction with law enforcement.
Taylor: I liked ... I was impressed with Brycen Myers' application. Then I also, I thought, um, I believe
it was Melissa Jensen mentioned some law enforcement background. She ... uh, public safety,
Senior Director of Public Safety. I don't know if that comes close to being in law enforcement,
or what ... what we would make ... make of that.
Bergus: I think we just reappointed, um, Jensen to the Civil Service Commission pretty recently.
Taylor: Right, she (garbled) on the Civil Service Commission (garbled)
Bergus: Okay. I think we just, uh, yeah, started her term maybe in April.
Mims: And she has been on here before, and so I would be more amenable I think to giving some new
people an opportunity.
Salih: I really don't have any preference for who going to be selected, but I want to say something out
there. I don't think like somebody came from the local enforcement or anything that will be
like, you know, experience that's needed in the Police Community Review Board. No. Of
course we need people from the community, who know the issues of black people and people of
color, regarding interaction with the police... because most likely I serve with the people in the
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Commission who has a background in law enforcement. I don't think that was helpful because
most likely they support the police all the time. So I just believe that we have to look to the
people of color to be more in the community, because those the people who can (mumbled)
know the interaction and feel what happening to that community who come forward to
complain about the police.
Weiner: I also hope that we will, as the CPRB suggested, be able to expand the number of people on
that ... on ... on the CPRB soon. So, um, and will be looking forward then to more applicants ... of
color (garbled)
Dulek: And, Mayor, if I just may (mumbled) comment. Um, as Kellie indicated that the code does
provide for Council to waive the res ... or the requirement of the officer, um, or the ... be it current
or former peace officer.
Bergus: I note on this one, we do have a gender requirement for one male. So looking from that point
of view first, I also thought Brycen Myers was on my list and Theresa Seeberger, who as Susan
noted, is ... has experience in the criminal justice system, both as a prosecutor and a public
defender, and magistrate, so thought that would be helpful.
Weiner: I'm fine with those.
Teague: I can support those two. And look like we have majority for Theresa Seeburger and, um,
Brycen Myers. Could I get a motion to appoint those two?
Weiner: So moved.
Thomas: Second, Thomas.
Teague: Moved by Wiener, seconded by Thomas. All in favor say aye. Opposed? Motion passes 7-0.
16.c. Historic Preservation Commission (At -Large)
Teague: And here I'm going to actually ask Kellie (laughs) to give us an update on ... on, um, the gender
balance.
Fruehling: You should see my piece of paper with my notes. So this is a 12 -member commission and
so with the folks coming off, the remaining... there are four females and three males. So if you
were just looking at the two that we have applications for, so the at -large and the College Green,
to equal out that gender balance, it would be one male and one non. If you wanted to do it that
way. If you're looking at all the vacancies, it would be two females and three males, but if you
wanted to balance it out now, one male and one either or, if that makes sense.
Taylor: And is that including the College Green or the College Green is separate?
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Fruehling: That's including the College Green. So it's one at -large, one College Green. So one male,
one non, and that would give you four and four, plus an alternate either or.
Taylor: Because certainly Noah Stork actually lives on College and is in the College Green District, so
of course I would think that he would be well-suited for that position.
Thomas: I ... I would agree, and I would, um, also support Margaret Beck for the other position.
Mims: I was looking at Frank Wagner for the other position, and my reasoning there, he's ... he's been on
previously, but with some of the issues they've been talking about, I think having representation
on there also as a contractor and somebody who understands some of those remodeling and
reconstruction issues would be really helpful as they're having those kinds of discussions. So I
was supportive of Frank Wagner for the at -large.
Thomas: Well, they have... aren't there... aren't the, uh, building trades represented by some of the
representatives, if I'm not mistaken.
Mims: Yeah, but given 12, I don't think it hurts to have more than one.
Teague: All right, any other? So maybe we'll stick with the at -large Historic Preservation Commission.
So there is Margaret Beck, urn, who's been suggested by John, and then we have Frank Wagner,
who's been suggested by Susan. And they gave their reasons.
Bergus: Looking at their ...both of their applications, I'd also go with Frank Wagner for the at -large.
Teague: Yeah, I ... we have the one male. Um, it sound like four. There's only one application for
College Green. So because there is one none, if we want to kind of get a balance there now,
Margaret Beck, Frank Wagner, I can go with either. I think they both have some things to
contribute, um, so I'll see where other people land, but I can go with either.
Mims: I mean you get... you're going to end up five, four gender balance, no matter which way we go.
Teague: Yep.
Taylor: I ... I ... I, well I ... Frank Wagner obviously is well qualified. But I ... I agree with Margaret Beck.
think give, um, give somebody, especially female, uh, experience on that commission.
Mims: Janice, Maz, I mean ... (garbled)
Weiner: I don't feel strongly one way or another, which ... which is ... which is the challenge here. I mean
a lot of times I look at the qualifications and say I really want somebody so, um (mumbled) I
mean I'll pick if you want, but it's...
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Teague: Yeah, um, I was trying to maybe relook at applications. I read them both earlier. I would be
comfortable, again I think either would offer some opportunity. Um, I'm fine with Margaret
Beck. I think that, you know, sometimes having that lay person, even though we have a lot of
lay people on there, I find value in that. I don't know that we always need an expert, and we do
have one, as was mentioned, but many people have experience, you know, being a homeowner.
Mims: Yeah, I mean my point was they've got some major issues in front of them right now in terms
of...do they change some of their rules and how do they look at things, and I think having
another person who has some of that experience can add to that discussion, regard... regardless
of how they end up making their decision or what their decision is. So that was the reason I
was looking at Frank.
Teague: Sure. So we have three for Margaret Beck and then two for Frank Wagner. So we're ... just
want to get some final ... some final positions here.
Salih: You have ... say it again!
Teague: We have three for Margaret Beck and then two for Frank Wagner.
Salih: I go with Margaret Beck.
Teague: We have a majority, so we'll just leave it at that. So could I get a motion to appoint Margaret
Beck?
Salih: So move.
Thomas: Second, Thomas.
Teague: Moved by Salih, seconded by Thomas. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion passes
(both talking)
Mims: Me, I'm opposed.
Teague: Okay, sorry, uh, motion passes 6-1.
16.d. Historic Preservation Commission, College Green
Teague: And Council discussion? This ... we just talked about a nor ...uh, Noah Stork, there were two
people that kind of support it and that's the only application. (several respond) So seem like
we're all in support.
Weiner: Yep and seems qualified, lives in the right area has....
Teague: Okay. Could I get a motion to approve Noah Stork?
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Salih: So move for Noah Stork.
Taylor: Second, Taylor.
Teague: Moved by Salih, seconded by Taylor. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0.
16.e. Housing and Community Development Commission
Teague: And this has three vacancies, two female requirements and one male.
Taylor: Oh, I thought it was none. One male or one none.
Mims: None. (several talking)
Teague: Okay, I wrote that down wrong, so one none and then two female.
Taylor: I agree with reappointing Megan Alter and Maria Padron.
Mims: I would go with Megan, but I would go with Becky Reedus. Maria has... she's completed an
unexpired term and done a first term, so I think to give somebody else an opportunity, I think
would be prudent, and I think Becky can bring incredible knowledge and experience to this
commission with her decades of service in the nonprofit world of Iowa City and Johnson
County.
Thomas: Well, I would support Megan and Becky as well.
Weiner: I would also.
Thomas: ... Maria as a third but, you know, I'm certainly willing to consider other options.
Bergus: Um, I would support Megan and Becky, and would suggest Kaleb Beining as the third, and I
did check in with him today. He ... he submitted an application last fall, um, and said he was
very interested still.
Mims: I would support him as well.
Taylor: I actually was interested in ... in V, because V has served on ... on committees before and
(garbled) American and did a good job when was on commission before, so I'm supportive of V.
Bergus: I spoke with V today, and they are not, uh, able to commit to serving at this time.
Salih: Kellie (both talking)
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Bergus: (both talking) I was thinking that too, Pauline.
Weiner: Yeah, I was thinking the same thing as well, but um, thank you for speaking with it ... with
them, Laura.
Salih: Kellie, if you don't mind, do have that demographic for those people for that commission?
Fruehling: I do. What are you ... what are you looking for?
Salih: I just want to make sure like, uh, do you have people of color there?
Bergus: Kaleb is an African American young man.
Salih: And how many ...how many people of color there?
Fruehling: (mumbled) are you looking for current board members?
Salih: No, the ... (mumbled) like I know that Maria, you know, is expired and she is reapplying, right?
Mims: (mumbled) that's on there.
Fruehling: Yeah, so do, um...
Salih: I just believe if we are reappointing people, we should reappointed her too. She's really bringing
a lot of good perspective from the people of color to (mumbled) as Latina persons and we have
a lot like a (mumbled) the board, you know, so I thinks we need to put people who look like the
community, at least in commissions.
Mims: Well that's where Kaleb would fit in, you know, in ... in doing that. I think he's ... one of the
qualifications but gender wise or, uh, excuse me, race wise, ethnicity, he fits that too.
Salih: Still, you know, she ... she is really been good, and I thinks, uh, since we don't have another
person, we can do that.
Mims: I guess I would say, we do have another person, I mean she's served like one and a half terms
and as a Council we've made a commitment to giving different people, new people, an
opportunity and so...
Salih: That not true, Susan (both talking) A lot time, last time I said this person had two turn and we
need to elect another person. Everybody said no, and we elected (mumbled) the Human Rights
Commission, and now, you know, whenever -just you want to make your point, this is, uh, have
to be yeah, we need to give people a chance. If not, no, those people have experience and they
have to come back. You know, earlier you reappointed somebody just because you said they
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been in the—this commission, and they have experience. This person also have experience and
since we, you know, reappointed (mumbled) gain, I think we need to reappointed her too.
Mims: And again (both talking)
Weiner: Just ... just (both talking)
Mims: The way I would see this as different is we have gone both ways when somebody has had served
one term. We've had times when we've had one term that we've reappointed and we've had
times where we've had somebody that's had one term that we've chosen not to reappoint, and it's
been for various reasons. I look at this situation, we've had somebody who's served more than a
tern. She's completed an unexpired term and completed a full term. So to me at that point
we ... we have so many people who want to serve that we have committed as a Council we want
to try to give a variety of people an opportunity and (garbled) color who we can appoint as well.
Salih: You have not been consistent (garbled) I've been saying this. Anyway, I ... I would like to
reappoint her.
Weiner: (garbled) just sort of trying to answer the other question. Just look ... I don't know these people,
but it appears to me that looking at names, there are likely... assuming that we were... would also
appoint Kaleb Beining, there are likely two other members of the Commission who, um, who
are also of color who are ... were not ... who's terms are not expiring, just.. just to sort of go ... circle
back and answer that one question.
Fruehling: Correct.
Salih: You mean we have another Latino on the board?
Weiner: No, there's... there's, um ... there are two other, I believe people... not Latinos. There are two
other people of color on the board.
Salih: That's what I mean, we need that presentation! We have Latinos, we have African American, we
have immigrants in this community, is not only white people and black people.
Taylor: I believe there was an applicant, uh, I don't know (both talking)
Weiner: (both talking) I'm just trying to answer the question.
Taylor: Oh. Okay. Mazahir, I think there was a Berlin Mendez that listed Hispanic as ... as the ethnicity,
If that's what you were looking for. But ... but I'm I'm supportive of Maria. She ... she's currently
serving as Chair, so obviously she ... she knows this commission and ... and we need people that
are familiar with the workings of that commission, so I'm supporting of Maria. I mean I ... I love
Becky Reedus. She did ... served a lot for the community and ... and probably would do well on
this commission, but I'm in favor of reappointing Maria.
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Teague: All right, so it sound like we have Megan Alter out there, Maria Padrone, Becky Reedus,
Kaleb ... and then there was, um Beining. Oh, no, that's Kaleb, yep. All right. You know, I ... I
look at this and I'm, you know, looking back at some of the names and I don't have ... um, right
on the spot I'm not recalling all of the things of each of person's application. Certainly I think
there is value to making sure that we give opportunity to various people, um, various
representations on the commission. I think Mayor Pro Tem does make a good point as far as
like we don't have a Latinx, um, on the commission and so I think, um, Councilor Taylor, did
you just say that there was another person that stated that they're ... Latinx?
Taylor: Ber...Berlin Mendez listed Hispanic.
Teague: Okay. I think if we wanted to kind of, you know, get some new opportunities for people to be
on the commission, I wonder if anyone would consider, you know, a new person that, you
know, is Hispanic.
Mims: Representation is important, but so is experience and what they can bring to this and... and for
me, I quite frankly think the strongest one, the strongest applicant here is Becky Reedus, with
her 40 -plus years in the community in the nonprofits. I think she brings an awful lot to this.
Teague: (several talking, garbled) I'm sorry, I think for me right now, you know, I'm confident that I
will support Kaleb and I will support Becky Reedus. I think she does have a lot of experience,
and so I ... I will leave one open, um, you know, just to continue the conversation.
Mims: I support those two as well.
Teague: So it seem like Becky Reedus and Kaleb, they both have majority support. So we just have,
um...
Taylor: And Meg!
Teague: So we have one female opening... that we have to determine.
Taylor: I thought we said Megan.
Weiner: (several talking) ..it sounds like everything is sort of up in, uh, sort of up for grabs right now.
Salih: Can't we just say the name and ask the people to say if they support them or not, because I don't
know. This is now confusing now.
Teague: Yes, so then why don't ... why don't we do this. Why don't we take some nominations for the
one final female opening. So I think we have majority of Council for Kaleb, and for Becky, or
do I put Becky name back (garbled) out there, just to see where we are.
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Salih: Can we know who is supporting those two?
Teague: Um ... who all will support Kaleb? Um, raise your hand. Okay, so we know we see a majority
for Kaleb, and then who all would support Becky Reedus? So I do see a majority. So I think at
this point if we can just take some nominations for the ... for the female position.
Bergus: I would say Megan Alter.
Mims: I would agree, just with the difference in the (garbled) time served... between (both talking)
Teague: I wonder if we can, not to interrupt, sorry about that. I wonder if we can just have nomi...
names nominated for now, and then we can go through and see who's supporting who.
Weiner: Mayor Pro Tem, were you gonna nominate Maria Padron... or..or..?
Salih: I thought in the beginning Megan was done, like done deal. That's why I said, you know, Maria
too, but it seem like now I want to see how many people support Megan, and I support Maria,
of course. I support both of them.
Teague: Okay. So right now you're not ... any other nominations, besides Megan alter?
Salih: Maria.
Teague: Okay, Maria. All right, any other nominations? Okay, so for Megan Alter, it ... there's two. It's
Megan Alter and Maria, so who will support Megan Alter? We see majority. Who will support
Maria? Yep, so Megan Alter will be moving forward. So could I get an a motion to appoint,
um, Becky Reedus... Kaleb, um, I don't know how to pronounce the last name, and Megan
Alter?
Bergus: So moved.
Mims: Second.
Teague: Moved by Bergus, seconded by Mims. All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion passes 7-
0.
16.E Library Board of Trustees
Teague: And this one, um, if I have my notes right, we ... the three vacancies is one non and then two
male.
Taylor: I ... I would say, um, John Rayburn and Dan Stevenson, especially Dan Stevenson. He has
experience with the West Branch Library Board.
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Bergus: I also support Dan Stevenson and Noa Kim.
Taylor: I support Noa Kim.
Weiner: Uh, I support Dan and Noa (mumbled)
Teague: (both talking) Go right ahead!
Mims: I support Dan and Noa. I had John Rayburn; um, I also had Daniel Keranen as a possibility too.
Teague: It seem like we have majority for Dan and Noah. So could I get a motion to appoint, uh... them
to the Library Board of Trustees?
Weiner: (several talking) We need a third one, Bruce.
Teague: Oh, I am so sorry! So we have two for John. Yes. And then ... this is true. Sorry about that
(laughs)
Weiner: I'm amazed that they ...that they are six-year terms. (laughs) It's hard to imagine committing to
something for six years.
Teague: So let me just make sure, um, Councilor Mims, uh, you just named two other people.
Mims: (both talking) Yeah, I said Dan Stevenson and Noa Kim. Pauline did also mention John
Rayburn, which was on my list. But then also Daniel Keranen as a possibility too, so I'm listing
four. I realize we can only select three. I'm just kind of curious if anybody else, you know, is
looking at Daniel Keranen and what people's thoughts were.
Bergus: I also had Daniel Keranen on my list.
Teague: Okay.
Taylor: I thought John because he'd mentioned that he'd had friends that were members on ... on this
commission and as well as he had talked to some Library workers, and so I was impressed
with ... with his application.
Teague: Okay. I can support Dan, Noa, and Daniel Ker ...Keranen.
Weiner: That's all right with me.
Teague: Okay, so we have a majority for appointments. Could I get a motion to approve Dan
Stevenson, Noa Kim, and Daniel Keranen to the Library Board of Trustees?
Mims: So moved, Mims.
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Thomas: Second, Thomas.
Teague: All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0.
16.g. Planning and Zoning Commission
Teague: Now we do know that there... there are some applications that I think, um, I want to ... I don't
think people will consider, but, um, because ... I'm sorry about that. Yep. Is there any proposals
from people?
Taylor: Marks Signs has been on that, uh, P&Z for ...for, well, obviously one session. His first term is
expiring, and I think he's ... he's done a good job on ... on that, so I would say reappoint Mark.
Bergus: I also ... I know Mark. He lives in the neighborhood, and I think he'd be good to continue, and
he noted in his application continuity, um, for the commission.
Teague: Yeah, I can support Mark. And... and what I was gonna say is like Kaleb, we had just
appointed him, so (laughs) I wouldn't consider him to be ... for this ... for this commission, so I
probably just should have finished that. (laughs) So then we need one, um, well there's, um, I
think we have three for Mark right now. Any other nominations for male? Any.. any other
support for Mark?
Weiner: I can support him. Um, I'm actually now wondering about Madri ... Maria Padron for the other
position on P&Z, cause I think she would bring some other interesting experience to this.
Mims: (mumbled) My concern with that, Janice, is again, we go back and try and say we're going to
give different people an opportunity to serve across our different boards and commissions, and
if we just circulate people from one commission to another, we're not opening it up to new and
different people to ... to give their input to the City on various boards and commissions.
Salih: (mumbled) some names. We need to have people look like the community. If we have few
people of color in the community and the community's... is mainly white people, that means it's
time we give people opportunity and we didn't give people of color because we have only one
person who is ... interesting? They can do this. I ... I don't know how you guys think about this,
and every day this is telling me that we are not giving opportunity for the people. We keep
giving, you know, appointing our friends, people that we know, and we think they know better!
I think you deserve to have a chance to serve on a commission that she never served. If you,
you know, you just don't ... don't have ... have that notion of (garbled) I been seeing Council
appointing somebody two times being served and for the third time. I saw that! We have to be
fair, and we have to encourage people of color to serve.
Mims: I agree we need to (garbled) them, and we need to get more applicants of color, most definitely.
But we still need to keep opening it up to giving different people opportunities.
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Salih: If we don't have right now person of color and that the only person of color (mumbled) we
should appoint them until we have somebody else, but not because `Oh, we don't have another
person. Sorry people of color, we can have white people because you are not coming forward.'
This is ... this is really ...I don't know, but this is never going to end. We all hear about like Black
Lives Matter, about BIPOC community, and all this, and we are not doing it! We just doing
everything for the cosmetic. Every single day, you know, this Council proven for me that we do
things for the cause (mumbled) only, to tell people `Hey we have this.' That's it! But when it
comes to real things and we're not doing it. Please appointment Maria for this positions, so we
have for the Planning and Zoning. For the first time we have Latina person there, uh, if I'm not
mistaking.
Teague: We do have, um, at least from ... I at least wanted to talk about what we have here for the
Planning and Zoning. So Maggie Elliot, she came in middle of someone's term. If I'm not
mistaken, she didn't serve a full term. And she's (garbled) for reappointment. I do hear the, you
know, the... certainly the concern with very few people. Thank Maria for putting her hat out
there to represent. You know, as I'm looking at the current situation, I think Maggie Elliot, um,
she has, you know, a desire to be reappointed. I will support her and just put her name forward.
I do know that we need a lot of people of various backgrounds to really come out and be on
commissions. Um, sometimes it's the same faithful few that keep putting their head out there.
We do know that as well. But I'm going to support Maggie, I'm going to push Maggie... Maggie
Elliott's name forward.
Bergus: I also support Maggie Elliott.
Weiner: And I am going to support Maria Padron because she ... one of the things that she talked about
in her application is looking at P&Z through an affordable housing eye, among other things, but
I think that we need that voice in there as well.
Thomas: Yeah, I ... I've, um, you know, and kind of reconsidering here, and I do think, uh, Maria's
emphasis on affordable housing is something that I think would be a useful point of view on the
P&Z.
Taylor: Normally I would have gone with the reala... reappointment of Maggie, uh, because I think the
consistency is important, but I think with all discussion with, um, the equality and balancing
things out, and since (garbled) didn't go with Maria for the other, um, I would be willing to
support her for... for this, and as John said, she does have an emphasis on affordable housing,
which we've talked till we're blue in the face about the need for that, so I think that's important.
Teague: Great. We do have a majority of four for Maria and I'm happy to reappoint Maria. I think the
affordable housing piece she'll definitely, um, you know, bring some value there, and I think,
um, certainly represen... her being present and her voice will be very important. So I think if
we're ready, we are ready to appoint. Could I get a point ... a motion to appoint Mark Signs and
Maria Padron?
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Salih: Move.
Teague: Thank you. Moved by Salih. Seconded by Weiner. All in favor say aye. Any opposed?
Motion passes 7-0.
16.h. Parks and Recreation Commission
Teague: Council discussion, and here ... we have... and I've lost my notes! One vacancy, one female
requirement.
Weiner: And one... and one of the, only one of the three, Schmidt, of the applicants, is a female.
Taylor: And she... she ... fal... falling into our discussion here ethnicity, she states as American Indian and
I think we've had very few applicants that, uh, ever (garbled) list that as their ethnicity (garbled)
That ... that would ... that would be great, and I liked her comment that she would like to serve as a
part of a team, so I think that teamwork is important, so definitely April.
Teague: I'm seeing a lot of head nods for April. Could I get a motion to appoint April Schmidt?
Taylor: So moved, Taylor.
Bergus: Second, Bergus.
Teague: All in favor say aye. Any opposed? Motion passes 7-0.
This represents only a reasonably accurate transcription of the Iowa City City Council regular
formal meeting of May 18, 2021.