HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-05-06 Transcription#2a Page 1
ITEM 2a MAYOR'S PROCLAMATIONS.
a. Bicycle Month: May 2003
Lehman: Item 2 are Mayor's proclamations. (Reads proclamation).
Karr: Here to accept the proclamation is Greg Kovaciny, Bicyclists of Iowa
City.
Kovaciny: I'll just say a couple real quick words. I think the proclamation says it
all. I'd like to encourage everyone on the Council, everyone in the
audience if you haven't bicycled recently as the weather gets good it's
a good time to try that again. You may wish to try commuting by bike
if you live within three or four miles of where you work or where you
go to school. Like myself I bicycle commute year around and enjoy it.
It's a great way to start the day and a great way to finish except I have
a hill going up on the way back. But bicycling is a good way to travel,
a good way to see the City. We have some very good facilities. We
have good accommodations on street. We can do a lot more, but we
are continuing to work towards that. Thank you all and I hope to see
you all on the road on your bikes. Thanks.
Champion: Thanks.
Lehman: Thank you, Greg.
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ITEM 3 OUTSTANDING STUDENT CITIZENSHIP AWARDS.
Shimek Elementary: Eryn Alexander, Claire Hubbard, Winston
Kosier
Lehman: Item 3 are the Outstanding Student Citizenship Awards. If the
students from Shimek would come forward please. Right over here.
This is one of the really fun things Council does. From here on out it's
down hill. Believe me. But this is fun. I'm sure you've got your
parents and your grandparents here. And as a grandparent I can tell
you how proud they are of you. Council is also proud. This is
something Council really, really enjoys doing. So what I would like
you to do is give us your name and tell us why you were nominated.
Eryn Alexander: Okay. Hi. I'm Eryn Alexander, a 6th grader at Shimek Elementary.
I'm very pleased to be nominated for the Outstanding Student Citizen
Award. When I think of a good citizenship I think of many things.
Some ways to display citizenship skills include paying attention to
things that are happening in Iowa and around the world, helping
citizens in our...in your community and other parts of the world and
providing leadership in the community. Every week I read the Press
Citizen to learn what is happening in Iowa and other parts of the
world. I also follow our local government to learn what you are doing
for our community. For example last month I attended the legislative
forum and asked our state officials questions about education and
smoking in Iowa. I think a good citizen is an informed citizen. To
help citizens in our community I participated in a can food drive in
November and a blanket drive in December. I also joined a group of
Shimek students in the delivering supplies to the emergency housing
project and took a tour of the shelter. I was surprised to learn how
crowded it was. Finally I visited with seniors at the Solon Nursing
Center every opportunity we have at school. It is a great way to hear
their stories. To help people around the world I participated in a fund
raiser and collection for a village in Senegal, West Africa. I raised
money by doing chores around the house to help the villagers survive a
bad drought. It made me feel good to know that they were being
helped. Leadership is another important quality. At Shimek I serve as
a student ambassador and a patrol officer. These opportunities help
me to serve my school by making it kinder and safer. I also try to go
above and beyond my limits and horizons when I set my goals. I take
school work very seriously and also participate in Girl Scouts and play
the cello. Citizenship can be shown in many different ways. All of
these opportunities have helped me to become a good citizen.
Winston Kaiser: Hi. My name is Winny Kaiser. I'm a 6th grade student at Shimek
Elementary. I am delighted to be here representing outstanding
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student citizen tonight. I feel an outstanding student citizen possesses
the following qualities: perseverance, kindness, respect,
trustworthiness and responsibility. At Shimek we call them character
builder walks and we work on them every day. Outstanding student
citizens at Shimek are from community service. I have had many
opportunities to visit nursing center, donate and raise money for
Senegal, contributions to the Emergency Housing Shelter, conduct
canned food drives, volunteer before and after school. To (can't hear)
leadership qualities by participating in the legislative forum, school
geography bee and other school activities. These experiences have
taught me about the world and how to participate in the democratic
process. I'm proud to represent Shimek and I'm honored to accept this
award.
Claire Hubbard: Hi. My name is Claire Hubbard. I am a 6th grader at Shimek
Elementary. I am happy to be accepting this Outstanding Citizenship
Award. I feel that I am a good citizen because I help out autistic and
mentally handicapped kids in our community. I help them raise
money to send them to Camp Courageous. That has helped me to
learn to look past our physical and mental differences and look on the
inside. I also think I'm an outstanding student because I stand up for
things I believe in such as animal rights. I also help with child labor
rights and I started a group at our school that helps children being
mistreated in other continents. I also practice our character building
blocks that are respect, kindness, perseverance at our school. I feel
that that has helped me be an outstanding citizen. Thank you.
Lehman: I know what these kids are doing while we're watching T.V. They
don't have time for T.V. I'll read one of these awards. They all read
the same. "For outstanding qualities of leadership within Shimek
Elementary as well as the community and for a sense of responsibility
and helpfulness to others we recognize these as Outstanding Student
Citizens. Your community is proud of you. Presented by the Iowa
City City Council." Thank you very much.
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ITEM 4 CONSIDER ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR AS
PRESENTED OR AMENDED.
Lehman: (Reads item).
Champion: Move adoption.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Kanner: I'd like to withdraw number d(10) from the consent calendar - an issue
regarding applications for CDBG funds for Rack barbeque
Lehman: Okay. Other discussion?
Kanner: Just a couple things to point out in our consent calendar. One in
regards to alcohol license renewals. We had a note from Patrick White
in regards to the Vine which is reapplying. They recently had their
license suspended for 30 days (can't hear) offense. And he felt that the
Vine I think in part under new management was on the road to better
management. So I think at this time I'm going to take that at face
value and give them the benefit of the doubt and vote yes for
recommendation of approval on that. Another item that does concern
me - we're accepting a large amount of fines for violations of selling
cigarettes - institutions selling...their employees selling cigarettes to
minors. And a number of these are...at least two of them are at least
second violation and I was wondering if we could get a report
on...we've been about a year into this I think o£...a year or so of
having hearings and accepting fines to see if we're getting any results
from this. I wonder if people are getting the message. I don't know
how much more we can do, but...
Atkins: I think it would be easy enough to prepare a summary for you. Yeah
we'll do that for you. That's information put together on a regular
basis. We can do that - prepare a memo for you.
Kanner: Thanks. Sad to say as we discussed yesterday the state is making it a
little less punishment for people who commit some of these violations.
And then that was it. Thank you.
Lehman: Any other discussion? Roll call. Motion carries.
Wilbum: Ernie I've got a conflict of interest with item d(10). I work for an
organization that received Community Development Block Grant
funds and cannot participate in the discussion or decision.
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Champion: Move adoption of d(10).
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Kanner: I think I would tend to vote for this, but I was wondering if in the
future if we can get a staff report - a one page summary. We do get
reports in our minutes from economic development and I tend to read
them and hopefully other Council members would read them. But I
think it would be good to have this as a role not be in the consent
calendar. This is I think a major item that we ought to consider
separately. That's the reason I withdrew it. And that we could get a
report either from the economic development committee members -
one of three Council members - or from a staff person similar to what
we get from P&Z or from any other things. A recommendation
perhaps and an assessment of some of the pertinent facts in there.
Lehman: I hear what you're saying and I think I agree with that. I have no
problem listing a regular agenda item. I'm not sure that it's fair to ask
for a staff recommendation on an approval on this sort of thing. I
think if we...in this case and I'll explain to you briefly. We had an
application which we went over. We got revised statements which
again I'm sure you went over because they were a part of minutes of
the economic development committee. And we basically...this
applicant as you're well aware also has made application to the state
for a loan. The last application that we had that we approved which
did not materialize - the last one that we had we made contingent on
the state loaning the money. In this case...actually it worked both
ways. We made our cooperation contingent on the state. The state
also made their loan contingent on us. And the amount that has been
recommended as you can see is about 40% less than that which was
requested. They haven't gotten approval from the state.
Kanner: Steve before I discuss the details just a little bit more about future
procedure. Perhaps we don't have to have Staff recommendation, but
a summary of pertinent points.
Lehman: I have no problem with that.
Kanner: And have Staff come up with what they would like to see or what
we...ask us what we would like to see in a summary - a one or two
page summary saying this they meant this, they meant this because it
just seems to me it was just kind of thrown in there. And I think it
would be good to have that background.
Lehman: And I also think that this is...that this committee basically is plowing
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new ground too. We've had I think what five applications so far and I
think you're going to see us changing some of the rules as we go...as
we go along we find there are certain things that we really need that
we haven't gotten. And I think this will kind of be a work in progress.
But I don't have any problem with getting a summary.
Kanner: So a couple specifics on this one. It wasn't clear to me whether this is
a loan or a grant. I didn't see that that was listed there.
Lehman: Dee?
Vanderhoefi It's a loan.
Nasby: The committee when you made your recommendation you decided
that you would set the terms as a Council. The state provided them a
$25,000 3% loan repayable over a five year period of time.
Lehman: That's Council's call.
Kanner: So are we going to discuss this at another meeting or at a work session
whether it would be a loan or a grant?
Nasby: It is a loan.
Champion: It says a loan.
Kanner: I didn't see that it was a loan. Are you saying it's listed as a loan?
Champion: It's listed here.
Vanderhoef: It's listed as a loan.
Nasby: That was the sense of the committee was that it was going to be a loan.
And we did ask if you were going to set terms and I believe the two
members of the ED committee decided to do was set the specific terms
of that loan at this meeting.
Kanner: Okay. So you write in the commentary here. I guess I didn't see it in
the resolution. Maybe I overlooked I there.
Nasby: It wasn't in the resolution. It was that we would be provided CDBG
dollars. The comment says it was going to be a loan and with the
Council to set the terms. That was the desire of the ED committee.
Kanner: Okay.
Lehman: May I suggest there will be an economic development committee
meeting next.., when?
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Nasby: May 13th.
Lehman: That's next Tuesday? Is that correct? I think it is next Tuesday.
Would it be appropriate for us to go ahead and give our yea or nea to
the loan and let us work the terms out and come back to the next
Council meeting. I think that would be best because I think that's
something we need to discuss with the applicant too. I'd hate to see us
impose terms that are not going to work for him. I mean there's no
point in us trying to help somebody and then turning around and
making the terms so stringent that he can't live with them. But let
us...if we choose to approve the loan then we'll bring the terms back
the next meeting along with a synopsis of the application.
Kanner: And I recall there were a few jobs being produced. Could you tell for
the public information how many jobs?
Lehman: I don't recall exactly.
Nasby: In the application.
Vanderhoef: Two.
Lehman: Two? I think it's two.
Kanner: Two full-time and perhaps...
Nasby: It was two full-time and one half-time.
Lehman: Okay.
Kanner: And then the final thing in my series of questions. There was some
questioning by the economic development committee about some of
the figures that were listed. And then I didn't read it as closely at a
later time. Do you feel that that's been cleared up? Their projections
it looked like they were way off and they had things listed totally
wrong on some of their finances.
Vanderhoef: They were projecting at ideal conditions and they went back and
revised them down to be sure that their numbers would nm and still be
a viable business for them if they didn't meet all of the max
projections that they had put out in the first series.
Lehman: Well it's very, very difficult to analyze someone's projections in a
restaurant business or a tire business or bicycle or whatever. I mean
have no expertise in that. I felt and the committee felt that the
projections were very optimistic - in fact optimistic to the point of
being unrealistic. There were also some difficulties in the financial
statements that were presented originally. They were redone. They
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were corrected. They came back accurate and I think Steve is
comfortable with those numbers that came back to us and I think that
those have been corrected. In fact those...those have to be correct
because if they are not the loan wouldn't be valid.
Nasby: The cash flow and all those projections were rerun I believe by Chris
Pigsley at Small Business Development Center. And the financial
statement that you're referring to we did get a revised edition that is
current and up-to-date. And applicants have stated that it is as of the
April revision that you had.
Lehman: And I think to some degree we accept...put a certain amount of
credibility in the state going through these numbers - the small
business people who have expertise in this that we do not. I mean I
can read a balance sheet. And the balance sheet was not correct. It
has been corrected. And these others numbers have been gone through
by other people who tmderstand it and they basically said that this will
work. So that's where we are.
Kanner: Okay. Thank you.
Lehman: Okay. Any other discussion?
Vanderhoef: Are there any recommendations from Council about interest...
Lehman: We're going to decide that next Tuesday.
Champion: Well I think you just need to be careful that you make the terms livable
because if they have a loan from the state and a loan from the
economic development part of our money they could have big
payments they might not be able to afford. I think you need to be
careful.
Vanderhoefi Those are all projected in this balance sheet so it's being taken care of.
Lehman: Okay. Other discussion?
Champion: Paying back many loans myself at one time or another.
O'Donnell: We're fine on this Emie. Let's vote on it.
Lehman: Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM 6e. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
e. CHANGING THE ZONING DESIGNATION FROM CB-2,
CENTRAL BUSINESS SERVICE ZONE TO CB-5, CENTRAL
BUSINESS SUPPORT ZONE FOR BLOCK 67 OF THE
ORIGINAL TOWN PLAT, EXCEPTING THE 6,000 SQUARE
FOOT PROPERTY AT 130 NORTH DUBUQUE STREET.
(REZ03-00006)
(1) Public Hearing
Lehman: (Reads item). We will continue the public hearing. The public
hearing is open.
Kevin Hanick: Kevin Hanick from Iowa City. Nothing really new to say except that I
did have an opportunity to speak with Councilor Pfab during the week
who had some questions about the rezoning. And although I wasn't
present last night I'm not sure if he reported back that...
O'Donnell: He did.
Hanick: My impression was that he was at this time satisfied. Unless anybody
else has any other questions.
Lehman: Thank you Kevin. Anyone else wish to speak to this? Public hearing
is closed. Do we have a motion?
(2) Consider an Ordinance (First Consideration) (deferred March
11, April 8, and April 22)
O'Donnell: Move first consideration.
Champion: Second.
Lehman: Moved by O'Donnell, seconded by Champion. Discussion?
Wilburn: It still requires a supermajority of all those present. Correct?
Dilkes: No it requires a supermajority of the members of the Council unless
the person is not voting by reason of a conflict of interest. Our
understanding is Mr. Pfab is simply absent so it will take six members.
Champion: Then I move we defer.
Lehman: Well unless...I guess is there a Council person who is not inclined to
approve this.
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Kanner: Before I answer was there any comment from Wesley House or people
representing Wesley House?
O'Donnell: We had a public hearing.
Robert Downer: Negotiations are ongoing. I believe that there is substantial progress
that has been made over this period of time. It's a somewhat complex
matter from a variety of standpoints and no agreement has yet been
consummated. But based upon comments that have been made to me
by persons on the other side of the table I'm confident that an
agreement is going to be reached.
O'Donnell: Good. Thank you.
Kanner: I do respect the Wesley House as a property owner. I have a great deal
amount of respect for them. But I've heard no overwhelming
vocalizations or written pieces telling us to hold on so I will be voting
in favor of this.
Lehman: Other discussion? Roll call. The motion carries.
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ITEM 6f. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
f. CONDITIONALLY CHANGING THE ZONING
DESIGNATION FROM CB-2, CENTRAL BUSINESS
SERVICE ZONE TO CB-5, CENTRAL BUSINESS
SUPPORT ZONE, FOR A 6,000 SQUARE FOOT
PROPERTY AT 130 NORTH DUBUQUE STREET (REZ02-
00021)
(1) Public Hearing
Lehman: (Reads item). Public heating is open. Public heating is closed.
(2) Consider an Ordinance (First Consideration) (deferred March
11, April 8, and April 22)
Vanderhoef: Move first consideration.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion?
Champion: Is this also going to take six...all of our... ?
Dilkes: Yes.
Lehman: Oh this does take...? (Can't hear). I'm sorry.
Vanderhoef: This is the whole...
Lehman: I would just like to comment that this is a conditional zoning
agreement where the applicant has agreed to work with the City and do
some sorts of things that normally would not have to have been
required within that zone. So it appears to me that this is going to be
an extremely good use of that comer and the building may well be far
more desirable than that which could have been built without a
conditional zoning agreement.
O'Donnell: Right.
Lehman: Other discussion? Roll call. The motion carries.
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ITEM 6g. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
g. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE CHANGING THE ZONING
DESIGNATION FROM HIGH DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY /
SENSITIVE AREA OVERLAY (RS-12/OSA) TO PLANNED
DEVELOPMENT HOUSING OVERLAY (OPDH-12/OSA)
FOR 2.12 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT THE
SOUTHEAST CORNER OF MEADOW RIDGE LANE AND
NORTH DUBUQUE STREET. (REZ03-00009) (FIRST
CONSIDERATION)
Lehman: (Reads item).
Champion: Move first consideration.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by Vanderhoef. Discussion?
Kanner: I have some slight misgivings about the noise out there, but I am going
to vote yes. I did just want to address one comment that was made
yesterday about...a few people made the comment they don't have to
buy the property and don't live there. Well that of course is true, but
the whole basis of zoning you could say that for anything that we zone
that people don't have to buy property. But we say that there will be
problems that might develop if we do have a certain type of zoning. If
we have loud noises - factories next to residential. So I think we
do... we should consider these kinds of things, not just whether
someone will buy it or not buy it. But I don't think it's that
detrimental to the health and the welfare of the people that might live
there. So I'm going to vote yes at this time.
Lehman: Other discussion? Roll call. Motion carries.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence?
O'Donnell: So moved.
Vanderhoefi Second.
Lehman: We have a motion and a second to accept correspondence. All in
favor? Opposed? Motion carries.
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ITEM 6i. PLANNING AND ZONING MATTERS.
i. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE TO REZONE FROM
NEIGHBORHOOD CONSERVATION RESIDENTIAL (RNC-12
& RNC-20), HIGH DENSITY MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL
(RM-44) AND MEDIUM DENSITY SINGLE FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL (RS-8) TO CONSERVATION DISTRICT
OVERLAY (RNC-12/OCD, RNC-20/OCD, RM-44/OCD & RS-
8/OCD) FOR THE DESIGNATION OF THE COLLEGE HILL
CONSERVATION DISTRICT WITHIN THE COLLEGE HILL
NEIGHBORHOOD (REZ03-00005) (SECOND
CONSIDERATION)
Vanderhoef: Mr. Mayor I have a conflict of interest for items i, j, k and 1.
Lehman: Is that because of your fraternity?
Vanderhoefi That is because of my fraternity.
O'Donnell: We still have to talk.
Lehman: (Reads item).
Champion: Move second consideration.
Lehman: Moved by Champion.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? Roll call.
Wilburn: Hold on, Emie.
Lisa Schintler: We were arguing who was going to go first.
Lehman: Okay.
Schintler: I'm Lisa Schintler. And I live at 1033 East Burlington and we also
own property down the street at 1217. And I have lived in the Iowa
City area my entire life as have my parents, my grandparents and my
husband and his family. You might ask why I became so worked up
about this enough that I would be willing to come and speak before
you or why I didn't speak at the Commission. Unfortunately for the
Historic Commission I had conflicts with their meetings. My husband
however spoke. But prior to the meeting one of the commission
members told him that this was a done deal and there's really no point
of anybody saying anything. It's going to be passed anyhow. So we
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decided it would be better to come speak to you guys then there. And
after listening to the minutes or reading the minutes of that meeting it
didn't...they didn't really listen other times. (Reads statement).
Lehman: You're going to need to wind this up a little.
Schintler: Pardon?
Lehman: The restrictions on the specifics I don't know are terribly critical. But
the point you're making is very good though.
Schintler: I'm having trouble hearing you. I'm sorry.
Lehman: I'm sorry. I said the specifics of the requirements of the zone I don't
know are nearly as important as what you're pointing out.
Schintler: Okay.
Lehman: But you need to wind this up.
Schintler: Okay. Well basically many of the things disallowed the aluminum
clad windows don't look any different from the aluminum storms. The
modem materials can be made to look like the existing or the historic
materials and cost a lot less. We had a quote done to replace our
windows as the commission request and it's going to be $22,000. The
quote to do it the way we would like to is $14,000. That's a
significant difference. That's a year's tuition at Iowa for someone who
has families. And those are the types of things that you're asking to
enfome for families who own houses in this district.
Champion: Are you changing the size of your windows?
Schintler: No, we are not changing the size.
Champion: (Can't hear) when you're not changing the size? I don't think so.
Schintler: Pardon?
Champion: Can someone from the Historic Preservation Commission answer that
question?
Schintler: I can give you the quote from Knebel's. It's a wood frame window.
Champion: No, I'm not questioning that.
Schintler: Yeah, we are not cutting in. We are not even changing the wood
frame. All we are doing is the Pella style inset windows and four sash
replacement windows so we meet fire code egress.
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Lehman: Well from your perspective - and Eleanor correct me if I'm wrong -
but if you have a building permit you will be able to complete what
you're doing. Is that not...?
Dilkes: Shelley...she's talking about the specifics of the guidelines and it's
depending on whether a permit is required. Shelley is the staff person
at the Commission. She's probably far more capable of answering that
than I.
Schintler: I know a permit is required for the four windows to meet fire code. So
those are the permits.
Lehman: But that...does that have anything to do with the fact that it's in a
conservation zone?
Schintler: No. If it goes in a conservation zone we will need a permit for all
windows.
Lehman: Shelley could we have a little clarification?
Champion: I don't think that's true.
Shelley McCafferty: Yes. In terms of the issue that was raised in regard to the permit
and the moratorium previously with the rental property that Miss
Schintler here owns with that issue a permit...the ordinance (can't
hear) that a moratorium goes into place for 60 days on building
permits to erect a structure. The HIS originally interpreted that as
meaning any building permit. Upon further scrutiny with Miss
Schintler's request it was determined that that siding and window
replacement would not meet...is not the erection of a structure. So
that was an error on HIS and the Staff here. And we acknowledge that
they can indeed do a permit for windows. In terms of a requirement
for a permit, once the conservation district is in place a permit will be
required for the replacement of windows or the addition or siding as
well as some other issues. Typically windows and siding do not
require a permit outside of a historic or conservation district.
Lehman: They do in a conservation district as well as historic?
McCafferty: They do in a conservation district. Correct.
Kanner: And what is the criteria for when siding is allowed in a conservation
district?
McCafferty: In a conservation district siding is allowed on non-contributing
structures. This would be structures that do not support the historic
character of the district. Perhaps they might be older buildings that
have been severely changed, altered or buildings that are newer
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outside of the historic era of the neighborhood. It is also allowed on
new construction. You are also allowed to repair siding if necessary.
Kaimer: Is it ever allowed on contributing structures?
McCafferty: No. It's not allowed on contributing structures. There are some issues
on vinyl siding on old buildings which I don't think a lot of people are
aware of. When you have old construction you do not have (can't
hear) interior. And when you put insulation on the exterior ora
building as well as a siding, vinyl siding, synthetic siding which does
not breath what that does is trap moisture from the interior of the
house inside that wall. And so what that does is precipitate rot inside
that wall. And so given that the mandate of the preservation
commission is to look at the preservation of neighborhoods for over
the course of you know 50, 100 years for future generations promoting
a situation which is going to cause structural damage to a building is
not what they want to see. It goes beyond the aesthetic issues of
potential removal of historic material, things that perhaps contribute to
the character of the building such as brackets, trim, etc.
Lehman: Okay.
Kanner: So if someone has a contributing structure and they wanted to remove
it - the siding - they cannot replace it. Is that correct?
McCafferty: They cannot replace it with vinyl siding.
Kanner: With vinyl, but they could replace it with... ?
McCafferty: They could replace it with fiber cement board. They could replace it
with wood clap boards. They could replace it with salvage clap
boards. But they can't use vinyl siding primarily due to the
destruction that it can do to the building.
Lehman: That's...is that also true for aluminum siding?
McCafferty: That's true for aluminum siding as well. Almost worse because often
times with aluminum you'll end up chalking it.
Lehman: Right.
McCafferty: And then you have no breathability of this wall and damage can be,
you know, 20, 30 years you can have a lot of damage.
Lehman: Okay. One of the questions any permit that is procured prior to the
passage of this ordinance any work that is started may be completed.
Is that correct?
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McCafferty: Any work that is not an erection of a structure.
Lehman: Okay. I'm sorry.
McCafferty: Which is not an erection of a structure.
Lehman: Any remodeling permit that...
McCafferty: Any remodeling, siding, window, demolition that can be completed,
but erection of a structure is not allowed.
Schintler: Does that include once somebody has ordered like windows and
started removing existing windows?
McCafferty: Well that would not be considered erection of a structure. And I think
you'll find at looking at the minutes of the commission you know we
just recently had the review of a landmark where we had window
replacement and the City did not catch when they entered the building
permit that this was a landmark property. They're very intuned to the
districts, but not the landmarks. Custom order windows were on-site
and they were...the commission because of the extenuating
circumstances, because they met most of the guidelines, you know,
they felt it was unreasonable to say you have to send back these
thousands or dollars worth of windows. So I think that you will find
by reviewing the minutes that they do try to be reasonable in working
with property owners. And certainly there are commissioner members
here that can address that.
Kanner: Shelley?
McCafferty: Yes.
Kanner: There was a concern brought up at the previous meeting about
notification methods that only people with water accounts were
notified, not necessarily property owners. Is that the case and is there
intent to change that?
McCafferty: Well let me tell you how typically in Planning and Zoning whether
we're doing neighborhood newsletters, whether we're doing
Southwest District Plan notification, anything like that we use water
bills. We did use water bills to determine the owners of the properties.
That was really the easiest way to do it particularly when you're doing
hundreds of properties at once. I believe GIS is now fortunately
available at the county for this. So we generated a mailing list based
upon the water bills is typical - we typically do. We held a
neighborhood meeting. At this neighborhood meeting it became
evident that most of these letters actually went to the properties
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themselves and not the owners. Subsequent to that what we did was I
went through personally spent quite a bit of time looking at all
building permit records, tax records and identify the owners of the
properties and their mailing addresses. The public hearing was
held...prior to the public hearing at HPC we had a neighborhood
meeting and a letter went out for that. At that time the commission
decided to continue the public heating because there were concerns by
property owners with regards to multi-family buildings and how the
guidelines effect that as well as the property values of commercial
properties. So they continue the public hearing. So a
second...actually a third notification went out, but the second one to
the correct address. A third notification then went out to the.., for the
Planning and Zoning public discussion. So in all property owners
should have received three notifications to the owners address mailing
address, not the property address.
Lehman: Okay
Schintler: Okay. To continue basically the siding is not allowed. Windows with
the removable gridlines are not going to be allowed from the street
especially if you put a screen or another pane of glass between on the
storm. You can't tell if you have to walk up next to it and practically
touch it to tell. The guidelines...the Historic Commission guidelines
state that they are following the Secretary of Interior's standards for
rehabilitations and in 1993 or in '83 and '84 such siding rules and
rules are in their guide were true. However in 1990 their rules were
rewritten and synthetic siding is no longer disallowed nor are many of
their other restrictions. Many historic areas have approved vinyl -
Boston, Massachusetts, Montgomery, Alabama, Washington D.C.,
Chicago, Illinois and the list goes on. As for the house on Melrose that
she commented on I believe in reading those minutes that two of the
members still wanted to enforce sanctions on it. I think that was their
one dissenting vote in the last two years. But I'm not positive. I'm
pretty sure that was the one. Last week we raised serious questions
about how this has all gone in and that the attitude has been that it's a
done deal all along and the concerns that were raised at the meeting
I'm not made a difference. And in closing I really don't think that you
should pass this ordinance. In addition, I believe...
(End of Tape 03-39, Beginning of Tape 03-42)
Schintler: ...can still require that the ginger breading and the things under the
eaves stay put and that they're required. But modern materials can be
used and maybe not require that if the board was originally two inches
that they can't use a board that's 1 3/8 or 7/8th inches instead. The
guidelines are a little too strict for historic conservation district. Thank
you for your time and consideration.
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Lehman: Thank you.
Dennis Nowotny: Well I'm not here to exactly say yea or nea to the proposition.
Lehman: You have to give your name. Give your name first.
Nowotny: Oh, I'm Dennis Nowotny, 517 East Washington Street. And I guess
I'm sort of on the line because basically I have an interest in half of the
block on the 500 block here. I have...Emie you've probably been to
Power House. I'm sure you have been. The bed and breakfast. But at
any rate we're in a commercial district and it was fortunately taken out
of the conservation area. And that was because one of the 12 year
chairman persons has two of the buildings that were in the commercial
district. And it would lower their property values. It would essentially
she said turn their financing upside down with the bank. Well that
tells me that basically...and it was in the papers how you figure out
what their property values are compared to what they would be as if
they were in the conservation area. And so since they would lose
several hundred dollars of value their property they were let out of that
conservation area because it's commercial property. That was a
convenient excuse, but at any rate they were let out of that
conservation area and for the loss of money basically. Now that tells
me that...does that mean that everybody else it really doesn't count for
that they're going to lose money or value in their property when
they're in a non-commercial area? That's just the tip of the iceberg on
this dog and pony show that I saw basically. Like I said I'm sort of
yea and nea for it because half of my property is in and half of it is out.
So the other thing was that there's arbitrary lines written for what was
in and what was out. I would have thought that the New Pioneer Coop
would have been in this area. It could have been a nice building ifa
little bit of help was put to it. And that's just right over here. It could
have been in the conservation area. It's commercial. But supposedly
it wasn't a contributing building of some sort. I don't know what their
criteria is, but it's arbitrary at best. I thought it could have been a
contributing one. As well as any other properties that was in that area.
I guess I basically feel for these people who are in the conservation
area because it's so arbitrary as to what's in and what's out. It's so
big. Like this gal said before me they've got these in Washington
D.C....I happen...well this is about 10, 15 years ago they'd hold up
the front of the building and bulldoze everything on the back side and
that was in a conservation...or a historic area. It's just, you know, I
like to see the preservation of the buildings, but I think that was a little
extreme. I don't think I'd like to see that happen here. But then again
I think vinyl siding is okay because my neighbors over there who've
been chipping paint for every other year you know can't keep paint on
their building you know. And at least vinyl siding is going to make it
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look halfway nice you know versus him out there with his scaffolding
chipping paint every other year. I could go on and on. The thing
about the water bill you know we didn't get our water bills because for
the next door...the house next door that we own - it's rental property -
because the tenants got it. We didn't get any...you know anything in
the water bills about that.
Lehman: You did get notified though is that correct?
Nowotny: Well I'm not sure exactly how we got notified. It wasn't in the water
bills.
Lehman: No, no but I think (can't hear) explain that. You did get notification?
Nowotny: Yeah.
Lehman: Okay.
Nowotny: Eventually. We got...I wish the meetings were televised. I think
they'd give you a good insight as to some of the wrong doings that
were going on in that...in those meetings. Some of it was okay. Some
of it was just human error. Some of it's, you know, there's another
mix of other things going on. There's another human error thing with
areas that allow vinyl siding - some place do, some places don't. I
don't know if we should be setting a trend, but basically you know
that's my thoughts on it. I wish you'd actually give different...I wish
you'd delay consideration until you've looked into the matters more of
what really went on and what is the criteria for heavens sake for
this...it's a pretty crucial control over the property that is them. I
don't think you'd like...Ernie, I don't think you'd like to have
someone coming and saying like PETA and say that you couldn't
serve.., sell fur items, you know, and things like that, you know, just
out of the moon. And no one else who owns property there wants to
have those sorts of arbitrary controls come along either.
Lehman: You know you're time is really up.
Nowotny: Okay.
Lehman: (Can't hear) no one else because there wasn't a request for this zone
we wouldn't be talking about it.
Nowotny: Okay.
Lehman: I mean we have to understand that there's significant numbers of
people who've requested the zone. Now whether it's all the way it
ought to be and whether the criteria area right and whatever I wouldn't
comment on that.
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Nowotny: Right.
Lehman: But certainly there has been a request for the zone by the people who
live there or we wouldn't be talking about it.
Nowotny: Right. And there are activists...you know there are activists for our
school bonds too you know. And sooner or later if they get it voted on
enough times they'll get anything passed.
Lehman: Okay.
Nowotny: So I mean you could vote on it seven times and finally you'll wear
them down by attrition.
Lehman: I've seen that. Alright. Thank you.
Nowotny: Thank you.
William Downing: Thank you Mayor, Councilors for...
Lehman: I hate to interrupt you. How many people are here to speak to this?
Okay. We're going to talk for 10 more minutes and then we're done
because we're already...this is the second reading. People have had an
opportunity to speak. So if you'd like to curtail your comments so that
everybody gets a chance. Okay?
Downing: I'll be as quick as I can.
Lehman: Okay. Thank you.
Downing: If I leave anything out from previous comments and opposition (can't
hear) an alternate view please go ahead and ask me and I'll try to
answer that too. My name is William Downing. I live at 1030
Burlington Street. I've lived in the Longfellow neighborhood since
returning from college. I lived here as a child also. For seven years
I've been back here. And I've lived in this house for the past three
years. In this time I've witnessed a lot of positive changes in the
neighborhood also there have been some disappointments. My
personal point of view is that Iowa City has a great potential to grow
and develop and continue to be a nice place to live and go to school.
The question I think is what our neighborhoods and our future is going
to look like - and the fabric of our City. As an architect I would never
suggest that development, redevelopment, progress ever be halted in
our City. I do however recognize the value of a designed environment.
For the sake of maintaining an alternative to horizontal growth towards
the suburbs, commuting, alienation from one's neighbors with
increasing lot sizes, distances, lack of sidewalks in some of our newer
neighborhoods. The existing central residential neighborhoods
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surround the CBD in Iowa City deserve to be protected as good places
to live. Now I urge you to continue your support of this as you did in
the last. And if you did not support it to please reconsider. I have a
few bullet points here. Support of a conservation district will help
maintain and improve the residential neighborhood and the central
residential neighborhoods in Iowa City as I said are an alternative to
suburban growth. This neighborhood and others nearby are threatened
by unmaintained property and a lack of consideration for the future of
the neighborhoods. The neighborhood is threatened by degradation
and demolition of the typical residential structures. The central
historic neighborhoods can continue their historic character with a
diverse population of owner occupants such as myself, rental
ownership and small businesses and multi-unit buildings that are
existing providing a concerted effort is made to consider the design of
the neighborhood. Reliance among building owners to consider the
health of the neighborhood has unfortunately proved to be insufficient.
Some form of guideline is necessary I feel to maintain a standard of
care. And now more specifics: vinyl is not the answer to maintaining
buildings. I many cases it will only speed deterioration of the building
and degradation of the overall character of the neighborhood.
Consideration of the waste and pollution that is inherent in the
production of petroleum based vinyl products. You might go back to
Shelley's comment that vinyl was allowed in 1990. You might
remember who was President in 1990 - a petroleum producer himself.
If conservation of natural resoumes is a priority in our City then
preservation of existing structures versus constant deterioration and
replacement is clearly the preferred option. Limiting pollutants is a
priority, then preservation of existing natural materials versus
production and disposal of petroleum based industrial products is
clearly a preferred option. And paint is not what it used to be. Lead
has been left more than 30 years ago. Volatile organic compounds are
largely gone from paint now. And paint for wood and primers are now
at their lowest levels of toxicity do to development in that industry
partially for preservation. It seems that opposition to the conservation
district is based in two camps: a basic distrust and resistance to
control over private business and decisions and the second is a specific
resistance to the limits placed on the types of materials that can be
used in home remodeling. Although I'm sympathetic to the resistance
of individuals to outside restrictions I feel that that is really the state of
living in a community and in a city and we have to work together and
understand each others and work with each others points of view.
Without some sort of guideline each building can be changed
incrementally without regard to the overall character of the
neighborhood. And make no mistake that most of the people who do
live in these neighborhoods care deeply about what kind of place it is
to live even some of those who are in opposition to this change for
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their own reasons. There are owners who do not share the feeling that
this neighborhood is viable and...
Lehman: You need to wrap this up.
Downing: Okay. Last thing. And for those who are upset that they cannot install
vinyl siding over the original cedar the only comfort that I can give
them is to compare the age of their house - 90 years for instance in my
house - to the 15 year limited warranty that you're going to get with
your vinyl siding. And if you think well 15 years is good enough for
me I'll be gone, moved on that's precisely the point of this ordinance
is to maintain a much longer character of (can't hear) for prosperity.
Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Mike Brennan: Ladies and gentlemen my name is Mike Brennan, 1207 Seymour
Avenue, Iowa City. Last time I spoke about my kind of philosophical
concerns with these districts. Today I'd like to talk about some of
what Mr. Nowotny referred to as what's going on in the meetings over
the last year. I've submitted five pages of excerpts from those
meetings to you to review with citations to the date and location within
the minutes within which the information was pulled. My concerns
tonight concern the neighborhood input process. We've heard about
the neighborhood meetings that took place. After the boundaries for
the district had largely been drawn the letters were sent to the wrong
place initially prompting another meeting. The neighborhood meeting
as generous as it seems still places the burden on people to come in
and make their views known to the commission. Back in the '80's
when the Historic Commission was proposing a district on the north
side community input meant first making phone calls to everybody in
the district. When it became apparent that that wasn't making
headway they sent letters to everybody explaining that they would be
making a phone call, why they would be calling and what they would
be talking about. Following that up with those phone calls. Following
those up with home visits with everybody. What that led to was
massive opposition as well as postcards that people could send back in
letting them know. That led to massive opposition. That district
failed. So the commission learned its lesson well. It doesn't bother
with that sort of involved community input anymore. It does this put
the burden on people to come in and talk to them. Compare that with
what the state code of Iowa requires in non-municipal areas. For some
reason the code does not apply within municipalities, but that's the
way it is. The code requires for this process to even start petition from
no less than 10 percent of the people from within the proposed district.
Iowa City requires 6 people. Or the Commission can just start it on its
own volition. The code requires a referendum with majority approval
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of the people in the district. Iowa City requires a recommendation
from the unelected, unaccountable commission that goes through the
unelectable, unaccountable Planning and Zoning Board that finally
stops here. This is where the buck stops. But the people who live
there really don't have a whole lot of input. I have concerns about the
transparency of the process. If you read the preliminary report and the
district report which are required by the ordinance there's no mention
in there of the requirement that no more than 60% of the properties
contribute to a historic district. On page 2 of the district report the
definition of conservation district omits that requirement. It lists all of
the other parts of the definition, but omits that very important
requirement. The only percentage mentioned in the conservation
report is that 76% of the properties contribute to the conservation
district. There's no concise statement as the time context it appears for
the College Hill portion is 1860 to 1930 while for the Iowa Avenue
portion it's 1860 to 1940. One district should have one context. Last
week I went down to the planning office and asked for attachments as
well as a preliminary report because when I looked on the web at the
district's report the list of attachments...not all of the attachments were
available on the web. Certain...there's a list of A thru K
attachments...where did it go? Well anyway three of the attachments
were missing that were listed there. I had to come down to City Hall
to get them.
Lehman: You need to wind this up.
Mike Brennan: Well this is very important.
Lehman: I know it's important, but we have five minutes for each folk.
Otherwise we'll be here all night.
Brennan: I've been talking for three minutes so...
Lehman: Well you started at 8:00. I've timed everybody.
Brennan: Well this clock said 8:02 when I started.
Lehman: I'm looking at this one so please wind it up.
Brennan: There's no comprehensive analysis anywhere in the reports that
indicates that they conducted the historic analysis. They began their
discussion with making a decision do we do this as a conservation
district or do this as a historic district. That's where they began.
Should we push for one or the other. Well that's not the decision. The
code requires that they begin analyzing this as a historic district. And
if it goes over that 60% number that's what you go for and if it goes
under that then you go for the conservation district. Jan Nash's 1994
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survey as well as the commission's own survey of College Hill and
IowaAvenue surveyed 157properties. Ofthose 68% were foundtobe
historic. That leaves 25 properties over on the south side of
Burlington Street on Muscatine Avenue that were surveyed by Molly
Meyers Nauman in 1995 where she recommended a historic district. If
five of those 23 properties are historic or contribute to a historic
district that pushes it over the 60% limit. There's nothing in any of the
reports required by the City code that indicates that those things have
been examined.
Lehman: Did you make any of this known at the historic preservation meeting?
Brennan: As I said I just became aware of this about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I've
been spending a lot of time in the last three weeks digging through
what the commission has been doing.
Lehman: Okay.
Brennan: The Iowa Avenue report...
Kanner: Can you run that by me again as far as the 25 homes? I didn't quite
follow that.
Brennan: Basically this is based on a combination of three different surveys.
There was a survey conducted in 1994 by Jan Nash of College Hill
neighborhood. She surveyed 100 properties and found that 77 of them
would be contributing to a historic district. And that's the study that
led to the two historic districts that are there right now. The
commission itself conducted a survey of the Iowa Avenue properties.
That covered 57 properties. They determined that 31 or 33 of those
properties were contributing. So that's a total of157 properties. 107
of them discounting the two maybes were found to be historic. The
total number to reach more than 60% is 112. There's no mention in
these reports...there's one reference to Molly Meyer's report. In her
report she did not analyze Burlington Street for historic districts. She
recommended whether it was conservation district or not. So she did
not analyze it under historic district in the context of College
neighborhood. That's 23...25 properties. And there were also three
properties on Iowa Avenue that were simply not mentioned in the
Iowa Avenue report.
Lehman: We really have to stop now. Okay?
Brennan: Well I'll turn in the rest of this. There's...
Lehman: We got your memo yesterday.
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Brennan: I have another (can't hear).
Lehman: Okay if you leave a copy.
Brennan: The boundaries...the boundaries for this district were drawn...
Lehman: Leave a copy of that with the Clerk and we will have an opportunity
to ....
Brennan: I'll just make this very quick last statement.
Lehman: Make it quick though. We really have got to move along.
Brennan: The November 14th meeting or the 11th whatever it was that's when
they finalized their boundaries. The preliminary report was completed
in January. The Iowa Avenue survey - Miss McCafferty reported in
December she was still waiting for information from the other
commission members on the Iowa Avenue survey. The district report
was not prepared until January. There's no discussion anywhere about
these reports that the commission is required to adopt. Somebody just
filed them. There's very serious procedural questions here about what
was going on. How did they decide what the boundaries were before
they had the reports they were supposed to rely on to make those
decisions?
Lehman: You've made your point. Thank you. I'm going to ask folks now two
minutes because we really...we really have...
Kanner: This is the chair of our commission. We may give him a little more
time.
Lehman: We may have you for quite awhile.
Michael Maharry: You might.
Lehman: But I think there are serious questions that are being raised here.
Maharry: I think there's serious mis...Michael Maharry, 903 East College
Street...there's serious misleading statements by the Assistant District
Attorney for Johnson County who does not live in the district, who did
not attend any of these meetings and is trying to... it's very frustrating
holding meetings and having required.., sending out notification and
then having nobody speak and then wait until they come to you. It's
just very frustrating listening to this. In 1992 the Historic Preservation
plan was requested by City Council. The plan was to develop 12
historic districts over the next 10 years. If this is approved it will be
district number 5. This College Hill district was on the financial year
1993, 1994 agenda. This has not been a very quick thing. This has
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been almost 10 years now. In 1997 the Iowa City comprehensive plan
has implementation strategies for the future. Under the category of
arts and culture "Continue implementation of the Iowa City historic
preservation plan." Under environmental protection: "Maintain the
integhty and scenic historic vistas by enforcing elements of the
historic preservation plan." Under housing goals and objectives:
"Preserve the integrity of existing neighborhood and the historic nature
of older neighborhoods." Under the land use and urban pattern
category: "Protect the historical nature and natural environment
within the City by continuing the supporting implementation of the
historic preservation plan." If you have any questions about these
statements I can answer them for you. The boundaries were well
drawn. The people were notified. This is not a quick process by any
stretch of the imagination. It was not a ramshackle meeting. I chaired
the meeting and it was a regular meeting. I'm a physician and I don't
exactly...not a politician to run meetings, but I just run them and we
are going through as the City directs us to designate historic districts as
requested by the City.
Lehman: One question for you. Part of this...part of the zoning is already
conservation residential - the RNC-12, RNC-20 - and what...in just a
few words what's the difference between a conservation zone and a
conservation district overlay. In other words what changes in the
RNC-12 and the RNC-20?
Maharry: I'll defer to Shelley for that one.
McCafferty: With a RNC-12 or a RNC-20 the purpose of those districts...of those
zones is to prevent increased in use and intensity of use while allowing
the existing density and intensity of use to maintain. For a
conservation district the purpose of that is to actually preserve the
integrity of the structures and the character of the neighborhood. So it
has...
Lehman: As it applies to RNC-12 and RNC-20 which are already conservation
zones how does the overlay change those two zones?
McCafferty: What it does is require review by the Historic Preservation
Commission before a permit can be issued. It does not alter the
density or the allowable use.
Lehman: It requires review if there's remodeling?
McCafferty: It requires review.
Lehman: Okay.
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McCafferty: As long as I'm at the podium just another point I would like to make is
we received...I was in continual contact with the State Historic
Society. We are a certified local government that requires that we
basically are in communication with the state and we abide by their
rules. They were...we have made changes along the way to appeal to
various property owners. We made revisions. We carefully drew the
boundaries...the commission did of course with communication by the
state. The issues in terms of the percentages of contributing and non-
contributing the key component to that which is missing is the issue of
context. This was something I was in communication with - with the
State Historic architectural historian that we were recommended - and
I have e-mails to support this if you're interested - to not change any of
the historic districts as we had perhaps considered initially, but to do a
conservation district. Because if you actually define a specific context
for this area there was not going to be sufficient percentages to do a
historic district. To determine ifa property is contributing in a
conservation district the criteria is somewhat less stringent then a
historic district because with a historic district you overlay a very
precise context. So I think if you read the minutes thoroughly and not
just these excerpts what you'll find is that there was extensive
discussion regarding a context, how you define a context, how you
define the criteria, the percentages. And in fact with the input from the
state it was determined that indeed we did not have that criteria.
Lehman: Thank you. Questions for Michael.
Kanner: Well to just address what you brought up certainly there are people
that want this and we've heard people, but I don't think it was initiated
by the petition process. I think it was initiated by the Historic
Preservation Commission. That's my reading of it.
Champion: And that's bad?
Kanner: No, I'm not saying it's bad. But Emie said that it was initiated...you
didn't say initiated, but you implied that it was. But I think it should
be known. My understanding is that the Historic Preservation
Commission initiated it.
Maharry: It can be initiated by a group of people or by the commission itself. So
in the 12...in the historic preservation plan of 1992 there were 12
separate districts. If somebody happens to live in a historic area, not
named in that district they could get a group of neighborhood residents
and petition the Historic Preservation Commission.
Lehman: In you neighborhood meetings did you find significant support in your
district?
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Maharry: There were 8 people who spoke. There were four in support, four
against.
Lehman: Okay.
Kanner: But I think one of the suggestions...one of the critiques perhaps could
be a suggestion in the future maybe we do need...when we want to put
traffic counting we have a certain pementage that we require. And I
think we might want to set some minimum requirements too for
historic and conservation districts along the same line.
Lehman: Did you have any other comments? I mean if you do or questions?
O'Dormell: No questions.
Champion: No questions.
Lehman: I mean obviously this is a... Council has had a concern about
that...well many people in this community has had a tremendous
concern about the northside for years which is what precipitated the
historic preservation and the historic zones in the first place.
So...okay thank you.
Joan McCarty: Good evening. My name is Joan McCarty. I live at 536 South
Summit Street. I would like to share with you my experience very
quickly with the Historic Preservation Commission. Just a few years
ago when we attempted to add a room onto the back of our house. It
delayed our construction about 7 weeks. It cost us more money. I
showed up at the meeting faithfully with our contractor. The chair was
not there. There was no identification labels on anybody. We were
not treated even I believe respectfully. It was a really frustrating
experience. If this is the experience that people, other people, have in
this community with regard to this commission then I can only suggest
to you all that you pay closer attention to the membership, the makeup
of this committee...the commission, how they're conducting
themselves, the kinds of rules they're setting down and how they're
treating private ownership. The question here is money. It's costing
us a good deal of money to live in these districts. We want to. We're
choosing to. But it's very difficult to have people stepping in and
telling you how it is you're going to construct this or that. And they're
not paying for it. They homeowner is paying for it. I'm asking for
some sensitivity on the part of this commission with regard to private
homeowners. This is not asking too much. We're living in districts
that we're trying to preserve. We're doing the best we can. And I'm
not sure we're getting the kind of appreciation or response from this
commission. And this is a review that is going to happen for all of
these districts. They're going to have to get a permit from the
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commission to build something. And then they're going to have to go
through this. And what I'm suggesting is these kinds of things
should...there should be more than just a sense of fairness. These
should be absolutely fair. These roles up front. Everybody involved.
Everybody knows how much more it's going to cost them. And if the
City is really concerned about these historic districts, my question to
you on Summit Street why did they pave it over with asphalt when
they could have bricked it if they really wanted a historic district. It
should have been bricked. If they really care about the windows on
my addition to my house which cannot be seen from the street - and I
was told I could not put the windows in I wanted. I had to put double
hung windows. I couldn't put casement windows in. And when I
asked why they said because the rest of your house has double hung
windows. And I said but the room we're adding the back of my house
was a mud room. It was falling apart. I'm just trying to improve it.
I'm going to put casement windows. It's stick built. I'll make it look
exactly like the rest. I will do everything I can to make it really nice.
No. And in fact a commission member came to my house on a
Saturday and told me how to do it. I'm suggesting to you that this can
be done in a better way. It can be done better. That's all. Thank you
very much.
Lehman: Thank you.
Jackie Briggs: My name is Jackie Briggs. I'm the Executive Director of Friends of
Historic Preservation and I'll make this briefi I think this evening
you've all heard the money issue many times over. You've all heard
the minutia issue many, many times over. And I just want to reinforce
again that we're all in love with old buildings. We try to fix them up
in different way, but we all love old buildings. The old buildings in
this town are connected to downtown and they're connected to the
businesses downtown. They're connected to the people that walk from
downtown out to their homes. College Hill and the proposed
conservation district in and around that area is very important to
Friends of Historic Preservation. We have a number of members who
live in that area. And as members of our organization they are in
support of obviously of old buildings, but also of historic districts.
And I just want to emphasize to you not to be swayed by minutia and
people who think that they don't want to be told what to do. Well no
one wants to be told what to do, but we all have to come together on
this issue that we love old buildings. Conservation districts I think are
a way of preserving the special quality of this City. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you. You're the last one.
Ginalie Swaim: Sorry everybody.
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Lehman: No, Shelley is Staff. If Shelley has something to add she can add.
Alright. Go ahead.
Swaim: My name is Ginalie Swaim and I live at 1024 Woodlawn which is one
of Iowa City's oldest historic districts and borders this area that we're
talking about. And I've owned another home in this area and rented it.
So I know this east side of town well. And I've had several
experiences with historic preservation. The first being taking our own
home plans to the preservation commission in '93 I think. And found
the review process totally accommodating, totally useful and totally
helpful. The kinds of changes that they suggested we tweak made the
project much more helpful to us and more aesthetically pleasing and is
going to make the house last a lot longer. And I wouldn't have had
that information otherwise. And that positive experience made me
agree to serve on the commission in the early '90's or mid '90's which
is when the conservation idea started being talked about. It seemed
like a wonderful solution with a little more elasticity to the historic
district concept. And I support it very much and hope that you do too.
Besides in protecting that neighborhood and making it more friendly to
both history and the future and the people who live there it also just
expands the whole fabric of the neighborhood and includes.., you
know it will help protect the historic districts where people have made
huge investments of sweat equity. The whole idea ofjoining these in
some sense makes this ripple effect more useful. And citizens of Iowa
City and the City Councils and commission have put a lot of time into
accumulating historic properties and protecting them and I think this is
a wonderful way to keep it happening. Thank you.
Kanner: Let me just ask you is there a limit...should there be a limit on how far
these go?
Swain: Oh yeah. I mean I don't think an entire town should be historically
preserved.
Champion: Oh, they are on the east coast.
Swain: Pardon?
Lehman: But they're old.
Champion: The old part yes.
Swain: I mean no. There's room for growth and there's room for change. But
you're not going to have houses built again as they are now in the
older neighborhoods. And you know 20, 30 years from now we're
going to be wishing that we had. And this is a really simple, work
through process to make it happen.
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Kauner: Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
McCafferty: I guess I'd just like to quickly sort of bring you up to date on what's
happening as a preservation planner and as staff and what my goals
have been. Since the commission was initiated my years ago, since
certainly the process of review that happened on the addition on
Summit Street we just heard about two...I guess two years ago when I
was hired the Planning and Zoning Department made a specific
request to hire somebody who had some design experience. I'm a
trained architect. That was one of the reasons I was hired. Things that
I have been doing as a staffperson to make this commission operate
more smoothly, to educate the commission, you know I've been
cataloguing information that the homeowners have come to my office
and find. We often provide free design assistance. Previously we had
an architect on the commission. Now I'm mostly fulfilling that role in
terms of trying to provide options to different homeowners. A lot of
times visits such as the one I believe Mike Gunn made to the Summit
Street house was actually for the purpose of trying to come up with a
solution for homeowners. I think if you look at the last packet for
instance I'm now including information specifically dealing with
historic preservation. This last packet I talked about additions. I got
information from the National Park Service, Old House Journal, four
different articles. Which is something I want to keep up with dealing
with these pertinent issues to ensure that we are meeting the national
standards, that the commissioners are educated and that we aren't
making arbitrary decisions. So I just wanted that information so that
you understand what Staff is doing to try to alleviate some of these
issues that have been mentioned.
Lehman: Thank you Shelley.
Kanner: I did appreciate the historical summary of the area. I enjoy reading
that. Thanks for getting it.
Lehman: Okay. Council discussion?
Champion: Well I'm going to continue to support this. As everybody knows I'm a
great believer in preserving our older neighborhoods as an economic
tool for Iowa City and as a place for people to live where they can
walk or ride bikes to work and stay close to the inner part of the town.
I know sometimes it's an inconvenience for some people. My
personal experience with the Historical Preservation Commission has
been nothing but positive. And I've not found it to be a burden at all.
And I've watched neighborhoods like Longfellow and Summit and
Woodlawn...I've watched these neighborhoods do nothing but
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improve after they've been designated historic in one way or another
whether it's conservation or a district. When I moved to Summit
Street it was almost falling down. When you go down that street today
it is totally beautiful with very mixed levels of priced houses. I would
not have bought that house on Summit Street if it had not been
designated a historic district. I think it's a very positive economic tool.
Lehman: Other discussion?
Wilburn: I'd just add that one of the reasons - I'm going to continue to support
this - one of the reasons that oh I think it was maybe a couple of years
ago when we first started looking at some of these other larger historic
districts that while this is not in my background, but our concern and
something visible in some of the historic areas were not some folks
present, but some absentee landlords that were allowing some
properties to degrade. And in some cases allowed them to degrade to
the point where they could put up, you know, the type of housing that
may or may not fit the area and raised some concerns that way. You
know given some of the...I guess the process that happened here I'll
just let Staffknow that it's important to continue to review the process
that you use for notification. I hope you continue to do that. In having
been a commission member not on this commission, but on another
commission I think you know maybe Staff and/or the Council needs to
as we look at some of the appointments and we make some new
appointments get some information to folks serving on commission on
how to interact, relate with the public because that's something that we
really kind of take it for granted with folks who are applying for some
of the commissions. Now having said that I'm sitting here as a
Council member having, you know, someone... I wasn't giving them
what they wanted, but I was offering some alternatives, some
suggestions and then have someone appear here and say that I was
anti-Democratic. So I know it's a difficult situation that you can find
yourself in. But if we're going to have this preservation happen then,
you know, we can try to work together as folks are interested in
keeping...maintaining the integrity, keeping the facilities standing and
working. But you know when it comes down to it there's going to be
some disagreements about what's allowable and what's not. So we
have to set some type of guidelines. So I will continue to support this.
Lehman: (Can't hear) I don't want...I really don't like people telling me what I
can and cannot do with my house. I also think that people really have
accepted the fact that we do Planning and Zoning for the overall
welfare of the community. I think the inconvenience and the
problems, the discomfort sometimes we suffer individually are a small
price to pay fro what we have an opportunity to preserve in the older
portions of this town. And I will support this.
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Kanner: I have some concerns with our ordinances for historic and
conservation district. I think overall there are more positives than
negatives. I think we really need to look at this again as a Council.
And we need to look at are we too restrictive. I think there are some
valid points that were made. We need to I think refine the notification
method a bit. I think it's moving in the right direction. And consider
whether or not we want minimum owner and perhaps occupant
petition levels to kick in the process. I think that would help people
buy into the whole thing more so than what's going on right now. And
again I said this before we need to show concern, I think greater
concern, for gentrification which often takes place with historic
preservation and look at allowing alternative energy, solar energy and
energy conservation addition to happen. I had an interaction with the
Historic Preservation Commission a few years ago and I found them to
be very helpful and it was a pretty benign and easy process. And I
think they do work with people. They work pretty well with the folks
who come before them. With any commission or body there's going
to be some problems. So hopefully we'll keep moving forward on
this, but I'll vote yes at this time.
Lehman: Roll call. Motion carries. We're going to take a break.
Kart: Motion to accept correspondence.
O'Donnell: So moved.
Champion: Second.
Lehman: Motion and second to accept correspondence. All in favor? Opposed?
Motion carries. We're going to take a break until 20 of.
(End of Side 1, Tape 03-42, Beginning of Side 2)
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ITEM 15. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION TO ADOPT THE
COMPREHENSIVE SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND
SCHEDULE OF MEMBERSHIP FEES, OUTLINED IN
PLANNING FOR CHANGE: FY04 FUNDING, OPERATIONAL
AND PROGRAMMING CHANGES AT THE IOWA
CITY/JOHNSON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER, THAT WERE
DEVELOPED AND APPROVED BY THE SENIOR CENTER
COMMISION.
Vanderhoef: Mr. Mayor I move that we amend the agenda and move item number 15
speaking of the Senior Center up to this place in the agenda.
Lehman: We have.., do we have the concurrence of Council?
Kanner: Yes.
Wilbum: Yes.
Lehman: Okay. We will then go to item...
Dilkes: We need...
Vanderhoef: All in favor?
Lehman: All in favor? Opposed? We all concurred. (Reads item). Do we have
a motion?
Vanderhoef: Move the resolution.
Champion: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Champion. Discussion?
Patricia Ephgrave: Mr. Mayor and Council my name is Patricia Ephgrave. I live on Ferson
Street in Iowa City. I volunteer at the Senior Center and along with
Betty McKray co-chair the ad hoc committee on senior centers of the
Johnson County Task Force on Aging which is part of the Heritage Area
Agency. Betty McKray, Jay Taylor and I will present our committee
recommendations. We emphatically recommend keeping the title
Senior Center. Why change it? Because being old is a negative in our
society. Because senior has a geriatric image incompatible with
younger retirees view of themselves. Because business goes where
population and money merge. Because the Center is a business like the
water department and not a service so it must charge and change its
focus. Despite all those good reasons a few weeks ago we turned over
to the commission and this is a copy 177 signatures we collected in just
a few days all of them endorsing the name "Senior Center." They were
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solicited from all socioeconomic classes and with an age range of 40 to
90. Now all senior centers face the demographic challenge of attracting
younger retirees wanting stimulating courses and a variety of indoor and
outdoor activities. And many of our programs at our center do just that.
Across the country some senior centers are thriving, even expanding
while indeed many decline. It isn't the name which is responsible for
success or failure. Now task force members have visited some other
senior centers. In fact four of us just visited Whitwere Senior Center in
Cedar Rapids recently. Their program is not as extensive as ours, but it
is growing. It's adding satellites and planting a new center. Their
program success reflects three things: a fine staff, an active board of
directors and an effective community outreach. The words we heard
over and over as we talked to them were '~to serve" and "to work with."
All together these make Whitwere Senior Center a success. Now no
successful business throws away its brand new (can't hear). If it isn't
called senior center what would we call it? A center for learning, but
that throws away its social functions. Calling it a health and fitness
center throws out its music and art activities. Do we then throw out
Senior Dining because the older Americans' Act requires that all of
these functions be offered? What name should we call it? The umbrella
title Senior Center covers it all. It is a name known in the community
which is an asset in any membership or donation drive. Now most
cultures honor their older members. In our society senior is a mark of
respect for the top class at the University or the top generation - that's
us. For 24 years our Senior Center has been known not as the Johnson
County, Iowa City Senior Center, but as the Senior Center. It is a short,
(can't hear) well-known part of its title. Please keep it.
Lehman: Thank you.
Kanner: I had a question for you Patficia.
Ephgrave: Yes Sir.
Kanner: In regards to Senior Dining there had been other mention of the fact that
senior dining programs have to make available some social program.
But I don't think it's quite to the extent that you're implying that they
have to offer all those things. You gave the implication that Senior
Dining has to offer music programs and all the things that Senior Center
offers. Is that what you're implying?
Ephgrave: That is what usually been done, but has not been done at our senior
center because our senior center has been offering all those programs.
Kanner: But if for some reason those went away Senior Dining could still exist.
My understanding of Senior Dining is that is has to offer...it's there to
offer socialization. And if you have those programs it's great, but it's
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not going to be taken away if it doesn't have those programs.
Ephgrave: Senior Center wouldn't disappear you mean if you didn't offer
everything?
Kanner: No, Senior Dining...
Ephgrave: Senior Dining.
Kanner: ...would not disappear if the Senior Center did not offer those
programs.
Ephgrave: As I understand it...
Kanner: You're implying that it would go away if the Senior Center did not offer
those programs. Ephgrave: No, I didn't mean to imply that. I'm saying that if you don't
want to offer those programs to those who are participating in the Senior
Center and Senior Dining you may be out of compliance. And I'll defer
to the Director of the Heritage Area Agency if you want a more
comprehensive answer.
Kanner: Hopefully yeah I'll get that later.
Jay Taylor: My name is Jay Taylor. I am a Senior Center participant. Although I
am not a member of the Johnson County Task Force I do support the
position of the task force and appreciate the fact that they have provided
a voice for many of us. I have been asked to read a statement prepared
by Leo McGovem. My name is Leo McGovem. I am a board member
of the noon Optimist club. I am an active member of the Heritage
Johnson County Task Force on Aging and a member of the membership
committee of the Heritage Area Agency on Aging. Like so many I
chose Iowa City as an ideal place to retire. The membership of the
Heritage Johnson County Task Force on Aging supports a modest
membership fee in order to maintain the widest possible membership
base and at a level causing hardship for none. We support a $10
membership fee that would give seniors a sense of belonging and entitle
them to vote at our annual meeting. Membership fees should not be
required for those who wish to volunteer or play cards. We are
convinced that an aggressive membership drive and a vigorous tax
deductible contribution fund will make up for the projected deficits and
lay a foundation for the future. We support class fees being kept to a
minimum. We support a higher class fee rather than a higher
membership fee for those living outside of Iowa City. I like the
recreation center's method of higher fees for those outside the City.
This is a marketing approach that has worked. The task force is willing
to make those concepts a reality. We will work to assure those
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proposals to provide the dollars needed. I want to the Senior Center to
be focal point. Seniors will use the downtown to shop, live and eat if
we make this a reality. Thank you. I would like to add that I agree with
Lee's statement. I want the Senior Center to be a warm, welcome place
for all seniors, an inclusive center of which the entire City can be proud.
I hope you will amend the proposal for change before you. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Betty McKray: My name is Betty McKray and I live at 701 Oaknoll Street in Iowa City
and I just put my name in upside down.
Champion: You just had a senior moment.
McKray: I am co-chair of the ad hoc committee on the Senior Center for the task
force, a long time active participant and a volunteer and can't figure out
how to keep Julie from putting my picture in the Post every month. I
want to urge the members of the City Council to keep four things in
mind when considering the recommendations of the Senior Center
Commission and also when developing a new 28E agreement or
resolution or whatever you will use regarding the makeup of the Senior
Center Commission. Number one - the growth in the county is outside
of Iowa City. According to the census figures between 1990 and 2000
Iowa City population over the age of 60 grew by 10%, in the county it
grew by 20%. This becomes an important factor when providing
services and marketing strategies to attract new people. Two: to
continue the vitality and quality of programs at the Senior Center the
level of participation needs to continue with as wide as possible
participation base. No person should be ignored or passed over. Three:
even though some of the surrounding communities are developing
social programs to serve their seniors closer to where they live I believe
the Iowa City Senior Center should continue to provide
programming...provide programs that need larger numbers such as the
band, the chorus and an audience to appeal to high caliber speakers. An
attitude of openness, warmth, and friendliness is essential to keep people
coming back especially those who have further to come. Number four:
feelings and needs of all participants of the Senior Center and
representation in the visioning and planning for future is essential to
maintaining an interest and vitality at the Senior Center. Treating the
county and other governments as second class citizens will not result in
broader participation or future financial support. The focus on the
structure of the commission has to be representation that will encourage
growth and services to people and not just as a reward for past financial
contributions. I want to make one additional comment in regard to
programming at the Senior Center. I would like to see an even greater
coordination and cooperation with organizations and societies in Iowa
City to provide programs in the Senior Center space. Why isn't there a
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closer coordination with Kirkwood? Kirkwood uses space in schools
and elsewhere in town why not at the Senior Center. The same is tree
of the extension division and of many health and welfare services
available in this community that can provide programs that are of
interest and value to the senior citizens. Thank you very much.
O'Donnell: Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you Betty.
Dawn Mueller: Good evening Council. My name is Dawn Mueller and I reside at 1220
Village Road, number 7. ! appreciate the comments of our seniors in
support of the Senior Center and I feel that it is important to have the
input of someone who is not exactly of senior status yet to be in support
of the Senior Center. One of my very best friends is 72 years old and is
a very fine gentleman who's confined to a wheelchair due to multiple
scoliosis. He has been a second father to me and an invaluable
companion through the past several years of my life. I believe that our
senior center offers much more to our community than just to our
seniors. As treasurer of my condominium association, Cedar Garden
Estates out on Village Road, we have a number of senior citizens in our
condominium association and I have taken advantage of the Senior
Center meeting facilities in order to hold our board meetings for our
condominium association. I just want to resonate with perhaps those
older than myself although I'm feeling a little bit older every day that
our senior center is very important and I find nothing negative at all
with reference to the word "senior." I feel it is a title of honor. Thank
you.
Liz Selk: Good evening. I'm Liz Selk and I'm the Executive Director of the
Heritage Agency. I did communicate with all of you my concerns about
the proposed plan. Two concerns - that of access - again as I said in
my letter $25 to those of us who are working may seem like a
reasonable amount. For seniors that I have had the experience of
working - some that are on the task force, some that are not - $25 is
insurmountable. I have always believed that the Johnson County Iowa
City Senior Center is the premier senior center in the state of Iowa
barfing the Whitwere Senior Center in Cedar Rapids. The fact of the
matter is what has made in my opinion the Senior Center great is the
fact that it is open and welcoming to all seniors in Johnson County. By
implementing a fee which limits participation to those folks who can
afford to pay I have great reservations about. The second is my concern
about connection about the Older Americans Act requirements for our
nutrition program which is currently located in the Senior Center and
the programming of the Senior Center. Currently we've been operating
that we don't have to offer special programming in the Johnson
County/Iowa City nutrition program because it's already offered for
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participants in the meal program at the Senior Center. If the proposal
passes the people who are attending Senior Dining will not have to be
members of the Senior Center, but if they are not members of the Senior
Center because they cannot afford to pay the $25 or the outside of
county rates they will not be allowed to participate in the programming
which means we would have to provide programming during the meals.
Part of the problem is we would incur additional costs for program staff
to provide the programming in the Senior Dining site in the dining room
area. And my biggest concem is that we are required to be out of the
dining room by 1:30. So you have to feed the seniors and clean up and
get everything done and moved out plus offer programming in a very,
very limited amount of time. I think this will compromise heavily the
integrity of the Senior Dining program. Obviously I support, as does the
Heritage Agency, the recommendations put for by the Johnson County
Task Force on Aging.
Kanner: Liz you had...we have e-mail correspondence that you had at an earlier
date in February and it's underlined that you said that it seems that
you've addressed the lower income participant membership with a
scholarship and $50 is less than $5 per moth seems reasonable. Have
you changed your mind?
Selk: Well actually after talking to seniors and looking at the demographics in
terms of the participants yes I have changed my mind. It does seem that
we...in fact we can identify people who are on our task force who will
not be able to pay. And again I work with scholarship programs for
seniors where a senior has to go in and say well I'm low-income. We
do a similar thing at Heritage for seniors who can't afford to come to
meetings so we'll reimburse them for their transportation if they come
in and talk to us. Well you can imagine they don't come in and talk to
us. It's an issue of dignity and pride. And in my 30 years in the aging
field I have not seen a scholarship program where a person who is in
lower income has to declare that they're lower income works when you
add age to it.
Kanner: Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Vanderhoef: Liz could you explain something for me?
Selk: Maybe.
Vanderhoef: Well there's been questions off and on about having additional cost to
have the Senior Dining in our Senior Center. And I just want to know
what the state and federal law is in regards to cost sharing for states for
senior dining.
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Selk: There is no federal or state laws regulating the premise costs any Older
Americans Act program. For the 32 years that the Heritage Agency has
been operating in the seven counties we have never paid premise costs
for any program whether it's Senior Dining, case management. We do
not pay premise costs for Elder Services for instance who operate case
management assessment intervention. We do not in any county. Our
policy as an agency has been that we tell a community or we ask a
community and let a community know we have Older Americans Act
dollars that we can fund food and we can fund staff for the nutrition
program. Ifa community is interested in having a senior dining then
what we ask what they do is provide the space. And we currently have
50 nutrition sites operating in our seven counties. And again we pay no
premise costs to any agency for any program we fund.
Vanderhoef: But that's a local...
Selk: That's a local decision the agency.
Vanderhoef: But (can't hear) you could pay with dollars...
Selk: There's no legal reason we can't. Would we as an agency, no.
Vanderhoef: That's what I needed to know. Thank you.
Kanner: But let me ask as long we're on that subject some would say perhaps
myself included is that what precipitated some of this is when Johnson
County lost the contract for senior dining.
Selk: I'm glad you brought that up because I happen to be sitting...
Kanner: Let me just finish my question. And so in a sense perhaps they were
paying for the use of that space through their contribution of $150,000.
So one could argue that perhaps they felt it was not longer necessary to
pay that extra $75,000 because they didn't have that program. So one
could argue that Elderly Services or your agency should perhaps make
up some of that so then we wouldn't have to have some of these
adjustments that are being talked about.
Selk: You could argue that, but I will tell you that I think a month and a half
after I came to Heritage Linda Kopping asked me to serve on the
accreditation review process for the Senior Center. And it was during
that process that the Senior Center group and I don't know what we
called ourselves, but we do have the minutes from that and Jay was
involved in that. It was at that point in time that the 28e agreement was
brought up and it was decided that the Senior Center ought to go to the
county and review the 28e agreement. That had absolutely nothing to
do with the ensuing decision to not fund Johnson County as the meal
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provider. It has been used as an excuse, but it is absolutely untrue.
Lehman: Thank you Liz.
Dave Dowell: Hi. My name is Dave Dowell. I live at 320 South Dubuque Street.
That pen don't work anymore. I'm speaking just for myself as a senior
which is obvious. I live in a senior building and I know people that do
go to the Senior Center for meals and depend on them. Excuse me. Not
only because of the meal, but like my neighbor right across the hall
she's in a nursing home now because she broke her hip, but she's 91 and
she liked to go just because of the atmosphere and being able to talk to
people. Otherwise she's sitting there alone in her place. And some of
those older people they don't really feel like cooking for themselves you
know so they do without quite often. So it's very important that they go
to the meals and that they go and have a good sociable time while
they're at it. But I think also they need to feel at home when they're
there. They need to feel a sense of community. And I can tmderstand a
fee to try to make up for some of the money lost through the county
situation, but when they first started they were talking about a $50 fee,
now it's down to a $25 fee. They talked that if some people are low
income that they might be able to get a scholarship or some kind of a
waiver, but as I've read what they've wrote so far that there's nothing in
detail about that so it's kind of might be, could be, might work we don't
know if it will work. There are some seniors in these buildings -
Ecumenical Tower, Capital House $25 would be a quite an expenditure
for them. You know they watch their money pretty closely. And
they're on social security. They aren't making that much money. I
could probably scrap it together, but there again I would have to give up
something too. So I'm saying I don't think that they've been - the
Commission - has been forthright on exactly how they're going to
handle that besides saying there's going to be a scholarship fund for it
which opens a lot of things. The other point I'd like to make quickly
because I know there's quite a few people who want to talk is the name.
I agree I don't think there should be anything to be ashamed of being a
senior. You know I've been called worse names than that since I got
older I'll tell you that. And sometimes I'll agree with them because you
know. But senior is kind of a distinction. Many cotmtries older people
are looked upon, you know, for advice and looked on with respect. I
just think it would take a little bit away from it if we tried to change the
name with intergenerational...I don't even really believe there's any
statistics to prove that if we make it a different kind of name that more
people will show up. I mean I know people come up with the idea come
from out east somewhere, but this is Iowa and I think in Iowa senior is
fine. So thanks for listening to me.
Lehman: Thank you.
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Dowell: Thank again.
Lehman: Bob, if they want to speak they can certainly get up. I mean this is
where if there is...
Welsh: They presented the arguments. We'd like to hear their arguments.
(Can't hear).
Lehman: Alright. Is there any other discussion? Because if not the Council is
going to discuss this and we're going to vote on it.
Eve Casserly: Hello. My name is Eve Cassedy. I'm a Senior Center user from
Coralville. I'm here to present a message from a friend of mine, June
Braverman, who is ill and unable to be here this evening and she asked
me to present her message for her. I have concerns about the center's
ability to market its classes and activities with an additional fee for
membership at a time when it appears to be unable to attract substantial
members to programs without additional fees. It appears that of the 8
new spring classes offered in the center for learning in retirement only
three had enough enrollment to be held. And of those three only one is
at full enrollment. Many of the regular classes do not make the
minimum number of enrollees and are dropped. These include tuition
free or very low tuition classes. The Center for Learning classes were
marketed in an attractive, multi-colored brochure with substantial
distribution. It was announced in The Post, local paper and on the
center web site. Although these strategies did not work for these
courses I note that the same marketing strategies will be explored for
future events according to Planning for Change, the April 2003 Post,
page 5 under miscellaneous considerations. The Voices of Experience
Course and the New Horizons Band are demanding activities for seniors
and both groups enjoy good enrollment. With approximately 100 total
members meeting twice a week these groups constitute the largest
portion of reported regular center users. Both groups know that some
members go away for the winter, some drop out because of illness and
some have died. They need to find replacements for those empty chairs
in order to work at the same level of excellence and to continue to
entertain the community with their talents. The Center enjoys the fruits
of their labors which demonstrate active volunteers having a good time.
Band members pay a semester fee of $65 to compensate instructors,
purchase music and some equipment and to have the assembly rooms
set up on band mornings. Band ends at 10:30 a.m. so members can reset
it for lunch themselves. Members provide their own instruments and
many purchase parking permits. The addition of a membership fee
might make it difficult to attract new folks particularly from surrounding
areas. In contrast no fees are charged to musicians playing in the Iowa
City community band nor are they required to provide room set ups. As
I stated to you - as June stated to you - in favor last week it is
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apparent...it is apparent that the Center needs a public relations
marketing campaign immediately to bolster attendance, attract new
users and show the advantages of becoming paying members on July 1st.
are the advantages listed in the planning document page 4 as good as or
better than what the competition offers such as the courses offered by
the UI Senior College which has no membership fee and a $30 cap on
tuitions, Oaknoll's in-house classes and supervised fitness center or
Melrose Meadows in-house pool or the North Liberty Rec Center.
Retirement facility residents may have little incentive to come to the
Center except for band, chorus or entertainment not available to them
in-house. According to the planning document the Center staff plant a
focused annual membership drive in fiscal years 2005, 2006 and 2007.
How can the staff accomplish this in 2003 before they lose a significant
number of the current members they project when the membership fees
are instituted. I would suggest they take advantage with persons with
experience, expertise and success in marketing who have previously
volunteered and never been utilized as well as known proactive retirees
who think out of the box and the loyal volunteers whose long-term
experience add substance to marketing. These people could form a
leadership core to pursue outreach marketing to the larger community.
As I proposed this group could advise the Center and the commission,
represent seniors at the Chamber of Commerce, ICAD, the Visitor's
Bureau. This would acknowledge the number of seniors moving to our
communities and the impact of seniors on the area's economic health. I
conclude by reminding you that our area abounds with bright, talented
and vital retirees. They need to be convinced to share their talents and
expertise in guiding the Center beyond mere survival of budget cuts and
diminishing volunteers and attendees. The Center needs to heed the
advice of their national consultant, Constance Todd, who urged them to
market, market, market. Marketing actually has less to do with what we
call ourselves and more of who we are and what we do for ourselves
and others contributing time and energy to make this a better place to
live. Thank you from June Braverman of 349 Koser Avenue, Iowa
City.
Lehman: Thank you Eve.
Linda Fisher: Hello. I'm Linda Fisher, Coralville - that terrible place. I think we've
ran out of book here.
Kanner: They've got a few seniors in Coralville though.
Fisher: Yes. I didn't think I was a senior until I went to an Air Force band
reunion and I decided I was never going to let my instrument go again.
I'm New Horizon's band member - trombone, baritone and now tuba.
Luckily I don't play percussion yet. We're about to create an
awkwardness. There are so many things I want to tell you, but the main
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thing is we're about to create an awkwardness in trying to get th~ Senior
Center the support that it deserves. There are several approaches that
we can take in trying to get the level of support. You can start with the
amount that they need - $75,000, whatever it is and divide up among the
number of members in trying to figure out how to distribute fairly. Or
you can look at the mission and say we've got to try and keep every
single person who comes here. That's my approach. So I would
advocate and did advocate the lowest basic fee possible which I said at
$10 the same as the others or a maximum of $15 with the remainder to
be solicited as it were from the rest of us who can afford more. As a
member of the band I'm going to feel very strange in the tuba section
when the guy beside me paying $25, I will be paying $40. The
gentleman who gets my courage award who drives in from Grinnell to
be in our band - that's dedication - is going to have to pay $60 for his
dedication. And then the person to his right will be paying $40. And
this inequity we will erase somehow. We will figure some way of
dealing that so that we don't lose any band members because they are
our family. They are probably the reason my husband and I are here
rather than moving to Munterville which has a wonderful view. It isn't
on the map, but it has a lot of habitat. The senior...that New Horizon's
band is just a reason for living in this place. And I would...I have to
commend the commission and the members of the staff who have
brought the fees down from where they were. We started at $50 for
Iowa City and $100 for Johnson County and out of. And I cried because
I thought my god I don't think that we can afford it. My husband and I
are both members of the band. Our contributions at this point or
expenditures are about $440 a year. To add on another couple hundred
would have been just out of reach. You can buy a lot of plumbing
repairs for that. But I have to give them a lot of credit for bringing it
down to $25, $40 and $60. And it was...actually Jay had recommended
that the out of county be $50. I regard that as unfortunate that it popped
back up to $60, because I think every time you add another $10 you lose
another bunch of people. I would...I wish you could take it at the
approach of let's not lose anybody this first year. They do have a fall
back position which I think someone else will mention in term of raising
the funds that are needed to get us through this year. And after that if
you have to go with a higher...the higher amounts okay, but don't
alienate people right at the beginning. Because I...it's been said that
people will come back. Maybe.
Lehman: Thank you.
Champion: How much longer?
Fisher: Bob requested that I mention the survey. We did...we did two things.
We had a petition that 43...no 38 people signed saying that they would
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like to keep the fee at $10 or $15 dollar maximum. And there was also
a survey done at the same rehearsal under Kay (can't hear) said please
circle the maximum amount that you would be willing to pay per year.
And we have 7 people under $25. The maximum amount that you
would be willing to pay. We have decided in the band that we will not
lose anyone. But that puts a real good burden on the rest to make up the
difference. And if you start with the basic fee of $15 other people who
can afford it will try to make up the difference because we do support
the Senior Center. Probably at least half of us are only them for the
band. But we do support the Senior Center and the staff. I personally
have become friends with some of these gals...oh and Craig too. And
we support them and we don't want them losing their jobs. And we
think that the best way to do it is to keep that fee low and keep every
member that you can that's presently a member so that we can attract
more people, not just to the band, but to the whole Senior Center
apparatus.
Lehman: Thank you.
Bob Welsh: My name is Bob Welsh. (Reads statement). Let me before I mention
these five things...
Lehman: You need to wrap it up Bob.
Welsh: Yeah...point out that I realize the difficult position you're in. You have
recommendations from the commission. I would point out to you that
the recommendations from AARP has unanimously endorsed $10,
keeping the name Senior Center. The task fome has far more members.
The petition has far more members. The five changes that I am
suggesting to you is (reads statement).
Lehman: Thank you Bob. Any other discussion or questions of the commission
from the Council? Dawn we're going to wait until everybody has a
chance to speak once before we speak twice. Okay? Thank you.
Joanne Hora: Good evening. My name is Joanne Hora and I live on Herbert Hoover
Highway, West Branch, Iowa. I am a member of the Senior Center
Commission and tonight I am coming to you to just briefly tell you that
I know that for the last several months that you all know that we have
been working very hard on a planning for change proposal for the
Senior Center.
(End of Tape 03-42, Beginning of Tape 02-43)
Hora: The goal of the commission is to continue to work with and serve our
members to promote wellness, community involvement and personal
growth of people of 50 years of age. Also our goal is to maintain our
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current programs and services while continuing planning for future
additional programs and services in the community so that we can
continue to grow in membership and others. And planning we have
gleamed information from our recent center accreditation process. Our
staff members, center participants, advisory committee members and
experts in the field of aging and others to help us focus on the funding
and future planning at the Center. And I believe all of you have
received a copy of the letter from Constant Todd who is the Director of
the National Council on Aging who gave an overwhelming support of
the proposal that we have submitted to you. On issues that you know
have been the finances both short and long-term range and as you can
see the issues we have...we've worked very hard to look at all avenues
of this proposal. Again the financing short- and long-term range, the
membership fees, our programming and partnering with other
organizations and agencies in the community, the marketing plan that
needs to get put into place which we all agree upon and fundraising
programs out into the community. So thank you very much.
Lehman: Thank you. Are there any questions for the commission from the
Council?
Vanderhoefi Joanne where are you in forming your foundation?
Hora: We have discussed it not only the accreditation process but we have
talked about it briefly in some of our planning meetings. But where we
are (can't hear).
Lehman: It's part of the proposal.
Champion: Yeah it is.
Lehman: Until we get through with this I think you guys are waiting to find out
what's going to happen so you can do something.
Hora: Actually we do need to...I mean our goal is to move forward because
we can't do anything in marketing or anything without an approval from
the Council.
Lehman: Right. Are there questions for the commission? The commission is
here. I'm sorry.
O'Donnell: The scholarship fund that we're speaking about if somebody absolutely
does not have $25 is there a provision?
Champion: Yes.
Hora: Yes.
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O'Donnell: And that's a certainty?
Hora: Yes.
O'Donnell: Okay.
Hora: And I'm almost certain and Linda can attest to this, this money has
always been available and it's always been I mean people can always
use it if it's requested.
O'Donnell: Well I think we're all concerned and we have the same concems and we
don't want anyone turned away.
Hora: Tme.
O'Donnell: So you've answered my question. Thank you.
Hora: Thank you.
Lehman: We need to wrap this up though. I think it's time to move on.
Mueller: This (can't hear) will hopefully be quick Council. Again Dawn
Mueller, 1220 Village Road, #7. I just wanted to add a reminder to the
community that the seniors that we are seeing these days have some
special considerations in that many of the seniors are veterans of World
War II and we are also now seeing seniors from the Korean War. Many
of these primarily gentleman, but a number of individuals came away
from World War II and the Korean War having felt as if they had been
disregarded by society. They came home finding their jobs had been
lost to other individuals and they felt especially for those German
Americans who had to go abroad and fight against family members in
other countries. It was especially difficult for them to come home and
face the response of the American community. I just want to support
those individuals especially at this time because a number of those
individuals are experiencing high levels of depression and due to
memories of past wars and also a general feeling in I think our society
of seniors as not having as much of value as they might have in other
cultures. I also wanted to add the experience that I had as a child
growing up in a rural neighborhood where I was not able to participate
in our local city public library system because the library fees were too
high for my family to be able to afford. The fees were $125 and for my
family who was headed by a World War II veteran we just did not have
the funds for that. So I respect the recommendations of Reverend
Welsh and I just want to again add my support to the voices that have
already been heard. Thank you.
Charity Rowley: I'm Charity Rowley, Park Road, Iowa City and I'm a member of the
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commission. And I believe that we're fortunate to live in Iowa City a
community that's ranked high by many organizations including AARP.
Each year I meet more persons who've moved here in their retirement.
And I meet them in the Center where they're actively engaged in our
activities. Because of this I believe that the Center may be viewed as an
anchor facility for our downtown area. And that will be more possible
as we go forward under our proposal before you tonight. The
commission has listened to the participants and because of the many
meetings with the participants have testified to their concems we have
changed the proposal many times. We move the proposed membership
fee down to half, adding family discounted fees as well as a waiver of
fees for parking permits who use Senior Dining and of course we kept
the scholarship possibilities. We've had a long and public process that
went into the final proposal before you tonight and we're looking
forward to your decision so we can move to begin enacting the many
parts of it. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Jo Hensch: Hello. My name is Jo Hensch and I live at 3107 Balfour Place. And
I'm one of the people here that's just a volunteer. I don't have any
credentials. But we did move here in the year of 2000. And we're some
of the retirees that selected Iowa City after research because we thought
it was a good place to retire and live. And after moving here we
discovered the Senior Center and found that also to be an excellent place
to spend our time volunteering and enjoying the programs and the staff
and all the other offerings that are available there. The proposal that's
put forth to you from the Senior Commission is a result of many, many
open meetings. I just couldn't believe how many meetings were held to
get every opinion. And the people that I've talked to are very
supportive of the proposal. These are just common folks who come to
the Senior Center. And they are also impressed with the envisionary
planning that is included in the proposal. It seems to me that the
proposal is interested in meeting the needs of today's senior and
tomorrow's senior. And I think we have to keep that in mind whenever
we're looking forward to putting money anywhere. I think that these
are necessary. There's a large amount of money that is no longer
available. Something has to come forward. Any time you go from free
to payment you're going to have upset people. And I remember when
the parking ramp started and how upset people were because it cost
more than Chauncey Swan. And now all I hear is people saying how
wonderful it is that we don't have to walk in the rain. We're right there.
Now I kind of expect that this is going to be a same situation that...and
I've talked to people who have said that they were really upset and I
heard them be really upset when they first heard about fees. But they've
reconsidered it and they've said you know it's well worth the money
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and we will pay that. And it's something we want to keep in our
community. So I suggest that you accept the proposal from the Senior
Commission. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Bebe Ballantyne: Hello. I'm Bebe Ballentine and I speak as a participant at the Senior
Center. I have been volunteering for about 19 years and I've done a lot
of different things there and they've all been very rewarding for me. I
started out as a clerk in the elder craft shop. I went to some classes.
I've taken yoga classes, strength training classes, book classes, art
classes. It's a tremendous range of experiences. And I would just add
to what other people have already said that a fee that has been suggested
seems to me to be well within the range of most people. And if not we
do have the scholarship fund that is available. I was thinking about this
fee for even the person whose fee is the highest outside the county at
$60 for the year which someone had broken down and said it would be a
$1.15 a week. Well how many places can you get into for an activity
anywhere than is less than $1.15 for a day? So I think when you take
the comparison it isn't really so very much. And as someone else has
just said we get used to these things after awhile and thing oh this isn't
so bad after all and it's well worth it. So thank you.
Lehman: Thank you. We're going to take these two and then we're going to have
Council discussion. If Council has questions for either of you...we're
not going to sit here all night Jay.
Jay Honohan: I'll just take a couple minutes.
Lehman: Alright get in line. You're going to be the last person unless we have
questions for the audience because it's a quarter to 10:00. We've been
going on for 45 minutes over $10.
Champion: Isn't he a lawyer? Can he say anything in two minutes?
O'Donnell: I don't think so.
Kanner: Actually Emie I've found the discussion to be pretty enlightening.
Claire Shaw: My name is Claire Shaw and I've only been in Iowa City not too long.
And when I first came here it was quite disconcerting having lived in
Waterloo for 50 years or longer and raising a family there. But I came
here for family reasons. And I found the Senior Center. And I found
there a place where I could feel comfortable and I could get involved
with things. In Waterloo I was curriculum chairman for the Hawkeye
Senior Program and I can tell you that in the Hawkeye community
program there the Senior Center has everything that they have to offer
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on a college level. And I've taken classes here that are very meaningful
to me. Some of them very in-depth. Some of them from your
professors that you have such wonderful access to. I've also taken yoga
and tai chi. There's just a variety of interests that anyone can become
involved with. If they want to play card, fine. If they want to play
bingo, fine. If they want to play pool, great. As far as the fee yes no
one like to hear that they're going to be charged for something that they
haven't been charged for before. Knowing the people that work there,
knowing the girls, the women that move around in the corridors and
they're very accessible to anyone who is in the Center and whatever the
charge is - and I hope you maintain it at the $25 level and the sliding
scale because we have to make up those fees somewhere if we're going
to maintain the programs that we have now. These people are discreet
and I don't think there are very many people that would be reticent to
come to them and confidentially talk to them about not being able to
afford the fees. They've always at the very outset of this they said they
did not want anyone to be turned away. And that is true, because this is
where we get our membership. And the name...the name doesn't
bother me so much only in that we have to appeal to the younger
seniors. We can't maintain the seniors that are just like myself getting
older every year. We've got to reach out and get some of these younger
people involved so that we will have a viable center. And you have a
wonderful community. I've enjoyed living here and the Senior Center
has become...and I'm involved with the television end of it too...the
Senior Center has become the focal of a lot of my days. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you. Before you start no one here questions the value of the
Senior Center and how much we really appreciate it not only as a
community, but as a Council. What we're talking about here is the
proposal that the commission has put forward. And most of the things
that I've heard tonight are relative to the fees and the name. So we all
agree we love the Senior Center. Let's talk about the fees and names.
Okay?
Loft Benz: I'm Lori Benz. I was appointed by you four years ago to represent the
City on the commission, but my ties go back to the Senior Center back
to 1979 when I was hired as the program specialist at the Senior Center
a year and a half before it opened. So I have both short-term and long-
term memory regarding this facility which you're right is one of your
crown jewels here. What I want to address specifically because there
have been a couple of comment about it this evening is the outreach and
use of community resources by the Center which our proposal also
addresses. We plan to not only maintain what we have in the way of
support and networking that has occurred, but very much expand it. We
do plan to pursue an aggressive public relations program. We haven't
been able to do that because we need this kind ofreproval on your part.
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What you've been handed this evening is some information compiled by
Julie Seal that...who is the program specialist now that looks at the
extensive partnering that has gone on just...you're looking at a 7 year
timeframe here, but it really does capture the kind of community
resources that the Senior Center uses, the kind of outreach that occurs in
order to really allow a dynamic and a rich and an inviting environment
to thrive at the Center. What you're seeing them are partners that range
fi:om state and local agencies to private businesses, from academic
institutions to recreational organizations, fi:om special interest groups to
healthcare institutions. Those partnerships...those outreach efforts that
have so richly enhanced the Senior Center have a lot to do with the
Center's ability to maintain adequate staff support and that is tied to
funding to a significant extent - the funding that has been discussed
extensively tonight. That staffing has allowed not only programming to
occur, but the other true strength of the Center to really emerge and that
is use of volunteers. The Senior Center this past year has
used.., supported the efforts of 520 volunteers who contributed 28,000
hours. Two and a half full-time...or excuse me, two full-time
equivalent staff supported those efforts. Your other City unit that uses
volunteers extensively is the library. And they too have captured 10,000
hours of volunteer time through staff support that facilitates that kind of
energy and those resources to be focused through this community
facility. What I want to draw your attention to is that the Senior Center
Commission not only has thought about how it hopes to maintain
participation both through volunteers as well as users of the Center's
services, but how we're going to reach out and capture another group of
people - the 50- to 65-year-olds in particular. Those represent another
tree resource that can greatly add not only to the Senior Center, but the
City at large. And I have another document that I don't know if pass
that around...
Lehman: You need to wind this up Loft.
Benz: What I want to call your attention to is one statement of that study
which I'm just going to read to you because it represents the fact that
civic volunteerism is what this group forecasts as the wave of the future
for that particular age group. And you'll have more time to read this at
your leisure, but the study author concludes, "The vast and growing
older population constitutes this country's only increasing natural
resource. If we develop the kind of innovative opportunities capable of
capturing their imagination and tapping their talent, it would constitute a
windfall for our communities." And that's exactly what the proposal
before you proposes to do. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Champion: Thank you.
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Jay Honohan: Mr. Mayor, members of the Council I'm Jay Honohan and I live out at
1510 Somerset Lane not too far from Joe Hensch. I'm here because I
have three roles at the Senior Center: I'm a participant, I'm on the
commission and I'm also a volunteer and the coordinator of the
volunteer attorneys. I'm also going to make a statement here for the
record we have a quorum here so pursuant to the provisions of 21.43
we're allowing your minutes to be our minutes because we have a
quorum of the commission. That's 21.43 of the Code of Iowa. I'm a
little excited about this from the standpoint that we don't have this
interest from all these people until we come up with an issue like this.
And maybe I'll have to get another issue next year after this so we can
get all this excitement. At the same time I'm disappointed...I'm
disappointed that they don't have the faith in the seniors and the
participants at the Senior Center that I have. I'm reminded at the public
heating of the 90-year-old person who stated when we were proposing
an exemption for 85 and over that he didn't want any exemption. He
wanted to pay his $25 and support the Center just like everybody else.
And I think that's the attitude of most of the participants of the Center.
And I agree Ernie we're talking mostly about fees and the name. What
we're really doing there though is we're haggling about the price. They
want $10, they want $50. We think it's $25 with the thing for the
mancied people or the spouses or the significant others whatever the
code requires. I'm not going to argue about the name because I'll just
let you read Constance Todd's letter about how this is a trend. This is
not something that originated in Iowa City. In fact I've seen some out
in Califomia they call them adult centers now out in California several
that I've seen there. I want to thank you for moving us ahead on the
agenda. Us old folks have got to get home and take our medicine.
Lehman: We thought we were going to save some time, but it didn't work out that
way did it?
Honohan: But the last thing that I want to say I hope you adopt the draft, but I'd
like to say that during my term on the commission I have appreciated
the support that we've gotten from the City Council and the
administration. Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you, Jay.
Champion: Thank you.
Lehman: This is our last speaker. And then the Council is going to do something
with this. Go ahead.
Betty Kelly: Well I've been before you before not for the Senior Center however, but
9 years on the Preservation Commission. You saw me repeatedly. That
has nothing to do with tonight. I don't think anybody could argue that I
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put my time in at the Senior Center not only the commission, but if you
walk by the Senior Center you've probably noticed the landscape. That
was put in and paid for solely by me. And I hope you appreciate it. But
it illustrates one point that I'm the descending vote usually on the Senior
Commission. I'm for a uniform fee. I feel that I do not want to have
separation between Coralville, University Heights, so forth. I believe a
lot of people will contribute to Senior Center on an even fee. Now I
certainly contribute enough. I don't think anyone in here can argue that
- monetarily as well as time. And I think it's very important that we
don't break this community up by siding with diversified tier fees. This
is not something that we need to do in this City. And having talked to a
number of my friends... Senior Center Commission is just one of the
hats that I wear in this City. I'm also the head of a group of
organizations that just got you $2,000 for the repairing the booth at the
Englert Theater having written a grant. So I am busy in other areas.
But I do talk to a lot of people who are in this community, but don't
necessarily live in Iowa City. And they rather resent the fact that you're
going to tier them out. Now I know they don't all contribute. But I do
think it's necessary that we come together as a regional center because
all these little communities have their little centers and unless we do that
the Center isn't going to survive by itself even if it's excellent and even
has...and even though it has an excellent staff. So please consider a
uniform fee. Thank you.
Lehman: State your name just for the record. It needs to be...
Kelly: I'm Betty Kelly.
Lehman: Thank you Betty. Okay Council. Discussion. Speechless or Asleep?
Champion: Well...I'm not speechless. I'm never speechless. I think it would be an
ideal world if we could have a $10 fee for everybody. But we are in the
middle of a budget crunch. And I hear...it kind of bothers me that I
hear kind of blacknaail approach if you are going to charge more than
$10 we're not going to donate any money. I guess I find that kind of a
very negative attitude that is not going to help the Senior Center. If
people really want to donate money to the Senior Center they should do
it and then maybe the fees can be reduced. You cannot expect a
commission to run a budget on promises. It doesn't work. You can't
mn a budget that way. I can tell you honestly the City of Iowa City has
no more money to give the Senior Center. We may not have any money
to do a lot of things. We are going to be facing a million dollar budget
crunch and we're all going to have to pay more for services that we
want and need. I'm going to support the commission. I honestly hope
that it will be very easy for people to get "scholarships" if they can't
afford it. I hope it's just a matter of mentioning it to one of the
commission members - that there's no big form to fill out. You're
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going to have to depend on some people's honesty. But it's not possible
to run a budget without knowing what's going to be coming in. The
commission has had many, many public heatings. And sometimes
because you don't get the answer you want you think you haven't been
heard. But I'm sure they've listened to every single one of you on
everything you made but somebody has to make a decision. The buck
stops hem. With the Senior Center the buck stops there. And it may not
please everybody. It may not make everybody happy. And I wish it
could be different. But I'm going to totally support it.
Lehman: Other discussion?
O'Donnell: Well it's easy to give and it's very difficult to take away. And we've
heard that tonight - it was free and now you want to charge me. I
ideally would like to see Senior Center at no charge. That's not realistic
fight now. I think we have to go back and remember why we're here.
And that's because the Senior Center's budget was cut by the county.
And we're not getting participation from surrounding municipalities.
The county uses 11% of the Senior Center and funds that. The City uses
68% and we fired 80%. And Cormie said it fight our budget is very,
very lean and we've got a meeting Monday and Tuesday to see how
much we can cut out of it. We're going to have to cut about a million
dollars. It's very difficult. I want participation to rise. I felt that the
$25 is fair. So I'm going to support it.
Lehman: Other discussion?
Vanderhoefi While I agree with what Connie and Mike have been talking about. But
the same that excited me most was the forward look in the planning for
the future and to recognize that seniors from age 50...I certainly fit in
the seniors group...and there are certain activities that would excite me
and others that wouldn't excite me. And I think we need to keep a
broad spectrum of what is available at that Senior Center. It doesn't
mean that we're going to get rid of programming that is successful. But
if there are programs that are not being attended or successful to me that
tells me that people want something different. And it may be that some
of these changes in programaning is exactly what we need to interest
new people into coming and doing things. So having a long range plan
is a very good idea. I like that idea. We always know that plans can be
changed. They are fluid. They will do different things as we find out
what is successful and what isn't successful. But fight now we're
talking about dollars and we can't afford more right now and everybody
else is going to have some surprises as we change things. So don't take
it personal. This isn't about you as a group including myself. It's just
the way it is fight now. And we'll weather this and if times change then
there's that fluidity available. I'll support it.
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Kanner: Just in response to Come. Connie I didn't hear negative and blackmail
by the people. What I heard was people on both sides of the aisle with a
strong appreciation of life and people that care deeply about the Senior
Center whether their on our left or right or vise versa from that point of
view. And also in response to Jay I don't have a 90-year-old example
fight now although I have friends who are at the Center who are 90, 99.
But just today I talked to a 78-year-old man who I'll call Jack. I was
waiting at the bus stop and he came when I was started at Senior Dining
he came there. I think he just moved to town. And he got involved with
the Senior Dining on a regular basis and he loves painting and doing
watercolors and he makes use of the studio with its (can't hear)
downstairs who I understand is quite popular. And he loves that.
and...but he because of pride and other things he could probably afford
the $25, but he's not going to be joining the membership and making
use of the watercolor studio anymore which is contingent on the
membership fee. He rearranged his house and he's going to have a
studio in there and he said he'll invite people. And I think there's quite
a few of those people there that we're going to lose. And I think we can
do better. I admire the work the Senior Commission has done, but I
think the Council has to think of giving them a new mission to look at
this to hear some of what the task force is saying and find other ways to
save money. I think we need to have the commission looking at a total
rearrangement - internally and extemally in a substantial way. We need
to look at the possibility of asking them to working under Parks and
Recreation. I think we need to look at our relationship with Senior
Dining. I...about four years ago I was at Senior Dining working as a
staffmember and I was there at the Senior Center for five or six days a
week. I continue to go there at least once a week. So I think I know
what's going on there very well. I know the staff people. I appreciate
what they do and what the volunteers do. But after the Center is full
mostly for band and for Senior Dining. Currently there are other people
taking classes, but after 3:00 p.m. it starts to empty out throughout the
evening. Tacking a $25 fee and changing the name will not solve the
problem of filling it up. We need to encourage people of all incomes to
be there. In the past I heard a number of people talk about prior
administrations discouraging lower income people from being there.
And we have an administration that is not doing that now I believe.
And that's good. But this puts us on the path a slippery slope of
becoming more exclusive. And certainly yes Mike there are
scholarships available, but it's hard for a lot of people I think especially
of the older generation came up through World War II and Korea to ask
for those scholarships. I don't think they've asked for it too much in the
past and I don't anticipate them doing it now. I think we need
compromise. I think a $10 fee is a good place to start. And I'm going
to offer an amendment that we propose that the proposal be amended to
have a $10 fee.
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Lehman: Is there a second to that amendment? Amendment dies for lack of
second.
Kanner: Because of that major concern and some of the other concems brought
up I'll have to vote against the measure. Thank you all for coming out
here tonight.
Lehman: Do you have anything?
Wilbum: Yep. Well Mike put it best that we don't like to see ourselves in the
position, but we do have to make a decision. And the tough part as I
said before is the transition from no fee to well we've drawn upon the
Rec Center apparently as the model to some percentage coming from
whether it's activity fee or in this case a membership fee. I do have a
concern about the differences of fee from resident, non-resident. I'm
looking at...I'm comfortable since we do have to start with some
framework and some base I'm comfortable with the $25 fee. Looking
back at the Rec Center as the model non-resident fees I believe for many
things are $5 (can't hear) and we've got a significant difference. So I
hear and appreciate the concern about...for example in the senior band
this person spends $25, this person whatever instrument they're playing
they're paying being a problem. The other thing I would draw from the
Rec Center is there is the reduced fee and hopefully through either
outreach from Staff or people reaching out to their peers to try and
encourage, entice, educate about these funds are available if money is a
difficulty. I'm just curious if there are other Council members who
would...I'm not going to offer it as an amendment this time just to hear
back from you...about a flat $25 fee for one year, making an evaluation
of how the fundraising goes and if there's a shortfall there then possibly
looking at the fund - and this part is still unclear to me - the unrestricted
or undesignated funds for one year. So $25 flat fee, see how the
fundraising goes and the next step if there's still a deficit make it up
with that unrestricted fee, look at upping the fees for non-residents as
proposed on year two. So I'd just like to hear from Council your
reaction to that.
Lehman: I just...I have little problem with that. My problem is that the people of
Iowa City are supporting this Center to the tune of...
O'Dormell: 80%
Lehman: ...80%. The county is supporting 11%, but the 11% the county
is...ll%
O'Donnell: 11%
Lehman: ... 11% comes out of the fund that the people of Iowa City pay into the
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county. So the people of Iowa City are paying twice for the Senior
Center. The people of the county are paying zero for the Senior Center
or very nearly zero. I think it is unwise and unfair that we expect the
people of Iowa City to provide the Senior Center and provide the
services for those folks who really do not contribute to it financially.
And what motivation would there be for the county or for Coralville or
North Liberty or whatever to help us support that center if those folks
can use it at the same costs as the Iowa City taxpayers who are paying
for it?
Wilbum: That's a good point.
Lehman: I think that's the reason.
Wilbum: Yeah. And I think that we can't expect the other municipalities to
contribute, but if there's a flat fee then hopefully through marketing
there can be an attempt to get seniors in some of the other communities
to participate in some of the fundraising activities.
Lehman: I don't disagree with that, but 80% of the funding is still coming from
the tax dollars of the people of this community.
Wilbum: Okay.
Lehman: And I feel rather strongly about that. You know we...the county cut
their funding by $75,000. If there is no advantage for them, why
wouldn't they cut it completely. 'Why would Coralville consider it?
Why would North Liberty or anybody consider it if their people can use
it for the same as long as we're paying for it? I think there's a reason
and the difference is really if you figure it out is probably what 30 cents
a week?
Wilbum: Well that's...you know...folks of different income levels they're going
to react and respond to that differently. But again I'm not offering it as
an amendment at this point. I just wanted to hear what others' reactions
were to that.
Champion: My heart would say you're absolutely right, but my brain says no - if
there is a brain.
O'Donnell: One final comment is I really like the name Senior Center.
Wilbum: I would agree.
Lehman: That's because you're getting there.
O'Donnell: Said by an expert.
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Lehman: Well yeah because I'm ahead of you. I applaud the commission...
Wilbum: IfI could just finish since there is no support for that. Because we do
have to make a decision and move forward I'm going to go ahead and
support this, but I will indicate that I do not favor changing the name
from Senior Center.
Lehman: Well just briefly I applaud the Senior Center Commission. I remember
when you were going to build that impossible skywalk. There was no
way that was ever going to happen. Council wasn't going to fund it.
There was no money. And you got the money and you built the
skywalk. You got a problem with funding, you took the bull by the
horns, you sat down, you put in unbelievable amount of time putting
together what I believe is a very comprehensive plan that I believe you
have the best interest of all the seniors at heart and are trying to do
something for the entire community. There is nothing that can operate
that is not fiscally sound. And I think the first thing you have to do and
they reason you've been patiently coming to us now for a month is to
make sure that the Senior Center has a sound financial basis so you can
go after the rest of your master plan. And I certainly thank you on
behalf I'm sure the entire Council does for the effort and the time
you've put in. You were appointed by us, but you've done (can't hear)
duty so I obviously will support this as well. Roll call. Motion carries
5-1, Kanner voting the negative.
Karr: Motion to accept correspondence.
Vanderhoef: So moved.
Kanner: Second.
Lehman: Motion and second. All in favor? Opposed. Motion carries and we are
going to take a break.
Welsh: Mr. Mayor may I make one brief statement?
Lehman: Yes.
Welsh: I started my remarks by saying...expressing my commitment okay?
You know that I feel that you made the wrong decisions on some points
tonight. But to show my commitment I'd like to give Linda my check
for $25 to be the first.
Lehman: I thought you were going to be one of the big donors.
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ITEM 7. PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED HIGHWAY 6
COMMERCIAL URBAN RENEWAL PLAN.
Lehman: (Reads item). Public heating is open.
Colin Gordon: My name is Colin Gordon. I live at 1122 Rochester Avenue. I want to
thank the Council again for taking the time to listen to us last night,
present our objections to this plan in more detail. And I just want to be
brief tonight. I'll speak for the moment generally to the issue and you
can understand my comments to apply to the next item on the agenda
as well.
Lehman: Okay.
Gordon: Or I could get up and say it all again if you would prefer. I feel
that...well I applaud what the Council is trying to do in renovating and
rehabilitating the property in question. The TIFs are unbalanced bad
public policy. They are as a means of urban renewal and community
development largely unproven. They rest on what I believe are largely
false assumptions and increasing academic research both research on
TIFs in Iowa done at Iowa State and more generally are beginning to
bear this out. The basic logic of TIFs is it captures local tax revenue
for use in a specific district at the expense of schools, of counties and
of the state. In fiscal 2003 317 million dollars in taxable property in
Johnson County was TIF'd. And 8 million dollars was diverted from
all those bodies that are claims on the property taxes. Iowa City as it
stands that is in this fiscal year diverts about $200,000 in tax revenues
through TIFs. By the year 2006 based on Tl]Ts already approved -
that is not even taking into consideration these new districts - that will
be well over a million dollars. In the last fiscal year schools in
Johnson County lost 3 million dollars in revenue as a result of TIFs.
The county lost over a million dollars and cities about a million and a
half. And the state which is required by the TIF statute to backfill
assistance into the schools lost 28 million dollars. These are my
general objections to TIFs as public policy. I have more particular
objections to the use of TIFs on retail property. I think this is an
especially bad idea for a number of reasons. First of all as commercial
development, retail pays low wages so by the very fact of offering a
TIF on a retail you're flying in the face of your own economic
development guidelines which is supposed to favor high wage ideally
living wage development. Low wages create a burden on local social
services. The irony of the TIF is at the same time it's creating that
burden they're diverting revenue from the county that provides most of
those social services. So in that sense the county takes a double hit - a
greater burden, less revenue. In tum I think one of the particular
problems with retail TIFs is that the net gain to the county...
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(End of Side 1, Tape #03-43, Beginning of Side 2)
Gordon: ...retail TIFing is a form of local piracy. Coralridge mall was TIF'd
and attracted stores out of Iowa City into Coralville. When Sycamore
was TIF'd it pulled stores out of Eastdale Mall and is now pulling
stores out of the Old Capital Mall. So while you look at a given
project be it Coralridge or Sycamore on their own it looks to be a
winner. But when you factor the stores of coming from elsewhere and
they're contributing to a decline in the assessable value of other
properties. I have no doubt that two or three years from now I'll be
speaking against a TIF at the Old Capital Mall which is in an urban
renewal district. For these reasons both with regard generally to TIFs
and with regard to retail TIFs the state has taken a close look following
objections from the Farm Bureau, representing counties and from
school boards from rural legislations and came very close in the last
session to passing a sweeping TIF reform which would have largely
exempted schools from the diversion of tax revenue, subjected cities to
a cap of 5% on the assessed value in T1Fs and would have outlawed
retail TIFs entirely. This bill will come up again if not in the special
session, in the next session of the legislature. The question then is
what to do. My first answer would be to that is don't do it. I don't
think that's going to happen. So my second answer would be at least
wait until the state sorts this out. Don't jump ahead and establish new
retail TIF districts if in fact the projects in them are about to be
outlawed by state legislation. And the third - in a sense my fallback
position - would be if you go ahead with these TIF districts what you
need to do systematically and with public input is to give schools and
counties a substantive say on whether or not they participate in the
agreements. That is if you are ora conviction that in the long run
these aid to tax base enhance aid to schools, then let the schools say
yes or no because the lion share of the tax revenue you're diverting is
intended for the schools. Secondly, I hope you would subject either
this plan or the deals that will fall under it fully to your existing
economic development guidelines which call for among other things
paying a super percentage of average wages in an industry, a 90%
threshold for livable wages and that sort of things. And these cannot
be sustained in a retail TIF. in the absence of meeting those wage
thresholds what I would insist that you do and hope that you do is
revamp your economic development guidelines which as they stand
are very vague and are often not followed. Around a very specific
scorecard which demands the projects meet a certain threshold either
by paying high enough wages or by providing certain other public
benefits. If this TIF goes forward I would hope that the developers
and the commercial enterprises in the south side and Sycamore region
are devoting.., that some of that diverted tax revenue gets devoted back
into that neighborhood and so that organizations like the Broadway
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Neighborhood Center, so you've got storefronts for social services in
those mall fronts, and other tangible, public benefits other than simply
the long-term hopeful projection that you're padding the tax base.
Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you.
Katmer: Colin I had a question for you.
Gordon: Yeah.
Kanner: You talk about how provides lower wage jobs and therefore there
might be a need for more social services from the county which (can't
hear) tax dollars. So are you asserting that because Tl~s are offered
that drives wages down? Someone make the argument that these are
offering jobs that people would not have therefore wages are coming
up. Not actual per person wages, but for the general population.
Gordon: Well there are a number of ways we regulate wages. We have a
minimum wage. My position is that we have no business using tax
dollars to subsidize wages below the level of a livable wage because
those wages represent an opportunity for some wage earners, but they
always represent a burden on the community as well in the form of the
social services or subsidies which those people then qualify for.
Lehman: Thank you.
Karen Kubby: I was about to say good morning. My name is Karen Kubby. I live at
728 Second Avenue and when the idea for this TIF really started
because Southgate said we want to make a substantial investment in
Pepperwood. And I think there needs to be a substantial investment in
Pepperwood. I'm not sure if TIFs is the right tool to use to do that
because my understanding is that when Southgate went to the City
staff part of their job is to zoom out and say what is going on in that
larger area. And I'm not sure that we should do that in this case. And
maybe not...maybe the areas for TIF shouldn't be so large. The
current area we're looking at is a substantial increase in the amount of
land that will be TIF'd in Iowa City. When you all decided to TIF
Sycamore Mall there were some ripple...some positive ripple effects
throughout that whole area. And so what you did essentially is help
jumpstart some redevelopment on the east side of town. And we've
seen some positive results from that - a minimum some short term
results...some positive results. But then what I think we should do is
allow the market to flow naturally after the community has intervened
to provide public assistance. And you all actually recognize that
because when Plamor Lanes came in you decided to have a deal that
was a little bit less than they wanted to because you saw the ripple
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effects of the Sycamore Mall results. That it created a more positive
economic atmosphere that then there was promise in that area. So
people took different kinds of risk but it wasn't the main risk. That
first person that comes in that does the big investment is taking the
greatest risk. The Plamor Lanes was a lesser risk because that first risk
was successful. They kind of had the machete. They drove the path
for that redevelopment. And so I really think that you should take
your recognition a step further and to say maybe TIFs aren't the way
to redevelop this particular commercial area. Maybe there's another
form of economic development that doesn't divert quite as much tax
dollars. And for awhile I'll just be selfish and say Iowa City tax
dollars and not even speaking about the school or the county money
because there are things we need that money for in the community.
And to help Southgate with Pepperwood period instead of having this
larger issue. And they're the ones going to be taking the bigger risk
for the bigger investment and then let the ripple effects of the market
happen after the communityjumpstarts things. I actually have a
question about how the urban renewal plan works. If anyone in the
proposed district comes in and follows the spirit of the plan are you
obligated legally to provide a TIF?
Champion: No.
Lehman: I don't think...
Nasby: No, you're not legally obligated to do it just because they're located
within the district. Each project would have its own development
agreement and you can decide as a Council whether you wish to enter
into that development agreement or not.
Kubby: So even though maybe a development meets the outline of the
Southside plan, meets the spirit of this particular TIF in terms of what
you're trying to do in this area if you say we just can't afford to divert
anymore tax money, you could say no?
Lehman: Or like in the case of Plamor less.
Kubby: A lesser amount. Well one suggestion that I have actually is the idea
of maybe decreasing the size of the district to just the CC-2 and not all
the way to the river and all the way as south as you're going. Let's see
I don't know what page the map is on. It's the second to the last page
in the plan. It's not numbered so I can't tell you the page number, but
it's addendum 2. And the reason I suggest this is that the CC-2 areas
are the commercial districts right along the highway. And those are
the ones that are going to have the most visibility and they're going to
be the domino that's going to create this effect. So if the community is
going to jumpstart some redevelopment through a TIF or any other
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form of public assistance do it there and then allow the magic of the
market to work on its own. Another suggestion that I have is on page
4 of the plan under private site improvements. It says, "Qualifying
businesses must meet the requirements of the financial incentive
section as determined by the City Council in order to use tax increment
financing for private site improvements." And at first that sentence
seemed really strong to me and I was really glad to see it, but then it
says as determined by the City Council, so that means things can get
eroded from that plan. And so a specific suggestion I have is to amend
the plan in that section to take out the words "as determined by the
City Council." So that private improvement have to meet those
financial incentive sections of your policies. A third suggestion I have
is to keep your good record in Iowa City of not doing TIFs for 20
years, but keeping them at 5 and 7 and 10 years - doing shorter term
things. I think the financial status of the City is so hard predict. Even
doing three year budgets is really difficult for the City right now. So
doing those shorter term things...I'm glad that's the route you've
chosen and hope you maintain that. And my final suggestion it comes
from page five where the financial incentive section says that the City
can also ask for additional performance criteria. And I have some
ideas, but I think really the City maybe could go to residents who live
in that area, to agencies who serve residents who live in that area and
to businesses that are either currently located or want to locate in that
area to say what do you need. So that before a specific project comes
in so that you can negotiate those needs into the TIF district. So some
of that money that's diverted is then plowed back in to service the
needs that that are has said that they have whether that's looking back
at the Southside plan, whether that's community center investments,
whether that's the creation of public spaces and places for people to
gather in the public, whether it's safety issues in terms of pedestrian
access because I hope part of the plan is that people who live near
there can walk to the businesses. That kids can bike there. That
there's safer and easier public transportation and places to stand to
wait for the bus. So I hope some of these things are put into how you
do the TIF district. And we think this kind of process is more fair
allows for more maximum community participation in this process
because really our participation is kind of the public heating. But in
these added performance standards it's what is the community need in
that area then there's a lot more public participation. You'd get more
community needs. You may have me coming in here another time
saying TIF this because it's a way of fulfilling and buying the
community needs that maybe we can't afford to do any other way.
Thank you.
Champion: Thank you.
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Karmer: Karen can I ask you a question? Are you saying that you agree that
the Sycamore Mall benefit package was a good one and that the
overall has a positive effect.
Kubby: I think that there's some of the musical chairs that Colin outlined ifI
look at it over time. And I guess it hasn't been around long enough to
see is that just something that happened or in 10 years from now is
there this larger ripple effect. I'm saying that the result was whether I
agree with the tactic used or not is that there was public investment to
help redevelopment happen. And it spurred other kinds of
redevelopment that I don't think then needed any public assistance for
the Plamor Lanes. I would not have supported that second round of
public assistance in that area. I would have said we did this big one.
They took the biggest risk. Then let the market to its thing. And I
think you should do that in this area too. And not do a TIF for the
whole area, just do some kind of agreement with Southgate and then
let the market take its course.
Kanner: So even though you're passing out some literature saying that there's
little to no evidence of overall public benefit you would contradict that
quote.
Kubby: I would say you're going to do it. You're doing this stuff. And so I
want to try to make it smaller and I want to make sure that the money
that's diverted is going back to meet the needs of that area and not just
paving parking lots.
Kanner: Thank you.
Lehman: Thank you Karen.
Vanderhoef: Are we going to respond tonight or wait until...
Lehman: Well we don't have a resolution. We just have the public hearing.
Anyone else like to speak to this issue? Hearing is closed.
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ITEM 9. PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS, FORM OF CONTRACT, AND
ESTIMATE OF COST FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE 2003
ASPHALT RESURFACING PROJECT, ESTABLISHING
AMOUNT OF BID SECURITY TO ACCOMPANY EACH BID,
DIRECTING CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH ADVERTISEMENT
FOR BIDS, AND FIXING TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIPT OF
BIDS.
Lehman: (Reads item). Estimated construction cost is $548,300. Public hearing
is open. Public hearing is closed. Do we have a motion?
O'Donnell: So moved.
Lehman: Moved by O'Donnell.
Wilburn: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by Wilburn. Discussion?
Kanner: Yeah in light of our million dollar cutback from the state is there any
way to cut this back and is that something that's going to be proposed?
Atkins: I didn't propose it because this is road use tax. Our road use tax fund
is healthy.
Kanner: This is all road use tax?
Atkins: Yeah.
Kanner: Okay. Thank you.
Lehman: Other discussion? Roll call.
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ITEM 14. CONSIDER AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 4,
ENTITLED "ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES," CHAPTER 5,
ENTITLED "PROHIBITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS," OF THE
CITY CODE TO PROHIBIT PERSONS WHO ARE UNDER
NINETEEN (19) YEARS OF AGE FROM ENTERING OR
REMAINING IN ESTABLISHMENTS WITH LIQUOR
CONTROL LICENSES OR WINE OR BEER PERMITS
BETWEEN THE HOURS OF 10:00 PM AND CLOSING. (PASS
AND ADOPT)
Lehman: (Reads item).
Champion: Move adoption.
O'Donnell: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Champion, seconded by O'Donnell. Discussion? We're
not going to take much public discussion.
Champion: It's past his bedtime.
Don Stalkfleet: No I know that. I just wanted to let you people know - Don Stalkfleet
- our progress on this. Tomorrow the Alcoholic Beverage Division is
going to have TIPS person in town to set a schedule to provide TIP
training for all the bars in downtown Iowa City, to set a schedule up, to
get that started so that we will be ready for the new fall schedule when
this goes into effect.
Lehman: Good.
Stalkfleet: And I have more information on tagging for people who are going to
come into bars. I just wanted to let you know that's part of the
process. I just need to know how we're going to set up a task force so
we can continue this from now on after this passes tonight hopefully
and how we're going to set that taskforce up to continue on to monitor
it.
Lehman: We're going to at the next work session I believe discuss setting up a
committee comprised of Council folks, bar owners, students,
University administration whatever, a rather comprehensive group that
will meet hopefully on a monthly basis to monitor what's going on.
Stalkfleet: Good. I think most the things brought up there's people who want to
know and now they have that forum to know those things and that's all
I wanted to go up and talk about.
Lehman: And I think that's a great idea and I think Council...
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Stalkfleet: That's all I have.
Lehman: Okay. Thank you Don.
Wilburn: You mean tagging with the Id bracelets not with the spray break-in.
Stalkfleet: Well the Id bracelets have their own things we have to talk about.
We'll talk about those in committee.
Wilburn: I was making a joke.
Kanner: He's beyond that. He's on to the new level of tagging.
Wilbum: I guess so. Yeah.
Nate Green: Hi. Nate Green, University of Iowa Student Body President, 702
North Dubuque Street. First of all I'd like to thank the Council not for
a compromise because I know Connie doesn't like that word.
Champion: I don't like that word.
Green: But for the willingness to consider an alternative approach to this
issue. I just wanted I guess update you guys real quick on the student
21 policy task fome the STOP task force. We unanimously support
the 19 ordinance.
Lehman: Thank you.
O'Donnell: That's great.
Green: I'm glad that happened. But the STOP task force further recommends
the alcohol committee that Dee Vanderhoef and Steven Kanner and I
all talked about I know in a meeting and I think the rest of you have
been in communication about it especially last night at the work
session. I think it's going to be important for that task force to monitor
the effectiveness of the 19 ordinance and be able to make
recommendations on how to better improve it such as with the wrist
bands with the bar monitors and all those other issues that we
presented before. Further I guess I'd like to recommend that the task
force develop some kind of bar ordinance code of good conduct that
would address these issues. And hopefully we can get all the bar
owners to sign on to something like that. And I think that uniformity
is key in this in that we have the cooperation of all the bar owners so
there's no undercutting or anything like that.
Lehman: I really agree and I think this could be an extremely valuable
committee because of the broadness of the base of the committee.
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Green: I agree.
Lehman: I appreciate your being part of it.
Green: And I think the representation on the committee especially I know we
talked about possibly having someone from the Police force, possibly
a City Councilor chairing the committee. I'm not sure exactly. I mean
you guys will have to make those decisions. Also student
representation, bar owners and non-bar owners in the downtown area I
think that's key. The diversity of I guess views and opinions I think
will help in getting a better sense and a broad sense of whether this is
actually working. So thank you very much.
Vanderhoef: Nate?
Green: Yeah?
Vanderhoefi Are you saying that the student government approved that draft that I
sent to you or are...? I haven't' given it to the rest of the Council.
Green: Yeah I know and because it was sent in so late it wasn't able to get on
the meeting agenda for the student assembly meeting that happened
tonight because it has to be made up I guess in advance.
Vanderhoef: So they haven't seen it yet is that what you're saying.
Green: Well all the executives have seen it and the STOP task force has seen
it and overwhelmingly support it and I have no doubt if it was brought
up before the student assembly that it would get passed. The problem
is it's finals time. There's no way to call like a special session.
Vanderhoefi Okay. So just so you know I'm going to distribute that draft to the
entire Council in this coming packet.
Green: And I've shown that to a lot of the senators, a lot of the other
executives and I haven't heard one concern about it.
Vanderhoef: Okay. Good. Call me if there's any new recommendations and we'll
put them on to talk about.
Green: Definitely.
Vanderhoef: Thank you.
Green: Alright. Thanks.
Lehman: Thank you.
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Mayrose Wegmann: Hi. My name is Mayrose Wegmann. I live at 808 Benton Drive,
Apartment number 13, Vice President of the student body. I just want
to echo what Nate said. I really want to thank you for opening up this
discussion and dialogue. I think this is really good to have students
working together with the Councilors on this issue. And I personally
wanted to thank Steven for working with us the other day pulling
down that tent after campus clean up because that was really helpful.
It was blowing away in the wind. So thank you for being student
friendly on that and thank you for your help.
Lehman: Thank you.
Jim Clayton: Good evening. Jim Clayton, Prairie du Chien Road, Iowa City. I'm
the co-coordinator of the Stepping Up project. The goal of Stepping
Up as was set more than five years ago was to reduce the harmful
effects of high risk drinking. And we believe that the City Council's
actions are a good faith effort to pursue that goal and so we support
your effort. We have supported a 21 only bar ordinance not because
that was our goal, but because we believe the scientific evidence
identifies 21 entry as the best means to limit underage access to
alcohol. If the ordinance being considered which makes bars off limits
for those under the age of 19 has the effect of reducing harmful effects
then we'll continue to support this effort. Still we believe it will be
important to carefully monitor and assess whether the ordinance that
allows 19- and 20-year-olds who are not allowed to drink into a
drinking environment whether that will be effective. If it is not we'll
be back and we will urge Council to consider other environmental
means to reduce the harmful effects including the implementation of a
21 ordinance if that's what it takes. Thanks a lot.
Lehman: Thank you, Jim. Any other discussion? Roll call. (Motion carries.)
Champion: I'd like to just thank Jim for coming forward with that statement. I
think it's important that Stepping Up is willing to support us on this as
a...we hope it's going to be a positive thing. And we appreciate that.
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ITEM 16. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ADOPTING IOWA CITY'S FY04
ANNUAL ACTION PLAN, WItIC}I IS A SUB-PART OF IOWA
CITY'S 2001-2006 CONSOLIDATED PLAN (CITY STEPS) AS
AMENDED, AND AUT}IORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
SUBMIT SAID PLAN AND ALL NECESSARY
CERTIFICATIONS TO T}lE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF }lOUSING
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND DESIGNATING THE
CITY MANAGER AS TI-IE AUTHORIZED CHIEF EXECUTIVE
OFFICER.
Lehman: (Reads item).
Champion: Move the resolution.
Lehman: Moved by Champion.
Wilbum: Second.
Lehman: Seconded by Wilbum. Discussion?
Vanderhoefi Okay...this...
Wilburn: Do I have a conflict?
Vanderhoef: Yes.
Wilburn: I withdraw...with the action plan I do?
Lehman: We don't have a second. Do we have a second?
Vanderhoef: Second.
Wilbum: Oh yeah.
Lehman: We now have a second.
Wilburn: Wait a minute. Let me...
Vanderhoefi That's why I was reading (can't hear) a second time.
Champion: Dee starts to fall apart about 11:00.
Lehman: Sorry about that.
Wilburn: That's alright.
Lehman: It's almost tomorrow.
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Wilburn: I never get to have any of the fun.
Kan': It was seconded by O'Donnell or Vanderhoef.
Lehman: Well take your pick. They both did it. O'Donnell. Okay?
O'Donnell: Wise choice.
Lehman: We're going to discuss that. Alright. Discussion on the motion?
Vanderhoef: Okay. I like the recommendations of the HCDC for the (can't hear)
allocations. I understand why they rated the housing inspector as a
lower need as compared to what they saw needs at the other agencies.
And I'll go along with that for this year. That does not mean that next
year given the budget constraints that we have I will certainly look at
possibly funding a housing inspector and do it off of the top before
they make their allocation recommendations. But for this year I'll go
with this.
Lehman: Any other discussion?
Kanner: Yeah I think HCDC - Housing and Community Development
Commission does a great job. I think they put a lot of hours in and I
appreciate them making some of almost solemnistic decisions on who
gets what money. There's a lot of good projects out there. And they
do a lot of the work so we don't have to do that kind of decision
making except in the final form. I think it's a good form. I think we
need to give more of the money back that we take off for other
committees like economic development or at least get them more
involved. I think it's important. And I think they made a very good
point about how housing inspectors should not be coming out of this
money for a number of reasons one of them being that housing
inspectors although it does effect low-income people and moderate-
income people and it's allowed I think under federal law I don't think
it's the appropriate place. I'll be voting yes as presented.
Lehman: Any other discussion? Roll call. Oh I'm sorry Steve.
Nasby: I'm sorry just quickly so as you're passing the action plan you also are
approving the requests for changes of the terms from the agencies that
you spoke with at the last meeting.
Champion: Exactly.
Nasby: That's correct?
Lehman: Right.
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Champion: That's correct.
Nasby: Thank you.
Lehman: Okay? Now we'll have roll call. Motion carries.
Kan': I'm sorry motion to accept correspondence.
O'Donnell: So moved.
Vanderhoef: Second.
Lehman: Motion and a second to accept correspondence. All in favor?
Opposed? Motion carries.
Wilbum: It's not just me. Eleanor called my name out too.
Lehman: We're going to get out of this before the day is over.
Wilbum: Okay.
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ITEM 18. CONSIDER A RESOLUTION AWARDING CONTRACT AND
AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO SIGN AND THE CITY
CLERK TO ATTEST A CONTRACT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF
THE 2003 PARKING RAMP MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
PROJECT.
Lehman: (Reads item). It looks like we got about six bids. Estimate was
$302,500. The low bid was from Paragon Constructors, Inc,
Minneapolis, Minnesota $242,087.75. Public works is recommending
the awarding of that contract to Paragon Construction.
Vanderhoef: Move the resolution.
Champion: Second.
Lehman: Moved by Vanderhoef, seconded by Champion.
Champion: What is the alternate?
Atkins: Rick couldn't be here tonight, but he gave me notes.
Champion: Okay.
Lehman: It's an addition.
Champion: I know, but what is it?
Atkins: Apparently they structured the bid so that if we did get a good base bid
we could also include Chauncey Swan. It's the newest so this takes care
of all the ramps.
Champion: Okay.
Lehman: And keep everything under the estimate.
Atkins: Thank you (can't hear) I think you understand (can't hear) of the
concrete...
Champion: Yeah I know what they're...
Vanderhoefi Basing the two hundred and some thousand.
Atkins: Rick gave me all these notes. Are you sure you don't want to hear all?
Champion: No, no I just wanted to know...
Lehman: I'm pretty sure we don't.
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Champion: I thought maybe we were going to put up curtains or something. I just
wanted to know what the alternate was.
Atkins: No, no curtains. But I have all these notes.
Lehman: Roll call. Motion carries.
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ITEM 19. PUBLIC DISCUSSION [IF NECESSARY] (ITEMS NOT ON
THE AGENDA).
Mark Danielson: Excuse me Mayor Lehman. There were two of us who were here to
speak with regard to the landlord nuisance ordinance and your
discussion session was gabbled so quickly that we were not given an
opportunity to speak. So I didn't know if appropriate under item 19 for
discussion purposes.
Lehman: Well, no it isn't, but go ahead.
Danielson: I appreciate it. Thank you.
Dilkes: Well I think that's problematic though. There was a whole group of
people here who probably...
Danielson: There were three people here - Hillary Sale and I believe two others
who would appreciate having an opportunity to have comment as well.
Lehman: Then I think perhaps the best time to do it is on a third reading.
Dilkes: Yeah that would be my suggestion.
Danielson: And if I have the opportunity I may be able to speak briefly at the
completion o f the meeting. Thank you.
Champion: We'll make sure you can speak.
Lehman: Well we're not going to have public discussion. We had public
discussion at the beginning of the meeting. There was no discussion so
there will not be public discussion at the end of the meeting. That is...
Danielson: No, no I understand that. I mean informally ifI have an opportunity
to...
Lehman: You mean individually with Council folk.
Danielson: Correct.
Lehman: Fine.
Danielson: Thank you.
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ITEM 20. ANNOUNCEMENT OF VACANCIES.
Lehman: (Read vacancies). Certainly a wonderful opportunity to become
involved in City govemment.
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ITEM 21. CITY COUNCIL INFORMATION.
Lehman: City Council information. Miss Champion?
Champion: Nothing.
Lehman: Mr. O'Donnell?
O'Donnell: Nothing.
Lehman: Dee?
Vanderhoefi Not a thing.
Lehman: Ross?
Wilburn: I would just like to invite the public to the best breakfast in town by
the Crisis Center which is Sunday May 18th. That's the Sunday after
Mother's Day. Sunday May 18th from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at St.
(can't hear) Church. There will be two different kinds of pancake,
orange juice, milk, coffee provided by Java house, milk by Robert's
dairy, real butter, pure maple syrup, grade b, yogurt, fresh fruit. And
the Hill's Bank is the corporate sponsor. And we'll have some
celebrity pancake flippers again. And I recently purchased a new
bucket and mop to clean up after the...in case the Mayor has any
problems with the pancake batter this year.
Lehman: You know the Mayor may not be there after that. No, that's a great...I
think I told you before the meeting tonight, that's an event that the
folks who work there have an absolute ball, but the people who come
there that's just a wonderful community event. And glad to help.
Wilbum: Yeah, thank you.
Lehman:: Anything else?
Wilbum: No, that's it.
Lehman: Steven?
Kanner: I appreciate the trees and plants in bloom on the ped mall. It's fun to
be there.
Champion: Fountain is on too now.
Kanner: Fountain is on?
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Lehman: Yes.
Kanner: And hopefully we can keep it on during concerts. People have
commented that it's not on during the concerts. The kids don't get to
enjoy that.
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Council meeting of May 6, 2003